Gothic Beauty Magazine 43

FASHION LIFESTYLE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWS DIY
ISSUE 43
PINAR ERIS
FASHION CONNECTING
THE MIND, BODY AND SOUL
ACCESSORIZE
YOUR NAILS
RETAILER FILE UNDER FASHION OR LIFESTYLE
SPECIAL CORSET NAIL

DESIGN TUTORIAL
ROMANTIC
THREADS
FROM WEDDINGS
TO MASQUERADES,
INSPIRED GOWNS
FOR ANY OCCASION
BREAKING THE MOLD

WEDNESDAY
MOURNING
ENLIGHTENS THE CURIOUS ON
ODDITIES SAN FRANCISCO
PLUS MUSIC INTERVIEWS MINISTRY SNUTTOCK SECOND SKIN

ISSUE 43 REVIEWS
BOOKS ...11-14
MUSIC ... 51-54
PRODUCTS ...48
ON THE COVER
Photo by Lycilia-Art (www.lycilia-art.de)
Model: Kitten
FASHION
PINAR ERIS Confidence and bravery are key

when wearing one of Pinar Eris’s outspoken
designs PAGES 30-35
EVENT ENTERTAINMENT DIY

RECYCLED CALENDAR
NOTEBOOKS
PAGES 6-8
LIFESTYLE
ENDLESS
S NIG
GHT
T WITCHES IN
IN NEW OR
RLE
EANS ENTERT
TAIN
NMEENT
PAGES 42-43 TICK TOCK TRICK MOVE OVER ZOMBIES, THE WITCHES
PAGES 36-37 HAVE ARRIVED PAGES 22-23
MUSIC INTERVIEWS MINISTRY'S AL JOURGENSON 16-18 SNUTTOCK 28-29 SECOND SKIN

60-61
5
FASHION SHOWCASE
CANDY ROCK COUTURE

ROMANTICC PAGES 24-27
THREAD
DS
PAGES 56-59
BEAUTY
PROFILE
GOTHIC NAIL ART

THE NAIL HAS BECOME AS IMPORTANT
AS ANY OTHER ACCESSORY
PAGES 46-47
STAFF PICKS
GHOST HOODIE BY EM AND SPROUT,
MICO COUTURE LATEX CUFFS PAGE 49
PROFILE
WEDNESDAY
MOURNING
NOW THAT HER DAY JOB IS BEING
TELEVISED EVERY WEEK, HER
PERFECTLY GOTHIC LIFESTYLE IS
WATCHED BY THOUSANDS
PAGES 38-41
FASHION
RE–AGENZ
FOR RALF EPKE FASHION IS ABOUT DE-
SIGNING CLOTHES THAT WILL LAST, BOTH
IN QUALITY AND STYLE PAGES 20-21
IRON WORKZ
SHOWCASE ASHTON’S DEEP FASCINATION WITH
FUNCTIONAL APOCALYPTIC FASHION
STEMS FROM HIS OWN PERSONAL
THE DUST Y RA
AVEN EXPERIENCES WITH NATURAL AND
PAGES 44-45 NATIONAL DISASTERS
PAGES 62-64
FROM THE EDITOR IN CHIEF
G
othic and alternative personalities are certainly no strangers to reality television. In
this issue we talk with Wednesday Mourning. Already being well known within the PUBLISHER
gothic community, it is exciting to see her make the break into the television realm Steven Holiday
on Science Channel’s Oddities San Francisco, a show that specializes in all the things EDITOR IN CHIEF
creepy and kooky in real life historical artifacts. If you have an interest in the strangeness of Ruby Holiday
humanity, this is definitely a reality show you don’t want to miss. Also in this issue we had the
opportunity to talk with the producers of Tick Tock Trick, an indie film which has been years in MUSIC COORDINATOR
the making. On the outset it may seem like another ghost story, but with its decidedly gothic Kirsty Evans
themes—not to mention an all-star gothic line up for the soundtrack—I believe it has all the
makings of a cult film and I am looking forward to seeing it soon. SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
We have seen the zombies rise in popular TV and movie trends, but will witches cast Laura Vianello
out the zombies? Vampires made themselves known again with all the beauty, grace and ro-
mance that we have come so accustomed to, thanks to Anne Rice and the birth of Lestat. We
LAYOUT & DESIGN
Vero Avant
have experienced the struggle and fight for survival during the most grueling zombie apocalypse
ever, as seen in The Walking Dead. And now, we are watching a group of young girls fight for STAFF WRITERS
their own right to exist in a dying coven, courtesy of American Horror Story. Is it a coincidence Jessika Hulse (Sr. Writer)
that we are now seeing the supernatural cycle of the late 80’s and 90’s repeat itself? Coincidence Gail Brasie (Sr. Writer)
or not, being of the ilk that takes much pleasure and has an undying interest in the supernatural, Alison Schwartz
it most certainly is fun to watch. In this issue we explore the recent rise of this new coven of Melissa Lytton
witches and question whether this will be the next entertainment trend or just a phase. Cara Shahin
Lenore Gwynn
Gabrielle Faust
GOTHIC BEAUTY MAGAZINE

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Despite the ubiquity of technology, many goths still
purchase good ol’ fashioned paper calendars each
year because there are some brilliant gothic
and fantasy calendar artists currently producing
work. Each new year brings a new calendar, and
like me, by now you may have an entire stack of
old calendars that you can’t bring yourself to
part with because of their beautiful art. Thank-
fully, the thickness and gloss of calendar paper
is an ideal material for making notebook covers.
Recycled
Calendar
Gothic
Notebooks LYTTON
BY MELISSA
Photos by Billy Crum
SUPPLIES
Old calendars
or planners
Cardstock
Paper
Paper-cutter
or scissors
Ruler
Embroidery
needle
Embroidery
thread
Hockey tape
Hole puncher
Binder clips
Bone folder
(optional)
Staple-remover
(optional)
Get creative when choos- for the notebook you want to tear anything, and then cut
ing what sections of your make can be recycled for this as desired. Your notebook can
calendar you want to use. project. be large or small, square or
Just because an image has Cut out the sections of the rectangular. You can have a
part of the calendar grid calendar that you want to use. single image from the calendar
imposed over it, or is covered A gridded paper-cutter makes serve as the entire notebook
in old appointment reminders, it immensely easier to get cover, both front and back, or
it doesn’t mean you can’t use crisp, straight edges, but you can collage together sev-
2
it. You may even want to in- scissors and a steady hand eral smaller images.
clude the image of a date that will do in a pinch. If part of
was important to you. Your the image you want to use is
choice of paper can be equally very close to the seam of the Cut out a few pic-
personal. Lined paper, blank calendar, use a staple-remov- tures and arrange
paper, grid paper, cardstock, er to completely disassemble them on a piece of
unused hall passes, etc. – any WKH FDOHQGDU LQWR ÀDW VKHHWV cardstock rough-
paper that is the right size of paper, being careful not to ly double the size
Issue 43 GothicBeauty.com 7
of the notebook you want, in
deciding. Keep in mind that

there will be a seam down the
middle of the cover, so ar- 5
YDULRXV FRQ¿JXUDWLRQV EHIRUH
Keep in mind that the
thicker the paper and
the larger the stack of
paper, the more it will
stick out in the middle
3
range accordingly. as you stack them together. If
\RX¿QGWKDWLWVWLFNVRXWWRR
much, you can either trim the
Cardstock doesn’t bend middle pieces further, or make
very easily, which is several smaller packets of pa-
why it makes a great per and attach them to each
reinforcing material other side-by-side before put-
for the cover. It also ting them in the cover.
means getting a clean seam Fold each piece of paper the
can be a bit tricky. Light- same way that you folded the
ly fold the cardstock in half, cover. This is probably the
without creasing it, and use longest part of the project,
small binder clips to secure especially if you have a lot
the edges together. Take your of paper to insert, so queue
time and make sure the edges up a favorite show or album
6
match as exactly as possible. while you work.
7KHQXVHDERQHIROGHUWR¿UP-
ly crease the spine. If you
don’t have a bone folder, your Stack all the pages to-
nails or even a rounded spoon gether in the cover and
may work, but a bone folder use a hole puncher to
will be less likely to leave make a hole at both the
extra marks. If you mess up top and at the bottom of
the fold, the rounded end of a the spine.
7
bone folder can also help you
smooth the cardstock back out
4
so you can try again.
Use the embroidery nee-
dle and thread to create
Once you have the a tight loop of string
8
crease right, lay the around the spine.
FDUGVWRFN VHPLÀDW
again and place the
calendar images back Tie the knot on the
where you want them. Use the outside of the spine
hockey tape to tape around the and then tape over it
edges of the cardstock, but with more hockey tape
don’t tape the spine yet. The to further secure the
tape will both secure the im- stitch and decorate the spine.
ages to the cardstock, and act
as an embellishment. Hockey
tape in particular is nice be- Now you’re ready to doodle,
cause it gives the illusion of journal, or scheme away in your
a cloth notebook, though you very own personalized gothic
could use colored duct tape as notebook.
well.
Using the ruler, measure and Don’t forget to share your
cut your paper to be one inch designs with us on our Face-
shorter all around than your book page!
notebook cover. This inch dif-
ference will keep the paper facebook.com/gothicbeautymag
from poking out further than
the cover when it all gets
stacked together.
8 Gothic Beauty Issue 43

The Witches’ Almanac The Uninvited Doctor Sleep The Heavens Rise
1 THE OTHER DEAD
T
he Zombie genre is on its last legs (pun Obama is concerned the devastation will match
intended). Every possible concept has that of hurricane Katrina. That’s right, Barack
been taken advantage of, remade and Obama is in the comic, and not just as a passing
then parodied to the point where it is diffi- character. He is on the cover of the first issue, in
cult to imagine a new way to make the un- front of the Presidential seal, toting automatic
dead appealing again. However, Digger T weapons. If that isn’t enough to get the reader’s
Mesch (Minimates) was willing to give it a go. attention, nothing is. Other characters include a
The Other Dead is a comic book mini-series young boy in remission from cancer, an exotic
based on a film treatment written by Mesch, dancer (who is also a witch), a death metal band
and with a team of contributing artists in- and an ex-Army Ranger obsessed with the BY JOSHUA ORTEGA, DIGGER T
volved, it promises to breathe new life into Apocalypse. The illustration is for adults only, in MESCH, QING PING MUI, BLOND
WITH KEVIN EASTMANW
the walking dead. Set in the present day the highly detailed, graphic full color, showing every IDW PUBLISHING
story takes our fear of death and the hereaf- drop of blood and saliva. The action moves from
ter from a different angle - making zombies of up-close panels of a single, ravenous eyeball
the animal world rather than the human one. to panned-out, full page scenes of a sky full of take on the zombie genre with realistically
A mysterious and highly infectious disease is vengeful zombie ducks. Seriously. The creative gory illustration makes this series a refreshing
striking all creatures, wild and domestic, turn- minds behind The Other Dead obviously have a alternative to the norm, but you’ll have to read
ing them into murderous, crazed critters. At sense of humor, but the story is no less terrify- to the end to see if Obama makes it out alive.
the same time, a violent storm is threatening ing (although the brain-eating Poodles in issue
the southern coast of the US, and President two might suggest otherwise). A subversive LENORE GWYNN
2 THE WITCHES’ ALMANAC
T
he Witches’ Almanac is a long-running ly in topic, composition and usefulness—there’s
yearly publication dedicated to astro- a section on herbal gardening, and another on
logical planning, magic and lore. Inter- magical mulch, for example, as well as a brief in-
spersed with lunar calenders and zodiac troduction to Enochian magic and hermeticism.
predictions for the year to come are insights, The section on the Cimaruta charm is quite in-
anecdotes and a smattering of mythology. teresting, as is the piece on Gwen Thompson,
Authored by Theitic with contributions from which is in the form of excerpts of her many
several others, this book also includes letters, interviews.
reviews and advertisements in the back. Some of the entries vary in quality in writ-
For those with an interest in astrology, this ing and shall we say, expertise, but in general, BY THEITIC AND CONTRIBUTING
book can prove immensely helpful for the they’re delightful little tidbits of information that PAPERBACK, 193 PAGES,
coming year. The calender includes moon cy- may spark a wider interest in readers. Some- ILLUSTRATED
cles and pagan holidays, as well as which days thing about the way this publication is put to- THE WITCHES’ ALMANAC, PUB.
are auspicious for various kinds of spell work. gether makes it seem like a text-out-of-time;
Author Dikki-Jo Mullen includes a conversion which is interesting since it’s published with book, and if you’re looking to expand your
chart for people living in the Southern Hemi- the direct purpose of use in the upcoming year. practice to be more in tune with the cycle of
sphere, and points out the times listed in the What I mean is that it seems old-fashioned, and the year I highly recommend this text. Older
book are based on Eastern Time in America, that’s not a criticism. There’s a supplementary or long-practicing pagans are probably quite
because the text is published in Rhode Island. website with further information that brings the familiar with it at this point, so purchase it
The Witches’ Almanac also includes weather whole feeling of the project a bit more into the while the year is new.
forecasting by month, and life-outlook pre- now, not to mention the fact that the website
saging per astrological sign. does have loads of useful and interesting stuff.
The other sections of the book vary wide- Pagans of all stripes can make use of this GAIL BRASIE
TRIBES OF THE VAMPIRE:
3 REDEEMER OF SHADOWS
T
he vampire genre has been the focus man and woman on the cover, his hand on her
of my writing since I was a child. I have bare thigh as they are wrapped in a moment of
been obsessed with the sexy and vi- passion. I love a good sex scene as much as the
cious predators of the night since I opened next girl!
the pages of Interview with the Vampire However, I need more than simply seduc-
by Anne Rice. The modern interpretation of tion and sex page after page, fangs or no fangs.
wealthy seductive aristocrat has been one While Redeemer of Shadows is, honestly,
that has enthralled audiences for centuries, beautifully written, I had a very hard time over-
with each new vision of the creature becom- coming my disappointment in the predictable
ing more glamorous and irresistible than the nature of the book in many respects. For ex-
last. Thus, the ultimate “bad boy” or “mis- ample: A young innocent and very conservative
tress/vixen” has become the perfect anti- girl from America finds herself walking into an BY MICHELLE M. PILLOW
hero for a romance novel with an undeniable underground vampire sex dungeon on her first PAPERBACK, 410 PAGES
blend of danger, intrigue and raw passion. Af- night in London and is (of course) the one wom- THE RAVEN BOOKS
ter all, when do you feel most alive than in the an in the club that the head vampire is drawn to.
moments when you wonder if you may die or The next night he finds her in her aunt’s lavish
fall madly in love? Victorian garden outside their bed and breakfast adulterated romance novels full of breathless
I will be honest, romance novels have never at dusk and all she can think about is how she moments and a mysterious sexy foreign vam-
really been my thing, but I keep giving them a wants him…etc. I suppose, after reading so many pire then Redeemer of Shadows is going to be
chance in hopes that I will one day be seduced more “hard core” vampire novels this unrealism quite the treat for you. And if you find the first
by the genre in the same ravenous way so is hard for me to swallow (pun entirely intend- Tribes of the Vampire novel to your liking there
many millions of fans around the world have ed)—it’s a level of escapism I simply can’t reach. are two more to follow it to complete the trilogy.
already. When I received the promotional And you’re talking to a girl whose top favorite
copy of Michelle M. Pillow’s Tribes of the Vam- authors include Clive Barker, Dan Simmons and
pire: Redeemer of Shadows I tried to keep an Neil Gaiman.
open mind and look past the cliché image of This issue aside, if you are a fan of true, un- GABRIELLE FAUST
4 THE UNINVITED
C
hildren all over the world start killing gy, psychology and tropes from folklore. It has a
their family members, have no clear decidedly anti-civilization bent to it that is both
recollection of the attacks afterward, bold and refreshing. The murders and sabotag-
and slowly revert to an apparently feral state. es are presented as a mystery with a number of
Meanwhile, otherwise dedicated workers potential solutions; Jensen expertly drops hints
across a variety of industries are sabotaging throughout while offering no oversimplified
their places of business and then committing solutions.
violence against their persons. Hesketh Lock, Jensen’s character development is
an anthropologist working in the private sec- well-rounded and detail-oriented. Hesketh has
tor, is called in by corporations to investigate Asperger’s Syndrome, and while this features
the industrial/corporate sabotages, while heavily in his development as a character it is BY LIZ JENSEN
being simultaneously drawn into the family not his only feature; he’s not a walking diagno- HARDCOVER, 307 PAGES
BLOOMSBURY USA
murders, especially once the apparently con- sis. The challenges of being on the Spectrum
tagious violence strikes home. are neither ignored nor overblown. Freddy,
Lock’s talent and specialization is spotting Hesketh’s step-son, who is seven, is quite be- Jensen’s latest novel is intriguing, well-paced,
behavioral patterns, but as he jet-sets around lievable as a character in his own right. Children full of dynamic characters, and gleefully unafraid
the world looking at this sudden upsurge in characters in fiction and other media often dis- of violence. The dynamic between Hesketh and
industrial sabotage, he begins to realize that play behaviors, reasoning and vocabulary more Freddy is touching; the message behind the
these incidences and the child-murderers common in kids several years older; Freddy talks story’s violence is thought-provoking. Jensen
may be linked. As his own family is eventually and acts like a seven-year-old. proves herself to be a master at interweaving
affected he and his colleagues begin to ac- In addition, The Uninvited has some well-plot- plot points to form a cohesive whole over time,
knowledge there are things afoot no one ever ted and well-executed eeriness. The creepy/ keeping the audience guessing until the end.
thought possible. sinister children motif has a tendency to be stale
The Uninvited is a successful blend of the and overdone—here too Jensen bypasses any
supernatural, science, behavioral anthropolo- clichés or predictable decisions. GAIL BRASIE

5 THE HEAVENS RISE
T
he Heavens Rise chronicles
a mystery surrounding
three friends and one
very vengeful man who
are all unwilling snared in the
consequences of unearthing an
ancient terror in New Orleans. Ni-
quette Delongpre and her family
go missing as a result, leaving her
friends Anthem and Ben to pick
up the pieces over nearly a de-
cade, while Marshall Ferriot culti-
vates hatred and power hundreds
of miles away.
In a pre- and post-Katrina New
Orleans, issues of race and class
are addressed by Rice, where
they could have been skirted un-
der the guise of generic expecta-
tion. This is a supernatural thriller,
after all, and probably could have
scooted by claiming genre as a
reason to stay out of social com-
mentary. Rice doesn’t pull punch-
es; he includes the effect of Ka-
trina in the psyche of the city and
its inhabitants. Themes tied to race, class BY CHRISTOPHER RICE
HARDCOVER, 321 PAGES
and power are stitched directly to the su- GALLERY BOOKS
pernatural arc of the plot. Rice’s inclusion of
these topics and his refusal to portray New
Orleans through a rosy-tinted ‘this is fic- at the right place, if not just a few chap-
tion so everything’s cool’ lens denotes not ters too late. The climax of the story fell a
only integrity as an author but also high- bit flat for me; for everything else in this
lights a love for the city, since glossing over book, the apex of the plot felt too much
the faults of anything or anyone we love is like a “Boss Battle.”
cheap, reductive, and ultimately delusional. The Heavens Rise poses interesting
The most fascinating character is actually thoughts on, and questions about, the
the villain, Marshall Ferriot. At first Ferriot nature of souls, nightmares and the idea
seems puerile, too silly to take seriously, of transmutation, unfortunately, these
but as he grows as a character over the are added so late to the story there isn’t
eight-year time span of the book, you see adequate space to explore or develop
that Rice most likely does this on purpose. them in full.
Marshall grows from a nasty, sadistic child He does effectively convey the hor-
into a nasty, sadistic, revenge-bent adult. ror of not being in control of either your
But he becomes more restrained, more fo- body or your decisions. The conclusion
cused, and oddly, as the plot develops and is morally ambivalent, despite the op-
things come to light, more sympathetic. I timistic tone cast by at least one of the
think it’s worth mentioning, since all too of- characters’ point of view, and I wonder
ten antagonists are so dully static. It’s both
fascinating and entertaining to see Ferri-
ot grow in power, in total confidence of his
abilities, and to learn over the course of the
if this serves to highlight how corrupt-
ible anybody can become, or if there is,
at least for these characters, a promise
of purity despite the potential for unbe-
VEKZAR
story why he wants so passionately to de-
stroy these other characters.
Rice interjects an interesting reveal at a
lievable power. The former is fascinating;
the latter strikes me as a bit naïve. vekzar.org
point where the only other heretofore su-
pernatural occurrences was starting to feel GAIL BRASIE
vekzar.com
a bit done. That is to say Rice ups the ante
vekzar.net
6 DOCTOR SLEEP
W
hen it was published in 1977, The Shining became
one of Stephen King’s best-known works and re-
mains so up to this day. Its reputation as one of the
scariest novels around was helped, in no small part, by Stanley
Kubrick’s film portrayal of the book some years later. King’s
original horror story revolved around Jack Torrance, an alco-
holic writer, his loyal wife Wendy, their young son Danny and
a hotel possessed by murderous, evil spirits. Danny, who had
a strong, telepathic gift referred to as ‘the shining’, was just
five years old when we first met him. By the time the reader
is reunited with him in Doctor Sleep he is an adult and, despite
promising himself as a child to not follow in his father’s foot-
steps, he is also an alcoholic spiraling out of control. King has
said that this sequel to only his third novel had been on his mind
on and off for many years, wondering what Danny, now Dan,
was up to, if he had grown out of his ‘shine’ or taken up drink-
ing like his dad. Doctor Sleep tells the story of Dan’s struggle to
conquer his demons, real and metaphysical. The addiction he
suffers from as an adult helps him deal with the demons that
terrorized him in the haunted Overlook Hotel as a child, but
he has to overcome them both to fight the real-life demons
out to kill him and other ‘shiners’ like him. These demons are
The True Knot, a band of ordinary-looking and instantly for-
gettable caravanning folk, traveling around the country in their
R.V.s, who can live forever young if they ‘feed’ regularly on the
‘steam’ produced when a telepathic child is slowly tortured
and killed. The book revisits a few familiar characters (the
horrific woman in room 217 included) but only briefly, as the
story is about starting anew. As is characteristic of King, his
hero is flawed and far from perfect, his victim far from helpless
and the evil that they must fight is not entirely human. While
not as terrify-
ing as its pre-
decessor, nor
as gory, Doc-
tor Sleep still
has moments
where the
reader must
look away from
the pages, de-
ciding whether
to read on or
not. It also has
characters the
reader will fall
in love with, in
spite of their
imperfections.
King has not
lost his tal-
ent for making
seemingly ev- BY STEPHEN KING
eryday things HARDCOVER, 482 PAGES
HODDER & STOUGHTON
terrifying and
ordinary people
extraordinary, but this is the first novel of his in a while that
hasn’t drawn a tear. Perhaps he is softening in his old age?
LENORE GWYNN

Allan Amato

AFTER A LONG CAREER IN WHICH HE’S BEEN AN INFLUENCE
ON SEVERAL GENERATIONS OF BANDS, MINISTRY’S NOTORIOUS
FRONTMAN IS HANGING UP HIS MUSICAL HAT FOR A WHILE. WE
CHECKED IN WITH HIM AT HOME IN EL PASO TO SEE WHAT ELSE
HE’S BEEN UP TO, AND WHAT HIS PLANS ARE FOR THE NEXT
FEW YEARS. HINT – SOME OF IT MAY NOT BE QUITE WHAT YOU
WERE EXPECTING. BY KIRSTY EVANS.
I
t seems like you’ve done a lot writing it on and off for 28 years and it’s finally Is there stuff that you specifically want to
if interviews lately about your coming to fruition in the next couple of months. talk to them about, or are you just going to
past, so I’d like to focus on show up and see what they want to ask you?
what you’re up to now and your In terms of WebFoot, is it mostly conversa- Both.
plans going forward. tions that you had or is there a lot of commen-
Well, I have three books and a tary from you too? What do you want to talk to them about?
comic series coming out. I’m not Basically it’s going to be focused on comments It’s real simple. Don’t believe everything you
doing music for the next couple on the posts that I’ve written. It should be pretty hear. What you hear, read, watch, whatever –
of years. I’m just tired of it, and I’m kind cool because there are some pretty funny moth- it’s all bullshit. It’s just these people that are
of digging this being a Hemingway type of erfuckers. These people are just insane. I just take trying to manipulate us, and that’s the point I
drunken author thing. this all in and go, this is the real world. My posts want to get across. I’ve always wanted to be a
are almost secondary to the comments that I get teacher of some sort, and apparently I wound
Tell me about the novel. It was originally back. I don’t think anyone has done a book like up in the music department. I just want to talk
called Mindfuck, right? this before, but it needs to be done because we’re to these kids and hear what they have to say,
The novel is about a serial killer in Chica- in the digital age and there are some fucking nut- and have them hear what I have to say. What
go who talks people into killing themselves cases out there. I have to say is through experience, whereas
by persuasion of words. As opposed to just what they have to say is through idealism. So
being a serial killer, he’s talking people at dive Are these people mostly crazy fans or are I get to give a little experience to them about
bars into killing themselves because they’re some of them trolls? how the real world works.
losers. I get my trolls, but some of the comments that I want to tell them not to believe what we’re
That novel is nearly done, and then I have these people make are indicative of the world being fed. Eric Snowden or whoever is expos-
a third one called WebFoot coming out about that we live in. They’re amazing, but they’re also ing shit that our governments do to us or that
my dalliances on this Facebook page that I amazingly funny. So I wanted to document that, our daily media does to us. That’s basically my
have. No names will be mentioned but it’s much like, what’s that guy who did Supersize Me? point – don’t believe the hype.
pretty funny – it’s a comedy book. So I’m
going from fiction to comedy. Then I have Morgan Spurlock For a while you were writing a lot about
a comic book coming out about me with Yeah, that kind of thing, that’s what this book Bush, and now he’s gone and we have
superpowers and stuff like that, with 13 ep- is going to be more like. Obama instead, but do you really feel like
isodes, and then the autobiography. People that’s actually that much of a change?
want to make a Hunter S Thompson type Let’s talk about teaching. You’ve mentioned No. As a matter of fact, as I was writing Last
Fear and Loathing movie about it. So I got a that if you hadn’t ended up doing music you’d Sucker, I actually started feeling sorry for Bush
lot of literary stuff coming up in the next year have wanted to be a teacher in the past, and because these people are not in charge. These
or two and I just don’t have time for music. now you’re doing it. Is it a lecture series? are just dolts, whether it’s Obama or Bush or
I’m just glad that I got to do what I do when Yeah, I’m going to go talk to some kiddies. whoever, or the Citizens United Act which al-
I did, at the time that I did it. It was just the lows companies to buy brains.
right time at the age of 55 to change careers. When you say kiddies…
College kids, high school kids…definitely not Once you’re done with the books that
Where did the idea for Mindfuck come grade school kids. I’m interested in that, and you’re working on now, what do you want
from? other people are interested in that, and I’ll do it. to write about next?
Well, I’m from Chicago; I lived there for I’ll go to these places and go talk. Basically it’s a All I know is that I like all the weather
30 years, so I know all these dive bars. I moderator; it’s kind of like Inside the Actors Studio chicks on Al Jazeera and Libby Gordon on
know all these losers, because I was one too. with that Lipton dude. So I’ll do a few of those. Al Jazeera, and that’s all I do all day. I scour
(laughs) I’ve got a pretty good framework for We’ve got a few lined up, so sure, I’ll talk to kids this stuff and I don’t care about anything else.
what I wanted to do with that, but I’ve been about the perils of life. Why not? I write all night, wake up in the morning, get
Fox News trying to be to the right, you’ve got
your MSNBC trying to be left of the road, and
there’s no more news any more. And I go on
Facebook or whatever and I can’t find any real
news, and that pisses me off.
That the real news is buried and everyone

is talking about Bat Kid.
They’ve got this new show on MSNBC that
actually tells you the soup of the day at the
White House, and that’s the news. That’s fuck-
ing news? Really? So I watch this with total
amazement and amusement and how stupid
people have become via social media.
I guess the question is whether the rea-

son for that is corporate manipulation of
the news or whether that’s what the public
actually wants – the soup of the day at the
White House.
You know what, if we could just get rid of
Freedom for America and Heritage House and
all these other right wing crazy fucks I think
we would be a much better country and a
much better world.
Do you feel like people have the potential

to become more aware and more focused on
the important stuff?
You know, that’s a good question. That’s
the crux of the biscuit. Here’s the deal – we
have been so dumbed down by the media, by
whatever interest groups, that I’m not sure I
have confidence in any nation actually doing
something about their plight.
Do you feel like there’s enough pressure

to turn the tide? Are you feeling hopeful
about all this or are you feeling despair?
You know, I knew William Burroughs a lot,
and that guy stopped caring about anything
but raccoons and digging his petunia garden.
He didn’t care about social issues. I’m almost
getting to that point.
Even though obviously you’re frustrat-

my morning news cycle during the day and coverage and Mandela’s burial can get 14 days of ed, the fact that you’re still writing and still
then write at night. full coverage, meanwhile the Ukraine is blowing wanting to teach kids, it seems like you hav-
up, Syria is blowing up, everything is blowing up, en’t quite hit that point yet, right?
So what are you writing about right now? and they don’t mention that. They mention Bat You are correct. I have not given up yet. I’ve
About how fucked up shit is. Kid and Mandela. I’m just like, what the fuck? still got about 15 years to go, to keep preach-
ing social awareness, before I give up. Eventu-
Give me an example. Over the last few You mentioned Al Jazeera. Do you feel like ally either I’ll die or I’ll give up, because there’s
weeks or few months what’s caught your at- you’re getting a different perspective from shit that needs to be addressed in this world
tention as being worth writing about? them or just replicating the same issues in a that we’re not addressing.
OK, now you’re getting me going. You’re slightly different form?
a good journalist, I gotta tell you this. You’re I take the populist perspective of what we’re facebook.com/Ministry
good. What I’m on right now is the news cycles seeing, and it’s not good. You’ve got your CNN
and how Bat Kid can get 4 full days of news trying to be middle of the road, you’ve got your

GREAT FASHION
IS ALL DOWN TO
CHEMISTRY
FOR RALF EPKE GOTHIC FASHION IS NOT ABOUT WHATEVER ric quality with interesting
design. “Re-agenz is the Ger-
FLEETING TREND EVERYONE’S WEARING RIGHT NOW, AND man word for re-agent. Fashion
WILL PROBABLY FORGET ABOUT IN SIX MONTHS’ TIME. IT is a bit like chemistry, you need
a good combination of elements
IS ABOUT DESIGNING CLOTHES THAT WILL LAST, BOTH IN (or textile ‘reagents’) in order to
THEIR QUALITY AND THEIR STYLE. HIS LABEL ‘RE-AGENZ’,

get good results. And R.E. are
my initials. That it also could
BASED IN GERMANY, GREW FROM A DESIRE TO CREATE mean ‘Ralf Epke – agent’ is a
funny extra!” It is a combination
HIGH QUALITY, VERSATILE GOTHIC GARMENTS, WITH MORE of two ‘rules’, as Ralf describes
THAN A TOUCH OF THE INDUSTRIAL AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS IN them, that help shape his designs
too. “First, less is more - the fasten-
BLACK. BY LENORE GWYNN ings should not weigh more than
L
the fabric we use for the product and
ike many would-be designers, Ralf made clothes for himself initially. second, every kind of fabric is usable - you just need
“I produced the first designs just for me, mostly because I didn’t like the right idea. These rules in combination show me
the quality that was sold in the scene. And most of my creations got the direction for my designs and enable me to create
so much good feedback at parties that I thought I would start my own something new, without copying existing gothic stuff.”
business. When I was younger, 19 or 20 years old, I learned to use a sew- The desire to create something new rather than re-
ing machine. This knowledge helped me to create all the stuff I wanted to hash tried and tired designs, is something that drives
wear.” His family was already working in the fashion industry so it seemed Ralf to make clothing. Almost all his garments can be
Ralf was destined to be involved in textiles in some way or other. Although worn in a multitude of different ways, with removable
he had no formal training or education in fashion design, he had studied hoods, multi-way dresses or clip-on (and off) accessories.
the business aspects of fashion. This gave him the foundation needed to When asked why he designs fashion this way, his answer is a
source decent materials and to know how to make his small company grow. simple “because it’s possible.” He believes with a group as diverse and aes-
“I studied Textile Management. That includes small parts of design, but thetically driven as Goths, that their clothing should reflect these intrinsic
the main parts of the lessons were production, quality assurance, marketing elements. “I don’t like static clothes. The gothic scene is a mixture of differ-
and a lot of other textile relevant themes. After studying I worked as an in- ent styles and generations. It’s a great and creative community. I think that
ternational textile buyer for a big American enterprise. I learned a lot about most people in this scene are thankful for clothes which are changeable in
the real hard world of fashion production, about the price-fight, the cheats an easy way, because not every person has the time and skills to tailor some
in quality assurances and all the other deals. That’s the reason why I try to new clothes that look unique. My German claim ‘anders auffallen’ is hard to
produce as much of my goods in Europe.” translate in English but it means something like ‘the new way of attention’.
The name of the label ‘Re-Agenz’ arose from his desire to combine fab- That’s what I want to create, produce and sell.”

“FASHION IS A BIT
LIKE CHEMISTRY,
YOU NEED A GOOD
COMBINATION OF
ELEMENTS TO
PRODUCE GOOD
RESULTS”
Unlike a lot of alternative labels around, Re-Agenz also make a large line. Also new accessories like
range of clothing for men. Ralf thinks it is profits that influence the our Hood. It’s also changeable
decision of other designers to make little or no male fashions. “I think a and you could wear it with most of
lot of companies just think about the sales and forget the whole picture. your clothes. At the last few festivals our
Of course every statistic tells you that women buy more clothes and customers were able to view and pre-or-
spend more money on fashion, but men also buy clothes and want to der some of our new designs too. New
wear outfits which they like. It’s just fair to make good designs for both clothes like hot pants, jackets for wom-
men and women. I think neither sex is more difficult to create for, but en, fishtail skirts and a cute new dress.
perhaps men’s fashion is a little bit easier for me because I’m a man. At At the moment we are in production
every festival where I sell my products, I see a lot of couples which are to fill in our stock. We have also cre-
happy to find a booth with good designs for both of them. It should ated a new fabric out of a nice velvet
make my customers happy to buy something. If everything goes well, print. At the moment we have used it
they are happy and I’m thankful. That’s the deal!” to make corsets, but we are planning to
Although his clothes are versatile and incorporate both male and female use it with other designs too.” Despite
forms, there is only one choice of color. Black. “It is very hard to make his focus on including a full range for
something with colors, because the color-trend changes very fast, even in men, his favorite designs from the new
the gothic scene. If my brand grows up big enough and I can spend the time collection are both articles for women.
and money in colored fashion, I will.” So, despite his labels young age (just “The fishtail skirt has a hidden zipper
three and a half years) Ralf wants to reach everybody and expand his brand which you can use to make a pencil skirt
and he knows just how to do it. “I want that all customers in the world are out of the fishtail. It was a great idea of
able to get my clothes, but I have to grow much more. As a designer” he my model Heidis Graetchen, who came
says with a wink, “you need chances to get a better reputation like a nice up with the concept for this item. The
and friendly interview in a great gothic magazine.” Flattery will get you new dress is really cute too. It has a small
everywhere Ralf, you smooth talker! mao-collar and a sweet neckline.”
Being based in Germany Ralf has traded at Wave Gotik Treffen, the larg- While it is clear that Ralf has a head for business, what drives him
est gothic festival around, with great success. When asked about the Ger- is the desire to create wearable clothes. His background in textiles ensures
man scene he confirms it is still vibrant but also admits that he hasn’t had the high quality of Re-Agenz products but his understanding that Goths
much opportunity to compare, “since I’ve not participated in many gothic want to be unique makes his designs stand out. In a genre where many
parties in other countries.” While the designer himself may not have been labels are incessantly copying each other and everyone ends up looking the
gothic-globetrotting, his clothes certainly have. “I’ve got good support from same, these are clothes that Goths enjoy going out in and can make their
a lot of gothic stores in Germany, but I also deliver to a lot of stores world- own at the drop of a hood.
wide like New York, Melbourne in Australia, Paris and so on.”
Talking about his new collection, it is clear Ralf’s appetite for adaptable
clothing has not abated. “We have some new vests for men in the pipe- WWW.RE-AGENZ-SHOP.DE
Photography Fotomanufaktur Wessel and Thomas van de Scheck Models Heidis Graetchen and Chaco
Post Processing Alexander Schulte Issue 43 GothicBeauty.com 21
ntertainment that revolves around the super-
ZOMBIES, MOVE ASID
E natural moves in trends like anything else. The

success of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight franchise
renewed interest in vampires. These contem-
porary vampires were assigned humanistic tendencies that
made them more sexually appealing than terrifying. The
theWitch
television and publishing industries both took note of the
vampire craze - presenting us with shows like True Blood
and Vampire Diaries, filling bookstore shelves with young
adult series books about teen vampires.
When that trend grew stale, zombies stole the spotlight.
haveArri
BY ALISON SCHWARTZ
Though zombie films have been around for decades (as
had vampire films), a new breed of zombie tale emerged.
The character-driven AMC show The Walking Dead (based
on the graphic novels of Robert Kirkman) is a landmark
show for a number of reasons. High ratings, the level of
gore they have been permitted to show on network cable,
and the balance between survival and human intercon-
nectedness – those are only some of the praiseworthy as-
pects that make it a show worth viewing. There have been
countless zombie films – including ones with outlandish
twists like Zombieland and Warm Bodies – that add humor
to the horror genre. Again, there have been many young
adult and adult fiction titles that present post-apocalyptic
wastelands ridden with zombies or dystopias where most
people are wiped out by some sort of virus.
Then, for a moment, it seemed werewolves might be
next up for some public love. But lycans never really gen-
erated enough interest to start a sort of ‘movement.’ It
seems that witches have become the new star in the world
of entertainment.
One of the surest signs that witch madness has arrived
is FX’s hit series American Horror Story: Coven. The show
that uniquely features many of the same cast members
every season with a new story arc is set in New Orleans
this time. Characters are mainly witches of different ages
- including the infamous Marie Laveau, a notorious prac-
titioner of Voodooism. Jessica Lange plays Fiona, the Su-
preme witch in a coven/school that helps young witches
protect themselves. Her coven traces back to the time of
the Salem Witch Trials, while Laveau (played by Angela
Bassett) the Voodoo Queen is in constant rivalry with
them. In classic American Horror Story style, its third sea-
son shifts between two time frames – modern day and the
1830s. Even though it’s a female-driven theme this season,
fan favorite Evan Peters is still woven into the story in a
curious way that would be a spoiler to reveal.
© Dmitrijs Dmitrijevs | Dreamstime.com
American Horror Story: Coven with its trademark com-

plexities and allegories is fun to watch: it repackages what
we know about witches in a way that is refreshingly in-
ventive. There is something beguiling about a powerful
witch that uses her sexuality as trickery. A recent article on
Huffington Post’s site argued that witches have made their
mark as the next go-to characters because they can be sexy;
zombies are never ever sexy.
The network Lifetime jumped on the broomstick band-
wagon by adapting Melissa de la Cruz’s popular young

adult series the Beauchamp Family into a TV series show
DE: entitled The Witches of East End. Premiering in October
2013, the show features a family of witches on Long Island
who are threatened by dark forces. Like American Horror
hes Story: Coven, there are references to the Salem Witch Trials
and one of the lead characters has the ability to bring the
dead back to life. In addition, the plot features compo-
nents of Norse mythology.
ived In addition, WGN America is slated to debut an hour-

long series in the spring of 2014 called Salem about the Sa-
lem Witch Trials. Though it was never historically proven
that witchcraft was a reality during the real 17th-century
trials, the show’s witches will be the real deal with super-
natural powers. This show will be the first scripted series
for the network and features Shane West in the lead role.
Witches have begun to appear increasingly more in
recent young adult fiction. Arguably the biggest contri-
bution to sorcery-based fiction has been the Harry Pot-
ter series. There is a surge of upcoming paranormal titles
that revolve around young witches. Just browsing Ama-
zon’s selection of new Teen/Young Adult books under
the search term ‘witches’ or ‘witchcraft’ generates a list of
witchcraft trilogies, historical fiction rooted in magic, and
new non-fiction Wicca books geared toward the younger
crowd.
Reminiscent of the Sookie Stackhouse series, The Line
(book one in the Witching Savannah series) by J.D.
Horne is about a witching family residing in the South.
Mercy Taylor, the youngest child of the family, is the only
one born lacking the gift of magic. Another highlight is
Sally Green’s upcoming Half Bad trilogy, about a boy in
modern-day England who is both types of witches: good
and bad. Because of this duality within him and the fact
that his father is such a powerful and cruel Black Witch,
he is hunted from all sides.
Michelle Zink’s novel, This Wicked Game, puts a slight
twist on the witchcraft tale. The protagonist, Claire Kin-
caid, comes from a family that has been involved in the
voodoo business for fifty years. They also belong to a se-
cret voodoo society called the International Guild of High
Priests and Priestesses. Claire hides a big secret from her
family – she doesn’t believe in any of that voodoo nonsense
and cannot wait to move far away from New Orleans.
The trend extends even further, as it has crept into
the fashion world. Since the film adaptation of Beautiful
Creatures, mainstream and alternative designers alike have
incorporated the visuals of a mystically spellbinding wom-
an into darker wardrobes. Jessica Rayne, a South African
designer with a penchant for vampy designs told the New
York Times earlier this year that, “the witch is a strong
character, encompassing what it is to be a woman: power-
ful and sometimes terrifying.”
It seems that witch-centric entertainment provides both
escapism and empowerment. It’s fun to envision possess-
ing magical abilities. Characters that utilize their power to
bring evil unto the world serve as a fantastical yet caution-
ary tale. So dive into a book series, dive into a fictionalized
coven, or stay tuned for the next book-to-film adaptation.
And if you aren’t ready to give up on zombies just yet,
that’s fine too!
BY LENORE GWYNN
N
ew York has been credited as the crash of everything that is the underbelly of realness, underground style, the grittiness, the
inspiration for countless things; New York, but covered in a ton of pink glitter. graffiti, the tracks, the buildings, the streets,
songs, films, art, even love affairs Her latest range is aptly named ‘Suicide Bar- the way we look, act, dress, walk, talk, 24 hr
have all been influenced by the city bie’, summing up everything that Candy Rock stores, etc. NYC city life is unlike any city life.
that never sleeps. Usually it’s the Couture is made of – attitude and hot-pink Day or night, NYC is unreal and the nightlife
beautiful architecture, or melting girly kitsch. is sick! From rock to hip-hop clubs to raves to
pot of cultures that is to blame, but some are “NYC is a city like no other. Even if you’re dungeons and I love to represent that in my
turned-on to create by the other side of NY. not from here or have never been here; it’s de- clothes.”
Harmony, vivacious creator of Candy Rock picted in movies; what you see on the screen is If it wasn’t clear already, Harmony is pret-
Couture, is one such designer. Her style is a exactly how it is in real life. I love the city; the ty taken with her home city and she’s been

“My look is punk rock
meets Barbie on acid!”
Photography Walter Rodriguez
Models Kiwi Peridot and Eri Dailene
Wigs Rockstar Wigs
around the block enough to know a good place that, I am in one of the best cities for fash- ter taking a tour of her future design school.
to live when she finds one. “I’d been around ion so I have access to the best fabrics, back- Pink glittery lightning struck and changed the
the world before I even started in fashion. I grounds for photo shoots, fashion shows, NY course of her career. “The moment I stepped
was in the Army and was stationed in Germa- Fashion Week - everything you need, and all foot in design school, took a tour with my
ny, Korea and Hawaii. I visited thirteen dif- the great contacts are in NY too.” Dean, heard her passion, saw the dress forms
ferent countries and three different continents After finishing her time in the military she and the students sewing and working and after
while trying to figure out what I wanted to do considered designing handbags. She had al- seeing and touching my first piece of fabric, I
with my life before my design career.” So what ready amassed a large personal collection of was hooked and knew I wanted to be a Fashion
is it about New York that makes it great for 200 or so and thought she would try her hand Designer. Candy Rock Couture was born in
designers? “I get influenced every day! Besides at creating her own, but that all changed af- my senior year of design school. During our
“My customers are people who don’t care
what others think, misfits, people who like
to stand out, rock out, tattooed chicks,
dolls with dye, piercings, punks, clubbers,
ravers, goths, lolitas, fashion freaks,
dancers, models, anyone who cares to be
different or wants to look different!”
senior project we had to choose a name for help with those too!’ So now it’s expanded so being an individual, and getting the right mix
our collection. I didn’t want to just choose a much. Custom one-of-a-kind heels, custom of the two. “I like to be equally balanced. I of-
name for my senior project; I purposely chose raver/go-go bras, bows, accessories, canvases, ten say my look is like punk rock meets Barbie
a name that I would continue to use for the graffiti skateboards, spiked and rhinestone on acid! I can’t have something look too girly
rest of my career.” caps and more.” or too hardcore. When the design is too girly,
Harmony has been making traffic stopping It’s easy to see that Harmony loves what I’ll have to throw some chains or studs, spikes,
outfits for four years now and prides herself she does and, when she’s creating, she likes to black or leather in there to give it hardcore ap-
on being involved in creating each look down immerse herself completely in that particular peal to balance it out. When the design is too
to the smallest detail. “I have always styled style. “I actually watch Barbie movies while hardcore, I’ll throw some bows or pink at it!”
my models for photo shoots and shows from I make patterns and sew for motivation and Who are the people that wear these punk-
head to toe with my accessories, hats, bows, inspiration. It keeps me going.” Unsurprising- rock Barbie creations? Anyone, as long as they
pvc thigh highs, etc., most of which are hand- ly, Candy Rock is also influenced by Eighties want to be in the spotlight. “My customers
made or hard-to-find pieces.” The inspiration Madonna (think Desperately Seeking Susan era) are people who don’t care what others think,
behind her latest range, ‘Suicide Barbie’, came but despite the number of lace ruffles and Hel- misfits, people who like to stand out, rock
about by accident when trying to finish a con- lo Kitty patches, the Harajuku style didn’t im- out, tattooed chicks, dolls with dye, piercings,
cept and her boyfriend is squarely to blame. pact on Harmony at all to begin with. When punks, clubbers, ravers, goths, lolitas, fashion
He usually helps her with certain aspects of her she was finally introduced to the Japanese freaks, dancers, models, anyone who cares to
garments - “Chris is my embellisher because fashion, ‘excited’ doesn’t really cover her reac- be different or wants to look different!” And
putting in those studs and spikes is so time tion. “Ironically, I wasn’t actually influenced by as for summing up her label, Harmony has the
consuming and painful!” she laughs - he must Harajuku at first. I had already been design- final, glitter-covered, steel-studded word. “It’s
love those all-over studded bra tops. On this ing my style for a while when my boyfriend’s your expression. Your voice to the world with-
occasion it was just a simple suggestion from Mom, who’s into that culture for her dolls, told out saying a word, yet getting a million words
him that kick started a whole new line. “One me about it. Then when she showed it to me I across. Chicks who wear my designs are punk-
day I was trying to find this big hot pink bow was like OMG, these people are just like me! rock princesses with underground style. Candy
to complete a look. We searched all over the I couldn’t believe that a whole world like my Rock is a super unique brand for individuals
city, up and down for hours with no success exact style existed. So then I started keeping and independent thinkers who don’t just know
and Chris said ‘Yo, you should just start your up with their trends. I lived in Korea for a year, trends, they set them.”
own line for making bows’ and that’s what ‘Sui- but even so, their style was nothing like this.”
cide Barbie’ was going to be, at FIRST! I want- To complete each doll-like look Candy
ed to include Chris on this, my second line, Rock Couture is sponsored by Rockstar Wigs
because he’s such an amazingly creative graffiti and Dolluxe false eyelashes – a pairing Barbie www.candyrockcouture.com
artist. During Candy Rock fashion shows he herself would be proud of. Candy Rock, and facebook.com/candyrockhottie
does these hand-painted graffiti skateboards to this latest range especially, is all about fantasy,
compliment my line, so I thought he could sell without compromising on attitude. It’s about
his canvases on the site. Then I started making taking the fun, frivolous bits of being su- www.etsy.com/shop/SuicideBarbieBowtiqu
these raver/go-go bras and he was like ‘I can per-girly without losing any of the strength of facebook.com/suicidebarbiebowtique

Over the past twenty years the music industry has witnessed a massive evolutionary transition as the main major
record labels gradually lost control of the artists they had once tethered tight with signed and dotted leashes. As the
cocoon of technology began to split open releasing the metamorphosis of artistic production into the hands of the
artists themselves, many musicians seized the opportunity to break away entirely and become self-sufficient entities
unto themselves. Within the world of underground industrial and dark electronic dance music, where the majority of
the acts were already rogue having been deemed unmarketable by the likes of entertainment bigwigs, this shift was as
natural as breathing. Armed with their trademark keen ability for adaptation and obsession with technology in all of
its many varied forms these artists not only survived, but flourished even more fully as they became victorious in their
war against the almighty record label. | by Gabrielle Faust|
S
nuttock is one such duo whose personal conviction to their to be a great time? That’s our story,” he said. “I had written a number of
craft saw them successfully through the years. And with the songs, which later became our first album, and thought about tracking
release of their latest full-length album Endless Rituals Bryan them myself. After inquiring about hard disk recorders at the local Guitar
Lee and Christopher Simmonds (also a founding member of Center, the sales guy asked me to wait a minute while he called someone
Thought Industry) have given fans one more reason to love who knew this gear, as well as the recording process, inside and out. Well,
their music. According to Lee, Snuttock was a product of pure “happen- that turned out to be Christopher, and we hit it off right away. He stopped
stance.” over a few times to get me started, and I quickly realized that while I love
“You know those times, maybe a Friday night where you’ve got nothing being surrounded by synthesizers, tone generators, etc., I really wasn’t that
planned, then after wandering downtown to the local club you run into into the recording end of the process. Luckily, I was able to convince him
a bunch of friends, and suddenly a seemingly mundane night turns out to record the album, then play on it, and finally join the project!”

“So as far as turning these mu-
When it comes to the music industry itself Christopher Simmonds and sical ideas into songs, it comes down to the mood of the music and wheth-
Byran Lee have seen the full scope of the mutations of the last two decades er or not lyrics would benefit the outcome,” Simmonds stated. “Occasion-
noting that they prefer the fact that it is once again “small and local.” ally I write music around a lyrical concept, but not very often.”
Simmonds reflected on his observations of the industry, “Obviously When asked about the impact music has had on their lives, Simmonds
there is a global network for all of us to communicate and share, but the replied, “Music is my life. It has allowed me to express myself in every
industry is about the music and performance again, and recorded music way possible without repercussion. It has also brought me to the greatest
and commercial success has very little value anymore. So we don’t see and friends in my life, like Bryan. All of my greatest friendships have been
hear these global rockstars that are selling ten million CDs and putting with musicians, all over the world. I just live for music. I can’t do anything
out a new video every three months. Even the big stars of old like NIN, else!”
Metallica, Dave Matthews Band, Justin Timberlake, etc., are all doing Snuttock’s latest album Endless Rituals has already begun to garner the
very little—they aren’t releasing new videos regularly, they aren’t putting respect of underground music critics around the globe with its alluring
out huge chart topping CDs and touring for 18 months. No one is, be- combination of industrial and dark synth with devious ambient over-
cause the music industry ballooned into an over-inflated hype bubble that tones. Simmonds himself has called this album particularly “invitingly
was burst by the independent artist via the internet.” creepy.” As is increasingly the case in this day and age, oftentimes artists
He continued on to say, “In the 90’s I was in a band called Thought rarely work on an album at the same time. This element of independence
Industry (Metal Blade Records) and although we weren’t a goth/electronic was a deciding factor in the end result of Snuttock’s latest creation.
band we toured a lot with bands like Skinny Puppy, Type-O-Negative, “I think the biggest difference between this album and the others would
Chemlab, Accumen, Fear Factory, Bile, etc. So we spent years in that be more of a songwriting collaboration and that we were never in the
scene, and it was always about hard work and constant self-promotion. studio together while it was being created,” Simmonds commented. “We
The internet was not a factor then. It was phone calls, magazine ads, hand- each did what we wanted and then shared it. It was an experiment for us
bills and playing shows. The BIG labels of the time were not interested in and it turned out to be a lot of fun surprising each other with the newest
bands like Skinny Puppy that had a die-hard loyal fan base of 100,000 or tracks. I hope people actually give Endless Rituals a listen, love it and then
more CD sales through independent labels. They wanted the radio friend- dig into our past musical work.”
ly, perfect for the ‘The Real World’ or a ‘Bud Light’ commercial. But, in In addition, Lee replied, “I would equate listening to a Snuttock album
today’s music ‘industry’ a band can make a living without a record label with listening to a radio station that appeals to a certain genre. The songs
and actually see an income from the sales and streaming of their music.” on their playlist will vary, some more aggressive, others more danceable,
The creative process for Snuttock is an ongoing process. With access and perhaps others even ambient, but all still in a certain musical direc-
to his home recording studio Simmonds has found it possible to easily tion.”
bring to life any idea or concept which comes to mind. While some of While promoting Endless Rituals, Snuttock has plans to continue writ-
these ideas evolve into full-fledged songs, others are tucked away where ing and recording during 2014. In addition, they will be releasing new
they grow into “weird little unfinished projects” that take on a life of their singles throughout the year, which will be available through iTunes. There
own. Ebbing from classical to metal to industrial and acoustic Simmonds are no confirmed venue dates, as of yet, though Simmonds and Lee are
claims to have an absence of one particular style, thus, allowing himself to open to the possibility.
gravitate between genres in order to cultivate a distinct sound. www.snuttock.com
The Corpus
Callosum
of Conscious
Design
an interview with
designer Pinar Eris
Through the infinite layers of consciousness, overlapping one another like translucent
membranes upon which avanté garde filmmakers project their illusions, an artist must
find their voice, their vision, their statement about reality. Turkish/LA-based fashion
designer Pinar Eris has spent years delving into the inner workings of the human mind
in search of a deeper understanding of both herself and her fellow humans. The findings
of her explorations and their evolution into her own personal philosophy about art and
life are boldly present in her latest daring collections: Corpus Callosum, Agoraphilia and
Dark Romance. Combining fierce digitally printed fabrics with translucent silks and
punk rock plaids, Pinar Eris delivers garments for “a style-conscious woman who might
be aware of the latest trends, but who is brave enough to do her own thing.”
by GABRIELLE FAUST
Photography Akif Hakan Celebi

F ascinated by the striking skull and spinal column with lightning
pattern featured on several of the leggings in her Corpus Callosum
collection, I asked Eris to elaborate on where this particular design orig-
she equates her “self ” to a vast, mysterious body of water.
“It is like the deepest part of the oceans—many times it might look
dark and scary, but I believe we find gems in there, as well,” Eris said. “I
inated. find enjoyment in growing as a person and achieving a new level of aware-
“I have been reading a lot on Eastern philosophies, consciousness and ness in myself. I like spontaneous ‘A-ha moments’ that lead to deeper
psychology,” she replied. “I think when you get into these subjects you consciousness and a more meaningful experience of life itself.”
find yourself inspired by how the mind and the brain work. The insights She continued on to say, “When it comes to my work, ‘Be yourself’ is
I gained through my studies had a huge positive impact on my life. It my philosophy. There is a great quote by Emerson that speaks to this: ‘To
helped me understand myself and other people better. It also allowed me be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something
to develop more compassion. My inner growth is reflected in my art, else is the greatest accomplishment.’ I think that is very true! It is not an
which seems to be a commonality among artists. Who we are makes our easy path for sure and is definitely not smooth sailing. We all hit rough
work unique and personal. This is how I like to create. My art needs waters and come out stronger than before with a deeper understanding
to be an intrinsic part of my inner and outer life and vice versa.” With of ourselves. At those rough times, I try to remind myself of this fact as
such a rich and thoughtful platform upon which to nurture her artistic much as possible.”
creations, Eris has come to believe her personal motto to be “Look deeper Pinar Eris grew up in Turkey, a relatively traditional conservative cul-
and grow.” Through intense introspection, she has braved the aspects of ture, which caused her to turn “into somewhat of a rebel.” This challenge
her being which most people shy away from. When referring to herself to conventional thinking, whether abroad or here in the United States,
is beautifully rendered in the details of her gar-
ments as she ignores current trends and embraces
a razor-edged sensibility that screams like a pro-
test chant at a black-tie affair.
She elaborated on the influence of her cultural
roots on her present-day design choices by say-
ing, “More specifically, the conservative perspec-
tive and the cultural myopia I grew up around
evoked rebellion in me. My intention was not to
change or reject where I came from, but to bring
in a fresh, new and alternative way for self-expres-
sion.”
This alternative path of self-expression is prom-
inently featured in her collection “Corpus Callo-
sum”, a line that combines soft romantic femi-
ninity with an almost science fiction approach to
physiology through bold digital prints. Together
with San Francisco-based textile designer Holly
Renee, Pinar Eris was able to incorporate fab-
rics, featuring images of neurons and the skele-
tal structure of the human body, exclusive to her
hand-made clothing, which is produced only in
small quantities and sewn by Eris herself.
When asked about her fascination with the hu-
man brain, Eris replied, “During a conversation
with my best friend, I found out about the corpus
callosum and learned that it is the largest band
of nerves that connect the left and right hemi-
spheres in the brain. It immediately reminded me
of brain scientist and brain hemorrhage survivor
Jill Bolte Taylor’s talk on TED. She had a power-
ful message about the connection between right
and left hemispheres. Her experience deeply im-
pacted me and her message stayed with me. I felt
that it was the perfect name for the collection.”
Eris admits that the career of a fashion designer
is not an easy one—driven by one’s passion and
commitment to perfection, a designer must em-
brace the long hours and hard work it requires to
produce a truly memorable line such as the one
she has created in 2013. Finding the inspiration
within herself to persevere, she commented on
the dichotomy between the reality and illusion
that surrounds the mainstream perception of the
fashion industry.
“I have been reading a lot on Eastern philosophies, consciousness and even know and share the happy
part of the work with them—that’s
psychology. (...) I think when you get into these subjects you find yourself the most rewarding part for me.”
inspired by how the mind and the brain work. The insights I gained Confidence and bravery are key
when wearing one of Pinar Eris’s
through my studies had a huge positive impact on my life. It helped me outspoken designs. While there are
understand myself and other people better. It also allowed me to develop a plethora of subtleties contained
within the lines of each article, one
more compassion. My inner growth is reflected in my art, which seems must be prepared to roar a state-
ment when walking into a room
to be a commonality among artists. Who we are makes our work unique rather than fading into the wall-
and personal. This is how I like to create. My art needs to be an intrinsic paper of the crowd. Eris seeks out
individuals who are not afraid to
part of my inner and outer life and vice versa.” challenge the normal definition of
everyday fashion while still main-
“It is definitely not as easy an industry as it looks from the outside. It taining their soft underbelly that makes them human.
seems so glamorous, especially when we don’t know the hard work that “I like people who are brave and bold in life— men and women —and
goes into what is being produced. I am directly responsible for most of I think being brave requires being open to vulnerability as well. The truth
the process myself, from creating the collection to sewing the orders and is it took me a while to see and embrace both the brave and the vulnerable
shipping them. I get help when I need it, but in general I do most of side of my personality. While on this path, those kinds of people (who are
work. What is difficult about that is that I spend probably only twenty daring and vulnerable at the same time) inspired me and helped me to
percent of my time designing. The other eighty percent is sweat equity I accept these opposite sides of myself, too.”
put into the final product.” Pinar Eris is currently working on her new line with plans to launch the
At the end, however, Eris finds the rewards of her labors thoroughly 2014 collection in March. While insisting on the element of surprise, she
fulfilling, infusing her with a renewed zest for her chosen artistic path. “I did reveal that it will incorporate more skirt designs with combinations
love it when I get messages from my customers telling me that they love of black and white. “Every collection has its own life,” she said. “I try to
what they received,” she remarked. “Some people have even sent me a pic- keep a balance of taking the lead and allowing it to unfold on its own with
ture of themselves wearing the item. It brings the joy I get from doing this each collection.”
work to a new level. You make a connection with someone that you don’t www.pinareris.com
7,&.
as far as angles as well as lenses, so I did the
shooting for that one as well.” Obviously this
added a whole new layer of editing that most
movies don’t need to go through, but “rather
72&.
than viewing it as a way of limiting the film it
actually expanded it and gave so many more
options,” as Bronwyn explains, “and meant
that you could really play around with the nar-
rative.” The added footage from the 2012 shoot
“gives the film an amazing eerie quality which
75,&.
I don’t think you could achieve through a stan-
dard filmmaking process.”
One of the interesting things about Tick Tock
Trick is that it’s a very deliberate departure from
the torture porn model of horror filmmaking
that’s blighted screens and driven many female
horror fans out of the theaters. “You don’t need
When Tick Tock Trick creators Marlon and to worry about any women being gratuitous-
ly degraded or pointlessly maimed, or tomato
Bronwyn met at university in Bristol in 1999, ketchup everywhere,” as Bronwyn put it. In-
they talked about making a movie together. stead, she claims, the movie “asks you the dif-
Now married and with plenty of relevant ex- ficult questions you’ve been avoiding and chal-
perience under their belt, that early plan lenges you so in a way it takes you on a journey
KDV¿QDOO\FRPHWRIUXLWLRQ and even though you’ve been scared you come
out of it having learned something more about
yourself.”
By Kirsty Evans One of the interesting twists involved in the
shooting of Tick Tock Trick was that the film-
,
makers made it a prerequisite that the locations
t’s been a long road getting there, much a team as it was one dedicated individ- they used had to be haunted. Whether you be-
though. Production began in ual putting in thousands of hours of work on lieve that ghosts are real or that they’re a pro-
2007 with Marlon as scriptwrit- nights and weekends to make the movie look jection of our own fears and preoccupations,
er and producer and Bronwyn as exactly the way she wanted while still holding it’s unsurprising that shooting a scary movie in
director and handling the special down a demanding full-time job. locations purported to be haunted led to some
effects, and the initial shoot took place in Auditions were held in what was initially spooky experiences, such as one crew member
2008. Although this is her first movie as a di- chosen as simply a convenient location but who claimed that something was refilling his
rector, in terms of FX it’s an entirely different turned out to be a bookshop and cultural cen- water glass ever night after he drank half of it,
story – with more than 10 years of experi- ter run by a Wiccan priestess by the name of so that each morning he would wake up to a
ence, she’s probably the most senior woman Christina Oakley-Harrington. Although the glass that was full to the very brim.
working in the field today, and has worked script had already been completed prior to the Budget is always a challenge for independent
on huge Hollywood productions such as first meeting with Christina, both Bronwyn movies, given the fact that there’s theoretical-
The Dark Knight and The Bourne Ultimatum and Marlon cite her as having been an inspira- ly almost no limit to the money a filmmaker
(she’s currently wrapping up FX work on tion, and she even ended up taking on a cameo could spend in the pursuit of perfection. Since
Maleficent). While Marlon didn’t have the role in the movie – a happy accidental meeting Tick Tock Trick was entirely self-funded by
same kind of experience in scriptwriting, he’s indeed. Marlon and Bronwyn, money was tight and
been writing in a non-professional sense for The main shoot for the movie took place in the couple were unwilling to compromise on
a long time. “The first time I read the script March 2008, with a supplemental shoot being the quality of the film. Take the music, for ex-
I was completely sold on it,” Bronwyn said. added in 2012 in order to introduce a com- ample – if you’re an independent filmmaker
Although the term “independent movie” pletely new character intended to add another with a limited budget, do you take the songs
can be a little vague, in terms of production dimension to the movie. Normally movies try that you can get relatively cheaply and without
this one really was as independent as it gets. to avoid adding significant elements so late in too much legwork or do you hold out for the
Although she did have one CGI specialist production due to the continuity nightmare ones you really want? They decided on the sec-
helping her out for a while, most of the FX created by integrating the new footage into ond option, and ended up with a soundtrack
work was done by Bronwyn herself. “What what’s already been shot, but Bronwyn’s FX that includes everyone from Emilie Autumn
we do is we basically create illusions for peo- skills allowed for a level of flexibility most pro- to Axewound, Tristania to While She Sleeps.
ple,” she explains. “When you see something ductions don’t have. “I was quite apprehensive Since 17th Century elements are important to
on the screen that’s impossible to photo- about that process to begin with,” she said. “It the movie’s plot they weren’t willing to com-
graph, that’s when the visual effects team will was technical as well as highly creative because promise on costumes either. Luckily they were
come in.” Except that in this case it wasn’t so there are certain things you need to get right able to secure the involvement of costume

designer Amy Knight, who’s
worked with a number of art-
ists including David Bowie, and
who made key costumes with
authentic period-appropriate
sewing styles and fabrics. In
keeping with the DIY aesthet-
ic, when budgetary constraints
meant that they couldn’t get a
particular song that they want-
ed they searched out a Finn-
ish composer to write a song
specifically for the movie. On
another occasion when money
was particularly tight Bronwyn,
who has a background in dress-
making, made the costume for
one of the lead female charac-
ters herself.
Given how many movies are
produced purely with box office
dollars in mind it’s refreshing
to run across a project that the
creators have so clearly thrown
their hearts into. “There isn’t
enough beauty and artistry in
film,” says Marlon. From the
fine attention to detail in the ef-
fects and the costumes to the se-
lection of old buildings as loca-
tions because of the energy that
they have and Marlon’s deter-
mination to make sure that the
gothic and horror audiences get
to know about the film before
anyone else does, there’s a level
of respect for the subject mat-
ter and a focus on quality and
authenticity to this project that
makes it stand out in a movie
market that often feels painfully
lacking in any sort of respect for
its audience.
Centered, like many classic
horror movies, on a haunted
house, Marlon claims that it’s
the best movie of its kind since
the 70s. Since mystery is central
to the plot he’s trying very hard
not to issue any spoilers, but
the emphasis on strong, inter-
esting female characters, excel-
lent effects, and magic and spirituality comes ducer I promised everyone that when the film mains clearly focused on quality more than
through clearly. “The end result is something came out it would be a good film,” says Mar- on money. “If people turn around and go,
that’s totally unique,” Bronwyn claims. “It’s got lon, “and that’s one of the reasons it’s taken so that was scary; I loved that film. That is what
a vibe that I don’t think I’ve seen in any other long.” we want. That would give us more than any-
movie.” Although after all this work the filmmakers thing else, which is why we’ve put so much
Seven years in the making, Tick Tock Trick are obviously hoping that it will be successful, love into the film.”
should be out in the winter of 2014. “As pro- but their personal definition of success re-
WLFNWRFNWULFNFRP
By Lenore Gwynn

I
t’s got to had and I ended
be hard be- up visiting the store
ing Wednesday on a regular basis. Co-
Mourning. Her glossy, incidentally on one of
waist length ebony hair and my visits a position opened
widows peak fringe must be a up and I was offered a job. One
nightmare to deal with. Spending ev- might say I got the job from loitering.”
eryday buying and selling macabre antiques As a self-proclaimed autodidact Wednesday
in a curiosity shop in sunny San Francisco has to be is self-taught in the subjects that interest her, and this
tough too. The thousands of fans that read her geeky, spooky blog every knowledge provides interesting background information for many of
week? Simply hellish. Ms. Mourning has a life most goths would covet the artifacts that appear on the show. Like many fascinated with history
and now that her day job is being televised every week in Oddities: and past culture she is also a “huge bookworm”, albeit an electronic
San Francisco, her perfectly gothic lifestyle is watched by thousands. It one. “I tend to fall into information black holes, thankfully made much
would be easy to hate her, if she wasn’t so damn nice. easier with the Internet rather than hours at a library. One subject seems
She began working at the now famous curiosity shop almost by acci- to fall into another - Freemasonry, Egyptology, Mythology, Theology...
dent. “Within a month of moving to San Francisco I was hired to model eventually becoming a hodgepodge of esoteric fun facts lodged in my
for a store on Haight St. called “Loved To Death.” I had visited the store head. It’s a scary place in here.”
before and was elated to model for them. Interesting conversations were Although an experienced model, in everything from catalogues to
Photography Laura Dark Photography Models Wednesday Mourning and James Mace Hair Kym Krane Hair Design Makeup Makeup Vamp
Jewelry Atelier Gothique Wardrobe Darkspectre Custom Couture, Kinki Kitty and James Sparx and Mace Location Leland Hotel

There's a
hodgepodge of
esoteric fun
facts lodged in my
head. It's a scary
place in here
runway shows, Wednesday was initially apprehensive about appearing scale which has caused scarcity of some items and a flood of others. For
on television. Worried what the exposure might lead to or how the show example, naturally mummified animals are showing up everywhere at
might portray her - “It seems one is laid bare without the fixed angles, affordable prices yet Victorian tear-catchers are more scarce and fetch a
posing and Photoshop that you have to hide behind in modeling. A much higher price than before.”
television shoot is much more dynamic. All the funny facial expressions While mummified animals may be rising in popularity among the
and idiosyncrasies are caught on film. Unlike playing a character on a public, Wednesday’s personal ‘dream find’ would be something far less
regular TV show, for the reality TV genre I’m just myself. I was nervous fluffy. “A wet mount of a Giant Isopod. Imagine a two-foot long carniv-
how the public would react to me being me. In the end I just decided orous roly-poly that lives in the deep ocean and is the stuff of Lovecraf-
to pretend the cameras were not there, treat every situation as I usually tian nightmares. I’ve seen them in museums but have only ever come
would and have fun with it.” across dry mounted specimens for sale. For me it must be suspended in
As a result of her just being her, she has garnered a wealth of new a jar of liquid to really appreciate its disturbing form.”
fans, met some unique characters and been presented with some odd Like a carnival sideshow attracting voyeurs to gawk at freakish acts,
opportunities. “This past October I judged a “zombie beauty contest” - Oddities has exposed the public to a darker side of life. So what is the
that was a new experience! The show has also led me to meet some very continuing attraction of these often creepy pieces? “I think the fascina-
interesting people, plenty of talented performers and artists from across tion comes from the unusual and macabre being made into something
the Bay Area, my favorite being the puppeteer Dave Haaz-Boroque secret, almost taboo. Therefore it falls unto man’s curious nature to in-
from The Shadow Circus Creature Theater. He brought in his puppets vestigate it. By doing so he humanizes it, becomes familiar with it and
to sell a deformed skull on the show and I was beside myself with glee. comes to terms with his own mortality. I feel it’s a way of conquering
How does one haggle with puppets!?” our fear of death so that we may better enjoy life.”
Despite her initial nerves about the public’s reaction to her, and the She also hopes that the show will present Goths in a more positive
show itself, the viewers have responded in a hugely positive way. The way, as well the little ‘pickled punks’ they collect, especially when our
show is now in its second season on the Science Channel and attracting image has been portrayed less than favorably in recent times. “Much
more fans each week, and is even proving to be educational. “As well damage has been done to the term ‘goth’ by misguided media over the
as connecting those with unusual interests it has also been a wonderful years. We could really use a positive, intellectual and educational rep-
avenue for teaching kids science and history. I’ve had many young girls resentation. I feel that the Oddities franchise will help introduce the
approach me stating their new-found interest in the medical field due public to our lives and perhaps explain the reasons for our seemingly
to the show.” Although children may be fascinated with Oddities spooky unusual tastes. Personally, I have received scores of positive messages
subject matter, not everyone is as enthralled. “I have a family member from viewers remarking on my own friendly demeanor and how that is
back in Texas that keeps asking me to “stop holding gross stuff.” so different than the goth stereotype they assumed existed. It’s true - not
Educational benefits aside, the TV show has also opened the curios all goths are scowling negative angsty teens, in fact very few of them are.
collectors market to a whole new audience of buyers. “I have noticed I think it’s important for the general public to see this and I hope we see
a large increase in niche collecting due to the show. The Oddities fran- more positive TV shows like this in the future.”
chise has definitely impacted the market in both positive and negative
ways. It has prompted the public to search for unusual finds on a larger www.wednesdaymourning.com
ENDLESS NIGHT
Coverage of the New Orleans 2013
ZOMPIRE BALL by Gabrielle Faust
“Some are born to Sweet Delight,

Others are born to Endless Night.”
— William Blake, “Auguries
of Innocence”
Photos courtesy Endless Night
I
n 1996, in the heart of New York City’s of “Zompire”, a hybrid of the ancient passion that empowers Endless Night and infuses it with
thriving gothic scene a young vampyre for vampires merged with the modern obsession a decadent danger like a secret 19th century ab-
began to sharpen his fangs with the intro- with zombies. Throughout the year attendees of sinthe club for members of high society (with
duction of the inaugural Endless Night Endless Night slave over their decadently elabo- DJs) and causes its patrons to crave it, year in and
vampyre masquerade ball. Originally rate costumes and, thus, we knew we were in for year out.
dubbed the “Vampyre Ball of New York”, the a treat to see just how the many varied interpreta- Held at the legendary House of Blues on
now internationally renowned and often contro- tions would be brought to life. Decatur Street in the heart of the French Quar-
versial Father Sebastiaan had no idea at the time To describe the entirety of this event in a single ter, Endless Night is not simply one event, but
the extent to which the Endless Night empire sentence or phrase is difficult, even for a writer a series of music and social soirees, which take
would grow over the next seventeen years. From such as myself. From the moment one touches place over the course of four days attracting
New York City to Germany and Paris, the Mas- down at the Louis Armstrong airport and steps visitors from around the globe. The weekend
ter Fangsmith and published author of vampyre out into the noisy underground airport cabstand commenced with a casual “Meet & Greet” at
spirituality and philosophy books has cultivated lines to take the long ride into the French Quar- Big Mama’s, featuring DJ XLii (EN Europe), on
a multidimensional culture under the mantel ter past sprawling cemeteries and neighborhoods Thursday night for early arrivers. The “Meet &
of his brand Sabertooth. Incorporating every- of traditional southern raised-foundation homes Greet” was followed by the weekend-long day-
thing from fangs and ankhs, to the new reality there is a sense of otherworldliness only New time Vampire Court, an outdoor gathering con-
television series FANG VAN, which is currently Orleans can embody. One does not know pas- sisting of vendors, fangsmiths, belly dancers and
filming with the support of celebrity paranormal sion until one has visited this city—one will not musical performers where attendees, as well as
investigator Zak Bagans of Ghost Adventures, Fa- know joy, madness, chaos, or the true definition members of the general public, could gather and
ther Sebastiaan continues to expand his circle of of “magic” until one has stepped out onto the socialize in the House of Blues’ Voodoo Garden
influence in the vampire/vampyre culture. cobbled sidewalks worn by the tread of centuries, courtyard. This year the Vampire Court was suc-
Each year, with the assistance of his right- smelt the decay of the eternal Mississippi and cessfully organized by Captain Whittaker and the
hand-man Victor Magnus and personal assistant heard the sweet lullaby of street Old Time and prestigious steampunk troupe Airship Isabella.
Kairo, a new theme is chosen for Endless Night. jazz whispering through the ferns on wrought On the Friday evening before Endless Night,
As we returned to the historic city of New Or- iron balconies. These are not qualities invented guests gathered at Johnny White’s for a marvel-
leans this past Halloween for yet another epic by writers or filmmakers—this is New Orleans, ous pub crawl through the French Quarter led
festival weekend we embraced the 2013 theme as it is and has always been. It is this seduction by the unforgettable Master of Ceremonies, Lord

Photos courtesy of Endless Night
thousand vampires, dressed in extravagantly de- ritual performance by the Vampyre Priesthood of
tailed costumes ranging from steampunk zombie the Sanguinarium, otherwise known as the Or-
slayers to 19th century royalty, danced and im- der of the Living Vampyre, where they received
bibed on a variety of intoxications until the early a rare glimpse into the occult spiritual aspect of
morning hours—reportedly only twenty humans Father Sebastiaan’s personal vampyre philosophy.
survived. Performers included headliner Carfax Plans for the 2014 Endless Night events are al-
Abbey, Nikki LeVillain, Torsion and Doom Kit- ready underway and currently include New York
ten, as well as DJs V-Christ, Lore, Aengel, Jet and City, Germany and, of course, New Orleans.
Dreamtrance. In addition, attendees were treated Announcements have also been made regard-
to a special ritual ceremony invoking the spirit of ing a special enclave for Sabertooth fang clients,
Chaz of Three Lords Entertainment, the host of Kitra, followed by the official costume contest. which will be held in a medieval Austrian castle
the Ghost and Vampire Tours of New Orleans. The weekend was not over, however, as the in 2015. This year’s New Orleans “Zompire” ball
Through a series of the French Quarter’s most 2013 Endless Night masquerade closed its doors was one event guests will not soon forget with
haunted bar establishments, guests were led by just before dawn. Holders of the coveted Plati- many beginning plans for 2014 before even re-
Lord Chaz, whose flair for the dramatic and in- num and Sapphire passes were also invited to join turning home.
tense knowledge of the spookier side of the city’s Father Sebastiaan and Victor Magnus at an in- For more information on Endless Night visit
history infused the night with the perfect blend timate gathering aptly titled “The Inner Court.” www.endlessnight.com. And be sure to look for
of raucous joviality and pre-Halloween mystery. Held in the Foundation Room above the House news from Father Sebastiaan, the “King of the
As aforementioned, this year’s Endless Night of Blues, a place of velvet couches, rock-and-roll Vampires” regarding the FANG VAN series, the
theme was the merging of the post-apocalyptic history and spectacular stained glass windows, la- new New York City Ghost Tours and other ex-
world of living dead with the traditional elegance dies and gentlemen dressed in their finest evening citing vampiric ventures in the new year at www.
of a Venetian vampyre masquerade ball. Against attire and traditional masks gathered together in a fathersebastiaan.com.
the lavish backdrop of the House of Blues over a final celebration. Attendees were introduced to a
The Dusty
RAVEN
SAVAGE BEAUTY: THE BARBED WIRE ARTWORK OF THE DUSTY
RAVEN WILL MAKE A PERFECT ACCENT PIECE FOR YOUR HOME
OR GARDEN. BY GAIL BRASIE.
Photos by Dan Towell of Dusty Raven Gallery
D
an Towell, a Montana-based
artist and the creative force
behind The Dusty Raven
Gallery, crafts interior and
exterior artwork with a decidedly gothic
edge. He is dedicated to using found and
used materials whenever possible, making
art and décor pieces from reclaimed and
vintage stuff. Spiderwebs are a recurring
motif in his work, wrought out of barbed
wire. These barbed wire spiderwebs can be
hung as inside or outside decoration, and
come in full and quarter styles; the quar-
ter shapes are meant to hang in the corner
or a window, door, or porch overhang, for
instance. Some of the spider-web designs
include spiders made of wire and vintage
Czechoslovakian glass beads. In addi-
tion, he makes tall gates and trellises, one
of these is a reclaimed, rustic door with
barbed wire detailing and spiral-work that
he added to it. Dan also has a collection of
barbed wire trees and one gorgeously men-
acing and truly epic chandelier.
Dan’s work in construction has enabled
him take his knowledge of a variety of tools
and use these in his art, as he says “having spent with a history.” old and potentially dangerous material creates an
most of my adult life working in the construction Dedicated to using found materials for his art- aesthetic juxtaposition in all of his work. In rela-
trades, I learned the use of tools and such, but I work whenever possible, Dan is especially drawn tion to this, Dan states that “old and rusty barbed
am self-taught artist. I have always felt a need to to barbed wire, finding beauty in the rusted, dis- wire is useless to most everyone else and I love us-
create and the drive to use old materials, things carded stuff. That his sculptures are crafted out of ing materials that no one else wants. I love spirals
and found that using a harsh material like
barbed wire to create those spirals gives it
an added beauty.”
One of the most interesting aspects of
Dan’s work is that he encourages his cus-
tomers to allow his creations to continue
rusting. Generally we think of art as some-
thing to be feverishly preserved, and try to
prevent signs of decay or aging at all costs.
Dan does the opposite of this; he under-
stands that decay is natural and that there
is a beauty in it. Recognizing the imperma-
nence of all things, Dan says, “I feel that
some things become more beautiful with
age. I see decay as a part of life. My art has
a life span of its own and will decay over
time.” For Dan, it’s the act of creating and
sharing that calls him to an artistic life, rath-
er than some idea of immortality through
made objects. He says of making and sell-
ing art that “to create is really the greatest
reward for me. To create something from
my imagination that another person loves
enough to take home with them is amazing
and humbling.”
Clearly Dan loves all of his sculptures
and creations, although he admits to being we think about things. For
particularly partial to the barbed wire trees. Dan, the decision to use spi-
Made of coils of barbed wire, their leaves are der webs and spiders as a re-
made of the metal taken from rusty tin cans. curring motif in his artwork
These trees, like some of the larger trellises, highlights the transformative
can take weeks to create. Dan says of the trees power of art in his life.
that “when a wind blows through the leaves, Finding sufficiently dark
they make a soothing musical rustle. A small but elegant pieces to deco-
glade of them would be breathtaking.” They rate your home or yard can
vary in height, some are 19” and some are 30” be a bit of a challenge; the
and Dan incorporates pieces like volcanic riv- sculptures by Dusty Raven
er rock or wood as the base for the roots. help alleviate that challenge.
Several of Dan’s creations can be kept either The Dusty Raven’s trees,
indoors or outside. Those that are kept out- trellises, gates and cobwebs
side will continue to rust over time as seasons are the perfect accent pieces
pass and the pieces age. Kept indoors they’ll for a gothic interior space or
not erode as quickly, but because they are garden. By using found, oth-
made of rusty barbed wire you’ll want to be erwise-unwanted materials
careful that pets, children or guests don’t cut and encouraging his custom-
themselves on them, a sound piece of advice ers to allow the sculptures to
Dan implores all his customers to heed. continue to rust and decay,
One of Dan’s most impressive pieces is Dan Towell sets himself apart
a massive, gorgeous and somewhat sinis- from loads of other artists.
ter-looking chandelier, made from his signa- His artwork is suffused with
ture barbed wire and featuring a spider-web the notion of the inevitabil-
theme, complete with spiders spun from wire ity of time’s passing and the
and vintage Czechoslovakian glass. The light effect it has on us all. In this
fixture is also a vintage bulb. This grand-scale developed a greater appreciation of them. This way, his creations can serve as beautiful momento
piece of art would make a stunning centerpiece chandelier is a piece I would put in my home as a mori. Or maybe you just want something pretty
for a gothic dining room, foyer or great room. tribute to these lovely creatures.” and slightly dangerous to decorate your house
When I inquired about the inspiration behind The transmutation of something once disliked with. In any case, Dan Towell’s creations should
the piece, Dan told me, “For most of my life, or even abhorred and now admired by continu- give you plenty to choose from.
spiders and I have not always been on friendly ally producing it through art is a really fantastic
terms. Over the last few years, as I have designed thing; it’s a strong example of using art to exor-
new sculptures of spiders and with spiders, I have cise our demons, so to speak, to change the way
etsy.com/shop/thedustyraven
NEVER TOO
MUCH GLITTER
NAIL ART
Nail art is becoming cool. Long gone are tacky talons overburdened with gems in garish col-
ors (worn by girls with only time on their hands and not much else). In their place are pains-
takingly handcrafted, individual designs that even alternative chicks want to wear. The nail has
become as important as any other accessory, with styles tailored to match particular outfits,
special occasions or even times of year. Although pink crystal hearts for Valentine’s Day or an
alpine knit nail pattern to match your holiday sweater might not appeal to all, it seems there
is a nail for everyone, goths included. They can be the finishing touch to an outfit or the main
attraction, just as a piece of spectacular jewelry might be. They don’t have to be an impractical
length to make an impact either, as our step-by-step tutorial, courtesy of Never Too Much
Glitter, shows.
BY LENORE GWYNN
J
en is the artist behind Never Too my Edgar Allan Poe nails are a favorite. They quest she relishes. “They’re one of my favorite
Much Glitter, an online company are dark and unique, just like the people who things to do, since I really enjoy the artistic
specializing in uniquely decorated wear them- one look and you know there’s challenge. A client gives me a design idea, I
false nails. Although she now has a something interesting going on there!” The make a prototype nail for their approval, and
successful Etsy shop and expansive web- set features a raven, a ‘tell-tale heart’, Lenore’s then we make changes to the nail to fit their
site, Jen only began taking an interest in gravestone and a tiny portrait of the gothic au- vision perfectly. It can take quite a few tweaks
nails relatively recently. “I actually wasn’t thor himself. These images are all hand paint- to get the finished nail perfect!” All designs in
into nail art or even polishing my nails ed, a skill Jen prides herself on. “I use all kind the Never Too Much Glitter range are sold al-
much as a teenager or younger kid, believe of methods on the nails but hand painting is ready painted onto false nails of varying sizes.
it or not! I discovered nail art when I was the cornerstone of my work. I also use stamps, To paint them on a client’s own nails is possi-
living overseas in Tokyo a few years ago.” foils and decals. I take a “mixed media” ap- ble but the amount of time this requires makes
The scene she experienced while living in proach to my work. Some traditionalists con- it prohibitive. “Many of my designs are very
Japan’s capital city inspired her. “It was so sider these methods to be ‘cheating’ but for labor intensive - the client would have to sit
wild and over the top; I truly saw it as an me, it’s all about assembling various design ele- for hours if I did them on natural nails. Using
art form and wanted to approach it in that ments into a finished look. I may stamp part of false nails I can paint a few nails at a time, then
way. I started blogging in 2008 and got the nail, hand paint the rest, and then stud the go back later with a fresh eye and tweak the
such a positive response that I decided to whole thing with rhinestones and spikes. One design if need be.” It also means that anyone in
open NTMG on Etsy in April 2009 from thing I don’t use is a nail art printer though, the world can take advantage of Jen’s skills, as
my very tiny Tokyo apartment.” since I think that takes a lot of creativity out the nail sets can be shipped to almost any ad-
Her first sale was a relatively simple trio of the process.” dress, ready to wear. Her designs start at a very
of dark, single color nails, but from there Each set of nails varies wildly in their intri- reasonable $3.50 for single color nails, “going
the business grew. Her favorite design cur- cacy and therefore the time it takes to create up to $75 for a set of Japanese woodblock print
rently is one of her more intricate styles. them differs greatly too, “It could be anywhere nails. These are entirely hand painted with ten
“My work reflects the many different from 30 minutes to 3-4 hours,” Jen says. Cus- woodblock prints recreated on the nails. Most
moods and inspirations I experience, but tom sets can take much longer, but are a re- of my products are in the $10 - $25 range for a

CORSET NAIL ART TUTORIAL
You will need: Red/burgundy nail polish, black nail

striping polish (polish with a thin brush), silver
nail polish, dotting tool, topcoat.
1 Paint the nails with a red or burgundy of your choice. Let

dry. 2 Paint two vertical stripes with the black polish on ei-
ther side of the nail. 3 Add 3 large silver dots with the dot-
ting tool. 4 Add a small black dot in the center of each silver
dot with the dotting tool. 5 Using the striping brush, add di-
agonal lines for the laces from each dot to the opposite dot.
6 Paint the laces from the opposite side. Finish with topcoat.
full set of 20 nails. I want my work to be acces- few days as needed. Also, keep your hands
sible to everyone, so I try to keep it in a similar out of water as much as possible - wet nails
price range to what a salon might charge.” are very weak nails, so be careful after bath-
Outside of the salon, Jen has some recom- ing or washing dishes - and no using your
mendations for those who want to attempt nails as tools! For nail care, keep your nails
at-home nail art. “There are a few basic tools and cuticles happy with a nice application of
and products required. A few striping polishes hand cream before you go to bed. That will
(they have a very thin brush), a dotting tool for prevent a lot of ragged cuticles and hangnails
perfect polka dots and round shapes, and some with very little effort! Another good tip to
acrylic paint for designs in black and white follow is to file nails in one direction only
with a small paintbrush. Acrylic paint can be (no sawing back and forth!) to keep their
purchased at any craft store. It’s not as durable strength.”
as nail polish, but is great for beginners as it’s As for design tips, the artists advice is
easier to clean up mistakes while you’re experi- simple. “Do what you like no matter what
menting with designs and practicing your nail anyone else says, so have fun and be creative!
art.” In her tutorial she uses a few of these tools It is definitely art- consider each nail a tiny
to create the deceptively simple corset nail canvas and go forth from there.”
design. Once the desired design has been per-
fected, “use a good topcoat and reapply every GOTHICNAILART.COM
$15
PYROPETCANDLES.COM WITHERFIELDDESIGNWORKS
PYROPET ‘KISA’ CANDLES L’OREAL BLACKBUSTER EYE LINER

Spooky candles are nothing new. Skulls, pumpkins and even grave stones have Heavy black eye liner is as ubiquitous to goths as corsets and big hair. It is the
been made out of wax, but the ingeniously named Pyropet candle has added some one makeup item that is essential and can be used everywhere – on eyebrows,
much needed innovation to the world of creepy home wares. The candle was orig- for cheek or forehead designs, even in place of lip liner. Finding the perfect liner
inally a project on Kickstarter which fulfilled its target in just four days. Made by to create a desired look can take time and a little trial and error. The ‘Blackbuster
Icelandic designer Thorunn Arnadottir, the candle has a secret inside which is re- by Infallible, Black 700 Eye Liner’ by L’Oreal (to give it its full title) is ideal for thick,
vealed as it burns. The angular cat-shaped candles, named ‘Kisa’ which translates heavy lines. Intricate designs could be achieved with it, in the hands of an experi-
to ‘kitty’ in Icelandic, come in either dark grey or pale pink. As they burn the wax enced goth-doodler, but a finer pen would be better suited for those styles. This is
drips and melts away to reveal a metal kitty skeleton inside, with hollow eyes and essentially a marker pen with a thick nib tapering to a point. It doesn’t require dip-
fangs bared. The idea behind the design was to represent the dual personalities ping or charging with fluid so it is always ready to draw and is reassuringly deep-
of cats – cute and fluffy one minute and then hissing like little monsters the next! est, darkest black every time. With a little practice it is easy to draw lines without
The skeleton is cut from aluminum, bent into shape by hand and then put inside dragging the delicate skin around the eye area and it is designed to get a bold effect
the candle mold to be surrounded by wax. Each one stands almost seven inches - this is not a tool for those wanting a subtle look. It is billed as lasting for 8 hours,
tall and will burn for around twenty hours. It is difficult to stop watching the candle but in practice it has lasted longer and not cracked or faded. It is great for a cat-eye
burn as it reveals its creepy secret and would make an ideal gift for those who like shape as well as a trashy, smudged look if kohl pencil liner is used over the top. At
something unusual. The two cats are the first in a range of macabre animal candles; the moment it only comes in black, but would be great in a range of other colors
the next design is slated to be a small bird. They are around $34 for a single candle too. Retails for around $8.99. (Lenore Gwynn)
or $58 with a glass jar to burn them in. (Lenore Gwynn)
MORBID WEDDING T-SHIRT BY WITHERFIELD DESIGN WORKS TREAZON PARFUM

This black baby-doll t-shirt is one of the dark and macabre styles offered by With a focus on natural ingredients and fair trade, Ayala Moriel Parfums makes
Michigan-based Witherfield Design Works, an up-and-coming design compa- scents that you don’t have to feel guilty about indulging in. The Treazon scent is
ny that specializes in t-shirts featuring the demonic, creepy and eerie. This shirt based around classic favorite tuberose, accented with a variety of aromatics in-
features an etching-style in opalescent gray of a skeletal bride and groom, bor- cluding anise, cassis, cinnamon, and wintergreen. A description of the ingredients
dered with tattered fabric, columns and a crowing skull. A bat makes up the front could be misleading, though – this isn’t a spicy or fruity scent, it’s subtle and the
of the border, and bare trees complete the background for depth. The illustration tuberose element comes through clearly, with the other elements rounding out
is intricate, full of shadows and implied movement. The design is elegant and de- the overall scent profile and creating a harmonious whole.
tailed, full of beloved gothic motifs as well as multiple ways to interpret the subjects Like most oil-based scents, this one goes on strong, but quickly mellows out to
themselves. Eternal love, or marriage as a death-sentence? The skeletal bride and produce a more subtle effect. If you’re used to atomizer-based products, where
groom are sufficiently and vaguely sinister, but not, like some others of Witherfield the alcohol used as a carrier can give the scent profile a harsh, artificial edge, you’ll
Design Works’ products, suggestive of the demonic, which I mention only because be pleasantly surprised by how natural this smells on your skin. Because it is all
some of you younger gothy types may have an easier time bypassing school or natural it will fade over time, and you may want to refresh after a couple of hours,
family gathering dress-codes with this particular design. but the bottles are small and cute and therefore suitable for carrying around.
The fabric used for the t-shirt is soft and stretchy—the sample I received is a There’s also a 1 ml sample size available, for those who aren’t sure which scent
woman’s medium, but I found the shirt to be a bit on the small side. Despite be- they want (Treazon isn’t the only option – there are 5 others to choose from). The
ing a bit more snug than I expected, it is quite comfortable. The slim fit and ele- company also makes some unisex scents, and some that may be more appealing
gant design make it easy to pair with a number of other pieces for a dressed up or to men who’d rather not smell like any variety of rose. Treazon, however, is the kind
dressed-down look. (Gail Brasie) of scent that’s timeless and almost universally appealing. Definitely recommend-
ed. (Kirsty Evans)

GHOST HOODIE
BY EM AND SPROUT
$28
BY GAIL BRASIE
I bought this hoodie from Em and

Sprout a few months ago and I have
barely taken it off since then. This su-
per soft, comfortable hoodie is home
to a variety of adorable ghosts—
smiling ghosts, sad ghosts, ghosts
with tentacles, ghosts sticking their
tongues out—all surrounded by tiny
little hearts. It’s one of the most
adorable things I’ve ever seen, ever
bought, and ever worn. Add that to
the fact that it’s amazingly comfort-
able and you’ll hardly blame me for
practically living in it. The sizes are
unisex, so keep this is mind when or-
dering.
ETSY.COM/SHOP/EMANDSPROUT
MICO COUTURE
$20 LATEX CUFFS
BY LENORE GWYNN
Wearing latex can be a daunting range of four sizes but the designers
prospect. Not only can it be cost- at Mico are happy to discuss custom
ly for a decent and unique garment styles or fittings (just allow a little
(and cheap rubber can look exactly longer for delivery). They also offer
that), the all-over latex look is not for cuffs with mini skulls in place of the
everyone. An easy way to add some bow appliqué. Each cuff is sold sin-
shine to an outfit without breaking gly (about $10/per) so should you
the bank is through accessories. Mico want to wear one as a bracelet rather
Couture make a large range of basic, than a matching pair, you don’t have
yet versatile, finishing touches per- to buy two at a time. Matching bows
fect for adding a little fetish to any are available as hair clips, earrings
look. In particular these latex cuffs and even a phone charm. They arrive
can be worn with most gothic styles sealed in plastic, backed with cute
including steampunk and cyber. The pink card, all wrapped in candy striped
cuffs can be made with any three paper – so no need to gift wrap if
colors from the Mico range - from buying for someone else! Just add a
monochrome black and white, to little latex shine spray and remember
bubblegum pinks or metallic pewter to put your rings on after sliding the
WWW.MICOCOUTURE.COM – just choose one for the base latex, cuffs over your hands so they don’t
edging trim and bows. They come in a get snagged!
MUSIC REVIEWS BANDS AND RECORD LABELS
PLEASE SEND PRESS MATERIAL TO:
GOTHIC BEAUTY ATTN: MUSIC REVIEWS
4110 SE HAWTHORNE BLVD. #501 PORTLAND, OR 97214 USA
CULTED has a more western or folk feel to it, more

Americana. The album displays a devel-
ence to good use. Leaning more towards
the electronic rather than the metal end
VAMPIRE NATION
OBLIQUE TO ALL PATHS oped sound and sense of aesthetic from of the industrial spectrum, none of the 9 CALAFIA
RELAPSE RECORDS Degens. It’s not precisely gloomy, but tracks on Pon Farr would be entirely out HEXAGON RECORDS
certainly not upbeat, this work is pret- of place in a club. Opener “Hate” is the
Culted is a unique ty mellow, sonorous, flowing much like most mainstream-friendly of the bunch, At times I listen to an al-
doom metal band thought, each track is more-or-less uni- as long as you don’t listen too closely to bum and find myself at
whose members have fied in tone, although this shifts towards the lyrics. Things get more aggressive a loss for words and not
never actually per- a fuller, darker sound as the album con- with “Be Productive,” before fading back in a particularly good
formed music in the tinues. “Eagle Turning” is a good example into trippy, dreamy moodiness on “The way. Calafia by Vam-
same room with one of this, being a darkly lovely and mournful Short Story of Asami.” Even on the trip- pire Nation confuses
another. Located in various areas of song. The Butterfly Ate the Pearl is aes- pier, less aggressive tracks, vocals are me on many levels. The music itself is
Sweden and Canada, these self-pro- thetically gentle, but thoughtful in mat- harsh and heavily processed, though, and transcendental meditative electronica,
claimed “doom merchants” have uti- ters of theme and lyrics. the darkness is never far under the sur- subtle and quiet and unassuming with
lized the extremities of modern tech- GAIL face. There are some obvious metal influ- little variation from track to track. Upon
nology in order to come together as a ences, particularly on those vocals, but first review I would have said that this
cohesive unit, a remarkable feat in and the synths dominate. Final track “Chris- was the product of a more new-age
of itself. When listening to their new APOCALYPTICA & tie’s Dream” is probably the best on the guru than a gothic electronica proj-
release Oblique To All Paths one would MDR SYMPHONY album, with a delightfully off-kilter beat
that sounds almost syncopated. Overall
ect with nearly twenty years under
ORCHESTRA
never at first guess that these mu- their belt. However, after reading the
sicians’ relationships to one another Pon Farr is a good introduction to a prom- rather bizarre back-story about the
has been solely virtual, which speaks WAGNER RELOADED - LIVE IN LEIPZIG ising artist that many American listeners album printed on the inside CD sleeve,
highly to both their individual and col- BMG may not have heard before. I find myself even more perplexed and
laborative commitment to the genre, searching for a connection. “History
KIRSTY
as well as their keen ears for listening To stage a large-scale, of the Original Black Californians” is a
to tracks recorded by one another and multi-media performance condensed overview of the “Ethiopians
playing off of them in order to deliver a marking famed composer in the Caribbean, the Darien region of
performance similar to a band twenty Richard Wagner’s 200th SOLITARY Panama, the coast of South America,
years in the making. Michael Klassen
(guitar/bass/percussion/noise) is
birthday is a massive
task; to find the musi-
EXPERIMENTS California and other areas” and is con-
cluded with mention of a tribe of Am-
quoted as saying, “Oblique to All Paths PHENOMENA azon-esque women and their “queen
cians capable of capturing and sonically
is the culmination of Culted’s collective OUT OF LINE great of body” named Queen Calafia. If
delivering that vision may have been
experience over the past five years. As nearly impossible had Apocalyptica not this is the story which inspired Fredrik
artists and musicians, we’re acting as agreed to the job! The brainchild of cho- Germany has long been Von Hamilton to write Calafia very little
interpreters of our environment, if you reographer Gregor Seyffert, Wagner Re- the biggest, and some of the passion, aggression and vio-
will.” If this is the case, the past five loaded has sold out shows and received would argue best, export- lence depicted in their summary comes
years must have been an extremely tremendous praise – the fusion of rock er of electronic music for through the music itself. Unfortunately,
dark time in their lives for this album and classical being taken to even broader years (blame Kraftwerk). Vampire Nation missed the story-tell-
is a triumph of roaring, wailing disso- audiences than before has proved a tre- Proudly carrying on the ing mark entirely—sadly, if they had
nance and pain, a backdrop of war and mendous success thus far. Re-workings red-shirts-and-black-ties combo sport- chosen not to include the back-story I
torment against a smoke-filled, blood- of Wagner’s compositions by Apoca- ed by their minimal-electro forefathers, might have had a slightly different take
red sky. If doom metal is what you lyptica would be enough to celebrate on Solitary Experiments is also from Ger- on the album. Alas, Calafia is a muted
crave, this album will surely sate even their own, but the addition of the MDR many. Their mix of synth pop melodies backdrop of melancholy even the most
the most demented of souls. Symphony Orchestra make this music with EBM beats makes them ideal am- Emo of Goths might find tedious.
full-to-overflowing – a panoramic view bassadors for the current style of electro
GABRIELLE GABRIELLE
of the epic themes these songs repre- music. It also makes them very difficult
sent. Whether you are a fan of Wagner, not to like. “Trial And Error” is a dance
PANTALEIMON or a fan of Apocalyptica who’s always
wanted to hear them with an orchestra,
floor filler without doubt - regardless
of whether club-goers are aware of the
HYBRYDS
THE BUTTERFLY ATE THE PEARL THE SILENT WHISPER
Wagner Reloaded: Live in Leipzig offers band beforehand or not they will dance.
GRASS GIRL MUSIC SLEEPLESS RECORDS BERLIN
a brilliant experience. Highlighted tracks “Quicksand” strips back the sound, just
might include “Lullaby,” “Fight Against keys or just beats and a touch darker
Pantaleimon is the Monsters,” and “A Path In Life,” though than the previous tracks to match the Long-running European
project of Andria De- the full listen offers an even greater per- darker lyrical content. “Beg Your Pardon” band HYBRYDS latest,
gens, a self-taught spective on the scope of this project. is an upbeat pleasure to listen to, like an The Silent Whisper is
musician, and her electro version of eighties legends Era- described as dark am-
JESSIKA sure. In the following track “Game Over”
most recent album, bient and ritual music;
The Butterfly Ate the the group exposes a harsher side, but the the band's also made
Pearl is her fifth, on which she blends track doesn't feel like they're trying too forays into cyberpunk in the past.
several musical influences, including NAHTAIVEL hard. In Phenomena there is something Madeline Arndt's strong voice prevails
aspects of Appalachian and South- PON FARR for all fans of this genre. The band rarely on this album, surrounded by the back-
eastern Asian music, among others. WAVE RECORDS strays from their tried and tested formula, ing drones, effects and instrumentals.
There is definitely an eclectic mix of and as a result the album is good, simple There are a few guest vocalists here
instruments, including Indian harmoni- electro music. No over-thinking, no try- too, and multiple languages are uti-
Pon Farr is the fifth re- ing to be “the next big thing.” A perfect
um, vibraphone, sansula and “treated” lized. The first half of the album is low-
lease from Brazilian in- example of what good EBM synth pop
Appalachian dulcimers. The Butterfly er-tempo and more trance-like, even a
dustrial artist Fernando should be and everybody should have at
Ate the Pearl is a bit psychedelic—it’s little bit hypnotic in places. This half of
Nahtaivel, and it’s clear least one Solitary Experiments album in
a dreamy, delicate and pretty album, the album includes tracks you can sort
that he’s put the previ- their collection.
case in point being the track “Eleva- of float away to, or use in some sort of
ous 11 years of experi-
tion of a Dream.” The track “If I (Was)” LENORE prolonged ritual dance. There's a bit of a
sonic and stylistic shift on the second
half, where the beat picks up, and more
worked at all, but the thing about metal
is that a lot of its underlying structure is
THE KENNEDY VEIL pieces from Norse myth, the tarot, and a
version of Coyote. The CD version comes
industrial elements are used. Tracks of drawn from classical music, as is the more TRINITY OF FALSEHOOD with a custom-for-the-album tarot card
note include “Come Il Candore,” “Mor- serious sort of Christmas music. What UNIQUE LEADER by German artist Christopher Mueller.
gendämmerung,” the penultimate Hrubovcak has done is rewrite the lyrics The instrumentals are stark, there's a
track “Wheel of Life,” and the final of the classic songs on the album around Trinity of Falsehood is good amount of droning, and if you like
track, “Silent Whisper,” which is done the theme of a privileged child born into an album that takes no your Americana dark, you'll find a lot to
in three parts, that includes saxophone a political family who is actually Azrael, prisoners and lays waste enjoy on this album.
among the guttural wordless crooning. the Angel of Death. Working behind the to every scorched inch GAIL
GAIL scenes in a way clearly inspired by the of earth it passes over.
concept of the Illuminati, he gradually ac- When one thinks of death
cumulates power and manipulates events
THE 69 CATS
metal this is the exact epitome of what
before finally turning on humanity in a de- comes to mind: brutal, unforgiving, de-
INVSN cisive way. The theme is both clever and monic, and gripping—a wholly visceral BAD THINGS EP
well executed. Working its way through nightmare of suffering and destruction.
SELF-TITLED CLEOPATRA
“God Rest Thee Merry Gentlemen,” “We From the very first opening lick to the fi-
RAZOR & TIE
Three Kings,” “The Dance of the Sugar nal resonating chords, The Kennedy Veil
Plum Fairy,” “Greensleeves,” and “Oh One of the most exciting
has produced an epic contribution to the
Swedish alternative Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel,” this short things to land upon my
death metal genre that raises the bar for
rock band INVSN (pro- but punchy album delivers on its the- desk in 2013, The 69 Cats
all other bands of the same vein. Infused
nounced Invasion) has matic premise. Some of the songs work EP is a very good signal
with the adrenaline that is spawned of
magnificently demon- better with the death metal format than of things to come! Com-
rage in the face of deceit Trinity of False-
strated what is soni- others (“We Three Kings” is definitely prised of Jyrki 69 (of 69
hood crushes the listener from the in-
cally possible of a new the most natural fit), but the whole thing Eyes) on vocal duties, Chopper Franklin of
side out causing one to want to pick up a
project with their self-titled US debut ends up coalescing into a cohesive whole. the Cramps on bass, and Danny B Harvey
sword and go berserker screaming down
– built on the members’ experience in Definitely an album that’s worth keeping of Rockats and Headcat helming the gui-
the street. According to The Kennedy
bands such as Refused and (Interna- around for those moments where one tar, this band could only make an amazing
Veil’s new front-man Taylor Wientjes,
tional) Noise Conspiracy while sound- more rendition of “Santa Baby” is about goth-rockabilly outfit, and I’m pleased to
Trinity of Falsehood is thematically fo-
ing very little like either, INVSN gathers to send you postal. report that they do! On the Bad Things
cused around the concept of religion be-
up their collective tastes and presents EP, we are treated to three cover songs –
KIRSTY ing deceitful and contradictory, inherently
them with a fearless attitude and a the eponymous “Bad Things” (as heard
corrupt and filled with excess amounts
fresh sound. The lyricism speaks to a on “True Blood” originally done by Jace
of greed. In many instances, there’s an
punk-rock defiance, while the delivery
comes in the form of a hydra of sound
LESBIAN BED DEATH almost complete disregard to the incon-
Everett), “Black No. 1” (Type O Negative),
and “Flaming Star” (how fortunate that a
sistencies in their respective doctrines.”
– everything you have ever liked about THE DEVIL'S BOUNTY HUNTERS band who dare cover Elvis can do the king
The incensed hostility towards religious
post-punk, new wave, and early alt- PSYCHOPHONIC RECORDS justice!). It’s not your average rockabilly,
corruption is tangible throughout this
rock inform the song compositions nor is it your run-of-the-mill goth rock…
album and makes me curious as to what
without sounding too obviously influ- Lesbian Bed Death it’s everything you could want from both
the lyrics themselves really say as, with
enced in one direction or another. Only doesn’t do pretentious, and then some; as it happens, we can
most death metal, you can’t really un-
furthering this effect is the mixing ef- unlike many goth bands expect more from The 69 Cats in spring
derstand the words. For those who seek
fort by Nick Launay, whose production out there. Their songs 2014, and I for one cannot wait! Mean-
a soundtrack against which to rally your
credits include such scene luminaries are inspired by whatever while, we can enjoy the Bad Things EP - a
troops for battle, this is it. Trinity of False-
as PiL, Nick Cave and The Church – is around them, like vam- killer medley of diverse songs, performed
hood is an essential addition to any metal
nevertheless, expect all the good nods pire soap operas or episodes of Doctor with utter cool!
collection.
to the past with a very future-bund Who (seriously). Some of their songs GABRIELLE JESSIKA
sound. Expertly and sincerely deliv- have a punk feel to them, some more
ered, INVSN is both a breakthrough of goth, whereas others, in the band's own
SONS OF PERDITION JOHNATHAN/
an album and a stand-alone exemplar words, “sound like Tina Turner jamming
of combined musical passions – a with Pantera.” Fabulous. As a result the
worthy addition to almost anyone’s group's fourth studio album, The Devil's TRINITY CHRISTIAN
collection! Recommended tracks in- Bounty Hunters, is an accessible piece of GRAVEWAX RECORDS BEAUTIFUL HIDEOUS
clude opener “#61,” “God Has Left Us gothic rock - big guitars with spooky lyr- SELF-RELEASED
Stranded,” “Inheritance,” and “It’s All ics to be sung (rather than wailed) along
Coming Back.” to. “Dark Passenger” opens the album This album is presented
JESSIKA like a leather-clad freight train, setting the as a narrative about one Beautiful Hideous, the de-
pace for what's to follow. “Ghost in The man's journey across the but collaboration between
Mirror” is more goth-centric, but has lost American Southwest, former The New Crea-
and concludes the band's tures keyboardist Johna-
J.J. HRUBOVCAK
none of the rock power from the previous
tracks, while “Death By Stereo” is a fast- Dissolution Trilogy. Sons than Mooney and Day
DEATH METAL CHRISTMAS – paced goth-punk song that screams to of Perdition is primarily one man, Zebulon Behavior/The Atom vocalist/keyboard-
HELLISH RENDITIONS OF be played while driving. It's not until track Whatley; Trinity includes guest musicians ist Christian Granquist, is a little slice of
CHRISTMAS CLASSICS six that the band let-up and offers the lis- who wrote and performed on some or gothic perfection. With remixes by both
tener a “slow one” “Damage The Sound” all tracks. Overall, this album portrays a British industrial pioneer Martin Bowes
SELF-RELEASED
is an acoustic, lonely song, with a touch of bleak and darkly magical trip across a and Bryin Dall, it’s an atmospheric and co-
Death metal Christ- country and western to it, in-keeping with hostile landscape; some of it is astonish- hesive album reflective of that fact that
mas carols? It doesn’t the album's cowgirl cover art. “Lonely ingly violent, with poison, cannibalism, although this particular collaboration is
get much odder than a Assassins” picks up the pace again, and and overarching themes of loss, betray- new, the individuals involved are all scene
genre heavily associat- has an urgent, dangerous feel whereas al and absolutely zero trust. Highlights veterans. The sonic landscape of Beau-
ed with Satan reinvent- “Never Get Enough” exposes their inner include the tracks “Profane the Night,” tiful Hideous is sparse and consistently
ing Christmas music, rock-temptress, complete with sleazy which features guest vocals from Sophie dark. With a tomb-like production that
and Hrubovcak is clearly an evil genius guitar solos and knee-high boots. Lesbi- Nadaud, “The Bones of Ymir,” and “Zero accents Grandquist’s sephucral vocals,
for coming up with the concept. But an Bed Death is a band with a lot of tal- Point.” Whatley's vocals are sonorous the overall vibe is chilly but deeply emo-
how does it sound? More natural than ent and a sense of humor which makes and droning, sung in a deadpan way that tional. Although the album has plenty of
you might expect, actually. If Hrubov- a great combination whatever genre a actually underscores and highlights the electronic elements, the sound feels rich
cak had attempted to apply the con- band plays in. violence and bleakness of the piece, rath- and organic. Granquist’s voice is one of
cept to the more cutesy, “Jingle Bells” er than diminishing it. References to sev- the main reasons for that organic feeling.
LENORE eral mythologies are present, including Rich and resonant, his vocals are more on
style of perky carols, it wouldn’t have

the rough rather than the smooth end of
the spectrum, and his deeper vocal range
their initial founding in 2009. Through the
twenty-eight minutes of this tortured
LAIBACH GITANE DEMONE
gives the tracks a distinctive feeling. Peter debut, I attempted to find a cohesiveness S (EP) THE REFLECTING SHADOW
Murphy would be an obvious compari- to the tracks, a story that was other than MUTE RECORDS MANIC DEPRESSION RECORDS
son, but not in the sense that Granquist merely an attempt to embrace melan-
is imitating the Bauhaus frontman – their choly, but unfortunately I was unable If there is any one con- Gitane DeMone is a
voices simply share some interesting to. While the musicians are, no doubt, cept above another Lai- force to be reckoned
characteristics. There honestly isn’t a skilled in their individual instruments, the bach has steadfastly ex- with—her music is
bad track on Beautiful Hideous, but “The composition of each song feels lacking emplified with their art, it visceral and brutally
Chauffer” is probably the highlight. Gran- in structure and dynamics—the slow, is that truth is often con- honest with power-
quist’s deep, mostly spoken vocals lay- lamenting aspects dragging on repeti- troversial. On the S EP, we ful Broadway-styled
ered over a creepy melody that reminded tiously for far too long only to be sliced find four songs, three of which belong to lyrics and wickedly deep, yet simple
this writer of the theme from 28 Days awkwardly at what feels like random mo- their forthcoming album (“Eurovision,” instrumentals that thrust the story
Later produce an effect that’s downright ments by bursts of aggression. The vo- “No History,” and “Resistance Is Futile”) contained within each song out into
menacing. The best goth album of the cals are lost in the instrumentals, which and, as a special treat, their version of the unwitting audience. The theatrical
year so far. is a shame for I’m certain they would Serge Gainsbourg’s “Love On The Beat,” quality to DeMone’s body of work, in-
KIRSTY be a powerful element if brought to the recorded live at an event at London’s cluding her latest release The Reflect-
forefront of the music. While Suffering In Tate Modern. True to form, all of these ing Shadow from Manic Depression
Solitude’s press kit offered promises of tracks contain themes which are both Records, is unique in a day and age
DARKHAUS “odes of grief, longing, broken promises,
and mental breakdowns” I failed to find
highly prescient and transcend time
and borders, executed in their signature
when over-produced over-synthe-
sized tunes flood the airwaves and
MY ONLY SHELTER these in compelling quantities, but merely sound. Masters at their craft, the S EP even boldly attempt to invade the un-
STEAMHAMMER/OBLIVION an under-developed sadness and angst finds Laibach cracking open the next derground. Best known for her work
that feels slightly directionless at times exciting chapter of their musical legacy, on Ashes and other Christian Death
Bands that are difficult as if it is railing against the world in gen- and leaves the listener ever eager to albums, DeMone stands apart in the
to pigeon hole usually fall eral without a true understanding of the hear the upcoming full-length Spectre. sea of black that is today’s standard
into one of two catego- roots of its pain. I will be interested to see gothic music. I must admit that it took
how this band develops its sound in future JESSIKA my listening to this album a couple
ries. The band that tries
to appeal to everyone and recordings, but for now A Place Apart has of times before it began growing on
crams so many styles in left me wanting for music with a more me—due to its avante garde nature my
sincere bite. senses had to realign for a moment
the listener gets dizzy, or the band that
melds the best bits of what they love into GABRIELLE DIVINE CIRCLES and shake off the comfortably numb
coherent songs that successfully appeal OBLIVION SONGS accustom to the predictability of most
to a bunch of different fans and eventu- PARADIGMS RECORDINGS modern music. Her creative process
ally become rich and famous. Multi-na-
tional Darkhaus is the latter. OK, it might
VALENTINE WOLFE unapologetically and defiantly takes
the center stage like a ringmaster,
be a bit of an oversimplification, but their AND JACOB WENZKA Meghan Mulheam’s Di- the intensity of her dramatic vocals
debut My Only Shelter is an impressive ONCE UPON A MIDNIGHT vine Circles is an extraor- and ruthlessly poetic lyrics cracking
fourteen tracks long and competently SELF-RELEASED dinary paradigm-shift- above the heads of the listener like
manages to fuse rock, metal, traditional ing musical project that a whip. If you are a fan of alternative
goth-rock, synths and accessible vocals sends chills down one’s musicals like Repo! The Genetic Opera
This combined graphic spine. Her masterful you will find yourself mesmerized by
into a tempting introduction. Opener “Life
novel and album is a col- manipulation of the violin, pulling forth The Reflecting Shadow and curious
Worth Living” starts with gothic synths,
laboration of the artist Ja- a dizzying array of sounds and textures to learn more. Prepare yourselves
then generic-rock vocals and guitar,
cob Wenzka and “Victori- that seem impossible to be born of the to dive into Gitane DeMone’s bizarre
then breaks back to the synths before
an Chamber Metal” band same instrument, weave in and out of little world and allow yourself to be
introducing a Sisters-esque guitar chug.
Valentine Wolfe, which is her haunting vocals that echo across transported into a warped dimension
Single “Ghost” has more of a euro-met-
comprised of Sarah Black and Braxton the airwaves as if through the mists of of beautiful and powerful nightmares.
al feel. Unsurprisingly “Looks Like Rain”
Ballew. Once Upon a Midnight is based another realm. Yet through of the layers
is more faithful to an eighties traditional
goth stomper. “Angelina” (every gothic
on the works and dreams of Edgar Allen of otherworldly complexity is a sweet GABRIELLE
Poe. It's an ambitious project and well simplicity that lends the psychedelic po-
band has to have at least one girl-name
handled. The album piece of it is strong- etry of philosophical rebellion similar to
song, it’s an unwritten rule) has got a
INDIAN
ly composed, haunting and melancholy that of Leonard Cohen’s work. Oblivion
touch, just a touch, of Type O about it.
but also high-energy. The album incor- Songs, a 5-track album, was recorded
Darkhaus join the new generation of
dark-fusion bands, like Italy’s Nude, who
porates aspects of Poe's writing, lines of at Fahrenheit Studio with Travis Kam- FROM ALL PURITY
his poems, themes from his work, etc. meyer (A Storm of Light, USX, Genera- RELAPSE RECORDS
manage to combine the blacker genres
Each track is named after one of his sto- tion of Vipers, This Mountain, Ocoai) and
of music with “pop sensibilities” suc-
ries or poems. Actually, it helps to brush mastered by James Plotkin (OLD, Scorn, Are you looking for a di-
cessfully. People who like their goth pure
up on your Poe in order to fully appreci- Khanate, Khlyst), and is already garner- rect ticket to Hell? Then
and undiluted will want these guys burnt
ate this album. Sarah Black's singing is ing the respect of the international mu- I suggest, closing the
at the stake. Those who like decent rock
gorgeous, a heady soprano, penetrating sic community for its raw experimen- blinds, turning off the
with a dark side will have found their new
and clarion-clear, and serves as a per- tal approach to the reinterpretation of lights, popping Indian’s
favorite band.
fect counterpoint to both the metal and songwriting. Stripped down and naked latest release From All
LENORE more classically symphonic elements, before the audience, Mulheam’s music Purity in your CD drive and grabbing
both of which are executed with aplomb. spirals like campfire smoke around one’s a bottle of Jack Daniels because it’s
The graphic novel section of the work soul, one part ancient medieval chamber going to be one rough ride down. The
features some type of steampunk-style
SUFFERING narrator who's delving into the potentially
melodies and one part eerie Appalachian
old-time ballads snaking in and out the
anger and aggression in this album
hits you like a monsoon wave, toppling
IN SOLITUDE delusional diary of Poe's, and watching as
reality shifts around him as he does. The
forest of waking consciousness. Indeed, skyscrapers and tossing 18-wheelers
A PLACE APART Oblivion Songs is one of the most beau- off the highway like matchbox cars.
artwork is spindly and pretty in a very tiful albums I have had the pleasure of Through the oppressive, driving wall
DOMESTIC GENOCIDE
gothic way, although some of the female listening to in years. of grinding, spine-ripping sound, the
A Place Apart, by “de- characters are hard to tell apart. Overall, vocals of lead singer Dylan O’Toole and
pressive post black this is a beautiful work by independent GABRIELLE accompanying vocalist Will Lindsay, are
metalists” Suffering In artists. a visceral screech of damnation that
Solitude, is their first GAIL threaten to rip open the fabric of reality
full-length release since and summon forth hellhounds. Hailing
from Chicago, these “blackened doom
nihilists” have perfected their art of the
der Of The Shadow: Act 1 is the musical
equivalent of the Earth splitting in two
JOSEPH BISHARA track “Everything” is an awesomely
uplifting piece of electro, and man-
destruction of all that is holy or pure in and the legions of Hell rising up to con- INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 2 ages to reveal a touch of Harris’ Irish
the world through a form of metal that quer humanity. Maniacal guitars pierce CAPILLARY MUSIC background amongst the bleeps and
would make even the Devil squirm in his reality with the brutality of machine synths somehow, defying anyone not
throne. Indian has performed over the guns on the frontlines of a supernatural In September of 2013 the to smile while listening. “Primary” is a
past ten years with such heavyweights war, while layered digital samplings of second chapter in the In- classic dance floor track with a run-
as Wolves in the Throne Room, Locrian, gears creaking, shovels digging, metal sidious movie franchise ning beat and the prefect amount of
and Agalloch, as well as High on Fire, screeching against itself and a cyber- gripped theater-goers rise and fall to keep goth boots mov-
Batillus, and Yob. With From All Purity, tronic feedback roar of a rebellion even around the world and ing. “Retaliate” is a darker offering,
their fifth release, there is no doubt that the Terminator would shy away from. delivered an astounding while “Lost Horizon” is an intense
they will continue to be on the forefront This album is a visceral mural of apoca- record of $41.1 million in estimated tick- instrumental you might hear at two
of black doom metal for many years to lyptic carnage and, yet, still hauntingly et sales on opening weekend. According A.M. in a darkened nightclub. “Aero-
come. It is rare that you come across cultivates a bizarre elegance like the to Rolling Stone magazine, this was “the scope” is a taste of VNV’s darker side,
an album that can both make you so image of a frayed flag snapping in the second biggest September opening another instrumental, but one club-
incredibly uncomfortable and, yet at the wind upon an abandoned battlefield. Eric ever” for a horror or live-action debut. bers can really sink their teeth into.
same time compel you to continue lis- Gottesman’s hissing vocals crawl in and Alongside the second movie’s release “Teleconnect” is a song in two parts,
tening. If you want evil, you got it! out of the driving rhythm like serpents was the accompanying music score In- the first slow and moving, a ballad
or smoke, slipping beneath your skin to sidious: Chapter 2 by composer Joseph mourning simpler times. The second
GABRIELLE trigger something primal and undeni- Bishara. As most avid movie enthusi- finishes the album like the end of a
able. Indeed, if this is only Act 1 it leaves asts know, a movie is only a fraction of bedtime story, reassuring and softly
the listener wondering just what the its final impact without the music that spoken. Transnational is yet another
FRIGHTWIG rest of this tale will sound like? I, for one, weaves the filmmaker’s spectacular im- classic album from VNV Nation - was
will be waiting! ages together, guiding the viewer along there ever any doubt?
HIT RETURN
GABRIELLE as if leash-bound and tethered to de- LENORE
FRIGHTWIG
mented destiny itself. While the sequel,
alone, remained lacking in the immense
After a long gap in TWEAKER suspense that captivated audiences AESTHETIC
which the members,
tired of touring, had AND THEN THERE’S NOTHING
the first time around, it most definitely
delivered where the score was consid-
PERFECTION
kids and pursued oth- METROPOLIS RECORDS
ered. Insidious: Chapter 2 causes your TIL DEATH
er careers, Frightwig Released as an accom- skin to crawl as you get up to make sure METROPOLIS RECORDS
are back. Punk pio- paniment to the Call The all of the doors and windows are locked,
neers and spiritual godmothers of the Time Eternity album, this though something distinctly tells you Aesthetic Perfection is
Riot Grrrl movement, they’ve toured remix album from NIN that your efforts will be in vain. Over the one of those “love ‘em
with DOA, The Butthole Surfers, and alumni Chris Vrenna is a course of the twenty-six tracks that or hate ‘em” bands.
GBH, made their mark on a num- Who’s Who of the alt- compose this album your senses slither People who think too
ber of younger bands, and generally rock and industrial elite. Remixing duties along darkened hallways and crawlspac- much probably don’t
established themselves as serious were handed to everyone from Gary es as the string quartet hisses around like them. Those peo-
bad-asses. With the addition of for- Numan (with Ade Fenton, on “Nothing every corner a warning of mortal danger ple who like something pretty to look
mer Captain Beefheart keyboardist At All”) to Dave Lombardo from Slayer and fear. If you’re an author of horror or at and a decent tune to dance, drive
Eric Drew Feldman, they’re back, and (on “Grounded”). More familiar names thriller fiction I would highly recommend or get angry to, probably like them.
as raucous as ever. Hit Return fea- from the industrial circuit like KMFDM this album as the perfect thematic Swinging between pop and screamo
tures new versions of four Frightwig and Front Line Assembly also chipped in soundscape to put you in the mood to vocals any emo band would be proud
classics (”Crazy World,” “My Crotch,” with the mixing duties, with results that write. Or, if you just want to have spooky of, but looking like Marilyn Manson and
“Big Bang,” and “A Man’s Gotta Do, are pleasing though not exactly unpre- dreams tonight, replace the sounds of Lady Gaga’s lovechild probably con-
What A Man’s Gotta Do”) plus new dictable. The Rasputina remix of “A Bit whales and waves with this twisted lit- fuses those who need to pigeonhole.
track, “Crawford.” There’s a full- Longer Than Usual,” on the other hand, tle treat to see just what your subcon- “He sounds like that guy from Panic At
length album due out on Southern sounds like nothing that Vrenna would scious invites in. The Disco, but looks like Davey Havok
Records sometime soon, and recent have ever come up with himself, which GABRIELLE wrapped in rubber and lace, I don’t
live shows have demonstrated that points to the reason for creating remix know what to do!”... Daniel Graves,
Frightwig’s aggression and femi- albums like this. Although some tracks the guy behind AP, probably revels in
nist energy haven’t dimmed at all. retain more or less their original tone the debate. This fifth studio album, Til
For those who missed the band that and tempo, the format allows for some VNV NATION Death, will do nothing to sway the ar-
helped encourage bands like L7 and radical reimagining of familiar songs too. TRANSNATIONAL gument. Second track “Antibody” is
Bikini Kill to pick up guitars and fight It’s a mark of Vrenna’s writing prowess ANACHRON SOUNDS and unashamedly catchy, synth-driv-
for their space on the stage, this EP that, in spite of some of the unpredict- en dance floor filler. Similarly “Lights
should serve as a useful introduction. able artists chosen to put their spin on Out (Ready To Go)” is hook-laden,
his songs, you can still hear his musical As well as being one of dark electro-pop. “Showtime” is very
KIRSTY
trademarks on even the most radical the biggest and best IAMX influenced (and who can blame
remixes. And some of them really are names in EBM, VNV Na- them?), then “The Dark Half” is almost
PSYCLON NINE
radical – contrary to all expectations, tion is also campaigning aggro, but not so much as to sound out
the Dave Lombardo remix is the least for the ‘nicest people in of place among the MTV-acceptable
ORDER OF THE SHADOW: ACT I heavy track on the album, and sounds the genre’ award too – a tunes (or whatever music channel the
METROPOLIS RECORDS nothing like you’d expect from him. trophy they’ve held onto for many years. kids are watching these days). “The
And Then There’s Nothing also offers Front man Ronan Harris’ reputation for New Black” is a distorted electro track
For over a decade in- two new tracks. “Pig-grinder” is classic being an all-round lovely bloke is well de- mocking fickle trends and empty fa-
dustrial black metal grimy industrial, with sexy, menacing served, combined with the consistently cades, and is totally danceable. “Love-
legends Psyclon Nine vocals and a beat that shifts from trippy high quality music he and partner Mark sick” completes the album in rather a
have been delivering to aggressive. “Limerance,” on the other Jackson produce, VNV is difficult not to low-key fashion, slowly fading away
into the world some hand, has an almost New Age vibe to it, like. Harris’ instantly recognizable vocals instead of storming out. Undoubtedly,
of the most aggres- at least until some of Vrenna’s more sin- are reassuringly familiar, and one many this is music that incites controversy,
sive, demented anthems of the 21st ister touches creep in. Remix albums of- try to emulate. Their style is unmistak- but more importantly Til Death is a
century. The devoted dark armies of ten disappoint, but this one is definitely ably them, yet their songs still sound bunch of tracks that induce hunger for
fans that have eagerly awaited the worth a listen. fresh album after album. Transnational big boots and a big dance floor, which
release of their latest album will have is no different, thank goodness. After is all that really matters.
KIRSTY
their patience deeply rewarded. Or- opening with an instrumental, following LENORE

In the goth subculture, fashion designers maintain a linda’s personal preference for sophisticated
clothing during a time that the fashion mar-
common objective: appeal to potential customers by ket didn’t adequately offer it. Apparently she
producing items that are strikingly unique. As con- wasn’t the only one longing for a more refined
sumers, we want to feel like the best version of ourselves style, as proven by the continued success of her
business. Early in her career she listed made-
when splurging on custom-made clothing. Sometimes to-order gowns on eBay. It wasn’t long before
special occasions arise that call for an ensemble that business was booming, the talented designer
states, “[the gowns] would always sell, and
is particularly extraordinary – weddings, proms, sometimes even have bidding wars.”
masquerade balls. While more contemporary options Almost fourteen years have passed since the
inception of her business. Against the odds,
can seem lackluster, the designs of Romantic Threads Romantic Threads has endured, with its sales
convey a limitless sense of romanticism. being made strictly online. The official web-
site features gowns in several different catego-
A
ries, such as fairy style dresses, movie-inspired
glass chapel.” Aside from making the big day gowns, and medieval gowns with capes. In
s the creative force behind all exactly as she envisioned, her wedding gown addition, there is an option to purchase a cus-
of Romantic Threads’ designs, generated positive feedback from her guests tom-made “fantasy wedding gown.” Your fan-
inspiration comes fairly easily - “everyone said I should consider making tasy wedding can become a stunning reality
for Belinda Barry. Part of the reason for that gowns.” Romantic Threads emerged from Be- thanks to Belinda’s masterpieces. Whether you
is where she resides: near the fashion district
of Los Angeles. Easy access to an outstand-
ing array of fabrics leads to an enhancement
of her ideas, which then materialize in the
form of glamorous gowns. Rather than falling
victim to creative blocks, Belinda sometimes
finds herself in the predicament of having too
many ideas. She explains, “I can stare at fab-
rics pinned to a mannequin for 3 days before
I decide what to make with them. When the
fabrics inspire me, those are the gowns that
turn out amazing. With those special fabrics I
will either make one or a short run of limited
gowns, like 3 in various sizing.” It is the exclu-
sivity of each individual creation that is most
assuredly the secret to her brand’s success.
Belinda’s interest in fashion can be traced
back to her youth, which is often the case with
designers. She was taught how to sew by her
grandmother in her early teens and went on to
study the history of fashion design in college.
Her studies were the beginning of a defining
realization: that she favored the charm of vin-
tage pieces over modern ones. This revelation
ultimately triggered the start of her business.
While hunting for the perfect bridal gown for
her own wedding, Belinda couldn’t find one
she liked. She knew the traditional contem-
porary white gowns were not for her, so she
expanded her search. “I started buying the Eu-
ropean wedding magazines at a local magazine
shop,” she confesses. “The gowns were amaz-
ing, tons of color, very dramatic, theatrical,
just gorgeous! This was quite a few years ago,
so finding gowns like that at local bridal shops
was difficult, or they were very expensive.”
She decided to view the dilemma as an op-
portunity to design her own wedding gown.
She describes the gown as “a blush/cream and
lace Marie Antoinette/Victorian style gown. It
was perfect for our candlelight ceremony in a
envision yourself in a Sleeping Beauty context Wedding orders keep her very busy, but of practicality co-mingled with everlasting
or you’re more of a Phantom of the Opera she claims the busiest time of the year is ambition. She has grown wise about business
bride, these unique pieces are certain to im- right around Halloween. In October, she is prosperity over the years. She has discovered
press. Gowns derivative of Marie Antoinette’s swamped “with tons of orders for upscale cos- that, “you really have to be open to change,
style as well as a range of gowns inspired by tume/fantasy gowns. In October it is not un- what worked before doesn’t always continue
Mina of Bram Stoker’s Dracula are cited as usual to work 3-4 am nights, or even round to work. You have to evolve, and I am getting
some of her most popular works. She enjoys the clock sometimes!” ready for another evolution right now actually.
producing these gowns as well. “I love the As talented and hardworking as Belinda is, This last year I did an overwhelming amount
Antoinette gowns,” she elaborates, “especial- there are other factors that help her business. of custom gowns for clients, kind of going off
ly because there are so many available fabrics Much of the photography on her website used track of what I normally offer. I found I am
and trims the choices are endless! Plus I love to showcase the creations is done by Le Mew very good at re-creating things, but it can be a
the chance to add matching custom hats and Photography. The images add a lot of extra very time consuming thing to do for just one
jewelry.” appeal, as models might appear in delicate- order. Next year I am going to be doing a huge
Romantic Threads is a dream come true for ly draped fabrics in ethereal settings, such as makeover for my business. I will be doing an
a bride-to-be determined to have a themed thick fog in the woods, or amidst crumbling overhaul on my website, discontinuing some
wedding. Custom orders for weddings roll in ruins that contrast sharply with a demure older styles, taking on fewer custom orders,
year round. “For weddings I mostly get orders feminine aura. The ability to pull potential adding brand new styles, and doing a lot more
for the medieval, gothic, and Marie Antoi- customers in - to tempt them into envisioning one-of-a-kinds. I’m going to take it to the next
nette gowns, as well as the Victorian reproduc- themselves in her designs - is a surefire way of level.”
tions... Custom is the way to ensure they get keeping the business going strong. One major In other words, Romantic Threads can take
a gown made just for them in their exact size career highlight was having her Gothic Bride us all deeper into a world where fairytales can
and color. I go over all the details and specifi- design appear on David Tutera’s show My Fair look and feel remarkably real. ‘Happily Ever
cations with them. They may want to combine Wedding. She feels it was a great accomplish- After...’ is now only a few clicks away.
different gowns, or have very specific color ment “to have a black wedding dress featured
needs.” The time and energy Belinda puts into on TV.”
every custom order ensures that expectations When asked what 2014 may bring for Ro-
are not only met but exceeded. mantic Threads, Belinda exhibits a philosophy www.romanticthreads.com

Page 56, Page 59: Photography Le Mew Photography Makeup Concrete Minerals Model Allie Schell Purple wig Gothic Lolita Wigs
Page 57, Page 58: Photography Annie Bertram Model Kseniya Arhangelova
Second Skin was one of the first bands ever grunge was big. We used to hang out with all those guys
featured in Gothic Beauty, way back in issue and they used to try to book us with Alice in Chains and
number 6. We caught up with singer Arron just Soundgarden. It was OK because we had a different sound,
in time for their 20th anniversary to talk his- we had an acoustic guitarist and an electric guitarist, so as
tory, the Phoenix and Italian goth scenes, and long as it was heavy enough with them we were going over
what they’re up to next. By Kirsty Evans. OK, but we just weren’t playing with people who fit.
We were getting tired of the rain and we’d been up there
Since it’s been a while from the last time you were featured in Gothic for so long, and we got an opportunity to come to Phoenix. There were a
Beauty could you give us a brief recap of the band’s history? couple of bands around here that I was friends with, so we came down,
We started in Phoenix. I had been in a band called Flesh of my Flesh in and then as soon as we got here we got on the Sisters of Mercy tribute and
Seattle and we moved down to Phoenix because it was right around when that got us going. It was one of the first ones that had been done for that

kind of music, so it exploded. It was huge. The label kept
getting calls about us and we were going to work a deal
with them but they wanted the rights to the music. They
were really sticking to that point, and then one of the
guys decided that he wanted to do more ethereal music
and get a female vocalist, more like the Cocteau Twins.
It got to the point where I gave them an option, ei-
ther they get it together or let’s do something different,
and they dragged their feet. Meanwhile I’m getting in-
undated with mail and different offers and interviews,
so I thought if I’m going to do this maybe I should just
start off with a different band name altogether. I was
thinking of what would be similar to Flesh of My Flesh,
so that gave me “skin” something, and it was a second
Jeff Smith
chance, so that’s how I ended up with Second Skin. This
was at the end of ‘92, so our first show as Second Skin
was in ‘93. I’m curious who shows up when you play with those bands. Do you
pick up new fans that way, or is it more that your audience already
Was there an active goth scene in Phoenix at the time? overlaps with theirs?
When we got here there was a lot of competition. Lots of bands were When we play with bands like KMFDM where maybe the crowd hasn’t
springing up who were doing more of a deathrock thing. We were the gen- heard of us then we pick up them too. We’ve had really good luck that way.
eration of bands that were maybe 6 years behind Christian Death or The Sometimes I think we’re not going to go over, like when we played with
Mission, or after the guys left Bauhaus to do Love and Rockets. It was such Frontline Assembly and it was a super cyber crowd, but when we were done
a fad thing with the major labels that we missed the bus, because every big nobody batted an eye.
label grabbed their little band, and then after that wasn’t cool any more we
were all kind of struggling. Since some of us were already there we had an For people who may not have heard Second Skin before, can you
influx of bands coming to Phoenix, and I’d say that lasted a good ten years. describe your sound?
Partly because Phoenix is so spread out everyone started to burn out, and Well, here’s an example. When we sent some stuff to Wayne Hussey to
it had to be someone like Peter Murphy coming for people to come out of see if we could get in on the Mission tour he said “you guys fit in with the
the woodwork. Now we have three different club nights and it’s kind of Fields of the Nephilim better than we do, you should have been on that
exploded again, but there was a big lull in the late ‘90s. tour.” I got a copy of their new album and I thought wow, it sounds a bit
like what we’re doing, except they’ve gone a little more metal.
So how many of the original band members are still in the line-up? Normally we have an electronic set and an acoustic set, so for this album
Just me. I’ve been the only constant through the whole thing. we tried to marry those pieces together for all the songs. I want it to have a
dance feel, but in trying to balance that with the guitars I’ve always had to
Why did you move to Florence? walk the line. With this album there aren’t a lot of solos or anything like that
There was Ascension magazine that’s based around there, and I’d known because I’m doing the guitars. I just saw Rammstein and the way they do
the guy who signed us to Palace of Worms prior to that. It was odd because things is kind of the way we do things, though I didn’t ever make that kind
all the record labels and magazines that liked us were based out of Italy. So of comparison before. With the new album it’s split down the middle, there
I went down there to visit and I liked the fact that it was country but you are 6 songs that tear through like Nephilim or Christian Death, and the rest
only had to jump on the train to be in the big city, like Rome, in about 40 of it is chill music, it reminds me of Moby or Tricky.
minutes. We’d go over there and roll into any town and there would be Red
Lorry Yellow Lorry, Siouxie and the Banshees, some member of Bauhaus Given that your main label is in Italy, what’s your status in the US
playing or DJing in a little club somewhere, so it just felt like the place to right now as far as contracts?
be. If I could have had my way we would have stayed. Right now everything is going through two labels, House of Worms and
One of the longest lasting members, our guitar player Mark, just couldn’t Echozone. Our Italian label made a deal with Metropolis and one other la-
wrap his head around the European mindset and being so far from home. bel, so we get on all the download sites like Amazon, and there are physical
He felt really alienated out there, so I couldn’t get him aboard. We kept CDs in mom and pop record stores too, so we have it working from both
coming back to Phoenix because we both have family here and the weather ends, it’s just that both ends are based in Europe.
is decent year round. We tried other places but it was so much more condu-
cive here for us to build our own studio and have access 24/7. In terms of the 20th anniversary of the band, are you doing anything
specific to mark that?
Where is the band most successful? When the album comes out we’re going to bill that as our 20th anniversa-
When we look at sales breakdowns it’s Germany, England, and France, ry. When the idea of a Best Of album was first brought up I started looking
and then with Italy we sell really well but the numbers look small because at when things first really gelled for us and it was actually the beginning of
it’s such a small population. For America it’s crazy because I didn’t think the ‘94, so really that’s the 20 year mark. With the Best Of we’ll be billing that
albums were doing that well, but we’d go to places like Tennessee and the as the Best of 20 years of Second Skin, and we have some tracks that we’re
clubs would be packed, and we would be the headlining band. We also pick saving just for that as well.
up shows as they come into town. For example, New Model Army we’re
friends with so we’d hook up with them, anybody who needs someone to www.secondskin.net
see them through Texas or whatever.
by Gabrielle Faust
S
omewhere within the barbwire waste- and intricacy. One leather artist in Austin, Texas A self-taught artisan, Ashton’s deep fascination
lands between Neuromancer and The has found a way to combine the two aspects of with functional apocalyptic fashion stems from
Walking Dead, Mad Max and The Dif- apocalyptic fashion, marrying artistic elegance his keen observation of world politics, including
ference Engine, Y2K and hurricane Ka- and ultimate functionality through his line of his own personal experiences with natural and
trina, the four horsemen and governmental shut- custom gear, Iron Workz. national disasters. “When the shit goes down,
down, exists the new definition of “apocalyptic.” Raised in the country around Lake Choctaw you better be ready. For example, when Katrina
The necessity for functional gear, which facili- on a Choctaw Indian reservation, Jasper Ashton came through I was actually in Houston. It was
tates the survival of humanity has always been a was initially introduced to the art of leatherwork- horrible. We ran out of gas. We ran out of food.
constant—we are, after all, a species of wars and ing as a small child. “It all started with the first There was no electricity. Within two weeks there
controversy sometimes seemingly bent more on time I killed an animal, when I was ten,” he said. were literally riots in the streets.”
our own destruction than the cultivation of our “And someone showed me how to make some- “If we were to find ourselves in a situation such
future on Earth. The influence of this natural thing out of it. I learned how to hunt it, eat it as a war, first of all there will be no gas and with
survivalist state can be seen across a multitude of and make stuff out of it—I made a leather bag no gas there are no automobiles which means no
cultures and subcultures from Industrial to Punk out of a rabbit.” transportation. So if you need to leave the house,
to Cyberpunk and beyond. These cultures have Over time he honed his skills, adapting them why not have something where you can take what
striven to leave its distinct artistic mark on the to suit his needs as an adventurous boy exploring you need with you and it can be multi-functional
style, incorporating their own interpretation of the wilds. He continued, “When I was young I and have a purpose? In the same token, you can
the philosophical standpoint behind it. With the would be gone for more time than I was at home make it look cool.”
introduction of the Victorian aesthetic of Steam- so I needed gear with pockets. Just part of being Over the past seven years since its inception,
punk, the gamut of apocalyptic fashion began raised in the country, I suppose. I like to have Iron Workz has rapidly risen to the top with a
to take on a more elaborate direction, in some stuff with me. I feel naked if I don’t have things reputation for the highest quality custom hand-
perspectives sacrificing functionality for elegance on me that I need and can use.” made leather pieces. From the Trans-Siberian

Photography Adrian Lopez Hair and Makeup Jennifer Cunningham Models Ami Defesche and Sabor Insanity
Orchestra to Madonna’s backup dancers, Ash- initial conception to completion and no two
ton and his wife Mikki Hallam have crafted items are ever the same as he immerses himself
hundreds, if not thousands of pieces that have in the customer’s world in order to better under-
become instrumental in the finishing touches stand the nature of the individual.
for theatrical and musical productions around “We don’t use any machines. We hand-do ev-
the world. Whether it is one of his sought-after erything just like they’ve done since the beginning
double holsters or a custom axe handle, Ashton of time,” he said. “Handmade leather items have
prides himself on his ability to bring to life any been always made for a purpose, not just items
leather creation you can imagine and, in fact, to be discarded. They’re historical documents of
welcomes a great challenge. the time. Whenever I talk to someone about a
Each piece is custom tailored to the buyer in- custom order I try to find out about them as a
corporating their artistic sense of self, their per- person—what they like visually, what kind of art
sonality and their utilitarian needs for the item they have in their house, what kind of music they
on a daily basis. In many regards, an Iron Workz listen to, because it gives me a feel of where to go.
creation is the apocalyptic rendition of a custom I try to get them to overkill me with information.
tailored suit or dress—nothing fits better. I take all of this internal process and try to dis-
Especially at the end of the world. till it down into what makes them ‘groove,’ so to
Today Jasper Ashton, one of the youngest speak. Then I let my muse take over.”
Leather Guild members in Texas, finds himself In the end, Jasper Ashton likes to remind the
booked throughout the year with orders. Thus, world that, “Not only are we doing the leather,
currently there is no overstock of inventory. For we’re doing the art side of it as well. We’re just
anyone seeking one of Iron Workz’s extraordi- artists.”
nary creations Ashton must be contacted directly
through the Iron Workz Facebook page. Each
facebook.com/ironworkzdepot
piece takes approximately one month’s time from
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What is the magazine about?

What is the magazine about?

What does Wednesday Mourning do for a living?

What does Wednesday Mourning do for a living?

FASHION LIFESTYLE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT REVIEWS DIY

SPECIAL CORSET NAIL

BREAKING THE MOLD

PLUS MUSIC INTERVIEWS MINISTRY SNUTTOCK SECOND SKIN

PINAR ERIS Conﬁdence and bravery are key

EVENT ENTERTAINMENT DIY

MUSIC INTERVIEWS MINISTRY'S AL JOURGENSON 16-18 SNUTTOCK 28-29 SECOND SKIN

CANDY ROCK COUTURE

GOTHIC NAIL ART

GOTHIC BEAUTY MAGAZINE

No part of this publication may be reproduced in

Photos by Billy Crum

deciding. Keep in mind that

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1 THE OTHER DEAD

2 THE WITCHES’ ALMANAC

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That the real news is buried and everyone

I guess the question is whether the rea-

Do you feel like people have the potential

Do you feel like there’s enough pressure

Even though obviously you’re frustrat-

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THEIR QUALITY AND THEIR STYLE. HIS LABEL ‘RE-AGENZ’,

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E natural moves in trends like anything else. The

American Horror Story: Coven with its trademark com-

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ived In addition, WGN America is slated to debut an hour-

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“Some are born to Sweet Delight,

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You will need: Red/burgundy nail polish, black nail

1 Paint the nails with a red or burgundy of your choice. Let

PYROPET ‘KISA’ CANDLES L’OREAL BLACKBUSTER EYE LINER

MORBID WEDDING T-SHIRT BY WITHERFIELD DESIGN WORKS TREAZON PARFUM

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I bought this hoodie from Em and

CULTED has a more western or folk feel to it, more

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