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Review: John Carpenter’s Lost Themes (LP)

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I got home around midnight last night from my day job and like a kid on their birthday, I tore into my copy of John Carpenter’s Lost Themes. The cover already invoking a horror vibe, I read the linear notes as I usually do with projects like these. The notes written by Daniel Schweiger, immediately remind me of the fifteen films Carpenter has both directed and composed the music for. He brought up the visuals from films like Big Trouble Little ChinaHalloween, and The Fog. This reminder got me excited as I put the needle to the record thinking of all the monsters, good guys, and anti-heroes Carpenter has given us over the years. And then I read “Lost Themes asks Carpenter acolytes to visualize their own nightmares.” And with a cold beer in my hand I let Lost Themes paint a picture in my dark apartment.

Ultimately, that is what Carpenter wants us the listeners to do. To forget his past catalog, to forget any visual cues from his films, and to let his music to get our imaginations going. Its a bit tough the first time around to not imagine an evil car chasing after you with Vortex or to imagine Snake Plissken trying to escape some alien infested space station filled with cybernetic dinosaurs (I might have an over active imagination). Ultimately the story and visuals are up to you, and that is what is great about this album is that it is fun. Any fan of Carpenter’s work or 70’s/80’s synthesizer rock will enjoy this album. It invokes much from his catalog and takes inspiration from synth-based composers like Goblin with the help of Cody Carpenter (the band Ludrium) and Daniel Davis (I, Frankenstein). 

Excellent album artwork design by Jaw Shaw featuring photography by Kyle Cassidy.

Excellent album artwork design by Jaw Shaw featuring photography by Kyle Cassidy.

Between the artwork and the single word titles for each track this task is made easier to create our own imagery. This obviously would have been harder if he made tracks entitled Snake Plissken Battles Through Space to Stop the Killer Cybernetic Dinosaurs From Kidnapping the Vice President of Earth (seriously, how isn’t this a movie already?) If I were to compare Lost Themes  to any time period of Carpenter’s score catalog, I find it is closer to resembling the scores of They Live and Escape From New York than say Halloween or Assault on Precinct 13. But even when the listener isn’t trying to imagine their own story line the album sounds just as great as his classic scores.

Carpenter wants us to exercise our imagination and helps us with the task by creating his best music since the 1980’s (although I still love the score to Into The Mouth Of Madness). Read any review on the album and you will see how much of a diverse the imagery that is invoked by this hypnotic and atmospheric piece. John Carpenter has proven again that his is a master story teller.

Track Listing:
1. Vortex
2. Obsidian
3. Fallen
4. Domain
5. Mystery
6. Abyss
7. Wraith
8. Purgatory
9. Night
*10. Night (Zola Jesus and Dean Hurley Remix)
*11. Wraith (ohGr Remix)
*12. Vortex (Silent Servant Remix)
*13. Fallen (Blanck Mass Remix)
*14. Abyss (JG Thirlwell Remix)
*15. Fallen (Bill Kouligas Remix)

*Remixes are download only. The LP version does come with a download card

 

 

BUY IT! CONSUME IT!

BUY IT! CONSUME IT!

Buy it here:

Amazon.com 

The Official Sacred Bones Site

Or your local record store!

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First Look: On Set of ‘Welcome to Derry’ & Interview with Andy Muschietti

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Rising from the sewers, drag performer and horror movie enthusiast The Real Elvirus took her fans behind the scenes of the MAX series Welcome to Derry in an exclusive hot-set tour. The show is scheduled to release sometime in 2025, but a firm date has not been set.

Filming is taking place in Canada in Port Hope, a stand-in for the fictional New England town of Derry located within the Stephen King universe. The sleepy location has been transformed into a township from the 1960s.

Welcome to Derry is the prequel series to director Andrew Muschietti’s two-part adaptation of King’s It. The series is interesting in that it’s not only about It, but all the people who live in Derry — which includes some iconic characters from the King ouvre.

Elvirus, dressed as Pennywise, tours the hot set, careful not to reveal any spoilers, and speaks with Muschietti himself, who reveals exactly how to pronounce his name: Moose-Key-etti.

The comical drag queen was given an all-access pass to the location and uses that privilege to explore props, facades and interview crew members. It’s also revealed that a second season is already greenlit.

Take a look below and let us know what you think. And are you looking forward to the MAX series Welcome to Derry?

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New Trailer For This Year’s Nauseating ‘In a Violent Nature’ Drops

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We recently ran a story about how one audience member who watched In a Violent Nature became sick and puked. That tracks, especially if you read the reviews after its premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival where one critic from USA Today said it had “The gnarliest kills I’ve ever seen.”

What makes this slasher unique is that it’s mostly viewed from the killer’s perspective which may be a factor in why one audience member tossed their cookies during a recent screening at Chicago Critics Film Fest.

Those of you with strong stomachs can watch the movie upon its limited release in theaters on May 31. Those who want to be closer to their own john can wait until it releases on Shudder sometime after.

For now, take a look at the newest trailer below:

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James McAvoy Leads a Stellar Cast in the New Psychological Thriller “Control”

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James McAvoy

James McAvoy is back in action, this time in the psychological thriller “Control”. Known for his ability to elevate any film, McAvoy’s latest role promises to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Production is now underway, a joint effort between Studiocanal and The Picture Company, with filming taking place in Berlin at Studio Babelsberg.

“Control” is inspired by a podcast by Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie and features McAvoy as Doctor Conway, a man who wakes up one day to the sound of a voice that begins to command him with chilling demands. The voice challenges his grip on reality, pushing him towards extreme actions. Julianne Moore joins McAvoy, playing a key, enigmatic character in Conway’s story.

Clockwise From Top L-R: Sarah Bolger, Nick Mohammed, Jenna Coleman, Rudi Dharmalingam, Kyle Soller, August Diehl and Martina Gedeck

The ensemble cast also includes talented actors such as Sarah Bolger, Nick Mohammed, Jenna Coleman, Rudi Dharmalingam, Kyle Soller, August Diehl, and Martina Gedeck. They’re directed by Robert Schwentke, known for the action-comedy “Red,” who brings his distinctive style to this thriller.

Besides “Control,” McAvoy fans can catch him in the horror remake “Speak No Evil,” set for a September 13 release. The film, also featuring Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy, follows an American family whose dream holiday turns into a nightmare.

With James McAvoy in a leading role, “Control” is poised to be a standout thriller. Its intriguing premise, coupled with a stellar cast, makes it one to keep on your radar.

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