CROWGRRL’S PERCH 03-09-08

By Athena Schaffer aka The Crowgrrl

THE GOTHIC OCCULT EMPORIUM IS NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS! SCROLL DOWN TO OTHER NEWS FOR DETAILS!

Spotlight: THOR, EXODUS, & ETERNAL DESCENT

CROWGRRL’S SPOTLIGHT - THOR!

*A mighty storm is unleashed on Midgard as THOR’s thunderous new album “INTO THE NOISE” hit the streets on January SUDDEN DEATH RECORDS in association with FATHOM RECORDS (a team that’s a force to be reckoned with indeed!)  Although some songs were available digitally prior to the album’s release to whet the appetites of ravenous fans, the new “INTO THE NOISE” cd – which can only be described as tsunami-force power and white hot musicianship as bright as lightning across a night sky - features three bonus tracks that were not available digitally.

 

Orders are being taken at:

 

www.myspace.com/fathomrecordsonline

 

and at:

 

http://www.suddendeath.com/

 

or more directly at:

 

http://www.suddendeath.com//index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=109&category_id=6&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=42 

 

 

 “INTO THE NOISE is basically a concept album where the band goes on a journey to the center of the mind, of noise,” said THOR. “They come across all these alternate characters and creatures like The Sound King. It’s a quest.  Like in the song ‘Back For More’, it’s about coming back to rise up again and do battle again. Sometimes you have to retreat when you get overwhelmed or defeated, but then you regain your strength and go back in. So we’re heading back Into the Noise.”

 

THOR will also be touring in support of this Metal Masterpiece. Watch for announcements of shows in your area. For a hint of  what to expect from the berserker fan responses, check out this new video produced by STEVE PRICE.

 

As previously mentioned, the CD also features 3 Bonus tracks not on the download version: TLB, THOR’S REVENGE, and BERSERKER with a ripping guitar solo by STEVE PRICE.  The new songs are already getting very positive responses as the band has been playing cuts from the album onstage.

 

STEVE has issued a Guitar Challenge to any would-be guitar heroes out there that can play the instrumental song "Berserker”. If they can play it note for note and then submit their mp3 version to Fathom Records, they will be in the running for an all expenses paid trip to Orlando, Florida or Hollywood, CA to perform one song with THOR on their upcoming World Tour 2008. 

 

VIDEOFILE SUBMISSIONS VIA .MPG .MOV .AVI SHOULD BE SENT TO: Berserker@rockfan.com

 

The best "Berserker" replication that comes in will be uploaded to the www.myspace.com/thorrockwarrior site for consideration and all to hear. The winner will be judged by the fans and announced in March, 2008.

 

(Complete rules and regulations are in the Blog sections of www.myspace.com/fathomrecordsonline and www.myspace.com/stevepriceguitar)

 

 

Check out the first video from the album for the song EVIL TWIN!

 

SECOND SPOTLIGHT - EXODUS!

*

Exodus’ new The Atrocity Exhibition ( Nuclear Blast) is a blood-soaked masterpiece of Metal. The band is undisputedly one of the founders of the infamous Bay Area Thrash scene and sound, and they continue to lead the relentless assault. The Atrocity Exhibition is a bleak collection of artworks indeed – showing ills of war, destruction, and religious brainwashing in unforgiving crystal clarity.

 

Check out the video for the song Riot Act!

 

Hailing from San Francisco, this album marks the return of drummer Tom Hunting into the Exodus fold, who rejoins guitarist (and founder) Gary Holt, guitarist Lee Altus, bassist Jack Gibson, and vocalist Rob Dukes. The Crowgrrl recently caught up with Gary to find out more!

 

 

THIRD SPOTLIGHT - ETERNAL DESCENT!

*The Crowgrrl is extremely excited about Eternal Descent’s fresh new concept – teaming manga-style comics with an Metal/Industrial/EBM soundtrack bringing this story virtually to Life! Their new Losing Faith  (Incendium Records) is the first installment of this epic Urban Goth Fantasy Series. The album is divided into 3 chapters, comprised of 4 tracks each, with each track translated into a comic book as well.

 

This excellent project is the brainchild of London-based Llexi Leon, who wrote the stories and songs as well as wearing the producer’s hat and also performing the guitar, piano, and violin. He’s joined by co-producer, bassist & drum programmer Keefe West and vocalist Elysha West.

The story is told from the character Lyra’s (portrayed by Elysha West) perspective on the album, as she is drawn into the world of two immortals – the main character Sirian and his nemesis Loki. The Crowgrrl recently caught up with the incredibly talented Llexi Leon to find out more!

 

MUSIC

* Filii Nigrantium Infernalium who have left a bloody eviscerated offering on a Satanic altar with their new album “Fellatrix Discordia Pantokrator”. Hailing from Portugal, this band describes their music as "SatanicAnarco Black Metal" - their phenomenal sound is really a fresh, invigorating mix of Black, Thrash, and Old School Metal creating a sound distinctly their own. The musicianship is awesome throughout, with agonized vox and stellar fretwork over rock-solid foundations.

The critically acclaimed Metal masterpiece had been next to impossible to find in the U.S. previously, but now “Fellatrix Discordia Pantokrator” IS AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. EXCLUSIVELY in the Gothic Occult Emporium! (www.gothic-occult-emporium.com)

The import of “Fellatrix Discordia Pantokrator” was the # 1 cd in the Best Of 2006, the video for the song Calypso was the # 1 Best Video for 2006, and the raw and real Fellatrix Discordia Pantokrator: Live At Barroselas Live grabbed the # 2 Long Form DVD slot in The Crowgrrl’s Perch and also received glowing reviews in such publications as Terrorizer, The Metal Observer, Rockezine, Metal Review, Metal Coven, Ultimatemetal, Feindesland, and Gothic Beauty Magazine. Now Metal fans across the U.S. can enjoy this relentless Metal assault as well.

The band also deliver a killer live show, appearing at such festivals as Steel Warriors Rebellion and Barroselas Metalfest, and sharing the stage with the likes of Bolt Thrower, Rotting Christ, Ancient Rites, Hate Eternal, and others.

The line up for this album was: Belathauzer (vocals/guitar), Andremon (guitar/backing vocals), Helregni (bass), and Gorg (drums). Since then, there has been a line-up change – Andremon is now pursuing a solo career, and the current line-up for FNI is: Belathauzer (vocals/guitar), Helregni (bass), Mantuus (Guitar) and Maalm (drums).

Check out their Myspace page at www.myspace.com/fninfernalium.

 

 

*Doro Pesch is ready to hit the states again for another U.S. tour; this time accompanied with fellow Locomotive artists Fatal Smile. Tour dates include:

 

March 20, 2008 – Philadelphia, PA; Grape Street

March 21, 2008 – West Springfield, VA; Jaxx

March 22, 2008 – Poughkeepsie, NY; The Chance

March 23, 2008 – New York, NY; Highline Ballroom

March 25, 2008 – Toronto, ON; The Funhaus

March 26, 2008 – Cleveland, OH; Peabody’s

March 28, 2008 – Detroit, MI; I-Rock

March 29, 2008 – Mokena, IL; The Pearl Room

March 30,2008 – St. Paul, MN; Station 4

Apr. 01, 2008 – Milwaukee, WI; Vnuk’s Lounge

Apr. 04, 2008 – Seattle, WA; Studio Seven

Apr. 05, 2008 – Portland, OR; Hawthorne Theatre

Apr. 07, 2008 – San Marcos, CA; Jumping Turtle

Apr. 08, 2008 – West Hollywood, CA; Whiskey A Go Go

Apr. 09, 2008 – Tempe, AZ; The Club House

Apr. 11, 2008 – Houston, TX; Scout Bar

Apr. 12, 2008 – Ft. Worth, TX; Ridglea Theatre

Apr. 13, 2008 – San Antonio, TX; White Rabbit

Apr. 15, 2008 – St. Petersburg, FL; The State Theater

Apr. 16, 2008 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Culture Rom

Apr. 18, 2008 – Nashville, TN; The Muse

 

 

 

* Nuclear Blast is celebrating its 20th Anniversary in a big way – two new albums by “The Nuclear Blast All Stars”: Out Of The Dark and Into The Light There is indeed a whopping amount of talent on these albums!

 

All the songs were written and produced by Peter Wichers, former lead guitarist for Soilwork who left to concentrate more on studio production and songwriting. He also did all the instrumentation except drums (which were done by his friends Dirk Verbeuren – from Soilwork and Scarve – and Henry Ranta – ex-Soilwork). But each song features different guest vocals from other notable bands on the Nuclear Blast roster, and the songs fit with each guest singer’s band’s style. This is one brilliant cd from start to finish, sparkling like stars in a clear night sky.

 

Into The Light starts off with some excellent Power Metal in Dirty Wings, which features the vox of Edguy’s Tobias Sammet. Rage’s Peter “Peavy” Wagner makes an appearance in the frantic Terrified (which also includes an impressive guitar solo). I love the keyboards in the epic Ruling The World, which features Toni Kakko, Sonata Arctica’s frontman. Therion’s Mats Leven personifies the Grim Reaper in the bleak, forlorn Death Is Alive. The Crowgrrl absolutely loves the dangerous, Vampiric Bloodsucker, which features Destruction’s Marcel “Schmier” Schirmer.

 

Slaves to the Desert weaves a complex tapestry with an exotic, Mideast-flavored vibe; Hansi Kürsch from Blind Guardian on vocals. A Perfect Day – featuring Helloween’s Andi Deris - is extremely catchy. Communic’s Oddleif Stensland makes an appearance in the dark, atmospheric Eternally. The powerful Inner Sanctuary – with Marco Hietala from Nightwish and Tarot   – is absolutely addictive! Storm FX punctuate the turbulent In The Picture featuring Finnish songstress Tarja Turunen.

 

A bonus disc was included with Into The Light  with even more goodies, this time unearthed from Nuclear Blast’s vaults. We have the anthemic Hearts On Fire by Hammerfall. The frenzied The Madness Of The Crowds was the bonus track on Helloween’s Japanese version of their Dark Ride album. Gotthard presents the somber, solemn El Traidor (Anytime Anywhere Spanish version). The orchestral Sweet Enclosure by After Forever is epic indeed. Ride The Sky’s New Protection is powerful and ferocious.

 

The anthemic Forevermore by Thunderstone features some blazing riffs. I also love the fretwork in Slipstream by Threshold. Also impressive is the fierce beauty and excellent deep vox in Amorphis’ The Smoke. The doom-laden Devil Seed by Candlemass is infernally diabolical. The orchestral/choral twist in Sirenia’s The Other Side is fantastic, as are the brutal foundations and crunches in the meat of the song.

 

 

 

*European readers, take note! You’re about to be invaded by the Genghis Tron/ Nachtmystium/ Zoroaster Tour.

 

Nachtmystium has also finished up the recording of their upcoming album, Assassins, to be released in North America on Century Media and in Europe on Candlelight Records! The session was the perfect combination of productive and destructive, and the proof is in the music itself. . The release date is up in the air at the moment, but expect the new slab to be available no later than June 1, 2ith new tracks to be posted once the mixing/mastering has commenced at the end of January. Tour dates for the European Invasion 2008 tour include:

May 09, 2008 – Brighton, UK; Engine Rooms

May 10, 2008 – Sheffield, UK; Corporation

May 11, 2008 – Leeds, UK;  Joseph’s Well

May 12, 2008 – Newcastle, UK; Trillian’s

May 13, 2008 – Plymouth, UK; White Rabbit

May 14, 2008 – Bristol, UK; Croft

May 15, 2008 – London, UK; Islington Bar Academy

May 16, 2008 – Belgium; TBA

May 17, 2008 – Holland; TBA

May 18, 2008 – France; TBA

May 19, 2008 – Koln, Germany; Underground

May 20, 2008 – Berlin, Germany; Cassiopeia

May 21, 2008 – Munich, Germany; Feierwerk

May 22, 2008 – Milan, Italy; Magnolia Club

 

 

 

*Dark Funeral has unleashed some devilishly delightful temptations indeed! Three classic albums have been remastered and stuffed full of extras making them must-haves for both die-hard Dark Funeral fans and new acolytes initiated into the fold: The Secrets of the Black Arts, Vobiscum Satanas, and Diabolus Interium. Plus, they’ve opened very gates of Hell to bring us their first ever DVD, the 2-disc set Attera Orbis Terrarum Part 1! (Regain Records)

 

You’ve not truly experienced Dark Funeral until you’ve seen them live, but this DVD is certainly the next best thing. We’re treated to not just one, but 3 complete shows – one from Poland in 2005 and The Netherlands in 2006 on Disc One. Disc 2 captures them onstage in France in 2006, with tons of bonus material. Amateur footage provided by fans spans Dark Funeral’s entire career! Rare gems indeed making this a definite Must-Have! And there’s a videoclip for Atrum Regina. Personally, I was thrilled to see one of my favorite songs, Ravenna Strogoi Mortii, in all 3 live sets! But that was the only one in all – the three setlists were different giving us a wonderful smorgasbord of delicious songs.

 

The Secrets of the Black Arts is a wonderful unholy musical ceremony. Some fantastic songs are included, like the title track, My Dark Desires, Shadows Over Transylvania, Bloodfrozen, and others. The bonus disc includes remastered versions of 8 of the original tracks that are even better than the original, including the majestic The Secrets of the Black Arts, Shadows Over Transylvania, Bloodfrozen, My Dark Desires, and more!

 

Vobiscum Satanas – the original home of my aforementioned fave Ravenna Strigoi Mortii – is infused with Satanic majesty; each wonderful track is imbued with brightly burning Hellfire! Other stand-out tracks include the triumphant Evil Prevail, Black Winged Horde, and Enriched By Evil. Plus there are live bonus tracks for Enriched By Evil, The Legions Come, Vobiscum Satanas, and Ineffable King of Darkness.

 

The venom spewing Diabolus Interium is angry and vengeful indeed – one of the band’s most dangerous offerings. Intensely apocalyptic, the cd includes remasters of such classics as The Arrival of Satan’s Empire, Hail Murder, Thus I Have Spoken and more. Plus the bonus CD has a remix of An Apprentice of Satan, as well as covers of King Diamond’s The Trial (very true to King Diamond’s original), Slayer’s Dead Skin Mask, Sodom’s Remember the Fallen, and Mayhem’s Pagan Fears.

 

 

 

*The news is official: The new drummer of ATROCITY and LEAVES' EYES is Nick Barker, who was the former drummer of CRADLE OF FILTH, DIMMU BORGIR and TESTAMENT. Says ATROCITY/LEAVES EYES vocalist/producer Alex Krul, "It's with great pleasure that we can announce Nick Barker is joining the ATROCITY & LEAVES' EYES family! We always were great fans of his way of drumming, and we are happy that we will kick some ass in the future together! Nick was our No.1 choice! When we heard he would join us, we invited him right away!"

 

Here's a first statement from Nick Barker about joining the two bands:

 

Nick, how long did you know Alex and the guys of ATROCITY and LEAVES' EYES?

 

"I've known Atrocity for many years, I think the first time we met was on the Deicide/Atrocity tour in 1992 when I was  the drum tech for support band Cancer, and since that time we've always ran into each other on the European summer festival circuit during the years that followed. Whenever I would play in the Stuttgart area with any of my previous bands, some of the guys would always be there and show their support."

 

How did it come about that you joined the two bands now?

 

"Alex (Krull) approached me at the Metal Hammer award ceremony in London last June (2007) and said that he was looking for a drummer that could handle the complexity and savagery of Atrocity as well as the softer, more groove-laden beauty of Leaves' Eyes, and he thought I could be the right man to do both jobs. I had some prior commitments and obligations to fulfill at that time, but we spoke over the Christmas period and arranged for me to come to Stuttgart and audition; everything was fantastic both musically and from a social and personal aspect."

 

How do you like the music of both bands? They are quite different from each other.

 

"I absolutely love the diversity of both bands. With Atrocity, you have such brutal songs from the Atlantis album such as 'Reich Of Phenomena,' 'Apocaplyse' and 'Clash Of Titans,' which I can't wait to play live and sink my teeth into. Then, on the other hand, you have Leaves' Eyes, which for me is something very new and very exciting as a drummer coming from a mainly black/death metal background. Liv has the most beautiful voice in the whole world within this genre, and the music is very moving, beautifully crafted and almost spiritual."

 

You just jammed the first time with the guys at Mastersound Studio. How was it? What are your impressions?

 

"When I first arrived at Mastersound Studios, my first impression was 'WOW!!!' I had no idea of the sheer scale of dedication, time, money and professionalism that had been invested into the studio itself. Over the years, I have been in many first-class recording studios myself, but I have to say, Mastersound is a cut above the rest.The whole band were extremely friendly and there was an overwhelming sense of 'family' among them all, which made me feel very relaxed and at ease almost immediately. We jammed some classic songs by Metallica, Slayer and Morbid Angel to warm up before concentrating on the more serious matters of Leaves' Eyes and Atrocity, and like I said earlier, everything was fantastic, both musically and socially."

 

What are you going to do next with the two bands?

 

"Next up is a video shoot with Atrocity in Berlin next month for the Werk 80 II album, and then in March, Leaves' Eyes will play in Mexico City. April we will be working our asses off writing songs for the new Leaves' Eyes record in the brand new, relocated Mastersound studios. In May, Leaves' Eyes and Atrocity will tour Asia (China, Taiwan, etc) for the first time ever. Upon our return from the Orient, we will continue to work hard on the new record, which is planned for an Autumn 2008 release."

 

 

 

*Immortal Dominion lands 5 songs in the Horror/Comedy movie Teeth!

 

With Extreme Metal being one of the more “theatrical sounding” types of Rock Music out there, it’s a bit puzzling why more of these bands don’t pop up in movie soundtracks. But perhaps the tide is changing, as evidenced by the presence of Immortal Dominion throughout the movie Teeth. After the band’s distributor, Fist Music/ Hapi Skratch Entertainment hooked them up with the filmmakers, Immortal Dominion was asked to contribute a total of 5 songs to the soundtrack. The film won a juror’s award for Best Actress at the Sundance Film Festival and was then purchased by Lionsgate/ The Weinstein Company.

 

The film is due for release nationwide in February ’08 via Roadside Attractions and is already drawing attention to Immortal Dominion on the strength of the instantly memorable song, Sold My Soul.

 

Formed in 1992 in Fort Collins, Colorado, Immortal Dominion is: Ray Smith (guitars/lead vocals), Brian Villers (guitars/vocals), Bryan (Edward) Schmidt (bass), and Ben Huntwork (drums/vocals).

 

The group has issued two full-lengths (Endure and Awakening – The Revelation) and an EP (Birth), and are hard at work on a new studio album set to be released later this year. Additionally, Immortal Dominion are in talks with music video director Frank Nasso (who had previously worked with Mudvayne, Hatebreed, and All That Remains for the Saw III soundtrack) about workingon some clips for the songs that appear in Teeth. With all these simultaneous projects, 2008 is quickly shaping up to be the year that Immortal Dominion break through to the Metal masses, while Awakening – The Revelation is also still contributing to the buzz.

 

“This album is a soundtrack to one of the darkest periods we have ever been through as a band,” recalls Villers. Yet as we stayed tight with each other and found new ways to collaborate in the songwriting process, we experienced an ‘Awakening’ as far as who we are as a band. We hope the listener feels the wide range of emotions we were experiencing as we compiled this material.

 

*The astrological sign Scorpio is ruled by Pluto, the Roman equivalent of Hades – Lord of the Underworld. And indeed, Enthroned shatter the very gates of the Underworld unleashing some very dangerous forces in their Black Metal masterpiece, Tetra Karcist (Napalm Records).

 

This album also heralds the return of this Belgium-based band’s original drummer, Alsvid. He rejoins lead vocalist/guitarist Nornagest, bassist/vocalist Phorgath, and guitarist/vocalist Nguaroth.

 

We’re ushered into a solemn Satanic ceremony in the spellbinding Ingressus Regnum Spiritus. The blasphemous Pray is bludgeoning! We explore dangerous occult mysteries in Tellum Scorpionis.

 

The dark, scary fretwork builds tension in the instrumental Deviant Nerve Angeles before all Hell breaks loose. The raging inferno The Burning Dawn is absolutely deadly (especially to Vampires). Through The Cortex is a battle for mind control, and chants about The Illuminati.

 

 We witness Alchemical spellcasting in The Seven Ensigns of Creation. Unholy chants unleash demonic forces in Nox. Vermin brings deadly plague and disease (I love the guitar solo at the end!) Antares – named for the brightest star in the constellation Scorpio – is a chilling instrumental punctuated by ghostly howls and banshee wails.

*Slayer, the Grammy-winning, undisputed kings of thrash/punk/metal, have joined forces with O'Neal USA, one of the leading manufacturers of motorcycle and BMX accessories, to produce a limited edition of Slayer helmets that feature the band's distinguished and celebrated artwork. The helmets will launch under the name of RockHard, and will be sold at all Cycle Gear locations and at finer motorcycle dealerships worldwide . In addition, each helmet will be certified and numbered with its own Certificate of Authenticity. Slayer's RockHard Helmets go on sale on Monday, February 25 and once they're gone, they are GONE.

Slayer's RockHard Helmets will be available in three unique shells: Full Face Street (retail from $349), Off Road Dirt ($249 to $269), and Half Shell (Harley style) ($159 to $179). Every helmet will be boxed in a custom-made container patterned after the Anvil road cases, which are used to transport band equipment while on tour. Each helmet passes the highest safety standards from around the world, certified standards in each country in which they are sold. These standards include DOT, SNELL, Australia, EU, Japan and ECE. Each helmet is produced with the finest materials and is made with the most comfortable liners for a perfect fit every ride.

"The RockHard Helmet line, and the Slayer helmet in particular, has generated a huge amount of buzz with our retail outlet buyers," said Jim O'Neal. "Personally, I'm very psyched about this product as it takes Slayer to another merch level."

While musical trends have come and gone, the members of Slayer - Tom Araya/vocals, bass; Kerry King/guitars; Jeff Hanneman/guitars; Dave Lombardo/drums - have continued to stay true to their thrash roots and loudly defied the music industry's standards for the past 27 years. The band is nominated this year for its third Grammy Award (Best Metal Performance for the track "The Final Six" off of 2007 limited edition "Christ Illusion." On "Christ Illusion," Slayer takes on the Government and God, looking at the World Trade Center disaster from the terrorists' point of view and repeatedly committing lyrical blasphemy, which caused one major daily reviewer to hypothesize, "If Thomas Jefferson were alive today, he undoubtedly would be listening to Slayer. Beneath this aggressive veneer is a social, political and interpersonal message that would put proud smiles on our nation's founders."

RockHard Helmets is also producing limited edition helmets for AC/DC,  KISS, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Hustler in its current first "Tour" line up. With nearly 300 artists under contract with the RockHard project, what better way to launch the RockHard line than with the almighty metal icon, Slayer.

 

*Misfits Records welcomes Juicehead to their powerhouse Punk Rock label roster!

In an age of recycled pseudo-punk, Juicehead, the latest addition to the label roster at Misfits Records, is the real deal.

 

On their debut album, “The Devil Made Me Do It,” the Chicago trio provides an aggressive yet melodic take on punk, complemented by thought-provoking lyrics.  The title itself is a social commentary on how  people in this day and age refuse to take responsibility.

Originally a DIY release, “The Devil Made Me Do It” is a shining example of punk rock ethic.  Because money was tight, the group used whatever physical resources were available to them to record.  The album's distinct vocal sound comes from a decidedly low-tech method of recording vocals in a bathroom and the original mix was done on a home computer, with the end result being a perfect representation of Juicehead's determination.  The heart and soul of Juicehead was enough to catch the interest of Misfits Records.

 

"They liked what they heard in Juicehead," said frontman Rob Vannice. "They came to see us when we played in New York, we talked, and a few  months later we were offered a deal.  We couldn't believe what was happening.  It was like a dream."

 

The album was soon fully re-mastered and released via the growing label.  "It's amazing," Vannice said.  "It's the little album that could!"

 

 The release also features new artwork from lowbrow monsterfetish artist Dave Burke, whom the band connected with through Misfits Records. For "The Devil Made Me Do It," Burke created the "axe head" logo. 

 

"We were blown away," Vannice said.  "We all felt it was a perfect fit for 'The Devil Made Me Do It.'"

 

Juicehead had the opportunity to participate in the Fiend Fest tour along with the Misfits.  “This was one of the most amazing experiences for Juicehead to date,” said Vannice.  “It was our first major tour and we learned a lot.  We made a lot of friends and played some great shows.” 

 

Following that, the band wrapped up a North American tour with skate punk legends Agent Orange. Juicehead will soon begin recording once again for the follow-up to "The Devil Made Me Do It," slated for a 2008 release on Misfits Records.

Misfits Records is distributed by Rykodisc, a Warner Music Group company.

 

 

 

 

 

*Do Something, the national not-for-profit that makes it possible for teens to change the world is partnering with the Hopeless/Sub City Records Take Action! Tour to offer $500 grants to young people who want to make change in their communities. 

 

The Take Action Grants, empowered by MySpace Impact, the Hot Topic Foundation and Hopeless/Sub City Records, will focus on Poverty, Music Education or any other cause young people are passionate about.  The Take Action! Tour, an annual charity tour kicking off this February, will feature Every Time I Die, From First To Last, The Bled, August Burns Red and The Human Abstract.

 

The Grants include:

Music Education: $500 grants for projects that Do Something about Music Education, empowered by the Hot Topic Foundation

 

Poverty: $500 grants for projects that Do Something about Poverty, empowered by MySpace Impact

 

General: $500 grants for projects that Do Something about any cause that young people are passionate about, empowered by Hopeless/Sub City Records

 

Charity partner Do Something is a place where young people are given the opportunity to help change the world. Instead of telling young people what cause they should get involved with, Do Something asks them "What's your something?" and then gives them the information, resources, and grant-money to make change around the causes they are passionate about.

 

"DoSomething.org is a trusted resource for young people that want to make a difference and we believe in their ability to take action.  When a 17-year-old has a great idea for making change in their community, Do Something is the organization that will step up and give them $500 to make that happen", says Do Something CMO, Ari a Finger

 

Hopeless/Sub City Records has chosen non-profit organization Do Something as the official charity for their 2008 Take Action Tour. Sharing a common mission to help young people make a positive difference in the world, Take Action and Do Something are set to kick off the 7th annual tour in February of 2008.

 

"Our recent generations brought the world the personal computer and the mobile phone but also brought the world global warming and world violence over a theology dispute," said Louis Posen, President of Hopeless/Sub City Records.  "I can't imagine a better way to change the world than helping young, eager social entrepreneurs with resources to take action to solve the world's problems.  The Do Something grant program is amazing and does just that: directly believes in and empowers young people to make a difference."

 

To apply for a Take Action! Grant, young people can visit dosomething.org/grants and upload their community change projects or ideas.  The grants will be open to young people, 25 and under, across the US and Canada .  Each grant application will be rigorously reviewed by Do Something as well as the sponsors, with grant winners announced in February.

The latest information can always be found at www.takeactiontour.com. Tour dates include:

Feb. 14, 2008 – Detroit, MI; St. Andrew’s Hall

Feb. 15, 2008 – Milwaukee, WI; The Eagles Club (The Rave)

Feb. 16, 2008 – St. Paul, MN; Station 4

Feb. 17, 2008 – Chicago, IL; House of Blues

Feb. 19, 2008 – Kansas City, MO; The Beaumont Club

Feb. 20, 2008 – Englewood, CO; Gothic Theater

Feb. 21, 2008 – Magna, UT; The Great Salt Air

Feb. 22, 2008 – Boise, ID; The Big Easy Concert House

Feb. 23, 2008 – Spokane, WA; The Big Easy Concert House

Feb. 24, 2008 – Seattle, WA; El Corazon

Feb. 25, 2008 – Portland, OR; Roseland Theatre

Feb. 27, 2008 – Los Angeles, CA; House of Blues

Feb. 28, 2008 – Anaheim, CA; House of Blues

Feb. 29, 2008 – San Diego, CA; House of Blues

Mar. 01, 2008 – Las Vegas, NV; House of Blues

Mar. 02, 2008 – Tempe, AZ; Marquee Theatre

Mar. 03, 2008 – Albuquerque, NM; Sunshine Theatre

Mar. 05, 2008 – Dallas, TX; House of Blues

Mar. 06, 2008 – Houston, TX; Warehouse Live

Mar. 07, 2008 – McAllen, TX; Cine El Rey Theatre

Mar. 08, 2008 – San Antonio, TX; White Rabbit

Mar. 11, 2008 – Port St. Lucie, FL; Mojo Room

Mar. 12, 2008 – St. Petersburg, FL; Jannus Landing

Mar. 14, 2008 – Charlotte, NC; Tremont Music Hall

Mar. 15, 2008 – Norfolk, VA; Norva

Mar. 16, 2008 – Baltimore, MD; Ram’s Head Live

Mar. 19, 2008 – Toronto, ON; Phoenix Concert Theatre

Mar. 20, 2008 – Clifton Park, NY; Northern Lights

 Mar. 21, 2008 – Worcester, MA; The Palladium

Mar. 22, 2008 – Philadelphia, PA; The Fillmore at the TLA

Mar. 23, 2008- New York, NY; The Fillmore at Irving Plaza

 

 

*Nox Arcana’s excellent Shadow of the Raven (Monolith Graphics) is not only a tribute to the timeless works of Edgar Allan Poe, it captures the very spirit of the Father of Horror!

The music throughout is luxuriously atmospheric and majestic, with a timelessness that brings back the very spirit of Baltimore in the 1830’s, 1840’s when Poe walked these very streets. The attention to detail in each song brings his writings and even his own darkest fears to life.

 

Darkest Hour has the voice of “Poe” introducing his world, then ending in a raven’s caw. A choir is evident in the background of the bleak Melancholia – a glimpse inside Poe’s mind especially after the death of his wife Virginia. I love the percussion and foundations in the tormented Descent Into Madness. The House of Usher indeed evokes imagery from that story, with the tolling bells a nice touch. Madeline’s Lament is absolutely heartbreaking. Haunted Memories is a bittersweet journey through dark recesses of the mind. FX make you really feel like you’re at the seaside in Annabelle Lee.

 

Legacy of Sorrow is tearful wretchedness personified. The haunted The Black Cat includes feline screeching, bringing details from Poe’s classic into crystal clear detail. Ominous menace permeates the classic The Cask of Amontillado. Mysteries of the Night strikes an edge of fear. I absolutely adore Midnight Dreary with its tapping and cawing FX, leading into the ebony beauty of The Raven! The bereaved Morbid Reminiscence is filled with bittersweet memories.

 

Lenore is romantically gorgeous. A Dream Within A Dream is enchantingly ethereal. You feel a murderer’s torment in the throbbing The Tell Tale Heart. Murders In The Rue Morgue is positively terrifying. The effects in The Pit & The Pendulum seriously bring the story to life – chains rattling, the whoosh of the deadly pendulum swinging. Masque Of The Red Death starts off as a celebration that turns to deadly panic. This brings us to another Crowgrrl Favorite – Nevermore! It’s undeniably majestic, to say the least. It ends with stanzas from Poe’s classic, “The Raven” – but don’t leave the speakers just yet. There’s more! Churchbells ringing as a grave is being dug; the frantic cries of someone awakening after being buried alive; and of course the raven caws the last word. Wonderfully chilling!!!

 

 

* Lucan Wolf has taken a brief break from his distinct Vampire Rawk sound – which can be heard on his cd’s Night World, Vampire Nights, and Nocturnal. – and has embraced a more Country-Rock style on his new cd Outlaw, which is slated to hit the streets in June. In the meantime, check out some songs from it on his Myspace page.

 

Lucan Wolf’s music is featured in the new erotic horror film from Donald Glut and Frontline Entertainment - Blood Scarab  – which is coming soon to DVD. The movie’s premier will be held in Chicago and feature cast and crew.

 

This marks Lucan’s second venture of getting his songs into movies. He can also be heard in Countess Dracula’s Orgy of Blood , also available on DVD.

 

 

 

*The Crowgrrl always loves a good Vampire movie, and 30 Days of Night – based on Steve Niles’ graphic novel of the same name – fits the bill. But to make the wait easier for the Feb. 26 DVD release, the soundtrack by Brian Reitzell can conjure images in the cranium of scenes from the film. (Also great to just set a spooky atmosphere).

 

Prelude/Last Day of Sun indeed brings a sense of twilight – especially ominous in northern climates where dawn is 30 days away. Girl Bait builds nervous tension. Muffin Muncher has a fierce feral quality. Soon There Will Be Just 5 makes your hair stand on end. I love Vampires On The Horizon that flits like batwings. The atmospheric They Didn’t Take Me has a feeling of shock or surprise.

 

Barrow Burns is fiery electronic. The action packed Ditchwitched has fantastic percussion. Vampired Johnny has a subdued quiet for the most part, like predatory stalking. Gus Loses His Head builds tension with chilling FX that climaxes in a sudden finality and moment of silence. The chaotic You Wanna Play With Me Now? includes FX that sound like a motorcycle or chainsaw – either way definitely dangerous. The percussion-driven The Bloody Fruits of Barrow prepares for battle.

 

Eben Shoots Up transmits a tingly feeling, a bit of Discordia. The One Who Fights picks a battle indeed. Daybreak is subdued; you can almost see the first rays of dawn on the horizon. Overture builds electrically-charged tension. Underture is atmospherically creepy.

 

SCREENS (Large & Small):

 

 

*Horrorfind Weekend – the Scariest Show on Earth – for March 28-30, 2008 at the UMUC Marriott Inn & Conference Center has been announced! This is one of The Crowgrrl’s personal favorite events! I can’t wait! Here is a list of guests already announced. More guests to be announced soon!
 

Legendary Director George Romero
 
Night of the Living Dead 40th Anniversary Reunion  
Judy O'Dea
Russ Streiner
Bill Hinzman
George Kosana
Marilyn Eastman
Kyra Schon
John Russo
 
Dawn of the Dead 30th Anniversary Reunion
Ken Foree
Scott Reiniger
David Emge
Sharon & Clayton Hill
Mike Christopher
 
Day of the Dead Reunion
Jarlath Conroy
Joe Pilato
Greg Nicotero
 
Land of the Dead Reunion
Robert Joy
Eugene Clark
Jennifer Baxter
Pedro Miguel Arce
 
Movie & TV Guests
Dee Wallace Stone
Tony Todd
PJ Soles
 
Pics & links to their imdb list can be found here
http://www.horrorfindweekend.com/celebrities.html

 

 

* One of last summer’s most anticipated movies was the third installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Now it’s out on DVD, especially the 2-disc limited edition!

 

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) had been condemned to spend the rest of eternity in Davy Jones’ (Bill Nighy) Locker. But his friends Will (Orlando Bloom) and Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) and the crew of the Black Pearl are determined to rescue him. The Witch Tia Dalma (Naomie Harris) offers her help, and brings Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) back from the dead to take the helm of the Black Pearl and lead everyone on a voyage past the very end of the earth.

 

Meanwhile, Lord Cutler Beckett  (Tom Hollander) and the East India Trading Company has launched an all out war on pirates – decimating entire towns of people sympathetic to them. He has a formidable secret weapon: the heart of Davy Jones himself, giving him power over Jones and the undead crew, and using their unstoppable force to wipe out pirate vessels on the seas.

 

The Nine Pirate Lords have to unite to find a way to stave off this double-threat. And the council of the Pirate Lords needs both Barbossa and Sparrow in attendance.

 

With all these storylines weaving together, you know you’re in for non-stop action from the get-go – and you certainly won’t be disappointed on that count. It looks exquisite – the FX and stunts are stunning indeed. But the actual storyline was not as entertaining as the first two installments. And although I won’t give it away, I was a bit disappointed with the ending.

 

There are HOURS worth of bonuses making this a Must Have for any DVD library! Besides the standard Bloopers and Deleted Scenes, this time we’ve also got “Keith And The Captain – On The Set With Johnny Depp and The Rock Legend!” (The Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards, of course, who plays Sparrow’s father; “The Tale of Many Jacks”, “Anatomy of a Scene: The Maelstrom”, “Masters Of Design: Creating The Pirates’ World”, “The World of Chow Yun-Fat”, “Inside the Brethren Court”, “The Pirate Maestro: The Music of Hans Zimmer”,   and “Hoist The Colours – The Story Behind The Song”.

 

Also a Heads-Up – there’s reportedly a Pirates of the Caribbean 4 on the horizon!

 

 

* New releases in theaters that look interesting: The Other Boleyn Girl, 10,000 BC, The Bank Job, George Romero’s Diary of the Dead, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Jumper, There Will Be Blood, Vantage Point, Funny Games, Doomsday.

*Darren Shan’s excellent Cirque du Freak series of Vampire tales is coming to THE BIG SCREEN! (About bloody time, if you ask The Crowgrrl). The Donners’ Company  ready to proceed with filming as scheduled, starting in February in New Orleans. If you check in the IMDB web site, you'll see that a lot of crew members are now attached to the movie. The following actors have also been confirmed to take part in the film:

Salma Hayek will be playing Truska, the bearded lady!!! Darren thinks Salma Hayek is one of the most beautiful women on the planet, and a top actress too, so he thinks she's an amazing addition. Darren believes the role of Truska has been expanded for the movie, so hopefully we'll get to see lots of ... ahem ... beard action!!!!!

Ken Watanabe will be playing Mr. Tall. A Japanese actor, Ken Watanabe has also starred in a number of American movies in recent years, including The Last Samurai, Batman Begins, Memoirs of a Geisha and Letters From Iwo Jima.

Jane Krakowski is rumored to be playing Corma Limbs -- yes, Mr Limbs has undergone a sex change and is now a woman!!! Jane Krakowski won a Tony award a few years ago, has starred in TV shows Ally McBeal and 30 Rock, and in many movies too.  Patrick Fugit is rumored to be portraying Evra Von, the Snakeboy. He has been in lots of movies and TV series, including a few episodes of ER.

And Michael Cerveris seems set to play Mr. Des Tiny. He has featured in many films and TV shows, but is best known for his stage work. He starred in a hugely acclaimed version of Sweeney Todd on Broadway a few years.

 

*HELP SAVE MOONLIGHT! (The show that earned the # 1 Slot on the Crowgrrls Best TV of 2007) There is a grassroots effort underway with lots of news and events in the works. Go to Help Save Moonlight for the 411. (Kudos, Lisa and Elizabeth for spearheading this!)

 

Currently, the Keep It Dark campaign is underway, and the Crowgrrl strongly encourages my readers to join in.

 

(Those of you not in the U.S. can probably do an online search for a proxy to get onto the site). While the Price Is Right runs on Friday nights, the plan is to go to www.cbs.com and to all watch the same episode of Moonlight to send a message to CBS – that we’re unhappy with the current Friday night line-up and want them to boot the lame game show.

 

CBS.com does pay attention to what’s being watched there and when, so it’s obvious that people would rather watch reruns of Moonlight instead of the game show. Yes, this may crash their streaming vid, but they will know which streaming video caused the mishap.

 

There are also plans in the works for a Moonlight convention later on this year. We’ll keep you posted.

 

* Readers, you’ve GOT to check out one of the most fun sites on the internet (if you haven’t done so already – and regularly) – Count Gore’s Creature Feature! There’s always something new going on there every week!

This week, the voting is over and it's time to meet the winner of the Rondo Award for "Best Horror Host of 2007;" Penny Dreadful of the Shilling Shockers. Count Gore interviews  her and links to her website which has plenty of video clips.  You can meet her in The Archive!

Film maker Dawn Angela Gilardi is back with a revenge shocker short called "Parental Justice!" It's part of Creature Feature New Blood!

Rock Savage uncovers some lost and delightfully weird comic books. You'll find these tasty treats in The Dining Room!

The TombKeeper explores two more books nominated for Stoker Awards. Learn about "Proverbs for Monsters" by Michael Arnzen and "5 Stories" by Peter Straub in The Tomb!

John, The Unimonster, Stevenson brings us a very thought provoking look at the many films in the "Charlie Chan" movie series. You can read his essay in The Tower!

Mark J. Gross, Your Scifi Guy, talks with the man who told the Six Million Dollar people what to do! Meet actor Richard Anderson in The Atrium!

It's the LAST WEEK for Count Gore’s current contest and your last chance to win the DVD "Night Detective!" Full details are in The Game Room!

 

* New on DVD – Beowulf, 30 Days of Night, Goya’s Ghosts, Ghost Hunters Third Season Pt. 2, Red Green Show: 1999 Season, Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, Shamans of the Amazon,  Blood + Vol. 1, Hell Girl Vol. 4: Marble, Gundam Seed Anime Legends Collection 2, My-Otome Vol. 5, Naruto Vol. 21, Highlander: The Source, Mushishi Vol. 6, Legend of the Black Scorpion, Green Day: Sweet Children to American Idiots, Kinks: You Really Got Me, Bloodstained Shadow, A Bloody Aria, Bone Dry, Dark Chamber, Dark Shadows: The Beginning Collection, The Devil’s Offspring, Living Dead at Manchester Morgue, New York City Horror Film Festival, The Rage, Awake, Army of the Dead, Crypt of Terror Vol. 2: Horror from South of the Border, Dead Moon Rising, Forever Dead, A Haunting: Ghosts and Demons, A Haunting: The House, Left For Dead, Mega Snake, Satan’s Whip, Torment.

 

 

*”There’s no need to fear. Underdog is here!” The Crowgrrl remembers enjoying that cartoon when I was just a nestling. But I must admit – when Disney announced a live action version, I was a bit skeptical that this could be pulled off. However, I was pleasantly surprised – not only did they make it believable, they made it extremely entertaining!

 

After a disastrous mistake during a public ceremony, bomb sniffing police dog, Shoeshine, finds himself unceremoniously out on the streets – literally! The poor pup is snatched up by one of the henchmen of the mad scientist, Simon Barsinister (believably brought to life by Peter Kinklage). As if he wasn’t disgraced enough, Shoeshine goes from Police Dog to Lab Rat in one fateful night.

 

As Barsinister has the dog out for whatever nefarious experiment he was planning, the beagle manages to swallow some pills that give him superhuman - er, maybe supercanine? – powers that  enable him to escape. He’s found by ex-police officer (who himself feels disgraced) and widower Dan Unger (James Belushi) who thinks the adorable pooch would lift the spirits of his moody son, Jack. (Alex Neuberger)

 

Although they got off to a rocky start, Shoeshine begins talking to Jack, (voiced by Jason Lee) and slowly begins to demonstrate his powers. But ONLY to Jack – a secret that bonds the two together.  Another thing bringing the two close are the fact that Shoeshine takes a shine during a walk in the park to Polly Purebred, (voiced by Amy Adams) who’s human companion, Molly, (Taylor Momsen) – a budding reporter -  has the same reaction to Jack.

 

Shoeshine hones his skills, gets used to his powers, and as a former police dog, uses them to fight crime – especially if Molly or Polly are in jeopardy. Therefore creating the need for an alter ego as the caped, costumed Underdog, who talks only in rhymes (albeit badly at first).

 

But we’ve not heard the last of Barsinister. Not only does he want Shoeshine back to find what exactly sparked the superpowers, he wants to use them to take over Capital City! He kidnaps Dan and Jack, and when he takes over the capital building with Dobermans imbued with the same power (which he also gave himself) that Underdog has. And as he sets bombs to blow up the building, Barsinister also kidnaps Polly and Molly and chains them to the top of the building! What’s a canine crime fighter to do against these odds?!

 

Fun movie! Pop some popcorn and curl up in front of this one! Plus, there are loads of bonus features as well – including bloopers (always fun), deleted scenes, “Sit, Stay, Act: Diary of a Dog Actor” which I also loved, and an original cartoon episode of the animated Underdog. I could’ve done without the “Underdog Raps” music video by Kyle Massey – not a genre I enjoy to say the least.

 

 

 

* The Movie Mogul Fund recently launched  - an exciting initiative sponsored by Panavision, Technicolor and many other industry greats to fund one feature film and one short film every 3 months. The public gets to decide which of the films will be made by backing their favorite and have the chance to get involved as "Movie Moguls" with Producer credits on the finished film!

 

Robber Baron Productions is pleased to announce that PRæY, a new horror project by writer/director Frazer Lee and renowned author Max Kinnings is one of the 8 feature films selected.

 

This is a fun way to get involved in the movie industry! The Crowgrrl highly recommends you check this out, get involved, and show support for PRæY!

 

 

* Upcoming movies that look like they may be good: Hotel Transylvania, The Mummy 3, Babylon A.D., The Wolfman (Benicio Del Toro),

Rogue,  War (ROGUE) , The Walker, Valkyrie, Magneto, The Spirit, Nowhereland, Bangkok Dangerous, Saw V, Saw VI, Pirates of the Caribbean 4, Dracula Year Zero, Forbidden Kingdom.

 

 

* The Crowgrrl has got to caw about one of my favorite networks: G4! I’m addicted to several of their shows such as  Ninja Warrior, Unbeatable Banzuke,  X-Play, Cheats, etc.!

 

They recently aired the American Ninja Challenge competition, where two winners (congrats, guys!) were selected to go to Japan to actually compete in the Ninja Warrior competition. The actual competition is being held March 15, but we’ve gotta hold our breath until May, when it airs as part of Ninjafest 2. The Crowgrrl can’t wait!

 

 

*Review of Ninjabread Man for the Wii, By Collin Schaffer.

 

There’s not really too much to say about this game. It’s a platformer where you play a Gingerbread Man, who’s a Ninja. All the worlds are made of candy and cookies other sweets.  Your enemies include Cupcakes, Pies, Slices of Cake that shoots Strawberries at you, and Bees the size of birds (although considering you're a ginger bread man, they're probably just regular sized bees that LOOK big).

 

It’s OK considering it’s rated E, I guess. But if you're a gamer looking for a good story, this is not your game. Just hand it to your kids or little siblings or something or just steer clear of this all together. There is no real story except that you have to collect these cylinder things that unlock part of the portal to the next level, That’s it. And it’s incredibly short. There’s 4 levels - the Training Dough-jo, and 3 actual levels -  not really too challenging either, just frustrating at times.

 

 There’s alot of jumping, and to jump you flick the Nunchuk upwards (Or just press the Z button on the front of the Nunchuk.  But this is Wii, It takes the fun out if you're just going to press buttons) which means you can't really play for more than 90 minutes at a time without your left wrist hurting.

 

To Shoot you press the B button on the bottom of the Wiimote to bring up the Aimer.  Point the Wiimote at the screen to aim and then press Z again to shoot (And by shoot, I mean fling a cupcake. Wouldn't it more sense for a Shuriken shaped cookie or something?). And to use your sword, just shake the Wiimote sideways like using a real sword (Although if you try using a sword like this if you get into a real battle, you ain't going to survive long).

 

Now remember how I just said it was frustrating. This game does not have good controller

Sensitivity. I can't tell you how many times I died because I tried jumping which usually works and it didn't ring up the double jump. I fell and had to get all the way back up there. And using your Sword doesn't always work. You slash your Wiimote right up to an enemy and it only works half the time. I furiously swipe the Wiimote to the side and it doesn't respond.  But I go to scratch my forehead and it just slashes when I move my arm!

 

So if you're looking for a good Wii game, THIS IS NOT IT! It could be fun if they made the controllers responsive, made the game longer and added a story. But until then, no. Just No! The

Wii is a Next Gen Console people! Use it like one!

 

Overall: As much bad as I've said about this game, it’s still got some bit of charm. But they're lucky they made this game for the Wii, because you put it on any other platform there wouldn't be any redeeming qualities. This is OK if it’s your first Wii game and are using it to get used to the controls, but if you're used them and are looking for a good game, just

look for something else, dude. 

 

The most generous I can be for a rating would be a 2 out of 5.  Try again Data Design Interactive, and try taking what I said into consideration.

 

 

* New Game Releases that might be fun: God of War: Chains of Olympus, Army of Two, Mystery Dungeon Shiren the Wanderer, Ninja Reflex, WWE Smackdown vs. Raw Superstar Series, Buzz Hollywood Quiz, Condemned 2 Bloodshot, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring of Fates, Flatout Ultimate Carnage, George of the Jungle, Super Smash Brothers Brawl.

IN PRINT:

 

 

* The Crowgrrl is very thankful that D.H. Press is finally bringing English translations of Hideyuki Kikuchi’s Vampire Hunter D series (and featuring the impressive illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano) to American audiences! I’ve loved the two anime movies, but the books add dimensions that films can’t capture.

 

“When you make a pact with the Devil, what happens when the Devil wants out?” That’s the scenario we face in Vol. 9 of the series, Vampire Hunter D: The Rose Princess. The Princess in question is a Noble – a very powerful Vampire – who not only leaves the nearby village of Sakuri in peace, but also one of the most prosperous regions of the Frontier. For a price.

 

When 17-year-old Nagi was sent to the castle for a sacrifice to the Rose Princess, the blood-drinking was interrupted by the girl’s paramour, intent on saving her and slaying the princess. But he was too late. Nagi had already been turned into a vampire herself, and the boy barely escapes with his life, carried away by river currents.

 

The Princess and her demonic servants, deadly Knights, take out their wrath on the village – and anyone caught trying to escape were mercilessly slaughtered. One of the villagers, outcast Elena and her band of rebels, decide they’re going to fight back. But they’re up against unfathomable odds.

 

Enter the mysterious and legendary vampire hunter known solely as D. Can he help Elena and her gang even the odds? Or does the village want saved at all, or want to strike yet another deal with the Princess? And what is the intensely guarded secret that the Rose Princess is terrified to reveal?

 

This nail-biter is an action-packed read, one that you’ll want to devour in one sitting. It’s next to impossible to put down!

 

 

*Acclaimed cover artist Mark Djurdjevic joins the thunderous hit series Thor (Marvel Comics) as special guest artist for a two-issue arc that promises to turn the God of Thunder’s world on its head! Writer J. Michael Straczynski (The Twelve) has brought Asgard to Earth, transformed Loki into a woman and pitted Thor against Iron Man…so what could JSM have planned for Thor’s father, Odin? Has he been found? And more importantly…should he be found?

 

As a special bonus, Djurdjevic and regular series artist Olivier Coipel have teamed-up to create a special variant cover for this issue—and you need to see the results of this superstar jam to believe it! This stunning image is also available as the Thor By Coipel & Djurdjevic Poster!

 

Thor’s world has been rocked by the machinations of others, but will the return of his father set him on a path of no return? And what of Loki’s machinations with the deadly Dr. Doom? If you haven’t checked out one of 2007’s most critically-acclaimed new series, then don’t miss Thor #7, kicking off a series of events that promise to shatter the status quo!

 

*Eclipse (Little, Brown) is the third installment of Stephanie Meyer’s “The Twilight Saga” of supernatural romance where a young woman’s heart is being torn between two men – one is a Vampire, the other a Werewolf. And there is centuries-old bad blood between the two clans. Add to that a rival Vampire clan who invades the Seattle area – the Twilight Saga’s main setting – bent on destroying the resident Vampires there, and everyone connected to them.

 

If you think normal teen years are tough, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. Bella is set to marry the Vampire Edward after high school graduation – and be turned into one of the Clan. However, her best friend, the werewolf Jacob, is in love with her, too, and is trying to win her over. Plus, she has to hide all of the above from her friends and classmates and put up the façade of being a “normal” teenager while high school graduation looms on the horizon.

 

Enter into this another Vampire clan with a bone to pick with Edward’s clan. They go on a murderous spree – bent on exposing other Vampires in that region and having the crimes pinned on them. Plus they’re dead set on killing Bella – one of the clan blames Edward for the loss of a love, and this is what they see as the perfect vengeance.

 

The resident Vampire and Werewolf clans team up with a very uneasy truce – threatening to break at any moment – to protect Bella and her father. They also need to keep the body count from rising to keep their existence secret from the mortals in that area. Through all this, we learn the history of the war between the Vampires and Werewolves in that area.

 

This tale can be read on its own without having picked up the previous two books in the series (I did just that – I was unfamiliar with the previous installments) and it holds its own as a stand-alone. But it’s made even richer if you backtrack and check the other books that put some nuances in a new perspective. A well-told story, full of both angst and action.

 

 

 

* David “Avocado” Wolfe (author, foremost authority on raw food nutrition, and one of the Alts on the Sci Fi Channel’s Mad Mad House)   has a special message to Perch readers. “Are you tired of eating food that’s sprayed with chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, larvacides; genetically modified ingredients, hormonally altered additives, preservatives, red dye #3, yellow dye #4, blue dye #5?”

 

Wanna know how to eat healthier? Make sure you’re putting the best foods in your body? The Crowgrrl recommends checking out his books Eating for Beauty, Naked Chocolate, and The Sunfood Diet Success System or better yet – catch one of his lectures or retreats! (And don’t forget to check out www.rawfood.com  for products like raw cacao and yummy vanilla beans!)

 

* Chapter One of my own book, Under Her Black Wings (yes, the title is with Glenn Danzig’s permission - I never would have used that title otherwise) is available to all my readers in the "Print" section of this site.

The chapter list (the actual titles of the chapters may be renamed, but the subject matter’s the same) includes:

1. Overview (Check out the First Chapter here!) 2. The Real Thing (a look at the real birds) 3. Norse Mythology 4. Celtic Mythology 5. Other European Mythology 6. Native American Mythology 7. African Mythology 8. Oriental Mythology 9. Other Asian and Middle Eastern Mythology 10. Australian/Pacific Mythology 11. Corvids in Popular Folklore 12. Influence of Poe’s "The Raven" 13. The Dark Side 14. Influence of James O’Barr’s "The Crow"

All chapters are in progress, and as I research and as people share their stories, they’re included in the appropriate chapter. These should be available soon (to Crowgrrl's Flock Members only) to watch the work in progress.
Sign up here!

* Gothic Beauty Issue #25 is out! Be sure to grab a copy! Ad space is available for future Gothic Beauty issues. For specifics, go to www.gothicbeauty.com/ads and be sure to mention that Athena sent you.

Gothic Beauty Magazine has revamped its website, and it’s fantastic! Go to www.gothicbeauty.com and check it out. (Be sure to check the message boards there, too!)

* The Crowgrrl’s current reading stack includes: The Watcher by Ian Rankin, The Last Twilight by Marjorie M. Liu, The Shell Game by Steve Alten, Blood Beast by Darren Shan, Blasphemy by Douglas Preston, an English translation of “The Kalevala”, “Teach Yourself Portuguese” by Manuela Cook, Living Language: Portuguese: Complete Course, Rick Steve’s Portuguese Phrase Book and Dictionary,  “Norwegian In 10 Minutes A Day’

OTHER NEWS:

*Readers, if you’re in the DC/Northern Virginia area, The Crowgrrl highly recommends you check out Dick Dyszel’s live Las Vegas Style Stage Hypnotism Show at the second stage of The Comedy Spot at Ballston Commons Mall. Upcoming shows are:

 

March 15

April 12

April 26

May 10

May 24

 

 

*The Crowgrrl highly recommends that readers check out Barry’s Magic Shop! This is THE source for all things magic – from supplies to performances.

Barry’s Magic Shop can supply a full range of classic illusions and up-to-the-minute releases in magic tricks, books, and videos/DVDs to satisfy all your online conjuring needs. They offer knowledgeable, courteous service and fast delivery of our online magic supplies to everyone from the beginning magic enthusiast to the professional magician. Dropping by is always a treat – there is always something going on, somebody wanting to learn a trick that captures the attention of other shoppers.

And although nothing can top the experience of dropping by the shop itself, they’ve now got online ordering as well. All of the finest magic supplies and Barry’s super customer service are now available at the touch of a finger. That’s what we call the best in magic!!!

If you are in the Washington, D.C. area, please stop by and visit the actual shop at 5544 Nicholson Lane, 2nd Floor, Rockville, Maryland. They’ve been in the area for the past 33 years serving the magic community with the finest in magic tricks and supplies.

Events coming up there include a Roast for Barry Taylor presented by The Society of American Magicians (S.A.M. Meetings) on Wed. March 19 at 8 p.m. at the National Press Club. Watch Barry get embarrassed and speechless for the first time!

 

* THE GOTHIC OCCULT EMPORIUM IS NOW OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS! This unique store is like an online Shopping Mall to serve all your Gothic, Metaphysical, Occult, Musical needs AND MORE. Truly a magickal place to shop where you can fulfill some of your wishes and dreams.

You’ll find clothing, jewelry, footwear, medieval weaponry, exquisite chalices, Egyptian artifacts, Dragons, Gargoyles, Music, and much, much more! New items are constantly being added, so check back frequently! ENJOY!

* The Crowgrrl has a Myspace Blog! Keep even more up to date by checking it out! It’s at: http://www.myspace.com/crowgrrl or more directly at: http://blog.myspace.com/crowgrrl

 

* The Crowgrrl highly recommends that readers check out the website Bazaar Bizarre for freakish deviations on fluffy conceptions. Great online place to shop for fun and unusual items (and you can do some gift shopping there as well!)

 

* Anyone who hasn’t already done so, check out the Gallery section here on the Crowgrrl’s site. Prints and some originals are still available. So, buy ‘em already!

 

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