Revival

After suffering a bit of a death, Musical Scares is making a comeback. That means frequent posts and better content.

I could blame a lot of things on the blog stalling, I made a move down the country to London, and I'm loving every minute of it. Plenty's been going on, including going to the London premier of Zombie Driftwood. If you like zombies, cheesy low-budget gore, metal and shameless plugs then this could be the perfect movie for you.

There've been a lot of reasons for my return to blogging, boredom, a renewed urge to write, and some things happening in the music, art and horror worlds that I can't help but write about (the production of a sequel to the chronically terrible A Nightmare on Elm Street remake is a prime example).

Aside from me complaining about the current state of horror, expect more in the way of music reviews, features and news, like the signing of Suffer Well (formerly Sorrows) to Century Media. The project, co-headed by Bleeding Through's Brandan Schieppati and Anaal Nathrakh's Mick Kenney has been piquing my interest for a while, so it's great to see that their work's getting released.

Anyway, expect some more focused posts soon, I just couldn't wait to get something up here and drag it out of the grave!

An Interview with Marvel Comics' Paul Davidson

Known for his eye-popping illustration, Tyneside artist Paul Davidson is making waves in the world of comic-book art, especially since a contest win catapulted him into the public eye, working on projects for none other than Marvel Comics.

While the artist couldn’t be more pleased with working for Stan Lee and co. he has also turned his expert hand to pulling demons, zombies and even the odd vampire from the world of fantasy and on to paper.

Recently exhibited at Whitley Bay’s Pure Gallery, Davidson’s bold inked work is reminiscent of the pulp comic books of old, with a modern flair and a dab of dark humour.

Musical Scares caught up with Davidson to find out what makes him tick, how he got his big break, and just what it is about horror that he finds so appealing.

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How long have you been working in the industry?

I've worked as a professional illustrator for 20 years (earlier years with degress of success) but you could say I found my feet in the mid 90's

What was the first piece of art that really inspired you?

I really liked cartoon art, but as I got older I saw some Boris Vallejo (his earlier stuff) and it blew me away... I remember seeing "The Fantastic Art of Frank Frazetta" and that was it for me, I wanted to draw things that don't exist.

What was your first job as a professional artist?

Bits and pieces of various commissions started coming in, but in '92 I was commissioned to illustrate a graphic novel. It wasn't great pay, but it was 9 months work. It was never published and to this day I don't know what happened to it. On the day of completion it was stolen from the back of the publisher's car. There were no PC's or scanners back then, so I have no record of it, only my memory.

For a lot of people working as a comic book illustrator seems like a dream job, how did you get into the industry and is it as good as so many people think it is?

Games Workshop published my first comic book work "Warhammer Monthly", I created a strip called "DwarfLords" which was great fun, because I scripted it as well. I sometimes still use pieces from that strip as a calling card to comic book publishers. I was really hungry so I put a lot into it, apart from some sequential issues, the art is some of my strongest.

Drawing comics is good, but very demanding. It takes a lot of work to do an actual page (I pencil and ink my own work) and it's under a tight deadline, so this process can dictate a certain ecenomical style to get it out of the door, it's rewarding, but longs hours are needed to produce comics.

How did you end up working for Marvel?

I had been working as a concept artist in the video games industry for nearly 10 years, and was sick of it. I always wanted to get back into comics, then Marvel announced a talent search that would take place over a year, with their editors and talent scouts travelling the world. Thousands of artists submitted their work, hoping to take one of the eight places available. I submitted and forgot about it. One day I got an email saying I was the only artist from the UK that they would like to hire. That was early 2008 I believe. I've been doing that ever since, I also have an agent in London who aquires commercial illustration for me, which equates to around 40% of my work load, Marvel is the other.

What projects are you currently working on?

For Marvel, i'm working on a book called X-Men Legacy. In November I'll be starting a Wolverine book. I'm still producing pen and ink drawings for a series of Horror books, I'm still finishing up Demons, and WereWolves will be out in November. I'm also drawing a WWI book at the moment as well, so it's never boring.

With so many comics / graphic novels available it's easy to miss out on some great work, are there any in particular that you would recommend?

I'm not up to date with many GN's or comics, but I do tend to order older stuff, and if I can get it, European GN's as they're more mature and of a more "Fantastic" nature, less of the men in tights! I love Hellboy though, it's a must read for me.

Are there any artists outside of comic book art that you particularly rate? Why is this?

Edmund Dulac for his classic illustration. Norman Rockwell for his skill and the heart he puts into his work. James Gurney for the world he has created with Dinotopia. Shaun Tan for his wonderful children's books. James Christensen for his wacky imagination. Paul Felix for his outstanding pre-production art over at the Disney studios. The list can go on and on.

Your work which was recently exhibited at The Pure Gallery was almost entirely horror based, what is it about horror imagery that you find particularly appealing?

Everyone likes a bit of horror, it's in-built to be scared of the dark, ever since we lived in the caves. Plus, from an illustrators point of view (apart from representing iconic horror) it's left to a very subjective take on it, and I'm all for that much freedom in my art, even if it is to a brief.

Are there any horror movies that, to you, stand out above the rest? Why is this?

I like horror movies that place the viewer into the situation, something that gives some emotional relevance. What springs to mind is "28 Weeks Later" at the beginning of the movie in the farm house were Robert Carlyle has to make a choice; does he attempt to save his wife's life, or does he make a run for it? With a creature after you and your fear heightened, would you make the right choice,or do a runner like Rob? When a horror movie makes you consider their choices, it's projecting the fear out into the viewer.

What are your future plans?

To have more control over what I draw for a living. I'm currently developing some personal projects to show publishers, I'll be showcasing this stuff when i relaunch my website at the beginning of next year.

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More of Paul Davidson's art can be viewed at his website. Huge thanks also go out to The Pure Gallery for providing a space for his art and giving permission to photograph it.

Doing the musical shuffle

When it came down to finding a select few songs for my band to cover, I'll admit that nothing immediately sprang to mind. Initially all I could think of was Slayer tracks, partially because I was looking at a picture of Kerry King's magnificent cranium at the time (the rest of him is in the picture, just to clarify).

While many cower at the thought of putting their iPod on shuffle for fear of the hideous musical demons that lurk within, I decided that it was the only way forward, after all, everything that came on could be a prospective song to cover, right?

Well, this wasn't entirely the case, while I did find a few gems in that dark mine of music I also waded through the likes of Aqua, Avril Lavigne and hour upon hour of bad remixes of even worse EBM tracks. While a part of me does want to hear a metal / hardcore band covering a medally of Dr. Jones and Girlfriend with a fuzzy synth breakdown I'd just rather it wasn't mine.

Of course risking the pitfalls and crushing embarrassment of shuffling your tracks does come with an upside, getting you reacquainted with bands that, for one reason or another, you just haven't listened to recently. In this case that band was Throwdown.

Since their formation in the late 90's Throwdown have been punishing ears and stirring up pits like no other band out there, thanks to their mix of Black Flag style hardcore and crushing rhythms. While many bands are happy to bring out album after album of the same material, they have continued to change their sound with every release. From their debut album, 1999's Beyond Repair, which mixes lo-fi production and breakneck riffs, to their latest effort, Deathless, which shows just how much a band can progress in a decade, Throwdown have maintained their distinctive style without letting things drag.

Of course when it came to covering a track what we needed was something immediate and recognisable, and they don't come any better than Holy Roller. Taken from the band's fifth album, Venom & Tears, the track is just asking to be played, from the thrash influenced intro to the Phil Anselmo-esque stabbing vocals it never lets up, and best of all, it has a ripping solo courtesy of guitarist Mark Choiniere.

Suffice to say, the track has snuck into my band's repetoire, alongside the powerhouse that is Cancer Bats' Hail Destroyer and Hatebreed's simple but effective Live For This.

If you're stuck in a loop, and you've had nothing but the same tunes cycling into your ears then take a chance, give your library a shuffle and I guarantee you'll find something that you'd long since forgotten about, but don't come whining to me when you realise that your music collection looks like the CD bargain bin in a roadside petrol station.

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Throwdown's latest album Deathless, along with their previous work, is available from their official merch store and on iTunes. For further information on the band check out their Myspace and Twitter pages.

All images are © their original owners, for more information on any of the bands mentioned please click the links provided.

Bloodstock Festival Preview

We all know that there are plenty of metal festivals around, from the more radio-friendly Ozzfest and Download through to slices of Norse brutality like Hole In The Sky.

The UK is particularly well served by metal festivals, with Prestatyn's Hard Rock Hell festival actually giving people a reason to visit Butlins.

Although Sonisphere does provide an alternative to some of the more mainstream festivals there's one event that stand out year after year, giving the UK the best that the metal world has to offer - Bloodstock.

Since its formation back in 2001 Bloodstock has gone from strength to strength, with previous line-ups including Saxon, Hammerfall, Amon Amarth, In Flames and Opeth.

Based in South Derbyshire, the festival combines picturesque surroundings with skull-crushing metal which rampages across two stages for three days, from the 13th to the 15th of August this year.

In a continuing effort to fight against prejudice the second stage at Bloodstock will, as it was last year, be named the Sophie Lancaster stage, after the victim of a brutal attack in 2007 who was targeted for her appearance and connections to the alternative subculture.

This year's Bloodstock bands include:

Behemoth:

Voted by Terrorizer Magazine readers as the best band on 2009, with Nergal and Inferno voted best vocalist and drummer respectively. Continuing their previous blackened death metal work, their latest album, 2009's Evangelion is set to be a future classic.

Obituary:

As one of death metal's key bands, Obituary proved at their UK dates last year that they're still the kings of the genre, as proved on last year's Darkest Day LP. With Bloodstock as their only UK festival date in 2010 Obituary could well play the best set of the year.

Children of Bodom:

A band that really doesn't need an introduction, CoB are famed for their blend of NOWBHM, black and death metal, with vocalist and guitarist Alexi Laiho becoming an idol to a number of budding young musicians.

Fear Factory:

Combining solid metal with elements of industrial, Fear Factory are one to the world's best known metal bands. With a change in line-up last year seeing the legendary guitarist Dino Cazares returning to the fold, Fear Factory are bound to impress.

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For more information on Bloodstock take a look at their official site or Twitter.

All images are © their original owners, for more information on any of the bands featured please click the links provided.

Happy Easter!

I'm not really one for celebrating Easter, and I don't know anybody who does, but what I do enjoy is free chocolate. Everybody knows that food in the shape of other things is better than normal food, so I was thrilled when I got given the most sinister chocolate rabbit in the world:

Okay, okay, so it would be more sinister if there were a real rabbit's skull inside which you'd only notice when the head melted a touch and you saw its true form poking through, but still, whoever designed it was an evil genius.

While Easter really doesn't get as much twisted tribute as Christmas (Halloween is a given) some artists go out of their way to reveal some of the sinister nature involved.

So, the Musical Scares award for best twisted representation of Easter goes to... Todd Schorr!

Schorr's lowbrow art is really in a class of its own, taking a multitude of pop-culture icons and blending them together with an almost worrying eye for detail, all whilst maintaing excellent composition and most importantly, keeping a sense of fun.

While Schorr is one of the bigger names in the community, there's a reason for it, and time after time he produces great pieces with inventive themes.

Given that this is being posted on Easter Monday there's really not alot more to say about it, so while that rabbit sits on my desk, luring me in with its devious eyes, I hope you have a good time in what remains of the holiday!

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Paintings © Todd Schorr
Official Todd Schorr Site

Impending Doom (Or Upcoming Horror)

Ever on the lookout for what's on the horror horizon, Musical Scares has dredged the murky lake that is the internet to bring you April's upcoming movie releases.

Unfortunately it's a bad month for horror, and while some sources suggest that a remake of the Troma-tastic Mother's Day is on the way, information is incredibly thing on the ground.

While scheduled for a convenient release back on the 9th of April it seems as though the film is far from finished, though vlogs and info can be found on the film's official webpage and the occasional tidbit is posted on the film's director, Darren Bousman's Twitter page.

While all the excitement of a new(ish) Troma movie might have you drooling with joy Hollywood has come along to spoil your fun, with a number of big budget films cropping up throughout April.

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9 April - After.Life - Cinemas

Starring Christina Ricci and Liam Neeson, the film sees Anna (Ricci) involved in a horrendous car crash. Soon after, Anna finds herself being attended to by the local funeral director Eliot Deacon (Neeson) who assures her that she died in the crash.

Essentially giving The Sixth Sense a kidnap style twist, Deacon claims that he is the only one that can see or hear Anna, keeping her captive in the funeral home, while she tries to find out the truth and contact her grieving boyfriend Paul (Justin Long) who is already beginning to question Deacon over the death.

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27 April - The Descent Part 2 (US Release) - DVD

Essentially a film that should never have been made, The Descent Part 2 follows on from the original movie, provided you watched the American version and not the English one, which would have prevented all of this sequel business.

After finding her way back above ground and bathed in her friends' blood, Sarah (Shauna Macdonald) soon arouses the suspicions of the local authorities, thanks to both a good dose of psychological trauma and the aforementioned blood.

Not ones for believing stories of killer cave-dwelling manbeasts, Sherriff Vaines (Gavin O'Herlihy) and his partner Rios (Krysten Cummings) join with a rescue team to uncover what happened in the caves, while exhibiting all of the empathy and psychological know-how of a bear trap by taking Sarah with them.


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30 April - A Nightmare On Elm Street - Cinemas

While The Descent is seeing the light of day once more, this year's most unanticipated remake would have been best left dead and buried.


Roughly following the plot of the original, A Nightmare On Elm Street sees everybody's favourite razor fingered dream-murderer Freddy Krueger (this time played by Jackey Earle Haley) as the school janitor turned horror icon who preys on a town's teens while they sleep.

Effectively gouging out any of the wickedly dark humour of the original, Samuel Bayer's 'reimagining' looks to be a nightmare for all the wrong reasons.

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Bleeding Sorrows

Good news for all you metalcore fans, Bleeding Through's new album is on its way!

Set for release on the 13th of April, the self titled LP will be the Californian sextet's sixth studio release since their formation back in 1999 and sees the replacement of former axe-man Jona Weinhofen by ex No Use For A Name man Dave Nassie

Building on the more metal influenced sounds of their previous album, Declaration, the band's latest effort sees vocalist Brandan Schieppati's black metal influences creeping into his voice, though fortunately the band retain their trademark sound and haven't resorted to 'wasp in a jar' guitar tone and full on old school Burzum screeches.

Even better, rather than having to rely on hazy descriptions you can actually hear two of the new tracks on Bleeding Through's Myspace page right now!

If you're just itching for Schieppati to take a more black metal oriented route then wait no longer, because Musical Scares' Band of The Week is bound to hit the spot.

The vocalist has teamed up with Anaal Nathrakh's Mick Kenney to create Sorrows. Essentially a black metalcore project, the pair recorded a full album last year and are currently hunting for a label to release the onslaught.

Sorrows are also in the process of assembling a live line-up,  having recently drafted in Trevor Friedrich, who previously drummed for Schieppati's former band Eighteen Visions and is currently working with industrial legends Combichrist.

It's as though the wonders of the internet never cease, as you can also listen to a preview of Sorrows album on their official Myspace page, including the frankly incredible 'Follow Me To Disappointment' which will have Bleeding Through and Anaal Nathrakh fans alike salivating in preparation for the album's release.

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Bleeding Through Official

Bleeding Through Myspace

Sorrows Myspace