Autumn Approaches

Scarecrow
Originally uploaded by Nigel Lomas

Day by day, degree by degree.

Dark Star

Some early John Carpenter. Before there was ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK or THEY LIVE (or even Dan O'Bannon's ALIEN), there was... DARK STAR!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Star_%28film%29

Sleepy Hollow

Oh yes - we most definitely took this trail. Saw no signs of a spectral Hessian Trooper, but it was worth the hike anyway. Taken at White Pines Forest State Park in Illinois (near Haddonfield, if memory serves).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Pines_State_Park

European Poe

To all Poe fans across the pond: MODERN POE is now available via Amazon Europe, for the low price of £6.43 (GBP) or €7.26 (EUR)! For those in the US of A, you can still pick it up for the insanely reasonable price of $8.99 at: https://www.createspace.com/3610670

Spirit Halloween

Look what's coming to town! Not sure if this is any different than the usual 'Halloween Store' that we've always had here in the past - but I'm definitely looking forward to browsing through the aisles!

Axe Grinder

Now that Destini Beard's interpretation of Midnight Syndicate's music has been released (A Time Forgotten), I decided to check out what the musical duo has coming up next. Lo and behold before I could grind my axe, I get an e-mail from Ed Douglas giving me just that! Here's what he had to say:

"We just finished the score to the grindhouse thriller, "Bunyan" (www.bunyanmovie.com). From the title you can probably figure that this is a classic "beer and pizza" movie and it is. It's a lot of fun. Creating the score was really cool as it required us to explore lot of sides that people have never heard come from Midnight Syndicate. We'll be releasing a soundtrack CD along with the movie. The producers plan to premiere it later this year, I'll keep you informed."

Sounds gravy. Can't wait to check this one out and give a spin to the accompanying soundtrack!

Hidden Pines

Day 239/365 - Sunset at the Drive In
Originally uploaded by Great Beyond

Discovered an old drive-in theater just down the road from the log cabin we stayed at last weekend. Hidden behind the pine trees, the rusted back-side of the screen was just peaking through the tops of a row of mighty tree tops, causing me to exclaim in disbelief: "Is that a drive-in?" as we were driving by.

Later I walked down the road (and admittedly ignored the No Trespassing signs) to check it out. A cozy little ozoner, I have pictures of what's left of the Pines Drive-In Theatre in Dixon, IL that I'll try to get up soon.

Count Down

71 days 'til Halloween, Halloween, Halloween! 71 days 'til Halloween... Silver Shamrock!

Starts Friday

Horror's Least

Spooky Houses
Originally uploaded by sheiladeeisme

XXIX. Ghosts.

One need not be a chamber to be haunted,
One need not be a house;
The brain has corridors surpassing
Material place.

Far safer, of a midnight meeting
External ghost,
Than an interior confronting
That whiter host.

Far safer through an Abbey gallop,
The stones achase,
Than, moonless, one's own self encounter
In lonesome place.

Ourself, behind ourself concealed,
Should startle most;
Assassin, hid in our apartment,
Be horror's least.

The prudent carries a revolver,
He bolts the door,
O'erlooking a superior spectre
More near.

-- Emily Dickinson

Prometheus HISHE

Gone Camping

Just got back from a long weekend camping. I had absolutely zero internet access - and it was wonderful! Sometimes it pays to completely disconnect from the world wide web for awhile and connect back into Mother Earth. The weather was gorgeous and the smell of Fall was in the air (a bit early, but the leaves had that distinct scent that is unmistakable!)

My apologies for no updates while I was gone - Destini Beard's new album with Midnight Syndicate got some extra promotion for a few days! Glad to be back - however, I must warn that another expedition to Camp Crystal Lake is planned for the very near future, so we might have another gap in posts...

Signed Copy

The big day is finally here! Get your signed copy today!

http://www.edbeardjr.com/store/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/91/products_id/608

Vocalist Destini Beard releases A Time Forgotten CD featuring music of Midnight Syndicate

August 7, 2012 (Cleveland, OH) – Vocalist Destini Beard has released A TIME FORGOTTEN, her first full-length album and followup to 2010’s successful THE DARK MASQUERADE EP. As with her previous release, the album showcases Destini’s lyrics and haunting, alluring vocal performances and arrangements blended with music from gothic horror music pioneers Midnight Syndicate.

The theme of the album surrounds a once-thriving Victorian hotel which suffers a tragic fire and is now haunted by it’s past residents as well as a malevolent spirit that holds dominion over all of them. The story goes on to tell of a young woman who is called from the spirit world to the hotel to reunite with her departed true love only to discover the dark secrets that lie behind the rooms’ walls.
"Sonically, we wanted the CD to be reminiscent of a short musical, with multiple layers of harmonies and counter melodies on each song,” said Destini. “The recording process took much longer than THE DARK MASQUERADE but I feel the end product was worth every bit of it. I was especially pleased with how the musical variety works hand in hand with the lyrics to pull you further along on the adventure."

The final special offering on this album, is the debut presentation of an original piece composed and performed by Destini Beard entitled MY LAST GOODBYE. The album also features an eight panel fold out, with all of the lyrics for the listener to read along with and fully immerse themselves into the storyline. The cover art has been created by fantasy illustrator Ed Beard Jr, and captures the essence of the lead character and the mysterious Victorian hotel.

The CD is available now on Midnight Syndicate and Destini Beard’s websites, Amazon.com, and CDBaby. It will be available digitally on iTunes and Amazon MP3 on September 11, 2012.

Extra Ordinary

Brains. BRAINS!

I would totally love to be walking down the street in the big city and come across this horrific, brain-munching nightmare. Oh yeah! Brains!

http://tv.yahoo.com/news/see-zombies-invade-manhattan-in--walking-dead--viral-video.html

It's Coming

It's coming! One of the creepiest shows on television - the new season of SyFy's Paranormal Witness begins on Wednesday, August 8th! Featuring terrific production values, this is one of the few reenactment programs that I actually enjoy (and a blessed relief from the glut of night vision/what-was/that? investigative shows out there).

www.syfy.com/paranormalwitness

Undertaker's Horse

Phantom
Originally uploaded by St Clements

The eldest son bestrides him,
And the pretty daughter rides him,
And I meet him oft o' mornings on the Course;
And there kindles in my bosom
An emotion chill and gruesome
As I canter past the Undertaker's Horse.

Neither shies he nor is restive,
But a hideously suggestive
Trot, professional and placid, he affects;
And the cadence of his hoof-beats
To my mind this grim reproof beats: --
"Mend your pace, my friend, I'm coming. Who's the next?"

--from "The Undertaker's Horse," Rudyard Kipling

Album Art

From Destini Beard's Facebook page:

"Here's the announcement!!! Here is the album cover by my dad artist Ed Beard Jr for my new album "A Time Forgotten"!! The album will be available August 7th through my website www.destinibeard.com. Also ordering through the website gets you a signed Cd!!!"

Such an amazing album cover - Ed Beard, jr. really is a legend - his talent with an airbrush equals that of his daughter's amazing voice. For those of us who are old enough to have grown up with actual vinyl albums, and endlessly studied and appreciated them back in the day, Mr. Beard most definitely represents a time forgotten! Well done sir!

Can't wait to hear the cd, Destini!