Audio Drome

[Shawn Macomber ventured into Lair of the Minotaur territory and came back, well, sloshed. Read on for Shawn's interview...]

Here’s something that would probably make good fodder for the renovation-obsessed producers over at HGTV if their viewership could stand a bit of exploitation chic and a whole lot more viscera: Gore-festooned sludge thrashers Lair of the Minotaur recently added a brewery onto the infernal retreat — which means you can now enjoy the band’s ferocious tenth anniversary EP Godslayer along with a bottle (or twelve) of its signature Evil Power Imperial Pilsner.

Lair guitarist/vocalist Steve Rathbone and drummer Chris Wozniak were kind enough to discuss the Minotaur’s mead with Rue Morgue for the following Sinister Seven…

Waxwork Records apparently does not believe in starting small. The label is dropping its first release on July 30, and it’s a doozy: a limited edition vinyl pressing of Richard Band’s score from Stuart Gordon’s 1985 cult classic Re-Animator, featuring full LP artwork by Ghoulish Gary Pullin!

Band’s score, performed by the Rome Philharmonic Orchestra, has been specifically remastered for vinyl. Here’s the rundown of features…

Composer and keyboardist Maurizio Guarini, a veteran of legendary Italian prog-rock band Goblin, is holding a CD release release party for his debut solo album Creatures From a Drawer on Wednesday, June 5 at Lula Lounge (1585 Dundas St. West) in Toronto. Maurizio and guest musicians will perform at the party; they’ll be playing songs from the new album, plus a few classic Goblin tunes as well. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., with the show starting at 9 p.m. Tickets are only $10 at the door, or $25 with CD included. For more information, check out the official event Facebook page.

Here at Rue Morgue, we’re quite fond of that trio of horror-punk miscreants known as Calabrese. The Hymns from the House of Horror vets have unleashed a new video today, and they were nice enough to give us an exclusive! (You can have your dog back now, guys.)

The video for “Coffin of Ruins,” from Calabrese’s latest album Dayglo Necros, is a huge pile of fun, and we think you’re going to dig it. Before we get down to the actual video-watchin’, here’s what the Brothers Calabrese had to say about it…

There’s already a Midnight Syndicate Sinister Seven with Edward Douglas from 2011 done by the talented Sean Plummer. So why do another one?

The last interview covered Midnight Syndicate’s movie The Dead Matter as well as their collaboration with Destini’s Beard on the album A Time Forgotten. This time around, we’re going to delve into the duo’s origins. Who cares? You should, if you like Halloween and horror themed music…

December’s Hymn isn’t just a free tune, it’s a public service – an aural antidote to the homogenized holiday cheer that clogs airways this time of year. The final installment of Hymns from the House of Horror Vol. III is an infectious slice of hip-hop horror called “B-Movie Monsters.” Chokeules, Timbuktu and Savilion – collectively known as Swamp Thing – have generously offered up a cut from their debut album, Creature Feature, for your sick pleasure. And you won’t even have to crack open your kid brother’s piggy bank; like every other Hymn, “B-Movie Monsters” is absolutely free, so go here and download it before it sinks back into the swamp. While you’re there, be sure to snag the rest of this year’s Hymns. They won’t be here forever, you know.

Like a weird old dude at an out-of-the-way gas station, they warned us – and like a carload of horny, baked-out-of-their-gourds teenagers, we didn’t listen. And where did our incaution land us? Knee-deep in a sea of skunk apes, baby.

“Sasquatch Ocean” is this month’s free Hymns from the House of Horror track, and it comes to us courtesy of Troglodyte, a Missouri-based troop of slaughter-happy simians out to show the world that evolution ain’t all it’s cracked up to be. The “neandercore” mascots’ latest album, Don’t Go In the Woods… (out now from noMoreTomorrow Records), features thirteen cuts of rotting red meat, including this month’s Hymns track and the gloriously named “Murderous Bi-Pedal Hominid Rampage (Where Are My Legs?)” Drag your stinking carcass (and your knuckles) over to our Hymns page now and download “Sasquatch Ocean.” While you’re there, be sure to nab the rest of 2012’s tracks before they’ve gone the way of the missing link.

[Our annual Rock and Shock post-mortem, courtesy of Rue Morgue Audio Drome correspondent George Pacheco. We don't call him "Metal George" for nothing...]

The month of October means many things for New England residents. It’s a time for apple-picking, Halloween, long drives amongst the autumn leaves… and the annual Rock and Shock Festival!

The Massconcerts-produced convention has become something of a tradition for the city of Worcester’s most morbidly horror obsessed ghouls, and has gained a reputation as being one of the better organized and fan friendly cons on the East Coast.

Goth-rock outfit The 69 Eyes (featured in the September issue of Rue Morgue — on stands for just a few more days!) gets a leg up from Elvira, Mistress of the Dark in the video for their latest single, “Red.” Watch the vid, read the mag and tip your waitress, folks!

The third volume of our Hymns From the House of Horror comp gets an injection of bubbling estrogen this month courtesy of goth-punk femme fatale Dinah Cancer and her LA deathrock band 45 Grave! You may remember the original version of “Night of the Demons” from the soundtrack to 2009′s Night of the Demons, starring Shannon Elizabeth and Edward Furlong, but this version is actually a redo from the band’s recently released first album in 27 years (!), Pick Your Poison (Frontier Records). If, like me, you’re feelin’ like Halloween can’t come soon enough, crankin’ this cut up to 11 oughta do the trick. Click here, and make sure you get the rest of 2012′s tracks too ’cause once they’re gone, well…you know.