EGL Magazine Blog

SPiT LiKE THiS Sign New Album Deal

2012-02-24T19:33:00.000Z

Outrageous rockers SPiT LiKE THiS have signed to a brand new label, Dark Lord Records (in association with Sony/ATV). Dark Lord Records is run by Grammy-nominated producer Chris Tsangarides (Judas Priest, Ozzy Osbourne, Thin Lizzy) and Strawbs founder Dave Cousins.

The bands first release under their new label will be their long anticipated album 'Normality Horror', set for UK release on May 7th, with other territories to follow.

SPiT LiKE THiS vocalist, Lord Zion, said “We have been sitting on this album for a while, waiting for the formation of CT's label. When we recorded 'Normalityville Horror' with him, we enjoyed the whole experience so when he mentioned his label and that he would like us on it, we jumped at the chance! 'Normalityville Horror' is a real leap forward for us, musically and thematically and I cannot wait for our fans, old and new, to hear it at long last.”

Visit the band's website at www.spitlikethis.com or check out the making of the album at www.normalityvillehorror.com

Alternative Model Of The Year 2012

2012-02-21T16:41:00.001Z

2011 Winner Daria France, with event organiser Kieran

Alternative Model of the Year is an annual contest based in the North East of England which celebrates unique and quirky styles It claims to replace 'the Glamour with Goth and the Armani with Attitude'.

Now in its second year, the contest is hosting a series of casting auditions at the prestigious Banana Studios in Newcastle throughout the year, consisting of a series of photographic sessions in a professional working studio which itself has hosted some of the biggest names in the modelling and fashion industry.

The contest is open to both men and women, models of all shapes and sizes from age 13 upwards, and aims to question mainstream views on true beauty. The appeal of the event has exceeded expectations, with more piercings and tattoos on show than the usual fake tan and size 0 figure.

The contest is celebrating huge success after its first casting in January which attracted over 50 alternative models from all over the country, and even one from Canada! More dates have been added due to popular demand and the organisers are looking for even more unusual individuals to take part in the next event on May 5th. To apply visit: www.alternative-modelling.co.uk or email: alternative-modelling@hotmail.co.uk

The contest will climax with a phenomenal final show this September at the Exclusive Tiger Tiger Bar in Newcastle, featuring a live band and zombies! Here the wannabe models will take to the catwalk, in hope that they will be crowned 'Alternative Model of the Year 2012', with the winner being signed with one of Newcastle's biggest modelling agencies!

EMI's 'Now That's What I Call Music!' Series Opens Trademark Dispute With Steampunk Band

2012-02-07T19:47:00.001Z

London-based Steampunk band The Men That Will Be Blamed For Nothing have found themselves on the wrong end of a trademark infringement accusation by EMI's 'Now That's What I Call Music!' brand.

The time-travelling Neo-Victorian band released their debut album 'Now That's What I Call Steampunk! Volume 1' back in 2010, and in January they were given just days to either change the name of the album or to face legal action. The band, fronted by 'occult comedian' Andrew O'Neill (seen on the stages of Download, Sonisphere, Golden Gods etc), canvassed their fans for a new name for the album.

The album will be re-released both digitally and on CD with its new name 'The Steampunk Album That Cannot be Named for Legal Reasons'. In the meantime, there are less than 50 copies of the originally named CD available for fans to get their hands on.

The band's follow-up to their debut album is due for release on March 12th via Leather Apron Records, and will be entitled 'This May Be the Reason Why The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing Cannot be Killed by Conventional Weapons'.

Dracula - in all his forms!

2011-10-02T14:10:00.019+01:00

Well, its that time of the year again! October is here, plans for Halloween/Samhain are well under way, and Autumn is upon us. Of course, most of us are subject to an unseasonal, albeit lovely little Indian summer at the moment, and apparently this will cause some plants to flower for a second time and give us an even more colourful autumn this year! Autumn has always been a wonderful time of the year for me, and I hope we have another lovely one this year also!

I've recently finished reading Kim Newman's "Anno Dracula"; its a fantastic "alternative history" book that any Dracula fan would enjoy. I urge all vamp-fans to give this one a shot if they haven't already. I only regret reading it too quickly...it was all over too soon! Long story short, basically imagine what might have happened if Dracula had not been defeated by Van Helsing and co, and we're introduced a vampire boom in a new Victorian England. Throw in some political satire and a twist on the Jack-the-Ripper murders, and you have yourself a very clever read. In addition to this, I've been re-reading some other vampire favourites at the moment, including Elizabeth Kostova's "The Historian". Thats another one for Dracula fans, although its by no means a light read. This particular novel follows some historians on the path of Vlad Tepes, who may or may not be truly un-dead. Its rather heavy-going but if you stick with it, its quite rewarding!

And on the subject of vampires...has anyone heard of these new toys called Monster High? I have a feeling its about to become my new guilty pleasure! I kinda wish they'd had these dolls around when I was a kid, seems more fun then Barbie! They're all based on horror movie monsters like vampires, mummies and werewolves, and they are awfully cute. My friend has been joking that she's going to buy me Draculaura for Christmas and a part of me secretly would be very glad if she did! (The child in me still loves receiving toys for Christmas!) The only downside is if it ends up becoming my new nickname...my real name is no real secret, and you can probably guess it now if you didn't know before!

Well maybe these toys will spark a whole new generation of young gothlings!

Not sure of plans for Halloween yet, but I really want to dress as the Masque of the Red Death this year...a bit different to the bog-standard Crow! What has everyone else got planned for Halloween/Samhain this year? Comment and share! (And give me ideas, haha!)

Everything Burns Sign with New Label

2011-09-01T13:58:00.002+01:00

Cornwall metalcore band Everything Burns are now striking a new deal with new independent label Meshhead following last year's release of their debut album 'Home' on Rising Records.

The videos to their first two singles 'I'd Die' and 'Scars' appeared on the Scuzz, Lava and Kerrang music channels, and the band have now finished recording their new single 'Ghost & Angels' for their new label and started on the studio video shoot. Once the location is confirmed for the second live video shoot the band will be asking some of their fans to appear in the video. The single is scheduled for release in October to coincide with their UK tour.

The band are also booked into the studio in September to finish recording the rest of their second album which will be released early next year.

Revenant Dead Video Release and EP Download

2011-07-23T11:40:00.001+01:00

To accompany the release of their latest single for download, Birmingham-based rock band Revenant Dead have posted a new video on their YouTube channel. A cover of the 1985 release 'Opportunities' by synthpop duo the Pet Shop Boys, the band have injected their own style into the track whilst maintaining the message about over-commercialisation and unwarranted greed.

Revenant Dead are a critics favourite, receiving accolades such as: "...high energy, almost like the best action scene in a movie." Metal Magdalene

"Revenant Dead make you proud to be British again." Loucifer Speaks Biography

Revenant Dead released their full-length CD 'Imperial Rape March' in September 2007 to outstanding reviews.

"Birmingham's Newest Metal Gods" Ultimate Guitar

"A promising debut from a band that clearly have massive potential..." Metal Discovery

"A ripping new metal band that for sure will rip the life out of all of our ears." Rock City News

In March 2010 they released their second CD, 'Two Evils' which enjoyed equal rave reviews.

"Basically, this whole album is just so damn good I don't think any of them are still in possession of their souls." EGL Magazine

"It is obvious they have soaked up...the world of metal’s heritage, before turning it into flavours to spice up their own taste of rock..." Rock Pulse Magazine
"I would highly recommend this one to anyone" Soundsheavy.net

"...their songs are not only amazingly well written, but they are talented as musicians & artists..." Rock N' Roll Experience

You can download the band's current EP by visiting the site: www.revenantdead.com or visiting www.facebook.com/revenantdead1 and hitting 'Like'.

The Birthday Massacre Announce Release Date for Imaginary Monsters

2011-06-24T08:59:00.001+01:00

Canadian band The Birthday Massacre have become one of the most popular scene-related bands of the past decade with their energetic mix of eighties-electronica, aggressive guitar riffs and catchy, lyrical melodies, accompanied by mesmerizing visual concepts and an impressive stage presence.

The band’s new EP 'Imaginary Monsters', promises to be full of teenage angst, daily horrors and the proverbial monsters under your bed contained in three irresistible, new alt-pop-epics, delicately skipping the boundaries between gothic, metal and new wave.

Furthermore, five bands - SKOLD, Combichrist, Tweaker, Assemblage 23, and Kevvy Mental & Dave Ogilvie - have been invited to develop their own perspective on the group’s songs and deliver their own highly creative and club-compatible spins on classic tracks from The Birthday Massacre.

As a special bonus, the EP also contains a data track with a HD-resolution version of the elaborate video for 'In The Dark'.

'Imaginary Monsters' will be released on August 15th via Out Of Line Music. You can find out more about The Birthday Massacre on their website: www.thebirthdaymassacre.com

"The chances of anything coming from Mars are a million to one...but still they come!"

2011-06-15T12:56:00.008+01:00

Wow, well, I have to say that it's certainly a small world. and the Internet helps to make that true! On Saturday (11th June), I took my uncle to go and see a theatre production of Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of the War of the Worlds (under license) at the King's Theatre in Portsmouth, having recieved two tickets as birthay presents from my folks. I had such a thoroughly enjoyable time that I went onto an internet forum that some of you may know called Goth.net, and had a good old ramble about what a marvellous show it was. On Monday, I recieved a message from one of the actors who had been directed to my forum post and said that the director and cast had loved my "review" and could they please use it on their own website!

Well, I have to say, I am absolutely honoured! It may not be my best work as a writer, being as it was only ever intended as a casual chat about what a great time I had, but I had nothing but great things to say about the entire production and the director and cast were apparently very happy! I'm certainly very flattered!

Please take a look here: http://www.ccads-theatre.co.uk/previous/production/jeff-waynes-the-war-of-the-worlds

If you do get a chance to see this production from the CCADS at some point, then I highly recommend it. I am loathe to call it an "amateur production" as really there was nothing amateur about it- the show was brilliantly executed. While there certainly were lots of cool lights, projections and affects (and the magnificent Fighting Machine!), this was performed on a small stage with limited resources; nothing was overused for the sake of looking "flashy" and it was the skill of the actors and musicians that truly bought the story to life. Chaos, fear, hope and triumph was all bought onto the stage by the actors themselves, moving me to the very core.

I've been bitten by the theatre-bug now!

New Fancy-Schmanzy Emails

2011-06-09T11:14:00.002+01:00

We're changing the email newsletters system to new swanky one with pictures and graphics and lots of cool stuff like that.

If you're already signed up to our mailing list, I'm afraid you'll have to sign up again. If you're not on the mailing list yet, why not? We'll be sending out exclusive Coming Soon details, privy only to our subscribers, as well as all the latest news and articles.

Just hit the button below to make sure you're on the list!

Corp Goths and Belly Dancing!

2011-05-22T22:18:00.006+01:00

Has everyone read the new EGL interview with Corp Goth Dethany Dendrobia? Go look see on our main site now if you haven't yet! As a corporate Goth herself (remember the Corporate Goth article from a few months back :3 ), Blackavar really enjoyed the piece and hopes she can find success in work, just like Dethany!

Today's rambling, however, is about...belly-dance!

About a year ago, Blackavar was sliding across a Goth-club dance floor when a fellow dancer complimented her on her style, telling her that her moves looked slinky and "belly-dancer-like". Having been quite interested in the likes of dancers such as Rachel Brice and Serpentine, and "Tribal Fusion" belly dance (which is quite appealing to Goths due in part to the elaborate costuming often favoured by the dancers), Blackavar found herself a class to join and has been shimmying ever since!

Belly dance is often thought of as sexy but originates from middle-eastern folk dances. The style Blackavar is learning is Egyptian, which differs from other types due to its earthy "downward" style (in Turkish, for example, the lifting of the hips is a bouncier, upward motion, but in Egyptian, the emphasis is towards the ground). There are various types of belly dance, but the style normally associated with the Goth scene is normally Tribal or Tribal Fusion (fusion indicating that it is fused with another dance form). While still very similar to traditional belly dance (still incoporating the famous hip and belly movements and the isolation of upper and lower body) Tribal tends to be less static, involves more arm movement and is generally much more intensive. Dancer Rachel Brice's performances are an excellent example of American Tribal and fusion, and Blackavar has been in awe of her ever since renting out Tribal Fusion Belly Dance on DVD!

Blackavar rather enjoys dressing as a "gothic gypsy" and while she still has a lot to learn, has noticed an improvement in her coordination and generally feels physically healthier too! Belly dance is not an intensive exercise, so don't expect to shed pounds while doing it, but it is good for the body and tones the muscles (especially in the abdomen). Anyone of any age can do it, and it's great fun! Blackavar found her fabulous teacher, Shunnareh, through an Internet search of local teachers - but YouTube and website Belly Dance Boulevard also have some great video tutorials and tips!

Roller Derby: SXDG vs CRD

2011-05-13T20:38:00.000+01:00

Hot Wheels

2011-05-08T08:23:00.003+01:00

For just over a month, Keller and Madmut have been members of Somerset and Exeter Derby Girls (SXDG). The league currently has two teams; the Toytown Dolls in Taunton, Somerset and the Cherry Breakwells in Exeter, Devon, which is the team we are part of.

Today SXDG face opponents from the Cornwall Derby League in their very first bout, and EGL Magazine will be there to cheer them on and catch all the action.

Roller Derby is a relatively new and unheard of sport in the UK, although it is much better established over in America. The release of the movie Whip It brought wide recognition and interest to the sport with more people pulling on their skates.

We're still learning the basics, and it will be some time before we're ready for opponents (what with Keller still trying to stay on her feet!). While Madmut can't actually be part of the team, he can ref and, with the number of men practising with SXDG, there is talk of beginning a male derby team.

So keep an eye out for our upcoming roller derby coverage...

Merry Beltane/Mayday

2011-05-02T12:52:00.005+01:00

A long weekend once again for many, thanks to the combination of the Royal Wedding and Mayday bank-holiday. Yesterday, as some will know, was Beltane, and I hope those who celebrate it had an enjoyable time, lighting their fires. For myself, it was actually my birthday, so an enjoyable day of shopping and dinner with the family was had by us at the Blackavar household! I also don't need to be at work again for a couple of days, so more shopping and writing will be done to make good use of the time.

So here's hoping that May will be a good one for all- we have some interesting things coming up, events and the such (and who can forget that the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie is to be released on the 18th? I certainly am looking forward to that!) so lets hope this month will be an exciting one. Belated happy Beltane to all!

Living the Dream?

2011-04-29T12:31:00.004+01:00

This August will see the launch of a brand new rock festival down in our neck of the woods; Devonrox at Powderham Castle near Exeter. The tickets include overnight camping.

It did get me wondering about the increase in more comfortable and up-market camping alternatives at the big festivals - for a mere £6,100 you can even rent a Buspimp Luxury Bus at Download this year, complete with its own hot tub and HD flatscreen TV.

At weekend festivals, you can easily tell the people who simply have 1 day passes rather than camping tickets - they're the ones who actually look good!

So, are people becoming more used to their creature comforts, becoming less keen on 'roughing it'? Surely the overflowing portaloos are part of the whole festival experience, aren't they? Well, perhaps, but, speaking from experience, they're far from the highlight of it. There are a lot of hard-core festival goers who would say it's all part and parcel, but wouldn't they want their own hot tub given the chance?

Personally, I'd take the hot tub, or, indeed, any kind of accommodation that means I can use my hair straighteners. The music is the heart of the festival after all: so plonk me into the middle of that sweaty, surging crowd in front of some top live bands, and I won't feel at all like I'm missing out on something as I fall asleep in my luxury festival accommodation!

Rock and Roll is Multilingual

2011-04-26T18:39:00.002+01:00

The vast majority of our modern music has been imported from America and has nicely blended in amongst our home-grown talent. We've been able to laugh at the difference between our musical influences and those of our European cousins every year on the Eurovision Song Contest (until Lordi that is, who were fully capable of laughing along with us). But more and more these days we're turning our ears across the English Channel for our fix of rock and metal.

At EGL Magazine we get a lot of CDs to review from European bands; such as Lillith, Undecimber, Midnight Caine, Evestus, Kitty in a Casket and Eisheilig. In previous years, European bands have gently slipped across the border and surreptitiously edged their way into our CD collections, largely without us even noticing. They've sung in English (as ever there are exceptions, the biggest being, of course, Rammstein), they've sounded not that different from British bands, and they may have come dressed in some odd fashions, but then, so do all metal bands. But more recently, we're consciously seeking out the foreign bands. And with the ever growing Western obsession with modern Japanese culture, J-Rock bands are making a huge splash on our little island too. Of course, all of this interest in foreign bands is helped by the constant growth of the internet which makes all of them so much more accessible to us.

European bands have something that British bands don't; a darkly exotic edge. If you think about Germany, or Norway, or further east; Romania and Estonia, you think about huge, brooding forests with a backdrop of razor-sharp mountains, castles and ancient fairytales. Even when you can't understand the lyrics, you can totally appreciate the atmosphere. It's something that sparks our imagination and makes us re-establish our interest in our own country's gothic past, one that tends to become mundane because we see it every day.

Plus, of course, it's always pretty cool to be able to rave on about obscure bands your friends have never heard of.