DISDEINEN.NET - terrifying artwork, chilling discussion

Open Grave: The Book of Horror

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:56:47 -0700

I have a rather ambivalent relationship with Gothic writing. I've read my share (and continue to do so), but I seem to have difficulty finding authors that are able to create an engaging tale without reverting to unbearably verbose dialogue. So it was with some expectation of tedium that I began reading "Open Grave: The Book of Horror" by Jeani Rector.

I was pleasantly surprised.

The book is effectively split in two: the first half short stories, the second a novella. I found the short stories engaging -- the consistent pace and economical writing made them very memorable, and I must say the author is obviously unafraid of taking risks in the Gothic genre (as can be seen in "The Burial", which is based on Native American rituals).

It's Halloween!... time to learn about Vampire Bats!

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:22:29 -0700

"Any mad scientists planning to genetically engineer Dracula this Halloween should look to the vampire bat for inspiration. New research pinpoints some of the genetic changes that allowed them to evolve to subsist on a diet of pure blood..."

Read the full article here.

Absinthe Overview

Thu, 9 Oct 2008 18:45:04 -0700

Over the course of the past several years I have tried a number of Absinthe brands, and this past weekend hosted a small gathering where we sampled several... including Taboo. For those of you who have never tried Absinthe, I will provide a bit of background and a brief summary of what is commonly available.

First, Absinthe is not the mystical/halucinogenic/poisonous/horrible drink that popular culture would have you believe it to be. Some people have indeed had unfortunately Absinthe experiences, generally due to poor preparation or sampling a less-than-stellar brand.

The prevalent misconception is that Absinthe has hallucinogenic qualities, due in part to some magical ingredient called "Wormwood". Wormwood is known to contain the chemical Thujone, which is attributed to the psychedelic qualities associated with Absinthe. In fact, recent studies have proven that traditional Absinthe contained very small amounts of Thujone. To put the issue in perspective, a person would sucumb to alcohol poisoning long before the effects of Thujone could produce any life-threatening effects.

So, what is Abinthe like? The predominant flavor is licorice, with perhaps a small amount of bitterness (depending on the brand).

The most recent brand I have tried is Taboo, produced in British Columbia, Canada. This is quite possibly the nicest brand I have found -- the flavor is excellent, and is not as sweet as Absente. If you are looking for a brand that actually benefits from the addition of sweetener (water poured over a sugar cube, if serving traditionally), then this is one you must try.

Brand	Description	Quality
Green Tree	Hold your nose when you open it... the overall experience is a drink that is reasonably sweet, but tends to burn going down. Overall, not pleasant.	1/10
Hill's	About the same as Green Tree	1/10
Absente	Produces a nice louche, is very sweet but has a smooth finish. Benefits from the addition of Wormwood extract.	9/10
Taboo	Like Absente, this produces a nice louche. Not as sweet as Absente, and tends to not linger on the palate. May benefit from the addition of Wormwood extract, depending on your taste.	10/10

Undead Goth

Wed, 3 Sep 2008 17:13:31 -0700

From College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, University of Illinois

Unlike other cultural trends, goth has staying power.

First came punk. Then came goth. Then came decades of goth, even as less enduring cultural phenomena of its period went the way of Sid Vicious and the Sex Pistols. Goth, it seems, in all its dark contrast to mainstream society, has a niche.

That's the conclusion reached by Lauren Goodlad, a professor of English at the University of Illinois, and Michael Bibby, a professor of English at Shippensburg University, who studied the goth subculture. Some 25 years after its emergence as an offshoot of punk rock, they say, goth is undead.

Gothic Cooking

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 18:45:07 -0700

Well, perhaps not strictly-speaking "Gothic", but certainly Victorian. There are numerous resources on the internet for anyone interested in 19th-century cooking, but many recipes are impractical for two reasons:

the ingredients are obscure
the quantities are enormous

What I've compiled here are recipes that would be practical for the 21st-century Goth with Victorian tastes (who doesn't have Victorian taste?)... you won't need a large or terribly well-stocked kitchen, just the inclination to obtain the ingredients and spend some time on the preparation.

Convergence 15

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 17:31:55 -0700

It looks as though Seattle, Long Beach, and Omaha are the choices for Convergence 15. I suspect it will come down to Seattle and Long Beach, and I think both would be good locations. Seattle has of course hosted Convergence before, so there's a good chance they would put on an even better event the second time around.

Check out the bid websites:

Seattle

Long Beach

Omaha

For more information on Convergence, the bidding/voting process, and to register to vote, visit the altgothic website.

Abney Park, September 26th

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:31:08 -0700

Abney Park will be playing at Heaven on September 26th. Show is at 9pm, 172 South Washington Street. I am so excitited! See you there!

Click here for more details, or go to the Abney Park website!

Tim Burton directing Alice in Wonderland

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:46:43 -0700

Tim Burton will be directing an adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland -- filming is set to begin in November.

I remember reading a while ago (maybe a year or more) that there was some interest from a Hollywood studio in turning American McGee's Alice into a feature film. This might not be the same project, but I'm sure it will be nice and spooky ;-)

Dark Games of Yesteryear

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 12:39:23 -0700

Video games have changed a lot over the years, both graphically and in terms of content. As the technology improved and more realistic games became possible, game developers realized they could set a mood. Atmosphere can be a huge advantage in gameplay, as it can involve the player on an emotional level.

Over the years a few games have stood out for me as being particularly good at creating an environment that is memorable, frightening, and darkly beautiful.

This is not an exhaustive list of games, so please comment with your own experiences!

9 (AKA "The Last Resort")

Released in 1995, 9 followed the familiar CD-ROM-based adventure model. The game took advantage of high-quality QuickTime video and graphically rich pre-rendered 3D environments.

While the puzzles and cast of the game (made up of several well-known Hollywood stars) are uniformly excellent, it is the graphics that set this game apart. In a brilliant move on the part of the designers, they employed the talents of Mark Ryden to great effect.

Surreal and creepy, I often found myself stopping just to enjoy the graphics and artwork displayed throughout the game.

Abney Park

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 17:59:15 -0700

Seattle, WA band Abney Park wants to take you back... to the Industrial Revolution and Victorian days, when machines were something new to the human experience.

Abney Park has been present in the Goth scene since 1997 (or before!), and continue to impress -- whether you think of them as Goth, Industrial, or Steampunk, there is something to like in their music.

Some of their more recent music is very heavy with guitar, but still relates nicely to songs such as Stigmata Martyr with it's Middle Eastern feel. Perhaps the most striking thing about the music is the contrast of deep male and ethereal female vocals -- there is no harsh delivery here, just carefully crafted and beautiful melodies.

Voltaire at Descent Sundays

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:59:15 -0700

Descent (every Sunday at the Red Room in Vancouver) celebrated it's one-year anniversary August 17th, and to mark the occasion hosted Voltaire

The show got off to a slow -- albeit amusing -- start as Voltaire treated the audience to his dry wit while doing an impromptu sound-check. After the technical issues were sorted out the show got underway, and did not disappoint.

Some of the old classics were performed, and a few very amusing stories were told over the course of the set. One thing is certain: the audience was completely engaged by the performance, and that speaks well to Voltaire's ability as a solo performer in these days of elaborate stage theatrics.

Following the set the evening continued with a good selection of industrial and darkwave -- if you are looking for a good club outing on a Sunday evening, definitely check out Descent at the Red Room.

See pictures from the show at GothicBC.

One Missed Call

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:29:32 -0700

Another Japanese horror film remake... the question is: will it retain that subtle creepiness that seems to be a signature of the Japanese originals?

In any case, it looks like it may contain a few good visuals...

Absinthe Finery

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:21:11 -0700

The Absinthe fountain project is complete!

In addition to the treatment of the base, the spigots and lid were treated with a (imitation) pewter finish. In order to complete the look I applied some aging to the glass reservoir -- all parts have been clear-coated in order to ensure the finish doesn't rub off with use.

Vancouver Zombie Walk 2008 images are up!

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 11:48:41 -0700

See the photos from this years' Zombie Walk in the galleries!

It's coming!...

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 18:43:06 -0700