2010 Zombie Calendar by Empty Room Studio

The times are tough so this is exactly just a type of stuff that you least think about when planning your budget for the next year but if you tell me this shit looks weak you're a joke. Whether you got the money or you just wanna take a look at it, Empty Room Studio released the zombie themed calendar for 2010 and it can be purchased here.
Empty Room Studios provides high quality illustration and writing services for the creative needs of companies and studios in the entertainment industry- namely comics, games and television/film.

And we are proud to announce one of the first of many ERS projects we’d like to share with all of you: our fans, our clients, our friends.

This project was designed for our artists to have fun, do something different and for ERS to showcase some of our best and most talented.

The shape of dread to come

There's nothing better in life than hardcore and horror. Here's a couple of upcoming flicks you should keep an eye on. Stylistically, they range from atmospheric and eerie stuff to straight up zombie action. Some of it I'm really looking forward to and some just caught my attention, nonetheless I've got a feeling all of them gonna be a good watch.

Survival of the Dead
On a small island off North America's coast, the dead rise to menace the living. Yet...the islanders can't bring themselves to exterminate their loved ones, despite the growing danger from those the once held dear. A rebel among them hunts down all the zombies he can find, only to be banished from the island for assassinating his neighbors and friends. On the mainland, bent on revenge, he encounters a small band of survivors in search of an oasis on which to build a new life. Barely surviving an attack from a mass of ravenous flesh-eaters, they commandeer a zombie-infested ferry and sail to the island. There, to their horror, they discover that the locals have chained the dead inside their homes, pretending to live 'normal' lives...with bloody consequences. What ensues is a desperate struggle for survival and the answer to a question never posed in Romero's Dead films: Can the living ever live in peace with the dead?


Ghost Machine
Thrill-seeking military technicians and computer-game enthusiasts Tom (Faris) and Vic (Ford) recklessly smuggle a top-secret, virtual warfare training programme out of their base and into a spooky disused jail, while a vengeful spirit infiltrates the software and draws them into an all-too-real game of life and death. When Special Forces trainee Jess (Taylor) tracks the group down she embarks on a rescue mission that will take her into a virtual world as deadly as any real war-zone as she becomes their only hope for survival.

Junkyard Dog
Inspired by actual events, JUNKYARD DOG is a gritty psychological thriller that delves the demented mind of a cannibalistic serial rapist who kidnaps his tenth victim in as many months on Halloween night.

JUNKYARD DOG tells the terror-filled tale of Audra Buckman, a nineteen year-old college co-ed, trapped in a month-long nightmare, struggling to stay alive and uneaten while being held captive, left half-starved and repeatedly savaged by JYD, an oddly charismatic, vicious man-eating monster. Audra's only hope of escape from this hell--and the mouth of a madman--is Samantha Deatherage, a tough FBI agent who is sent on a solo assignment to search for the missing girl.



Under the Dome
On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when--or if--it will go away.
Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens--town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing--even murder--to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.

Drifter
Four characters wake in a desert, disoriented and lost with no clue where they are or how they got there. All four have fresh surgical scars and are on the verge of death. As they run desperately through a labyrinth of realities, both past and present, their ties are revealed and they come to see that only one of them will survive.

Blood: a Butchers Tale
Blood: a Butchers Tale, is the harrowing tale of Sam, a simple butcher who discovers that the love of his life, Darcy, is being seduced by a vampire.
As he investigates further, Sam realizes that his destiny is to become the destroyer of this blood thirsty race. Sam begins a killing spree with the slaughter of his beloved wife, then her blood addicted lover.
Sam then makes it his duty to systematically destroy the remainder of the clan, until he hesitates about killing Lily (Campbell), the last of her race. Helplessly he falls in love with Lily and learns to respect her desire to be normal.
Eventually Sam must battle with the possibility of repopulating the planet, with the exact race he set out to destroy.

Descent 2
Distraught, confused, and half-wild with fear, Sarah Carter emerges alone from the Appalachian cave system where she encountered unspeakable terrors. Unable to plausibly explain to the authorities what happened – or why she’s covered in her friends’ blood – Sarah is forced back to the subterranean depths to help locate her five missing companions. As the rescue party drives deeper into uncharted caverns, nightmarish visions of the recent past begin to haunt Sarah and she starts to realize the full horror and futility of the mission. Subjected to the suspicion and mistrust of the group and confronted once more by the inbred, feral and savagely ruthless Crawlers, Sarah must draw on all her inner reserves of strength and courage in a desperate final struggle for deliverance and redemption.

Fever Night aka Band of Satanic Outsiders
Terry loves Elliot. Warren loves Terry and Elliot. Elliot loves Elliot. He used to love Terry. And when Warren decides to invite Elliot along on Terry’s Satanic ritual outing, all hell breaks loose.
Now they’re lost. Terry’s unconcious. Their car won’t start. So, when Elliot and Warren see an omnipotent light, they gotta get there - but Terry must have been dragged off or something, so they have to go find her and bring her dead ass back to the goddamn car ‘cause the light’s too far to carry her.
Along the way, they encounter the frightful and ghoulish reckonings of their night’s work: Terry is neither dead nor alive, crows seem to be exploding without the aid of Alka-Seltzer, and Satan might be on hard drugs.
Can Elliot and Warren trudge the bowels of Hell to the Light of Salvation, or will they succumb to their most Satanic desires?



Reykjavic Whale Watching Massacre
When a group of whale watching tourists find themselves stranded at sea on a stalled boat, their only chance of rescue comes in the form of an old whaling ship.
Not long after they board, it's clear that the crew that saved them are crazed lunatics and so begins a horrific rampage that covers the deck in blood. Each tourist finds themselves in a nightmarish battle to survive and get to dry land before the sick whalers make chum out of them.

Self Respect - Raz Na Zawsze


Show Of Force

"The overall message is that this world is fucked up. It’s not just the constant threat of war or diseases that these so called governments are shoving down your throat. But you also have to deal with all sorts of day to day crap. I say burn it all down and start fresh."
"The overall message is that this world is fucked up. It’s not just the constant threat of war or diseases that these so called governments are shoving down your throat. But you also have to deal with all sorts of day to day crap. I say burn it all down and start fresh."
Could you please introduce Show Of Force to our readers? How did you meet and how long have you all been a band?

We’re Show Of Force and we’re from Holland. I’ve met this crazy French guy called Sebastien at work and he was into the same kind of hardcore as I am.So he said we should start a band. I called up Joost who I knew from our previous band and found a new drummer called Tijs. We started rehearsing in early 2007. The crazy French guy emigrated to Australia and Cas has since then replaced him.

Is it your first band or were or still are any of you in side-projects?

Joost (bass) and me (vocals) were in a metalcore band called Stone Cold that started in 1995 and lasted until 2002. We released a DIY EP and a full length album on Gangstyle records. Check out myspace.com/stonecoldrip for some tunes. We’re doing a thrash metal side project with some old members. Our guitar player also plays in a metalcore act called Burn Brighter check it on www.myspace.com/burnbrightermusic. And our drummer plays with himself in his spare time hahaha.

Your debut EP has just been released recently via Real Recognizes Real records. How do you feel about the finished product and the response it has been getting?

We’re satisfied with the end product. The overall sound is hard and aggressive. But we’re looking ahead and working on new tracks so hopefully we’ll be able to hit the studio in early 2010.
Reactions have been very positive thus far. Older guys recognize the sound and younger kids are enthusiastic because you don’t have a lot of bands around that still play this style.

Do you have a favorite song on the EP?

Sentenced To Death. It has this old school, even a bit melodic vibe to it but also has this pounding mosh part. Also the lyrics and the sample at the end came out really well.

How would you describe the lyrics on the album? Is there any message you would like to get across to the listener or it’s more personal stuff?

The overall message is that this world is fucked up. It’s not just the constant threat of war or diseases that these so called governments are shoving down your throat.
But you also have to deal with all sorts of day to day crap. I say burn it all down and start fresh.

Would you say the hardcore music is therapeutic to you, like you can have your say and just get some things off your chest?

Yes. I’ve been in bands since I’ve been 14 years old. And screaming your lungs out at least once a week is very therapeutic. I could recommend it to anybody.Also other band related issues that need to happen keep you busy. I don’t want to think about what I would be doing without it.

One thing that I like when listening to your songs is that it somehow sounds fresh at the same being deeply rooted in the traditions of the genre. How do you go about, when writing new material? Where do you try to find your influences?

Our main goal when we started this band was to bring back that 90’s hardcore sound which we all grew up on. But at the same time have that brutal hardcore sound you have nowadays. Joost comes up with the music and I write the lyrics. Influences are of course NYHC bands like Madball, Killing Time, Cro-Mags, Bulldoze, Breakdown, Merauder....etc. But also that Cleveland sound from bands like Integrity, One Life Crew, Ringworm. Basically bands that make you want to destroy everything around you.

Your EP is distributed by Allhiphopshop.com. How this collaboration did come about?

The owner of Allhiphopshop.com used to play guitar in our old band Stone Cold. We always kept in touch and in the meantime he started to sell hiphop and hardcore albums through his shop. Eventually he also started Real Recognizes Real records and he put out records for Danny Diablo and the Shotblockers.
Then we recorded our EP and he offered to bring it out on RRR. He’s got all the contacts so that’s very helpful. Also check out the new albums for Grizz Rock and Skam Dust coming out soon on RRR.

How important is playing shows for the band and basically giving a good performance? Are gigs more of the fun or rather hard work for you?

Very important. You can be the tightest band in the world but if you don’t deliver on stage you might as well go do something else especially in hardcore. I remember the first time I saw a hardcore band on stage it blew me away. Before that I only saw metal bands but those dudes mostly stand there banging their heads. Cool but not the same. We want to keep it fun and want to play shows with hardcore bands and a hardcore crowd. So we’re more picky and don’t play every shit hole for a couple of bucks each weekend like we did back in the days.

If you could put together a show with any band of your choice, what would this band look like?

Killing Time with Anthony Comunale on vocals. I saw them this year at the New York Hardcore Superbowl and his voice is amazing. One of the greatest hardcore bands that is still playing. They did a European tour a while ago but with a different singer. I think a lot of people would come out to see this.

There always has been pretty massive hardcore scene in The Netherlands. What’s happening with it now? What are some of the bands kids should check out?

I think it’s getting better. There was a period when there was not a lot going on in the scene. Nowadays the bigger bands still draw a crowd and there’s a lot of new bands coming up. So hopefully there will be a next big hardcore wave like we had in the 80’s and 90’s.Metalcore is getting bigger and bigger but a lot of these kids have no idea where it came from. Also the bands are drifting away from the hardcore sound. Dutch bands to look out for are All For Nothing, New Morality, Strike First and us of course.

What do you think is it about hardcore that make it a lifestyle to kids all around the globe?

It appeals to kids because of the rebellious nature of hardcore. Ideal when you’re young and you want to listen to something different then that top 40 bullshit. Hopefully you pick up some different views about life in the meantime. That you can apply in your personal life later on.

Plans, gigs and releases planned for the rest of 2009 and beyond?

We got some shows planned and writing new material. So hopefully we’ll hit the studio next year.

Wrapping up this interview please tell the kids why they should go out and cop your debut EP?

Check it out if your into no nonsense hardcore like it used to be made. Order it online at www.allhiphopshop.com and check out some tunes at www.showofforcehardcore.com.

x Represent x / The Pledge / x The War x - split EP

This short EP comes with more than its fair of sharp moments and a lot to enjoy if you like your hardcore served raw and heavy. Every band here is relentless and tight as they just pound their way through their songs.
Right from the first band it is plain to see that the album will be an engaging ride. I’ve already known xRepresentx so I knew what to expect. The band doesn’t disappoint this time with their fast and right in your face hardcore. The straight edge message is pretty clear and they don’t beat around the bush with their drug free ethics. The Pledge is the only band here I haven’t been familiar with. Their style is more traditional old school and there are more emotions in what they do compared to the rest of the pack. Although both of their songs don’t go over about 90 seconds mark, there are some good ideas going on here with nice use of gang vocals, danceable beats , slick melodies and catchy choruses. Next comes the Aussie most wanted - xThe Warx. Their songs definitely got more beefy production and sound the heaviest here. Since time is limited the band wastes no time and from the first notes dives into the moshpit extravaganza. The riffs are heavy, the rhythm section beats even heavier and the vocals downright hostile. This is the band that got a lot of potential and I hope they will get the recognition they deserve.

The key word here is straight edge. I know some might say these bands are little heavy-handed or judgmental and I can agree that preachiness in hardcore can sometimes be off-putting, but in my opinion they manage to find a right balance. Every band here sounds aggressive without being boring and honest without being pretentious. The result is EP of very honest and thrilling hardcore that busts ahead and takes your attention along with it.

PS. Apart from Pledge all of these bands have released new albums in recent time so don’t forget to check them out.

Author: Dloogi

Label:Seventh Dagger

Year: 2009

Trashed: The Webcomic

Here's Trashed, the online comic from Derf, widely known for his hilarious 'The City' and 'Punk Rock and Trailer Parks' strips. This one tales the semi-autobiographical story of working at one of the most shitty jobs you can imagine, garbageman. It's funny and damn true. The author itself got a punk rock background, being in the movement in the 70'. This is nothing new really, but if you're into comic books or punk rock or got shitty job yourself you might find this interesting.
Here's the official description of the series:
The original Eisner-nominated graphic novella, a hilarious, stomach-churning memoir of the unforgettable period 19-year-old Derf spent as a garbageman in his small Ohio hometown.

Follow Derf and his partner, Mike, as they struggle with exploding garbage bags, idiot co-workers, an oppressive boss, bizarre townfolk, the weather and pile after pile of reeking, maggot-covered garbage.

In TRASHED, Derf lovingly recounts the nauseating details of the shit job that sets the standard for all shit jobs. Climb aboard the clanking garbage truck named Cyclops for a ride you won't soon forget!

Wisdom In Chains - S/T

Prior to release of the brand new album from these guys, Swellcreek/Superhero records decided it was a good time to remind the kids how it all got started. So here it is, reissue of their very first self titled album.
This baby was originally released in 2003 on Gangstyle (now GRS) label. I guess most of kids are more familiar with band’s successful releases Die Young or Class War so I think the best way to describe this debut album is to say that it is basically among the same lines as the mentioned above. All the elements they mastered to perfection on their later albums are here. So if you haven’t heard about this band yet, which is pretty hard to believe, Wisdom In Chains plays old school hardcore with fast beats, punk rock flavor and a lot of singalongs. They get right to the heart of what makes a good hardcore with strong songs that bear the right amount of melody, speed and groove. With this band there's always a huge catchy chorus to wave your fist in the air and shout along to.

Comparing this album to their later ones it’s interesting to hear the natural progression of a band. Their ability to write better, more consistent and detailed song have grown with each release. Even if it’s not as varied as on their next albums, it’s still a pretty damn good listen and these songs haven’t really aged that much. They keep their compositions pretty versatile and dynamic all the way but without losing the aggressive edge.


Author: Dloogi

Label:Swell Creek/Superhero

Year: 2009

Two bad ass animations from Diluvio Gallery

This exhibition started actually in March but it's just in recent days that I came across it. These short movies were created by Niles Atallah, Joaquin Cociña and Cristóbal León. I'm no way into art but I dig some slick, dark images from time to time and this stuff is pretty disturbing.
Lucía, Luis y el lobo (Lucia, Luis and the Wolf) is a video installation in “Sala Cero” on the 2nd floor of Galería Animal (Animal Gallery) in Santiago, Chile. The exhibition is made up of the short films Lucía and Luis that are projected on a wall in the gallery as well as a series of other short animations shown on small screens in a pile of dirt and furniture. The exhibition closes the first stage of an animation project formed by Atallah, Cociña and León. The next stage will be a feature film called La casa lobo (The Wolf House), preparations for the film will start later this year.


Lucía is the 1st short video of the 2-part series “Lucía, Luis y el lobo” (”Lucía, Luis and the Wolf”). The video was shot frame by frame with a digital photo camera. Materials: charcoal, dirt, flowers, found objects and cardboard.


LUCIA from diluvio on Vimeo.

Luis is the 2nd short video of the series “Lucía, Luis y el lobo” (”Lucía, Luis and the Wolf”), it is a follow-up to the short video Lucía. The video was shot frame by frame with a digital photo camera. Materials: charcoal, dirt, flowers, found objects and cardboard.


LUIS from diluvio on Vimeo.

Click here for more info.

After the Wall Tumbled and other stories...

So the Berlin Wall has crumbled down and communism was almost defeated, but no way does it mean that the world's problems are over. Here's the selection of articles that caught my eye recenty:

After the Wall Tumbled - In 1989, Central Europe's fate was supposed to be uncertain and bleak. Today the region prospers more than ever - Slate.com

The Lessons of 1989The fall of the Berlin Wall is a reminder of the duty of solidarity. - Slate.com

Sex, Drugs and Alcohol Among World's Big Killers, WHO Says - Foxnews

More Kids = More Happiness? - doublex.com

How Superman Defeated The Ku Klux Klan - IO9.com

Wife Tries to Kill Husband Over Muslim Principles, Cops Say - Foxnews

China rescues kidnapped children - BBC

Sudan: End Rights Abuses, Repression - Human Rights Watch

Russia: Stop Collective Punishment in Chechnya - Human Rights Watch

An Uncivil Approach to Civil Society: Continuing State Curbs on Independent NGOs and Activists in Russia - Human Rights Watch

Downturn is 'climate opportunity' - BBC

Everyday Dollars - Before The Supply

Compared to a lot of stuff that is being released nowadays, Everyday Dollars opts for a more punk-edged sound with a hint of oi! now and then. The songs possess the right amount of melody, aggression and intensity. Cuts like Supply And Demand, Nothing To Happen or Now It’s Time is the essence of how hardcore should be played.
Lyrically, the vocalist Rob does drop some great and honest verses. They’ve got a down-to-earth, real-person type feel to them everybody can relate to. Apart from the music itself, the lyrical content of this album is the main element that makes me think of Warzone when I’m listening to this. In fact, Everyday Dollars is not hiding the fact that this band was a huge influence on their music when they sampled Ray’s voice on Now It’s Time, making this track a definite highlight of the album. Somehow, both in music and lyrics, this album maintain a feel of hope or optimism and kind of set me in a positive mind frame.

I really fucking regret that I slept on this album for over a year. If you like straight and powerful hardcore with a melodic touch and a honest, real life message, don’t make a same mistake and grab it as soon as you can. I tried to find just anything to pick up here but failed miserably. This is the type of album that will make you mosh around your room like you were kid again. I can’t stop listening to this album, and it just keeps getting better with every spin.

Author: Dloogi

Label:Swell Creek/Superhero

Year: 2008