MONSTERS. METAL. ROCKERS.

HALLOWEEN SPECIAL!!!

HMS: The Magazine Edition October 2013

YOUR ONE STOP FOR HORROR AND HEAVY METAL

KENNETH GALLANT | RICHARD LEGGATT | JEREMY KELLY | BILLY LAROUQE | MATT COE | AARON HAUSER

www.horrormetalsounds.com

Anthrax plays Stephen King

TOYS! with Aaron Hauser

Rocktober Blood!

KiLLeR DWaRfS Reunited!Cry Little Sister

Artist spotlight on

Steve McGinnis

dead meat

The Internet is chock full of websites devoted to horror films and heavy metal music. You can spend hours patrolling site after site, devouring reviews, interviews and getting firsthand coverage of what is going on in the film and music industries. Many of these

sites come and go, but as you read through my editorial I am hoping to impress upon you the importance of what my website is bringing to the table.I have always been passionate about horror movies and heavy metal, and my love reaches far back into the past. I can remember being enthralled by Universal’s Son of Frankenstein, freaking out over Karloff’s menacing portrayal as the mummy, and going ape shit when Vincent Price cleverly dispatched a group of arrogant theatre critics in Theatre of Blood. Then there was Godzilla and all his monstrous cohorts, Harryhausen’s Gwangi and Creature from the Black Lagoon swimming around in my memory like it was just yesterday. I remember watching these horrific monsters do their thing, and many of these cinematic beasties have stayed with me as I grew into adulthood. I still love to get scared and there’s nothing better than getting your blood pumping and heart racing. So having said all that, the monsters of my youth have shaped me into who I have become today. I’ve been influenced to certain degrees and it filters down into my artwork, my short films and my writing, proving that the monster kid in me has never gone away. In fact my passions have strengthened in recent years, now that I have carved a niche as a music journalist, affording me some great opportunities to review and interview my heavy metal heroes. I’ve come to realize that my passions towards heavy metal have substantially grown into my main focus, and after a number of stints with various other webzines, I came to the proverbial fork in the road. Which brings me back to my original point and as a passionate soul; I’ve decided to combine these two great loves. Horror and heavy metal go hand in hand, I’ve said this a million times already, so I’ve decided to put my money where my mouth is. I went out and rounded up a group of spirited and devoted individuals who love both genres as much as I do. The assembled team is here to help make this website your one stop for horror and heavy metal, and as the editor I aim to mold and shape the bevy of opinions, reviews and interviews each and every month into an exciting webzine. Once you stop by, I guarantee you won’t want to leave and I hope Horror Metal Sounds becomes your main addiction. We’re here to stay and I want to welcome all the monster kids and metalheads to a place for hanging out and reveling in all the gory details. Horror Metal Sounds is going to be my personal playground, so get ready to bang your head and spew copious amounts of blood when you enter, because I promise you one hell of a ride!

Kenneth Gallant, Editor HMS

HORROR METAL SOUNDSHorror Metal Sounds is the place to be. It is your one stop for all your horror and heavy metal needs, and we aim to bring you the best reviews, interviews, opinion pieces and artist galleries all in the name of Metalsploitation.

STAFFKenneth GallantEditorhorrormetalsounds@gmail.com

Richard LeggattDesignerhorrormetalsounds@gmail.com

Jeremy KellyColumnist/Film Criticvtr0n.jeremy@gmail.com

Billy LarouqeColumnistClajobo@Yahoo.com

Matt CoeMusic Criticmsc2471@comcast.net

Aaron HauserToy ConsultantReelRetro87@Yahoo.com

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I had been planning this piece for another publication, but sometimes things don’t go as planned. The idea was going to be an examination of an 80’s horror film called Pledge Night – which had a small role for Anthrax vocalist Joey Belladonna.Anthrax even had their music used in the soundtrack score, so along with Belladonna’s brief cameo appearance (as Acid Sid) the film made for an interesting write-up. At least that’s what I had thought.I had tried (unsuccessfully) to reach out to Belladonna for an interview, so ultimately the piece got shelved when all my attempts failed. That didn’t stop me though, since starting HMS I figured this was the chance to revisit the piece and come up with a fresh slant in the process. What you are now getting is a look back into the year 1987 when Anthrax released their third studio recording “Among the Living” to great acclaim.The album is significant in many ways. It consistently gets lumped into top 10 lists for the best thrash albums of all time and it put Anthrax into the limelight as one of the “big four” of the thrash metal movement. The band really found their niche on this release and it showed in the complexity of the songs, plus the veracity of hardcore riffing and balls-out headbanging found on almost every track made it an instant classic with thrash fans. For me though, Among the Living is not only my favorite thrash album of all time, but it’s also an album that wasn’t afraid to wear the influences of horror films and comic books with pride on it’s sleeves. For instance, the title track “Among the Living” is based on the Stephen King novel The Stand. The lyrics make reference to “The Walkin Dude” and the virus “Captain Trips” that decimates the population in the book. Also the cover art done by the late Don Brautigam depicts Henry Kane from Poltergeist 2, done so at the request of the band because it was the one thing that scared them the most. Then of course Stephen King’s horrific ideas are referenced again in “A Skeleton in the Closet” as the song sources the author’s Apt Pupil short from the novella Different Seasons. Finally, the song “I am the Law” is about the band’s favorite comic book character Judge Dredd and has since gone on to become a staple in the band’s live set.The most telling thing about the band’s interests in horror films is revealed on the back cover of the CD booklet. It shows the band standing in the NY subway tunnel and you can see drummer Charlie Benante wearing a Day of the Dead t-shit from George Romero’s famous zombie film trilogy. They were obviously horror fans and it goes to prove that horror films and heavy metal go hand in hand. It

didn’t stop there though, especially when you see photos of guitarist Scott Ian and drummer Charlie Benante posing with Freddy Krueger on a promo shoot with their side project S.O.D. for the song “Freddy Krueger” recorded in 1985.

“...the title track ‘Among the Living’ is based on the Stephen King novel The Stand”Facts like these are priceless and it just goes to show you how one genre can influence another genre, proving crossovers were all the rage in the 80’s. In this decade kids actually read horror novels and comic books and you didn’t have video game consoles, iPods, iPhones or e-Readers to fill up the majority of your free time. The decade seemed more tactile and the horror genre reached new levels of popularity mass producing paperbacks from authors like Stephen King, Clive Barker, Ann Rice, Ramsay Campbell and Dean R. Koontz just to name a few. It was a period I thoroughly enjoyed because I got into reading horror books and hearing my favorite metal bands get in on the act too. It went hand in hand at the time and Anthrax wasn’t the only band to get in on the festivities, but they certainly got me started on loving both genres so much more.

Kenneth Gallant, Editor HMS

Killer Dwarfs – The Rockpile EastFor anyone who grew up in Toronto during the 80’s the Killer Dwarfs were the darlings of the Canadian metal scene. The group was led by the boundless energy of vocalist Russ Dwarf, who helped to bring the band to great acclaim with such hits as “Stand Tall,” “Keep the Spirit Alive” and “We Stand Alone.”They were signed to Epic Records and released a trio of albums before breaking up after getting dropped from the label in the mid 90’s. The band did reunite in 2001 to play a special one off show in Toronto, recording the concert for a live CD called “Reunion of Scribes,” but after that the band went back on hiatus.

Twelve years have now passed since that show, and wouldn’t you know the Dwarfs are back in business resurfacing once more to support a new release. The album in question - “Start @ One” was originally recorded at Powerlines Studio in 1993 and never released until now. With that album now sent out into the world, the Dwarfs decided to go out and support the long lost record with a series of concert dates that kicked off last month in the States. Tonight though, they make their hometown stop at the new Rock Pile East in Scarborough, helping to celebrate the grand opening of the new club.

The Rock Pile is the brain child of Dominic Tassielli who once owned the Big Bop nightclub in downtown Toronto. The club closed down in 2010 and soon after he was back in business again with the grand opening of the Rock Pile in Mississauga, Ontario. Rock Pile West as it is now known as, was home to many great rock and metal acts and it didn’t take long before the expansion of the franchise into the east end of Toronto was warranted. Scarborough is the obvious choice for the club’s latest expansion, given the rich history of metal acts spawned in the area. Sacrifice is the one big band that comes to mind and there are many more that have come and gone since.

As for the opening night festivities, the crowd started gathering out front of the club around 7:30pm and waited patiently for the doors to open up for the very first time. But once those doors flipped open, the crowd of mostly over 40 year old fans stormed into the bowels of the club, ordered drinks in excessive numbers and got ready for a night of some solid heavy metal. It didn’t take long before the first of 4 opening acts took to the stage and appeased the raucous audience. We started off with long time metal act Mortal Fear, then followed by Flux440, Born Emotionally Dead and then capped off by Diemonds.

Just shortly after midnight, the Killer Dwarfs came to the stage, opening with a rousing version of “Stand Tall.” This classic number really got the crowd into it and from there Russ and the boys ran through several great cuts from past albums. What was obvious from the start was how great and energetic they looked and sounded, and Russ Dwarf stole the show as far as I am concerned. He was bouncing around on stage like he was still back in the 80’s and his voice remained steady while reaching those high notes - the dude still had it!

“Russ Dwarf stole the show as far as I am concerned”Some of the standout numbers from their 90 minute set included: a really strong performance on “Union of Pride” from the album Big Deal and “Nothin’ Gets Nothin’” from Dirty Weapons really stood out. At this point Russ was interacting with the crowd and doing some crowd surfing, as the fans truly bought into his stage performance. From there they played the title track “Start @ One” from the new record and then poured some positive energy into “Comin’ Through” from Dirty Weapons. They closed the show with the spirited “Keep the Spirit Alive” and finally came back to do “Dirty Weapons” as the encore number to finish the night off.

The show finished around 1:30am, but it was well worth it, given how great the Dwarfs sounded on stage. It was like they never really left and I think, as a reunion show goes, this is as good as it will get with them. Russ did say after the show that the band would be returning next year in early February for another show at the Rock Pile East, so yours truly will definitely be there to keep the spirit alive!

Kenneth Gallant, Editor HMS

Thou Shall Not FallIt’s amazing all that goes into making your favorite movie. A lot of people give credit to, say a Tom Hanks performance, or a Clint Eastwood script. There are also memorable scenes, like Phoebe Cates getting out of the pool in Fast Times In Ridgemont High.Yeah, we all have good memories of Phoebe Cates. In the grand scheme of things though, these are all very small things that make up a movie. As Alfred Hitchcock said on directing, only about 40% of his vision ends up on the finished product. Which means there is 60% more of what the director doesn’t control. One thing that I always loved was the movie theme songs.Every time I hear the Jurassic Park score I think of a giant T-Rex and raptors stalking the cast. Another is the Robocop theme - takes me to a dystopian Detroit where the dollar is king and only a few stand up for justice. Rocky harkens back to the training montages and hard times before a big title fight that also seems to be a metaphor of Rocky’s life. The last one, and the equal to the song I’m about to cover is the Terminator 2 theme song. The beginning percussions paint a picture of a nuclear war torn world, where a child’s swing blows in the fallout winds, melding into the thought of a world changing battle between robots to save a boy who could be the savior of our world. The melody starts and there’s a feeling of human sacrifice, of robotic oppression, or of Arnold Schwarzenegger kicking ass and blowing stuff up. All of this harkens towards the melodies played.The only other song to invoke emotion like the Terminator theme, was Cry Little Sister, the theme from The Lost Boys by Gerard McMann. The Lost Boys had its light hearted moments, but for every laugh Keiffer Sutherland and his tribe were lurking in the shadows to keep you from becoming complacent. When I hear this, I think of the sky shots of the boardwalk, the cave they lived in, I think of Keiffer Sutherland’s ringleader personality; the way he was a Sid Vicious to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The perfect example of how an anti-establishment punk should look and act. Even if he wasn’t a vampire, he would still be the perfect antagonist to Jason Patrick’s character. Hell he’d be the perfect antagonist to society in general. All of this runs through my head when I hear the drums that lead into a minimalistic melody to a chorus backed by a children’s choir. Paints the perfect picture of a new, Bauhaus era of gothic music to showcase the new era or new take on the modern vampire. I really think that it’s this song that separates this film from other vampire outings in the 80’s. The other two vampire juggernauts were Near Dark and Fright Night. Today it wouldn’t matter if a theme song was better in one movie

or another, but cinema was different back then. A lot of movies struggled to find an identity, so it was a novel idea for soundtrack or a videogame to put it over the competition. The Lost Boys had a classic soundtrack, even by big-budgeted Hollywood standards. It was backed by Elton John’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go down on Me” and Echo and The Bunnymen covered The Door’s “People Are Strange”. The Echo and The Bunnymen track led me to their albums.

“When I hear this, I think of the sky shots of the boardwalk...”But now, a few decades later Cry Little Sister is still a staple, in rock and goth music. Here’s a list of all the artists who’ve covered this song. It’s pretty long:

Mystic Circle, as a bonus track on their 2002 album “Damien”Zug Izland, on their 2003 album “Cracked Tiles”Carfax Abbey, on their 2004 album “Second Skin”Blutengel, on their 2005 album “The Oxidising Angel”Aiden, on the soundtrack of the sequel film Lost Boys: The TribeNikki McKibbin, on her 2007 album, “Unleashed”Vesperian Sorrow, on their 2007 album, “Regenesis Creation” (One of two bonus tracks)Ventana, on their 2009 album, “American Survival Guide Vol. 1”LA Guns, on their 2009 Album “Covered in Guns”I WIll Never Be The Same, on his 2009 album “Standby”Rikets on their 2010 Album “All American Death Cult”Seasons After, on their 2010 album “Through Tomorrow”This is the only charted cover of the song, reaching #20 on the Mainstream Rock charts.Eminem samples the track on his song “You’re Never Over”

on his 2010 album “Recovery”Joe Budden samples the track on his song “Thou Shall Not Fall” on his 2007 mix tape/album Mood Muzik 3Tangerine Dream, in their 2010 album “Under Cover” - Chapter OneLil B samples the track on the song “Unchain Me” on his 2011 album “I’m Gay”.Lost Children covered the song in 2012.The Anix, on their 2011 album “Sleepwalker”Celldweller released a “Klash-Up” in October 2012, featuring incidental music titled Hello Zepp from the first Saw movie.

This is all that’s listed on Wikipedia but I think they might have forgotten a few. This list has some prolific artists, while most are new bands doing a cover of it on their first album. Covers sell. I own a few of these records, and I love the Seasons After version and the Carfax Abbey version. Seasons After being the best for rock, and Carfax Abbey takes care of the goth. I listen to both versions every day.

There were a lot of people, though, that I was surprised to see on the list. I didn’t know Eminem used samples, although I wasn’t too surprised. Checking these songs out I found most of them are very generic covers, but the number of people covering the song show an astounding following of The Lost Boys film. I even think that it shows some renewed interest since most of the covers are pretty recent.

I love The Lost Boys, but if the theme music is indicative to what other people think, then the movie is way more of an 80s staple than I thought it was. I thought it sort of went the way of Joel Schumacher’s other 80’s iconic film “St. Elmo’s Fire”. Just one of those fun films from a different time. I guess it was good enough to stand the test of time. I’m never too optimistic when it comes to 80’s horror films. Too many have been left behind and I’ve been left jaded. Here’s one though that I’m glad made it. Spend a day or you’re lunch break checking out some of these songs. Even if you don’t like most of the music - the good memories will be more than enough to bring back the great memories to tune out the lame tuneage.

Jeremy Kelly, HMS

Rocktober BloodAbout three years ago, I discovered a book called The Official Heavy Metal Book of Lists by Eric Danville, published by Beatbeat Books. One of the lists was “Spinal Tap Meets the Mummy - Mike McPadden’s 13 Favorite, Absolutely Killer Heavy Metal Horror Movies…” Through this list, I discovered many of my favorite Metalsploitation (heavy metal horror) movies, including Rocktober Blood (1984). I soon looked it up and was blown away by this kickass singer in Alice Cooper makeup singing an awesome song called “I’m Back.” I had to know more...Rocktober Blood starts off in a recording studio where singer Billy “Eye” Harper and his band are recording “I’m Back.” After completing the song he then leaves and “he” returns and kills some of the workers. He then attempts to do the same with his back up singer and then girlfriend, Lynn Starling. He is interrupted by security. Fast forward ahead two years, we find out that Billy was executed for the mass murder of 25 rock and rollers. At a press party, it’s announced that the band, now named Headmistress is forging on for the Rocktober Blood ‘84 tour, and now Lynn Starling is the lead singer. While it appears that they have moved on with their lives, “Billy” suddenly pops up, and it appears that Billy has come back from the grave to haunt Lynn. For the next few days, “Billy” stalks Lynn, kills many of her friends around her, and Lynn desperately tries to convince everyone that Billy is after her. Everyone thinks that Lynn is crazy. Once Lynn is finally sure that Billy is dead, Billy comes back once again, and it’s revealed that it’s actually Billy’s twin brother, John Harper, who did all the original killings too. He explains that he’s trying to avenge his music being stolen; this all happens before the big concert. As they say, though, the show must go on...

Soundtrack: Much like the movie, the Rocktober Blood soundtrack is also extremely hard to find. But it is a true treasure when found. It includes various artists with the original songs for the movie being done by the band Sorcery, who played the fictional Headmistress band in the movie.

Track 1 - I’m Back (Richard Taylor, Lohn Cohen, Richie King and Perry Morris) - a spectacular 80s anthem that is performed at the beginning and end of the movie. This song should have been a hit.

Track 2 - Rainbow Eyes (Lohn Cohen and Reba Meryl) - Lynn Starling’s big song in the movie is also a great metal anthem that may be the closest thing the soundtrack has to a hit.

Track 3 - High School Boys (Susie Rose Major and Paul Bennett) - this song is by the female fronted band, Facedown. The Facedown songs were mainly used as filler songs in the movie and soundtrack. Although this song is good, surprisingly, I don’t remember hearing it anywhere in the movie.

Track 4 - Can’t Kill Rock and Roll ( Major, Bennett) - another Facedown song. This one is played during the party scenes in the movie. A great song that kind of sounds like The Who with Pat Benatar on vocals, whereas the Sorcery/Headmistress songs sound more like Black Sabbath/Judas Priest/Iron Maiden.

Track 5 - Soul Searcher (Nigel Benjamin, Richard Onori, Pat Regan) - this one is a mystery to me. On my unofficial CD copy of the soundtrack, it plays a piece of the scary background music used in the movie. During the workout scene in the movie, I heard a metal instrumental that I didn’t hear anywhere on the soundtrack, so I’m still wondering about it. According to one website, the song was done by a band called Eyes.

Track 6 - Watch Me Rock (Bennett, Major) - A pretty good, lively song that’s played during a scene where they’re setting up the stage.

Track 7 - Touch Me/Won’t you Let Me Touch You (Bennett, Major) - The last Facedown song, is pretty good too. However I don’t remember this song in the movie either.

Track 8 - Killer on The Loose (Taylor) - Another Sorcery/Headmistress tune. This one is performed in the epic concert scene during the movie. A great song with lots of great guitar solos, including a lengthy Van Halen type solo which plays before the actual song begins.

Track 9 - KCAB-MI - this is simply a back masked version of I’m Back with several eery sounding effects. The song sounds kickass both backwards and forwards.

Track 10 - Watching You (Taylor, Morris) - A beautiful ballad that is played over the end credits of the movie.

The soundtrack rules! The Sorcery/Headmistress line up includes Nigel Benjamin who does all the males vocals and the singing voice of the Harper twins, Susie Rose Major, the singing voice of Lynn on Rainbow Eyes, lead guitarist Richard Taylor, rhythm guitarist Lohn Cohen, bassist Richie King, and drummer Perry Morris. The Facedown line up is Susie Rose Major on vocals, Paul Bennett on guitars, Michael Zioch on bass, and Barry Brant on drums. The Eyes line up is Nigel Benjamin on vocals, guitar and keyboard, Bob Steffan on guitars, John Telesco on bass, Pat Regan on keyboards, and Richie Onori on drums. Benjamin, Regan, and Onori also did much of the background music in the movie. According to Benjamin, he originally wanted to include an instrumental called Senate of Demons but it was deemed by the filmmakers to be “too scary.” Overall, it’s a great raw metal soundtrack, setting the perfect sound to a fantastic film.

“Overall, it’s a great raw metal soundtrack”To this day, Rocktober Blood is one of my all time favorite movies and soundtracks. It’s like an updated version of Phantom Of The Paradise, only Rocktober Blood is better. The movie has interesting characters, a rad soundtrack, witty one-liners, good gore effects, funny moments, scary moments, sexy moments and is artistically made, with very cool lighting effects, and a beautiful stage set during the concert scene. The concert scene is one of the best in film history too. This movie has it all! I have many fond memories tied in with this movie. I’m even planning on putting on a stage production of Rocktober Blood in the near future.

And… I was very happy to become acquainted with many people who worked on the film, notably, Tray Loren who plays the Harper twins, Ben Sebastian who plays the head of security, writer and producer Ferd Sebastian, director Beverly Sebastian, drummer Perry Morris, Susie Rose Major who does the singing voice of Lynn, and Nigel Benjamin who does the singing voice of the Harper twins and plays Chris Keane, the manager in the movie. They have told me many behind the scenes stories from the making of the film, such as Perry Morris telling me how while the film was being made, the band Sorcery was also making a Dick Clark Halloween special, and that a majority of the movie was filmed in the Fall of 1983 although it was released in 84. Nigel told me that he didn’t even know what the film was about until he saw the final production. I feel honored to know these artists personally.

Sadly though, as of this writing, the movie and soundtrack are both very rare and hard to find, and the movie is only available on VHS (and laser disc in Japan), and the soundtrack is only available on vinyl. But we should never give up hope that they might reach the cd and dvd format, as Ferd Sebastian once told me he was planning to someday put the movie on dvd. I can’t wait til this happens! In the meantime, please tell your friends about this criminally underrated heavy metal horror masterpiece. And I hope that you will love it as much as I do.

Movie and Soundtrack recorded in Los Angeles, soundtrack recorded at Baby-O Studios and SIR studios and sound stages. Produced by Ferd and Beverly Sebastian. Click here to view the complete list of credits.

Billy Larouqe, HMS

TURMOIL IN THE TOYBOXTerror Toys is an exciting feature bringing you the latest in horror action figures and collectibles. I’m very excited to have the services of Aaron Hauser of Turmoil in the Toybox fame, as one of our leading experts for this page. Aaron is also a skilled broadcaster/videographer with the Air Force, totaling over 11 years of experience working in news and TV production, along with producing various pieces for 99 Air Base Wing Public Affairs. His youtube series chronicles some of the best reviews on the net for movie collectibles, props and toys, so having him as a part of this feature is an honor.

This month Aaron brings us a review on the recent arrival of Neca’s series 1 Carrie remake figures for the upcoming film. The two figures in the package include: the prom version of Carrie and the bloody version, so listen closely and watch Aaron give a very informative review of these exciting new figures.

On the night she went to the prom…

Carrie is one of cinema’s most thrilling films. The movie was first brought to the silver screen in 1976 by director Brian De Palma, adapted from Stephen King’s landmark novel. The film stars Sissy Spacek as the abused and timid Carrie and Piper Laurie as her demented mother in gripping roles that will forever be cemented in cinema lore. Arguably an improvement over the source material, De Palma laced the film with crass humor and dirty jokes, but used imaginative cinematography and a fabulous production design to really bring this story to life. The climactic moment of a vengeful Carrie drenched in blood as she unleashes her psychic powers will never be forgotten, making this truly one of the finest moments in American cinema.

Then in 2002 Carrie White made a comeback as a TV movie from director David Carson and TV veteran writer Bryan Fuller. Actress Angela Bettis was cast in the role of Carrie and Patricia Clarkson was given the coveted role of Carrie’s mentally deranged mother. The movie is somewhat bland and the writers totally ignored the lewd sexual overtones that was a part of Margaret White’s character. The ending is also a curiosity, as Carrie seemingly survives and is seen leaving town. The assumption here is that the ending was meant to lead into a weekly series, which quite frankly would have been a bad idea.

Now eleven years later Carrie is being remade yet again, only this time under the direction of Kimberly Pierce (Boys Don’t Cry). What’s interesting about this particular new take on the concept is that it will be directed by a woman. Perhaps a more feminine perspective might give credence to the sad plight of Carrie’s abused childhood and subsequent teenage alienation. The role of Carrie this time around goes to Chloe Grace Moretz and the esteemed Julianne Moore gets to sink her teeth into the role of Margaret White. This new version is actually being considered a re-imagining instead of being called an outright remake, so we will see how this one fares now that it’s in theatres.

Kenneth Gallant, Editor HMS

STEVE McGINNISWelcome to the Gore Spotlight; a feature that will expose, illuminate and generally pound you in the guts when showcasing the artistic talents of those we chose to shine our spotlight on.This month we feature horror artist Steve McGinnis, who hails from Brantford, Ontario. Currently he owns Digital Impact Graphics and has been hacking through with a series of illustrations, graphics and all around horrific images. He’s done work on posters and ads for Fangoria Magazine, Macabrecon, Niagara Falls Comic Con and the Blood in the Snow Horror Festival. Steve is also a die-hard horror fan and heavy metal fanatic and can be reached here:

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/steve.mcginnis2?fref=ts

Horror Metal Sounds: Let’s start out with a bit of information about you. How did you get started as an artist?

Steve McGinnis: As a kid I did nothing but draw, I’d hide out in my room after school and create these books of adventures. My folks still have them all in a box somewhere. Through high school I was told by every teacher not to pursue art as a career because I was no good at it. This really put a fire under me and I drew non-stop. After taking Fine arts and Digital media in college I worked for an artist’s studio which helped me focus on my realism techniques. Then after bouncing from graphic job to graphic job in the early 2000’s I went out on my own.

“I will always put pen to paper and my passion is horror.”Horror Metal Sounds: Who are some of your favorite artists and can you tell us what your influences are?

Steve McGinnis: Wow, there are so many. Frank Frazetta has to be one of my all time fav’s. I read Conan as a kid and his covers were mind-blowing. I would include Frank Miller in this group too.

Horror Metal Sounds: Do you have a favorite horror film?

Steve McGinnis: Hands down 1982’s The Thing. The effects created by Rob Bottin and his team were amazing and still stand the test of time.

Horror Metal Sounds: I understand you are a fan of heavy metal, so what bands are you into?

Steve McGinnis: I always have music on and Metal has played a big part of my life and in my art throughout my time as an artist. Black Sabbath with Ozzy, Slayer, Sepultura, Cavalera Conspiracy and Slipknot is some of the bands I am into.

Horror Metal Sounds: What does the future hold for Steve McGinnis?

Steve McGinnis: Tons and tons of horror illustrations whether they get published or not I will always put pen to paper and my passion is horror. It’s a big plus when people enjoy it.

Kenneth Gallant, Editor HMS

THE CONFLICT OF DANIEL BRANNONIt was said that on the day Commander Maggot was born God was sick. What a profound statement to be made, as the film opens. We then see the grubby looking vagrant, waking up disoriented and battling strange voices in his head. Is he really taking to someone, or is this all a figment of his imagination? That is the question that gets raised, as Daniel picks himself up and wanders the streets in search of some answers.This short film was shot in 2008 by Spider Gun Productions, and it was originally spawned from a dream that writer Kenneth Gallant had experienced. Some quick sketches were made and once they were shown to artist Rich Leggatt history was made shortly after.

“On the day I was born, God was sick”The character of Daniel Brannon went through several revisions over time, but once the final concept was agreed upon it was smooth sailing from there. Only one actor was needed, and that went to friend Robert Leathem who agreed to don the ragged clothes and monster mask to help bring the movie to life.

The film was shot guerilla style, so all the locations were shot outdoors and in some cases relied upon public locations to create an effective atmosphere for the story to gestate. It was shot in a single weekend and then quickly edited a week later. The film runs for about 15 minutes and it has been shown online to family and friends.

This concept of Daniel Brannon is simple, but through and through this is a monster movie done old school. The short is inspired from movies like Phantasm, David Cronenberg’s Shivers and Frank Henenlotter’s Basket Case. There’s also a creepy feeling of dualism that helps to push the narrative, effectively creating a chilling portrait of a man spiraling out of control.

This was the first film for the newly formed partners of Kenneth Gallant and Rich Leggatt and it helped to launch them into a series of shorts that followed. Of all the films done by these two partners Daniel Brannon has stood out the most.

Kenneth Gallant, Editor HMS