In a move that surprises virtually no one, FOX TV has canceled Joss Whedon's DOLL HOUSE, which starred Eliza Dushku and provided some much needed work for other Whedon regulars. After the way that FOX treated Whedon's far superior FIREFLY, he shouldn't have been surprised (and Whedon has never been a good fit for FOX; one encourages wit and literacy, while the other encourages stupidity, from its entertainment shows to its news division).

But let's not blame FOX: Whedon is actually to blame this time around, for creating such a lame TV series. Maybe he thought that by dumbing down the concept, writing and acting this tiome around, he'd have another hit. Whatever, it was obvious to me from ... (more…)

MOORE "Guillotines And Angel Wings" CD
(USA, 2009, Nightwing Records)

It took a whole four years until bandleader Jim Moore (vocals) and his companions Joe Johnson (guitars), Chad Parsons (bass) and Haakon Sjoergren (drums) finally came up with a follow-up to MOORE's latest full-length album "Bleed" from 2005. The long wait, however, was definitely worth it 'cause in the year of 2009, MOORE are stronger than ever and totally rip your head off with their crushing new CD "Guillotines And Angel Wings"!

Heavier, faster and fiercer than ever, this neck-breaking, teeth-gnawing beast o' steel comes along as a near-perfect blend of rough'n'dirty US Thrash Metal ala NASTY SAVAGE and sleazy'n'greasy 80s ... (more…)

KING DIAMOND
"Abigail" Album/CD
Roadracer Records 1987, re-mastered version released 2005

Hello FearZoners, Mars here. This month I've exhumed yet another treasure from the classic audio vault. I present THE Gothic horror concept album...King Diamond's ABIGAIL. Certainly Alice Cooper did it first, but Diamond picked up where Cooper left off, and sharpened the craft of horror storytelling to a deadly swift blade. It is safe to say that this record alone taught me more about song composition and musical structure than anything I'd previously heard. And to this day there are elements of King Diamond's influence in my songwriting that readily extend into my symphonic composition. Yes, this record ... (more…)

Composed by Marco Werba (Pre-release CD)

For genre fans who are tired of seeing the same derivative torture porn, wet Asian ghosts, or zombie splatter fest; or, for the new generation of fan who don't know that Quentin didn't actually invent blood soaked cinema, I have good news. The Maestro himself - Dario Argento has returned to to his roots with the release of 2009's GIALLO. The Italian word "Giallo" means yellow, and is synonymous with the mystery/murder novels of the 1960's, which all featured covers printed in bright yellow so as to stand out on a crowded book shelf. The film tells of a detective (Adrien Brody ) hired to find his client's (Emmanuelle Seigner ) missing sister who has ... (more…)

USA, 2009, IRON KODEX RECORDS

Ever since the release of their self-titled debut album in the mid-90s, San Francisco-based classic metallers SLOUGH FEG have been one of the most astonishing and unique sounding hard rockers around. Honestly, I love this band to death and I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that there has hardly been another underground metal band in the last two decades that can keep pace with singer/guitarist Mike Skalzi and his crazy gang in terms of creativity, playfulness and sheer musical genius. You don't believe me? Well, then why don't you just buy the band's new album "Ape Uprising" and listen for yourself?

Cause SLOUGH FEG's seventh full-length output does once ... (more…)

It is undeniable: 2009 has become the new "Year of the Vampire". In the cyclical resurgence of public enthusiasm for the horror genre, the Vampire subgenre is definitely reaching the apex of fanatical zeal. With a flood of such cinematic reenvisionings of the vampire myth as UNDERWORLD, TWILIGHT, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, MOONLIGHT, BLOOD TIES and, of course, TRUE BLOOD, to name a few, millions of new fans have been cultivated around the world as they have discovered their own intense, previously unexplored passion for the lore. What has been most exciting, as an author of the genre, is to watch the development of these new stories and the public's reaction each one. It has ... (more…)

Composer: Christopher Young



A few words, if I may, about THE UNINVITRED as a film:

I was a big fan of the stark, bizarre Korean movie A TALE OF TWO SISTERS, which this film loosely adapted. I wasn't too excited about the prospect of a Hollywood interpretation of what I considered to be a sort of small genre classic. However, it seems everyone involved with THE UNINVITED really did want to make a good thriller from the source material, and in that respect I believe they succeeded. The acting, direction, production design, and the like are all above average and often times (as with the creepy lighting) excellent for a modern suspense film. Is it a "Horror" film? I don't think so, but I doubt ... (more…)

With over 70 films to his credit, including some of the most beloved titles in the Horror genre (RE-ANIMATOR, PUPPETMASTER, THE RESSURRECTED), composer Richard Band is something of an institution. Part musician, part intuitive storyteller, he understands the craft of film scoring on an almost subconscious level. I recently had an opportunity to speak at length with Richard about his career that has spanned over 3 decades of film work.


While I was prepping for this interview I was listening to one of your earliest scores, THE HOUSE ON SORORITY ROW from 1983. It is so rich and subtle, with such delicate mystery within the themes; hardly what was in vogue for slasher films of that era. I'd go ... (more…)

Canada, 2009, Iron Kodex Records

If you think that Neve Campbell (SCREAM), Emmanuelle Vaugier (FAR CRY) and Elisha Cuthbert (HOUSE OF WAX) are about the only hot things that Canada's got to offer at the moment, you surely haven't heard "Road Warrior," the stunningly awesome debut LP by Alberta-based oldschool metallers STRIKER! Cause so much is certain, the high-voltage steel, that these guys forge, is so hot and fiery that it almost melts your ears.

In the glorious tradition of 80s cult bands such as AGENT STEEL, JAG PANZER, RAVEN and EXCITER, STRIKER attack with all guns blazing on each and everyone of the six songs on "Road Warrior" and unleash a metallic whirlwind that will split the ... (more…)

I first read about the film composer Mars, and his music production company Dead House Music, in the pages of Rue Morgue. I later met him at the Eerie Horror Film Festival, where we sat at adjoining vendor tables. It turned out that Mars had just scored a low budget horror film which I was briefly atatched to direct. We stayed in touch and ran into each other at various conventions, and when Fear Zone launched he was one of the first people I contacted to write for the site; he's written our Tone Zone music reviews ever since. I also interviewed him for CHEAP SCARES! Low Budget Horror Filmmakers Share Their Secrets, and I can tell you there are few people this talented and this nice ... (more…)