Tom Conrad has a lot riding on this release. After leaving The Academy Is… in 2006, not much was heard from Conrad until late 2007 when the formation of the band empires was announced. The band were constantly writing and creating songs through the whole of 2007, beginning the recording process in October and completing it four months later. The album, named Howl, was available for free download online, and included a selection of Conrad’s photography.
Howl opens with the atmospheric ‘Spit the Dark’, creating a dark, addictive sound that soon builds into a much catchier refrain. Van Vleet’s vocals aren’t showcased as well as they possibly could be for the ever-important first impression, but the band certainly show their talent for upbeat, clever rock songs. ‘I Want Blood’ follows this, and is a definite contrast to the slow-building ‘Spit the Dark’, crashing straight into the once-again addictive beats and this time Van Vleet’s vocals work well. From another band, it could be construed as too much too soon, not allowing the listener to gain a sense of progress from one song to the next. However, empires manage to make it work, and the song definitely both gains attention and manages to hold it. ‘Modern Love’ is different again, following the distinctive empires feature of switching from slow, stripped sections to fuller, more energetic ones.
‘Believe’ has a definite Beatles-esque feel to it, and the use of chorus on certain lines sits well with the tone of the song. A mostly acoustic song, empires seem to have attained the perfect balance of quieter moments building up to stronger refrains, Van Vleet asking don’t you want to believe? in an infectious, melodic tune. ‘Late Night Rendezvous’, by contrast, has much more of a Men, Women & Children tone. The dance influence is strong, and sounds a little bit too much like At Night I Like To Fight for it to have the strong impact it would otherwise deserve.
‘Warning Mark’ is one of the only, if not the only, songs on the record that has a touch of similiarity. The song itself is in no way generic, but has a familiar tone to it, in a way that gives that feeling of have I heard this before? Nothing about it seems to stick and, although I hate to call it a ‘weak spot’, it is definitely one of empires’ less solid songs. ‘Don’t Let It Fool You’ is over two minutes in length, but seems much shorter, almost acting as an introduction for ‘Under The Bright Lights’. This is, in my opinion, one of empires’ strongest songs from the album. Powerful and moving, Van Vleet tells the listener we’ll watch the sky explode in half, and the entire atmosphere of the last night on earth, of watching the — as Van Vleet says — sky explode in half is definitely present. ‘Under The Bright Lights’ has to be ultimately empires’ greatest triumph, creating a sense of feeling that many of the other songs come close to but fail to achieve.
If anything, there is a sense of too much from Howl. The songs seem undecided on being slow ballads, or faster and catchier rock songs, and the mix of both ensure the record comes across as feeling more like listening to your favourite radio station than a debut album. Some of the songs are perhaps too different, and can be a little confusing, but if anything empires have definitely made sure they cannot be placed into a definite genre, choosing instead to sample everything they can — and, surprisingly, they do it well.
This year, I graduated from high school and started honors college. It’s pretty crazy, and there’s several things about it which are totally stupid, so I decided to compile a list of a few reasons why honors college is absolutely ridiculous.
1. Minimum of 15 hours required.
Now, this may seem easy enough to handle; however, when most classes are credited as three hour classes and lab sciences are credited as four the hours begin to build up. Before you know it you are bogged down with 17+ hours, which, if you don’t already know, is an insane amount especially for an entering freshmen.
2. Forum
Honors Forum may or may not be required, but in my case it is so just pay attention. In normal forums you are required to read a book and write a reaction paper. Not so bad until you have to tie that paper in to community service projects. You must weigh out pros and cons of projects and decide if they are logical for your area. This takes some thought and creativity on your part.
3. Tricksters
Friends and advisors can be tricky resources when deciding what classes to take. Naturally, your advisor is going to have all the faith in the world in you. Flattering really, that is until you get into the classes that they claim you will be able to handle. Be careful and watch what you are taking. Do your best to research teachers and assignments by using past students as resources. Find out who assigns the most essays and who gives the best notes. Take this to heart, it is extremely important. Remember you are capable of anything, but don’t pile too much on yourself at one time. Just because your friend is taking twenty hours doesn’t mean you need to. They may have a schedule full of electives. Even if they don’t, just remember how stressed out you get under pressure — don’t set yourself up for that.
4. Internships / Hidden agendas
Make absolutely sure of your class requirements before you enroll. Classes that are listed as honors classes and not contracted do have a reason for being such. Some classes may be paired with an internship or external project. Check with your advisor and the prospective teacher ahead of time so you know exactly what you are getting yourself into. Again, hours come into play. Often these external requirements have a weekly minimum hour schedule, meaning if you are taking 18 hours and you stack a three hour project on top then really you are getting 21 hours and wearing yourself awfully thin. Be careful.
Now, these are simply pointers. There are perks to being in honors college.
1. Friends
Honors students are some of the most well rounded people you will ever meet. Various personalities are found in the honors pool of people, but each of them have passed experience with working in a group and working incredibly hard. Therefore, on the first day you already have something in common. (:
2. Teachers
Teachers treat you differently as an honors student. They expect more from you and do not treat you like you are in high school. This can be extra important when you are trying to tackle serious issues on campus, like enforcing no smoking zones. Teachers also tend to favor you because they know you are ready to work and are not there just to make your parents happy. It shows that you have a goal and you want to excel in your academic career.
3. Scholarships
Ah, free money! Being accepted in an honors program always comes with some form of financial aid. Who doesn’t love free stuff? Now, maybe you are one of those people that has the tuition covered, but think about this. Most honors scholarship can be stacked; therefore, you can use the money towards books, supplies, and even food!
Major pluses come with the hard work honors college entails, but you really have to be willing to work for it. So, all things considered, if you are absolutely crazy then you should totally apply for honors college. But if you are a slacker and just barely skim by as it is, you should steer clear — honors will eat you alive.
NB: this is slightly spoiler-esque. It’s hard to talk about it without mentioning a couple of stories, so if you haven’t seen him yet and plan to, read this later!
I had been waiting for this night for a very, very long time. Ever since I became a fan of Henry Rollins as an author, I was dying for the chance to see him on his spoken word tour, but for three years, every time he visited the UK, I was unfortunately out of the UK. For some reason, his tours always coincided with the family holiday. Conspiracy? Quite possibly. After speaking to my mother this afternoon and fangirling out about how incredible he was, the sound of terror in her voice was fairly noticeable. After all, Henry Rollins is one of my all time heroes.
So, I rolled into “Leemington Shpa” (in the words of Henry himself), met up with my people and trundled off to The Assembly to see if Henry Rollins really was the man I thought he was. After being seated for an hour with nothing to see, I was beginning to become a little disheartened. But then, after various musical interludes, he burst through the side door and strode up to the microphone and I became reassured. He grinned at us and I knew that we were in good hands. First impressions then? Everything about Henry screams punk rock. From the way he stands to the tattoos and from the hair he let go grey to the plain clothes he wears, he’s still punk as fuck. Also, I noticed that he never, ever uses fillers when he speaks. There are no “umm”s or “err”s in his speech at all, it’s just straight up and surprisingly eloquent for such a straight forward guy. Maybe that’s not something everyone else looks for in a speaker, but when you’re stood up there for three hours talking, it’s extremely impressive.
I knew from Youtube videos that Henry is a very, very funny guy, but I wasn’t expecting quite so much humour. Not that it was a bad thing – in fact, it helped to lighten up some of the more serious stories he told to keep your attention – but it was definitely something I didn’t anticipate. At times, I felt bad for my friends as I laughed my ass off, only to realise that they were doing it too. Henry’s William Shatner impression is definitely one of the best things I have ever seen, so if you can Youtube it (I thus far haven’t really seen any decent quality videos), do it! He’s also a very loud man, so be prepared for that.
But of course, with Henry Rollins being the type of guy he is, it’s not all humour. He has a ridiculous range of interests and the show bounced around from talking about hanging out with the McKayes and the Bad Brains on election day to planning a two month trip across Asia from Riyadh to Bhopal in India for the 25th anniversary of the Union Carbide gas explosion (which happened to be on my birthday… way to bring a downer onto that one). All of his tales are larger than life and Henry has done some incredible things. The way he talks about these incredible things is thoroughly entertaining, frank and honest. As I expected, there was a message behind a lot of his stories. Talking about his “internets” browsing, he brought up an anecdote about finding a ton of racist comments on a picture of Michelle Obama and then went forth to explain about free speech and how why those people have a right to say awful things, they shouldn’t because racism sucks. Of course, it’s all stuff I heartily agree with, but it is so awesome to hear that one of your heroes is willing to stand up against all the weak minded hating individuals that you find across the world. It is also awesome to hear him tell you about spreading The Stooges and another 50 or so gigs of music to a young Sri Lankan boy to pass around his friends. Because when it comes down to it, Henry Rollins is just a pretty cool guy.
It was great to hear some entertaining tales from his past and his ideas on everyone getting along, but the one anecdote that struck me the most was his story of giving the graduation speech for a Californian university last year. He described how he went up and gave this speech and how amazing it was to see those young people go out into the world, armed with knowledge and curiosity, and how people should never stop asking why until they reach the solution. Now that… that was inspirational. As a student myself, I realise that I have the potential to do anything, and even if that’s just entering the world with an open mind, that’s a step closer to ending all this fucking drama the world has going on, to put it in the simplest of terms.
So, Henry spoke for three hours, non-stop (and even apologised for doing so), and we left, feeling reaffirmed in life and generally very jovial. It’s a very uplifting show, a very funny show, a very hard hitting show and above all, a very awesome show. Whether you like punk rock or not, Henry Rollins is essential viewing/reading material. I urge you to go and see him and experience nothing like you’ve ever experienced before. Always controversial, never overrated. That’s Henry Rollins for you.
In tribute to our favourite holiday, we’ve stuck 13 songs in our cauldron and mixed them up for your delight. Stick this on when Halloween comes calling and you won’t be disappointed.
Links to the songs can be found at the bottom of the page.
The Misfits — ‘Halloween.’
Ripper: We’ve decided to open our Halloween mixtape with the most iconic horrorpunk track of all time. It’s true that the Misfits weren’t the same when Danzig left, and this is just one reason why he is the definitive Misfits frontman. From lyrics about hanging cats on poles to the eerie calls of ‘Halloween!’ by Danzig himself, this is just one creepy song.
ninthandash: This has got to be the first song that comes to mind when someone asks me to make a Halloween mix. The atmosphere the song creates is fantastic, and the lyrics work really well even though they’re quite simple. Halloween is a must at any Halloween party; easy to dance to and still with that edge of horror punk that the Misfits are known for.
A.F.I. — ‘The Nephilim.’
Ripper: Where would a Halloween list be without AFI? Professed lovers of all things dark and eerie, AFI usually have at least one song on their albums with something to do with the night. The Nephilim is the story of a man who compares himself to a fallen angel. References to Lucifer (the devil, if you were wondering), anyone? The opening bass riff sends shivers down my spine too.
ninthandash:The Art of Drowning featured a darker horror punk sound than A.F.I.’s earlier releases, and The Nephilim embodies that. The song always seems much shorter than it actually is, due to the fast pace and heavy drums, but altogether it adds up to over two minutes of Havok’s powerful singing. “Like an angel with broken wings, reach to the sky again,” is the strongest message here, and Halloween for me would not be the same without The Nephilim blasting from the stereo.
Resurex — ‘Dia de los Muertos.’
Ripper: Even the title is spooky. There’s just something about Spanish and Halloween that seems to click. Add some slow psychobilly with a pretty apparent echo effect and then a dirty riff kicking in after about a minute and you’ve got yourself an instant wrecking pit. Even Daniel DeLeon’s blood is running cold.
ninthandash: I think Dia de los Muertos has one of the most amazing intros. Laid back while heavy and atmospheric, the build up is tense and a perfect lead up into the more fast paced and energetic verses. The low-toned vocals fit the song perfectly, and don’t detract from the effect at all, rather adding to it. The abrupt change in tempo from slow to fast catches the attention of the listener quickly, and the unique sound means that I’m always captive from beginning to end.
Tiger Army — ‘Power of Moonlite.’ ninthandash: The guitars in this song are definitely a key part. They take the listener on a rollercoaster ride through the song, with Nick 13’s frenzied vocals adding another level to an already strong song. Psychobilly isn’t one of my favourite genres, but Tiger Army always do it so well that I can’t help enjoying this almost haunting song.
Ripper: Psychobilly is certainly my music of choice for Halloween, so we’ve chosen a track from one of the most well known psychobilly acts of our time. Tiger Army often offer up relatively spooky tracks, but the title track from their second album is one of the creepiest. Is Nick 13 a secret werewolf? We’ll never know.
Madness — ‘House of Fun.’ Ripper: Okay, so this is a bit of an odd one, I’ll admit. The chorus key change certainly sounds a bit horrific though. A classic tale of how coming of age isn’t usually all it’s cracked up to be, combined with some pretty awesome trumpets.
ninthandash: I love this song. When I was younger, I used to hear this song and something about it always struck a chord with me. It scared me even then, the upbeat melody having a tinge of horror hidden beneath it — reminding me always of funfairs, with the brightly coloured rides and clowns seeming to hide something darker. Even though it at first seems like nothing more than a fun, catchy song, this song is definitely one of the creepiest for me.
I Am Ghost — ‘Dark Carnival of the Immaculate.’ Ripper: Another song with allusions to the funfair, this opens with a really haunting carnival theme. Pure and simple, this song is about vampires, the classic Halloween bad guys. Juliano’s screams and wails create the perfect atmosphere and Kerith Telestai’s violins set it off just right.
ninthandash: Like Ripper said, the funfair theme is very strong in this, and something about the carnival theme always sends a chill down my spine. The song opens up a new world, one that not many people would be happy to inhabit, and I find the imagery very strong in this. It always definitely gets me thinking about Halloween night, and all the chaos that comes along with it.
Sufjan Stevens — ‘John Wayne Gacy Jr.’
ninthandash: For me, this is one of those songs that I enjoy, but wouldn’t want to think about too much. The lyrics aren’t explicit and perhaps even all the more effective for being so; Stevens hints at the real truth of it while hiding it well enough that on first listen, the song comes across like any other quiet instrumental melody.
Ripper: It’s a song about a serial killer who dressed up like a clown. Enough said.
Alkaline Trio — ‘Back To Hell.’ Ripper: They’re members of the Church of Satan, they write songs about murder and they’re some of our favourite little hellraisers. That’s right, it’s the Trio. They’ve tasted heaven and don’t want any more in Back To Hell, a fast and furious tribute to the devil.
ninthandash: Strong, loud and yet melodic in that distinctive way that only the Trio seem able to constantly do, and do well. Fast build ups make way for slower verses in a way that keeps you guessing as to what exactly is going to come next, reflecting the nature of Halloween perfectly. The chorus is catchy and fun and Trio songs very rarely manage to disappoint — this among them. Always worth a listen.
Protest The Hero — ‘Bloodmeat.’ Ripper: Everything about this song is scary. The dissonant opening riff, the shrieking vocals and those lyrics about cold hearted slaughter… and rape. Don’t forget those raped virgins.
ninthandash: I absolutely adore Protest The Hero and this song has got to be one of my favourite by them. They never fail to blow my mind, and showcase their skills to the max. Different and innovative, the song creates an amazing presence and the band always manage to deliver. Bloodmeat is a Halloween song like no other; cold, brutal and so fucking hardcore.
Social Distortion — ‘Mommy’s Little Monster.’ Ripper: This song is every parent’s worst nightmare, showing us the pitfalls of the rebellious teenager. It’s not scary in a Halloween sense of the word, and the typical Californian punk melodies set you at ease. Maybe that’s what’s really scary.
ninthandash: Just like a punk song should be; fast, epic and loud!
The Fall of Troy — ‘The Dark Trail.’ ninthandash: Sometimes Fall of Troy can be a little ridiculous, trying too hard to be something new, but with The Dark Trail they manage to stay on the right side of the line between enjoyable and too much. The only negative side of this is that perhaps at over four minutes, it overstays its welcome at parts. However, it’s still a dark, creepy song and one that is definitely not out of place on Halloween night.
Ripper: The Fall Of Troy always produce relatively unsettling songs. Whether it’s the unnerving falsetto, the cookie monster screams or the dischord of the guitars, something’s not right about The Fall Of Troy. The Dark Trail is no exception. Teenage rebellion gone to the extreme, with more than a hint of recreational drug use meets mind blowing riffs and terrifying vocals in this one.
Rancid — ‘Maxwell Murder.’ Ripper: Maxwell might not be Jack The Ripper, but he’s certainly a bad lad, and Rancid know it. It’s simply beautiful punk rock, with more than a casual sneer attached. Not to mention, Matt Freeman’s bass solo is just fantastic.
ninthandash: Telling the story of Maxwell, Rancid do it fast and do it well. No time to get bored, the song just carries you away, spitting lyrics and abuse at you in equal measure. Fast, heavy and like a punch to the gut, Maxwell Murder leaves no doubt about the felon himself and just what he’s capable of.
Send More Paramedics — ‘Blood Fever.’ Ripper: And to end our Halloween mix, we’ve got some ZOMBIEXCORE! Every horror movie fan’s favourite, SMP’s song about turning into a zombie just set us off. It’s hardcore at its most bone crushingly awesome, and is guaranteed to get every ghoul throwing down on the dance floor. Plus, this features some of the best gang vocals I’ve ever heard.
ninthandash: I wish Send More Paramedics were still around because this song shows just how refreshing and different they were, while still retaining the elements of hardcore and, at that, zombiecore that they were so well known for. One of my favourite songs on this mix, and definitely a good one to end it with.
Honourable mention goes to…
Those Panic At The Disco boys with their charming ode to the dark night, It’s Almost Halloween. This video is so adorable it just plain fails to scare. Enjoy!
Edgar Allan Poe may have been great, but there’s no reason to see him as the be all and end all of gothic literature. If you like reading material that’s morbid, poetic, gloomy, clever and full of damaged, cynical characters, or wild Byronic heroes then you might just be a closet Goth, and even if you’re not, you may still enjoy this article, since its full of book recommendations that should fit that description.
Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
This book has it all: death, insanity, more death, romance, giant old mansions out in the middle of nowhere! Almost every character is troubled and unconventional and the introspective writing style manages to convey the story’s gloomy atmosphere perfectly while also avoiding any out-of-place angst.
The average goth will probably be able to relate to the main character in a number of ways. She’s got an artistic temperament, had a bad time at school, and is tortured by her unrequited feelings for Mr Rochester, a man that she feels certain she can’t have. Throughout the novel she feels like a misfit around others, and generally sees her surroundings as constrictive – whether it’s at the house of her aunt, who hates her, her underfunded school or at Thornfield Hall, where she is looked down upon by Mr Rochester’s wealthy acquaintances. At the same time as being introspective without getting too claustrophobic and losing sight of the plot and other characters, this is a novel that is clever but accessible. I hate to use the term “stands the test of time” but it really does apply here, and its obvious gloom, intelligence and sense of wonder make it ideal for the Goth audience in particular.
The Gum Thief – Douglas Coupland
What happens when we grow up and are expected to grow out of subcultures that we still feel attachments to? That’s not exactly The Gum Thief’s central issue, but one of the main characters, Bethany is a 24 year old Goth who works at Staples and is better equipped to deal with death than life. She befriends Roger, a depressed colleague with a similarly difficult and fractured personal life and the novel is told through the secret letters they write for each other, and Roger’s novel, Glove Pond, that Bethany helps inspire.
Coupland is kind of similar to Chuck Palahnuik, in that he’s very good at writing on darkly philosophical themes with that sassy, 1990s tone. Both manage to weave the day-to-day and the mundane in with universal themes like, y’know, death and stuff. In my personal opinion, I think Coupland accomplishes this better than Palahnuik, it just feels smoother and more genuine to me, whereas sometimes I get the feeling that Palahnuik is finding it more difficult to hold it all together. I also think that Coupland’s characters are convincing on a level above Palahnuik, and a lot of other writers actually. Check out Bethany’s mother DeeDee, only a side character, but a very believable one who you really feel for. She represents another layer of hopelessness, different to Roger and Bethany, and as an acquaintance of both, she deepens their relationship.
Crow – Ted Hughes
Crow is a book of poetry that is so good it can convert people who thought they hated poetry. The poems tell the story of the titular Crow, whose life is entwined with the very creation of the earth. It’s as dark as you should expect from Ted Hughes, whose work frequently revisits the theme of nature being fucking brutal. Although this collection borrows a lot of mythological ideas and imagery, it’s not the same as T. S. Eliot and a lot of other writers using mythology to build a framework or a sense of order. There is no order to Crow’s world, and the chaos is a little scary, as well as one of the defining elements of the work. If nothing else, it is the shortest work on this list, so if you like darkness, wilderness and that general aesthetic, you’ve really no excuse not to give it a look.
Heart-Shaped Box – Joe Hill
Does it get any more Goth than reading a book after hearing Gerard Way mention it in an interview? Well, only if you seek out books on the recommendation of Glenn Danzig, and maybe if that book is about an aging rock star who buys a ghost on the internet. No really, that’s what this book is about. It starts off about as dramatic and sensational and “holiday reading” as that synopsis makes it sound, but it gets more sophisticated as it goes. The book is full of damaged characters, from protagonist Judas Coyne to his current girlfriend Georgia and spooky dead ex, Florida. Yes, he has a penchant for nick-naming his girlfriends after states of the U.S. and yeah, they’re all weird gothic trophy partners with black nail polish and tattoos and perfect bodies. This is why Judas and Georgia’s relationship is so interesting; the haunting drives them closer together than they ever really expected of their weird partnership of convenience. The ghost itself is at the same time otherworldly and mundane – this is not a faceless demon of any sort, it is the spirit of a real dead man, and the intertwining of memory and identity with death and the macabre is a key theme throughout.
The Sandman Series – Neil Gaiman
An obvious choice? Or just a classic? Firstly, yes, it is a comic and I know that comics don’t qualify as “real, highbrow art” but I feel that the inclusion of Ted Hughes poetry sort of cancels this out. The titular Sandman is the anthropomorphic personification of dreams, one of seven siblings known as the Endless who embody other alliterative concepts, such as Delirium, Death and Desire. These beings are mostly omnipotent, with powers beyond gods, which is often an easy way to make a story boring – is there any struggle that cannot be overcome by a character with no limitations to their ability? Gaiman avoids any such pitfalls by basing the Endless on the character types that you might find in classical literature, such as the scheming malcontent, or the powerful figure brought down by his own pride. The overreaching story arc that runs through every volume is about the siblings plotting against each other, paced like a mystery story in the way that it cleverly withholds key facts but offers lots of clues to keep you guessing.
As well as the poetic tone of the whole series and the fact that Death herself is a character, there are other factors that make this comic a perfect Goth Option. Dream’s main character flaw is his romanticism, which leads him to overestimate himself and get filled with pride, behave cruelly to his enemies and invest too deeply in romantic affairs that go badly. Not to mention that his character design suggests he’s a big fan of both Robert Smith and Trent Reznor.