Pull up a chair, settle down, here’s the next batch of scary movie reviews…
Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)
Now this is more like it! Late 60s/early 70s vampire film on a budget, Count Yorga, Vampire is something of a cult classic. Just the sort of nonsense I love! Set in California, we meet Bulgarian aristocrat Count Yorga (Robert Quarry) as he conducts a seance for a bunch of groovy kids.
Afterward, a couple of the groovy kids, Erica and Paul, give the Count a lift home to his foreboding estate. On the way back, their van gets stuck in the mud, and they’re attacked by the Count in full vampire mode. The next day, they remember nothing, though Erica has lost blood and is examined by a doctor friend.
Erica succumbs to vampirism, and is whisked away by Count Yorga. The race is then on to rescue her and destroy the Count and his minions.
It’s a simple film, but effectively breathes new life into the old vampire legend. Quarry is enigmatic and powerful as Yorga, looking part Terence Stamp and part Christopher Lee. Count Yorga, Vampire is low budget, dated, and rambles on a bit, but it’s perfect for anyone who wants to explore the kitsch and uncanny.
8/10
Child’s Play (1988)
On the other hand, whilst retro cheapo vampire movies are always to my taste, Child’s Play was never something that appealed to me. I’ve never really had much interest in the more modern American horror/slasher movie. However, I’m often proved wrong in this regard, and Child’s Play proved me wrong again.
Serial killer Charles Lee Ray is reincarnated by Voodoo spells as Chucky, an innocent looking Good Guy doll. Young Andy is desperate for one of these dolls for his birthday, and his mother manages to scrape together some cash to buy a dodgy one. This of course is Chucky, and he’s out for revenge on his former partner and anyone else who gets in his way.
Murder ensues, and of course none of the adults believe Andy when he claims Chucky is to blame. Yet slowly, his mother (Catherine Hicks) begins to suspect the truth. The lead detective on the case (Chris Sarandon) eventually comes to realise what’s going on, too. They need to keep Andy out of harms way and stop Chucky from becoming human again…
After all this time, I finally watched Child’s Play a few years ago, and wouldn’t you just know it – old Chucky grew on me. It’s actually quite a fun, engaging supernatural horror with lots going on, and some neat observations on the furor caused by toys like Cabbage Patch Dolls. Forget your incredulity and enjoy!
It’s time for more mini horror film reviews, as we celebrate spooky month! What have we got tonight?
The Evil of Frankenstein (1964)
What we have here is the first Hammer Horror for this years Festival of Fear! This is the third film in the Hammer series, again starring the legendary Peter Cushing as Baron Frankenstein.
This time around, the Baron and his assistant Hans (Sandor Eles) are on the run following some dastardly grave robbing antics, so they decide to go back to his hometown of Karlstaad, despite being banished. There they hope to use valuables from the old Frankenstein castle to fund more research. Instead, the Baron finds that his old home has been looted – by, it turns out – the local authorities.
On the run again, they’re aided by a local deaf-mute girl, and hide in the mountains. The Baron discovers his old creature, frozen in ice. After rescuing the creature, they’re unable to bring it back to life fully, so decide to seek the help of a carnival hypnotist, Zoltan (Peter Woodthorpe). Zoltan is successful, but jeopardises everything by using the creature to enact his own cruel revenge…
It’s a funny old hodgepodge of a film, this one. The first Hammer movie, Curse of Frankenstein, is recapped but reimagined – it’s re-done and is very different this time round. The whole thing feels like different elements thrown together to see if they stick. Although the creature, this time played by Kiwi Kingston not Christopher Lee, looks more like the classic Karloff version, the makeup looks strange and false. The excellent sets and another great performance from Cushing help save The Evil of Frankenstein from failure.
7/10
Twilight (2008)
Hey, it was my teenage daughter’s choice – so what?! We take turns to pick something to watch, and Daughtertron is very into this Twilight stuff at the moment. So fair’s fair, we gave it a go.
Twilight is about a young woman named Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), who relocates from Arizona to the very different state of Washington, to live with her father. She attends the local school, makes some friends but gradually becomes intrigued by another classmate, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson).
After a frosty start, the two are slowly pulled together, and Bella discovers that Edward and his “family” are vampires. All is going well in a teen love story fashion, till a separate, wandering group of vampires happen upon the Cullen clan – and Bella – and there’s a big fall out during a baseball game.
Despite some bizarre ideas such as sparkling vampires and vampires playing baseball, the film wasn’t too bad. Twenty minutes too long and far too soppy, Twilight was still fairly watchable, even though I’m not the target audience. I’ve seen worse. I mean, it was better than Harry bloody Potter.
Glowing strings of moonlight break softly through the canopy of trees above. The forest is otherwise almost completely dark. The call of an owl rings out through the night as you tread carefully in the shadows, eyes working hard to glimpse something, anything, that seems familiar. You try not to stumble, shuffling slowly to avoid perils littering the forest floor.
And then, from behind you, you hear something. A low, menacing growl…
Don’t worry kids, it’s just another Halloween Horror Fest at Platinum Al’s Virtual Hot tub! You know we dig the spooky movies round here, and every October we dial that appreciation right up with out our own festival of frightful films.
So let’s dive right in with our first film of the year…
Sinners (2025)
Our first film of 2026 is right up to date, with this highly regarded modern take on the vampire legend. Set in the Southern USA in 1932, the film focuses on two twin brothers, ex-gangsters who have retuned to their hometown to set up their own juke joint in the midst of the local black community.
Smoke and Stack (both played brilliantly by Michael B Jordan) gather their friends and family members around them as they work to create their dream. Recruiting staff and noted blues musicians, the venue appears to be on its way to a glorious first night. But they – and the bar patrons – are unaware of a supernatural evil that threatens everything.
Much has been made of the success of Sinners, and it’s not hard to see why. It won four Oscars at the Academy Awards including a well deserved Best Actor for Jordan – it took me a while to realise that the same actor was playing a dual role. And of course it’s highly unusual for a horror film to be recognised in this way, at all.
Sinners is a fantastic movie, that starts slowly and recreates an authentic time and place, before it races off in a very different direction. It is indeed a scary film, but not at the cost of character and world building. Beyond the visceral horror element, other themes of race and culture are explored by writer/director Ryan Coogler, providing the viewer with a pretty unique combination of thrills and food for thought. Oh, and the music – by Ludwig Goransson – is great.
Vampire films never die, they just keep coming back – and Sinners is a modern classic of the genre.
Luckily for me, I’d already booked the week off work to indulge in some skateboarding and record crate-digging, so a Tuesday night out wasn’t automatically dismissed. Instead of staying in on a school night, I was free for another evening at The Saddle in Chester for some crushingly heavy Doom Metal.
First up were gig organisers Mark and Lorraine and their band Warlockhunt. The new line-up is gelling really well – those post punk, tribal beats both drier and warmer – laying down a crisp foundation for the twin-bass assault. The contrast between sombre melody and the gloomiest, doomiest of bass guitar lines is working better than ever – Warlockhunt seemed confident and overjoyed to be out playing.
Endure were on next, and despite consisting of another trio, this was a very different approach. They created epic, soundtrack-like pieces with the use of keyboards, though the harsh, growled vocals kept them grounded in Metal. I think there were two songs performed (maybe three?), it was hard to tell as the music blended from one to another like one huge, experimental symphony. Occasional furious guitar riffs punctuated the atmosphere, keeping the audience on their toes. Endure gave us cerebral yet brutal music that was fierce and enlightening.
Confusion Master hail from Germany, and are over in the UK on a short tour, spreading their gospel of fuzzed out, sludgy Doom. With songs ranging from mammoth, occult driven skull crushers to faster, nimble rock-outs, the set impressed with its variety of pace and texture. Featuring vocal samples and psychedelic excursions, Confusion Master’s songs cover a number of styles, resembling a mash up of Electric Wizard and Saint Vitus, but drenched in their own grand character.
That was a real treat for a Tuesday school night – all three bands left us feeling that we’d been very lucky to be in attendance. And I hadn’t even done my homework. Told the teacher Cthulhu ate it.
2026 is here, and here also is my first review of the year. Finally. Now, now – enough with the “late as usual” bants! I’ve been busy doing something. I’m sure I have an excuse somewhere, I’ll get back to you… Anyway, this is an excellent place to start for the new year – the debut album from Occult Doom Rockers, Ritual Arcana.
A new band, but with an impressive pedigree, Ritual Arcana consist of SharLee LuckyFree on bass and vocals (ex Moth), Oakley Munson on Drums (The Black Lips) and underground Stoner/Doom legend, the one and only Scott “Wino” Weinrich (of The Obsessed, Saint Vitus, Spirit Caravan etc etc) on guitar. Slap all that on a release from Heavy Psych Sounds and you just know something serious is going down.
In the fabled land of Stoner/Doom, The Riff is King. And with Wino on board, the kingdom is in safe hands. The slow, throbbing title track opens the ceremonial space, throbbing with a medieval menace. ‘Occluded’ picks up the pace, a charging head banger that’s more infectious than an outbreak of witchcraft in New England. That guitar tone is absolutely monolithic throughout, witness the crushing ‘Berkana’ for more evidence.
The rest of the band ain’t taking a day off, either. Munson’s drums rattle and crash throughout the ritual with tribal precision, and on ‘Subtle Fruits’ revs up the rhythm to thrilling heights. And of course there’s the formidable presence of cosmic High Priestess LuckyFree, a solid, warm bass player who’s voice genuinely adds character to all the songs here. Taking centre stage with glee and authority, LuckyFree leads the throng and particularly shines on ‘Wake the Goddess’.
“Ritual Arcana” delivers exactly what one would expect, and does it confidently. A little more variety in song writing would’ve propelled this album to even greater heights – some swampy blues? An Iommi style mellow piece? But we can leave that for album number two. For now, this debut weaves reliably thunderous Hard Rock with a gloomy, supernatural air for an enticing experience.
Various Artists – Brown Acid: The Twenty-First Trip
RidingEasy Records
Release date: 31/10/2026
Review by: Alun Jones
7.5/10
Verily, pilgrims, ‘tis time for another feast of forgotten Rock’n’Roll fun, curated by the esteemed veterans at RidingEasy Records. This is the twenty-first edition of their Brown Acid series (in case you didn’t read the headline) – a series that continues to run and run. As with previous albums, herein lie ten hard rock songs that despite their brilliance, never blossomed into the classics they could-a (should-a) been. The RidiingEasy boffins have dug ‘em up and are now re-presenting these tracks for our shared enjoyment.
There’s a wide range of styles on display this time round, probably more so than usual. We get things rolling with Opus Est and ‘Maggie Johnsons’, a short and furious proto punk number that has some ‘Communication Breakdown’ in its DNA. A brief but great way to start. Freedom North feature some very welcome female vocals on their song ‘Losing You’, a thumping psychedelic rocker with a deadly lead guitar. ‘Friendly Stranger’ by Accents has a galloping rhythm, fuzzy guitar and brash organ that resembles Steppenwolf.
And what’s this? The Rolling Stones on a Brown Acid comp?? No, it’s Brother Love with ‘Rock N’ Roll Band’ – though that fuzzy riff sounds very like a certain legendary song by Mick, Keith and the other three. Still, it’s a fun tune with decent lyrics and a catchy chorus. Side One rounds out with ‘Bike Writer’ by River Styx, a solid, fast paced acid rock song with squealing lead.
Some nice wah-wah warms up Side Two and we’re off again, this time with Maxx. Their song ‘200 Years’ has a Stooges-like groove. Pump are next, and despite that terrible band name, their ‘Kinda Like’ is a highlight of this collection – featuring more skronky organ and fierce guitar. 29.9 (much better band name) then unleash their version of ‘You Got Me Floating’, which despite being an authentic rendition, is still only a cover of a Hendrix tune that most people forget.
Apparently, there was once a band called Wakefield, if you can believe that. I can, ‘cos their song ‘Here I Am’ is on this compilation. These guys seem to have Prog aspirations, with time changes and different sections, finishing with a glorious, melodic pop sing along for the last minute and a half. But that’s not all folks – our last track is the psyche swamp blues of ‘Lazy River Blues’ by Peacepipe – a melancholy, sinister sail down the bayou.
Volume Twenty-One of Brown Acid is another solid collection. Not all the songs work, but they’re honestly all worthwhile – ‘Rock N’ Roll Band’ seems like a blatant rip off at first, but develops its own charm and style. I felt a little short changed with a cover being included, but the overall quality doesn’t really suffer. There’s still tons of acid-roasted, psychedelic fuzz on offer, and more variety than we’ve had previously.
Next time, remind me to tell you the real story behind why the cover of “Beggars Banquet” was banned. Clue: Mick still won’t speak to me and every Christmas, Keith sends me a gold toilet brush.
Another busy weekend for Daughtertron and I – last week Metallica in Cardiff, this week a shorter trip to Manchester to see Joan Jett & The Blackhearts. We’re both big fans of this Rock’n’Roll icon, and as this was the band’s first headline tour of the UK for many a year, the decision to attend didn’t take much mulling over.
Our support band tonight were The Meffs, and the Academy seemed fairly lively and busy for their slot. I’ve head of The Meffs, but knew nothing else – I was to learn that they’re from Essex and they’re a two piece band (vocals/guitar and drums) – all of which was news to me. I was aware that they are highly regarded though, and their short but energetic set was ample proof of that. Covers of ‘Breathe’ by The Prodigy and ‘Identity’ by X-Ray Spex nestled comfortably next to their own raucous tracks like ‘Stamp It Out’ and ‘Deathwish’. Great noisy fun, plenty of attitude and something to say – a superb set.
July 4th being Independence Day in the once mighty realm of the Orange Chimp had slipped my mind, but I guess Joan and her band probably weren’t bothered either. Instead the massive audience were amped up and ready to rock out with a genuine icon, celebrating 45 years since the release of Joan’s earliest solo recordings. Starting things off with the rowdy ‘Victim of Circumstance’ followed with a very welcome rendition of The Runaways’ ‘Cherry Bomb’ was a confident, bouncy, sing-along success.
After that, we got ‘Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)’ – a Gary Glitter cover that left me confused and a bit queasy. I know Joan’s been covering this song for years, but it still seems surprisingly tone deaf. I don’t even want to type that guy’s name in this review! We were soon back on track though with ‘You Drive Me Wild’ (another Runaways number), ‘The French Song’ and ‘Fake Friends’ – all diamonds that are often overlooked by the casual listener.
More recent output was showcased with ‘(Make The Music Go) Boom’ and ‘If You’re Blue’ the former being a real highlight. Predictably, it’s the final run of mega hits that lights up the entire performance. From ‘Everyday People’ the energy in the room rises, then explodes for the legendary anthem ‘I Love Rock’n’Roll’. But that’s not all, kids! With ‘Crimson and Clover’ (Daughtertron’s favourite), ‘I Hate Myself For Loving You’ and ‘Bad Reputation’, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts unleash a tsunami of powerful, unforgettable Rock that lifts spirits and moves the bodies of all those gathered.
The sound was also very impressive throughout: Joan’s rapport with the audience and unmistakeable voice, along with the band’s instruments – never seemed to waver. It was a solid performance, expertly put together by a bunch of total professionals. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ music was all the fireworks and all the party we needed in Manchester tonight. A legendary artist and a classic gig!
Cardiff city centre was literally swarming with people, nearly every single one of them wearing a Metallica t-shirt from one era of the band or another. Fans of all ages crowded the streets and bars, as music poured from the speakers. I’ve never witnessed anything like it before. And the atmosphere was crackling as soon as we got there.
Last time I saw Metallica live was at Sheffield Arena in 1993, on their Nowhere Else to Tour tour. I was a student, 21 years of age, seeing them for the first time and having been a fan for several years already. Metallica were rising in popularity on the back of their mega selling, self titled album.
Thirty three years later, I was finally going to see a Metallica gig again, this time with my old friend of fifty years. Joining us were our fifteen year old daughters, as we set about passing the torch to the next generation. We met up with another old pal and his family, ate some great burgers and headed to the venue. It was set to be a special event.
The Principality Stadium is bloody huge, let’s put it that way. Mightily impressive, the air was still full of excitement as we bumbled around to find out seats and get our bearings. Feeling like a mountaineer as I climbed to my seat, it was dizzying seeing the acres of people below. From my eagle like vantage point, the circular “in the round” stage was clearly visible, surrounded by huge poles supporting cylindrical screens.
The first band of the day, Knocked Loose, were already on stage as we entered the stadium, earlier than expected (probably due to a Sunday curfew, I guessed). Described as a Hardcore Punk band, their distinct crunch and harsh vocals gave them a more Metalcore sound. They came across well from what I saw, appearing confident and happy to be there. A band to keep an eye on.
Up next were Gojira, who were definitely comfortable on the huge circular stage. Their confidence shone through in the exquisite delivery of their technical yet emotional music. I’m not hugely familiar with their work, though I have listened to Gojira albums in the past. Based on this performance, I’m intrigued to revisit their albums and investigate further. With a sound that covers various Metal genres – Thrash, Death, Progressive – and an enticing lyrical content, I enjoyed what I heard and I’m keen for more.
Anticipation was set to boil over as AC/DC’s ‘It’s a Long Way to the Top’ teased the audience. By the time the traditional intro song, ‘The Ecstasy of Gold’ played (I’d warned my daughter that this tune heralded the main event), I was full of fire and ready to burn. The four members of Metallica appeared like tiny demons, miles away on the huge stage, and burst into ‘Creeping Death’. Perfect!
This diamond quality start was followed by a ferocious ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’, and both Daughtertron and I were very happy. The band hopped about through time, performing tracks from various albums – I’d forgotten how great the riff to ‘Cyanide’ actually is – the most recent being ’72 Seasons’ from their most recent offering. Two tracks from “Reload” were aired, ‘The Memory Remains’ and a blistering, explosive ‘Fuel’ that lit up the entire stadium and with pyrotechnics that warmed our faces.
Rob and Kirk’s now familiar ‘doodle’ spot gave us a surprise treat with a rendition of Tom Jones’ ‘Delilah’ – I’d never had expected that back in the early 90’s! But it was the “Black” album that dominated the setlist, with five tracks including ‘Sad But True’, ‘The Unforgiven’ and an emotional ‘Nothing Else Matters’, played in a darkened stadium with thousands of phone lights gently bobbing like fireflies. The song may divide hardcore metal fans, but you’d need a heart of stone not to feel the magic this evening.
As is expected, the band rotate around the stage and James seemed particularly on fine form, absorbing the audience energy. The set official presumably ended with ‘One’ which was truly engrossing and showed off some great Thrash skills from Lars. There was no “off they go and come back in ten minutes for the encore” – Metallica raged straight through with the classic ‘Seek and Destroy’. ‘Master of Puppets’ was justifiably held back till the end before it was aired, given the respect that defining song deserves. Finally ‘Enter Sandman’ wrapped things up in a glorious, euphoric crescendo.
Manging to cover most of their albums wasn’t going to be easy for a band with as many enduring tracks as Metallica have, but that was a damn fine setlist. Both Daughtertron and I were very satisfied, being able to hear some of our favourites in a live setting.
For over forty years, Metallica have been at the forefront of what they do. That a bunch of guys in their sixties can put on that good a show is encouraging enough – but the real success of this was seeing the multitudes of fans, of all ages and walks of life, coming together and loving the music. So many of us grew up with Metallica and we’re in the midst of introducing the next generation to this passionate, life-affirming music. This gig was genuinely exciting, moving, inclusive and more important than I expected.
Autumn in the UK seems like the ideal time of year for a new release from Warlockhunt. The days are getting shorter and cooler, the leaves turning to orange and yellow and falling to the ground. The veil between this world and the next is at its thinnest, and the dark melancholy of nature can be best observed.
Warlockhunt is a three-piece band, consisting of Chris on drums, and two bass players: Mark and Lorraine (who also handles vocals). This choice of instrumentation allows Warlockhunt to exist as something very different from the rest of the Doom Metal crowd. The absence of crunching guitar allows the music to explore a more atmospheric, though no less heavy, landscape.
The album begins with a lengthy intro of synthesised bass, which thaws out the beginning of ‘Turn Away’. Slowly, a pulsing bass emerges, punctuated with stark, precise drumming. The dreamlike female vocals blossom and float alongside the melody, rather than dominating it. ‘Diary of Hate’ has a more direct but no less minimal approach, with a simple bass sound and thumping percussion creating a hypnotic ground for the vocals, till the pace increases for a frenzied finale.
‘Mourn’ has an almost folky, medieval character, still prevalent when the drums crash in with a marching rhythm. The tribal drumbeats have a Post Punk crispness that are as much a feature as that moody bass – see ‘Fake’ as a prime example. On the title track, those drums reach Killing Joke-like intensity, leading the dark revelry as much as underpinning it. And over all of that are the vocals, both sombre and enchanting.
Warlockhunt have been called Doom Pop in the past (most notably by me, haha!) and the description still stands. This is less the onslaught of Cathedral or Trouble, and more like Joy Division creating a soundtrack for a folk horror movie – with Nancy Sinatra singing. “Prey” is an exercise in climate, in ambience – though still heavy with the air of dark melancholy. Watch the sun go down and enjoy the darkness.
Yes, they’re back! Liverpool’s finest Rock’n’Roll revenants, Zombina and the Skeletones, have returned – the stake has been removed, and their hellbound hearts beat once more! But you probably already knew that, right? Their spellbinding comeback, “The Call of Zombina”, was released last year – and made Top 3 in my Ever Metal end of year favourites for 2024, as I’m sure you’ll recall…
So what’s going on here, then? Well, the songs on “In Sinistereo” were originally released as four separate EPs some ten years ago, as a digital only deal. But they’re not just being re-released here: the songs have been remixed and remastered, sure – but many are also enhanced with additional keyboards, horns and vocals that were previously absent. Songs have been edited longer or shorter, meaning that we have a whole new creature, reimagined Frankenstein-like from its previous form.
Lend a pointed ear, and the listener will also find a cauldron-full of the signature ZATS sound: a bubbling mixture of Punk, Rock’n’Roll, Psychobilly and glorious pop that revels in a B-movie graveyard of monsters, ghouls, murderers and broken hearts. With the sweet yet deadly voice of Zombina masterminding the whole crazy shindig along with partner in crime Doc Horror on vocals and guitar, this party never stops.
Opening song ‘(All I Wanna Do Is) Decompose (With You)’ is a fast paced Punk rocker and an ideal way to wake the dead. Chugging guitar and circus keys devolve into a spooky, theremin laced outro. ‘Phantom with the X-Ray Mind’ adds some skronky keyboards to a Devo/B-52s style mash up, whilst the jangly guitar of ‘Witch Mountain’ evokes early 80’s Damned.
The Skeletones add touches of 60’s girl groups with ‘Haunted House of Love’ and ‘Whatever You Do, Don’t Fall in Love’. Elsewhere they bring in a cheeky, Madness-does-The Addams Family-with-horns style stomper with ‘The Stakeout’. ‘Kill!!!!’ adds a synth pop sheen and is the least convincing track here, but don’t worry, there’s plenty of raucous tracks like ‘Ramon’, ‘The Wild’ and ‘You Swallow Spiders in Your Sleep’ to keep you bouncing like the Devil’s on your tail!
The production is warm and clean, with all of the musical parts seeping through perfectly. ‘In Sinistereo’ is rejuvenated as a vibrant and varied experience, a Tim Burton movie-like album with the songs dancing their way out of the crypt. Zombina and the Skeletones are without doubt the perfect band for Halloween. Trust me, this is all treat, no trick.
