FILM, MUSIC and LITERATURE
, Writer’s Block is something I suffer from time to time. It’s nothing I can predict in any way. I can go long periods of time when I write every day, and since I’ve writing this on Active Context you know what kind of texts I’m talking about. Here it’s all about haveing opinions on music, films or books. Ok, so I don’t write that much about books, but it has happened, and it will...
Virus of Violence is, as I understand it, the only full-length studio album by the Dutch band Desensitised. Of course, I never heard about them before. That makes the best kind of listening experience don’t you think? While doing a fast search there also seems to be an American band with the same name. This band allegedly changed its name to på Murder Syndicate in 2008. I haven’t heard anything about them either and I...
Melissa is the first album by Danish Heavy Metal band Mercyful Fate. They were in the foreground of the movement which would later be Black Metal—at least lyric-wise. If you compare this to the Norwegian Black Metal scene, Mercyful Fate seems pretty “un-extreme”. On the other hand, there’s no sound philosophy the same as that of Norwegian bands. Bot that Melissa sounds good, it’s not a well-produced album when you listen to it today. But...
Stormbound is the sixth movie in the Mythica series. The previous story kind of ended with the previous one – Godslayer. Therefore this is a new beginning of sorts. There are new characters and a new storyline, even though it connects a bit to the old one. I think it’s more out of necessity than something that adds to the story. It feels cheap and an excuse to build on a story that no longer...
Avenge the Fallen is the gazillionth album from Swedish Power Metal Band Hammerfall. Not really, of course, I think it’s their thirteenth album actually. You recognize yourself right away which is both a strength and a weakness. On the one hand, you know what you get, but on the other hand, knowing what you get is a little bit boring. And with a bond like Hammerfall, who I place somewhere between mockery of the Power...
Eight Eyes is a movie set in Serbia, at least to begin with. Later the plot is transferred to Macedonia I believe. It is a joint production between the USA and Serbia and half the dialog is in Serb language. The other half is in English. Of course, I have to rely on the subtitles to understand the Serbian parts. So, in essence, I can’t really tell which language it is. It just seems most...
Snow White and the Seven Samurai is a 2024 movie from the Asylum studio. Movies from the Asymum studios often have something to hope for. Let’s say that they don’t always deliver on their mark. But I’ve heard good about this from Voices From the Balcony, so I thought I’d give it a go. I’m rather anxious when I see Eric Roberts in the early scenes of the movie. I usually don’t connect his name...
Attack of the Legion is the second Gamera film, starting with The Guardian of the Universe. This time the threat comes from outer space, a gigantic insect-like alien which in turn is built up by smaller units. The government tries to fight it off but stands helpless (of course). Their only hope is Gamera even if he’s still not considered an ally. Nevertheless, Gamera takes on the fight with the gigantic creature from outer space...
Metal Heart is the sixth studio album by German Heavy Metal Band Accept. I first got it around when it came out (yes, I’m that old) and I still have the Vinyl version somewhere. Back in the day, I loved it. I loved how classical music was incorporated into the songs and I had never heard that before. These days, I’m rather disappointed if there isn’t any kind of that classical touch on an Accept...
Frozen Empire is the latest Ghostbusters installment. That makes it the fourth film in the series. The first two were made in 1984 and 1989 respectively, and the last one just a couple of years ago, in 2021. I was a fan of the first movie when it came out. But when the second one came out back in the day, I can’t remember seeing it. I have done something about it since then, but...
High Voltage was AC/DC’s first album released in Australia in 1975. It’s a bit confusing since an album with the same name was released internationally the following year. The tracks are not the same though. On the latter, parts of the original Australian T.N.T. album were also included. Or if we should be frank, most of it is from the T.N.T. album. This means that High Voltage in its original Australian Release features songs not...
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the fourth newer movie about how humanity lost its grip on the world and how the apes rose to domination of the planet. I have seen all the other of course, but I’ll be damned if I can remember every detail about them. I can’t. What I do know is that they follow a logical path. First Ceasar, the ape who finally said NO, is subdued. Later...
Lady Dragon 2 has absolutely nothing to do with the first film. There’s no connection between them whatsoever. Apart from that Cynthia Rothrock stars in both of course. But she doesn’t even play the same person. She looks different and she has a different name. So there! Oh, wait. There is something else they have in common – revenge! In this one, Cynthia Rothrock plays a fighter known as the “The Golden Angel”. The film...