HELL COMES TO HOUSTON...WITH KERRY KING!

Is it hotter in Hell...or Houston? That depends on where KERRY KING and his buddies are! Recently, the ex-SLAYER guitarist was in Oiltown and so was our boy COLONEL ANGUS! Angus gives us the full rundown on KERRY's gig, which also featured MUNICIPAL WASTE and ALIEN WEAPONRY! This bunch turned the House of Blues into the House of MAYHEM! Lots of great pics can also be found in the in-depth report HERE!

Speaking of live reviews, it won't be long before Angus also covers the awesome HELL'S HEROES gig with SAXON, ABBATH and a boatload more. And not long after that, the Good Doctor will be up in Wisconsin for the 2025 edition of MILWAUKEE METALFEST, with DOWN, ARCH ENEMY, EXODUS and more bands than there are nits on my sister's hair! Plus we should have some more news for you soon!

This week's Torture Chamber features edgy approaches to several metallic genres!

MISANTHROPY                                                  "The Ever Crushing Weight of Stagnance"

MINDWARS                                                        "V"

SCALPTURE                                                        "Landkrieg"

KARLA KVLT                                                        "Thunderhunter"

DISTRICT 97                                                        "Live For the Ending"

THE 7TH GUILD                                                 "Triumviro"

STEP INTO TOMORROW WITH IAN BLURTON'S FUTURE NOW!

We've always had time for great Canadian bands here at Wormwood Laboratories and this week is no different, despite the provocations of the current Asshole In Chief. The latest bunch of northern hellraisers to get the WC treatment is IAN BLURTON'S FUTURE NOW! THERON MOORE talks to Mr Blurton himself, a Canadian music producer of no little renown who has a taste of crunchy 70's hard rock in classic fashion. Find out the roots of this retro-futuristic band HERE!

For the first time in a while, we've got an extra sized Torture Chamber, chock full of metallic goodness!

SANHEDRIN                                             "Heat Lightning"

SCOUR                                                      "Gold"

PAYSAGE D'HIVER                                   "Die Berge"

TYRAN                                                       "Tyran's Oath"

CAUSTIC PHLEGM                                   "Purulent Apocalypse"

SABER                                                       "Lost In Flames"

ACT OF IMPALEMENT                             "Profane Altar"

VULTURE'S VENGEANCE                        "Dust Age"

ONSLAUGHT KOMMAND                      "Malignancy"

GET SLAUGHTERED AT THE BÜTCHER SHOP!

Get ready for plenty of splatter and gore because we're about to enter the realm of BÜTCHER! These old school speed metal maniacs hail from Belgium and have been wrecking necks and praising Satan with a vengeance the last few years. Their latest adventure in aural butchery is "On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing" and here to tell you all about it is guitarist K.K. RIPPER! Mr. Ripper spills the beans on his gradual conversion to the ways of evil thrash and the band's many classic influences! This one is a lot of fun, so strap in and get those splatter-proof face shields ready when you find out more HERE!

We got another wild interview with a controversial dude coming up, but this one is a lot closer to home. I talk to J.R. PRESTON from Illinois' own "redneck black metal" band BLOOD CULT! Wow! This guy loves to throw some grenades, let's put it that way! I should also have news soon on some new Philm Phreak reviews!

This week's Torture Chamber features twisted Goth rock, brutal death metal, expansive prog metal and just plain METAL!

BRAINSTORM                                                         "Plague of Rats"

PHRENELITH                                                           "Ashen Womb"

NEW SKELETAL FACES                                           "Until The Night"

LUNAR                                                                     "Tempora Mutantur"

MEAN MISTREATER                                                "Do Or Die"

LOANSHARK                                                            "No Sins To Confess"

WORMWOOD'S BEST OF 2024 LISTS ARE IN!

OK, humanoids, it's that time of year again! The Worm-Crew reveal their picks for the 10 best music releases of 2024! We've been doing this for a long time and it's always a lot of fun seeing the wildly different choices. I think those differences make us one of the most unique webzines out there!

As always, I will give you a teaser here and present the #1 picks of each writer. For the entire listins, click HERE! But here are the #1's...

DARK STARR                                     THE LAST DINNER PARTY               "Prelude to Ecstasy"

COLONEL ANGUS                            EVERGREY                                          "Theories of Emptiness"

DR. ABNER MALITY                          CRYPT SERMON                               "The Stygian Rose"

THERON MOORE                             MC5                                                     "Heavy Lifting"

IRON SHEIK                                       ACCEPT                                              "Humanoid"

THOR                                                 ABORTED                                           "Vault of Horrors"

LORD RANDALL                               NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS       "Wild God"

OCTOPI MILLS                                 MY DYING BRIDE                             "A Mortal Binding"

Also got a couple of newsworthy tidbits for you. Look out for COLONEL ANGUS' live report on a recent Houston show featuring KERRY KING, MUNICIPAL WASTE & ALIEN WEAPONRY! With tons of great pics! And as far as the next Wormwood Files goes, it looks like I will be writing about the legendary Canadian lake monster OGOPOGO!

In addition to the Top 10 lists, you also get the Wormwood Torture Chamber to gnaw on!

THE FERRYMEN                                                    "Iron Will"

HAVAKRUUNU                                                      "Tavastland"

CHRISTIAN MISTRESS                                          "Children of the Earth"

BIND TORTURE KILL                                            "Sauvagarie"

FORNDOM                                                            "MoPir"

NITE                                                                       "Cult of the Serpent Sun"             

ENTER THE FANTASTIC REALM OF MAD PARISH!

The esteemed COLONEL ANGUS recently trekked into the snowy Quebec woods to speak with one of Canada's most notable progressive metal bands, MAD PARISH, and their guitarist BOB EAGLESHAM! Much of the chat centered around MAD PARISH's ambitious new concept album "The Dust of Forever" and its inspiration, along with the band's many and diverse influences. Get an insight into the world of these power-hungry minstrels of metal HERE!

Next week should see our annual "Top 10" lists looking at each Worm-scribe's favorite albums of the previous year. And as for the subject of the next Wormwood Files, it looks like it will be devoted to another Canadian institution...the infamous lake monster OGOPOGO!

The new Tolrture Chamber features both JETHRO TULL and MUTAGENIC HOST...a strange pairing you'll only see at Wormwood!

SACRIFICE                                                   "Volume Six"

JETHRO TULL                                              "Curious Ruminant"

MUTAGENIC HOST                                    "The Diseased Machine"

HAZZERD                                                    "The 3rd Dimension"

CMPT                                                           "Na Utrini"

NECKBREAKKER                                        "Within The Viscera"

A MUSICAL JOURNEY WITH THE LACONIC

Something a little bit different and a bit more laid back than the usual Wormwood mayhem this week, as our Wizard of Prog, DARK STARR, interviews multi-talented music maven MARC PELATH in connection with his experimental project THE LACONIC. THE LACONIC has a sound that is very hard to pin down, with influences from progressive rock, ambient, jazz fusion, metal and straight up rock n roll. Marc himself tries to explain what he's doing and the reasoning behind it, as well as the latest LACONIC album "Ascension". Take the trip HERE...

We've been getting a ton of good interviews recently and it shows no signs of letting up. The new album from Finnish epic black metallers HAVUKRUUNU made such an impression on me that I had to talk to them. And so I did, connecting with band mastermind STEFA! Look for both review and interview soon. I was also hoping to have the subject of my latest Wormwood Files for you, but I am putting it up to a vote on the Wormwood Facebook Page. Stop by there and cast your vote!

Got an extra large Torture Chamber for you musical masochists, featuring MARILYN MANSON, HIRAX, SCUMRIPPER and many more!

MARILYN MANSON                                        "One Assassination Under God, Chapter 1"

HIRAX                                                               "Faster Than Death"

AVATARIUM                                                     "Between You, God, The Devil and The Dead"

AEON GODS                                                    "King Of Gods"

TIGGUO COBAUC                                           "Fountains Of Anguish"

URFEIND                                                          "Dauþalaikaz"

DERISION CULT                                               "Mercernary Notes, Pt. 2"

SCUMRIPPER                                                   "For A Few Fixes More"

WEED DEMON                                                "The Doom Scroll"

GET READY FOR A BRUTAL MASSACRE!

BEWARE THE GRIP OF THE HAUNTED STRANGLER!

BORIS KARLOFF is often called "The King of Horror" and with good reason! This week, we take a look at one of Boris' more obscure roles and find a hidden gem, with the venerable actor delivering a knockout performance as a character both tragic and fiendish. The movie is 1957's '"THE HAUNTED STRANGLER", where Boris investigates the mysteries behind a 20 year old series of brutal murders...and finds himself thrust into a total nightmare! See what DR. MALITY has to say about this forgotten classic of horror cinema HERE!

Things are really starting to cook here at Wormwood! I've snagged an interview with European metal fiends BUTCHER, who are taking the thrash and black metal scenes by storm with their raging blast of molten witchery! Also coming soon will be THERON MOORE's interview wtih 70's inspired hard rockers FUTURE NOW and their mainman IAN BLURTON! We should have even more news for you Worm-fiends shortly!

Here's a Torture Chamber that focuses on rising new talent!

BONFIRE                                                    "Higher Ground"

THE CIMMERIAN                                       "An Age Undreamed Of"

RUIN DWELLER                                         "Apocalyptic Ruin"

THE SLIME                                                 "Crabwalk to Oblivion"

THE RAGING PROJECT                             "Future Days"

DISTORTA                                                  "Dead Man" EP

SHATTERFACE                                           "Deviate" EP

WE KICK OFF 2025 WITH AN INTERVIEW TWOFER!

Another trip around the sun gets started here at Wormwood Laboratories and we ain't wasting any time! We kick it off with TWO interview from Mr. THERON MOORE. First, he speaks to the feisty MINA WALKURE, frontwoman for European power metallers BRONZE! Mina is one hard-driving lady, as you will find out HERE! Then we turn to the States and new classic metal band KINGDOM OF TYRANTS, who boast members from STEEL ASSASSIN and MELIAH RAGE in their ranks. For this one, Theron talks to veterans KEVIN CURRAN and MIKE MOONEY about the genesis of K.O.T. and what they've got planned. Read all about it HERE!

On the horizon, you can look for future interview with the new barbarian metal band THE CIMMERIAN, who come down from Crom's mountain to talk with DR. MALITY. Also get ready for another Theron Moore special, as he talks to Canada's maniacal thrashers TERRIFIER. And of course we will also have the infamous Wormwood "Top 10 Lists", this time focused on the best of 2024!

Here's the first Torture Chamber of 2025, stuffed with musical mayhem of all types!

OPETH                                                        "The Last Will And Testament"

ELECTRIC WIZARD                                    "Black Magic Rituals and Perversions, Vol. 1"

GUTLESS                                                    "High Impact Violence"

STORACE                                                    "Crossfire"

CRUCIFICTION                                           "Will To Power"

THE LACONIC                                            "Ascension"

PUTRED                                                      "Megalit al Putrefactiei"

JARNBORD                                                 "Filmer for Blinda"

HORSE BUTCHER                                      "Horse Butcher" EP

WE END 2024 WITH A MIGHTY BLAST FROM ENFORCED!

Another year gets flushed down the great cosmic toilet. Here at Wormwood we close things out with a hellacious racket, as DR. MALITY interviews Virginia's unstoppable thrash warriors ENFORCED. Specifically, he talks to vocalist KNOX COLBY about the incredible RIchmond VA metal scene, the band's latest EP "A Leap Into the Dark" and a scary "Spinal Tap" moment where Knox almost wound up almost incarcerated in a forgotten room. Grab on to this hair-raising chat HERE!

The last Torture Chamber of 2024 is suitably wild, featuring grave diggers, naked whippers and shrieking demons...and that's just a start!

GRAVE DIGGER                                               "Bone Collector"

NAKED WHIPPER                                           "Chapel Defilement"

IMPELLITTERI                                                  "War Machine"

SHRIEKING DEMONS                                     "The Festering Dwellers"

ORNATORPET                                                 "Fordomdags"

IGNITOR                                                          "Horns and Hammers"

SPEND CHRISTMAS WITH THE WATCHER!

At this festive time of the year, there's nothing better than a dose of. doom-laden heavy metal to lift your spirits. That brings us to Boston-based band THE WATCHER and COLONEL ANGUS' interview with them. He speaks with bassist MAX FURST, who is quite the well-spoken chap. Max tells us how THE WATCHER nails down the sound of early heavy metal, the influence of obscure NWOBHM bands, and what lies ahead. You can hear what he had to say HERE!

Just want to take a moment away from my usual transplant experiments to wish all of you a Happy Holiday season no matter what holiday you enjoy. 2024 was a pretty good year for Wormwood and we plan on making 2025 equally rewarding, if not more so.

And now for a cheerful dose of the Torture Chamber, overflowing with sonic goodies...

MORK GRYNING                                           "Fasornas Tid"

BEDSORE                                                       "Dreaming the Strife For Love"

NASTY SAVAGE                                             "Jeopardy Room"

KINGS OF MERCIA                                        "Battle Scars"

IAN BLURTON'S FUTURE NOW                  "Crimes of the City"

POWERMAN 5000                                        "Abandon Ship"

BLACK CURSE                                               "Burning In Celestial Poison"

TEDDY HORSE                                              "A Guide To Wild Hedges"

MISANTHROPIC AGGRESSION                   "Insect Politics"

AN EVENING WITH KING DIAMOND & FRIENDS!

Once in a great whiole, you're lucky enough to see a tour where everything clicks and every band delivers its best. In 2024, that tour had to be KING DIAMOND, who hit the road with OVERKILL and NIGHT DEMON to put on a spectacular show. Wormwood was lucky enough to catch the performance at the beautiful Riverside Theater in downtown Milwaukee and you get to read all about it here! KING put on a masterful and highly theatrical show, while OVERKILL and NIGHT DEMON managed to just tear everything up. We've got some exclusive pics from the gig as well...see it all HERE!

Christmas and New Year's are approaching but there is no rest for the wicked. The Wormwood schedule may be slightly disrupted but we don't plan on missing any time! What a conscientious and hard working bunch we are...HAH!!!

The Torture Chamber is another wild and woolly affair this week...

RATS OF GOMORRAH                                     "Infectious Vermin"

GRAND MAGUS                                               "Sunraven"

SCHAMMASCH                                                "The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean"

DEMON BITCH                                                "Masters of the Game"

BOMBUS                                                          "Your Blood"

ALKYMIST                                                         "UnnDerr"

BACK IN ACTION WITH MANIC ABRAXAS, MOVIE REVIEWS & MORE!

The mass turkey slaughter and consumption is done and Wormwood Laboratories is back in business...with a vengeance! First off is my interview with one of the most eccentric and interesting metal bands in America, Maine's MANIC ABRAXAS! These guys are a real hidden gem with a sound that draws on more influences than Matt Gaetz has teenage bimbos, best heard on their latest platter, "Skinformation"! I talk to DALLAS SEGER, JUSTIN HAMM and TOM BENNETT about their unusual style, what Maine is like as a metal haven, and much more. Read HERE for all the "skinfo" you need!

DARK STARR has also been busy! He has two new movie reviews for us! First up is a look at "H.P. LOVECRAFT'S WITCH HOUSE"! Does it do the master's original tale justice? Find out HERE! Then he dives into the cult Halloween classic "TRICK R' TREAT"! Find out if this is a nice big chocolate bar...or an apple with a razor blade! Read HERE for the answer! In more Dark Starr news, he also tells me he's got an interview with instrumental progsters from Northern Illinois, THE LACONIC! Several other interviews are being worked on by all and sundry, so stay tuned!

And of course we have an extra sized Torture Chamber for you, with bands all over the genre map!

CAPILLA ARDIENTE                                         "Where Gods Live And Men Die"

NACHTMYSTIUM                                             "Blight Privilege"

D-A-D                                                                "Speed Of Darkness"

BARREN                                                            "The Hanged Man"

MELTED BODIES                                              "The Inevitable Fork"

TAROT                                                               "A Glimpse of the Dawn"

PLOUGHSHARE                                               "Second Wound"

GOTHO                                                             "Gothron Vs. Fartark"

STENCHED                                                       "Purulence Gushing From The Coffin"

MEET CLEVELAND'S CRUNCH CREW OLATHIA + SPECIAL HOLIDAY NOTE

SPINAL TAP might have no idea where the hell Cleveland is, but OLATHIA will be quick to tell you....it's their home! This up and coming band has all the tools to reach a lot of different metal audiences. THERON MOORE got ahead of the herd and interviewed the band...charismatic frontwoman CHRIS E., guitarist DYLAN ANDRAS and bass beater TERRY BULL It's a cool conversation about what makes the Cleveland metal scene so strong as well as the history of the band and their plans for the future. Read all about it HERE!

Also, the eminent COLONEL ANGUS tells me he talked to another fast rising metal band called THE WATCHER....so WATCH for that in the future as well, pun intended.

Thanksgiving Week is almost upon us and that means extra long hours for Ye Olde Editor. That means we may be taking a week off or at the least, offer a reduced update. Just to let you know. When I return to this location, I will reveal the mystery of WORMVISION...it's worth waiting for!

This week's Torture Chamber includes the super heavy, the super weird and the return of a classic doom metal band!

THE GATES OF SLUMBER                              "The Gates of Slumber"

SLEEPLESS                                                       "Through Endless Black"

DEFEATED SANITY                                          "Chronicles Of Lunacy"

ORANSSI PAZUZU                                           "Muuntautaja"

FESTERGORE                                                   "Constellations of Endless Blight"

BUTCHER                                                         "On Fowl of Tyrant Wing"

"HELLO, AND I AM ALL COLOURS SAM..."

This week, the Weird World of Wormwood gets weirder than ever before as the Good Doctor takes a detailed look at one of the most surreal paranormal tales ever told....the story of "ALL COLOURS SAM" the mysterious SANDOWN CLOWN! Yep, it's time for another edition of the Wormwood Files. Who exactly was Sam The Sandown Clown? Was he an alien? A robot? A ghost? A demented clown? A hoax? Or just the imagination of two English kids who encountered him one sunny day in 1973? Get all the details on this case of "high strangeness" HERE! Get ready for a wild ride!

Speaking of wild rides, I can announce an interview with one of the original voices of death metal, Mr. KAM LEE of MASSACRE! Kam has been there since the beginning and he pulls no punches in his take on MASSACRE! Something to look forward to! I think I will also be doing a report on an unjustly overlooked 50's horror movie, "THE HAUNTED STRANGLER", which features one of Boris Karloff's best performances. Lots of announcements coming soon...including the debut of WORMVISION! What's that? You'll find out...

And now for another off the wall edition of The Torture Chamber!

ENSIFERUM                                                  "Winter Storm"

FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY                                 "The Nothing That Is"

OLD WAINDS                                               "Stormheart"

OVERT ENEMY                                             "Insurrection"

THE CROWN                                                "Crown Of Thorns"

THY CATAFALQUE                                       "XII: A gyönyörű álmok ezután jönnek”

WE THRASH IT UP WITH NERVOSA!

It is rare any more that the Good Doctor gets to talk to anybody face to face and rarer still when he hooks up with women as talented and beautiful as NERVOSA! This female thrash squad has been laying down the law for years now and on the very first night of their first headlining tour in the United States, I got to hobnob with PRIKA, HELENA and GABRIELA! Later that night they laid waste to the Blades of Steel fest, but first they talked about their tumultuous history, Prika's unexpected journey to lead singer and the state of women in metal. I REALLY enjoyed this one...check it out HERE!

As I hinted before, LOTS of Wormwood news! I just saw one of the best live metal tours of the year in Milwaukee featuring KING DIAMOND, OVERKILL and NIGHT DEMON! Expect a live report and lots of photos from the gig soon! The ever-busy THERON MOORE has grabbed another interview, this time with up and comers BRONZE and their own female fury, MINA WALKURE! Plus DARK STARR will have some juicy new movie reviews for us, looking at H.P. Lovecraft's "WITCH HOUSE" and a perfect film for the Halloween season, "TRICK R TREAT"! Should have even more juicy tidbits for you soon, including something fun that will bring Wormwood to a whole new audience! Stay tuned!

This week's Torture Chamber has a real interesting mixture of bands!

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER                                     "Servitude"

PAGANIZER                                                                    "Flesh Requiem"

THE WATCHER                                                               "Out of the Dark"

ALUK TODOLO                                                              "Lux"

TRELLDOM                                                                    "...By the Shadows"

MAUL                                                                             " In the Jaws of Bereavement"

THE SCEPTER TAKE COMMAND!

We talk to a lot of great veteran bands here at Wormwood Laboratories, but we also like to keep an eye out for fresh new talent. Such a band is THE SCEPTER from Toronto, Canada. THERON MOORE was sharp enough to find these guys and he interviews the entire band here. They draw from the classic age of metal to come up with a ripping new sound...get all the details HERE and get a jump on the rest of the public, because these dudes might be big news soon...

Got some pretty crushing bands in the new Torture Chamber and some quite progressive ones as well...

VISION DIVINE                                             "Blood And Angel's Tears"

MASSACRE                                                    "Necrolution"

DIATI                                                              "Diati" EP

THE WRING                                                   "Nemesis"

MOLDER                                                        "Catastrophic Reconfiguration"

ORYX                                                              "Primordial Sky"

WE VISIT THE MORGUE TO MEET DECEASED!

Your macabre pal DR. MALITY is no stranger to death, but even I got a little chill when I ventured into the morgue to speak to KING FOWLEY of DECEASED! King proved to be his usual amiable stuff but our conversation definitely veered into the morbid, as we discussed the finer points of the new DECEASED album "Children of the Morgue". The album focuses on death in a much different way than most death metal albums do, as King explains. We also talk about the 40 year legacy of the band and one of the better "Spinal Tap" moments we've had in a while. If you're not afraid of a little demise, read more about it HERE!

Some new projects are in the works and we hope to have more details for you humanoids soon! Stay tuned to this channel!

The Torture Chamber this week is not only extra large, but extra LOUD as well!

NILE                                                   "The Underworld Awaits Us All"

LOUDBLAST                                     "Altering Fates and Destinies"

GAEREA                                             "Coma"

GOD BULLIES                                   "As Above, So Below"

ASTRAL DOORS                                "The End Of It All"

GIGAN                                                "Anomalous Abstractigate Infinitessimus"

INVOCATION                                     "The Archaic Sanctuary"

PSYCHLONA                                      "Warped Vision"

MUTANT BLAST                                "Soulsteeler"

AN INTERVIEW THAT WILL LEAVE YOU INTRANCED!

COLONEL ANGUS introduces us to an exciting new band that sums up the California heavy metal experience, INTRANCED! This band has got some pretty deep roots in that scene, including their outstanding vocalist JAMES-PAUL LUNA, who once sang for HOLY GRAIL and WHITE WIZZARD. Angus chats with drummer BEN RICHARDSON about their debt to the 80's scene, their connection to Latino metal fans and their killer new record, "Muerte y Metal". He's definitely got something to say about all those subjects and more. Find out more HERE!

Just a reminder....we have a bunch of other interviews on the way, including DECEASED, BLAKEARTH, MANIC ABRAXAS, OLATHIA, NERVOSA, ENFORCED, THE SCEPTRE and more....Wormwood never sleeps!

The Torture Chamber is all over the place musically this week. Take a look for yourself!

SWEET                                                  "Full Circle"

RIPPED TO SHREDS                           "Sanshi"

SYKOFANT                                           "Sykofant"

OCEANS OF SLUMBER                       "Where Gods Fear to Speak"

GRENDEL'S SYSTER                            "Katabasis Into the Abaton"

HORNA                                                 "Nyx--Hymneja Yolle"

A HEAVY DUTY RUNDOWN OF BLADES OF STEEL IV!

 Almost every year for the last 20 years, we've reviewed the big underground metal festivals promoted by RANDY KASTNER in Southern Wisconsin, starting with the NYDM SPRING BASH fests and continuing with BLADES OF STEEL! It's time now to dive into the fourth edition of Blades, which featured such names as NIGHT DEMON, EXHORDER, NERVOSA, EYEHATEGOD, LIEGE LORD and many more! DR. MALITY was there for almost every single minute and brings you the goods on this great experience of underground metal, including a ton of exclusive pics! Buckle up and click HERE for the whole story!

This week's Torture Chamber boasts a visit from OBNOXIOUS YOUTH, MINDLESS SINNER and the gnarly ENFORCED, the latter of which will have an interview here soon!

POUNDER                                                   "Thunderforged"

ENFORCED                                                  "A Leap Into The Dark" EP

MINDLESS SINNER                                     "Metal Merchants"

OBNOXIOUS YOUTH                                  "Burning Savage"

THE OTHER SUN                                         "Daimon, Devil, Dawn"

SENTIENT HORROR                                    "In Service To The Dead"

WE DIVE INTO THE OCEANS OF NIGHT!

This week the enigmatic DARK STARR gets to speak to one of the unsung heroes of progressive metal, MR. SCOTT MOSHER, in connections with his band OCEANS OF NIGHT. Anyone into the likes of RUSH and DREAM THEATER should dig this project, which has just released its' first album in quite a while, entitled "Mindstorm". Scott seems to be a humble character with a dry wit and sense of self-deprecating humor. Check out this brief but highly informative chat HERE!

An extra length Torture Chamber including OCEAN OF NIGHT's "Mindstorm" is here for your inspection...

RON KEEL                                                     "Keelworld"

WINTERFYLLETH                                          "The Imperious Horizon"

VICTORY                                                        "Circle Of Life"

HELVETETS PORT                                         "Warlords"

OCEANS OF NIGHT                                      "Mindstorm"

VENDED                                                         "Vended"

TEMPLE OF DREAD                                      "God of The Godless"

VICIOUS BLADE                                            "Relentless Force"

BARATHRUM                                                "Uberkill"

A TALK WITH BASS LEGEND D.D. VERNI!

It's no secret that the mighty OVERKILL is a perennial favorite here in Worm-land. We've managed to talk to their personable frontman BOBBY BLITZ no less than 3 times. But we've never gotten around to speaking to fellow founding member bassist D.D. VERNI...until now! D.D. is a restless and creative guy with plenty of things going on, including his punk rock project VERNI, which just released a new album "Dreadful Company". I was beyond stoked to speak to the man about this album, as well as D.D.'s recovery from a troublesome injury, his big band project THE CADILLAC BAND and the possible revival of his Goth metal group, THE BRONX CASKET COMPANY! Find out what he had to say HERE!

Another big time interview is on the way to Wormwood! I got a connection with the red-hot thrash metal monsters ENFORCED and their manic frontman, KNOX COLBY! So look for that here along with more chats including NERVOSA, OCEANS OF NIGHT, DECEASED, BLAKEARTH and more!

Got a wide-ranging Torture Chamber for you this week, with a lot of well-known names!

DARK TRANQUILITY                                     "Endtime Signals"

SATAN                                                            "Songs In Crimson"

WORSHIPPER                                                "One Way Trip"

HAWKWIND                                                   "Stories From Time And Space"

MERCYLESS                                                    "Those Who Reign Below"

LORDS OF THE TRIDENT                              "V.G.E.P."

FEEL THE LETHAL BITE OF FER DE LANCE!

Ever heard of the Fer De Lance snake? It's one of the most lethal in the world, full of deadly venom. The same thing holds true for the Chicago metal band of the same name. This FER DE LANCE specializes in huge epic sounds in the vein of Viking-era BATHORY and MANOWAR. THERON MOORE recently gabbed with three members of this rising outfit...J. GEIST, RUSTY and M.P....and got some really juicy answers regarding their influences, past and future plans and their story so far. Click HERE to get all the poison from FER DE LANCE!

We've got a great and varied lineup in this week's Torture Chamber, with releases from the likes of STRYPER, FLOTSAM & JETSAM and MONUMENT OF MISANTHROPY!

STRYPER                                               "When We Were Kings"

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM                      "I Am The Weapon"

AVMAKT                                                "The Satanic Inversion Of..."

PHENOCRYST                                       "Cremation Pyre"

MONUMENT OF MISANTHROPY       "Vile Postmortem Irrumatio"

HOUKAGO GRIND TIME                      "Koncertos of Kawaiiness"

SANCTUARIUM                                     "Melted And Decomposed"

MOOSE CULT                                        "Book Of The Machines"

MIASMA OF OCCULT LIMBS               "Occulta Caermonia Putridum"

WE REVIEW AIMEE: THE VISITOR AND DON'T LET HER IN

We venture back into the world of offbeat cinema with the help of DARK STARR this week. He takes a look at two underground films of more recent vintage. With "AIMEE: THE VISITOR", we have a very timely look at an AI intelligence that morphs into a sexy female stalker. Read about that one HERE! Then we turn to a different kind of femme fatale with "DON'T LET HER IN", the story of a Goth chick roommate who winds up taking her roomies to hell! Hook up with that one HERE!

Still working on a whole passel of new content for the site. In addition to the upcoming review of the BLADES OF STEEL fest, I'll also be reviewing a JUDAS PRIEST/SABATON gig playing around here soon. COLONEL ANGUS tells me he'll have a report on a KK'S PRIEST/HELSTAR show down in Houston. And I've determined that the subject for the next Wormwood Files will be the strangest alien entity encounter ever recorded, the bizarre tale of SAM THE SANDOWN CLOWN! Stay tuned for that one!

Some big name visitors in this week's Torture Chamber such as HAMMERFALL and DEEP PURPLE add spice to our weekly line-up of reviews...

HAMMERFALL                                                  "Avenge The Fallen"

WOLFBRIGADE                                                 "Life Knife Death"

DEEP PURPLE                                                    "=1"

DEATHLESS VOID                                             "The Voluptuous Fire of Sin"

ADORIOR                                                           "Blood On My Teeth"

CHAINED SAINT                                                "Blindside"

WORMWOOD ENCOUNTERS ANCIENT ENTITIES!

We are back in action after The Good Doctor spent a wild and woolly weekend in Madison for the annual BLADES OF STEEL fest! More on that in a while, but first, let me turn your attention to my interview with Milwaukee's ANCIENT ENTITIES! These guys are one of the fastest rising death metal bands in the state of Wisconsin and soon you'll be hearing much more from them. Fresh off a blistering set at MILWAUKEE METALFEST, I speak to lead singer BRIAN GUILFORD about that red-hot gig, the burgeoning Wisconsin metal scene and some important news about a record deal! Don't miss out on this chat HERE so you can say you knew the band when!

LOTS of news in Worm-land this week! You'll be reading all about my three day excursion to BLADES OF STEEL, where I saw such acts as NIGHT DEMON, LIEGE LORD, EXHORDER and many more. I did a lot more than just watch Brazil's all-female thrash squad NERVOSA...no, get your minds out of the gutter! I had a great talk with 3/4 of the band and you'll be seeing that interview here as well! Meanwhile, DARK STARR tells me he grabbed a talk with prog-metal institution OCEANS OF NIGHT. And super-busy THERON MOORE added yet another interview to his formidable stash, this time with a brand new band KINGDOM OF TYRANTS which arises from the ashes of STEEL ASSASSIN. We're working on even more, including a brand new Wormwood Files about our weirdest subject yet!

To make up for lost time, here's an extra juicy edition of the Torture Chamber...

IRONFLAME                                             "Kingdom Torn Asunder"

BLACK LAVA                                            "The Savage Winds To Wisdom"

DEMISER                                                   "Slave to the Scythe"

QUIESCENT MANTIS                               "Here Comes The Swarm!"

MAMMOTH CARAVAN                            "Frostbitten Galaxy"

HEMORRHOID                                         "Raw Materials of Decay"

AZKETEM                                                  "Azketem"

KRYPT                                                       "Great Spawn of the Worms of the Earth"

YOSEMITE IN BLACK                               "The Pursuit Of"

TYPHONIAN                                             "The Gates of the Veiled Beyond"

THE LATEST EDITION OF SOL'S SCREENERS + MEAN MISTREATER INTERVIEW!

 Get the popcorn and Mad Dog 20-20 ready, it's time for another plunge into the world of strange cinema with SOLOMON G! This is the sixth edtion of Sol's Screeners and this time Sol has a lot of obscure and bloody giallos for you to read about..."MURDER IN A BLUE WORLD", "CRAZY DESIRES OF A MURDERER" and "THE DOLL OF SATAN"! And if that ain't enough, there's kung fu fantasy with "NA CHA THE GREAT"! Dive into this ocean of sleaze HERE! And watch out for gum on your sneakers!

It was an extra busy week at Wormwood, as THERON MOORE provides us with another interview...this time, with rough and ready traditional metallers MEAN MISTREATER! Theron speaks to guitarist QUINTEN LAWSON about the band's gritty 70's and 80's influences and much more! Read on HERE!

Just a note for you humanoids....there will be no update this coming weekend, as DR. MALITY makes his yearly trek to Madison, this time for BLADES OF STEEL IV, featuring NIGHT DEMON, EYEHATEGOD, LIEGE LORD and many more. We'll be back the following week and look out for a write up on the fest!

And now it's time for the one, the only, the patented Wormwood Torture Chamber!

SUPERMODEL TAXIDERMY                                    "At What Cost?"

1349                                                                          "The Wolf and The King"

BLACK SITES                                                             "The Promised Land?"

KRYPTICY                                                                  "The Non-Return"

PHAETHON                                                              "Wielder of the Steel"

DEATH RACER                                                         "From Gravel To The Grave"

WE CONDUCT A RUTHLESS INTERVIEW!

THERON MOORE dives deep into Southern California metal history this week as he talks to one of the area's longest lasting and most seasoned bands, RUTHLESS! This is not our first rodeo with these guys, but it's the first in a long time and also since their new album "The Fallen" was unleashed on the metal-hungry public. SAMMY DeJOHN has been the band leader since 1982 and has a lot to say about the band's storied past as well as its promising future. Catch what he has to say right HERE!

Speaking of interviews, we got some big ones on the way. I chat with the always garrulous KING FOWLEY of the legendary epic death metallers DECEASED, who are riding high on their new album "Children of the Morgue"! Not only that, but busy boy THERON has two more new interviews upcoming....one with Ohio's power-thrashers OLATHIA and another with a new entity called BLAK EARTH, which has connections to  THRUST and TYRANT! And even more is being plotted as we speak!

An extra large Torture Chamber features a really wild assortment of bands, including one that I think may be the best of the year so far!

KRYPTOS                                                    "Decimator"

CRYPT SERMON                                        "The Stygian Rose"

HAUNTED PLASMA                                   "I"

ORANGE GOBLIN                                      "Science, Not Fiction"

SKELETHAL                                                 "Within Corrosive Continuums"

MANIC ABRAXAS                                        "Skinformation"

EVILYN                                                         "Mondestrunken"

TROG                                                            "Horrors Beyond"

VIMUR                                                          "The Timeless Everpresent"

NO ESCAPE FROM THE PENSACOLA SEA SERPENT!

It's been a while since we've dipped into the weird world of the Wormwood Files. Here's a new tale of the unknown for you to sink your fangs into and it's a doozy! It's the story of the most frightening cryptid encounter in history, the account of THE PENSACOLA SEA SERPENT! In 1962, this voracious sea beast attacked a group of five young men on a sea adventure...and only one survived! What happened that fateful night? You can read more about this nerve-racking case HERE!

This week, you're going to get a real STABBING PAIN from our Torture Chamber!

DREAM EVIL                                             "Metal Gods"

200 STAB WOUNDS                                "Manic Manual Procedures"

THE STABBING JABS                                "The Stabbing Jabs"

GOD DETHRONED                                   "The Judas Paradox"

PAIN                                                           "I AM"

VERNI                                                        "Dreadful Company"

HAVE SOME PIZZA WITH BELUSHI SPEED BALL!

If you like pizza with your thrash, join me as I party with the goons of BELUSHI SPEED BALL! This band of miscreants has become one of the most talked about bands in the underground with their insane shows full of raucous shenanigans and blazing crossover thrash. What has fueled their rise to the top? I ask lead vocalist VINNY CRASTELLANO all about the rise of BELUSHI, including asking about their most over the top show, their dedication to the DIY ethic and their theory about GARTH BROOKS being a serial killer. Grab a beer and a slice of deep dish and join me HERE as I put Vinny under the microscope!

Lots of news for fans of the Philm Phreaks section! A new edition of SOL'S SCREENERS is on the way, with SOLOMON G taking a close but irreverent look at these grindhouse staples: "Murder In A Blue World", "Crazy Desires of a Murderer", "The Doll of Satan" and "Na Cha The Great"! And if that ain't enough for you underground movie mavens, DARK STARR will also contribute reviews of some more recent indie horrors, "AIMee THE VISITOR" and "DON'T LET HER IN". And ol' DR. MALITY might be whipping up something in this vein soon as well!

This week's Torture Chamber is an extra-sized edition with bands both old and new!

ROTTING CHRIST                                                "Pro Xristoy"

X-COPS                                                                 "XCAB" EP

LACERATION                                                        "I  Erode"

NEW HORIZON                                                    "Conquerors"

RHAPSODY OF FIRE                                             "Challenge The Wind"

VANHELGD                                                            "Atropos Doctrina"

AGAINST EVIL                                                        "Give 'EM Hell"

INCIPIENT CHAOS                                                 "Incipient Chaos"

NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS                             "You and Your Friends Are Dead: Game Over" EP

SLUGCRUST                                                            "Discharged" EP

TRAMPLED BY CLOVEN HOOF!

The Devil pays a visit to Wormwood Laboratories this week...OK, maybe not Old Nick himself, but probably the next best thing...English metal legends CLOVEN HOOF! This band has been kicking ass and clipping angel's wings since the earliest days of the NWOBHM back in the early 80's! They've hung tough and stayed true to their sound for all those years. Our boy THERON MOORE talks with bass player and original member LEE PAYNE about their outstanding new album "Heathen Cross" and their acquisition of new singer HARRY "THE TYRANT" CONKLIN, as well as their dedication to playing live in the studio to keep that authentic sound. Dive into this brief but revealing chat HERE!

In other interview news, I got a chat with Maine's strangest and heaviest band, MANIC ABRAXAS! These dudes are hard to describe but quirky beyond belief. You can add that to a list that includes BELUSHI SPEED BALL, MEAN MISTREATER, ANCIENT ENTITIES, D.D. VERNI of OVERKILL, FER DE LANCE and THE SCEPTER. And more to come....

A wild Torture Chamber has the first metal band from Togo in Africa, the debut of a new supergroup, the return of FU MANCHU and most appropriately, SEVERE TORTURE!

CATEGORY 7                                                  "Category 7"

FU MANCHU                                                  "The Return of Tomorrow"

ARKA'N ASRAFOKOR                                     "Dzikkuh"

SEVERE TORTURE                                          "Torn From the Jaws of Death"

CAINITES                                                         "Revenant"

CARNOPHAGE                                                "Matters of a Darker Nature"

DISCOVER THE WEIRD WORLD OF JERRY WARREN!

 Wormwood is back in action and this week we plunge into the somnambulistic cinema of Hollywood's King of Cheap, JERRY WARREN! When it came to stretching a buck, Jerry made Roger Corman look like Cecil B. DeMille. He churned out a tidal wave of Z-grade cinema that included "The Wild World of Batwoman", "Teenage Zombies" and "Frankenstein Island". These slow-moving and fiscally challenged gems have to be seen to be believed...and The Good Doctor covers them all for you right HERE!

We've got a full slate of interviews and features coming your way shortly...expect an update here next week!

Our Torture Chamber this week includes DECEASED, SUNBOMB and the loathsome TSATTHOGGUA!

DECEASED                                                  "Children of the Morgue"

TSATTHOGGUA                                          "We Are God"

SUNBOMB                                                   "Light Up The Sky"

GRAND DEMISE OF CIVILIZATION           "The Blaze of Abaddon"

ELECTRIC PEACE                                         "Shoot Me!!!"

THE INCANTUS                                            "The Incantus"

GET YOUR FILL OF THE QUILL!

WE REVIEW MILWAUKEE METALFEST 2024!

Last year saw the return of the great metal tradition, MILWAUKEE METALFEST. This year showed that was no fluke, as the festival returned with heavy hitters like BLIND GUARDIAN. POSSESSED, AUTOPSY, HAMMERFALL and many more both old and new. Of course your favorite knuckleheads at Wormwood were there to cover the action. DR. ABNER MALITY and THERON MOORE teamed up to give you a run down on the Friday and Saturday edition of the fest, complete with a lot of exclusive pics. Once you finish this write-up, you'll swear you were there yourself! Check it out HERE!

More concert coverage will be forthcoming! We should soon have a report from SOLOMON G on the monstrous "DEATH BY METAL" tour with AMON AMARTH, CANNIBAL CORPSE and more. We've got the "BLADES OF STEEL" fest coming up during Labor Day and the Good Doctor will be checking out JUDAS PRIEST and SABATON right in his own neck of the woods! In addition, you can add THE SCEPTRE to Theron Moore's big grab bag of interviews featuring CLOVEN HOOF, MEAN MISTREATER and FER DE LANCE! We are working on some pretty cool stuff in addition...stay tuned for further updates!

Speaking of CLOVEN HOOF, they can be found in this week's Torture Chamber, along with ANVIL, HUNTSMEN and more!

ANVIL                                                            "One And Only"

ANCIENT ENTITIES                                      "Echoes of Annihilation"

HUNTSMEN                                                  "The Dry Land"

APES                                                               "Penitence"

HAWKESTREL                                               "Chaos Rocks"

CLOVEN HOOF                                             "Heathen Cross"

ENJOY THE GLOOM WITH MY DYING BRIDE!

I must admit, the blazing advent of summertime and 90 degree heat is not the ideal time to listen to England's Gothic and gloomy MY DYING BRIDE, but once you listen to them, everything suddenly become the waning days of October! Wormwood is very happy to provide this interview with the immortal doom masters to lower the temperature. Our own OCTOPI MILLS talks to long-time guitarist ANDREW CRAIGHAN about their latest album "A Mortal Binding", the effect of history and literature on their particular art and their unique brand of creativity. So grab an umbrella and read it HERE!

Indeed, the soldier ants of the Wormwood Hive are busier than ever! That industrious scribe THERON MOORE has been providing us with a ton of interviews lately and now we can add the melodic power metal sensations FER DE LANCE to the pile which already includes CLOVEN HOOF and MEAN MISTREATER! Our master of grindhouse film SOLOMON G will be contributing a concert review of the heaviest tour of the year featuring AMON AMARTH, CANNIBAL CORPSE, OBITUARY and more! And the Good Doctor can reveal he's snagged a chat with a Wisconsin band you will soon be hearing a lot more about, ANCIENT ENTITIES! And we have even more up our sleeve so stay tuned!

Our Torture Chamber this week is overstuffed with underground goodies of all varieties!

PORTRAIT                                                    "The Host"

GATECREEPER                                             "Dark Superstition"

ARD                                                               "Untouched By Fire"

TERAMAZE                                                   "Eli: A Wonderful Fall From Grace"

NOCTURNUS A.D.                                       "Unicursal"

SOIL                                                              "Restoration"

CRANIAL DISORDER                                   "Congenital Depravity"

CASTLE RAT                                                 "Into The Realm"

KOMMANDANT                                           "Ehibition of Conquest"

ONSLAUGHT KOMMAND                          "Visions of Blood and Gore"

WE DIVE DEEP INTO A TERMINAL NATION!

TERMINAL NATION from Little Rock, Arkansas, are the furious voice of a country tearing itself apart. Their violently angry mix of grind, death metal and hardcore seems perfectly matched to these chaotic times. I had some trepidation when I spoke to singer STAN LISZEWSKI, the roaring mouth of the band. What I got was one of my favorite interviews, where the well-spoken Mr. Liszewski talks about what fuels his barbed lyrics, all of the influences both obvious and surprising than go into TERMINAL NATION's sound and their latest blast of rage, "Echoes From The Devil's Den". Hear what he has to say and believe...right HERE!

THERON MOORE has sure been a busy beaver as of late! In addition to speaking to rising band MEAN MISTREATER, he now tells me he's interviewed one of the great bands of the NWOBHM, CLOVEN HOOF! So that's on the way, too! Plus he may be dipping his toe in the movie review section soon as well. Much more to announce soon!

This week's Torture Chamber seems particularly disposed to newer bands! Check it out!

BRODEQUIN                                                       "Harbingers of Woe"

HOLYCIDE                                                           "Towards Idiocracy"

NOCTURNA                                                         "Of Sorcery and Darkness"

SABIRE                                                                  "Jatt"

INTRANCED                                                         "Muerte y Metal"

APE VERMIN                                                        "Andromedas Colossus"

QUEENSRYCHE...ARMORED SAINT...ISLAND ESCAPE!

 A plethora of interesting tidbits awaits you in this week's edition of Wormwood! First up, I've got a live review of two heavy metal hitters playing a gorgeous old movie theater just a mile from my lab! QUEENSRYCHE and ARMORED SAINT are the two above-mentioned bands and they graced us with their high volume presence at the beautiful Coronado Theater this past April. Get the blow by blow lowdown on the show HERE, including many exclusive photos! I also want to direct you to another movie review by DARK STARR. This time, he looks at "Island Escape", an intriguing indie film mixing action, sci-fi and horror genres into one big shebang! Check that out HERE!

The ever busy THERON MOORE is at it again. Fresh off an interview with MEAN MISTREATER, he now offers us a chat with veteran metalheads RUTHLESS. That gives us another chat in a pile that already has MY DYING BRIDE, BELUSHI SPEED BALL, THE QUILL and TERMINAL NATION on tap. And more yet to come...

If you like a lot of variety in your underground music, this week's Torture Chamber should float your boat...

MUTIILATION                                                "Black Metal Cult"

BAT                                                                 "Under The Crooked Claw"

THE ANTIKAROSHI                                       "L'Inertie Polaire"

HOLY MOTHER                                             "Rise"

FORTUNATO                                                 "From High Above"

UFOMAMMUT                                              "Hidden"

ENTER THE CRYPTIC WORLD OF A VISION BLEAK!

SSSSThe old iron gate swings open...an owl hoots in the distance...and a thick fog clings to the tombstones as we enter the darkened realm of A VISION BLEAK! These German explorers of the strange and eerie return to the pages of Wormwood, as I interrogate SCHWADORF, the guiding hand of AVB, about the duo's new album "Weird Tales", which is inspired by the legendary dark fantasy magazine. We talk about both the album and magazine, as well as Schwadorf's plan behind making the album one colossal track. Those who love heavy music with a sinister atmosphere need to read further HERE!

Speaking of the weird, we have a movie review by DARK STARR on tap this week as well. He looks at the "found footage" horror spoof "Woods Witch", inspired by the classic "Blair With Project". Is it worth your time? Get the answer HERE! Also want to let you know that THERON MOORE has snagged a chat with blistering true metal band MEAN MISTREATER, so look for that in the weeks ahead as well. We are working on some really major league stuff which I need to keep mum about until it's in our greasy little hands...stay tuned!

An extra-sized Torture Chamber features more music rooted in the macabre as well as the debut of a great new local Northern Illinois band!

WRAITH                                                               "Fueled By Fear"

BELUSHI SPEED BALL                                       "Stellkira"

EVERGREY                                                           "Theories of Emptiness"

ZOMBEAST                                                          "Heart of Darkness"

GODEN                                                                "Vale of the Fallen"

THE LURKING CORPSES                                    "Lurking After Midnight"

SWELLING REPULSION                                      "Fatally Misguided"

DYSTOLOGY                                                        "Natural Instinct"

SWAMPBEAST                                                       "Offering of Chaos, Lamenting In the Blood of Man"

MADZILLA IS ON THE RAMPAGE!

This week Wormwood takes a trip to the Sin City of Las Vegas to encounter the city's hottest metal export, MADZILLA! This four piece shows a lot of promise in appealing to seasoned headbangers and standard rock fans both. I talk to guitarist/vocalist DAVID CABEZAS about their very rapid rise, their major shows playing with SAXON and SOULFLY and the concept behind their latest album "A Deadly Threat"! Despite their aggressive sound, David was pretty easy to talk to; you can read the chat HERE!

This week's Torture Chamber wound up being maybe the heaviest ever, with the likes of DEICIDE, ABORTED and CARDIAC ARREST shredding eardrums and nerve cells!

ABORTED                                                  "Vault of Horrors"

DEICIDE                                                     "Banished By Sin"

CARDIAC ARREST                                     "The Stench of Eternity"

COFFIN STORM                                        "Arcana Rising"

BLACK TUSK                                             "The Way Forward"

PRAYING MANTIS                                    "Defiance"

LOTS OF NEWS AND A LOADED TORTURE CHAMBER!

It's been a really hectic week at Wormwood Central! THERON MOORE and myself spent some time at the madhouse known as MILWAUKEE METALFEST, which was full of acts like DEICIDE, NUNSLAUGHTER, BLIND GUARDIAN, HAVOK and more. You better believe you will be getting a report from us on this sinister soiree! I'm also super happy to announce that the enigmatic OCTOPI MILLS snatched an interview with England's overlords of gloomy Gothic doom, MY DYING BRIDE! That's a biggie! And that's not all! COLONEL ANGUS got a chat with Swedish super-rockers THE QUILL! And I've figured out what the next Wormwood Files will be...,a look at the most deadly cryptic encounter in history, the PENSACOLA SEA SERPENT incident of 1962! This is in addition to other upcoming features like interviews with THE VISION BLEAK, TERMINAL NATION, and MADZILLA and some new twisted film reviews as well! It's busy here in the depths of Hell!

Due to all the hub-bub this last week, we didn't post a major feature, but we did vomit up a loaded version of the Torture Chamber, with reviews of BLUE OYSTER CULT, COFFINS, RIOT V and more!

BLUE OYSTER CULT                                      "Ghost Stories"

COFFINS                                                          "Sinister Oath"

RIOT V                                                              "Mean Streets"

HEAVY TEMPLE                                               "Garden of Heathens"

BLAZE OF PERDITION                                    "Upharsin"

DEMON                                                            "Invincible"

FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS...SOL'S SCREENERS ARE BACK!

It's been a while since our favorite grindhouse reprobate SOLOMON G has dropped by, but the drought is over at last! The fifth edition of SOL'S SCREENERS is here, as Sol puts four more obscure cinematic excursions under his microscope. This time, he looks at 1985's "BITS AND PIECES", 1980'S "BLOOD BRIDE", 2000's nunsploitation epic "THE CONVENT" and 1975's pseudo-giallo "FOOTPRINTS ON THE MOON"! Which of these bits of celluloid flotsam is worth keeping....and which needs a burial at sea? Let Sol tell you HERE!

Just a note for you Worm-fiends...The Good Doctor will be attending this week's edition of MILWAUKEE METALFEST along with MR. THERON MOORE. This might cause a delay in the clockwork like efficiency of Wormwood, so sit tight if there's no update this weekend. I can tell you that plenty of cool stuff is on the way in the meantime!

Now for an extra-special, extra-sized edition of the Wormwood Torture Chamber....

MY DYING BRIDE                                   "A Mortal Binding"

TERMINAL NATION                               "Echoes of the Devil's Den"

DAATH                                                    "The Deceivers"

DEATHWISH                                           "The Fourth Horseman"

RAGE                                                        "Afterlifelines"

FLUIDS                                                     "Reduced Capabilities"

ABSCISSOR                                              "Metanoia"

THE WIZARDS                                          "The Exit Garden"

MOONBLADDER                                     "Dark Sky Equilibrium"

PREPARE FOR THE ONSLAUGHT OF HELL'S HEROES!

One of the biggest metal events of the year has to be the annual HELL'S HEROES fest originating in Houston, Tejas. This carnival of destruction is growing to rival Maryland Deathfest in scope and Wormwood's own Steel Cowboy, COLONEL ANGUS, is lucky enough to live right in Houston. So we've got the most complete coverage of the festival anywhere on the web, with tons of killer pics from Angus to accompany it. Some of the names at this year's fest included CANDLEMASS, QUEENSRYCHE, SODOM, (all pictured above!) AUTOPSY, WATCHTOWER, DORO and about thirty more! After you read Angus' report HERE, you'll feel like you actually were there!

My ears were recently blasted and my soul was scorched by the latest from Arkansas' grind demons TERMINAL NATION! Their new one is one of the angriest records ever recorded! So naturally I grabbed an interview with their bull-roaring frontman STAN LISZEWSKI! Look for that to appear in these hallowed pages down the road! Also got some other MAJOR interviews in the works...

Some old friends drop into the Torture Chamber this week, most notably ACCEPT and ATTACKER!

ACCEPT                                                           "Humanoid"

VULTURE                                                        "Sentinels"

ATTACKER                                                      "The God Particle"

PENTAGRAM (CHILE)                                    "Eternal Life of Madness"

THE QUILL                                                      "Wheel Of Illusion"

SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE                                  "Arkanum"

MEET BLACK METAL NOMADS, DARKESTRAH!

Thundering across the steppes in the dead of night comes Kyrgyzstan's unholy minstrels, DARKESTRAH! This one of a kind band takes the ancient sounds of the Great Silk Road and brings them to the 21st century with the fury of black metal! This week I speak to two of DARKESTRAH's sturdy nomads, ASBATH and CERRITUS. They speak of how they put this unique outfit together, how it relates to the legacy of Kyrgysstan, and their massive new album, "Nomad". I'm sure this will be on my year-end list and it was a pleasure to speak to these warriors. Hear what they have to say HERE!

I don't think you could find a band more opposite to DARKESTRAH than the pizza-obsessed thrash goons BELUSHI SPEED BALL, but that's who we'll be talking to next. These guys are taking the scene by storm with their fierce yet funny brand of thrashing mayhem. So look for that soon! Also, it looks like we will be getting some more movie reviews from DARK STARR, who will tackle a couple of indie favorites, "Island Escape" and "Woods Witch". That's in addition to the new SOL'S SCREENERS from Solomon G and my look at the supreme movie hack, JERRY WARREN! All this and more forthcoming....

An extra-sized Torture Chamber gets really dark this time around!

STARGAZER                                                  "Bound By Spells"

WITCH VOMIT                                              "Funeral Sanctum"

DARKNESS                                                    "Blood On Canvas"

FRIENDS OF HELL                                        "God Damned You To Hell"

LHAAD                                                           "Beneath"

VLTIMAS                                                        "Epic"

PESTILENGTH                                               "Solar Clorex"

CRAWL                                                           "Altar of Disgust"

CANCERVO                                                    "III"

AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. RAY ALDER!

Recently COLONEL ANGUS had the distinct pleasure of speaking to one of metal's most respected vocalists, the legendary RAY ALDER! Ray has been known for his work with FATES WARNING, REDEMPTION, ENGINE, A-Z, and most recently, NORTH SEA ECHOES. He talks about the very different approach of that latter band as well as memories and stories from his 30 year plus career. You can peruse this highly enjoyable chat HERE!

Speaking of the esteemed COLONEL ANGUS, he will also soon be giving us the lowdown on the colossal HELL'S HEROES festival in Houston. This shindig featured CANDLEMASS, SODOM, AUTOPSY, SOLITUDE AETURNUS and a boatload of other loud and lethal acts...Angus sent me no less than 300 photos from the fest! You won't see all of them, but you'll see a lot! And also, SOL'S SCREENERS will soon be returning to Wormwood, with SOLOMON G really dredging up some nasty and obscure flicks to put under the microscope. Should have some major interview news soon as well...

The Torture Chamber this week features the Gothic, the progressive and the downright brutal...

DESOLUS                                                  "System Shock"

BLAZAR                                                     "Fatal Cosmic Wound"

LEAVES' EYES                                            "Myths of Fate"

THE VISION BLEAK                                  "Weird Tales"

DELIRIA                                                     "Phantasm"

SUFFER                                                     "Grand Canvas Of The Aesthete"

MUTILATED BY ZOMBIES SPEAK FROM THE GRAVE!

Grim tidings are in store for this week's Wormwood Chronicles update. We return to the somber cemeteries of Iowa to speak with Dubuque's death metal masters MUTILATED BY ZOMBIES! This is my second chat with singer/guitarist JOSH DEMUTH and he's more decayed than ever. A lot of gore has flowed under the bridge since our last talk, so there's a lot to catch up on, including the killer (ahem) new MBZ record "Scenes From The Afterlife". You can get up to speed with everything in the MUTILATED world right HERE!

Incoming! I confirm that I will have an interview with Las Vegas' fast-rising melodic thrashers MADZILLA soon! These guys are a must if you're into METALLICA and MEGADETH! And yes, the Good Doctor also managed to see QUEENSRYCHE and ARMORED SAINT live at the historic Coronado Theater in beautiful downtown Rockford. Expect a report on that event as well. Should soon have some more news to report...

Torture Chamber features some oddball recordings from FURZE and KOLGA as well as the aforementioned MADZILLA!

REPLICANT                                               "Infinite Mortality"

NECROT                                                    "Lifeless Birth"

KOLGA                                                      "Black Tides"

FURZE                                                       "Caw Entrance"

BLAK29                                                     "The Waiting"

MADZILLA                                                "A Deadly Threat"

A LIVE LOOK AT GEOFF TATE AND VANDENBERG!

It's been a while since we've done a live concert review, but COLONEL ANGUS has ridden to the rescue! He recently saw not one but two gigs featuring the velvet voice of rock, GEOFF TATE, and the silver strings of VANDENBERG! He gives us a blow by blow lowdown on the event, with a ton of glitzy photos to boot! You can see what it's all about HERE! Speaking of live reviews, the Colonel will soon have a rundown of the HELL'S HEROES festival, while I cover a QUEENSRYCHE/ARMORED SAINT gig just a few minutes from now. And more on the way soon...

Speaking of Colonel Angus, he grabbed an interview with one of hard rock's greatest singers, MR. RAY ALDER, once of FATES WARNING and now of REDEMPTION and NORTH SEA ECHOES. Look for that tantalizing treat soon! And I will be doing a new Philm Phreaks article about the cheapest of the cheap, the director who throws nickels around like manhole covers, the infamous JERRY WARREN! BEWARE!

The new Torture Chamber travels a path from the sonic horror of IRON MONKEY to the steampunk tones of METRO SOCIETY...and everywhere in between!

DUST BOLT                                             "Sound And Fury"

IRON MONKEY                                       "Spleen and Goad"

METRO SOCIETY                                    "The London Conspiracy Chapter One: 1898"

SUICIDAL ANGELS                                 "Profane Prayer"

DISTRICT 97                                            "Stay For The Ending"

WRISTMEETRAZOR                                "Degeneration"

OPEN UP YOUR YELLOW EYES!

YELLOW EYES from New York City are for sure a very different kind of band. They are often associated with the black metal genre, but this is just a beginning frame of reference that doesn't encapsulate their sound. This is heard nowhere better than on their recent effort "Master's Murmur", which ventures into tones and sounds not often associated with black metal...or metal of any kind, for that matter. Our own OCTOPI MILLS was entranced with this effort and so we now bring you an interview with SAM SKARSTAD, one of the prime movers of YELLOW EYES. I think you will find this a most stimulating conversation...click HERE and see if you agree!

Our Torture Chamber this week is also pretty far-ranging, as you'll find out below!

HIDEOUS DIVINITY                                         "Unextinct"

EXHORDER                                                      "Defectum Omnium"

NEW MODEL ARMY                                        "Unbroken"

ISCHEMIC                                                         "Condemned To the Breaking Wheel" 

SLIMELORD                                                      "Chrytridiomycosis Relinquished"

GOST                                                                 "Prophecy"

EVIL PUPPETS AND DEMONIC TOYS INVADE WORMWOOD!

Who needs Chucky when you can have a whole room full of DEMONIC TOYS and EVIL PUPPETS? Wormwood's resident Full Moon fanatic reviews two classic features from that cult company that deal with the dark side of kid's playthings. First, he looks at DEMONIC TOYS: JACK ATTACK, where the sinister clown in the box leads an assault by possessed toys. Check that one out HERE! And then he looks at the greatest hits of the legendary Puppet Master franchise with PUPPET MASTER: THE LEGACY. Find out what Pinhead and the gang are up to HERE!

Big news this week! I got an interview with the amazing Kyrgyz black metal/folk metal combo DARKESTRAH, who have released one of the best albums of the year in "Nomad". Then we go from the steppes of Kyrgyzistan to the cornfields of Iowa, for a new interview with our undead friends MUTILATED BY ZOMBIES! Also, the live reviews are on the way. COLONEL ANGUS should have a report on a gig featuring GEOFF TATE and VANDENBERG, as well as an in-depth report on Houston's HELL'S HEROES fest, featuring SODOM, QUEENSRYCHE, CANDLEMASS and many more! Whew! And I should have something on a QUEENRYCHE/ARMORED SAINT concert very close to Wormwood Laboratories! No rest for the wicked around here!

This week's Torture Chamber features no less than the mighty JUDAS PRIEST!

JUDAS PRIEST                                                "Invincible Shield"

FIREWIND                                                       "Stand United"

MORTA SKULD                                              "Creation Undone"

OZRIC TENTACLES                                        "Lotus Unfolding"

CELL PRESS                                                    "Cages"

VIRCOLAC                                                       "Veneration"

NEVER REBORN                                             "Ashes Of Our Past"

PUNCHING MOSES                                       "Live Short And Suffer"

SEPTAGE                                                         "Septic Worship"

ENTER THE CYBERZONE WITH DISSIMULATOR!

The 21st century and its myriad problems have created a lot of dystopian metal bands. One of the absolute best is a new one hailing from Montreal known as DISSIMULATOR! These three cyborgs have unleashed a torrent of headbanging riffs as well as tales of technology gone berserk on their killer debut album "Lower Form Resistance", which we reviewed HERE! I entered the ultra-net for a conversation with guitarist/vocalist CLAUDE LEDUC about the origins of the band, their unusual influences and the meaning behind "Lower Form Resistance". I think this bunch is going to be a name to reckon with in the future, so jump aboard HERE so you can say you were among the first to be converted!

The distinguished BRUCE DICKINSON visits the Torture Chamber this week, among other bands of more than passing interest...

BRUCE DICKINSON                                              "The Mandrake Project"

DARKESTRAH                                                        "Nomad"

HANDS OF GORO                                                 "Hands of Goro"

NECROWRETCH                                                    "Swords of Dajjal"

VOLCANDRA                                                          "The Way of Ancients"

STRESS ANGEL                                                      "Punished By Nemesis"

SWALLOW A DOSE OF MORBID SAINT!

Better put on some asbestos underwear because MORBID SAINT is breathing hellfire! The long time Wisconsin death-thrashers are more rabid than ever on their new album "Swallowed By Hell"...which means it was the perfect time for our boy THERON MOORE to sit down with them for a chat. He talked to guitarist JIM FERGADES about their curious connection to DEATH and CHUCK SCHULDINER, their rocky road to their present success and of course, that new album. The band are a genuine monument of Midwest metal history, so read on and peruse the interview HERE!

Some new for you Worm-fiends! The enigmatic OCTOPI MILLS tells me he's got an interview with a band that makes him look mainstream, New York's eclectic sound architects YELLOW EYES! That will surely be something worth waiting for! And Yours Truly the Good Doctor is expecting a talk with the band SENTRY...who are the heirs to the beloved epic metal band MANILLA ROAD! And DARK STARR will have some films reviews for cult favorites "PUPPETMASTER: THE LEGACY" and "DEMONIC TOYS: JACK ATTACK". So things are starting to pop around here...and I can promise more to come!

Now get ready to rip into one of the biggest and most diverse Torture Chambers we've done in a while!

ATROPHY                                                   "Asylum"

MIDNIGHT                                                 "Hellish Expectations"

MYSTFALL                                                  "Celestial Vision"

MUTILATED BY ZOMBIES                        "Scenes From The Afterlife"

ILLUMISHADE                                            "Another Side Of You"

HYPOXIA                                                     "Defiance"

VORGA                                                        "Beyond The Palest Star"

CONTAMINATED                                       "Celebratory Beheading"

RAW WAR                                                   "Total Raw War"

EXPLORE THE MYSTERIES OF TIMESLIPS!

Time once more for Dr. Mality to dive into the world of the unknown...and this time it's really time, if you know what I mean. I look at perhaps the strangest and most mind-boggling paranormal phenomena of all...TIMESLIPS! Can people suddenly find themselves in another time without warning? Many people have experienced this curious event. In this latest Wormwood Files article, we look at the cases of people who say they wound up in medieval England, Revolution-era France and Liverpool in the Swinging Sixties! What's going on with these trips in time? Find out HERE!

The Torture Chamber this week has what will likely be the last album from the UK's MAGNUM as well as new stuff from MINISTRY, MESSIAH and more! "M" seems to be the letter of the week!

MAGNUM                                                     "Here Comes The Rain"

MINISTRY                                                     "Hopiumforthemasses"

SATURNALIA TEMPLE                                 "Paradigm Call"

HOUSE OF ATREUS                                     "Orations"

MESSIAH                                                       "Christus Hypercubus"

meth                                                              "Shame"

WE FLY HIGH WITH THE UK'S LIONHEART!

COLONEL ANGUS recently made his way to Old Blighty to shoot the breeze with one of England's longest running and most respected hard rock bands, LIONHEART UK! He spoke to guitarist STEVE MANN, who has been with the band since 1980! The Good Doctor was just an intern at ghoul school back then! Steve turned out to be a great guy to talk to, with plenty of stories of how the band has weathered all the shifting musical tides throughout the years, as well as the interesting story behind their newest album "The Grace of A Dragonfly".  You can see the results of the chat HERE!

This week we've got an extra sized Torture Chamber to keep you busy!

IHSAHN                                                       "Ihsahn"

SENTRY                                                        "Sentry"

JARHEAD FERTILIZER                                 "Carceral Warfare"

STRIKER                                                       "Ultrapower"

DEVASTATOR                                              "Conjurors of Cruelty"

ULFARR                                                        "Orlegsceaft"

EXECUTUS                                                    "The Black Throne of Chaos Abandoned"

MISANTHROPHI                                          "Principles of Cosmicism and Decimation"

NEGATIVE PRAYER                                      "Self/Wound"

BOW DOWN TO STYGIAN CROWN!

 Few new doom bands are generating more of a buzz than SoCal's STYGIAN CROWN! These guys like it dark, deep and heavy and prove it on their new album "Funeral For A King". I delved into Hyborian crypts to speak with sultry singer MELISSA PINION and skull-pounding drummer RHETT DAVIS! These dived deeply into their methods (and madness) when creating STYGIAN darkness!  Heed my words and read all about these wearers of the CROWN right HERE!

Stay tuned to this spot for upcoming exciting news about what's in Wormwood's future! And if you want to check out  our  more than 25 year  library of material, I urge you to check out the  ARCHIVES which you can find in the  Top Menu!

This week's Torture Chamber roams from the pensively atmospheric to the hideously gruesome!

NORTH SEA ECHOES                                              "Really Good Terrible Things"

GHOUL                                                                     "Noxious Concoctions" EP

RUTHLESS                                                                 "The Fallen"

HASTURIAN VIGIL                                                     "Unveiling The Brac'thal"

TRANSIT METHOD                                                    "Othervoid"

DIPYGUS                                                                     "Dipygus"

WORMWOOD TAKES KÖMMAND!

 This week THERON MOORE grabs his gas mask and flak jacket and heads up into the rainy wilderness of Washington state, where he has a rendezvous with post-apocalyptic thrashers KÖMMAND! These guys are crude, unrefined and definitely NOT to be confused with the L.A. band of almost the same name. LOOK FOR THE UMLAUT! Theron speaks to KOMMANDER Z and DRAKK about the slow but steady path of this war machine and the hypothetical existence of a Washington "scene". The chat is loose and lethal like the band themselves and can be read HERE!

Look for a surge of live reviews in these parts pretty soon, including looks at Houston's HELL'S HEROES fest, QUEENSRYCHE and ARMORED SAINT at the venerable Coronado Theater and our return to Milwaukee for the 2024 edition of METALFEST! Plus maybe even more!

The mighty SAXON drop by for this week's Torture Chamber, joining a bevy of wild and woolly acts!

SAXON                                                                   "Hell, Fire and Damnation"

DISSIMULATOR                                                    "Lower Form Resistance"

EARTHSIDE                                                            "Let The Truth Speak"

CANCER CHRIST                                                    "God Is Violence"

COLTRE                                                                   "To See With Hands, To Touch With Eyes"

NECROTUM                                                            "Defleshed Exhumation"

CHECK OUT OUR BEST OF 2023 LISTS!

The whole world has been waiting with bated breath for this colossal day! The Wormwood Chronicles Writers present their BEST OF 2023 LISTS! A hallowed tradition at Wormwood Labs, it allows the general public to see what goes on in the twisted brains of this kooky crew. And this year's list is probably the most diverse ever, with very few common entries across the lists! As usual, I will now present the #1 picks of each writer. For the full lists, click on the link HERE!

COLONEL ANGUS                                       RAY ALDER                                   "II"

THERON MOORE                                        JAG PANZER                                 "The Hallowed"

DR. ABNER MALITY                                    ENSLAVED                                    "Heimdal"

DARK STARR                                                HAWKWIND                                  "The Future Never Waits"

THOR                                                             OVERKILL                                       "Scorched"

OCTOPI MILLS                                             IMMORTAL                                     "War Against All"

IRON SHEIK                                                  KK'S PRIEST                                    "The Sinner Rides Again"

LORD RANDALL                                          OAK                                                   "Disintegrate"

The august COLONEL ANGUS informs me that he has gotten an interview with long-running British melodic rockers LIONHEART (UK)! Look for that to run here soon, along with chats from STYGIAN CROWN, KOMMAND, MORBID SAINT, DISSIMULATOR and more. And should have even more on the way!

We didn't neglect the Torture Chamber this week! Here it is in all its ragged glory...

LIONHEART (UK)                                          "The Grace Of A Dragonfly"

CRUCIAMENTUM                                          "Obsidian Refractions"

BLACK ABSINTHE                                          "On Earth And In Hell"

ABHORIA                                                        "Depths"

PLAGUEMACE                                                "Reptilian Warlords"

ENGULF                                                           "The Dying Planet Weeps"

MASSIVE SCAR ERA                                        "Metal Goes Egyptian" EP

SULFURIC HATRED                                         "Sulfuric Hatred"

NIGHT FEVER                                                   "Dead End"

GHOULIES INVADE THE CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD!

We take a double dip into the world of the unknown this week, as DARK STARR looks at two wildly different classics of horror! First up, he looks Lucio Fulci's infamously gory cult classic "CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD", aka "THE GATES OF HELL"! You can read that bloody essay HERE! On the opposite end of the scale, he looks at the more light-hearted but still sinister "GHOULIES" and its immediate sequel "GHOULIES 2". Investigate the realm of toilet-dwelling imps HERE!

If that's not enough terror for you, then get ready for an interview with legendary thrashers MORBID SAINT! The Milwaukee maniacs are back and riding high these days so that's a welcome bit of news. We should have even more interview news soon. Coming up next week:  Wormwood's annual 'BEST OF" lists!

A full panoply of underground metallic mayhem awaits in the Torture Chamber!

SURGICAL STRIKE                                          "24/7 Hate"

LUTHARO                                                        "Chasing Euphoria"

GAMA BOMB                                                  "Bats"

SPECTRAL VOICE                                            "Sparagmos"

KONTACT                                                         "Full Contact"

SIX FOOT SIX                                                   "Beggar's Hill"

GET LIT WITH 20 WATT TOMBSTONE!

2024 is here and it's time for some straight up heavy rock n roll! 20 WATT TOMBSTONE from Wausau, Wisconsin is here to answer the call with their new album "The Chosen Few". Upon hearing this raging slab of blues-injected rifferama, I hooked up with singer/guitarist TOM JORDAN to have a chat. A bearded bear with a pleasant demeanor and plenty to say, Tom spilled the beans on everything related to the band. Pull up a barstool and read the rest HERE!

Another band on the way to Wormwood is the Canadian cyber-thrash renegades DISSIMULATOR. Their debut album left a baseball sized hole in my skull where my brain used to be so I knew I had to hook up with them. Also, I've figured out the subject of my next Wormwood Files article...the enigma of "timeslips" or unexpected journeys forward or backward in time. Should be a real brain-tickler...

Some mighty warriors stride into this week's Torture Chamber...

LORD DYING                                              "Clandestine Transcendence"

STYGIAN CROWN                                      "Funeral For A King"

MEGA COLOSSUS                                      "Showdown"

SPECTRAL LORE                                         "11 Days"

TU-NER                                                        "T1--Contact Information"

DIABOLIC NIGHT                                        "Beneath The Crimson Prophecy"

CAN YOU ESCAPE THE DUNGEON OF HARROW?

This week, Dr. Mality descends into the depths of the cheapest and most squalid hell imaginable as he looks at the grisly 1962 "anti-masterpiece" THE DUNGEON OF HARROW, the story of a spoiled aristocrat stranded on an island run by a madman! Imagine a Corman/Poe/Price flick done for about ten bucks and featuring a cast of dinner theater rejects from San Antonio, Texas and you will get a feel for the movie. Yet it still casts a strange and dingy spell. See if you can escape from its insidious clutches HERE!

Some news to report! THERON MOORE tells me that we will soon get his interview with thuggish new death metal combo KOMMAND. He is working on another special treat for us al and I should have news on that soon. We can expect some more of SOL'S SCREENERS coming up soon and The Good Doctor has some irons in the fire, too! Plus I can relate that I've got all the "Best of 2023" lists so that's on the horizon, too!

Theron has added now new tracks to the Wormwood Spotify playlist, which you can check out here:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6GVQAXIblC8HPZS6RkfVwp?fbclid=IwAR3toravEDfn0BCi1uR9cY8XR8CvM_yRLvHvlhO0ISXzF-FauKbFnZxMzlc

The new Torture Chamber ranges from skull-splitting to darkly melodic...

SADUS                                               "The Shadow Inside"

LEFT CROSS                                       "Upon Desecrated Altars"

COBRA SPELL                                    "666"

ALCHEMY OF FLESH                         "By Will Alone"

GOTUS                                                "Gotus"

RECEIVER                                            "Whispers of Lore"

FALL INTO THE ABYSS OF VASTUM!

From the Bay Area of California emerges the dark and disturbing VASTUM, one of the leaders of the modern wave of death metal. After five years in limbo, they've returned with murky new album "Inward To Gethsemane". I connected with multi-talented and multi-faceted LEILA ABDUL-RAUF to talk about the evolution of the band and the meaning behind their often controversial lyrics. She had plenty of insight on those and several other interesting topics...drop in HERE to read the result!

Many irons are in the fire already for 2024 and some exciting announcements should be forthcoming at Wormwood Laboratories. Watch this space for the latest dope...

The first Torture Chamber of 2024 is just as dark and twisted as anything previous years have spawned!

MORTUARY DRAPE                                       "Black Mirror"

DEMONCY                                                      "Black Star Gnosis"

POOR GENETIC MATERIAL                           "Elsewhere"

HORSEWHIP                                                   "Consume And Burn"

BLOOD OATH                                                 "Lost In An Eternal Silence"

DEFECT DESIGNER                                        "Chitin"

WE END 2023 WITH A CASE OF CARDIAC ARREST!

Believe it or not, another year is in the books and we here at Wormwood celebrate it with a massive coronary event known as CARDIAC ARREST! The veteran Chicago band has been a favorite around here since the early days but we haven't talked to them in a while. THERON MOORE managed to haul ADAM SCOTT and TOM KNIZNER out of the graveyard to talk to them about all things CARDIAC, including their new album "The Stench of Eternity", the first to be released on their new label Hell's Headbangers! Keep your defilibrator handy and read about it HERE!

DARK STARR informs me that reviews will be forthcoming for new Blu-Ray releases of Fulci's classic gorefest "CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD" as well as a combined review of the first two GHOULIES movies. Plus my own look at the notorious "DUNGEONS OF HARROW" is forthcoming. Not to mention, the illustrious Wormwood "Best of 2023" lists!

Here's the last Torture Chamber of 2023...lotsa strange names pop up in this one!

ATRONOS                                                "Erwachen"

SHYLMAGOGHNAR                                "Convergence"

MORBID SAINT                                       "Swallowed In Hell"

GRAVESEND                                            "Gowanus Death Stomp"

AVRAE LVNAE                                         "Ntdd Strl"

PHOBOCOSM                                         "Foreordained"

HERZOG                                                   "Furnace"

WICKED SMILE                                        "Night Time Riders" EP

DISTORTA                                                "A Devil In the Dust" EP

SAN LEO                                                   "Aves Raras"

A HOLIDAY GIFT OF SOL'S SCREENERS!

For this festive holiday season, what could be cheerier than a new edition of SOL'S SCREENERS featuring kung fu zombies, strung out hookers and sleazy sex fiends? The answer is...nothing! This Sol casts his eyes on the foreign epic of drugged up prostitutes HANNAH D, the grindhouse tale of a homicidal peeping Tom THE SEX KILLER and the indescrible kung fu/Nazi/zombie island tale RAW FORCE! Skip the mistletoe and hop aboard Sol's sleigh ride HERE!

Coming soon...an interview with Texas doom metal phenomenon STYGIAN CROWN, whose new record "Funeral For A King" will likely make it onto Doc's "Best of 2024" list. Speaking of which, we are busy compiling the 2023 edition which will appear down the road a bit...

Here's the Christmas edition of the Torture Chamber, festooned with electric lights and human entrails...

THE RODS                                                  "Rattle The Cage"

CARNATION                                               "Cursed Mortality"

SORCERER                                                  "Reign of the Reaper"

GREEN LUNG                                             "This Heathen Land"

KILL THE KING                                           "Kill The King"

CRIMSON DAWN                                      "It Came From The Stars/The Open Coffin"

A CRUSHING REVIEW OF MAD TOWN'S HEAVIEST SHOW EVER!

If you can imagine what it's like to have a 10-ton hammer made of pure sound smash into your body, you'll have an idea of what the Good Doctor experienced in Madison, Wisconsin on November 16, 2023. That was the night that two of the gods of death metal, INCANTATION and SUFFOCATION, came to play at The Annex. And they didn't come alone...they brought SKELETAL REMAINS, STABBING, and CASKET ROBBERY with them! I've got the blow by blow description of this earth-shattering event HERE, including a ton of fresh pics. Can you take it? Read on and find out...

Here's something new for you humanoids to latch your ears on! The first ever Wormwood Spotify Playlist, featuring songs from artists we've recently reviewed or interviewed. This first edition features tracks from GO AHEAD AND DIE, DESTRUCTOR, VASTUM, DARSOMBA and much more! Click here:    https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6GVQAXIblC8HPZS6RkfVwp?fbclid=IwAR3bGX0nnhcPF_ckyqZVnrW1fCLdJUObInbUCgklNmslBKepIHM8ISHz0W8

We are fast approaching the Holiday season here at Wormwood Laboratories and my next update will appear after Christmas so I hope you manage to enjoy the day, even though my preferred holiday is Halloween by a long shot (closely followed by Walpurgis Night!). 

Our extra-big Torture Chamber has got a wild variety of sounds to abuse your ears with, from dark neofolk to screaming horrific sludge to indescribable soundscapes!

SUFFOCATION                                      "Hymns To The Apocrypha"

FUMING MOUTH                                 "Last Day of Sun"

HIGH SPIRITS                                        "Safe On the Other Side"

BRODER                                                "Skarpretterfossilet"

YELLOW EYES                                        "Master's Murmur"

STOMACH                                              "Parasite"

PEINE KAPITAL                                      "Peine Kapital"

TEDDY HORSE                                       "Sea Taverns"

TEMPLE BALLS                                       "Avalanche"

MEET THE UNHOLY FREEDOM FIGHTERS OF TRIVAX!

To some people, metal is not just a way of life...it's an ongoing struggle for freedom. So it is for TRIVAX, a scorching black metal band with roots in the turbulent Middle East. I speak to the leader SHAYAN from Iran, a nation where playing black metal can be a crime punishable by death. What is it like to wield heavy metal as a weapon of liberation? Jump in HERE and find out! One of the more interesting and important Wormwood interviews of recent times!

There's more on the way! A lot closer to home, I spoke to Wisconsin heavy rockers 20 WATT TOMBSTONE and their head crooner TOM JORDAN! We're working on even more for the new year, including one unexpected chat that has nothing to do with music! Stay tuned, humanoids!

The Torture Chamber this week has got some pretty spicy opinions on display!

MEGATON LEVIATHAN                                        "Magick Helmet"

GO AHEAD AND DIE                                             "Unhealthy Mechanisms"

NOITILA                                                                  "Langenutt"

VASTUM                                                                 "Inward To Gethsemane"

CALICO JACK                                                          "Isla de la Muerte"

DWELLING BELOW                                               "Dwelling Below"

GET HAMMERED BY DESTRUCTOR!

They came from Cleveland! I'm talking about metal maniacs DESTRUCTOR, who have been assaulting eardrums and kicking asses for almost 40 years with their pure and furious steel. THERON MOORE ventured deep into The Mistake By the Lake and came up with vocalist/guitarist DAVE OVERKILL, who has been with the band since the beginning. Find out what Mr. Overkill has got to say about the past, present and future of this seminal band HERE!

Keep an eye out for my upcoming interview with veteran San Francisco death metal band VASTUM and their multi-talented frontlady LEILA ABDUL-RAUF! Should soon have some more updates for you as well!

Time for plenty of the good, the bad and ugly with the latest extra-sized Torture Chamber!

SKY EMPIRE                                              "The Shifting Tectonic Plates of Power, Part One"

ENDSEEKER                                              "Global Worming"

BULL ELEPHANT                                      "The Long War"

KARRAS                                                     "We Poison Their Young"

GRAVEN SIN                                             "Veil of the Gods"

BLACK KNIFE                                            "Baby Eater Witch"

DARSOMBRA                                           "Dumesday Book"

FLESHER                                                   "Tales of Grotesque Demise"

HYPERIA                                                   "The Serpent's Cycle"

HAVE SOME TORTURE FOR THANKSGIVING!

Even the fiendish ghouls at Wormwood Laboratories have to take a break now and then. So for Thanksgiving week, there's no interview or article to peruse. However, we haven't left you entirely in the dark, as our ever-growing Torture Chamber expands with more reviews for you to check out. Sink your fangs into these and we'll be back next week with DESTRUCTOR and more!

AGGRESSION                                            "Frozen Aggressors"

TOMB MOLD                                            "The Enduring Spirit"

KOTIOMKIN                                              "The Satanic Rites of Cobram"

HOWLING GIANT                                     "Glass Future"

ELM STREET                                              "The Great Tribulation"

MARTYRDOOM                                        "As Torment Prevails"

RIPPED APART BY INDIA'S GUTSLIT!

Watch out for flying viscera as this week Dr. Mality speaks to India's heaviest band, the gore-soaked GUTSLIT! If you dig the brutal sounds of CANNIBAL CORPSE, DYING FETUS and SUFFOCATION, you're guaranteed to go ga-ga over this bunch. Yet there is more of them than meets the eye! I spoke to crazed drummer AARON PINTO about the Indian scene, the new GUTSLIT album "Carnal" and their independent march to conquer the rest of the world. He was quite an articulate fellow for such a bloodthirsty maniac, which you can confirm for yourself HERE!

Speaking of gory metal, Mr. THERON MOORE tells me that he got a talk with Chicago's venerable death fiends CARDIAC ARREST in the bag. You can add that to his chat with DESTRUCTOR that's on tap. He tells me he's got one more rabbit up his sleeve which he will reveal soon. I also should have some interview news soon...and not all of it with metal bands! Stay tuned...

We got another King Kong sized edition of the Torture Chamber for you this week!

WITHIN TEMPTATION                                       "Bleed Out"

PRONG                                                                "State of Emergency"

ANGRA                                                                "Cycles of Pain"

AUTOPSY                                                            "Ashes, Organs, Blood and Crypts"

WOE                                                                    "Legacies of Frailty"

ICE GIANT                                                           "Ghost of Humanity"

BURNER                                                              "Hittin' the Target"

SCANNER                                                           "Just A Hint of Mayhem"

OUTERGODS                                                     "A Kingdom Built Upon the Wreckage of Heaven"

A CHAT WITH WINDY CITY GUITAR WIZARD KURT MICHAELS!

This week, it's time for a bit of a break from the usual head-smashing musical content we feature. Our resident prog-rock poobah DARK STARR was lucky enough to get a chat with one of the Chicago area's most celebrated guitarists, KURT MICHAELS. In addition to his own solo work, he's played with some real giants of the music industry like YES, PAUL MCCARTNEY, FRANK ZAPPA, THE TEMPTATIONS and more. He had plenty to say about gear, goals and glitz, so don't miss the low down down low HERE!

With the holidays fast approaching, things haven't slowed down at WC Labs at all. Plenty of live show reviews, interviews and film features coming soon. Plus I've got a really great idea for the next edition of the Wormwood Files that I hope to tell you about soon! Stay tuned, space cadets!

Quite a wild Torture Chamber this week, featuring dark humored rockabilly, Satanic blasphemy, 80's hair metal revivalists and an awesome band from the Middle East!

HITTEN                                                        "While Passion Lasts"

PROFANATICA                                            "Crux Simplex"

THE COFFINSHAKERS                                "Graves, Release Your Dead"

TRIVAX                                                         "Eloah Burns Out"

BLAZONER                                                  "Escape From Electric Land"

20 WATT TOMBSTONE                              "The Chosen Few"

BLADES OF STEEL III CUTS DEEP!

This last September, the BLADES OF STEEL heavy metal festival returned for the third time and made its debut in Madison, WI. And of course, the maniacs of Wormwood Chronicles were there to get the goods on this excellent gathering! DR. ABNER MALITY and THERON MOORE teamed up to give an in-depth look at this fest which featured the likes of EXCITER, MASSACRE, JAG PANZER, VIO-LENCE, RIOT V and a shitload more of smokin' metal bands. It's not only a musical get-together, but an affirmation of metal culture and a supreme social event. We've got all the lowdown on the fest right HERE...it's the next best thing to being there!

Speaking of THERON MOORE, that boy's been plenty busy lately. He snagged an interview with Cleveland's veteran metal warriors DESTRUCTOR (who by coincidence also played Blades of Steel III) and their mastermind DAVE OVERKILL so expect to see that sooner rather than later. He's also got another interview up his sleeve, which I will reveal more about soon. Also, look to see a lot more live show coverage in the cobwebbed halls of Wormwood soon, including HELL'S HEROES in Houston, INCANTATION and SUFFOCATION teaming up in Madison and maybe even the QUEENSRYCHE and ARMORED SAINT show that will be coming to just one mile away from the headquarters of Wormwood Laboratories! Lots of cool stuff coming down the pike...

We've got another double-stuffed edition of the Torture Chamber for you again!

CRYPTOPSY                                               "As Gomorrah Burns"

KK'S PRIEST                                               "The Sinner Rides Again"

CIRITH UNGOL                                         "Dark Parade"

CRUEL FORCE                                           "Dawn of the Axe"

VIRAL TYRANT                                          "Vultures Like You"

BACTERIAL HUSK                                     "Anthropogenic Ruin"

BEKOR QILISH                                          "The Flesh Of A New God"

KNIFE                                                         "Heaven Into Dust"

WINTERAGE                                              "Nekyia"

A HORRENDOUS INTERVIEW FOR HALLOWEEN!

Yes, it's the season when the nauseating taste and smell of pumpkin spice permeates the very air. But it's also time for ghouls, monsters...and death metal shenanigans, of course. This week we present my chat with Pennsylvania's forward-thinking maniacs HORRENDOUS, who bring an eclectic touch to the sometimes staid death metal world. Master sticksman JAMIE KNOX tells us in detail how the band creates its challenging and unpredictable works, especially on new album "Ontological Mysterium". It's a really cool look inside how HORRENDOUS does things and you can sample it HERE!

This week's Torture Chamber is pretty spacey, with several sci-fi oriented bands taking part!

SINHERESY                                                    "Event Horizon"

TERMINALIST                                                "The Crisis As Condition"

HAWKWIND                                                  "The Future Never Waits"

IRON SAVIOR                                                "Firestar"

WAR CURSE                                                  "Confession"

IGNITED                                                        "Cradle of the Wicked"

BACK TO THE GRINDHOUSE FOR MORE OF SOL'S SCREENERS!

It's the next best thing to hanging out on Old 42nd Street in the Big Apple and consuming ungodly amounts of cinematic trash...it's SOL'S SCREENERS and it's back for the third time here at Wormwood. Our buddy SOLOMON G returns with 4 more flash reviews of grindhouse goodies. This time he looks at "BLOOD MOON", "LOW BLOW", "FLESH AND BULLETS" and the Oscar contender pictured above, "ROLLER BLADE"! You can check 'em out HERE...the only thing missing is gum sticking to your shoe and the scent of stale popcorn (amid other things)!

Coming up on the interview front will be an extremely timely and interesting talk I had with the rising black/thrash band TRIVAX! I spoke to their Iranian leader SHAYAN about the difficulties of performing black metal in the Middle East and the dark philosophy behind the band. Something to look forward to! More interviews are in the works and will be revealed soon!

An extra big helping of Torture with some well known names is on hand this week!

DESTRUCTOR                                            "Blood, Bone and Fire"

CANNIBAL CORPSE                                   "Chaos Horrific"

XORSIST                                                      "At The Somber Steps To Serenity"

KERRIGAN                                                   "Bloodmoon"

U.D.O.                                                          "Touchdown"

CEMETERY URN                                          "Suffer The Fallen"

BLACK PESTILENCE                                    "Chaotic Wisdom"

LURING                                                        "The Triumphant Fall of the Malevolent Christ"

TEMPLE OF DREAD                                     "Beyond Acheron"

FROM INNER HELL TO OUTER HEAVEN!

Wormwood's own God of Thunder THOR heads into "Infinite Psychic Depths" to hook up with Pennsylvania's death metal bruisers, OUTER HEAVEN! The band's new album, named above, is popping up on a lot of "best of" lists as an example of a band that gets an old school sound in a new and unique way. Vocalist AUSTIN HAINES explains it all for you HERE! A very intriguing interview for sure!

"Intriguing" also describes this week's descent into the Torture Chamber's fetid domain...

RONNIE ROMERO                                                 "Too Many Lies, Too Many Masters"

HORRENDOUS                                                       "Ontological Mysterium"

ART OF SHOCK                                                       "Shine Black Light"

WARCRAB                                                               "The Howling Silence"

LIVIN' EVIL                                                              "Prayers and Torments"

MALOKARPATAN                                                  "Vertumnus Caesar"

GLENN HUGHES AND YNGWIE...LIVE!!!

We are back in action with a bang this week, as COLONEL ANGUS gives us a live review of two giants of rock in concert...GLENN HUGHES and guitar maestro YNGWIE MALMSTEEN! Angus caught them together down in Houston and brings us a blow by blow of their exploits, including a ton of world class photos! Check it out HERE!

In other news, I girded my loins and grabbed an interview with India's heaviest band, GUTSLIT, which you will soon see here...if you have enough nerve. For those looking for something a bit more sedate but no less interesting, DARK STARR will have his own interview with prog guitar wizard KURT MICHAELS coming up soon. You can add that to chats with OUTER HEAVEN and HORRENDOUS and more I can't talk about yet.

Since we had a week off, our Torture Chamber this week is the most massive ever!

DYING FETUS                                                   "Make Them Beg For Death"

THY CATAFALQUE                                            "Alfold"

ANGEL                                                               "Once Upon A Time"

CRUCIBLE OF HATE                                         "The Unknown Path"

PHIL CAMPBELL & THE BASTARD SONS.     "Kings of the Asylum"

DAMNATION'S HAMMER                               "Into The Silent Nebula"

FABRICANT                                                       "Drudge To The Thicket"

VRAJITOR'S TENEBRARIUM                            "E.N.L.D."

DUN RINGILL                                                   "Where The Old Gods Play, Act 1"

ROCKY'S PRIDE & JOY                                     "All the Colours of Darkness"

EGREGORE                                                       "Synchronistic Delusions"

SUFFER YOURSELF                                          "Axis Of Tortures"

DIGGIN' UP DIRT ON GRAVERIPPER + A SPECIAL NOTE

Before we dive into this week's feature interview, I just wanted you humanoids to know that there will be no update of Wormwood for this upcoming week. Myself and THERON MOORE will be attending the BLADES OF STEEL festival all weekend long in Madison, WI and checking out bands like EXCITER, MASSACRE, JAG PANZER and a coffin-load more. Good news is, we will give you a thorough rundown of the whole event, with plenty of pics to match.

Now onto the matter at hand...Indiana's raging newcomers GRAVERIPPER, who are emerging as a band to watch with their lethal combination of thrash and black metal. I talk to the voice of the band, COREY PARKS, about their origins and what they plan to accomplish on the back of their new album "Seasons Dreaming Death". Get the dope HERE and prepare to rave to the grave!

This week's Torture Chamber is one of the weirdest and most eclectic in our history. Check 'em out and see what I mean!

SLOMATICS                                                       "Strontium Fields"

END REIGN                                                        "The Way Of All Flesh Is Decay"

VANISHING KIDS                                              "Miracle Of Death"

UNBLESSED DIVINE                                         "Portal To Darkness"

THE DEVIL'S TRADE                                          "Videkek Vannak Idebenn"

DIMINISHING                                                    "The Unnamable"

WE TALK TO WISCONSIN'S #1 PROMOTER, RANDY KASTNER!

A metal festival just doesn't magically pop up by itself. It takes a lot of people to make one happen, but nobody is more important than the promoter. In Southern Wisconsin, that man is RANDY KASTNER, also known as the No Fun Shogun and Wizard of Watertown. He's had a long illustrious history of putting metal on the map and in recent years with Covid and economic turmoil, it's been harder than ever. This year, the big show is BLADES OF STEEL 3 in Madison, Wisconsin. What does it take to put such a show together? Read HERE and find out straight from the horses' mouth. You may not have any fun, but you'll find out plenty!

It's been another fruitful week in the dismal dungeons of Wormwood! Our own God of Thunder THOR has come up with an interview of Pennsylvania's up and coming death metal soldiers OUTER HEAVEN, who have a lot to say. Our pal SOLOMON G will soon be back with capsule reviews of some of the most noxious grindhouse hits you can think of, including "RAW FORCE" and "FLESH AND BULLETS". And our man in Texas, COLONEL ANGUS, will have a live review of hard rockin' superstars GLENN HUGHES and YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, complete with plenty of pix. Lots of other things cookin' in the lab so check this space weekly!

Lots of craziness in the Torture Chamber this week, almost too much to reveal!

IZROD                                                         "Sarajevski Odisej"

KATAKLYSM                                               "Goliath"

SCREAM MAKER                                        "Land Of Fire"

RINGWORM                                               "Seeing Through Fire"

SADISTIC FORCE                                       "Midnight Assassin"

BAXAXAXA                                                 "De Vermis Mysteriis"

TONGUES                                                  "Formlose Stjerne"

ETHEREAL VOID                                        "Gods Of A Dead World"

SOLAR FLARE                                            "Solar Flare"

AN UNHOLY CHAT WITH INCANTATION!

Once again we dive into the deepest catacombs of the metal underground, this time to speak to one of the true originators of raw and primitive death metal, the legendary INCANTATION! It's not our first go-round with these fiends, but it is our first time talking to bass player CHUCK SHERWOOD. Chuck now writes most of the lyrics for the band, so he's a great choice to tell us about the diabolical concept behind the newest INCANTATION album, "Unholy Deification". These guys have been treading the boards for more than 30 years so it's a great chance to pick the brains of true veterans...hop aboard the Death Train HERE!

More news from the Labs! I was also able to speak to one of the more recent bands causing a big stir in death metal, HORRENDOUS! These cats are red hot right now so don't miss that when it pops up. Also, you might know that Wormwood will be in force at the upcoming BLADES OF STEEL metalfest in Madison, Wisconsin. Not only will we be covering the fest, but intrepid THERON MOORE has snagged a talk with fest promotoer, the No Fun Shogun, the Wizard of Watertown, RANDY KASTNER. Look for that sooner instead of later. And the Good Doctor is thinking about a feature on the notorious no-budget Poe wannabe film, "DUNGEON OF HARROW", one of the all-time groaners! So plenty to look forward to...

Such as this week's Torture Chamber, packed with arcane aural goodies!

MIZMOR                                             "Prosaic"

INCANTATION                                   "Unholy Deification"

BLOODBOUND                                 "Tales From The North"

GRAVERIPPER                                    "Seasons Dreaming Death"

VIRGIN STEELE                                   "The Passion of Dionysus"

DESEKRYPTOR                                    "Vortex Oblivion"

A TRIPLE DOSE OF TERROR!

This week we stagger zombie-like back to the PHILM PHREAKS section, where DARK STARR gives us his judgement on not one, not two, but THREE different excursions into cinematic horror. First, he gives us the lowdown on the "EMPIRE OF SCREAMS" Blu-Ray Boxset which contains 5 movies put out by Empire Pictures, the predecessor to Full Moon Entertainment. The set includes the likes of  "THE DUNGEONMASTER", "DOLLS" , "CELLAR DWELLER", "ARENA" and "ROBOT JOX". Check that out HERE! Then he looks at the cult necromancy favorite "WITCHTRAP" which you can read HERE. And finally he tops it off with a more recent movie that still manages to feel like an 80's flick, "SUMMERHOUSE SLAUGHTER". If there's anything left after the previous two articles, look at that last one HERE!

An extra big Labor Day edition of the Torture Chamber has plenty of grue and gore!

ORGAN DEALER                                            "The Weight Of Being"

CADAVER                                                        "The Age Of The Offended"

HELL IN THE CLUB                                        "F.U.B.A.R."

CRYPTA                                                           "Shades Of Sorrow"

MEURTRIERES                                                "Ronde De Nuit"

SEPULCHRAL CURSE                                     "Abhorrent Dimensions"

CYSTIC                                                             "Palace Of Shadows"

BLACKCAT MANOR                                       "A Shape In The Shadows"

MACHINATIONS OF FATE                            "Celestial Prophecies"

A NEW OFFENSIVE FROM JAG PANZER!

This week the one and only THERON MOORE gives us an interview with one of the American metal scene's pre-eminent bands, JAG PANZER! He speaks with guitarist MARK BRIODY, who's been with the band from their inception in 1981! Topics covered include the new JP album "The Hallowed", the concept behind the album's story and the very origins of the band. This is our second go around with Mr. Briody and JAG PANZER and it's full of anecdotes and information. Give it a look HERE!

Last week I told you I secured a chat with the mighty INCANTATION. Now I can also reveal I've gotten another interview with one of the hottest up and coming thrash bands in the country, Indiana's GRAVERIPPER! Plus look for some new "Sol's Screeners" coming soon in the Philm Phreak section! Wormwood marches on!

A most interesting Torture Chamber awaits, topped off with the smokin' hot NITA STRAUSS!

NITA STRAUSS                                           "The Call of the Void"

THE ZENITH PASSAGE                              "Datalysium"

EVILE                                                           "The Unknown"

BLIGHT HOUSE                                          "Blight The Way"

MARDUK                                                     "Memento Mori"

AGELESS SUMMONING                            "Corrupting The Entempled Plane"

A LOOK AT CLASSIC HORROR ICON GEORGE ZUCCO!

We love our classic horror here at Wormwood Laboratories so it makes sense we take a look at the career of the sinister GEORGE ZUCCO, whose dignified yet diabolical presence graced many spook flicks over the year. Despite that, his name is not as well known as it should be, which is an oversight we try to correct. Learn about the star of "Dead Men Walk", "The Mad Ghoul", "Voodoo Man" and many more HERE!

Fiendishly happy to report that I have secured an interview with one of the true legends of death metal, the mighty INCANTATION! I talk to CHUCK SHERWOOD just in time for the new album "Unholy Deification"! Also look for a live report from COLONEL ANGUS on a show featuring GLENN HUGHES and YNGWIE MALMSTEEN! Lots of other things are in the planning stage so stay glued to the Land of the Worm!

We put a little extra "oomph" in this week's Torture Chamber!

CALLIGRAM                                               "Position/Momentum"

TSJUDER                                                    "Helvegr"

VENDETTA                                                 "Black As Coal"

ALBERT BOUCHARD                                "Imaginos III: Mutant Reformation"

TERRA BUILDER                                       "Solar Temple"

TAILGUNNER                                            "Guns For Hire"

BLACK SORCERY                                      "Deciphering Torment Through Malediction"

RING OF GYGES                                       "Metamorphosis"

PUKEWRAITH                                           "Banquet Of Scum"

WE THROW UP AN INTERVIEW WITH VOMITORY!

Reach for the barf bags because we're talking to VOMITORY this week! One of Sweden's most brutal and longest serving death metal bands, they are back torturing victims after staying away from murder for a few peaceful years. Thank goodness! I talk to drum monster TOBIAS GUSTAFSSON about the band's ferocious new album "All Heads Are Gonna Roll" and also about the craziest gig the guys have ever played (there's been a lot of them). All this and much more is regurgitated HERE so hold your nose and dive into the puke pit!

Coming up soon will be THERON MOORE's interview with JAG PANZER as well as my article on GEORGE ZUCCO. I'm also happy to relate that DARK STARR will have some more movie reviews for us soon, including looks at the "EMPIRE OF SCREAMS" box set that collects many of Empire Films' greatest hits. Also working on more interview and live concert reviews, so stay tuned!

Lots of fun in store with this week's Torture Chamber, which includes PRIMAL FEAR, PAT TRAVERS and SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY!

PRIMAL FEAR                                                   "Code Red"

LEGION OF THE DAMNED                             "The Poison Chalice"

PAT TRAVERS                                                   "The Art of Time Travel"

VHS                                                                    "Quest For the Mighty Riff"

NIGHT LEGION                                                "Fight Or Fall"

SHROUD OF DESPONDENCY                        "Air Of Abrasion"

COME ALIVE WITH OVERKILL!

You know them....you love them...you've been headbanging to them for more than 30 years! I'm talking about the one and only OVERKILL! Our boy in Texas, COLONEL ANGUS, recently caught them in action in Houston and he's here to tell you all about it! They didn't come alone, as they brought HEATHEN, EXHORDER and SUNLORD along with them! Angus covers it all HERE and took some mighty nifty snaps of the show as well. Pop in and check it all out!

More live gig coverage is in our future, as me and THERON MOORE have tickets to the BLADES OF STEEL fest in September that features the likes of EXCITER, FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, JAG PANZER and many more. That will get the Wormwood treatment and there should be even more live show reviews if things go our way. Plus look for more movie reviews in the Philm Phreaks section soon as well!

The reach of the latest Torture Chamber is extra long and extra wide as you shall see!

GLORYHAMMER                                                  "Return To the Kingdom of Fife"

NECROFIER                                                           "Burning Shadows In the Southern Darkness"

APEX ORIGIN                                                        "Beyond A Lifetime"

SOMNURI                                                              "Desiderium"

SMOKEY MIRROR                                                 "Smokey Mirror"

THE SIGIL                                                               "Argante" EP

GUTSLIT                                                                 "Carnal"

ANTIOCH VI                                                           "Molten Rainbow"

VIRULENT SPECTER                                              "Satanic Territorial Moloch"

TAKE A TRIP DOWN BRAY ROAD!

The epicenter of the paranormal in Wisconsin is Bray Road in rural Walworth County, the home to a mysterious werewolf-like beast. And the epicenter of metal in Milwaukee is the band BRAY ROAD that takes much of its inspiration from this eerie location. Well, I got to talk about both metal and monsters with the band's guitarist/vocalist NINO NIENAS, an expert on both. The band has a new album out entitled "Focused, Fierce, Relentless" whose name serves as a mission statement. Stop by HERE and get the dope on this hairy beast of a band!

We've got one of "those weeks" in the Torture Chamber, full of odd bands running the gamut from skull-crushingly heavy to classic rock...

OUTER HEAVEN                                              "Infinite Psychic Depths"

STATIC ABYSS                                                  "Aborted From Reality"

PYRAMAZE                                                       "Bloodlines"

CHURCH OF MISERY                                       "Born Under A Mad Sign"

NUCLEAR DUDES                                            "Boss Blades"

TORRENTIAL THRILL                                       "State of Disaster"

FOLLOW THE DEVILISH PATH OF ROBERT JOHNSON!

A real unique treat awaits you with this edition of the Wormwood Files. First, it sees the return of an old friend, CLASSIC CAMP, who wrote for Wormwood in the earliest days of the zine. Well, C.C. is back and he dives into the strange legend of notorious bluesman ROBERT JOHNSON! Only three photographs are known to exist of Johnson and only 29 songs have survived to the present time. For years, the rumors persisted that he acquired his amazing playing skill from a deal with the Devil himself. Camp takes a closer look at the story HERE and discovers plenty of tidbits about Mr. Johnson.

More good news about upcoming features at Wormwood! First, I grabbed an interview with the great Swedish death metal masters VOMITORY, which will have you retching with delight! Also,  COLONEL ANGUS recently saw a great gig down in Houston with OVERKILL headlining and support from HEATHEN and EXHORDER! Expect  a live report soon with plenty of the Colonel's great pics!  We may have more interesting live coverage coming  soon!

A double barreled blast of the Torture Chamber is here for your perusal!

XASTHUR                                                    "Inevitably Dark"

TORTURE RACK                                           "Primeval Onslaught"

GOZU                                                            "Remedy"

GEIST OF OUACHITA                                   "Imprisoned Within The Graven Wood"

BRAY ROAD                                                   "Focused, Fierce, Relentless"

KILLER                                                            "Hellfire"

VANTABLACK WARSHIP                               "Last of the Hardmouthed Poets"

SYSTEMIK  VIOLENCE                                    "Negative Mangel  Attitude"

HATE MANIFESTO                                          "ΑΠΟΣΤΑΤΗΣ"

A LOOK AT PUPPETMASTER III AND THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED!

 The demented DARK STARR returns to the Philm Phreaks section with reviews of two Blu-Ray Horrors! First he takes a look at the Spanish tale of psycho-sexual horror THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED, featuring one of the most shocking endings of any film. Get up to speed on that one HERE! Then he visits the beloved Full Moon franchise with a review of PUPPETMASTER III, which gives the origin of the Nazi-killing puppet fiends. Get the scoop on that HERE! If you dare...

Also got some intriguing news about the Wormwood Files! Our old pal CLASSIC CAMP, who has been absent from Wormwood Labs for many years, returns with an article about the devilish doings of legendary blues man ROBERT JOHNSON! A lot of tales have swirled around this man for almost a hundred years and Camp will take a look at those soon!

Now for one of the heavier Torture Chambers we've had in a while...

VULTURE INDUSTRIES                                      "Ghosts of the Past"

LIQUID FLESH                                                    "Dolores"

SATURNUS                                                          "The Storm Within"

PUTRIDITY                                                           "Greedy Gory Gluttony"

TOMBSTALKER                                                   "Age of Darkness"

CREEPING DEATH                                              "Boundless Domain"

WITCHSKULL                                                      "The Serpent Tide"

PREPARE FOR A WHIPPING BY LEATHURBITCH!

This week I strip down to my leather underwear for a meeting with Portland's masters of sleazy speed metal, LEATHURBITCH! I get the word on this fast-rising band from their screaming king of dominant vocals, JOEL STARR, who proves to be surprisingly pleasant for a sonic sadist. He speaks about the band drawing strength from their unique look and style and also about their killer new album "Shattered Vanity". You can feel the pain HERE for a beating you won't soon forget!

Great news from the one and only THERON MOORE! He has secured an interview with one of America's best and most long-running metal bands, JAG PANZER! This will surely be one of the highlights of the year. Also, DARK STARR will have reviews of two underground horrors, "THE HOUSE THAT SCREAMED" and the immortal "PUPPETMASTER III"! Should soon have word on some other big features coming soon to the House of the Worm...

An extra large Torture Chamber features visits from well known names like RAVEN, ROTTEN SOUND and GIRLSCHOOL!

RAVEN                                             "All Hell's Breaking Loose"

ROTTEN SOUND                            "Apocalypse"

GIRLSCHOOL                                  "WTForty-five?"

INFERION                                        "Inequity"

KONG                                              "Traders of Truth"

GRIDFAILURE/INTERSTITIA           "Sunyata Ontology"

OCEANLORD                                   "Kingdom Cold"

ORDER OF DECAY                           "Mortification Rites"

DEAD EXPRESS                                "Game Changer:"

GET ANNIHILATED BY HELLWITCH!

One of the oldest and most maniacal American death metal bands is the nefarious HELLWITCH! Hailing from DM hotbed Florida, they've been going at it since 1984 and guitarist/vocalist PAT RANIERI has been there every step of the way. Almost 40 years after their inception they've unleashed one of their most pulverizing albums, "Annihilational Intercention". I just had to talk to the man behind the madness of HELLWITCH...which I did. Read the result HERE!

I also took a trip up to Southern Wisconsin and walked the  darkened path of the infamous BRAY ROAD. The band, not the rural highway where the mysterious BEAST has been seen. I grabbed a chat with this up and coming groovy thrash band and you'll see it soon here! I'm also going to try to take a look at old school horror icon GEORGE ZUCCO, who leant his cultured voice and intense gaze to many a sinister role.  I should have some news on some other upcoming  Worm-features of interest!

This week's  Torture Chamber has a kind of  religious angle, with visits to METAL CHURCH, CHURCH OF THE DEAD  and a meeting with FIFTH ANGEL!

METAL CHURCH                                                     "Congregation of Annihilation"

GATEWAY                                                                 "Galgendood"

FIFTH ANGEL                                                            "When Angels  Kill"

CHURCH OF THE DEAD                                           "Beyond  Death"

ANTHEM                                                                    "Crimson and Jet Black"

RADIEN                                                                       "Unissa Palaneet"

THE RETURN OF MILWAUKEE METALFEST!

After almost 20 years of slumber, the monster that is MILWAUKEE METALFEST has risen once again! And of course Wormwood was there...at least for the first two days. Could the magic of old be recaptured? Or would the Fest fall prey to greed? Among the names playing the mighty get-together were DARK ANGEL...FROZEN SOUL...IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANT...ANTHRAX...TOXIC RUIN...SUICIDAL TENDENCIES...and a gazillion more, both famous and obscure. Who knocked it out of the park...and who sunk like the Titanic? Get a blow by blow description with plenty of pics right HERE!

Some unusual features may soon be appearing at Wormwood....out of the norm even for us. Lots of things are coming together and we'll let you hapless humanoids in on it soon!

The new Torture Chamber, in addition to being extra big, covers the extreme of melody and brutality...

CLOAK                                                 "Black Flame Eternal"

FROZEN SOUL                                    "Glacial Domination"

RAY ALDER                                          "II"

HELLWITCH                                        "Annihilational Intercention"

LEE SMALL                                          "The Last Man On Earth"

ELDER DEVIL                                       "Everything Worth Loving"

HERETIC CULT REDEEMER                "Flagellum Universalis"

HEMPLIFIER                                         "The Stoner Sde of the Doom"

KOMMAND                                          "Death Age"

FALL INTO THE CLUTCHES OF YAKUZA!

No, this isn't the Tokyo Yakuza that get a gazillion tattoos or cuts people's throats at the drop of a hat...this is a much more dangerous proposition! Chicago's YAKUZA have been a hard to define but easy to find presence in the music scene for many years, playing an always-morphing brand of metal with influences from across the board. Things have been quiet in YAKUZA-ville the last few years, but the silence has been broken this year with the new "Sutra" record. I grabbed a brief and rather pungent interview with singer BRUCE LAMONT and the rest of the band not long ago and you can read the spicy result HERE!

Speaking of band interviews, I can announce that I had a talk with Portland's fast rising LEATHURBITCH, a unique combination of classic speed metal and glam sleaze. That will be up soon. Several other chats are near to being announced and I will also have a new Philm Phreaks article to tell you about soon!

In fact, LEATHURBITCH is part of the latest Torture Chamber, along with IMMORTAL, STONED JESUS and more!

THE BLEEDING                                               "Monokrator"

IMMORTAL                                                     "War Against All"

STONED JESUS                                               "Father Light"

LEATHURBITCH                                              "Shattered Vanity"

BONGINATOR                                                 "The Intergalactic Gorebong of Deathpot"

CROWN LANDS                                               "Fearless"

NEW CULT SCI FI FLICKS REVIEWED!

Resident spaceman DARK STARR returns this week with reviews of two new Blu-Rays that have hit the market. The first is the overlooked early 90's time travel epic "THE GRAND TOUR" aka "Timescape" which stars JEFF BRIDGES in a role that's definitely not in the vein of "Dumb and Dumber". You can check out that review HERE. Elsewhere, he looks at the cult hit "TRANCERS" from the beloved Full Moon studio. This low budget but intriguing film stars TIM THOMERSON as hard boiled future cop Jack Deth...it also helped jump start the career of HELEN HUNT. Dig into that one HERE ...

Another extra big and extra eclectic edition of the Torture Chamber is on tap for you...

ROSS THE BOSS                                              "Legacy of Blood, Fire and Steel"

NIGHT DEMON                                                "Outsider"

SMALLPOX AROMA                                         "Festering Embryos of Logical Corruption"

THANTIFAXATH                                                "Hive Mind Narcosis"

BLOOD CEREMONY                                         "The Old Ways Remain"

SUNROT                                                             "The Unfailing Rope"

THRA                                                                   "Forged In Chaotic Spew"

EXTORT                                                               "Reset"

NACHTIG                                                            "Eisig' Romantik"

THE LAST RIDE OF HOLY MOSES!

The final riff is getting near for Germany's long running thrash innovators HOLY MOSES. After more than 40 years of wrecking necks and paving the way for younger generations, they will take their last bow later this year. Not least of their innovations were the aggressive growls of vocalist SABINA CLASSEN, who opened the door for a whole new style of female vocals. The last HOLY MOSES album "Invisible Queen" is out now, so I met up with guitarist PETE GELTAT to discuss the legacy of the band and what they're up to in their last year. This is a very special kind of interview for Wormwood, which you can check out HERE!

The Worm-slaves are feverishly working on new articles and interviews for you humanoids...the whips of Dr. Mality are cracking furiously! Keep watching this space for more news soon!

A couple of weeks ago, I got too busy in the lab and spaced out on some Torture Chamber reviews, so I will tack them on to last week's batch to make up for it!

CHROME WAVES                                               "The Earth Will Shed Its Skin"

VOMITORY                                                         "All Heads Are Gonna Roll"

JAG PANZER                                                       "The Hallowed"

ODINFIST                                                            "Remade In Steel"

EVERMORE                                                         "In Memoriam"

DEATHGRAVE                                                     "It's Only Midnight"

BLOOD STAR                                                      "First Sighting"

LARVAE                                                                "Entitled To Death"

TRIBE OF PAZUZU                                             "Blasphemous Prophecies"

A WILDLY DIVERSE TORTURE CHAMBER!

A bit of a slow week this time around, as Ye Olde Doctor is recovering from a weekend spent at the first MILWAUKEE METALFEST in almost 2 decades. Oy vey, my old bones are creaking! But rest assured you will read all about it soon here at Wormwood Central. Because of that, we only have a Torture Chamber update for you this week, but it's a doozy, covering a wild assortment of sub-genres! And I can also let you know that we will soon be having an interview with longtime cult death metal act HELLWITCH and their mastermind PAT RANIERI! Hope to announce some other interviews and articles coming up soon.

And now, let's slide into that eclectic Torture Chamber I was telling you about earlier...

HIGH PRIEST                                               "Invocation"

ENFORCED                                                  "War Remains"

THE 69 EYES                                               "Death Of Darkness"

SMOULDER                                                "Violent Creed of Vengeance"

YAKUZA                                                      "Sutra"

MOON ORACLE                                         "Ophidian Glare"

A LOOK AT THE CAREER OF CULT STAR KERWIN MATHEWS!

This week we take a dive into the world of cult and fantasy cinema to look at the career of the swashbuckling KERWIN MATHEWS! Best known as the sword-slinging Sinbad, Mathews had an interesting career where he not only played several fantasy heroes, but also outlaws, Nazis and werewolves! He also has a strong connection to the area I live, spending much of his youth in Janesville, Wisconsin. Take a look HERE to find out more about this bastion of old school film!

Just to let you humanoids know, next week's Wormwood update will be at the very least delayed, if not absent altogether. I will be spending next weekend at the first edition of MILWAUKEE METALFEST in almost 20 years and that will gobble up a great deal of my time. I hope to have a major report on it here in the future.

Hope your appetite for torture is robust! We've got an extra sized Torture Chamber this week!

GOROD                                              "The Orb"

SAVAGE GRACE                                 "Sign of The Cross"

MINDLESS SINNER                           "Keeping It True"

VOMITHEIST                                      "NekroFvneral"

LUNAR CHAMBER                             "Shambhallic Vibrations"

VALGRIND                                          "Millenium of Night Bliss"

EVILCULT                                            "The Devil Is Always Looking For Souls"

JUDICIARY                                          "Flesh + Blood"

WITCH RIPPER                                   "The Flight After The Fall"

A MYSTIC PROPHECY IS REVEALED!

Time to ride into battle and glory with Germany's true metal warriors MYSTIC PROPHECY! This is an interview I've wanted to do for a long time. The band is so underrated, so on top of their game. They've recently cut loose with their latest teeth-rattling example of metallic thunder "Hellriot" so I got together with guitarist MARKUS POHL to learn more of how these guys do things. He had plenty to say and covered some of their most infamous gigs with me. If you dig real metal in the vein of JUDAS PRIEST and PRIMAL FEAR, you can't pass up MYSTIC PROPHECY. Read the interview HERE!

In about 10 days, I will be headed to the revival of the time-honored MILWAUKEE METALFEST! Look for a report on the massive event here. The Doctor will probably be fried to a crisp when this one is done, but if I survive, I'll tell you all what it was like.  That's a big "if"...

This week's  Torture Chamber explores a wild range of rock and metal...

DODHEIMSGARD                                         "Black Medium Current"

TANITH                                                           "Voyage"

DOCTOR DOOM                                            "A Shadow Called Danger"

VANISHMENT                                                 "No More Torture"

POWERWOLF                                                  "Interludium"

BIRDFLESH                                                      "Sickness  In the North"

SOL'S SCREENERS, TAKE TWO!