Munster’s Top 10 of 2017 ☠️

As the year draws to a close, I wanted to share with you what I believe to be the top 10 metal albums of 2017!  In my opinion, these are all records that belong in your metal collection. Please let me know if you agree or disagree in the comments below!

# 10: Cradle of Filth - Cryptoriana - The beautiful seduction of decay. Released 9/22/17, this is Cradle's twelfth studio album. This is an album mixed with Victorian gothic horror is the classic sound of old school Cradle. The exquisite blend that they have created here leaves a beautiful haunting melody that lasts from start to finish. For first time listeners I suggest "Heartbreak & Séance" or "Achingly Beautiful". "Achingly Beautiful" absolutely thrives in the old school Cradle of Filth sound.

# 9: Kreator - Gods of Violence - Released on 1/27/17, is their fourteenth studio album. This album is the first that they have released in the last five years. Making it the longest gap between releases in their career. This album comes as a duel release featuring a set of live tracks from their performance in Wacken Germany,  2014. This album definitely carries the groove for an old school heavy metal head bang. For first timers, I would recommend "Lion with Eagle Wings" and the live track "Endless Pain". In all honesty, it's 25 tracks of pure bang-your-fucking-head goodness. 

# 8: Goatwhore - Vengeful Ascension. Released 6/23/17 as Goatwhore's seventh studio album. This album shows their more versatile side rather than their hard hitting, in your face, none-stop, pulse pounding albums. There is a special edition of this album called "Spellbook", which contains lyrics, and photos related to the album. The limited edition "Spellbook" was made with only 3000 copies. It also comes with a bonus cd which features live tracks along with several cover songs such as "Don't Need Religion" by Motorhead, and "Into the Crypt of Rays" by Celtic Frost. I'd recommend the tracks "Decayed Omen Reborn" and "Under the Flesh, Into the Soul".

# 7: Dying Fetus - Wrong One to Fuck With - Released on 6/23/17, as their eighth studio album -- The follow up record to Reign Supreme. I personally thought this album wouldn't hold as true to their sound, but I was most wrong. The song structures they have on this album are by far their best work to date. I'd recommend "Reveling the Abyss" and the bonus track "Induce Terror".

  # 6: Mastodon - Emperor of Sand - Released 3/31/17, this is Mastodon's seventh studio album. This album from start to finish shows progressive concepts and unique instrumentation, which was exactly what I expected from these guys. My recommendations for this album are "Show Yourself" And "Steambreather". I thoroughly enjoyed the whole album but these two also come with some fun facts: "Show Yourself" and "Steambreather" both peaked on the mainstream rock chart at #4 and #18 respectively.

 # 5: Marilyn Manson - Heaven Upside Down - Released 10/6/17, this is Manson's eighteenth studio album. The album has more of a pop vibe, but if anyone can execute this and execute it well it's Manson. This album carries some of the 90's sound such as "Mechanical Animals" and "Portrait of an American Family" in the serrated industrial tone as well as exquisite guitar riffs. I recommend tracks "Say10" and "Je$u$ Cri$i$". "Say10" features Johnny Depp, who is also Manson's best friend.

 # 4:  Body Count - Blood Lust - Released on 3/31/17, this is their seventh studio album. On this album there is an interlude that Ice-T breaks down how Body Count came to be, that soon smashes into a great Slayer cover! This album talks a lot about political views in todays society, such as police brutality and inequality amongst the different races in the United States. In my opinion, this album holds a powerful gut punch of truth. I'd recommend "All Love is Lost" and "This is Why We Ride". 

# :. In This Moment - Ritual - Released 7/21/17, this is ITM's sixth studio album.  This album is what I believe to be an occult themed album. Perhaps...Lady Gaga meets Rob Zombie. There is a part in the album that has the same opening as Rob Zombie's "Living Dead Girl". The album also covers Phil Collin's song "In The Air Tonight". It also features Rob Halford in the track "Black Wedding". I would recommend "Joan of Arc" and "Roots".

# 2: The Black Dahila Murder - Nightbringers - Released on 10/6/17, this is their eighth studio album.  I'd say this album is a mix between "Nocturnal" and "Deflorate". The album is 33 minutes of heart pounding metal and of course the typical BD style wouldn't be complete without... yes you guessed it, necrophilia! My recommendations are "As good As Dead" and " Matriarch".

Finally ghouls the number one spot and my personal fav!

Coming in at #1!

RINGS OF SATURN - ULTU ULLA - Released on 7/28/17, as their fourth studio album and their first now being signed to Nuclear Blast, this album boasts 42 minutes of  sci-fi melodies and cosmic love of space aliens. The most intergalactic album ROS has made by far! For first time listeners I'd strongly suggest "Parallel Shift" and "Margidda". Actually, I suggest listing to the whole damn album! You WON'T be disappointed ghouls!

That wraps up the list! Go out and pick up these albums or for you younger ghouls go update your playlists! Let us know what you think should have made the list, if you agree or not, or what you would like my next top 10 to be! Keep it loud everybody!

-Lady Munster  🖤💋

Hustlin’ Hate 👊🏻

Good evening Ghouls!

My personal friends in Murkocet released a new video yesterday promoting their new songs and giving you a look at what it’s like to be in the studio. Check back next week for details on our upcoming in-depth interview with a lyric video to accompany the release of one of their new singles “Hustlin’ Hate!” Click the link below to view and stay tuned for more details! Enjoy Ghouls and as always keep it loud!

https://youtu.be/XrsXwrnaAqo

Xoxo-Lady Munster 🖤

Top 5 horror movie soundtracks 🔪⚰️

Good Evening Ghouls!

Lady Munster here!

Tonight I wanted to do something different in the spirit of Halloween! I wanted to talk about what I believe are the top 5 horror movie soundtracks. Now, keep in mind everyone has their own opinion on which ones are their favorite. Please feel free to comment at the end or email us at Munstermusicest2015@gmail.com if you have any feedback. Look for some of the music videos of these great tracks at the end of this post!

5. Scream 3 : This compilation has artists ranging from Slipknot to System of a down all the way back to the infamous Dope. The wide range of musicians on this soundtrack is truly excellent. A lot of these bands are now much bigger and much more famous than they were then. The compilation of artists on this soundtrack blend well with the scenes in this movie as well, making it a great soundtrack for the movie.

4. Valentine: I don't even know where to begin! The soundtrack to this movie is stellar. I personally love the track from the Deftones called "Rx Girl", along with Amanda Ghost's track "Filthy Mind", and that's only two of them! This group of songs also features Rob Zombie, Disturbed, Orgy, Filter, Marylin Manson, and Soulfly amongst other extraordinary artists.

3. The Devil's Rejects: Composed by the man himself; Rob Zombie with John 5 this soundtrack includes tracks from him as well as classic tracks such as "Midnight Rider" by the Allman Brothers and Lynard Skynard's "Freebird". This is a special soundtrack to me because I really enjoy the way it took a 1970's approach to what is also an iconic and classic horror movie.

2. Queen of the Damned: This soundtrack in particular was composed by Richard Gibbs, an American film composer as well as Jonathan Davis the lead vocalist of Korn. Given that this is my #2, you know that I am excited about the list of songs on this one! From "Not Meant for Me" by Wayne Static to "Slept for so Long" by Jay Gordon the lead vocalist from Orgy. The eerie melodic tones on this soundtrack as a whole is very well executed, delivering a very strong soundtrack for what is also a great horror flick.

1.The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Now of course, you have to feature the one that started them all! It's so difficult to resist the Time Warp! Now this one doesn’t fit your norm for soundtracks, but has become a very well known pop culture icon as far as the songs in the movie go. A fun fact about this one is that the whole original cast of the movie did all of the vocals in these songs!

Now I know Munsters this isn’t the normal blog post, but I thought having a little fun wouldn’t hurt considering that Halloween is just about here!


https://youtu.be/aizCMO-mI1Q?list=PLA02B3DF2916DCFE8

https://youtu.be/z72_Sjy2SnQ?list=PLKlMHNA--WA--JwL7r0Q3Uk6GQvQhSXaB


https://youtu.be/Fu6klzBYL2Q?list=PLB2309AA3856C229E

https://youtu.be/aNcYsQmo1Nk

https://youtu.be/Uk03VEZq-R4?list=PLAD059870E1E0AE56

Let us know in the comments what your favorite horror movie soundtracks are! Thank you and keep watching for more posts! As always keep it loud! 

https://youtu.be/aizCMO-mI1Q?list=PLA02B3DF2916DCFE8

The months ahead 🖤

Hello ghouls and gals we here at Munster wanted to share some upcoming goodies for you!

For shows we will have photos and reviews for the following dates 10/20 Big Red Night of the Dead Phoenix Az, 12/8 Desert Frostover Tempe Az, and on 12/9 Butcher Babies and Hollywood Undead Tempe Az. 

We will also have our annual Black Friday sale for Munster merch on 11/24!! Shirts, Hats and little nick nacks for all ghouls and gals! They will all be limited editions and will be limited to quantity. Once they are sold out that’s it kiddos. 

Last but most certainly not least! January we will have a booth at the annual show in Quartzsite Az. More details on where and booth number will be announced as it draws closer. 

Thank you ghouls and gals for the follows, likes, and tweets! We honestly couldn’t do this without all the love and support! Feedback is always appreciated so if you have any shows or topics for blog discussion don’t hesitate to email us at munstermusicest2015@gmail.com 

As always keep it loud and look forward to seeing your ghoulish faces this fall!!
-Lady Munster 🖤💋

Blessing A Curse INTERVIEW 🎶🎶

Heya ghouls! Lady M here with as promised interview with Blessing A Curse. A few days ago I had the chance to talk to their lead vocalist Joshy Singer. Earlier in the week I wrote a review on their studio album 'Satisfaction for the Vengeful' which if you haven't check out yet ....what are you waiting for go read it and check out the album!! Now ghouls let's jump into this interview and hope you enjoy!

Lady M- What inspired the name "Blessing A Curse"?

J.S.- We believe that sometimes the shittiest circumstances are what shape us into who we need to be, So it's kind of a 'Sometimes bad things happen and can be a blessing in disguise' kind of thing.

Lady M- With your album "Satisfaction for the Vengeful ", What do you hope to convey to your audience?

J.S.-  We want SFTV to convey a message of overcoming your inner saboteur, because a lot of the biggest battles in our lives are fought from within. Also the album itself tells a story of a boy who makes a deal with a witch to save his dying father by taking the lives of 100 corrupt souls, and in the end the witch deceived him and he still loses his father anyway, so the underlying message of the record is that 'There is no satisfaction for the vengeful.'

Lady M- Fondest tour memories?

J.S.- Going to Amsterdam and playing a show in Haarlem for the first time ever was amazing. Also our first time in California was everything we hoped it would be.

Lady M- When did you decide to play the genre you do?

J.S.- Our lead guitarist Brandon and I have been friends from r over 10 years, and we met because we were wearing the same Avenged Sevenfold shirt at lunch one day, so outlet fate was pretty much sealed from that moment.

Lady M- Your Wikipedia describes your style as metalcore and alternative. Do you agree? Why or why not?

J.S.- Pretty much! I would honestly say we go back and forth between metalcore elements and pop-rock elements in our songs, because I honestly love pop artists like Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande and I'm always trying to incorporate similar poop hooks into choruses of our songs. Our label Smartpunk says we're 'pop-metal' and I think that describes us perfectly.

Lady M- Do you ever change song lyrics on live sets? If so why?

J.S.- Not really! That's a great question and honestly I don't think anyone's ever asked  that before, but I always stick to the lyrics as they are in the album.

Lady M- For your writing process, would you guys mind sharing some of the inspiration?

J.S.- Heck no I don't mind! Lyrically, Is say my biggest influence has always been Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails. The dude has always had this charismatic way of writing about being miserable and hopeless while still keeping it poetic and classy, and that's how I want people to perceive my lyrics as well. Vocally, I'm a die hard fan of MJ, Dryden Mitchell from Alien Ant Farm, Claudio from Coheed and Cambria, Mike Patton, Randall from Lamb of God, I could go for days. Guitar-wise, Brandon's always been heavily influenced by Synyster Gates, Slash, JB from August Burns Red....pretty much any guitarist who can get super technical with their riffs but also plays with feel and soul.

Lady M- Do you think online presence is important this day an age versus face to face presence?

J.S.- I think they're both equally important in their own ways! Online presence is more about looking 'legit' and presenting your best version of yourselves, but live performance is always going to be what really draws people in and gets them to spread your band by word of mouth.

Lady M- Having a instrumental track on this album did you find it easier to work on or harder then laying out vocals?

J.S.- Our instrumental track on this album was mostly electronics/EDM, so it was definitely easier! But whether something's easy or hard to track in the studio doesn't really make a difference to us as long as we're doing what's best for the record. For this track 'Attic in the Sky' to be a nice build up into 'Down the Rabbit Hole' and that's exactly what we got out of it, so no complaints!

Lady M- The track "Cocoon", What experience inspired that particular song?

J.S.- That song is about the day my dad passed away from a very brief and unexpected battle with terminal spinal cancer 3 years ago. He and my mother were in the process of separating, and when I first visited him in the hospital, he made me promise not to tell my mother, because he didn't want her to feel obligated to stay with him because of the sickness. He passed away just a few days later after starting chemo, and since they were already living in different places it was up to me to tell my mother that he'd passed away, which is without a doubt the hardest thing I've ever had to do. 'cocoon' is about the guilt and regret I carry with me everyday of withholding that information from my mother at the request of my father.

Lady M- Upcoming tour dates ?

J.S.- Unfortunately none right now.

This concluded our interview. Thank you to Josh and the guys for taking the time out to talk to us here at Munster. Below are some links to their social media platforms as well as pictures. Thanks again and as always keep it loud ghouls!🖤💋

Lady Munster

Twitter/Instagram: @BlessingACurse

Facebook: facebook.com/blessingacurse

Link to our album on itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/satisfaction-for-vengeful/id1148796424

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3shZDIZDc7Isf7ZYSess8F

Our album on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa5I3Zao50D2j9A653kl3s7HnkH4Ki4u8

Satisfaction for the Vengeful (Album Review)

Ghouls,  Lady M here with a album review from the guys of Blessing A Curse.  Their first studio album "Satisfaction for the Vengeful" All the tracks on this album are exquisitely executed. The album gives an eclectic range of Joshy Singers voice. The band formed in 2013 and come from Orlando Florida. This album was released on November 2016. That being said I'd like to point out a few tracks that stuck out to me. Now don't get me wrong I enjoyed the album in its entirety however, these are a few that I wanted to elaborate more on. 

Track 4- "Strangers Again" This track starts out as a ballad then gains momentum while keeping its tenderness undertone in its melody. The chorus brings resounding depth and angst. 

Track 6- "Attic in the Sky" No vocals just instrumental. To me stuff like this can be risky on albums however this particular one was pulled of incredibly well. I actually was hoping to come across another one on this album.

Track 10- "Cocoon" The lyrics to this song will reach out and touch your heart. To many of us this track is very relatable in various aspects of life. As well as taking your own interpretations of this track.

Track 11- "Leather Wings" It may be the last track on this album but that doesn't mean it's the least. This track is a heavyweight and leaves us waiting for more. The opening acoustics tear at your heart strings. 

Track 1- "Your Disguise" Opening track to this stellar album! It instantly pulls you in with curiosity and then slams you in the face with its electrifying riffs.

This album is a solid 38 minutes of nonstop metalcore with dashes of alternative undertones. Overall I was surprisingly excited from start to finish. It's also a album I'd highly recommend to all the ghouls out there. So if you haven't checked out this band please do so you can find them on http://blessingacurse.com/ they're also on all social platforms. Stay tuned as we will have an interview with these gentlemen in the near future. Thank you and as always keep it loud ghouls! 🖤

Lady M

Dr. Newtons Metal Celebration 🎉

Hey Ghouls!!! Last night we attended Dr. Newtons Metal Celebration at the Rockbar in Scottsdale AZ . The night had a line up of nothing but heart pounding metal from start to finish. The line up had Fist Fight, Enemy Within, Murkocet, Hollow Terra, and From Within The Trench. Each band had their own distinctive sound. That generated the crowd and the bar with electricity. Many people were there to show love for different bands but all with the common love of metal and to celebrate Tyler Newtons Birthday.

Now usually this is where I would go into describing the events of the evening but I wanted to write something short this time around. The truth is all these band are extremely talented and I was captivated the whole night into enjoying the moment. Enjoying the music and interacting with the people who came out and of course hanging  with friends and family. As many of you have seen on my snaps last night. All these bands are heavy hitters and I truly think if you haven't heard any of them before, I'd strongly recommend looking them up on any and all social platforms. You won't be disappointed unless your not into metal 🙁 In which I suggest starting and use the line up listed above to start 🙂 Thank you to all the bands and especially thank you to the band Fist Fight, these guys came out all the way from Colorado. Completely amazing band!! Thanks again and below is some photos from last night! Keep checking back for more posts and on our social platforms for promos and upcoming announcements. As always Ghouls keep it loud 🤘🏻🖤💋-Lady M