En quelques mots

The AntiChrist
History Channel, USA, 2005, 100 min

‘How would you recognize the most evil person on Earth? According to many historical texts, you should look for a brilliant, enigmatic public figure who transforms the world for good – for a while. Basically, the last person you’d tap as Satan’s human emissary. While many believe the Antichrist has come and gone, just as many believe he will soon arrive, if he’s not already in our midst.

THE ANTICHRIST takes a harrowing look at an evil so obscure that he answers only to Satan. Follow the emergence of the Antichrist from pre-Judaic texts, through the Book of Daniel and Revelation, into Christian writings of the Middle Ages, and beyond. Aided by interviewees with eminent clergy, scholars, historians and psychologists, this incisive program examines the evil enigma from every conceivable angle.’

Godflesh ‘Crush My Soul’ de l’album Selfless (1994)

Vidéo réalisé par le (subtil) photographe Andres Serrano …

Hell: The Devil’s Domain
History Channel, USA, 2004, 100 min

‘From Dante’s Inferno to modern-day revival meetings, this feature-length special chronicles our views of Satan and his legendary realm.

Trace the evolving conceptions of hell and the devil from Stone-Age French cave paintings to Hollywood blockbusters. Speak with survivors of the recovered memory craze and parishioners at a fundamentalist Texas church. Review literary landmarks like Dante’s Inferno and Milton’s Paradise Lost. And see how the world’s great faiths various conceptions of the afterlife encompass these universal fears.’

Merci Mat.

March 7, 2011 on CNN

The Satanic Rites of Dracula
Alan Gibson, UK, 1973, 87 min

‘In London in the 1970s, Scotland Yard police investigators think they have uncovered a case of vampirism. They call in an expert vampire researcher named Van Helsing (a descendant of the great vampire-hunter himself, no less) to help them put a stop to these hideous crimes. It becomes apparent that the culprit is Count Dracula himself, disguised as a reclusive property developer, but secretly plotting to unleash a fatal virus upon the world.’ – IMDb

The Occult : Revival of Evil
Dave Hunt, 198?, 53 min

‘Through candid interviews learn the truth about witchcraft in famous rock groups, psychic powers and seances among teenagers, demonic possession through yoga, and the true power behind Ouija boards as told by those who are still involved and others who have been triumphantly delivered through Jesus Christ.’

Possessed ‘The Exorcist’ de l’album Seven Churches (1985)

‘Possessed performs ‘The Exorcist’ in Baltimore, 1987.’

Clergy take lessons on demonic possession, exorcism

The rite, those few priests who have performed it say, can unfold as a quiet prayer session or a show of violence.

The afflicted person may curse the cleric, speak in a voice not his or her own, even assume facial features that one priest described as “reptilian.”

But in the great majority of cases in which a Catholic seeks an exorcism, church officials say, what the person really needs is help of a less dramatic nature: a doctor, a therapist or simple pastoral counseling.

With some parishes seeing an increase in claims of demonic possession in the United States, the Roman Catholic Church is training its clergy in how to respond to requests for the ancient rite. More than 100 bishops and priests attended a November workshop on the subject in Baltimore.

Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki, who organized the two-day, closed-door event at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, says pastors need help discerning the difference between those who need an exorcist and those who only believe they do.

The goal, he says, was to help the clergy counsel people who believe they are possessed by a demon by referring them to a physician, a therapist, or — in very rare cases, he stresses — an exorcist.

“We have only a small number of priests who have any training in this area in the United States,” said Paprocki, who heads the Diocese of Springfield, Ill. “Every diocese should really have its own resources.”

While no one is keeping statistics, he says anecdotal reports suggest that the phenomenon of people claiming to be possessed “seems to have increased in the last five years or so”  …

Read the full article by Arthur Hirsch in The Baltimore Sun (January 10, 2011).

Sleepchamber ‘Spellbondage’ tirée de la VHS du même nom (1987)

Un peu ‘shaky’ mais on dirait que ça ajoute au charme … Pour rendre hommage à notre parution favorite de MMX :

SLEEPCHAMBER ‘SixSixSix’ Boxset (4xLP + 7″)
Chronicles 1979 to 1988, but focusing on the first 6 years of Sleepchamber (Also includes rare ZEWIZZ KIDZ tracks).

Details here.

Satan Claus
J.X. Williams, USA, 1975, 3 min, 16 mm

“In the mid-Seventies, I was working as a projectionist for this crummy movie theatre in downtown LA. The owner owed me six weeks back wages and when I ask him for the money, the scumbag has the gall to inform me that I’m getting laid off Christmas week.

If he’d known my reputation for mischief, he might have thought twice about it.

On my last day of work, I had to project a Christmas matinee for kids. Before the main feature, I added an unannounced opener to the program called “Satan Claus”. I fled the theatre right after my film ended but I heard the owner had to refund the entire box office. Even then, several outraged parents filed a lawsuit against the theatre.

Merry Christmas, you cheap bastard!”

- J.X. Williams

City of the Living Dead / Paura nella città dei morti viventi (original title)
Lucio Fulci, Italy, 1980, 93 min

In the small New England town of Dunwich, a priest commits suicide by hanging himself in the church cemetery which somehow opens the gates of hell allowing the dead to rise.

Peter, a New York City reporter, teams up with a young psychic, named Mary, to travel to the town where they team up with another couple, psychiatrist Jerry and patient Sandra, to find a way to close the gates before All Saints Day or the dead all over the world will rise up and kill the living.

Watain (vendredi aux Foufs) et Pagan Altar (samedi aux Katacombes) le même weekend, c’est pas très catholique.

Norsk Black Metal (Norwegian Black Metal)
NRK, Norway, 2003, 29 min

La suite de ‘Det Svarte Alvor‘, 9 ans plus tard.

Once upon a time in Norway
Pål Aasdal & Martin Ledang, Norway, 2003, 60 min

‘Interviews with central members of early Norwegian black metal bands about Mayhem, the early black metal scene and the crimes they committed (church-burnings, the death of øystein aarseth etc.).’

True Norwegian Black Metal
VBS, Norway, 2007, 32 min

‘True Norwegian Black Metal is a 2007 5-part documentary produced by VBS/Vice Magazine. The documentary mainly covers some aspects of the life of black metal vocalist Gaahl – renowned for his work with Gorgoroth and Trelldom. Principal photography took place in January 2007 over a ten day period in various parts of Norway including Bergen, Oslo, Espedal, and Dale. The documentary is hosted by Vice-Scandinavia correspondent Ivar Berglin who also served as translator.’

A(nother) Norwegian Black Metal Documentary

Réalisé par Sam Dunn & Scott McFadyen. On dirait un chapitre dans les ‘suppléments’ du film Metal: A Headbangers Journey …

***

Kirkebrann : True Norwegian Black Candle!

‘Finally! Now you can make your black metal fantasies come true and burn a stave church in the comfort of your own home.

“Kirkebrann” is a stave church-shaped candle, hand made in the city of Bergen. The first edition of 100 sold out in a few days, but the second edition of 666 candles is now available.

The candles are hand made in the city of Bergen, Norway and come in a numbered box.’

Details here.

Portal ‘Larvae’ de l’album Swarth (2009)

‘Gricher’ as an Art form.

‘Film of the abandoned ‘Wolston Mental Asylum‘ (built in 1865) was intruded upon & captured by Horror Illogium. All visual matter was shot and edited by Horror Illogium 2009′.

Det Svarte Alvor
NRK, Norway, 1994, 34 min

‘Det Svarte Alvor (“The Black Seriousness”) is a Black Metal documentary from NRK, the Norwegian Television, from 1994. It contains interviews with Kris from Ulver, Ishan from Emperor, Hellhammer from Mayhem, concert recordnings of Immortal, a short glimpse in Satyricons rehearsal room and many more interesting scenes.’

J’aime penser que Gaahl de Gorgoroth a piqué son ‘infernal interview-act’ à Ihsahn de Emperor (à partir de 14 min 55 sec de Det Svarte Alvor … Le long silence introspectif suivit du gorgeon diabolique).