Sledgehammer

 "FLESH TEARS, BONES SHATTER, THE NIGHTMARE HAS JUST BEGUN"

Sledgehammer was one of the first shot on video slasher flicks to come out and it along with a few others set the trend for many of the gore infested cheesy movies we all know and love today. Fans of bottom of the barrel shot on video cheese will have a field day with this. Those unfamiliar with these types of films will most likely be left scratching their heads in disbelief (and hell even those familiar with the style most likely will) but regardless it would be difficult to deny the cult following this film has gained in the decades since it's original release. The prices the VHS copies of this film go for speak for themselves.

The film opens up with a young boy being thrown in the closet by a woman who then proceeds to have sex nearby. The boys mom and the man are soon killed. We then flash to present time and a group of rowdy young adults are staying in the house that all of these events took place in. Not long after the visitors get all the food fighting out of their system and settle into their new surroundings a man with a gigantic sledgehammer begins to terrorize them. This is when the movie really begins to pick up. Is the sledgehammer wielding maniac the kid? Or a towering adult? Where did he receive these supernatural powers? Why do all doors in this movie open in slow-mo? Sledgehammer will have you aching to find the answers to these questions and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

There are many factors in this movie that make it very surreal. One of which may be the excessive use of slow motion. This effect is most notable towards the beginning of the movie when one of the couples is walking playfully, that sounds like a pretty average scene when described briefly but when it is shown in extreme slow-mo the scene feels completely insane. Moments like this pop up a few times in the movie and they are so odd it is hard to believe they even exist. By reading this many of you may think this movie is horrendous, and sure, by some or most peoples standards it is, but for the fans of bogus amounts of cheese this movie is like a godsend. 

The movie can be slow at times (literally), but when it does pick up the amount of insanity that ensues is sure to make you forget about all the problems it has. Obviously Sledgehammer was made on a very low budget. Viewers who need a polished picture and star studded cast need to stay way the hell away from this. Considering this being Intervision's first official release though they did an exceptional job. The special features are plentiful and the picture quality isn't horrible either it is about equivalent in quality to a nice vhs. 

Overall it is hard to deny that with a couple of friends and some alcohol Sledgehammer is a blast. Even when you are not inebriated the movie is an unbelievable amount of fun. It is astounding that it took so long for this cheese encrusted gem to make it's way to dvd but I can speak for the entire horror community when I say it's about damn time! Hopefully if this release does well Intervision will continue releasing excellent horror. They certainly came out of the gate with a good one!

Gravehill- When All Roads Lead To Hell

"IF YOU WANT BLOOD, YOU GOT IT!!!"

Gravehill is a thrashy death metal band from California. Far from new to the scene they released their first EP way back in 2001. They broke up shortly after and didn't reform until 2007. This is their second full-length and fans of the first will not be let down. Prepare yourself for just under fifty minutes of unrelenting blasphemy. It is highly recommended to crank this at a high enough volume that the booming from your speakers will knock the crosses on your neighbors wall upside down.

When All Roads Lead To Hell begins with all cylinders firing and continues that way until it is over. Nothing fancy here just straight up, filthy, aggressive metal. On the occasion that the band does slow down the results are devastating. The slow epic sections of "Extinction" demolish everything within a fifty mile radius. Towards the second half of the album the listeners gets to hear the near "death n' roll" style that is brought forth quite a bit on this record. Aside from this there are a few heavy metal anthems spread throughout the album, and whether done on purpose or not almost everything featured on the record is ridiculously catchy.

The album is packed with killer riffs that tear you limb from limb. The tone used here is very fairly standard for the style. Just enough distortion to pack a punch and a decent deep end. The solos melt face just as expected and fit every song they are put into perfectly. The vocals on When All Roads Lead To Hell work well. Though the music is more thrashy than anything else Abominator belts out some shrieks and croaks that would seem more fitting on a black metal album. The use of vocal layering on the album shows that this will prove to be great live material (with chanting galore).

The only complaint some may have about the album is that Gravehill rarely leave their comfort zone. Honestly playing the style they play whether this is really necessary or not is all up to the listener. Gravehill have their sound and they have their sound mastered and it is clear that you won't be hearing them playing any power ballads anytime soon.

Overall if you liked the band's first full-length plan on having a good time with this one. Though Gravehill's lyrical themes would leave you to believe otherwise these guys just want to pump out some fun, badass metal tunes, and with When All Roads Lead To Hell they did nothing short of that. Fans of any and all forms of extreme metal should check this out. There isn't a dull moment on this album. Get this.

Two Classic Tales Of Terror: The Tell-Tale Heart/The Oval Portrait

This dvd consist of two adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe stories. Edgar Allan Poe is a name that is frequently mentioned among fans of horror and the macabre and this doesn't come without reason. His tales bring the terror and stick in the back of your mind years after taking them in. Naturally, having such a notorious reputation as an author of the macabre his writings quite often get picked up by movie makers thinking they can properly put his ideas to film. Some are hits and some miss the mark by a long shot, luckily for this dvd the two films featured are fairly good representations of the stories of which they are based.

The Tell-Tale Heart (1960):

The first of the two films on this disc is The Tell-Tale Heart. Arguably one of Poe's most notorious stories and along with that one of his stories that is most often put to film. The film stars Laurence Payne and Adrienne Corri.The Tell-Tale Heart follows a man named Edgar who is quite pitiful around the ladies. He becomes obsessed over a woman who moves nearby him. Even with Edgar's obsession over Betty she hardly notices and goes for his good friend Carl. Carl being the great friend he is shrugs off Betty's advances for awhile but eventually can't help but fool around with her. Unfortunately for Carl Edgard was watching from his window and caught them in the act. Soon after Edgar beats Carl and hides him in the floor boards, but as time goes by the heartbeat he hears in his head robs him of his sanity.

This adaptation of the story adds a ton of new things to what was in the original short story. Considering how short the original story was this shouldn't be a surprise, creating a feature length film out of something so small would be quite the difficult task. Though it may not be a dead on retelling of the original story it still brings the same ideas and feelings that were originally intended. The elements that are added aren't necessarily the most original to ever grace the screen but in the end it still plays out to be a great film.

The Oval Portrait (1972):

The second section of this double feature is The Oval Portrait. This film is based of the story titled "Life in Death" (which is also known as The Oval Portrait). This, much like the previous movie was based off a short story. The Oval Portrait is the tale of a Confederate man who is injured in battle. He finds himself staying at a house owned by a Yankee after he is taken in by a beautiful woman. The soldier soon after falls in love with the owners daughter, Rebecca.

When Rebecca's father sees the beautiful portrait and discovers who had made it he breaks out in a fury and throws his daughter out of the house. In this fit of rage her father falls into a vegetable like state. Soon after a man who appears to be the soldier who painted his daughter returns to the home. With the completion of the portrait Rebecca loses her life. As the story unfolds this dark tale of romance is bound to be one you'll remember. Unfortunately The Oval Portrait is one of those Poe adaptations that tends to fade into obscurity. The story is compelling and even with some less than satisfying acting it still manages to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat up until the credits roll. This film has strange atmosphere throughout. It

Overall this dvd works as a great introduction to some of the Edgar Allan Poe adaptations of the era. In terms of picture quality it would be advised to not go into this expecting something crystal clear. The quality isn't bad but it may have some people who strive for the polished look a little bothered. All in all this comes out to be a pretty good set. The two films featured here aren't something you bump into that often. The disc is bare bones but it does come with some very insightful liner notes written by Tim Lucas. Highly recommended for fans of Edgar Allan Poe that are looking to get into some of the adaptations. Even if you have never read a page of Poe's work this will still prove to be an interesting viewing.

Testimony Interview!

We're very happy to present our interview with the drummer of Testimony. Testimony play a style of thrash that when played at the right volume, will level your neighborhood!


Foul Feast: When was the band formed?

Taylor Lambacher: The band was formed in early 2009 under the name of Quietus by Martin and Taylor. We then found Mike through a friend of Martin's after about 6 months and got Taylor's brother Derek on bass shortly afterward. We were a 4 piece for a little over a year and changed our name to Testimony due to legality issues, a little before Adrian joined the band recently.

FF: How do you feel it has evolved since then?

Taylor Lambacher: We started as a thrash metal band, we always wanted to be original but the progressive elements were much more toned down than they are now. Now we like to experiment with odd times, different keys, uncommon song structures, etc.

FF:You just recently brought a new member into the fold. Tell us a little about who he is and what he is bringing to the table thus far.

Taylor Lambacher: His name is Adrian Harris. He was a mutual friend of Mikes' (guitarist). He had been a fan of the band for awhile. We decided to bring him in to relieve Martin from his vocal duties so he could focus on playing guitar, leading us to writing more technical work. His voice has a different sound which adds another component to our music. It's very melodic, dark, and aggressive, to say the least. You will just have to wait to hear the new sound!

FF: How often do you guys get gigs?

Taylor Lambacher: Typically a few a month. We try to gig as much as possible, but we have to schedule them around our work schedules, school, etc. When we are off school in the Summer we plan on gigging as much as possible (which will happen!). We have quite a few shows lined up for the Summer, so we'll be really busy with shows and also recording. We might even hit the East coast for a couple dates if all things run smooth... heh!

FF: Have you played with any bands yet that you grew up listening to or look up to in a big way?

Taylor Lambacher: Unfortunately not :( We opened up for D.R.I. back in January in Chicago, which was a bad ass show! We have also played with some smaller label acts such as Vektor and Vindicator, but nothing too major thus far.

FF: While your music is still aggressive and fast you guys do have some progressive elements and switch it up a little bit. Is this something that comes naturally?

Taylor Lambacher: In a way it is kind of natural, but the focus has never been on trying to be a progressive metal band. It just comes out that way sometimes.

FF: Do you have any plans for future releases?

Taylor Lambacher: In the summer we plan to release a 5 song E.P. with artwork and the whole shebang.

FF: How's the metal scene over there in Indiana?

Taylor Lambacher: Its promising, there are a couple of good bands in the area such as Vultress, Altar Whore, and Angel Grave. Go check them out if you get the chance!

FF: How do you go about writing a Testimony song? Do you start out with riffs or do you get lyrics first then go from there?

Taylor Lambacher: We usually start with riffs but some songs have been written around pre-existing lyrics, so we do a little of both. Our goal is to write a different-type of song each time, so that way none of our songs sound exactly alike.

FF: Any final thoughts?

Taylor Lambacher: It was a pleasure to do this interview, we thank you very very much! Spread the word, and look out for the new E.P. in the Summer! You can check out all of our updates/shows on all of our websites, so maybe one day we will be hitting your town! ...Hopefully sooner than later. Cheers!

Infestus- E x | I s t

Infestus is a German black metal band. E x | I s t is the band's third full-length but it is also the first album completely created by Andras. Infestus's take on the genre is sure to drop some jaws. The way Andras meshes rapid aural assaults with slow, blistering sections is simply astounding. This is without a doubt one of the better black metal releases of the year thus far.

The album runs just over an hour and consists of only seven tracks. So right out of the gate one should know what they are getting into. Infestus make long and brooding songs that put the listener into a state of pure seclusion from anything going on around them. To put it simply the music is composed in a way that sucks the listener in easily and time flies up until the last second and then you'll quickly find yourself shuffling for the repeat button. It is hard to believe that this album was created by one person. The entire thing flows so well and seems very thought out. It is clear that plenty of time and effort was poured into the making of this release.

The production on the album is good and it would be a lie to say anything here is raw. That being said the record still has a very mysterious quality that encompasses just as much of a dark atmosphere of any raw black metal album that comes to mind. The atmosphere that is created gives the record a great deal of depth which really makes for excellent replay value. The tone featured on the album has a certain thickness but is still razor sharp when necessary. There are many cleanly played moments spread throughout E x | I s t. When laced with the distorted tone these sections prove to be quite effective. These sections show that even some music surrounded by a sinister atmosphere can still have a certain extent of elegance.

Overall E x | I s t is highly recommended to fans of extreme music. Even with the loss of what used to be half of the band it is evident that Andras will continue to make this project the best it can possibly be. Fans of black metal will not be disappointed and those just getting into the genre may find the production values here make this a better gateway album.

Frosthammer- The Cold Wind Of Eternity

The Cold Wind Of Eternity marks Frosthammer's fifth release. Rather than making a big leap like they did with the past release they choose to expand the sound that we were all introduced to with Imagery Of the Forgotten Realm. This serves up a plentiful amount of melodies and keeps you guessing as to what will happen next. Prepare yourself for a feast of very dense and epic music.

There is very little on this demo that can even be considered black metal. Every single moment here is chock full of melody and it isn't often that you hear the guitar come into play. The atmosphere here is dark and mellow for the most part but every now and then the band does burst into an aggressive state. A solid example of this would be on the track "Where the Northern Wind Doth Blow Part 3 Abandoned In A Forest Of Wolves", the song starts with what is probably the most relaxing sound featured but not long after they explode into one of the more violent moments they have recorded. Sections like these keep the album from becoming dull and keeping hold of the listeners attention.

Another thing that is dominant on this album is the clean vocals. Throughout the string of releases it has been apparent that Frosthammer has added more and more each time. The clean vocals sound good and certainly fit the direction they have went in well. That isn't to say there are no harsh vocals. The unique raspy call is still used on occasion during the playtime of The Cold Wind Of Eternity. They also incorporate some spoken word parts, something that I am not normally a fan of but in the case of this record they work well.

Overall those who enjoyed Imagery Of the Forgotten Realm will probably enjoy this. Those who were turned off by the bands previous effort most likely won't be awed by this one. It is obvious that Frosthammer have found their sound with this release. Rather than releasing something that is filled with moments that one could say "Hey this reminds me off that song from (insert band name here)!" Frosthammer have chosen to put out something with a signature sound. Recommended for fans of music that, to put it simply just give off a dark vibe. It is almost hard for me to this metal but whatever it is, it's good in my book.

Interview with Chaosweaver from Damnum Animus

I'm proud to present an interview with the man behind the musical beast that is Damnum Animus. The debut EP, Sanity: The Lies Of the Father has created a little bit of buzz within the metal community and has gotten all around positive feedback. In this interview we discuss the process of creating the EP and upcoming releases from Chaosweaver's numerous other projects.

Foul Feast: How did this project come about?

Chaosweaver: This project actually started as an exclusively depressive black metal endeavor. I had written one song, which turned out to be The Last of My Kind. I let it drift for a while, and ended up turning it into a symphonic/depressive/ambient project.

FF: The band is currently just a one man thing, do you aim to keep it this way or would you accept like minded musicians to join?

Chaosweaver: In fact, the next album will feature multiple other musicians. I’m not going to say anything else about that until later though.

FF: Who are some of your main influences?

Chaosweaver: I am a huge fan of intense classical composers such as Hans Zimmer, so I draw some influence from them. Also, When Mine Eyes Blacken is another influence in terms of drumming and composition.

FF: Do you have any plans of future releases (with this project or any other)?

Chaosweaver: I do. For this project, I have a split coming up (no release date or name yet). I also have another EP or possibly full length (!) in the making. For my other projects, I have several things planned: Decaying My Youth has an EP in the works, The Fall of the Heretic has a full length in the making, and Invoking the Divine has a demo coming up.

FF: Your music is far from what would be considered conventional black metal.
Lyrically what are some of the themes explored on Sanity?

Chaosweaver: Heartache and living without purpose are two of the big ones. Some have called my music too “emotional” because of this, but hey, if you don’t like it, don’t listen to it, you know? Also, religion/lack of faith in such is the subject of the last track.

FF: How did you go about writing the EP?

Chaosweaver: One of the main parts of the music is melody. I tried to infuse as much melody as possible without sounding cheesy or overdoing it. Furthermore, the cellos took a big part in the songs, so I tried to make those almost like the lead guitars of sorts. A lot of the actual writing took place on guitar, in fact, and I transposed it to cellos or strings or choirs.

FF: How has the feedback regarding the EP been so far?

Chaosweaver: The feedback has actually been rather good. The average review has been around an 80%. Minor complaints here and there, such as the abrupt starts and stops to the songs, but in due time, the critics will get their wishes.

FF: What is the meaning behind the name Damnum Animus?

Chaosweaver: Damnum Animus is Latin, actually. It means “loss of soul”. I figured it would be appropriate for the type of music I would be playing.

FF: It is great to hear underground artists doing something unique and the EP sounds excellent. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

Chaosweaver: Thanks for the interview. I’d like to throw a shout out to all the people that gave me feedback on the album before its release. Also, for all those metalheads that read this, keep the underground alive. Don’t let corporate media take us over. For that reason, all of my releases with Damnum Animus will be released free of charge. Stay metal my friends.