Goth news and new Halloween, gothic and horror links. Bringing you into the darkness since 1993!
May 1, 2012
New Goth Links for May Day 2012
CEMETERIES, FUNERALS AND DEATH:
Morbid Anatomy
Joanna, a photographer and graphic designer, runs the Morbid Anatomy Library in Brooklyn. It's a private collection available to public researchers interested in the topic. The blog offers info on upcoming related events and exhibitions, plus info on upcoming conferences.
http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com/
DARK ART:
Hollywood is Dead
Matt Busch's movie poster parodies. He re-imagines classic movie posters with a dark, horrific or tongue-in-cheek twist. For example, Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast Is Tiffany," "Horde of Dead Things," "Deadward Scissorhands," "Cadavatar" and "Bleak to the Future." Giggle. There's a gallery, a shop, and Matt's mostly abandoned blog here. I've always had a soft spot for parodies, and I so enjoy browsing this site!
http://www.hollywood-is-dead.com/
DARK SHOPS:
Carried Away Coffins
"Sooner or later, you'll need one." This shop specializes in coffin-shaped cabinets for tattoo shops, as well as coffin-shaped mirrors, display cases and coffin bookshelves. So cool!
http://www.carriedawaycoffins.com/
Plasticland
An extremely cool store, selling retro clothes, home decor, skull accessories, arts & crafts supplies, jewelry, books, shoes, beauty products, kitsch and curiosities. There's even a whole section for "Mod Octopods."
http://www.shopplasticland.com/
Virgin Blak
An alternative fashion clothing store selling punk, indie and alternative clothing and accessories. Not the gothiest store ever, but it's not meant to be. I'm including it here because you can find some cool basics and interesting pieces here to add to your wardrobe.
Winona Cookie
This steampunk artist makes custom illustrations, collages, and cool artworks. She's done a Steampunk calendar for Zazzle, and has a book of steampunk paper dolls coming out soon. Check out her amazing Moribund Manor Haunted House artwork, as well as "Gothic Coffin Cruisers." Her writeups under each artwork are humorously written, I think she could have a second career as a witty dark author!
DARK MUSIC:
The Good Natured
A UK-based band with a female vocalist. They describe themselves as "pop noir." Their recent EP release is called "Skeleton."
GOTHIC LOLITA:
Carousel of Crowns
A lovely Gothic & Lolita fashion blog. Currently there's interesting commentary on the evolution of Gothic Lolita fashion in the last 19 years; some Items We Love shopping finds; and even some Gothic & Lolita home decor tips. Wish this blog were updated a teensy more often.
http://www.carouselofcrowns.com/
Hawaii Lolitas
A networking resource for Gothic Lolitas in Hawaii. Not updated often, but I can't find a Facebook replacement for this. Hopefully a nice way to find out about upcoming Lolita events in the Aloha state.
http://hi-loli.livejournal.com/
--Copyright 2012 Carrie Carolin
April 5, 2012
New Goth Links for April 5, 2012
New links from Dark Side of the Net for April 5, 2012.
DARK SHOPS:
Necromance
A Los Angeles store with an antique flair, selling curiodities such as skull beads, jewelry, home decor, shark vertebrae, animal x-ray photographs, animal bones, specimens in jars, plus related cards and T-shirts. An interesting store to browse online, that's for sure.
Necromance Hollywood, on Facebook
Nursery Crymes
This shop sells macabre dolls and doll sculptures by artist Eleanor Boyce in her studio in the north of England. The dolls in Gallery 3 actually frightened me to the point I yelped out loud, waking my doggies from their nap prematurely. Besides admiring the dollies lovely, bloody countenances, it's immensely entertaining to browse the descriptions here. "Hungry Harriet" and "Vomitessa," for example, have humorous writeups as explanations for their appearances.
Subversion Clothing
A UK-based shop selling goth, cyber, alternative, and steampunk clothes. Some of the brands they carry include Iron Fist, Bat Attack, Lip Service, Alchemy Gothic, Kreepsville 666, Tripp NYC, and Plastik Wrap. Besides men's and women's clothing, they sell jewelry, Manic Panic hair dye, plus accessories such as gloves and belts.
http://www.subversionclothing.co.uk/
Subversion UK Clothing "Goth Cloth" on Facebook
Tormented Artifacts
This shop sells insanely cool masks as well as some fascinating dark and twisted prints. Take a peek at the Artifacts section for intriguing occult ephemera.
http://www.tormentedartifacts.com/
Tormented Artifacts on Facebook
DARK PAGES IN OTHER LANGUAGES:
Tim Burton's World
A busy, active, well-maintained Spanish-language Tim Burton news blog. Recent posts have shared Dark Shadows character posters, info on Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter and shared a Spanish Dark Shadows trailer on YouTube.
DARK TV:
The X-Files: Believe Again
One of the last few remaining X-files fandom Livejournals. This one is, refreshingly, carefully moderated and holds its allowable posts to high standards. Fics are posted here occasionally. Currently there is news on the third X-Files movie, Fox's 25th anniversary special (which will air on April 22), and a few useful links of interest to X-files fandom. I'll be back to check out and hopefully contribute to this community once I start my "Re-Watching" X-files project next fall.
http://xfiles.livejournal.com/
HORROR GENRE:
The NY Dark Side Horror Group
An active horror fan Meetup group in New York with real life meetups. Members can utilize the discussion board and share pages with the group, too. There are 15 upcoming meetups, and 163 members as of today. Membership dues are $15 (typical for Meetup).
http://www.nydarksidehorrorgroup.com/
--Carrie Carolin
March 21, 2012
Dark Beverages for Goth Entertaining
Serve something perfectly dark for your next soiree or dismally elegant dinner party. While all the following taste more or less as delicious as any other wine or spirit, they're sold in such incredibly cool packaging, you'll want to display the bottles on a nearby table.
Bats Blood Wine
Bats Blood wine is made in Banat, Romania (an area the makers assure us is part of historic Transylvania.) It comes elegantly packaged in a coffin-shaped, red lined box.
Crystal Head Vodka
My best friends gave me this for my birthday last year. I loved it, and rationed it as carefully as I could bear. Finally when it was empty, I found it makes a great vase for a single rose, or a Day of the Dead style marigold bouquet.
Crystal Head Vodka on Facebook
Kraken Black Spiced Rum
I love spiced rum anyway, but it doesn't hurt that this packaging design evokes Cthulhu, steampunk and Victoriana. The website has a sense of humor, too - they even make a Kraken rum app game for smartphones. Anyway, I like to serve Kraken at my cocktail parties, leaving the bottle visible on the buffet so people can enjoy the cool dark nautical label.
Kah Tequila
"Kah Tequila was designed to pay reverence and honor to Mexico and its people." This Day of the Dead-themed tequila comes packaged in beautifully decorated skull-shaped bottles. Flavors include Tequila Blanco, packaged in a white skull; Tequila Anejo in a black-and-white bottle; Tequila Reposado, in a devil-decorated bottle; and a special limited edition Tequila Extra Anejo, in a skull shaped bottle decorated with Swarovski crystals.
Vampire Vineyards
Now I know you've heard of these guys. Besides Dracula wine, Vampire wine, and Chateau du Vampire wines, they also produce Vampire vodka and Trueblood Pinot Noir. (My favorite is the Vampire Cab Sauv).
http://www.vampirevineyards.com
Vampire Vineyards, on Facebook
Also some beverages of interest:
Trader Joe's produces and sells their own "Dearly Beloved Forever Red" wine in an El Dia de Los Muertos decorated bottle. Your local store may have a bottle or two left even this long after the Halloween season, if you're lucky.
Owen Roe Winery in the Pacific Northwest bottles a Sinister Hand grenache.
I'm amused by Armida Wines' line of Poizin wine bottles.
What might you serve as dessert to go along with your creepily bottled beverages?
How about a chocolate skull?
http://www.chocolateskulls.com/
--Copyright 2012 Carrie Carolin
March 12, 2012
New Goth and Horror Links for March 20, 2012
DARK ART:
Don Kenn Gallery
I can't tell if this artist's first name is John or Don. Anyway, he draws fabulous monsters and spooky creatures, usually on post-it notes. From Denmark, he's a television writer and director.
DARK COMICS:
And Then There Were Zombies
This zombie webcomic updates every Monday and Thursday. The comic is set two years after zombies take over the world, and a band of human survivors has taken over a backwoods Pennsylvania house.
Paranormal
The Spooky Isles
"The Spooky Isles is a website dedicated to horror & supernatural in the UK & Ireland, including ghost stories, horror films and haunted and mysterious places!" I have been so impressed with this site's Twitter feed lately - they share the most interesting links and articles. The website is also excellent, covering spooky books, spooky films, spooky places, and paranormal news. Check out one of their recent guest posts, British Death Through the Ages.
Dark Side of the World
Vampire Lounge and Tasting Room
Ooh, from what I can see of the decor here in the photos, I love it! This lounge is located in Beverly Hills, and serves Vampire Vineyards wines. (The wines have evocative names such as Dracula Zinfandel, Trueblood Napa Valley Syrah, etc.) You can rent the upstairs lounge out for private parties, too. This looks like such a lovely place to stop in for a drink.
http://www.vampire.com/vampirelounge/
DARK SHOPS:
Cherise Clothing
This shop is located in Finland. They sell women's clothing, including lingerie and cocktail dresses, plus vintage pieces, hats, and even vintage sewing patterns. My favorite thing here is their Vendetta coat which they make to order.
DARK BLOGS:
Color Me Goth
"The not so daily ramblings of a goth of color." Dismantlynn is a college student who blogs about her life, goth music and fashion, and things that interest her lately. Check out her post about University of Michigan's zombie university class, and her fashion tips for warm weather goths. Check out her bustle skirt crafting project she's been working on!
--Copyright 2012 Carrie Carolin
March 2, 2012
13 Newish Zombie Links
1. Zombie Lane
A silly zombie-themed Facebook game with almost 2 million players. A good way to waste time while you're bored and waiting for your friends to log on and comment on shit you just posted.
http://www.facebook.com/zombielane
2. Zombie Ammo
Zombie targets you can buy to practice shooting at. That sounds so much fun! I wouldn't mind taking a few pot shots at their creepy clown targets, too.
3. Zombie Zone News
A well-designed website with lists of zombie books, movies and comics; frequently updated news on all things zombie; info on zombie events; and several very active forums.
http://www.zombiezonenews.com/
4. Zombie Ranch Comic
An online webcomic about a bunch of cowboys and cowgirls - and their zombie herd. The comic is updated every Wednesday.
http://www.zombieranchcomic.com/
5. Zombie Roomie Comic
"John was looking for someone to split the cost of rent but got more than he bargained for when George, a zombie, became his roommate." Updates are posted Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
6. Zombie Science 1Z
"Zombie Science 1Z is a spoof lecture on the real science behind the undead." This is a touring entertainment show you can book for your next party or event. UK-based.
http://www.zombiescience.co.uk/
7. Long Beach Zombie Walk
The next Long Beach Zombie Walk downtown street fest will take place Saturday, October 27, 2012. It will feature a live concert and a Thriller dance mob.
Long Beach Zombie Walk on Facebook
http://twitter.com/zombiewalklb
8. Seattle Zombies
Sadly, this website hasn't been updated since fall 2011. But I bet once we get closer to ZomBcon there will be a lot going on here on this blog.
http://www.seattlezombies.com/
9. Monroeville Zombies
This museum, gallery and attraction is at a mall near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There's a Maul of Fame, a boiler room zombie walkthrough, a zombie boutique shop, and they're soon adding a zombie shooting gallery.
http://www.monroevillezombies.com/
10. Zombies of Montana
Info on upcoming zombie events in Montana, including a zombie prom and a zombie walk in May 2012.
http://www.zombiesofmontana.com/
Zombies of Montana, on Facebook
11. The Zombie Years
A post-apocalyptic zombie horror comic set in Florida. You can also view a short film, Thanks, Grandpa" that was used as a prequel for the webcomic.
12. The Zombiephiles
There's a lot going on here. "The Zombiephiles is an intermittently-updated, occasionally hilarious zombie blog discussing zombie survival tips, reviews of zombie movies, zombie comics and books, and general zombie culture." The site is packed full of things you'll want to check out if you're into zombies.
13. The Zombie Rights Campaign
"The world's premier advocacy organization for the differently animated." A humorous website, accompanied by a blog with pretty interesting posts on the topic.
http://zombierightscampaign.org/
--Copyright 2012 Carrie Carolin
New Goth and Horror Links for March 2, 2012
1. Heart Shaped Skull
Aaron Alexovich's art and comics. Meet Serenity Rose, a sexually confused witch; singer and sorceress Vicious Whispers; and learn how to get back issues of Eldritch!
http://www.heartshapedskull.com/
2. Malaysian Lolita Club
"Gothic regional resources." This group has regular meetups and events.
Malaysian Lolita Club Group, on Facebook
3. The Bloody Best Project
http://www.thebloodybestproject.com/
The Bloody Best Project, on Twitter
4. House of Vampires
Jessica's blog about vampires in literature, film, movies, and videos. She also runs a vampire messageboard.
http://houseofvampires.wordpress.com/
5. Sophistique Noir
"Dark fashion for the mature." VictorianKitty teaches those of us over 30 how to dress in a sophisticated goth manner whether for our careerwear or clubwear. This is a highly recommended blog. I'm enjoying it so much.
Each month has a theme (this month's is gray) and you're encouraged to submit a photo of you dressed up. The photography here is excellent, and there are a lot of gorgeous fashions to drool over. I can't imagine how she finds the time to put together so many quality, interesting, useful posts day after day! If you're an eldergoth, a corpgoth or someone interested in classy, grownup goth fashion, you'll want to bookmark this site and put it in your RSS reader for daily visits.
http://www.sophistiquenoir.com/
--Copyright 2012 Carrie Carolin
March 1, 2012
New Goth and Horror Links for March 1, 2012
1. Gravestoned
Amy O'Neal's excellent blog sharing her gravestone explorations. Recent posts include some interesting headstones from a cemetery in Ohio; a photo of a siltstone marker; and a beautiful epitaph hymn.
http://gravestoned.blogspot.com/
2. Shadow Element
Derek Emmons' gallery of dark fantasy photomanipulations. My favorite is Steampunk Halloween.
http://shadowelement.deviantart.com/
3. Holly's Horrorland
Holly collects and creates horror-themed curiosities. There's a lot of vampire content here. She also runs interesting contests, such as the Mad as a Hatter Model Competition.
http://hollyshorrorland.blogspot.com/
Holly's Horrorland on Facebook
4. Boston Area Goth/Industrial
If you live in or near Boston you already know about this group. Otherwise, it's great if you're planning a trip or vacation to the city and want to attend a local goth event while you're there.
Boston Area Goth/Industrial Group, on Facebook
5. Skullsville USA
This shop sells goth, punk, Victorian, skull-and-skeleton themed accessories, beads, and jewelry.
--Copyright 2012 Carrie Carolin
February 29, 2012
New Dark Links for February 29, 2012
DARK ART:
Lori Earley
This is the gallery of a contemporary surrealist figurative artist from New York. She is also a professional oil painter. Visit her gallery to explore her hauntingly beautiful, dark-tinged works. (NSFW due to some artistic nudity). My favorite is "Belladonna" from Gallery Four.
Mon Petit Fantome
Chad Merritt's charming, spooky dark papercut and print art. His imagery includes skeletons, Baba Yaga, bats, and creepy girls. Love it, love it!
Helen Warner Fine Art Photography
This Irish artist captures hauntingly beautiful imagery. She lives in Belfast. She also shares interesting photography finds via her Tumblr account. See her large and beautiful gallery of photos on her Flickr stream. (My favorite so far is She Sleeps Until the Snow Falls.
I think you will be mesmerized by the photographs here; I suspect you'll have to go make yourself a cup of tea and settle in to view each and every one of them.
Helen Warner Photography on Facebook
Helen Warner Photography on Flickr.
Helen Warner Photography on Tumblr
DARK EVENTS:
Age of Decay Festival
The Age of Decay Festival will take place April 21, 2012 in Jacksonville, Florida. This sounds so fun - Ex-Voto is performing, as is The Drowning Season. The festival also features DJs, vendors and a horror artist.
Age of Decay Festival, on Facebook
DARK SHOPS:
Gloommatter
This shop sells jewelry, accessories, clothing, gothic home decor, and goth beauty products. I'm giggling that they sell black cotton swabs. Jewelry, from Alchemy Gothic, includes spiders, skeletons, coffins, and thorny roses.
Licoricewits
"Zombies, monsters & things cute, for the slightly odd."
This shop sells adorable horror and monster cake toppers; monster kokeshi; zombie nesting dolls; a charming Edgar Allan Poe wooden kokeshi; and other delightful classic horror themed toys and gifts. Everything here is so cute!
HORROR GENRE:
Black Ichor Blog
A girl from the South blogs about horror writing, comics, and horror literature. Posts here have been infrequent lately, but I bet you'll find a few things of interest if you stop by from time to time. You might enjoy the essay on horror and hillbillies.
http://blackichor.blogspot.com/
Cthutube
This blog covers horror and the Cthulhu mythos in film, literature, and games. The blog's background is extremely distracting, so try to power through it to get to the good posts here: TV episode spoilers, movie news, zombie game screenshots, comic book podcasts, and more.
Les Temps des Vampires
A Facebook fan group dedicated to the ARVLFC's Halloween Ball. I recommend joining this group to keep up on updates if you're thinking of attending this year's ball.
ARVLFC Les Temps de Vampires, on Facebook
MicroHorror
Extremely short stories in the horror genre. These microfiction horror stories are 666 words or under. Read stories contributed by others, or share your own.
GOTH CLUBS:
Heresy Goth Club
Bakersfield, California's dark alternative and goth club. The next event is on March 3, "Electro Overload" featuring the band Carved Souls. After that, is "A Black Celebration - Midnight Masquerade" on April 14, when Funeral Club will perform.
http://www.heresygothclub.com/
DARK MUSIC:
The Drowning Season
A gothic rock band from Maryland. Sounds a bit on the goth metal side to me, at least the vocals do. On February 4, they performed at Dracula's Ball in Philadelphia. They've also performed at the Southern Gothic Festival. Next, they'll perform at Age of Decay.
http://www.thedrowningseason.net/
The Drowning Season, on Facebook
--Copyright 2012 Carrie Carolin