KOMMUNIQUÉ #19

"A very novel and interesting work, bringing together a broad spectrum of weirdos and miscreants, I would recommend it to the earnest enthusiast of the strange and the bizarre." 
-Rob Miller

KOMMUNIQUÉ #18

"Dread has outdone himself. Entartete Kunts is a feast for the senses. All of them, including smell and touch, which are two of the most important ones."

- Sean "Digestor" McGrath

KOMMUNIQUÉ #17

"So proud to be part of such a wonderful abomination."
- Paul McCarroll

KOMMUNIQUÉ #16

"A cesspool in which unsuspecting minds can be submerged, polluted and exploded across thousands of blank canvases..." 

- Sean Äaberg

KOMMUNIQUÉ #15

"I am deeply honored and thankful to be one out of 42, which is - as Douglas Adams said - the meaning of life...FANTASTIC!"
- Conny Cobra

KOMMUNIQUÉ #14

"Essential Excellence."
- Kriss Hades

KOMMUNIQUÉ #13

"Entartete Kunts is one of the most potent, eyeball-meltin' art books to come down the pike in years!"

- Jim Blanchard

KOMMUNIQUÉ #12

"The books are BEAUTIFUL!!! They are really well produced, printed, laid out...as it works out, my interview amounts to the centerfold!"
- Jos. A. Smith

KOMMUNIQUÉ #11

"Every time the book is opened, it opens the gate...it stirs the air...the artistry of the abyss!"
- Pasquale Reca

KOMMUNIQUÉ #10

"WARNING: This book can be dangerous to your mental health."
- Joe Petagno

KOMMUNIQUÉ #9

"We're all living our dreams after all..." 
- Bobby BeauSoleil

KOMMUNIQUÉ #8

"I'm honored to be included among those documenting the continuing crisis; a steaming mass of international sadness and dismal moans."
- Drew Elliott

KOMMUNIQUÉ #7

"This is a piece of Metal/Punk underground history that everyone must see. No words to describe it. Just see it!"
- Luisma Quiroga

KOMMUNIQUÉ #6

"The entire book is an absolute visual assault...It's such an honor to be included among some of the best in the business. Don't miss out on this compendium of depravity!"

- Mark Riddick

KOMMUNIQUÉ #5

"This is the Necronomicon of underground artists." 
- Nor Prego Argibay

KOMMUNIQUÉ #4

“A pleasantly abysmal cacophony of bloodshot eye candy”
- Stehen Blickenstaff

KOMMUNIQUÉ #3

"We're all going to Hell for this..."
- Timo Ketola

KOMMUNIQUÉ #2

"Dread has put a lot of heart into this book...a lot of bloody, eviscerated, masticated, lacerated, oozing, gooey, disgusting heart." - Doktor Ross Sewage

KOMMUNIQUÉ

"Holy fuckin' hellhammers...can you say cult classic??!!" 

- Chris Reifert

FILOSOFEM

"Suddenly...life has new meaning." ~Varg Vikernes 

There are arguably more potent Burzum recordings but, for me, Filosofem is a deeply personal listening experience that delivers on the esoteric promise of Norwegian Black Metal and never fails to take me places best visited with the lights out. Every repetitive note of this blown-out masterpiece seethes with some unspoken and unspeakable atavistic menace. It is an ordeal at turns utterly primitive, psychedelic, violent, hypnotic, abrasive, archetypal and, ultimately, pathologically transcendental. To put it another way, this is perfect drawing music. Or driving music for that matter. It is a triumph of (first person) singular vision that endures far beyond the morbid fantasies many have come to vicariously associate with its distinctly pallid aura. 

As fate would have it, I had only recently arrived in the great Norse West and was literally planting my roots in the fine city of Portland, Oregon around the time that controversial local publisher Adam Parfrey was licensing this gem from Misanthropy Records in England. In 1996 black metal imports were still relatively difficult to find in U.S. shops (not to mention expensive) so the domestic release of Filosofem, with its iconic Theodor Kittelsen cover art, heralded in no uncertain terms the commercial arrival of Scandinavian Black Metal on these shores. It was immediately striking to behold Kittelsen's evocative painting 'Up In The Hills A Clarion Call Rings Out', steeped as it is in a muted wash suggesting the transitional light of dawn or dusk, in the context of an album recorded by a convicted murderer and arsonist. Up until this point most black metal artwork had been just that: black. Such a lucent display of Nordic romanticism was unprecedented in the otherwise shadowy milieu of largely Satanic metal, but the pairing of Burzum's animistic dirges with Kittelsen's beautiful artwork was apt. Consider Kittelsen's reflection on the hardships of the artist's path before his death in 1914: 

"Many are the occasions on which it is burdensome to be an artist in Norway, so burdensome that it seems hopeless. But it is no use stopping at that point. One must pick oneself up, and continue. If I did not love Nature so, every flower and every stream, I do not think I would have the energy. Nature is wonderful solace." 

Amidst lush illustrations, the Feral House digipack insert also contained a note that English translations of the lyrics and text were available by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to a local post office box. Needless to say, I immediately dropped my envelope in the mailbox and soon received two single-sided pages stapled at the top left corner. The rough translations that arrived were provided by "Greve Drake" who at that time was the guitarist for Goddess of Desire and I had to completely trust his interpretations since I lacked- and still lack- even basic Norwegian or German language skills. The stories in particular were an inspired read and I have returned to them many times over the years. As is the case with all Burzum recordings, there are only the faintest traces in Varg Vikernes' lyrics of his political ideologies which now more or less threaten to eclipse his artistic legacy. Instead we are treated to cryptic fables and sparse simplistic parables that inflame the imagination and, together with the music, invoke a haunting atmosphere of Norse heathen mysticism. But you already know that.

My darling daughter was born just a few months after I purchased Filosofem- in fact, she was born exactly 16 years ago today- and this recording is forever psychically linked to that most profound moment of my young adulthood. I enjoyed countless hours over the following year gently rocking my little one to sleep against my bare chest with 'Rundgang Um Die Transzendentale Saule Der Singularitat' spinning quietly on repeat. Furthermore, 'Jesus' Tod' remains inseparably the soundtrack for midnight rides to the 24-hour copy shop to work on my zine or scan some drawing. Even now I vividly recall unchaining the fence and barreling out of my backyard gate at the Witching Hour, headphones in place beneath my hood, as the double-bass thunders inexorably above the din of tremulous strings and dungeon clatter. Eight minutes of frantic pumping and I am racing through the downpour with my thighs burning and the neon 'Made In Oregon' sign casting shards of light into a thousand dirty puddles collecting in the sidewalk gutters. I imagine abandoned Portland nights with thin sheets of rain and moss-covered rooftops are not entirely unlike the misty dark of some tidy Norwegian seaport. Perhaps it's just the music. On nights like these, completely alone in the desolate night air, this album comes alive like some prodigious specter that, for at least those 64 minutes and 36 seconds, completely swallows the modern world in its terrifying gaping jaws. "For some," as Vikernes so eloquently wrote in the liner notes, "The world finally becomes a place really worth living in." 

~Dennis Dread
(Originally written on the Vernal Equinox 2010)

 Dedicated to the fairest in her 16th year.

7/11/13

ZERO TOLERANCE

KUNTS IST KRIEG!

Here's a nice little gem about my new book from issue #5 of IRON FIST magazine! IRON FIST has quickly become the most vital, relevant, classy, passionate and well-researched metal rag out there. Problem is, it's almost impossible to find beyond the bleak gates of the United Kingdom. Fortunately, they've graciously granted me permission to post this in its entirety here. TOTAL SUPPORT!

UNCHAIN THE KUNTS!

Goddamn, Portland! THANK YOU!!!! Apparently the underground is alive and well in the Northwest. The book is now officially released and available for a limited time from AJNA BOUND. Order now...

All photos by the indomitable A.K. Wilson.

PORTLAND: BOOK RELEASE PARTY JUNE 21

ACHTUNG! You are cordially invited to join us on Friday June 21 at Blackwater Records in Portland, Oregon for the official ENTARTETE KUNTS book release party. This will be a great opportunity to purchase the book directly from me and save yourself additional postage fees. It will also be a great opportunity to booze it up while celebrating the triumph of real underground art!!!! I will conduct a brief slideshow that provides context for the book and showcases a few of the amazing artists featured in its 340 pages. Slideshow starts at 7pm. Drinks and music until 9pm. Original artwork from the book will also be on display for one night only. The new Blackwater space is located directly across the street from Wonder Ballroom on NE Russell Street, off MLK. I look forward to seeing you. Spread the word!

Lucifer's Final Rise!

As most of you know by now, this beautiful vinyl collection culls all of the material associated with Bobby BeauSoleil's monumental recordings for Kenneth Anger's short occult film. Everything you hear was recorded within Tracy Correctional Facility between 1975-1979, at that time one of the most violent prisons in America. I get a lot of inquiries about this project since it has been out of print for quite some time. This is the third and FINAL pressing from Ajna Offensive, so don't sleep on it! It will not be pressed again. I wrote the liner notes (along with Bobby and Michael Moynihan) and closely collaborated with Bobby on the artwork. Comes with two huge posters of our work. This pressing is distinguished by colored vinyl chosen by Bobby himself. ORDER NOW...or pay E-bay prices later. Your choice.

FREE BOBBY NOW!

GROSS ANATOMY (part 18)

Welcome back to the front line of the weird war, comrades! It's been a while since our last installment of Gross Anatomy and now that I've returned from my epic adventures abroad I've got a real live one for you. Hopefully by now you've all seen Joe Petagno's amazing new painting for Autopsy's forthcoming LP The Headless Ritual and hopefully you're as excited as me that one of the pioneers of death metal dooooooom are back from the grave. The only bummer about Autopsy reorganizing was the demise of Abscess, those underrated speed-sleaze-death-punks that churned out some of the most repulsive music of the past decade. But now you can rejoice because the freaks over at APHELION PRODUCTIONS have assembled a posthumous collection featuring all the songs from the band's various split releases plus unheard rehearsal demos and live recordings spanning their tenure in the sub-sewers of the underground. Somewhere Leech Boy is grinning from beneath a pile of festering excrement. The compilation is titled Bourbon, Blood and Butchery and your faithful scribe was once again called forth to provide the scatological visual accompaniment. Pour yourself a shot o' poison and let's crawl through the corridors of madness and parasites...

I imagine many records begin with a musician picking up a guitar in some quiet room and simply strumming the strings to see what happens. Sooner or later a mood is invoked, chords emerge, riffs take shape and lyrics appear as if somehow already written. Perhaps the technical aspects are refined a bit later and eventually a song is birthed. With any luck, it's a good song. My drawings are very similar in this regard. As you already know if you've been following these posts over the years, I generally begin the process of creating an album cover with empty-minded scribbling and this new one for Abscess was no exception. Lock the door, light a candle, grab an unpaid electricity bill off the kitchen table and start shoveling!

You never know exactly what you'll find lurking about in the shadowy corners of your unconscious. I ran into this thing. What the fuck is wrong with me?

Whoa! Hold on a minute. This guy's got potential. A dark cloud of inspiration is rolling in over my brain. From this sloppy scrawl- the kind of leering lunacy I've scribbled hundreds of times before- I can suddenly see clearly in what direction this drawing must proceed. Now, I know you fancy schmancy artistes, graphic designers and illustrators have very professional systems worked out whereby you consult with your client, exchange expectations, submit preliminary sketches and wait for editorial corrections and eventual approval. You probably have successful careers and are highly regarded by your peers. Good for you. I truly applaud your accomplishments and ambition. But that's not how I work. I've never submitted a preliminary sketch to anyone. Ever. My style of working is more like total immersion language lessons. Or black magic. Here's exactly how the consultation went down for this album cover...    

Chris Reifert is underground royalty. He's a true artist without all the pretense and bullshit that usually accompanies such a designation. Have you read his lyrics lately? Poetry. Do you like death metal? He practically invented the template. Chris is a righteous brother and I'm honored to call him a friend. As a side note to any of you musician types who might be contemplating commissioning an artist to work on your next album cover, consider the profound potential of trusting the artist you choose and allowing them the freedom demonstrated in the brief exchange above. Good art is rarely democratic.    

Pencil sketch on illustration board commences. No tracing. No light tables. No rulers. No class.

I suppose a lot of people probably don't take my work seriously because I draw with crude ballpoint pens and have a modus operandi as outlined above. But make no mistake, I take my work extremely seriously. Once the ink starts to flow the laughter ceases and I disappear for days at a time...  

The actual process is a lot like watching moss grow on a rock- not exactly entertaining to behold, which is good since I only draw in complete solitude- but gradually the image starts to come into focus.

Textures emerge from the grey tones and details are worked over until the surface can barely withstand any more abuse.

In the end I titled this one Patient Zero's Lament, an homage to both the grinding Abscess classick and the brilliant High Tide ballad from 1969. "Someone fucked up somewhere, something went terribly wrong!" Indeed.

The CD is available now from APHELION PRODUCTIONS and the LP version will be released later in the year with additional back cover madness. Long live primitive death metal! Incidentally, as I worked on this installment of Gross Anatomy I found myself questioning the value of continuing a blog in 2013. It seems many of you don't bother exploring off the beaten path of "social networking" these days. That's a damn shame. If you're one of the bold ones who have actually read this far, I salute you. This post was written for YOU! Leave a comment so I know you were here.

Until next time...DRINK THE FILTH!!!!

STORMING...WITH DENNIS!

DANAVA has honored me with an invitation to accompany them across Sweden to play records for the first leg of their European tour. Confirmed dates are below, but the scrupulous can probably surmise a few other places I'll soon be lurking as well. Open wide your arms, sweet Mother North! 

May 2-4   HEAVY DAYS IN DOOMTOWN - COPENHAGEN, DENMARK
May 5   CAFE' DELUXE - VAXJO, SWEDEN
May 8   PUSSY A GO GO - STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
May 9   L'ORIENT - LINKOPING, SWEDEN
May 10   REVOLVER - OSLO, NORWAY
May 11   TRUCKSTOP ALASKA - GOTEBORG, SWEDEN
May 30-June 1 ?????
June 2  MY BIRTHDAY! Put it on your calendars, people. 

 

ONLY CUT & PASTE IS REAL!

Tonight I once again lurked around the haunted copy machines in wild eyed anticipation of these two very special events coming to Portland in March! First up is DANAVA's record release party celebrating the vinyl rebirth of their acclaimed but rarely heard 2004 demo recordings on UNSEEN FORCES.  Trust me, this four song masterpiece of space skulduggery will blow your mind AND your speakers!  OCCULTATION and BORROWED TIME will bring their own burnt offerings to the proceedings and of course I will be delivering the sonic sermon all night long.  And best of all?  It's FREE!  SATURDAY ~ MARCH 23 ~ DANTE'S  

Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder.  The following day, come on down to THE LOVECRAFT and nurse your hangover in the dark embrace of Portland's inner sanctum while OCCULTATION and BORROWED TIME swallow your soul...again.  Come!  Come! Come to the Sabbat!  SUNDAY ~ MARCH 24 ~ THE LOVECRAFT