Oct 092020
 

 

In May of this year the Greek black metal band Prometheus independently released a superb EP named Astrophobos, whose title track took its inspirations and its lyrics from a mystical, otherworldly poem by H.P. Lovecraft that (as one writer described it) “tells the tale of a misinterpreted golden star and its truly terrible reality”. Where once the narrator beheld with yearning a place in the night heavens that he imagined to be a utopia of happiness and virtue, he realizes, as the glorious light turns crimson, that instead demons gaze back from a realm of haunting horror.

Now Prometheus have expanded upon that EP, adding three more songs to create an album-length work that will be released by I, Voidhanger Records on October 23rd. Its title is Resonant Echoes From Cosmos Of Old. As the label explains, the music carries forward the heritage of both Hellenic and Scandinavian black metal (from early Septic Flesh and Rotting Christ to Emperor and Setherial), while also interweaving elements of the esoteric death metal of such bands as Morbid Angel and early Absu.

To help introduce the new album, we are today presenting that stunning song that grew from the seeds planted by Lovecraft’s frightening poetry. Continue reading »

Mar 182012
 

Until today I didn’t know much about the forthcoming movie Prometheus. A lot of info has become available, but I wasn’t paying attention to it. I knew what I needed to know — that it was a sci-fi film and that Ridley Scott directed it. A sci-fi film made by the director of Alien and Blade Runner, and his first return to the sci-fi genre that launched his career in almost 30 years? Fuck yes, that’s a movie I was going to see, regardless of plot, actors, reviews.

Today I saw the first official trailer for Prometheus, thanks to a tip from Quigs. My reaction — the first two words that came to mind? “Holy shit.” It’s visually stunning, and the bits of story line that emerge are intriguing, to say the least. The trailer is also intense, and there’s a lot of screaming at the end. There was a lot of screaming when I saw Alien for the first time, too, most of it coming from me.

Having been sucked in this far, I decided to read more about the movie. It stars Noomi Rapace, (who was great in the Swedish original of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo), Michael Fassbender (who was great as Magneto in X-Men: First Class), Guy Pearce (who was great in Memento, L.A. Confidential, and everything else he’s done), Idris Elba (from The Wire), and Charlize Theron (who has been great in everything of hers I’ve seen, especially Monster and In the Valley of Elah).

So, lots of great actors. The plot also sounds interesting. Although originally conceived as a prequel to Alien, it has evolved into something more, though still set in the same universe as Alien. Continue reading »