Music Review: The Casket Creatures' new album Sex, Blood, & Rock 'n Roll

The lunatics from the sticks are back!  That's right, The Casket Creatures are proudly carrying the torch for southern monster rock with their new album Sex, Blood, & Rock ‘n Roll.  Their first album, Tales From The Unknown,  announced that this was a band to take notice of.  With Sex, Blood, & Rock ‘n Roll, the boys from Gainesville, Ga have established themselves as a true force to be reckoned with.

Ever since The Misfits laid the groundwork for the genre, certain things have been expected of a horror punk band.  Lyrics based on horror movies and murder.  Sing along choruses.  Fast, powerful riffs.  A heavy backbeat.  Those looking for these tried and true crowd-pleasing elements will find them here.  But, as with bands like The Other, The Crimson Ghosts, Order of the Fly, or The Bloodsucking Zombies From Outer Space, the bands that rise to the top of the genre are those who take those tropes and use them to forge a unique sound of their own.  On this album, The Creatures’ sound has solidified, and the band seems to have found their identity.

The current lineup: Cliff, Ryan, Derek, Jamie, & Dakota

The first thing you’ll notice about the album is how much the guys have grown since their first release.  Tales was a damn good album.  SB&RNR, on the other hand, is a great one.  The level of maturation evident in the songwriting is amazing.  The band has really honed their craft.  Ryan Howard has zeroed in on his signature vocal style, which I would describe as a “crooning growl.”  It’s both melodic and intense, and the backing vocals mesh well on the obligatory “whoa-oh-oh’s.”  The dual guitar attack of Derek Obscura and Jamie Robertson is dead on.  The riffs are outstanding, and the sub-par soloing you find in a lot of horrorpunk bands is replaced by some high energy and inventive leads.  The Brothers Chandler (Drew and Bradley), who have since amicably parted ways with the band, more than hold up the rhythm section’s end of the bargain and provide a sturdy backbone for the beast. 

The second thing you’ll notice is that the production is top notch.  The music sounds fantastic.  Kudos to Ty Watkins (recording) and James Nation (mixing).  It’s very rare to find an independently made album that sounds this good.

The third thing, and what I think really sets The Casket Creatures apart from lesser bands, is the overall atmosphere that comes across in their music.  Far too many bands of this ilk take themselves WAY too seriously.  Aside from the quality of the music, the thing that makes their live shows so exciting is that you can tell the guys are having a blast doing their thing.  That energy and attitude comes across well on the record.  They sound like they’re having a good time without sacrificing any of the aggression of the music, and that makes the album a lot of fun to listen to.

So, what are the standout tracks?  That’s really hard to say.  If the radio was actually relevant enough to play music like this, I think there would be two songs competing for the spot as the big hit single.  “Lizzie’s Song” is the very definition of a brain worm.  It will firmly plant itself in your head and refuse to leave.  You’ll forget about it for a while after listening to it, and then in a calm, quiet moment you’ll catch yourself singing the “Lizzie’s been a bad girl” refrain and bopping your head.  While “Lizzie” is probably the catchiest song on the album, “A Step Ahead of Death” is technically the best.  It’s pretty damn close to being the perfect horror punk song.  Classic movie sample, memorable riff, chorus you can’t help singing along with, awesome solo… it’s just the total package.  Either of these songs easily have the potential to be The Casket Creature’s “Last Caress” or “Somewhere in a Casket.”  If you know what songs I’m talking about, go buy this album immediately just on principle.

It’s tough to single those songs out because there are so many great ones here.  There really isn’t a weak link among them.  "B-Movie Massacre" is a bad-ass tune.  One of the bonus tracks, “Graves” is a Lugosi’s Morphine cover.  Please, for the love of all things unholy don’t tell Lugosi’s Morphine I said this because I love that band, but this version is better than the original.  They infused it with their own style and turned an already great song into a bona-fide anthem.  Every year a big part of my Halloween tradition is making a new disc of holiday related music to listen to coming and going to various haunted houses.  I can’t wait to put their Oct. 31 ode “Devil’s Day” on this year’s edition.  I love “Vulture Eye.”  “Bats, Blood, and Bitches” is the perfect opener.  “Black Widow Bride” is a completely unexpected surprise and a rarity in the genre, a great duet.  Hell, the whole damn album is excellent.

If you put a gun to my head and made me pick a least favorite track, it would actually be a rerecording of “Agnes,” a Casket Creatures favorite.  It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the song itself.  It’s actually the same problem I had when Blitzkid rerecorded “My Dying Bride,” my favorite song by them, on Anatomy of Reanimation. I dig the rawer version of Agnes on Tales From The Unknown so much that I feel the slicker production actually works against the song.  It’s still a great tune, I’m just so used to the original that it sounds weird to me.  If the only issue I had with the album is that one of the songs sounds TOO good, then that’s definitely a rich problem to have.

 To sum it all up, this is the best American horror punk disc I’ve heard in years.  Their sophomore album sets The Casket Creatures on par with the elite of the horror rock scene.  There may be bigger bands, but you won’t find one doing it any better.  I’m not just saying that because they’re members of the extended SOC family either.  Trust me, if it sucked I’d say so.  Sex, Blood, and Rock & Roll is a satisfying slab of sonic sickness that deserves, no... DEMANDS  a spot in any serious horror punk fan’s collection. 

So now that you know you have to own this album, that just leaves one issue to address; how do you get it?  Well, there are several options.  It’s available on itunes.  You could go over to http://horror-punks.com and enter to win a copy during The Casket Creatures’ month long takeover.  You could hit the band up on facebook HERE and inquire about how to get one.  Or, my personal recommendation, you could go see them live and pick one up from them at the show.  Your next chance will be this Saturday at Sweetwater in Duluth, Ga.  If you live in the vicinity, come rock out with the ‘ol Son of Celluloid and your new favorite band.  However you decide to get it, get it quick because when the rest of the world catches on to these guys and they become ghoul rock heroes, you’ll want to be able to say “I was into them way back when.”  
It’s become almost fashionable amongst horror hipsters in recent years to proclaim, “True horror punk is dead.”  I’m calling bullshit.  As long as The Casket Creatures roam the earth, killer rock and roll shot through with macabre madness will continue to ravage your eardrums and provide the soundtrack for all of our killing sprees.

Interview: Days of the Dead Promoter Adolfo Dorta

It’s coming.  In fact, it’s almost here.  Atlanta’s biggest annual horror party is this weekend (Feb 1-3), at The Sheraton hotel in downtown Atlanta.  I’m psyched, the winners of my ticket contest are psyched, hell, the entire Southeastern contingent of horror geeks is psyched.  The guest list is sick, and there will be more cool stuff to buy than…actually, I need to stop.  If I keep going I’m gonna start sounding like an excited little kid ranting about Christmas.  Actually, there’s a reason for that.

Anyway, Adolfo Dorta, one of the promoters of Days of the Dead, dropped by to tell us a little about what to expect this weekend.  If you’re still on the fence about joining us, here’s the low down straight from the horses mouth.  Once you read this and inevitably decide that you’ve been a fool and there’s no way in hell that you would miss it, you can order tickets and get all of the details HERE.

SOC:  Word has really spread through the Atlanta horror scene about DOTD since last year, and there’s a lot of buzz at ground level for DOTD:ATL 2013.  How is the pre-show buzz this year as compared to last year from a promoter’s standpoint?

AD: You know, despite it being hard to tell with me living out in the midwest and being almost 14 hours away, I always have folks in the area emailing me or calling me saying great things about the buzz going on for our return to the area, especially given that we're settling into the heart of downtown Atlanta this time. Ticket pre-sales have also already surpassed last year's show with two weeks to go (which tend to be the time the majority of our sales happen). We're all really stoked.

SOC:  With the move from the outskirts of town into the belly of the beast, along with moving into a bigger hotel that somewhat knows what it’s in for (as a DragonCon host hotel), how do you think the con will be different from last year?

AD: If last year's show in Peachtree City could be thought of as us dipping our toe in the waters of the southeast, this time around we're doing a cannonball off the diving board right in the middle of the pool. That said, I think one thing we do try to do is keep all of our shows fairly consistent so fans know what to expect from a DAYS OF THE DEAD event: great guests, great events, and a wild party atmosphere that runs very late into the night and ventures into the kind of debauchery few shows would dare touch. We're proud to be a horror show and we wear our love for the genre like a badge of honor. Everything our fans in the south loved about our first show will be back, with much more of it to go around.

SOC:   There are three big reunions going on at DOTD:ATL this year (Return of the Living Dead, House of 1000 Copses/Devil’s Rejects, Blair Witch Project).  Are these kinds of “themed guest lists” the direction you want to take in the future as opposed to centering it around single big guests?

AD: That's a great question. I’m usually not a fan of big reunion based shows just due to the fact that you run the risk of alienating anyone who isnt a fan of the movie being showcased, but with the case of this show, I think an exception was warranted. Most of the cast members of House of 1,000 Coprses/Devil's Rejects are actors/actresses with such a rich body of work that even if you aren't a fan of the Rob Zombie movies, chances are you are still a fan of something else they worked on, ie. Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, PJ Soles, Leslie Easterbook, Michael Berryman, Danny Trejo, etc. Return of the Living Dead is such a great film that I consider an 80's classic, and the full cast has only ever done 2 or 3 other shows before, so we thought it was a great opportunity to bring them to the southeast. And in the case of the Blair Witch Project, this will be only the second time ever that the trio has ever appeared at a convention, and for us it provided a rare opportunity to do something related to one of the most iconic and influential horror films of the last two decades.
So while I wouldnt discount having similar big "theme reunions" at our future DAYS OF THE DEAD shows (we actually just did a big Texas Chainsaw series reunion in Indianapolis this past July), we tend to prefer having a little bit of everything and not dedicate too much of the show to one or two aspects of horror when the genre itself is so wide and diverse, much like our fanbase.

 SOC:  Speaking of the guest list, this year’s is absolutely huge.  Is there ever a point when you say, “Maybe we should stop or we won’t be able to top it next year?”

AD: When we first started out, our goal was to cap it at about 40 guests. While the inclination is always that "more is better," you also have to consider that most horror convention patrons operate on a limited budget and we want to make sure that we don't overwhelm them with too much where they wouldn’t be able to afford meeting everyone they want to meet and still having some scratch left over to support the awesome vendors we have in our dealer room. From a business standpoint, it probably also would have also made sense for us to reel it in a bit, but we just had cool guest after cool guest come to us wanting to get involved in the show and being big fanboys ourselves it's often impossible to say "no," especially with guests that we also happen to very excited about meeting.
In the end, we never worry about topping ourselves the following year - we embrace the challenge. As long as the fans keep coming and supporting what we do, we'll work to find new ways to wow them.

 SOC:  The last couple of DOTDs have hosted members of KISS, and with Michael Graves and Eerie Von being guests in Atl, is music something you’re consciously focusing on more?

AD: Most defintiely! We're all big music fans and most horror fans are as well so why not? Graves was actually booked for our first ever Indianapolis show in 2011 but had to cancel due to touring so he's been looking forward to making up the date with us. Eerie was a guest at our last Indianapolis event in July and he had a great time and was a really cool guy we're happy to have back. We're hoping to have at least a handful of music guests, particularly from the world of punk and metal, at every show moving forward.

SOC:   You’ve obviously dealt with a lot of big stars and genre icons.  Is there one that left you star struck and gave you that “Holy shit, I’m actually talking to ________” moment?

AD: John Waters without a doubt. He was very down to earth and easy to deal with which made it all the better. As you can imagine he also has a great sense of humor.

SOC:  After last year’s con, everyone had a great Gary Busey story to tell.  What’s yours?

AD: You know, surprisingly I don’t. Though I did see the video online of the guy who gave him one of those exotic fantasy knives as a gift and am surprised that nobody was seriously injured that weekend. Gary looks a little too excited to be wielding that thing. (SOC note: Adolfo, you have no idea.  I’m surprised I’m not dead.  Remind me to tell you that story sometime.)

 SOC:  Some killer independent horror productions either premiered or had their first Atlanta screening at DOTD in 2012.  What can we look forward to in terms of screenings this time around?

AD: Our friend Luke Godfrey with Chambers of Horrors is going to be putting together a "Best of Buried Alive Film Festival" and re-screen some selections at DAYS OF THE DEAD for those that may have missed it the first time around. We should have the official titles posted in a few days.

SOC:  You’ve only been doing this a little over a year, but you’ve promoted some very successful and well-received shows.  Do other shows/promoters still see DOTD as the new kid, or are you a veteran by now?

AD: Truthfully speaking, most promoters in this business dont tend to speak well of each other in any capacity, and given that DAYS OF THE DEAD is a grassroots show birthed by fans without any ties to a magazine or major corporate sponsor, Im sure we'll always be the new kid in one way or another. Personally, I kinda like the idea of continuously having to prove myself with everything we do and carrying a big chip on our shoulders - it's not unlike the horror genre we love so much. As long as the fans continue to love DOTD, the other shows and promoters can see us however they choose - most of them are businessmen and not horror fans so it isnt something that weighs on us.

SOC:   Some say the horror genre is at a low point, while others say these are good days to be a horror fan.  From your unique perspective as an organizer of horror events, what is your assessment of the state of the horror genre in 2013?

AD: I think that horror hasn’t been as popular as it is now for quite some time - look no further than the fact that Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D was at the top of the box office (2 weeks ago) and that The Walking Dead is one of the biggest things on TV in years as proof. That being said, I think we're also at a point where you're seeing a lot of new blood coming into the horror scene on account of its mainstream appeal. I have tons of friends and co-workers who tell me all the time "You know, I was never a horror fan, but Ive been watching The Walking Dead and American Horror Story and I think I kinda like this stuff." I always love using that as an opportunity to turn them on into things I feel better represent the genre and hope something sticks. If the extent of what someone thinks horror is about starts and ends with The Walking Dead, I definitely find that disappointing, but I also think it makes for a great gateway for people new to the genre to explore its roots and dig deeper.
On an independent level, I think the horror genre is absolutely rocking. As proof of that, I urge anyone to check out your excellent write up of The Best Horror Flicks of 2012, where all except 1 or 2 would be classified as independent releases. (By the way, I think you hit the nail on the head with most of your choices)

SOC:   DOTD is the only event of its kind in Atlanta, and since this is only the second year, there are still a lot of people who will be coming to their first ever horror convention.  What advice would you give to the horror con virgins to help them get the most out of the experience?

AD: I usually just tell people to show up, not plan to sleep for the entire weekend, and seriously check any pretentiousness at the door and just have fun and let your hair down. I think our shows are like one of those movies where the least you know going in, the better. A lot of first timers make the mistake of spending too much time planning like they’re going on some frou-frou cruise. Just come join us, be yourself, and let loose among your fellow horror family. Free that inner monster from its dungeon for a few days.

 SOC:  Last year, I tried to warn you that the Atlanta horror freaks are crazy.  Be honest; in terms of how wild the party gets, how does Atlanta stack up against the other DOTD cities?

AD: We actually talk about Atlanta all the time in terms of it being the city with the greatest collection of freaks. Our parties in Chicago and Indianapolis may have been bigger, but there was something twisted about Atlanta that the other locations just don’t have. I can’t quite put my finger on what it is, but you all are some wonderfully sick f**ks down there - just our kind of people!

SOC:  Do you have any announcements that you’ve been holding off on that you can spill the beans about here on SOC?

AD: As of right now, we've announced everyone that is already set to be there but I will say that I wouldn’t be surprised if a few more guests don’t turn up on the weekend of the show. We've been hearing rumblings of a few other people just showing up to the party at the last minute so I would keep my eyes peeled!

SOC:  Any last words for the Cellmates?

AD: We just look forward to seeing everyone there and encourage everyone to spread the good word to all their friends. Don’t be that person that stays home and then spends the next year kicking themselves in the ass for not going. Come on out and have a great time with us!

Win Weekend Passes To Days Of The Dead Atlanta (Feb. 1-3)

By far the biggest thing to happen to the Atlanta horror scene, and definitely to SOC, in 2012 was the coming of Days of the Dead.  Atlanta finally got its own horror convention, and it was one hell of a party.  If you weren’t there, then you missed a legendary weekend.  Not to worry though, because like all the horror greats…IT’S BAAAAACK!  Days of the Dead Atlanta 2 will be taking place February 1-3.  This year it’s at the Atlanta Sheraton Downtown Hotel.  Yes, Days of the Dead migrated into the belly of the beast this year, and the Sheraton finally gets to host a kick ass convention.  The guest list is absolutely sick, and if all of the DOTD cons from last year are any indication, Adolfo and the gang have an amazing time and some killer surprises in store for the fear faithful.  Then there’s the revelry and debauchery that ensues when a bunch of drunken horror nuts get together, but the less said about that in print the better.  Trust me, it’s something you just have to experience.  Look at this list of your favorite horror icons that will be on hand to sign your autographs, take pictures with you, and make you the envy of all of your fanboy friends…

Danny Trejo (From Dusk ‘til Dawn, Machete, Anaconda, Predators, Bad Ass)

Patty Mullen (Frankenhooker, Doom Asylum)

Ace Frehley (KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park)

Dick Miller (Gremlins, Demon Knight, Night of the Creeps, Chopping Mall, Evil Toons, Bucket of Blood, White Dog)

Gunnar Hanson (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers, Brutal Massacre, Hellblock 13)

Jake The Snake Roberts (Wrestling legend)

Kane Hodder (Friday the 13^th 7-10, Hatchet 1-2, 2001 Maniacs, Ed Gein: Butcher of Plainfield)

Tom Savini (From Dusk Til Dawn, NOTLD ’90 (dir), effects legend)

Tony Todd – (Candyman, NOTLD ’90, The Crow, Hatchet 1-2, Voodoo Dawn, Final Destination 5)

Ari Lehman - (Friday the 13^th, First Jason (band), ThanXgiving)

Michael Graves (The Misfits, Perkins 14)

Eerie Von (Samhain, Danzig)

Chelan Simmons (Tucker & Dale vs Evil, Snakehead Horror, Chupacabra Terror, It)

John Dugan (TCM, Hellephone, Monstrosity, Crazy Fat Ethyl remake)

Mickie James (TNA Knockout, WWE Diva)

William Katt – (House, Greatest American Hero, Carrie)

Marilyn Burns (TCM, Eaten Alive, Helter Skelter, Future Kill, Texas Chainsaw 3D)

Diane Goldner – (Feast trilogy, Hatchet 3, Pulse 2, Satanic, The Collector)

Butch Patrick – Eddie Munster

House of 100 Corpses/Devil’s Rejects Reunion:

Sid Haig – Captain Spaulding (Devil’s Rejects, Spider Baby, Galaxy of Terror, Big Bird Cage)

Bill Moseley – Otis (TCM 2, House of 1000 Corpses, NOTLD90, Repo)

Tom Towles – Sheriff Wydell (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, The Borrower, Pit & the Pendulum, NOTLD ’90)

David Reynolds – Richard Wick (Freddy’s Nightmares, Special Dead, Hills Have Eyes 2)

Walter Pehlan – Dr. Satan (From Dusk ‘til Dawn, Wishmaster)

Irwin Keyes –  Ravelli (Exterminator, Dahmer vs Gacy, Black Dynamite)

Robert Mukes- Rufus (Slumber Party Slaughter, Weeds)

PJ Soles – Susan - (Halloween, Carrie, Rock & Roll High School, Uncle Sam)

Leslie Easterbrook – Mother Firefly (Police Academy, A Dead Calling, Halloween)

Michael Berryman – Clevon (The Hills Have Eyes, Satan Hates You, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest)

Ginger Lynn Allen – Fanny (Buried Alive, Vice Academy, I Wanna Cum Inside Your Mom 23)

Diamond Dallas Page – Billy Ray Snapper (WCW, Hood of Horror)

Return of the Living Dead Reunion:

Linnea Quigley – Trash (Return of the Living Dead, Night of the Demons, Silent Night Deadly Night, Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers)

Jewel Shepherd – Casey (Raw Force, Caged Heat 2)

Brian Peck – Scuz (NOTLD 2&3, Children of the Corn 3, Bitch Slap)

Don Calfa – Ernie (Necronomicon, Chopper Chicks in Zombietown, Progeny, Corpses Are Forever)

Allan Trautman – Tarman (Dinosaurs, Muppets Tonight)

Thom Matthews – Freddy (F13 Part 6: Jason Lives, ROTLD 2)

Beverly Randolph – Tina (Um, that’s about it)

John Philbin – Chuck (The New Kids, Children of the Corn, Tombstone)

Clu Gulagher – Bert (From a Whisper To a Scream, Feast, NOES 2, The Initiation, Tapeheads)

Blair Witch Project Reunion:

Joshua Leonard – (Madhouse, Hatchet, Bitter Feast, Shark Night 3D)

Heather Donahue – (Manticore, The Morgue)

Michael Williams – (Altered)

Now that’s an impressive who’s who list.  I’ll definitely be there, along with most of the SOC family and all of my weirdo friends, and I want you to be there too.  That’s why I’m giving away three pairs of weekend passes to the convention.  Yes, you heard that right, I’ve got three golden tickets to horror paradise.   If that sentence left you confused over what song to break into, don’t worry, it did the same to me.  Anyway, I can get you into the party (hotel room not included).  Here’s all you’ve gotta do to be entered in this epic giveaway…

1. If you haven’t already, go HERE and like the Son of Celluloid Facebook page.
2. If you haven’t already, go HERE and like the Days of the Dead Facebook page.
3. Leave a comment on this post with your email address (so I can contact you if you win), the guest you’d be the most stoked to meet, and a question you’d most like to ask them.

It’s just that easy.  On January 18, I’ll draw three winners at random, and those three will each receive a pair of weekend passes to experience the horror geek nirvana known as Days of the Dead so you can party with me and a few hundred of the dirty south’s finest freaks.  See you there.

What Halloween Means To Me Day 2: Laura Jorgensen

I met today’s contributor standing outside of the historic Plaza Theater after taking in hours upon hours of fright flicks at last years Buried Alive Film Festival.  We bonded over our mutual love of horror.  Well…that and out mutual love of making fun of steampunks.  Ladies and gentlemen, meet Laura Jorgensen.
In addition to her modeling work, Laura is one of the premier writers covering the Atlanta scene.  She writes for The Backstage Beat, a local entertainment website and magazine, but her heart clearly belongs to the undead.  Her passion for the Atlanta horror scene definitely makes her a kindred spirit.  She was featured, alongside yours truly, in the inaugural Atlanta Ghoul Guide.  Her trademark Zombie Marilyn Monroe character is an undead fixture in this city, and can be found at just about every horror event ATL has to offer.  Best of all, this year she becomes an official Halloweiner as she joins SOC, Leah, and Renee Lila Thirdeye For SOC's Halloween Adventure; our record breaking Halloween Night quest to hit 6 haunted attractions in one night!  Lets see what the blood-soaked bombshell has to say…

“Just trying to pin down one reason or a handful of reasons why Halloween rocks is such a daunting task. Where do I start – the abundance of horror movies on tv, Halloween stores popping up all over the place, haunted houses, horror punk music, (fake) blood, zombie walks, or costume parties? I guess it is all of the above, but really, truly, it is the freedom to be whoever or whatever you want to be for the whole month of October. You want to be a zombie? Right on! You always wanted to be a cross-dressing fairytale princess? Cool! You need to let it all hang out and flaunt it? Get yo’ freak on!

October is the only time of year that people will truly appreciate your costume craftiness and character acting. It’s also the only time your freaky, geeky habits will rank as cool with the general public (not that you or I care, but quite frankly I hate dealing with judgmental people) and you can be absolutely anything your brain imagines and heart desires! For me, that is Zombie Marilyn Monroe – combining my love of zombies with the most iconic beautiful blonde bombshell. I love the ultimate freedom that Halloween gives me and other people to be who or whatever they want, and mostly, I just love monsters and gore!

I love Halloween and all of October because it is a 31-day celebration of all things macabre. Whereas with all other 11 months, you have to hunt down your favorite costumes, special effects merch, and makeup, Halloween month offers it up to you on a silver platter. Being an avid horror fanatic, this is the best opportunity to stock up on new gear and meet new fiend friends. The camaraderie and enthusiasm of horror fans is simply electrifying!

Another reason I love Halloween month is that Atlanta has a ton of Halloween events. In Atlanta alone, we have three of the best gruesome haunts – (1) Netherworld – where you can find a chainsaw wielding Son of Celluloid and the best special-effects make-up artistry and animatronics around! Hell, their main SPFX guy, Roy Wooley is kicking some serious ass on SyFy channel’s SPFX reality show Face Off right now; (2) Atlanta Zombie Apocalypse – a real-life zombie apocalypse simulation that includes a special zombie shooting range; and (3) Chamber of Horrors – torture porn at its sickest. We have a big Little 5 Points Halloween Parade and zombie walks or pub crawls all over town. Almost every weekend there are different costume contests in bars, clubs, and/or other venues for prizes. 

Horror punk bands like Gwar, The Casket Creatures, and The Misfits tend to roll through town during October too! For those days you just want to chill, The Walking Dead and American Horror Story will be back on tv. To celebrate the fact that zombies have infiltrated nighttime television – there are The Walking Dead viewing parties and trivia nights at Diesel Filling Station bar/restaurant. For those looking for a bit more culture, Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts has an adult-themed, macabre puppet show, The Ghastly Dreadfuls. On the PG-13 side, Six Flags, roller coaster park, has its “Fright Night” month. Also PG-13, the Georgia Aquarium and Fernbank Museum of Natural History get in on the spooky events too. It’s a magical, wonderful time of year – like Christmas for horror kids and outcasts!   

During all of October, I can be who or whatever I want and it is praised, photographed, and loved. There is no other time of year where I feel this much excitement, pride, appreciation, and love like I do when I am rockin’ my Zombie Marilyn. Horror is my outlet from a horrible, dreary life as a day walking outcast. Horror takes away all the pain and replaces it with the endorphins of fear. Horror makes real life tolerable. I love October and Halloween because it brings me closer to horror, zombies, and the sexiest monsters imaginable. So go on and feed your inner Frankenstein this month, boils and ghouls! Happy haunting!!! xoxo -Zombie Marilyn Monroe”

 24 days ‘til Halloween, Halloween, Halloween.  24 days ‘til Halloween, Silver Shamrock.