Ryan's Best and Worst of 2013: Part 2 (Music)

Well, this certainly took longer than I expected it to. Then again, when one considers that the likes of the folks working at The Wrestling Observer and That Guy With The Glasses usually put up their "best of" lists towards the end of the first month of the new year, it becomes slightly less embarrassing. Combine that with having an EEG, which resulted in the possible diagnosis of epilepsy, and I have admittedly been getting a little sidetracked. Meandering aside, let us dive into what most of my friends would care to read about, which are my own personal choices for the best and worst of 2013 in the realm of records and movies.

Honestly, I think that in terms of overall satisfaction, this was quite lackluster compared to years prior. A large chunk of blockbusters with an abnormal amount of hype (and in some cases, absurdly expensive budgets) failed to live up to expectations, or in some cases, just plain stank. We weren't without some fabulously entertaining moments however, especially when "awards season" kicked off. Music was also exceptional this year, and there are quite a lot of records that I will feel sad leaving off of my own personal top twenty list because it was just that stacked. Before I reveal my own picks, I'll just get one thing out of the way: I only listened to perhaps two records this year that I strongly disliked, but couldn't bring myself to flat out hate. Those two albums were Queensryche-Frequency Unknown and Black Sabbath-13. With the former, it seems like an easy target, but considering the pompous feeling that resonates during every track, coupled with the hilarious drama surrounding the formerly great band (this album's initials are "F U" after all), I couldn't help but give Mr. Geoff Tate's incarnation of Queensryche a dishonorable mention. As for Sabbath, it truly does break my heart to have to say anything negative about the band these days, or any day for that matter. Still, the album did absolutely nothing for me, and its glossy production (courtesy of the usually great Rick Rubin) didn't help disguise the mostly soulless playing heard throughout. And yes, I'm still in favor of Bill Ward coming back to the band, even though I still love Brad Wilk and his previous work with Rage Against the Machine.

Now that I've spent my time essentially taking a dump on the legends of old and their reluctance to hang it up, let us dive into my top twenty albums of 2013. Due to the sheer size seen here, this will be end up as a three part posting, as opposed to last year's two parter, with today encompassing records only. So if you don't particularly care about these styles of music, check back later for my choices for the best and worst of movies in 2013.

20. Revocation-Revocation

For some reason, this band never quite clicked with me every time I had listened to them, and I thought they sounded like a weaker version of Burnt By The Sun when I saw them live, but I'm willing to eat a big bowl of crow for these previous thoughts. This self-titled album contains very solid technical, thrashy death metal with quite catchy and precise guitar solos. True, I think the vocals could still use some work, but these guys are quite young after all. Did I mention that they make good use of a friggin' banjo?!

19. Power Trip-Manifest Decimation

I hinted last year that I was mostly bored with hardcore now, but the modern Texas crossover madmen still managed to keep my attention (and not just by signing with Southern Lord Recordings) by getting even heavier, faster, and more retro-sounding. Yes, the thrash revival of the modern era has pretty much overstayed its welcome, but I suspect that Power Trip, along with a couple of other particular bands who will show up later on this list, will be around much longer than folks will suspect.

18. Paint It Black-Invisible

Speaking of hardcore, Dan Yemin is the man. An intelligent, well spoken musician with a doctorate in psychology, the Paint it Black frontman has been around for over twenty years, recording music with an assortment of acts that seem to (shockingly) get better and better every time a new project forms. As for why this doesn't rank higher? Well, for one thing, it is only an EP, as opposed to an entire album. Shortness aside, the six tracks of melodic hardcore heard here are all winners, and make me salivate at the possibility of a new full-length arriving sooner than later.

17. Blood Ceremony-The Eldritch Dark

Okay, I'll confess to being almost sick to death of the retro metal revival/70s worship that seems to be the bees knees among most music critics and fans these days (I apologize if I'm complained about this before). I'm more fascinated by seeing where the genre is going to go, rather than see it take several steps back. All of that grumbling aside, most of the music that has been coming out has been very, very good. I'm legitimately surprised that I never gave this band a listen before, especially considering the quality of albums released by Rise Above Records and my penchant for most bands who convey a very psychedelic "cult initiation" feeling. And what Revocation was able to do with a banjo, these Canadians manage to do with a flute, and several times at that.

16. Cough/Windhand-Reflections of the Negative (Split)

No, this is not favoritism because my band has played with these two Virginia doom bands several times. And no, I'm not choosing this over Windhand's own full-length released this year in order to be "cool." Truth be told, I actually haven't gotten around to checking out Windhand-Soma due to my own incompetence. I chose this because all three songs featured here just crush your very soul, especially the haunting two pieces from the latter. I'm not exactly certain about what runs through the waters of Richmond that helps to create such memorable, dirging madness, but I think we could use a bit of it here.

15. Weekend Nachos-Still

Was it just me, or did this new release from this well-known raging hardcore/powerviolence group just kind of come and go without much attention? Maybe this is just due to the fact that I think the band should be much bigger than they are at the moment, and have been getting even heavier with every release. Oh, I forget that sometimes that is a kiss of death in an occasionally choosy scene littered with short attention spans. But speaking of short, if you're in the mood for short, fast, angry, and even a little bit of sarcastic music (they may pack the most random and hilarious merch around), give this a whirl.

14. Russian Circles-Memorial

When it comes to the world of post-rock and post-metal, some albums resonate so well, you can't really post or discuss an individual track, since it feels like you're doing a disservice to the other equally mighty and impressive songs featured throughout. Such is the newest work from long-running instrumentalists Russian Circles, who may have made their strongest and most emotional album to date. If you're willing to submit to this style, you can find it is quite the journey, full of mixed emotions (all ultimately positive) and memorable parts, including a guest vocal(!) appearance from someone who will appear later on the list. I'm quite giddy to finally see them live for the first time next month.

13. Off With Their Heads-Home

I'm quite pissed off with myself that I didn't know misery-loving punk rockers Off With Their Heads had released a new album in the first quarter of the year, and I didn't discover this fact until NOVEMBER. It is a crying shame since I think that with more time, this could have easily made my top ten of the year. Mind you, this is by no means the fault of anyone or anything but myself, considering that the band is just as pissed as I am, but with many more catchy hook-laden choruses and verses than I could ever hope to come up with. If you're ever craving a band that proves the old formula of two negatives equal a positive (in this case, one is a listener down in the dumps, and the other is lyricist Ryan Young), you may have found your new favorite act.

12. Blockheads-This World Is Dead

I may have to retract that statement about savaging the old guard, since France's Blockheads have been around since 1992, grinding and raging with the very best of them. At the risk of losing any potential future readers from "big" publications, good god almighty does this album rule very, VERY hard, especially if you're a fan of bands like Napalm Death, Terrorizer, and Nasum. Perhaps it could use a little more diversity among its twenty-five tracks, but you'll be too busy screaming with the socio-political lyrics and thrashing around wherever you may be to care or notice.

11. Magic Circle-Magic Circle

Having mentioned this supergroup in last year's "honorable mentions" list, I was pleased to learn that they didn't just fade into obscurity like other side projects in the hardcore scene, especially given how un-hardcore they are. Instead, they came back with a vengeance, releasing one of the most soaring traditional doom metal records I've heard in some time. Who would have thought that the singer for The Rival Mob had these type of pipes on him? I expect that by this time next year, Magic Circle will have been picked up by a more prominent record label. If not, there is no justice in this world.

Note: unfortunately, nearly every track from the self-titled effort has not been approved for sharing on blogspot, so I implore you to copy and paste this link into your browser for enjoyment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2y1iWZop6Q

10. Toxic Holocaust-Chemistry of Consciousness

Evil, catchy, speedy without going too long, and drug-laden. It's a new Toxic Holocaust record, what more can you ask for? Okay, that description isn't very subtle, but Joel Grind and crew (which used to just be Grind himself) pull no punches on this fifth album, churning out punk-inspired thrash and speed metal like nobody's business. While I don't think it can compete with their works of old (crap, there's my elitist side coming out), it is miles ahead of most other acts out there, mostly thanks to the exceptional production from Converge's Kurt Ballou. Plus, the video for single "Acid Fuzz" is appropriately fitting.

9. Mammoth Grinder-Underworlds

If riff city is a real place, Mammoth Grinder live in the nicest area one could find. Or is it the nastiest part? Okay, I can't do geography jokes very well, but it doesn't really matter in the end when the music kicks your ass this much. Like Power Trip and the now-defunct (or are they?) Iron Age, these Texans know how to pack a devastating punch to every part of your body that is vulnerable, and again, have been getting heavier with each release. If Dismember, Venom, and Motorhead were thrown into a blender….well, they'd all be deceased, and it would create a bloody mess. Alright, I'll quit with the jokes! Go listen to this and headbang until your neck snaps.

8. Skeletonwitch-Serpents Unleashed

Incredible cover art aside, Skeletonwitch's last two records did almost nothing for me. Live, the blackened-thrash metal band still destroys most out there, but it just felt like they were going with the flow. Thankfully, making the decision to team up with Kurt Ballou and Alan Douches on the producing and mastering side of things may have breathed some new life into this band, as they haven't sounded this tight and alive in six years. This is a pure heavy metal album at its core. New cover art from the always incredible John Baizley was a nice bonus too. Bravo gentlemen.

7. Chelsea Wolfe-Pain is Beauty

Upon first listen, I almost put this in my "disappointment" pile, but with continual returns, and an insistence that I must be crazy to dislike a new record from the usually intoxicating Ms. Wolfe, I found myself enjoying it more and more. This is how one artist evolves while still staying true to themselves, and still being shrouded in the darkness and misery that made them popular in the first place. Chelsea's brand of goth and doom-tinged neofolk (no way to not sound like a pretentious dickbag there) is a bit of  an acquired taste, but the woman is very talented nonetheless. With an opening slot for Queens of the Stone Age coming up, along with being featured in the new Game of Thrones teaser, the future is certainly much brighter than I think even she would have expected.

6. Clutch-Earth Rocker

If there was a category for best "comeback" record of the year, I think Clutch would have taken the award without any second thought. True, the band had not hit a slump or even released a bad album within the past few years, but I thought previous release Strange Cousins From the West was quite boring for the most part. Boredom will be the last thing on your mind while checking out Earth Rocker though, as this is no-frills, no bullshit, riff-filled stoner rock and roll. For the longest part of their career, Clutch were unmatched in this category, and frontman/lyricist Neil Fallon said they just wanted to make a straight up good rock record this time. Well, I think you've delivered in spades my fellow Marylanders. To quote one Ashley Williams, it is quite "Groovy."

5. Subrosa-More Constant Than The Gods

Mother of mercy. Emotional doesn't even begin to describe the feelings one gets while listening to the female-fronted avant-garde sludge/doom metal group's second full-length, though an extra feeling that will come over you suggests that Profound Lore continue to be the champions of underground heavy music. From the get go, the haunting and violin-filled opening of "The Usher" sets the mood just perfectly, and you won't want the record to end, perhaps even in fear of the band members' lives or your own. I don't know if the band has any plans to tour outside of the West Coast in 2014, but should they read this, I implore that you stop somewhere in the Carolinas in the near future. Sludge metal and music in general this unique needs to be heard by more than a few select individuals.

4. Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats-Mind Control

Without a doubt, this band is THE talk of the town among hardcore metalheads right now, especially given that they'll be playing their first stateside show within four months of this post, and have even attracted the attention of people normally not interested in the genre. Heck, they even recently got to open for Black Sabbath in the United Kingdom, something unheard of for a band of their style (even if their own sound strongly harkens back to the originators' own heyday). This doesn't mean it isn't warranted, since the tracks provided on Mind Control are just as breathtaking and well-structured as previous record Bloodlust, making one feel as if they've been transported back to the decades where drug use was the norm, and psychotic cults were one of the most feared thoughts in the minds of families. If you haven't taken a chance on this band yet, you are missing out.

3. Purson-The Circle and the Blue Door

Speaking of Uncle Acid, these relative newcomers (also from the U.K.) were the openers on their own headlining tour, for which I can't express enough jealousy towards our overseas friends. It may not be fair to call Purson a metal band, since their love of mellotron and psychedelic overtones have more in common with late-60s bands like Jefferson Airplane than anything else. Heck, I've even seen them in interviews site The Beatles as their greatest influence. Good music is good music though, and the tracks provided here are equal parts enchanting, memorable, bewitching, and powerful. Oh, and their lead singer Rosalie can sing her ass off, which is always a plus. This honestly could have made the spot for my favorite record of the year, but like OWTH, I discovered this a little too late. Hopefully nobody else makes that same mistake.

2. Oathbreaker-Eros/Anteros

There were a plethora of records that went largely unnoticed in 2013, including some honorable mentions I'll bring up at the end of this list. Belgium metallic hardcore band Oathbreaker, who have appeared before on my EOTY list (Maelstrom came in at #12 in 2011), released their magnum opus earlier in the year, and not a single soul seemed to notice until the final weeks of the year were coming to a close. Me? Well, I've been trying to champion this record as much as I could to my friends who are into extreme music. The band has incorporated more elements from black metal, doom metal, and post-metal into their sound now, making for a truly harrowing and pulverizing experience. Frontwoman Caro Tanghe sounds like she's on the verge of being torn limb from limb, and on the crawling and creepy "The Abyss Looks Into Me," she sounds like she's eerily ready to depart this plane. Along with her equally furious bandmates, they have concocted a truly tremendous piece of work not just in the world of hardcore or metal, but in the world of music.

1. KEN Mode-Entrench

And here we have it, the cream of the crop. I didn't think that Canada's KEN Mode would be able to top the quite awesome Venerable from 2011, but I've been pleasantly proven wrong multiple times this year. With a steady lineup and an absolutely killer production job from Matt Bayles (who produced what is still my favorite Mastodon record, Remission), the combat sports and Anthony Peer-loving Canucks churned out the most furious, passionate, and destructive album of the year. While KEN Mode has been around for some time, they really did hone their sound this time around, which is a very dissident combination of sludge metal, noise rock, and post-hardcore. The lyrics are, for the most part, shockingly pessimistic throughout, and it reflects on you the listener. "Romeo Must Never Know" is the best song Isis never wrote, while the guest appearances from hardcore giants Dave Verellen and Tim Singer (of Botch and Deadguy respectively) on tracks "The Promises of God" and "No, I'm In Control" only add to the incredible effort put out. I would say that I'm "proud" of the guys for putting out something this damn good, especially given the praise that Venerable (rightly) received, but I don't think they need my good words, and would tell me to figure my life out.

And there you have it! Good lord did that take a long time to write. Shockingly, I am not done though, as there were a few honorable mentions worth talking about and also grabbing if you have the chance. They are:

-Nails-Abandon All Life (if there was a tie for #20, this would have been right up there)

-Holy-The Age Of Collapse (for the people who miss bands like Lewd Acts)

-Modern Life is War-Fever Hunting (welcome back fellas, even if it has only been five years)

-Ulcerate-Vermis (this was a very selective year for me and death metal)

-Creem-The Curator EP (still doing a great job, even if the vocals have changed a bit)

Come back soon for the posting of the best and worst for movies in 2013!

Ryan's Best and Worst of 2013: Part 1

Hello. I realize that posts on here have been rather nonexistent since my Blue Ruin review, and I can only ascribe that to a myriad of problems, be they financial or personal. Whatever the case, this is no excuse when it comes to posting my inevitable "End of the Year" lists. Sure, I am about a week or two removed from the mostly miserable year known as 2013 being over, but the year did have a good amount of bright spots in the three things that help me keep a grasp on my sanity: movies, music, and mixed martial arts. There were also some fine moments that came out of the mostly-irritating promotion known as "World Wrestling Entertainment," though they love to seemingly do more to irk me rather than please me it seems. Procrastination and rambling aside, let us move forward. For those apathetic towards the world of mixed martial arts and professional wrestling, I may have to ask you to come back later for the important stuff (also known as the subjects that usually don't involve half naked individuals hurting one another).


Let us start with the WWE, since it will be easier and quicker to write about. And speaking of quicker and easier, my own lethargy will help get some of these other categories out of the way.

Best PPV: Summerslam 2013 (August 18, 2013) (even with the last match's victor losing his belt in eight seconds and with it leading to a push down the card)

Worst PPV: Battleground (October 6, 2013) (quite possibly the worst ending to a PPV in years)

Most Underrated: Antonio Cesaro (tied with Dolph Ziggler and Tyson Kidd. Push these people!)

Most Overrated: Randy Orton (not a terrible performer, but horrendously boring and stale this year)

Best Gimmick: The Wyatt Family (the creepiest and most unique promos this company has ever had, despite them not being tremendous performers)

Worst Gimmick: Bad News Barrett (idiotic comedy coming from a very underrated performer. Late WCW-era levels of groaning)

Best Tag Team: Cody Rhodes and Goldust (an astonishing return from the latter)

Worst Tag Team: Ryback and Curtis Axel (two negatives do not make a positive)




MATCH OF THE YEAR:

CM Punk v. Brock Lesnar (August 18, 2013)

The hype and build up to this was more than justified. Lesnar returning to the world of professional wrestling was a good reminder as to why he was so sorely missed: if booked properly, the man comes across as a monster, seemingly incapable of being stopped due to his sheer size, power, and credentials. Well, unless your name is Alistair Overeem or Cain Velasquez. That being said, along with individuals like Daniel Bryan, Antonio Cesaro, and the faction known as The Shield, CM Punk helps prevent me from changing the channel during these hard times. Perhaps you can attribute this to his demeanor, look, or honest-to-god great skills inside of the ring. Whatever the case, the resulting match was pure magic, albeit painful, cruel, and grueling. The only disappointment was the ignorance on the part of the WWE to even recognize its greatness during their own "Slammys" program at the end of the year (the borefest known as The Rock v. Cena 2 gets MOTY and this doesn't even get a NOMINATION?!). But sometimes the best matches, regardless of the sport, go unnoticed in the eyes of the corporate head honchos. This is what you should show to the folks who have since given up on this lost art form.

Honorable Mentions:

John Cena v. CM Punk (February 25, 2013)
Daniel Bryan v. John Cena (August 18, 2013)
Cody Rhodes/Goldust v. Roman Reigns/Seth Rollins (October 6, 2013)
Daniel Bryan v. Antonio Cesaro (July 22, 2013)
The Undertaker v. CM Punk (April 7, 2013)




WORST MATCH OF THE YEAR:

Total Divas v. True Divas (November 25, 2013)

Is it unfair to put a match featuring nearly every modern WWE "Diva" in this category? Possibly. But it doesn't excuse the match from being a total mess. I could go on a full fledged rant about the state of female wrestling in this company, and how they are clearly frightened to bring in any real talent (excluding "NXT's" Paige and Natalya Neidhart), but I don't feel I'd be saying anything that hasn't already been said. This was just a rushed, stupefying, and all around bad match. From what I understand, the match that preceded this the night before at Survivor Series (with the EXACT SAME TEAMS) was just as terrible, but I was working the night of that card. So this will have to do for now.

(Dis)Honorable Mentions:

Mark Henry v. Ryback (April 7, 2013)
Daniel Bryan v. Randy Orton (October 6, 2013)
Total Divas v. True Divas (any and all other times are acceptable)




BEST WRESTLER:

Daniel Bryan

While I don't believe there was a single person screwed over by a company any worse this year (save for Bellator's Eddie Alvarez), the man still transformed from mid-carder to main eventer and the fans absolutely loved every second of it. Alas, he is back down on the card, but the impact of his ascension has been felt. His "YES!" chants are more abundant than ever, more people (young and old) are talking about him than before, and if you believe the dirt sheets, he's poised for a major match at Wrestlemania that a very select few get to be a part of. I certainly hope that he's back in the title picture again soon, but even if he isn't, he may have been elevated above any title currently in the company.

Honorable Mentions:

CM Punk
John Cena (before you crucify me for this, let it be known that I can not stomach the guy, and think that about 90% of his matches are wretched to sit through. That being said, the man actually had a great year for memorable performances, including matches with the aforementioned Bryan, Punk, Damien Sandow, and the Shield. I await and welcome arguments)




WORST WRESTLER OF THE YEAR:

The Great Khali

I am completely baffled as to why this man is still on the roster. Immobile, sloppy, and embarrassing to watch these days, this former world champion has been reduced to a chest-slapping comedy character, and not a very good one at that. While I'm not completely against comedy in my wrestling, knowing that this man will most likely be confined to a wheelchair makes me more sad than anything, and I wish the WWE would just let the man retire while he is ahead.

(Dis)Honorable Mentions:

The Miz
Ryback
Eva Marie






Well, for all of you bickering and impatient people, the "fake" stuff is done and dealt with. Now, let us move on to the bloodier part of this post: the mixed martial arts awards. Before listing off my choices, I must preface this by saying that I was not witness to every single critically acclaimed bout that took place this year, as my work schedule was very erratic and I value sleep more than I ever did before (having two seizures will do that to you). So Jon Jones v. Alexander Gustafsson will be nowhere on here, simply because I have not seen it. Let's move on before you bite me in the face.




BEST FIGHT OF THE YEAR:

Mark Hunt draws Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva (December 7, 2013)

It is a miracle that both men were still standing and breathing after this war of attrition. What was all the more astonishing was that the former PRIDE FC standout and former Elite XC Heavyweight Champion are friends, having trained together multiple times at the camp known as "American Top Team." Over the course of twenty-five minutes, we witnessed two men refuse to quit, even if their own bodies would give out and their chins would deteriorate into nothingness. Covered in blood, exhausted, and most likely damaged for worse in the long run, this was an incredible bout that could go down as the best bout in the UFC's long standing heavyweight division. The announcement at the end from ring announcer Bruce Buffer of "This fight is considered a Majority Draw" would normally incite wrath from the usually irritable MMA community, but it was a fitting and comforting end to a gruesome, legendary contest, wherein we wanted to see neither warrior lose. The highlight video I have posted above does not do it justice.

Honorable Mentions:

Dennis Bermudez d. Matt Grice (February 23, 2013)
Wanderlei Silva d. Brian Stann (March 3, 2013)
Michelle Waterson d. Jessica Penne (April 5, 2013)
Matt Brown d. Jordan Mein (April 20, 2013)
Gilbert Melendez d. Diego Sanchez (October 19, 2013)


WORST FIGHT OF THE YEAR:

Ovince St. Preux d. Gian Vilante (April 27, 2013)

I'm sure there are more high profile bouts that could end up in this spot, but this one takes the cake due to the sheer incompetence of the referee involved. While the two rounds that preceded round three of this bout were very tepid and underwhelming, the decision to stop the fight due to an eye poke, without giving the recipient any time to recover and regain vision (which is usually customary), was flabbergasting. True, both men have since regained some of their former glory, each going on to win their next scheduled bouts, but this leaves a stain that can't quite be washed away.

(Dis)Honorable Mentions:

Jake Shields d. Tyron Woodley (June 15, 2013)
Rory MacDonald d. Jake Ellenberger (July 27, 2013)
Soa Palelei d. Nikita Krylov (August 31, 2013)




ROUND OF THE YEAR:

Gilbert Melendez v. Diego Sanchez: Round 3 (October 19, 2013)

What, no video you say? Well, you should probably go seek out this entire fight anyway, regardless of which round I choose to shower with praise. The original Ultimate Fighter winner proved he can still throw down and throw caution to the wind if it comes down to it, while the former Strikeforce and WEC Lightweight Champion channeled his frustration following a tough loss to former champion Benson Henderson into a sensational, blood-drawing rage that few had seen before. By the time that the final five minutes rolled around, both men looked like they had seen better days, but Sanchez came back with flurries aplenty, dropping the former champion, and even coming close to finishing the bout. A magnificent display of violence, even if it will most likely lead to permanent brain damage for both men.

Honorable Mentions:

Matt Brown v. Jordan Mein: Round 1 (April 20, 2013)
Ronda Rousey v. Liz Carmouche: Round 1 (February 23, 2013)




FIGHTER OF THE YEAR:

Demetrious Johnson

I'll eat a big ol' bowl of crow for this one. I've never been the world's biggest fan of the man nicknamed "Mighty Mouse," but he sure as hell won me over this year. Tough, fast, skilled beyond belief, and full of surprises, Johnson managed to defend his Flyweight title three separate times in 2013, with each  defense being more memorable than the last. There's a special kind of criticism reserved for champions of the old guard, saying that they prefer to play it safe these days and rely on the rather unpopular form known as "point fighting" in order to keep their championships and legacy intact. Johnson is the opposite of such, constantly working for submissions in his bout with John Moraga, coming back from a near stoppage against John Dodson to attempt multiple fight-ending methods, and becoming the first individual to stop the incredibly tough Joseph Benavidez. I can not wait to see him fight again this year, even if he has cleared out most of the division.

Honorable Mentions:
Renan Barao
Robbie Lawler
Chris Weidman
Cain Velasquez




KNOCKOUT OF THE YEAR:

Chris Weidman d. Anderson Silva (July 6, 2013)

This was a rather difficult choice to make. On one hand, it may not have been the flashiest display of technique you'll see, but in terms of awe-inspiring madness, this will stand the test of time. This was the 2013 version of Fabricio Werdum upsetting Fedor Emelianenko, even if the betting odds were nowhere near as wide as that bout was. Silva's aura in the UFC was incomparable, having never lost a single fight in the octagon, and Weidman was coming off a yearlong layoff. It was assumed we'd get one of two things: an easy win for "The Spider," or five rounds of Weidman trying to grind out a decision (note: Weidman is usually a finisher, I'm just going with wrestler logic). This was the type of upset that didn't just make your jaw drop, it stuck with you weeks after it happened. Sadly, I could say the same for the terrifying result of their rematch on the final card of the year.

Honorable Mentions:

Emanuel Newton d. Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal (February 21, 2013)
Josh Thomson d. Nate Diaz (April 20, 2013)
Vitor Belfort d. Luke Rockhold (May 18, 2013)
Dong-Hyun Kim d. Erick Silva (October 9, 2013)
Douglas Lima d. Ben Saunders (September 20, 2013)




SUBMISSION OF THE YEAR:

Josh Burkman d. Jon Fitch (June 14, 2013)

Hard. As. Fuck. And not in the sexual way. It might be the only way one could describe such a shocking moment though. Fitch was still ranked in most people's top ten lists, and was coming off of an unwarranted release from the UFC. On the other end, Josh Burkman was a UFC castoff, having not competed in the organization for four years. The mostly new league, World Series of Fighting, was looking for their first truly memorable moment of the year, and Burkman's cold killer mentality during and after the fight provided them with it. True, infamously inept referee Steve Mazzagatti deserves a wag of the finger for not noticing Fitch was unconscious following the guillotine choke that Burkman applied, but at least Josh had enough sense to let go when he felt his opponent (who he had lost to seven years prior) go limp. This was the MMA equivalent of a Rotten Sound song: short, angry, brutal, and very sweet.

Honorable Mentions:

Rose Namajunas d. Kathina Catron (April 5, 2013)
Anthony Pettis d. Benson Henderson (August 31, 2013)
Michelle Waterson d. Jessica Penne (April 5, 2013)
Erick Silva d. Jason High (June 8, 2013)



ROBBERY OF THE YEAR:

Phil Davis d. Lyoto Machida (August 3, 2013)

If Krusty the Clown didn't describe this perfectly (there is no highlight video for a reason), I'll just state that I partially blame this atrocious decision for my first of two seizures this year, given that not even twelve hours later, I was waking up in the hospital with no recollection of how I arrived. Most judges are still scoring fights based on who presses forward more, or if they even manage to sneak one good takedown into the rather uneventful fray. Sadly, this archaic mindset will probably never fade away, and the sometimes controversial Machida was robbed of a big victory in his own home country. Thankfully, things look up for the former Light Heavyweight Champion as he has dropped down to Middleweight, and looks to begin a new campaign of splitting wigs.

(Dis)Honorable Mentions

Georges St-Pierre d. Johny Hendricks (November 16, 2013)
Francis Carmont d. Lorenz Larkin (April 20, 2013)
Diego Sanchez d. Takanori Gomi (March 3, 2013)




BEST CARD OF THE YEAR: 

UFC on Fuel TV 10: Nogueira v. Werdum (June 8, 2013)

Setting the record for "most submissions" in a single event isn't easy to do, but you have to give the Brazilians on this card props, since they went fairly crazy at this event and set the record at eight. True, a lot of these bouts seemed custom-made for easy victories, but entertainment is entertainment, regardless of the caliber of competition involved. Thiago Silva managed to snag his first clean victory in four years, Erick Silva secured a beautiful triangle-armbar combination on the returning Jason High, the Ultimate Fighter Brazil 2 finale bout didn't end up looking like a joke, and Fabricio Werdum showed off his always impressive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by submitting the legendary Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, which is certainly no easy task. The crowd seemed to be smiling and celebrating throughout this entire evening, and one certainly couldn't blame them as they were getting their money's worth and more.


Honorable Mentions:

UFC on Fox Sports 1: Shogun v. Sonnen (August 17, 2013)
UFC Fight For the Troops 3 (November 6, 2013)
UFC 168 (December 28, 2013)


WORST CARD OF THE YEAR:

UFC 161

Like last year's recipient (the truly bad UFC 149), this had potential. A proposed rematch years in the making (Mauricio Rua v. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira) and an interim title fight (Renan Barao v. Eddie Wineland) could have made this worthwhile. Instead, a decrepit and disappointing match between Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson drew low PPV buys, and little-to-nothing in the way of fan interest. Couple that with a terrible prelim closer (Jake Shields v. Tyron Woodley did not help draw in skeptics, and may have provided them with a nice nap), and you have the clearcut winner for the worst mixed martial arts card of the year.

(Dis)Honorable Mentions:

UFC 159 (April 27, 2013)
Bellator Fighting Championships Inaugural PPV (November 2, 2013. Notable because the entire thing NEVER ENDED UP HAPPENING)


And there you have it for part one of my delayed, but fairly packed Best and Worst of 2013. In terms of other notable incidents worth talking about from the worlds of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts, I think the WWE Network sounds like a phenomenal deal, and the UFC Fight Pass can bite my scrotum. If there was an upset of the year, I'd say that Daniel Strauss defeating Pat Curran at the Bellator show on November 2nd would be my clearcut winner, though Robbie Lawler defeating Rory MacDonald is a very close second. Come back soon(ish) for the best of the rest, featuring my favorite and least favorite picks in music and movies!

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013) Review

As the era of the 1970s has come to a close, legendary anchorman Ron Burgundy has been dealing with a rough life. His dream of moving to the evening news team as head anchorman have been crushed, with the position going to his now-wife Veronica Corningstone instead, and as a result, he splits from his love. Six months later, Burgundy is pursued and found by a man named Freddie Shapp, who tasks Ron, now working at Sea World, with reassembling his news team for a job at the first, inaugural twenty-four hour news network.


You may have to forgive me for this, but as archaic as this question might sound, is Will Ferrell the Adam Sandler of the post-90s era of comedies? Both men started out as bright prospects on Saturday Night Live, found a natural calling in cinema, and have managed to turn into humongous stars and guaranteed box office moneymakers. Despite most professional critics having mixed to negative feelings on the projects of both, they have their dedicated fanbases, who will travel out of their way (occasionally more than once) to give these two men their hard-earned cash in exchange for some good belly laughs and a nice escape from reality. Add to that the fact that both comedians can still prove their worth as "professional" actors if it is ever required (in Ferrell's case, Stranger Than Fiction and Everything Must Go), and I think it may be hard to argue with this comparison, unless you are oblivious and ate glue until you reached the age of fourteen.


Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues has been festering around for nearly three years, and Ferrell himself had to convince distributor Paramount Pictures that this film had to come to fruition. Mind you, the argument could be made that these characters and the plot have been rehashed in nearly every project Ferrell and co-writer/director Adam McKay have had a hand in, but that can be saved for another post. I'll confess to being a fan of the first picture, but I never possessed a strong desire to see a sequel to Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, especially given the erratic track records of the two gentlemen mentioned above. Comedy sequels have a great tendency to take away from the greatness of their predecessors, or in some cases, make you forget how much you genuinely enjoyed them in the first place (see Son of the Mask for this instance….actually, don't see that film. Ever). Mercifully, this makes a good effort to stay out of such dreadful, horrifying waters. But it doesn't do much to make it a worthwhile film.


It feels as if everyone is on autopilot for most of their time spent on screen, and in a large percentage of these cases, it appears as though the actors forgot how to portray the characters they helped make so famous amongst the college and young adult crowd in the first place. Ferrell is in decent form, though he seems to be firing on all cylinders, with not all of the one-liners and insults working in his favor. Paul Rudd is largely underutilized, though he does manage to provide one of the more amusing character reintroductions seen in a sequel. However, Steve Carell is easily the biggest offender here, turning Brick Tamland from a character that was moronic, to a character that is simply too stupid to function, even in a wildly outrageous world such as this. Most of his dialogue consists of yelling loudly or flat-out forcing you to elicit any emotion whatsoever, be it anger or amusement. As a result of these changes, as well as more of a focus on idiocy and lunacy than actual decent writing, you may find yourself emitting more quiet groans or, if you're lucky, slight chuckles than hearty laughs.


Speaking of laughs, we're subjected to the biggest waste of newer talent I've seen in a sequel in quite some time. They aren't giving much of the new cast a lot to work with in the first place, and as a result, it just feels like they wanted to take advantage of the larger budget that was given. You have a rival anchorman in the form of James Marsden, a sexy new boss played by Meagan Good, and an incompetent secretary played by Kristen Wiig of Saturday Night Live fame. Marsden is fine and all, but it feels like his role could have been played by nearly any handsome man that auditioned. Good's whole schtick seems to be "Hey! A BLACK WOMAN is the boss! She's….black!" That works well for about one minute, and it all leads to a scene that I'm sure you've seen in the trailers by now, as Anchorman 2's marketing campaign has been the closest thing to overexposure you could receive from a comedy released in 2013. But they're utilized far more properly than Wiig, who felt crowbarred into this picture. Goodness knows that a woman of her comedic talents can usually twist something that's flat into something memorable, but there is virtually nothing memorable about her character. On the plus side, Anchorman 2's ending sequence is rather spectacular, filled to the brim with cameos and over-the-top hilarity, providing a brief glimpse into the ridiculousness and nuanced satire that made the first film so wonderful. However, all they're doing is rehashing and trying to out-absurd the original film's news anchor showdown by increasing the amount of people present, and even the movie's true conclusion is ultimately just a nod to Anchorman 1's final act itself. All of this will just make you want to view the 2004 film again instead.


Man of Steel can breathe a sigh of relief before this year has concluded, since I believe Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues kicks and stomps its way into the top spot of my most disappointing film of the year so far. Then again, I realize that we're less than two weeks away from the clocks striking 2014, so maybe this will end up being my most disappointing film of the year in general. There isn't anything that brought about anger from me with this picture (save for nearly every time that Steve Carell opened his mouth), but to say that it shat upon my expectations would be an understatement among understatements, especially since I went in with essentially none whatsoever. Still, you Will Ferrell fanatics who have stuck by him through thick and thin (and films like Semi-Pro) are going to watch it no matter what I say. Perhaps I myself was just looking for something different though.

Blue Ruin (2013) Review

Homely Dwight is living a paltry and strange life. He sneaks into houses to bathe, eats out of trash cans, and sleeps in his car. One day, Dwight is confronted by a police officer, who informs him of a figure from his past that is being released from prison, but advises him to not do anything particularly dangerous. Immediately thereafter, Dwight turns his life around shockingly quick, planning to carry out an act of vengeance that will take him back to his own childhood home in Virginia, and reunite him with his estranged friends and family.


Talk about coming back from the grave. Director Jeremy Saulnier's previous effort, 2007's Murder Party, was, in its simplest description, a horror-comedy version of The Breakfast Club (and a film I desperately need to watch again, as I haven't seen it since my days of working at Hollywood Video). It was pretty solid for what it was, but I never imagined that I'd see much else from anyone involved, be it cast or crew-wise, in the near future. Six years later, however, I've discovered that Saulnier had a new project out playing at Wilmington's own Cucalorus Film Festival: a revenge film titled Blue Ruin, for which he dumped a lot of money, a Kickstarter campaign, and a lot of unbridled anger into. What it ends up translating into, however, is a beast of a different nature from what his fans will expect.


The old statement of "you can cut the tension with a knife" is admittedly overused to the point of annoyance these days, but Saulnier proves his worth as an excellent up-and-coming filmmaker by finding ways to keep you glued and keep these feelings of nervousness up high. Comparisons to the more heavily dramatic work of the Coen Bros (see: Blood Simple, No Country For Old Men) wouldn't be unfair to make either, as this is a very quiet film peppered with shocking moments of graphic violence and the occasional bits of black comedy here and there (so you Murder Party fans won't feel completely alienated). I suspect that more squeamish individuals will steer clear due to these very reasons, but all of the above seem to go hand in hand with the basis of a revenge film in this day and age. Comparisons to the still-fresh Drive wouldn't be outrageous to make either, as like Nicholas Refn's film, it can be patient in its buildup, though I believe the main character behind Blue Ruin is infinitely more fascinating.


While Blue Ruin's moments of violence are indeed surprising, the (d)evolution of Dwight's character is all the more alluring and tragic, as his past and reasons are disassembled before our very eyes through the stories of others, giving motives behind his actions, be they reasonable or not. The old saying "an eye for an eye" doesn't necessarily ring true these days, since it just begs the question: when does your own revenge and need for blood to be shed truly stop? Dwight is portrayed by actor Macon Blair, who may (or at least should) find his resume becoming much more crowded after this, as he turns in a very understated and quite magnificent performance. Truth be told, everyone is shining here, but the film's primary focus is based around his character, and he has to obviously give you reason to care and does so with a eerily tragic demeanor. He is sympathetic, but not oblivious to his own downward spiral, even occasionally uttering that he himself would deserve to die.


Blue Ruin is an absolutely mesmerizing movie. A moving, startling, smart, and powerful motion picture that deserves to be seen by a much larger audience, or at least by more than just the festival circuit. It is my favorite revenge thriller and character study piece that I've witnessed since my first viewing of I Saw The Devil, and could end up sneaking its way into my top two or top three films of the year when I decide to assemble that list itself. For those more intrigued by lower budget cinema, this isn't merely recommended: rather, it is vital.

Thor: The Dark World (2013) Review

Time has passed since the battle of New York, and along with his fellow warriors and comrades, Thor of Asgard is at work across the nine realms, having fought a two-year war in order to try and preserve peace. On Earth, scientist and old flame Jane Foster comes into contact with the Norse God, but not after a strange exposure to something affiliated with an enemy that predates and overpowers even Odin himself. Soon, the God of Thunder realizes that he may need to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect the realms from grave danger, and even forge an uneasy alliance with an old foe if need be.


It does confuse me quite a bit as to how and why 2011's Thor seemed to divide as many people as it did. Perhaps it was the very odd and somewhat unconventional feel the character had compared to his more popular Marvel Comics companions, such as Iron Man and the Hulk, or the fact that Norse and Viking Mythology has never been as popular with mainstream audiences as it could potentially be. Perhaps it was the fact that it might not have been stuffed with as many fight scenes as viewers would have liked. Whatever the case, I was quite a fan, and I was very enthusiastic to welcome a chance to see a followup two years later in the form of Thor: The Dark World. I've also been one of the select few who apparently doesn't do copious amounts of drugs and has thoroughly enjoyed the second phase of Marvel Studios' motion pictures, which are all inevitably leading up to The Avengers: Age of Ultron.


One of the few complaints I had about the original Thor was actually the one thing people recall fondly: its enormous cast. As much as I loved most of everyone involved, the presence of certain individuals felt more like an excuse for then-director Kenneth Branagh to show off to his friends (lord knows I'd probably brag at least once about getting to direct Sir Anthony Hopkins myself), and a decent portion of these folks ended up with almost nothing to do. This is rectified by newer director Alan Taylor, known mostly for his work on Game of Thrones and The Sopranos, so he's clearly used to dealing with casts of a considerable size. With this decision, everyone gets at least one or two good chances to shine in Thor: The Dark World. Yes, that does include Tadanobu Asano (Ichi The Killer), Kat Dennings (Two Broke Girls), and even Rene Russo (Get Shorty), who I thought was completed wasted in the first film. As for the newer additions to the cast, well, when you're forced to deal with the old "enemy of my enemy" situation, you have to remember to flesh that newer enemy out after all. Alas, Malekith is no Loki, but by no means is he a completely terrible villain. He just ends up more in the run-of-the-mill category, with nothing more to offer than a few quips here and there, and a costume that I'm sure will be popular at the next big comic book and entertainment convention nearest you. Still, he won't exactly wow audiences unfamiliar with his comic book background and origin.


I don't need to waste your time by telling you that the old cast is obviously good either, but knowing that one day Tom Hiddleston is either going to resign or just stop returning calls to play Loki completely breaks my heart. The man was born to play this character, and just seems to play him better and better every time around, adding a new layer that we hadn't seen before, or thought was unbecoming of the God of Mischief. Perhaps the only disappointment in the "old guard" was Stellan Skarsgard's Dr. Erik Selvig, who could have honestly been written out of the film entirely, and has been reduced to kooky comic relief, with occasional flashes of his original genius still intact. As to why his moments of importance couldn't have gone to Kat Dennings' Darcy Lewis? Well, I guess you can't have enough comic relief in one film, can you? Perhaps there can only be room for one smart woman in a picture by Marvel's standards too, and Portman has a bigger resume in the end. Oh well.


Now, before you think that I'm savaging this picture out of pure disappointment, I can assure you that I did actually really enjoy the film overall, and didn't regret spending my money whatsoever. Wait, don't click the "X" just yet! Let me get on to something else that I genuinely liked, and that was the action sequences. While Malekith is no Loki, his Dark Elves and their army bring a science fiction/fantasy crossover appeal to these sequences that, while completely unexpected, makes for one heck of a visual feast. More uptight fans might scoff at this melding of several different ideas (starships in Asgard for one), but I may have to remind you that you're watching a movie based off of a comic book universe (and forgiveness for the minor spoiler, but there are no other Avengers in this picture….technically. This is called Thor: The Dark World, not Thor & Friends). The final fight sequence in Thor: The Dark World takes place in London, and with the abuse of teleportation between the nine realms and heavy blow upon heavy blow, it might make even Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama himself ask "Why didn't I think of something like that?".


Though I may have spoiled my own final thoughts above, I still did have a blast with Thor: The Dark World. I can see some more stingy audiences whose expectations have been raised by the quality of certain Marvel Studios pictures being disappointed, but it does seem inevitable these days considering how even traces of the geek ideology and mindset has inserted itself into all of us one way or another. *sigh* If only this barrage of new comic projects and films was present during my high school years. Then, we could have seen an even greater number of franchises rise to prominence and be turned into movie franchises (*coughPreachercough). Perhaps we can still hope. Or at least pester the creators. But anyway, long story short, the movie is fun. Go check it out.

Unseen Terror 2013: Day 31

Eddie Weinbauer's an awkward high schooler who finds solace in heavy metal, and in one particular man named Sammi Curr: a devil-worshipping, free-spirited rock star. But when Curr dies under mysterious circumstances, Eddie is devastated. Soon afterwards, he receives a copy of Curr's final and unreleased record from a friend. Upon playing it backwards, he discovers that the deceased rocker is speaking to him from beyond the grave, in the hopes of being resurrected, but he will require a few sacrifices first.

We've reached the end of this year's countdown, and if you're wondering why in the world I chose to close out with 1986's Trick or Treat rather than the masterful and more respected Rosemary's Baby, the only explanation I can offer is that metal-related pictures, especially in the horror field, are hard to come by. Thus, I'm not going to say this took top priority, but upon discovering that this little "gem" was ready for viewing on the internet via Youtube (like quite a few of this year's entries were), I bumped it to the end, figuring we could end it with a bang or a fizzle, depending on if I liked it or not.

And I think that after a late night viewing, I believe that I fall somewhere in the middle, which I suppose would result in a relatively loud "pop" more than a bang or a fizzle, but nothing more. For starters, Trick or Treat's soundtrack is mostly comprised by the now-defunct heavy metal outfit Fastway, an offshoot of NWOBHM legends Motorhead (and a band that would house Dave King of future punk stalwarts Flogging Molly). As cool as that sounds, I kind of wish Christopher Young (Hellraiser) had decided to score more than just a few select scenes and pieces that weren't done by the outfit themselves, as the Fastway songs tend to grate after some time and, as stupid as this might sound, start to seem very out of place about a horror film dealing with heavy metal. As much I adore this music, I think most who are equal fans of both horror and the genre of music showcased here (primarily hard rock and glam metal) would admit that it just isn't very scary. Now, if the filmmakers and writers had decided to wait a few more years and let it focus on the burgeoning Norwegian black metal scene, THEN we could have had something unique, or possibly even genuinely unsettling.

Supposedly, Blackie Lawless was offered to play Sammi Curr, the villain of the picture, but I can't find any real proof of this rumor beyond a couple of random searches. Considering that the resemblance between the two is pretty uncanny, it wouldn't have shocked me though to determine that this fact was confirmed. Instead it goes to a former dancer from Solid Gold, which is obviously much more fitting casting considering the heavy metal love that show always showed it, which is absolutely none. Come to think of it, the only remotely decent casting Trick or Treat seemed to get right was the cameos of Gene Simmons (Kiss) and Ozzy Osbourne, as a Rock DJ and anti-rock and roll crusader respectively. They look like they're having a ball for the total of the five or so minutes we see of them, especially given that the latter was in the peak of his popularity around this decade's time.


On a technical level, especially by what would come about in the latter half of the 80s when it comes to horror, this isn't a very good film. The acting isn't anything special, and the effects work is nothing to write home about. But it does have an odd little charm to it that lands it firmly in the coveted "so bad, it's good" category. And sometimes that isn't a bad thing whatsoever, especially since those results still produce general happiness and a great deal of smiling faces, even if they have to include the use of alcohol to produce such results. After all, if you can find a sillier horror film involving an undead rock star firing electricity out of a guitar at an audience of unsuspecting folks, then I'm all ears.



Tomorrow, I'll be back for a post-marathon recap and some other thoughts from throughout the month!

Unseen Terror 2013: Day 30

A young couple, actor Guy Woodhouse and his wife Rosemary, move into a new apartment building in New York City, and are soon welcomed by their new elderly, but kindly neighbors nearby. Not long afterwards, Rosemary discovers that she has become pregnant, albeit under very unusual circumstances. In the next few months, Rosemary's health begins to deteriorate, and as everyone surrounding her acts increasingly more eccentric and oblivious to her obvious troubles, she develops suspicions and fears about the safety of her unborn child.


Jesus, not even one minute in and I'm already beyond creeped out by Rosemary's Baby's opening theme. And yes, before you unleash a shitstorm of epic proportions upon me, I had never seen the film that is arguably Roman Polanski's most famous to date, and the second of his "Apartment Trilogy," with the first being Repulsion and the third being The Tenant. I am a deprived, odd horror fan. I suppose that I blame this on my personal dislike of the man as a human being, but I can't deny his skills as a director after watching this landmark.


When you really break this film down, it is essentially watching the dissection and mental torture of one individual, witnessing as they are systematically forced into isolation and a new life against their will for a running time of two hours that surprisingly doesn't even feel like two hours. And by god, it works tremendously well here due to some top-notch directing and tremendous performances (Mia Farrow not winning, or even being nominated for an Academy Award was an absolute shame), not to mention the incredible mood Polanski manages to set almost from the very beginning frames. I haven't felt this disoriented and turned off by a group of New York residents since I first watched Taxi Driver. She and John Cassavetes do feel a bit dated by "hollywood movie couple" standards, but it really is fascinating to see the completely opposite directions both head in over the course of the film, as he slowly loses his soul while she retains her humanity through thick and thin, and while being cut off from nearly everything helpful imaginable. Ruth Gordon as the obnoxious neighbor that essentially turns into a cancer nearly steals the show though. I can't recall detesting a character on this year's blogothon any more, outside of perhaps those redneck comic reliefs in The Crater Lake Monster.


Speaking of Mia Farrow, how Rosemary's Baby's infamous rape-dream sequence wouldn't traumatize someone is beyond me. Even for a film that's over forty years old, it is still quite creepy and remarkably unsettling. Farrow's helplessness during most of it just makes it so much worse, making the audience contemplate what is truly real and what is being fabricated in the individual's mind. But as greatly filmed and acted as the movie is, its own legacy does kind of hurt any potential surprises, as they've been copied or been hugely influenced by the events in this story. Mind you, some of these have wielded very positive results (The House of the Devil) or films on the "mixed opinion" side of things (The Lords of Salem). This does not hurt the finished product AT ALL, but the final reveals aren't especially surprising if you're more well-versed in the genre, but have somehow passed over this movie like I had.


Honestly, is there even a point to discussing anything further about this picture? Everyone regards it as a masterpiece for a reason after all, even outside of the horror genre. And thank whatever deity that does or does not exist that a proposed 2008 remake didn't come to be, especially considering that it was going to produced by Michael Bay of all people. The idea that the man behind Transformers was going to produce something with the name Rosemary's Baby attached to it makes me want to retch, but it was killed almost as soon as it was announced. That false scare aside, go watch the film if you haven't already. Don't wait like I did. All of them witches will thank you.



Tomorrow, we sadly bring an end to this year's iteration of Unseen Terror, but we'll attempt to go out rocking with TRICK OR TREAT!