Heavy Metal Horror Cast

Episode 50 is here! Sooz celebrates the big 5-0 with a look back at some of the horrors we’ve paid homage to throughout the show. Along the way we’ll kick back with the coolest coven from the 90’s, battle baddies with Buffy, look at lupines and Lost Boys, and turn on the juice to see what shakes loose with the Ghost with the Most himself! We’ll also be checking out the latest single Hidden Garden, from Japanese doom duo Blacklab. So come, as we close the coffin door on Heavy Metal Horror Cast for the final time. But bare in mind that, like all true horrors, the end is merely the beginning…

Do you like basghetti? Sinking fangs into vampiric myth with a wry smile, 2014’s What We Do In The Shadows proved that when it came to supernatural swagger, bloodsuckers still had teeth. Sharp, satirical and uproariously silly, it subverted preconceived conventions whilst honouring legend and tradition. Sooz chats the dead but delicious quintet at the centre of the tale, bemoaning the chore wheel, dancing with demons and championing stylistic storytelling and visual panache. We'll also be checking out Lovecraftian track At the Mountains of Madness from the awesome Crimson Day. So, get ready for the biggest night of the supernatural calendar, but beware The Beast *ominous music*, as we don our best duds to do things vampire style. And mind your manners. We're werewolves NOT swearwolves!* *At no point does Sooz EVER mention Rhys Darby by name, even though he's one of the movies highlights. I know, it's a moral outrage! But don't worry, for she has been forever banished - to the CIRCLE OF SHAME!!!

They’re heeere….. Emotive, grandiose and thoroughly haunting, Steven Spielberg and Tobe Hooper's phenomenal paranormal picture transcends this mortal plane in terms of strategic storytelling and iconic imagery. Despite controversies regarding creative control and purportedly carrying a curse, the film has gone on to become a cult classic, inspiring generations of cinemagoers while setting the benchmark for haunted house thrillers. Sooz looks at the spooky suburban shocker, chatting angelic ankle biters, pint-sized psychics and, dare I even say it, clowns. *Shudder* We’ll also be checking out the fantastic track God Sent Rain (You Sent Blood & Piss) from Sludge metal duo St Fenton The Tainted. So open your mind, beware The Beast and stay away from the light. Clear your mind, it knows what scares you and it knows too much already...

Slapstick, surreal and truly superb, Sam Raimi's Evil Dead 2 is a welcome revisit to the cabin that started it all. Through mastery and mayhem, it has gone on to become one of the most well loved and revered sequels of all time, establishing an icon in both Bruce Campbell and his character Ash. Sooz heads back to Professor Knowbys pad, chatting comedy capers, sweaty siblings and an ingenious plot which helped to ensure the films release. We'll also be checking out the fantastic track Test Subject 11, from the synth-tastic Videogram. So grab yourself a chainsaw, climb into the Oldsmobile and get ready to ask: "who’s laughing now", as we talk Kandarian daggers, say farewell to arms, and rant about previous rentals. Groovy.

Do you like scary movies? An abundance of rules*, Drew Barrymore in a bad wig and the Fonz. What do these three things have in common? Why, it's Scream of course, Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson’s trope busting, self aware slasher from 1996. Springing from their twisted minds like a masked assailant from the bushes, the film helped to revitalize the genre, affectionately mocking and subverting standardized horror tropes, with a glint of irony and a wicked grin of malice slapped across it’s hilariously homicidal premise. We’ll also be checking out an awesome track, Ballad of the Dead Rabbit, from Metal Guard Pacifica. So, grab a beer, hold your honey close, and ask: ‘Who’s there’...No wait, don’t do any of those things, as we head to Woodsborough, and find out that movies don't create psychos. Movies make psychos more creative! *Well okay, not an ABUNDANCE, that’s a wee bit of an exaggeration. Just four. But they are really, really REALLY important. If you wanna survive…

Madcap, macabre and bloodily brilliant, 2013’s You’re Next is a loving rejuvenation of some of our favourite, if a little well worn, horror tropes. With a killer heroine at the helm, Simon Barrett and Adam Winguards tale of family feuds, ferocious females and the price we put on our loved ones, is as inspirational as it is innovative, laced with jet black humour that subverts the norms with sardonic glee. Sooz chat’s the viciously visceral cult thriller, releasing the beast on the application of household items under siege and nightmare meet-ups with the inlaws, when a fox is a dinner guest in your henhouse. We’ll also be checking out the latest single Retch from progressive rockers Conjurer. So get ready to meet the family who may be more than they initially seem, as we celebrate Women in Horror Month, with this slick and stylish indie cult slasher.

Eerie, atmospheric and awesome to some, but a super slow pile of tosh to others, Paranormal Activity is a haunting portrayal of domesticity and demons. Sooz looks at Oren Peli’s 2007 record breaking low budget thriller, exploring the psychology of stillness, the notion of less is more and the truth behind the saying: you never really know someone until you live with them, in a film which made Steven Spielberg wet his knickers (probably). Oh yeah, there’s also a lot of chat about bodily functions. Don’t ask, it became a thing… Along the way we’ll talk cats, coincidence and the canny investment of frugal filmmaking. So lock the doors, set the alarms and have a priest on standby, as we chat found footage, felines and fiends. I feel it. I feel it breathing on me....

Sweet dreams are made of this? Iconic, influential and widely revered, A Nightmare on Elm Street elevated director Wes Craven and his demonic dream demon Freddy Kruger to iconic status. Blurring the lines between fantasy and fiction, the films high concept premise rejuvenated the slasher genre for a new generation. Sooz chats the savage sleepstalker, who’s ominous beginnings are grounded in reality, Eastern religion and Gary Wright's synth-tastic ‘Dream Weaver’ (I know)! We’ll also be checking out a track from Manchester based rockers I-DEF-I. So keep telling yourself it’s just a dream, as we play in Krugers court, where anything is possible. Why are you screaming? I haven't even caught you yet...

Brash, bizarre and brilliant, Gremlins is one of the least traditional and best loved Christmas movies of all time. Sooz chats the festive classic, looking with rose-tinted favour at a film which gets both children and adults sentimental around the holidays. From Christopher Columbus’ unique and unconventional script, to Joe Dante's idiosyncratic aptitude for big screen translation, every element perfectly captures an anarchic 1980’s zeitgeist. We’ll also be checking out the latest single, The Mire, from extreme progressive metallers Conjurer. So grab a mince pie and some mulled wine, turn on all the lights, check all the closets and cupboards, look under all the beds, 'cause you never can tell there just might be a Gremlin in your house. Gremlins, just like Mr. Futterman said...

Bleak, brutal and bloody, David Slade’s big screen adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel, revamped and revived the legacy of fanged fiends, re-establishing them as heartless undead killers and reigniting the notion that they’re to be feared, rather than fancied. Sooz chat’s the survivalist horror, comparing source with adaptation, and rejoicing in the carnage that creatures of the night were once again allowed to revel in. We’ll also be checking out the latest single, The Aura, from progressive metal legends Sikth. So board the windows, try to hide. They're coming. Get ready to behead the undead with this cold climate classic. Brr....You can feel it. That cold ain't the weather. That's death approaching....

A delicious romantic epic that depicts the lengths one goes to for love? Or a diabolical wanky nightmare? Despite mixed opinion, there’s no denying that Francis Ford Coppolas majestic retelling of the Stoker classic, has revived and revitalized the tale for a new generation. As divisive as it is distinct, the films mastery over the macabre is a faithful and ostentatious adaptation of the cherished classic. Sooz chat’s the opulent affair, championing old school cinematic techniques, innovation through style and skips over some serious miscasting. Kinda. (Sorry Keanu). We’ll also be checking out an awesome track, Coagulating Darkness, from black/speed metal outfit Hellripper. So come, as we cross oceans of time to chat a highly stylized saga for the ages, where the blood is the life and love never dies. The children of the night. What sweet music they make!

Cultivating a cult following who’re left hungry for more, Little Shop of Horrors has proven that given the right environment and tender nurturing, a bizarre premise can blossom into one of the most beloved movies from the 1980’s. Sooz chats the iconic comedy-rock-horror, that proved that as a director, Frank Oz was no muppet, and that the combined prowess of comedy legends, can result in a total eclipse of the sun! We’ll also be getting our groove on to the synthtastic electro-stylings of Dreamreaper. So don’t be a mean green mother from outer space, because between you, me and the vegetable, we're not talking about one hungry plant here. We're talking about world conquest! Now cut the crap and bring on the meat!

Innovative, brutal and wholly unique, Akercocke have continually flouted musical convention to create an undefinable and unmistakable sound, one that defies classification by being undeniably idiosyncratic. Returning to the scene after a decade long hiatus, Sooz chats to frontman Jason Mendonca and drummer David Gray, about touring their newest album, the writing process, and the demise of individualism in apathetic times. The key to their success? Well, it may just come surrounded by a layer of sausage meat and tasty breadcrumbs...

Gloriously grisly, furiously bitchy and downright gorgeous, Death Becomes Her is a spectacular showcase of technology and talent which has only improved with age. Following the toxic friendship and self perpetuated downfall of two shallow, self obsessed horrors, the films satirical edge and close to the bone themes resonate with an insight that's still relevant, and has secured it’s position as a beloved cult classic. Sooz looks at one of her cherished and nostalgia tinged movies from Halloween’s past, chatting leading ladies, stunning special effects and visceral viciousness in this zombie movie with a twist. You’d be Mad Ern than Hel to miss it!

Haunting, cartoonish, buffoonish and iconic. Beetlejuice has become a cult Halloween staple following it’s release in 1988. From A-list actors and over the top concepts to amazing visuals and eerie tones, Tim Burton's macabre masterpiece is nothing but a spooktacle to behold. Kicking off a series featuring All Hallows Eve classics, Sooz chat’s the a-typical adventure, it’s individualistic and incomparable aesthetic, and the universal appeal that it has for audiences - young and old! We’ll also be checking out the latest single from international rock band Disciples of Babylon. So take a seat in purgatory's waiting room, jump in the line, and get ready to rock your body in time, as we call on the help of that Beetle guy. These aren't my rules. Come to think of it, I don't have any rules...

Now is the time. This is the hour. Ours is the magic. Ours is the power. Still bewitching and beguiling two decades after it’s release, The Craft has invoked a cult appeal that speaks to generations of creepy kids, inspired and empowered by its counterculture characters and flair for fashion. Sooz chats wicked Wiccans, the influence on popular culture, and an enduring legacy brought about by relatability within a fantastical situation. We’ll also be checking out the latest single, One Chapter Closing for Another one to Begin, from legendary progressive metal wizards Akercocke. So hail to the Guardians of the Watchtower, take into yourself the power and relax...it’s only magic... Blessed be.

Awooooooo! Get ready to howl at the moon, as Sooz chat’s* John Landis’ outstanding horror comedy An American Werewolf in London. At one time thought to be: ‘too scary to be funny or to funny to be scary’, it remains an innovative paradigm, inspiring films that have followed, with it’s mix of gallows humour, pathos and ingenious transformation effects. So get ready to backpack through the moors of greatness, as we release the beast on one of the most seminal and influential films of all time. But remember: Stay on the road, keep clear of the moors, and beware the moon. Awooooooo……... *Apologies for the nasal quality of the chat. I was a bit bunged up with a rotten cold!

"A cult classic is one that has been fully embraced by an alternative audience, not the popular audience." - Bruce Campbell. Actor boy. Raconteur. B-movie king. Bruce Campbell is a cult hero to some and ‘that guy with the chin’ to others. Gaining notoriety through video nasty favourite Evil Dead, he has hacked and slashed his way to the top, proving that with tenacity, and a chainsaw, anything is possible. Sooz takes a look at two of his movies, that have the low budget, classic Campbell factor, which fans find so appealing. Don Coscarelli’s Bubba Ho Tep, an emotive and exuberant nightmare in a nursing home, sees Elvis Presley and JFK go up against a soul sucking mummy. A soul sucking mummy whose taste in fashion is way out West. While My Name is Bruce is a farcical deconstruction of the career of a washed up B-movie actor, who wages war against his ultimate nemesis: himself. Oh, and he also battles an ancient, pissed off tofu-loving God. We’ll also be checking out an awesome track, Betrayal and Delusion from dirt-ridden heavy rockers Battalions. So get ready for a charm offensive, as we chat one of the most iconic and well loved horror legends of all time. Hail to the chin baby!

Ever felt like your sibling was transforming into a monster? Sam Emerson does, and when his brother Michael starts hanging out with the local in-crowd, he quickly realises, that it's first come, first staked. It's been 30 years since Joel Schumacher's cult classic was released, and the film is still as relevant and revered today, an immortal classic that helped to redefine vampires for a new generation, thanks to iconic characters and imminently quotable dialogue. Sooz looks at the legacy of the film, from it's influence on style, to it's commercial appeal and undeniable longevity. We'll also be checking out the new single from extreme metal legends Akercocke. So grab a garlic t-shirt, splash on some Windex, and head on down to the murder capital of the world, where you'll never grow old and you'll never die. It's fun to be a vampire.

It’s Heavy Metal Horror Cast! Heavy Metal Horror Cast! Party time! Excellent! 25 years after the first film was released, Sooz looks back at a franchise that started life as a SNL sketch, and became one of the most well loved and iconic movies of all time. Way!! Fully embracing the rock n roll spirit, she chats classic catchphrases, charming characters, and iconic music legends. And answers important questions such as: did you ever find Bugs Bunny attractive when he put on a dress and played a girl bunny? Asphinctersayswhat? Exactly! We’ll also be rocking out to an awesome track from London based Heavy fuzz legends Ex People. It’s Double Live Gonzo! Intensities in Ten Cities, Live at Budokan! So get ready to party, and remember from this height...you could really hock a loogie on someone! Scherwing!