Interview to...: Kai Le Cross from "Velvet Rose Designs"

A new victim for a new interview. This time we introduce you a gothic clothes designer from New York City and his beautiful creations. His name is Kai Le Cross and his shop is called Velvet Rose Designs.

How was the idea of Velvet Rose Designs born? 

I wanna start by saying thank you much for taking the time to interview me and my works. The idea for Velvet Rose Designs (VRD) was a show process that started 3 years ago when I was making small drawings and concept art designs on fashion. Not being sure what career path I wanted to venture on after being a preschool teacher I simply knew I wanted to have my own business and put my creativity to good use.

 Why did you call it Velvet Rose?

Oh wow,  I sat down for a really long time coming up with different names. I'm not good with title names to be honest and this had to sound good, something that speaks for itself. Had to sound dark but elegant and beautiful. Many gothic designs are velvet, lace, spiked and pretty dark. After 3 days on mixing names together Velvet Rose Designs was born on a scrap paper. This is something I started alone and from scratch, ambition first ideas second.

Kai Le Cross, the creative mind behind Velvet Rose Designs

 What inspires you to create these works of art?

Dreams inspire me, I feel my best designs come from a good nap. I can block the world out and dream something up. But I get inspiration from anime, j-rock, Lolita and comic books. Other things that inspire me much are sci-fi shows, some of my favorite are Farscape and Defiance. I'm really big on Cosplay so I have admiration for people who get out there own stuff cause you never know where that can lead to.

 How vast is the goth scene in your area?

Its pretty big out here when it comes to parties, I can admit its not the way it was years ago because of the change of times and everyone has a spin on everything. But there is always your true traditional goths you having walking down the street especially around Saint Marks. The only thing I fear for the goth scene is that it would become one of Nicki Minaj, Lil' Wayne's or Lady Gaga's horrible fashion trends as if we're new to the world. 

 Is there a strong "black goth" community where you live? Are they integrated with the "white goths"?

It's very diverse when it comes to being black and goth, some people didn't even know that existed. There are many "scene" kids around which people totally get the two confused but hell, who am I to correct someone. I reside in NYC see so when it comes to a goth scene you have black, white and hispanic goths; not as many black but we're there. Maybe you can call that something special.

Kai Le Cross 

 Which are the creations of VRD that you are most proud of and why. 

I like my Lolita/Victorian designs the most, reason why it is such a interesting mixture that can go in many directions. Like my Kimono dresses, I start with a traditional kimono look and finish it off with old victorian designs. These here are some of my favorites. They have there own elegance thats brings them to life.

Do you work alone or are there also other people working and creating for VRD?

I did it alone from making the clothing to educating myself on getting a business license even making the website which I really enjoyed doing. I didn't go to school of fashion or any of this stuff, I was suppose to be a electrical engineer, I'm really familiar with science. My family shows no interest to support what I do but my girlfriend and great customers pushes me to keep up what I do. In a way I feel I owe it to the Goth community to strive everyday to do better, because its people like us that keep it alive.

Any other thing you would like to say or add?

Whatever your creative goal is just go for it whether people support you or not, you're not hurting anyone you just want your creativity to flourish, for us in the goth community thats difficult sometimes, we are not just dark sadness. Peace, Love and Beauty.

For more info visit:

Website: www.velvetrosedesigns.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kailecross

Facebook Business: https://www.facebook.com/VelvetRoseDesigns

"Dark Shadows" Inspired Make-up Tutorial

A very nice gothic make-up tutorial video by make-up artist Charisma Star. This one in particular is inspired by movie Dark Shadows! 

Enjoy! 

The Lake of Death and its victims: the macabre side of nature.

The Lake of Death turns the animals that bathe in its water into statues of salt.

 Photo © Nick Brandt

Animals that are immersed remain calcified , no one knows what the cause.

According to Dante (author of Divine Commedy), the Styx is not just a river, but a vast swamp deadly that fills the entire fifth circle of hell , and in which the wrathful are immersed and the slothful submerged . Maybe some of us will see it when it is our time, but , until then, Lake Natron in northern Tanzania does a good job to illustrate the vision of Alighieri.

 

 Photo © Nick Brandt

Unless you are an "alkaline tilapia" - a fish that is well adapted to the extreme conditions - the lake is not the best place to live. The temperatures can reach 60 ° C , and its alkalinity is between pH 9 and pH 10.5.

Photo © Nick Brandt

The lake takes its name from the natron , a natural compound made ​​primarily from carbonate hydrate of sodium that has accumulated in the valley of the Great Rift volcanic ash . Animals that are immersed in the water die and remain calcified , they look like real pillars of salt .

Photo © Nick Brandt

Photographer Nick Brandt, who lived in East Africa for years- and has directed the video for Michael Jackson's ' Earth Song ' in 1995 - was impressed when he discovered perfectly preserved birds and bats on the shoreline . "I could not help but photograph them , " he says. " Nobody knows for sure how to die , but it seems that the highly reflective surface of the lake is mistaking them , as when birds crashed into the windows, and fall into the lake."

Photo © Nick Brandt

When the salt islands appear on the lake , flamingos take the opportunity to nest - but it's a big risk , as you can see from the pictures of the birds calcified . The animals were all put posing by the photographer."

info taken from: leggilo.net (originally written in Italian)

The Maker

I found this fantastic and very well done short movie online sometime ago and I realized I never shared it with you! If you like Frankenstein, stop-motion movies or similar you definitely have to watch this.

 "The Maker", directed by Christopher Kezelos, is about " a strange creature that races against time to make the most important and beautiful creation of his life":

Marvellous! Wasn't it?

The music score for The Maker is called 'WINTER' and was composed by Paul Halley. (You can download it from his website by going to www.paulhalleymusic.com/albums/paul-hall­eys-music)

Other links to the movie:

http://themakerfilm.com

vimeo.com/channels/shortoftheweek

facebook.com/shortoftheweek

twitter.com/shortoftheweek

Interview to.. Melle Noire: Alternative model for Gothic, Horror, Fantasy

We have received lots of requests since we decided to offer free interviews to artists involved in or connected to the gothic subculture. As the blog has become quite famous (almost 10,000 views per month), we decided to start this project to give opportunity to all to advertise themselves and their career and make themselves known among the gothic community. This is also a great chance for the readers and followers of this blog to get in touch something different from the usual famous overheard stuff and to discover the interesting "little known acts" in the gothic world.

Among all the requests we have received we chose as victim for an interview a very pretty alternative female model from Germany called 

Melle Noire

Photography by: Tobias K.

First of all, what inspired you to become an alternative model?

I loved to be photographed since I was a child ( but for a long time I thought I would get no chance to start modeling ). Then in the late summer 2001 somebody approached me in a club and asked me if I wanna try to start an alternative model career :) I didn't know that alternative and amateur modeling was existing ! O.o 

When did you career start and how?

I started modeling in September 2001, I had my first regular shootings with a good friend – she  was searching for alternative models to get an art school diploma -  and with Morpheus Arms in Darmstadt. He who had approached me for alternative modeling knowed this photographer and helped me to arrange the shooting. 

What are the pros and cons of being an alternative model?

At first it's amazing to work with so many creative people, I can play several roles in front if the camera, I can be however I want ! :) I am very versatile and love to show 1000 different faces ! And of course it's always great to get good pictures of me after a shooting, modeling is pushing my ego and it's absolutely wonderful for me to get publications ! :) Furthermore I just enjoy  the change of scene when I am out for shootings and sometimes I can get new views of life, that's very interesting ! :)

Otherwise it's sometimes exhausting for me to be Melle Noire when I go out for clubbing in my private life, because I need much time for my styling and for my make-up ( 2-3 hours ) and my look should be always PERFECT, I never would celebrate the nights in clubs without a good make-up, I have to cultivate my image ! That can be very stressful and I don't always like that. Since a few years in my normal course of life there is no make-up in my face, then I can be just me without any stuff.

       Photography by: MM-Pictures (http://mm-pictures.info)

You say that being Melle Noire can be quite stressful because you have to keep your image perfect all the time, like you created an alter ego. Which are the common things/characteristics between Melle Noire and the "real" you?

I would say in my private life I am just an ordinary gothic girl. In my normal course of life not all things have to be perfect, I don't have to be perfect all the time and that's good. Then it's very important for me to remain true to myself, I am rooted to the soil and I economize, I am sparing with money, sometimes I am really stingy ! :D

At the most time Melle Noire is an extraverted person, indeed in my private life I am extraverted, too ( I love to go out, to talk, to meet my friends, to have a lot of fun... And I am not shy ! ) but in some areas of life I am introverted, I brood over many things in my life and I worry about all sorts of things. Furthermore I want to do some things in peace, please do not disturb me for example when I am editing pictures or doing office work ! I cannot concentrate when too many people are around me. And I am not always in contact with my friends, sometimes I enjoy to spend time alone just with myself . :)

In front of the camera Melle Noire seems to be always self-confident. But on some days the private person has a low self-esteem. Then I am depressive, I feel inconsequential and unsightly. In my childhood I was bullied by my schoolmates for many years. That lacerated me, it was a trauma and I still have bad dreams. When I was a child I had definitely thoughts of suicide. O.o

Photography by: Tobias K.

From your pictures we can see you love gothic style. Do you consider yourself a Goth? How long have you been into the scene?

Oh yes, absolutely, gothic is my life ! I joined the scene in 1998, I met somebody at school, who was always dressed in black - I was fascinated and a few weeks later I wore black clothes only, too and started listening to dark music. 

Which are the first bands that you listened to? And which are your favourite bands today?

At the beginning of my darker life I was listening to Rammstein ( that was the first band ! ), Garbage, Guano Apes, Die Toten Hosen, Böhse Onkelz, The Offspring, Marilyn Manson, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, Slayer, Blind Guardian, Cradle of Filth...

Over the years my taste in music has changed, today I like more different music genres. Favourite bands : The Crüxhadows, Wolfsheim, VNV Nation, In Strict Confidence, Covenant, Apoptygma Berzerk, Project Pitchfork, Absurd Minds, Suicide Commando, Feindflug, Grendel, Wumpscut, Nitzer Ebb, Front 242, Spetsnaz, Leatherstrip, Front Line Assembly, Skinny Puppy, SPK, DIVE, PAL, Haus Arafna, Deine Lakaien, Lacrimosa, Das Ich, Janus, ASP, Rammstein, OOMPH!, Marilyn Manson, Alice Cooper, Type-0 Negative, The Sisters of Mercy, Nightwish, Metallica, Subway to Sally, Faun, Schandmaul, Mila Mar, Die verbannten Kinder Evas, Qntal, Fiddler's Green, Joy Divison, Die Toten Hosen... and so many more !!! 

Photography by Marcell Waltzer (www.schwarze-farben.de )

Who are your idols and main inspirations?

I have no idols. But of course sometimes I am inspirated by a work of somebody ! Watching movies or TV series can inspirate me for new ideas, a nightly dream, my everyday life, some situations in my life, stories of other people's life, romances, teratologies, legends... :)

Could you make an example of something that has particularly inspired you in your life?

For example I very like the look of movies directed by Tim Burton ! Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, Alice in Wonderland... SO wonderful and amazing !!!! But I generally love the fantasy genre - and science fiction, too ! :) I think that has influenced my modeling work a little bit... ;)

Photography by:
Incarda DesEYEn ( www.facebook.com/pages/Incarda-DesEYEn/178908248832532 )

Beside modelling, do you have other hobbies?

Yes, of course ! My hobbies are : Watching TV, going to the pictures ( I love movies and TV series ! ), surfing the Internet, meeting friends, going out for clubbing, listening to music, doing crossword puzzles, editing pictures, writing poems, drawing, reading...

Photography by: Catherine Lee Mason ( www.catleema.de )

Find out more about Melle Noire at the following links:

Website : http://www.melles-midnight.de

 Blog : http://mellenoire.wordpress.com

Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/mellenoire

Spooky "Gorjuss" Collectibles

When I went into the shop to buy the pen with the feather for my diary I was actually first drawn to another thing (which made me rant a little because I didn't know about its existance before): a whole section of the shop with shelves full of Santoro's Gorjuss products!

Of course, I was like "woah! I want EVERYTHING!!" It was such a cute collection of all things possible to bags, wallets, teapots to diaries, cups, boxes, pens, cards and more! And the character is a cute little girl with a spooky dark look:

"Gorjuss is a character designed by Suzanne Walcott, illustrator of Glasgow, a trademark of Santoro, famous throughout the world. The image of Gorjuss, a tender child, traits very similar to the same Suzanne, seeks to capture the emotions and environments typical of childhood."

I also found out there another collection always licensed by Santoro London called Mirabelle which is very beautiful and sophisticated and...yeah I want this too! :P 

Take a look at their website to find out more and where to buy this all:

 http://www.santoro-london.com

♥

B-Dark

..And the diary found it's pen !

After months of searching I finally found the fountain pen I needed to complete my E.A. Poe inspired diary which I bought some time ago (see previous post about it --> click here) and tah-dah! Here it is:

Lovely, isn't it? At first I thought a fountain pen with a black raven feather would fit more as it's a Poe inspired diary but as my eyes fell on this pen at I couldn't help but take it home. The peacock feathers are real and the colors are really vivid especially that marvellous blues. Also the other pen with the black feather wasn't as decorated as this one and looked too modern. This one was more special :)

I spent 35 euro for it but it's definitely worth it. 

In the package there's also the ink bottle and a leaflet with some instructions on how to write correctly with the pen. 

Thank God when I was younger at elementary school they taught us a little bit how to write with fountain pens so I got a little advantage in this!

Also, my boyfriend has already planned to build me a fountain pen and ink holder and an oil lamp to have a complete set and hopefully by Christmas I will have it! YAY! :)

Caged graves

While searching through images about goth, I often find this image of a graved cage (see below). Many think that these kind of graves were done to avoid the zombie apocalypse in Victorian era but as you can guess this surely isn't exactly the reason why even though it would be really cool.

 "In actuality, these cages were used to prevent body snatching. It was a HUGE problem especially in areas where medical schools were prevalent.

The practice of allowing students to learn anatomy by dissecting bodies was finally allowed in the 18th century. Prior to that, they only watched teachers and instructors without having hands on experience themselves. But as soon as they were giving the go-ahead, bodies starting disappearing from graveyards like crazy. Lots and lots of bodies.

Gangs of body snatchers were "employed" to remove bodies from graves. Many of these gangs fought one another over the "cadaver trade" because it was a pretty good money making business. Many nights, the body snatchers would steal as many as 6 bodies. They would even ship bodies over sea--it was THAT great of a business. (Some gangs even started killing people just so they could get more bodies to sell).

Well, as you can imagine, it created quite an uproar among the citizens who lost the bodies of loved ones. It caused riots and fighting in the graveyards, and several men found robbing a grave were lynched on the spot.  But people demanded more as the practice of body snatching worsened.

So graveyards became FORTIFIED and underwent some major changes.

Seriously, people built watch towers, they hired armed men to patrol the cemeteries (called watchmen societies--some having over 2,000 members). Many cemeteries even went so far as to use land mines and spring guns.

There were even cases in history in which family members would rig their loved ones coffin with traps that would kill anyone trying to remove the coffin. Gun powder. Kaboom!

Those families who could afford it built the metal cages or placed large stones over the graves of their loved ones. This helped to preserve the grave and deter grave robbers."

Source: www.angelascottauthor.com

Interview to...Sebastian Latajka, creator of successful Google+ community "Gothic Subculture"

A few months ago I changed my normal Blogger profile into a Google+ profile because I wanted to see how this famous social network worked. First thing I typed in the google bar to explore its content was the word "goth" and I found myself in "Gothic Subculture" Google+ community. I was immediately drawn to it by the fact that it's really interactive and there is a continuous sharing of pictures, music, art and all things possible related to gothic culture. A huge font where to draw inspiration from! So I decided to interview the German-based creator of this community in constant growth, Sebastian Latajka, to find out more about it:

Where did the idea of creating an online community for goths come from? What inspired you to create "Gothic Subculture" Google+ community?

Several things happened at the same time. First the feature to find communities on Google+ was brand new. Secondly, while I was bored clicking through the internet I stumbled over the actual Community Profile Picture and its statement. And third thing... I like to communicate, I like to find out what is going around in people's minds. And so then, somehow the idea was born. I gave it a try. I never expected to have over 1,300 Members (only on GooglePlus), plus almost 1,500 followers on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest. And all that in only about 6 months since founding the community. 

What do you like the most about it?

I am always very interested in the fact that goth is everywhere around the globe, but everywhere it's different in the way people live it. It's always amazing to see what occupies the people's minds. Especially when they come from different continents. For example I found out that there is a huge goth scene in Brasil! I was never expecting that before, but we have a lot of south american members in our community.

In the picture that represents the community you have put this image with a clear statement of what goth culture is. Why did you choose it? 

Sadly, goth people still have to suffer under a lot of judgmentalness. We're the freaks, we only wear black, we have depressions and are all suicidal etc ... I think the readers know all with their own experiences what I'm talking about. Actually, I was bored to click through the internet one day and as I saw that picture with the statement it was like WHAM! that's it! I have to share this message, I wanted to make everyone in the world know that we are humans, and so unique just like anyone else. We just have only different points of view and a different way to express ourselves.

The picture representing the community.

Now let's talk about you :) How did you get into the culture?

Talking about me, yay! Probably what I can do best... No, seriously now: Until 2009 I was just "normal". Even pointing with fingers on people like what I am now. I was working in an office a lot. Had a common relationship with a girl. But then suddenly almost all was gone. I had to surrender the high amount of stress which was out there. I had a nervous breakdown in spring 2009, developed self-harming behaviour and went to a lots of hospitals. I thought I would have lost everything. But actually my enlightment only began. This was the time where a former friend introduced me to the german goth scene. And from the very first moment I felt like I would have come home. This hard experience made me think another way. I rearranged my whole life, got rid of everything which was unnessesary. I dedicated my life to finding the truth even though it can hurt mostly.

Beside this blog, have you ever read any other blog regarding goth culture? Did these blogs influence you or made you discover new things as a goth?

Actually, I have to admit...I do not really enjoy reading blogs or magazines. Sometimes I do, but mostly when someone in a social media shares a link to a interesting article. I have not really subscribed to any blog regularly, unless they are my own.. LOL! 

What really influences me a lot is music. I breathe music. The atmospheres, the lyrics, the sounds everything touches my emotions extremely. Also influences me everyday experiences with people in my social evironment. But what makes me want to discover new things? I don't know,.. it's inside of me, it's a neverending want to discover and explore new. New things, new people, new social evironments.

We know goth music includes many genres. Which one is your favourite?

Hard question. For me it's hard to decide for just one Genre. I listen to EBM, SynthPop, Industrial, Harsh-EBM as much as I listen to NDH, Goth-Rock, Dark-Metal. Also the whole branch of pagan / medievil music is my favourite. I can't strictly decide for any genre. It depends on my mood what I listen to. And that can even change multiple-times a day.

Is there any band (old or new discovery) that you recommend people to listen to?

Same here... Oh my god... I am indecisive. People should listen to what their emotions carry them to. You don't even have to understand the language. Just listen, close your eyes and pay attention to what the music is doing to you. It doesn't matter in the end if it is Agonoize, Combichrist, ASP, Faun, And One, Eisbrecher, IAMX, Omnia or Ost+Front. You can consume music or you can feel it. I'd like to recommend to the people to start feeling music. Not more and not less.

What advice would you give to the newbies in goth culture?

Good question. At the very first: You wanna be Goth? Than do a f*** research what the goth movement is coming from. Read about the 80s and the influences, read about the "Goth Roots" and how it developed over the years. Modern goths always want to fit into labels,... Well. To be honestly. I don't like labels. Not even when it's among goths. Being goth is something which is inside of you or not. A label is just like a drawer. Most sadly, people try to fit into those drawers by acting in a certain way. You have to listen to THESE Bands, you have to wear THOSE clothes... Sorry this makes me angry actually. There are sooo many drawers today even in goth scene. There are Emos, CyberGoths, Oldschool, Newschool, Pagans, Steampunker, and what the f*** is BubbleGoth or PastelGoth ??? People WAKE UP !!! What you do is nothing else then being NOT different than common people just only with a goth badge at your chest! It makes me angry. Sorry... but it is the way it is. So finally I could say: The label I like is the label where I can just BE. Whatever I want to be.

And the second advice: Listen to your feelings. Don't care about what others say about you. It's your life. You only have one, try.

-----------------------------------
This interview in German --> http://slaytay.tumblr.com/post/56603663809/gothic-divine-magazine-interview-mit-sebastian

Links:

 Gothic Subculture Community (inside of Google+):

http://bit.ly/UcSn5G

Fan-Pages are:

G+:https://plus.google.com/u/112106078134405803258/108353805786040820176

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GothicConnect

Twitter: http://twitter.com/GothicConnect

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/gothicconnect/

Tumblr: http://gothic-connect.tumblr.com/

Crows and Ravens

On a Google+ community about all things macabre I stumbled upon this image:

The face appearing is of E.A. Poe. Very artistic, isn't it? 

What inspired me to write this post though is not Mr. Poe but the crows used to shape the face. One of the people who replied to this image said those weren't crows but ravens. So far I never thought about the difference between crow and raven, actually because I thought there was no real difference but in the name. I thought it was just 2 popular ways to call the same bird and I believe I'm not the only one believing this. So just to make a little clarification for me and for all I repost you a very clear explanation of the difference between crows and ravens.

"The Common Raven ( Corvus corax ) is one of largest members of the crow family (the Thick-billed Raven, Corvus crassirostris , is the largest), corvidae, and order Passeriformes (perching /songbirds). The Corvidae family also includes birds such as crows, rooks, jackdaws, blue jays, magpies, and many others. Among all birds, ravens are said to be the most intelligent, showing capability for thought and problem solving, as well as tool making and using.

Ravens are omnivorous scavengers, meaning that they will eat, among other things, grain, bugs, berries, shellfish, small animals, eggs, and carrion. They have been known to act in concert with wolves or coyotes, leading them to prey or carrion. This is a win-win situation, since the raven is unable to penetrate the tough hide of the carrion with its beak, and the wolves don't have to search as hard for food. Because they eat carrion, ravens have long been associated with war and death, thus adding to the bad reputation they have acquired. In reality, these birds are very clever, curious, playful and some can even "talk". 

The Raven in Mythology 

With a reputation as a trickster and thief, harbinger of bad luck or of death, and unwitting giver of gifts, the raven is a part of mythology in almost every culture. This includes, but is not limited to, Native American, Scandinavian, European, Japanese, Chinese, Aborigine and Indian. In many cultures, the raven was originally white, but was turned black by a god who was displeased or from encountering smoke on one of his many escapades.

In Scandinavian mythology, the Norse god Odin has two ravens, Huginn (thought) and Muninn (memory) whom he would send out at the beginning of the day to gather information for him. 

In much Native American mythology, generally the Pacific Northwest, the raven is a creator. The first humans came from a pea plant that the bird had created, or he found them hiding in clam (male) and chiton (female) shells (Haida tribe). Messenger and occasional hero, albeit unintentionally, this is a mischievous trickster god, similar to the coyote. The raven is attributed to bringing the stars, moon and sun to the sky, mischievously stolen from a man who had kept them in a box for himself. 

The Celts associated the raven and crow with Morrigan, their goddess of death and war, she was said to be able to take the raven's shape.

The Tower of London: Ancient legend says that if the ravens that occupy the White Tower depart, the Tower and British Empire will fall. King Charles II almost got rid of the birds because his astronomer had complained about them. After hearing the legend, being superstitious he changed his mind, instead ordering that at least six ravens be kept at the tower at all times. Thus, there is always a regiment of ravens kept there, with their own keeper, the Ravenmaster. 

Thanks to the popularity of the Edgar Allan Poe poem, "The Raven," "Nevermore" is probably the word most associated with ravens.

Corvus even has its own constellation, in the southern sky near Virgo.

The Difference Between the Common Raven ( Corvus corax ) and the American/Common Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos ) 

Though you can technically call ravens crows, belonging to the Corvus (crow) family as they do, you cannot call all crows ravens.

What are some differences between these two birds? The immediate difference between ravens and crows is size, the crow being approximately 1/3 smaller. The raven around the size of a red-tailed hawk (or a medium size full-grown cat), approximately 22 to 27 inches long, and the crow closer to the size of a pigeon, 17 to 18 inches long. 

Males and females of the species are about the same size and same color, young raven and crow mouths are pink-lined, the color changing from pink to black usually by the second year. Black from beak to feet, ravens and crows can both have iridescent sheens of blue, purple and green on their feathers, ravens more so than crows. Younger ravens can have a brownish-black sheen to their feathers. Rarely, ravens and crows have been born white; they can be either leucistic (less pigment) or true albino (no pigment). White ravens have been reported to live by Qualicum Beach, an island town in Brittish Columbia. 

Ravens are generally seen singly or in pairs, though young ravens stay with their parents for about six months. The more social crow tends to flock, the breeding pairs of crows at times allowing a couple yearlings to stay on and help with the next batch of chicks. Non-breeding birds of both species collect in like flocks, and share communal roosts. When finding food on a breeding pair's territory, a non-mated bird calls to fellow flock members, as the breeding pair is less likely to attempt to drive off a large number of intruders.

Ravens tend to avoid big cities, while crows can make their home there. Ravens have a deeper, more guttural call, and have a wider vocabulary of calls than crows. They are great at mimicking sounds, and some ravens have picked up human words, even changing the pitch of their call to reflect a human female or male voice.

source: emg-zine.com

Sedlec Ossuary: hidden macabre treasure in the heart of Europe

For this summer I was planning to visit Czech Republic (located in central Europe) but unfortunately there's been a change of plans and I'm not going anymore. :( 

One the places in Czech Republic that was on my itinerary, beside visiting the wonderful gothic city of Prague, was a place called Kutna Hora which holds one of the world's most macabre places to visit: the Sedlec Ossuary. 

Now, I've seen catacombs, cemeteries, churches with corpses of priests displayed near the altar (in north Italy in the town of Monselice), but never such a monument to death!

The Sedlec Ossuary is a small Roman Catholic chapel, located beneath the Cemetery Church of All Saints in Sedlec, a suburb of Kutná Hora in the Czech Republic. The ossuary is estimated to contain the skeletons of between 40,000 and 70,000 people, whose bones have in many cases been artistically arranged to form decorations and furnishings for the chapel. The ossuary is among the most visited tourist attractions of the Czech Republic, attracting over 200,000 visitors yearly.

Four enormous bell-shaped mounds occupy the corners of the chapel. An enormous chandelier of bones, which contains at least one of every bone in the human body, hangs from the center of the nave with garlands of skulls draping the vault. Other works include piers and monstrances flanking the altar, a large Schwarzenberg coat of arms, and the signature of Rint, also executed in bone, on the wall near the entrance.

In 1278, Henry, the abbot of the Cistercian monastery in Sedlec, was sent to the Holy Land by King Otakar II of Bohemia. He returned with him a small amount of earth he had removed from Golgotha and sprinkled it over the abbey cemetery. The word of this pious act soon spread and the cemetery in Sedlec became a desirable burial site throughout Central Europe.

In the mid 14th century, during the Black Death, and after the Hussite Wars in the early 15th century, many thousands were buried in the abbey cemetery, so it had to be greatly enlarged.

Around 1400, a Gothic church was built in the center of the cemetery with a vaulted upper level and a lower chapel to be used as an ossuary for the mass graves unearthed during construction, or simply slated for demolition to make room for new burials.

After 1511, the task of exhuming skeletons and stacking their bones in the chapel was given to a half-blind monk of the order.

The signature of F. Rint, the author of this macabre ossuary.

Between 1703 and 1710, a new entrance was constructed to support the front wall, which was leaning outward, and the upper chapel was rebuilt. This work, in the Czech Baroque style, was designed by Jan Santini Aichel.

In 1870, František Rint, a woodcarver, was employed by the Schwarzenberg family to put the bone heaps into order, yielding a macabre result.

The ossuary is a major plot device in the John Connolly novel "The Black Angel"

The ossuary is used as a location for the "Dungeons & Dragons" movie and the movie "Blood & Chocolate".

The ossuary was also featured in "Ripley's Believe it or Not" and is described by Cara Seymour in the final scene of the film "Adaptation".

The ossuary was also the influence for Dr. Satan's lair in the Rob Zombie film "House of 1000 Corpses".

The entrance to the ossuary

AYRIA: The Dark Side of Pop!

Ayria is a Canadian futurepop/synthpop musical project formed in early 2003 by Toronto's Jennifer Parkin following her departure from the influential futurepop and EBM band Epsilon Minus. The lighter, ethereal side of gothic, her work shows a collage of smooth textures and soft vocals over collisions of bass and driving beats, danceable and melodic with the darker elements and themes of electro-industrial music still present.

Parkin has stated in at least one interview that the name is a play on one of her favorite words, "aria", as in the melodic operatic form of singing and composition, but pronounced "area," because music has spatial properties.She once playfully suggested in her blog that AYRIA is an acronym for "Awesome, Yeah Really, I'm Awesome," but her emphasis on carefully constructed melody with ethereal vocals does recall the derivation of her stage name from classical music.

"With a fan base ranging from underground electro, industrial, goth, dance, and pop, people have referred to Ayria as the darker version of Lady Gaga, or the industrial Madonna. Jennifer Parkin has become a bit of an icon in the underground electronic and industrial music scene since starting Ayria in 2003, with her unique writing, singing and performing style and music with an in-your-face sonic approach that combines electro, synth-pop, industrial, 80’s dance, distorted gritty beats and synths, haunting melodies contrasted with angry distorted chanting all wrapped up with pop structures and catchy hooks."

I personally really like her cover of Depeche Mode's In Your Room :

And her remix of Angelspit's Grind:

Ayria Discography:

• Plastic Makes Perfect (CD) – May 24, 2013

• Plastic And Broken (Digital EP) – Feb 14, 2013

• Hearts For Bullets (CD) – 2008

• The Gun Song (EP) – 2008

• Flicker (CD) – 2005

• My Revenge On The World (EP) – 2005

• Debris (CD) – 2003

See more at: www.ayria.com

♥

When gothic literature and movies combine: "The Haunted Palace" and "Mary Reilly"

This weekend I watched two horror and gothic movies! I deeply suggest you to see them both. One is inspired by E.A. Poe and H.P. Lovecraft and the other is the classical Dr. Jekyll & Mr Hyde story but by another point of view.

The Haunted Palace is a 1963 horror film released by American International Pictures, starring Vincent Price, Lon Chaney Jr., and Debra Paget in a story about a village held in the grip of a cult. The film was directed by Roger Corman, and is often regarded as one in his series of eight films largely based on the works of American author Edgar Allan Poe. Although marketed as "Edgar Allan Poe's The Haunted Palace," the film actually derives its plot from The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, a novella by H. P. Lovecraft. The title, The Haunted Palace, is borrowed from a poem by Poe published in 1839 (the story of which was later incorporated into Poe's horror short story, The Fall of the House of Usher). Link to full movie:

"The Haunted Palace is a witches' brew of stories written by Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft--with the fine hand of sinister scenarist Charles Beaumont stirring the pot. Vincent Price plays two roles this time: A New England doctor burned as a sorcerer in 1745, and the dead man's great-grandson of 1855. Arriving in the village where his grandfather was killed, Price and his bride Debra Paget are shunned by the community. They are told that the mutant progeny of the "sorcerer"'s evil experiments are still roaming the countryside--with hulking manservant Lon Chaney Jr. a good example of these monstrosities. 

Vincent Leonard Price Jr. know for his roles in horror movies

The longer he stays in the family mansion, the more Price is taken over by the spirit of his ancestor. The result: The possessed Price, together with Chaney and a warlock assistant, set about to create a mutant race to overtake the world...

The film ends with the final verse of Poe's poem - '...While, like a ghastly rapid river, through the pale door, a hideous throng rush out forever and laugh - But smile no more'.

Other movie I saw yesterday night is Mary Reilly (1996).

Mary Reilly is a lonely servant in the home of Dr. Henry Jekyll, devoted to her position and her master. Slowly, a friendship between Mary and the doctor develops, which furthers into a growing attraction. However, the household is thrown into turmoil when the master announces he will be getting an assistant. The staff speculate on his employment, as he is never fully seen and remains a mystery...