#Mongrel Records

[doomedandstoned]

CRASH AND THE VOID Drop Gnarly New Music Video “The Villain”

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

By Billy Goate

South Africa's CRASH AND THE VOID conjures powerful, swampy southern rock for their latest single and music video, "The Villain." The guitars couldn't sound sweeter in this tale of rapid degeneracy. Lyrics describe a person with nothing and no one to live for except fast times and hard living. The video presents one man's one nihilistic descent into pure evil, with a certain tongue-in-cheek Grand Theft Auto flair about it (more on the band's inspiration below).

"The Villain is a parody of what we believe villains are like," says Crash And The Void's Marius, "when they are in fact usually much more sly, banal and calculated."

You can get the track tomorrow, November 10th, right here. Be sure to stick it on a playlist with some Stone Temple Pilots. This is the Doomed & Stoned world premiere.

Give ear...

SOME BUZZ

Prepare to embark on a sonic journey through the cosmos as Pretoria based, South African heavy alternative cosmic rock sensation, Crash and The Void, unveils their latest creation: The Villain. This genre-defying single, coupled with a visually stunning music video, promises to captivate audiences worldwide with its unique blend of cosmic soundscapes and thought-provoking themes. The track is taken from their self-titled debut album set to drop early 2024.

Inspired by the profound philosophies of political thinker Hannah Arendt and the controversial concept of “moral relativism”, The Villain delves into the depths of moral relativism, drawing further inspiration from the profound works of Friedrich Nietzsche. The track challenges preconceived notions of villainy, offering a satirical take on the archetype by portraying the antagonist as sly, banal, and calculated -- a far cry from the conventional, over-the-top depictions.

The Villain narrates the story of a determined go-getter, navigating a world teeming with individuals driven by bad circumstances and chance. The character, portrayed with an unexpected relatability, struggles to sow chaos and disorder. Despite failing to achieve the intended mayhem, the Villain's resilience and perseverance make him an unexpectedly endearing and relatable figure.

When asked about the inspiration behind the song vocalist, guitarist and chief songwriter Marius Schutte says, “I tried to write a song that combines classic rock tropes with film score elements usually associated with Villains and bad guys, combining the two sounds left me with the basic building blocks of The Villain. The chord changes make you feel like a super-villain executing your master plan to secure world domination.”

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[gbhbl]

Album Review: Lower Hollow - Threnody: Songs of Fortitude (Mongrel Records)

Having gone through enough hardship to kill most bands, and using those difficulties in a creative way, Lower Hollow return stronger than ever with Threnody: Songs of Fortitude.

Lower Hollow returns with an unyielding resolve and a sound forged from the depths of adversity. Following the departure of three founding members after their debut album ‘Bloom & Expire’, the band has emerged stronger, fiercer, and more determined than ever. Their latest offering, ‘Threnody: Songs of Fortitude’, is a testament to resilience, exploring the darkest corners of human experience with…

[smile-files]

i need to do homework but i'd rather throw nickel out of a window, repeatedly

[zetadraconis11]

HL Incorrect Quote #100

*in the Room of Requirement*

MC, bursting in: I finally did it!

Sebastian from the sofa: Did what?

MC, holding up the Field Guide: I finally found all the pages!

Natty, looking up from her book: THAT'S why you've been casting Revelio everywhere?

MC: Yep! And not only that, but I also found all of those Demiguise statues!

Poppy, while petting Highwing: ...is that why you've been taking cat naps all around Hogwarts?

MC: Yep.

Ominis, from a lounge chair: For the record, sleeping on the floors of Hogwarts are not as bad as you would think.

MC: Oh, and I found ALL of the Astronomy tables!

Amit, by a telescope: You did?! I hope it wasn't too dangerous...

MC: Nonsense! I've dealt with a whole lot worse than some mongrels and spiders. This was a piece of cake.

The group:

MC: And don't get me started on those bloody Merlin trials... But I did all 95 of them!

Sebastian, horrified: 95???

MC: Yes! It was not worth the pints of coffee and tea I downed, but I have done it all!

The group:

MC: I need to sleep. *keels over onto lounge*

The group:

Ominis: The more I hear about what MC does, the more concerned I get.

[alexa-fika]

Trust and Patience (Wriothesley x gn!child!reader)

A/N: The way I sat on the plane staring at nothing for like an hour thinking of a genshin piece I could do, so enjoy 😂 Do be adviced that although this id a soft wriothesley fic it does contain hints and evidence of abuse although it does not occur live

Headers by @/saradika

Wriothesley growled as the person below him kept struggling, trying to avoid the cuffs the male was trying to put him on.

"Stop struggling; it will only make it worse for you," he called as he managed to slide the cuffs into the wriggling man.

"Get off me, you damn mongrel," the man hissed, trying to buck Wriothesley off him with no luck.

"Hard way it is," Wriothesley sighed as he brought his metal-lined gloves to the back of the man's head, effectively knocking him out. Looking up after he did, narrowing his eyes as he scouted the room

"Was there anyone else reported to live in this house?" He called to the subordinates behind him

"No, Only he was listed in the residency records. Is there a problem, sir?

The Duke frowned at the information but did not respond. It was faint, but he was sure of it; he had heard the distinct sound of someone gasping as he had knocked out the man.

"Take him back to the Fortress; I will deal with this," he called easily, picking up the limp man and passing him to his subordinates, who nodded and took their leave.

"I'm not sure if you were involved with that man's crimes or not, but if you don't come out now, even if you were not aligned with him, you will be charged as such," he called, receiving no response

"Have it your way," he called, walking closer and rounding around the crates that hid the person, only to pause as someone threw themselves at his feet.

"I-'m sorry, Mister." What looked to be a small child cried, sniffling and small whimpers escaping them.

Wriothesley frowned, kneeling down to their height.

"Hey, what are you-

His words halted, and his eyes widened as the kid raised their head, revealing their poor state, a black eye covering a significant part of their upper face, their cheeks sporting prominent bruises with the clear outline of handprints on them.

"Please. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Hey." He called an undecipherable look on his face

"Did he do this?" he questioned

"I don't... I fell, it's nothing, I'm just clumsy," they stutter out nervously, adverting their eyes from his

"Hey," he called once again, gently putting his hand on the child's chin and pulling their attention back on him, frowning when they flinched at his action.

"He's gone, and he won't be coming back. If it was him who did this, you need to tell me. I will make sure you get taken care of, but you need to be honest with me. Was it him who did this?"

They pause, seemingly thinking over their options before they slowly nod, a few tears escaping their eyes as they did

"Come here," he called softly, letting another sigh as the child made no move to approach him.

"Hey, Listen, I know it is hard for you to trust anyone right now, considering what you have gone through. I understand, but I will need you to trust me," he explained, extending his hand toward them.

"I just want to take you to a friend of mine; she will be able to fix those for you," he said, gesturing to their bruise-littered skin.

"And then? Will I get exiled too?"

"I'm not sure what will happen next, but I promise you, you are not in trouble. I do want to take you to the fortress, but only in order to get you patched up and to find what the safest place for you is," he said, gesturing to his extended hand once again.

They looked at his hand, slowly lifting theirs to meet his, touching his fingers and retracting their hands in fright. They looked up at his face and expected anger to grow on his features, only to see the same gentle smile still on his face as he continued to hold his hand.

At this, they looked back at their hand and finally extended it once again, this time connecting it with his.

"Let's get you out of here, okay?" he called as he stood up, gently pulling them with him.

"Hey!" He called worried, pulling the small child to his chest to prevent their fall as their feet gave up on them as soon as they had tried to put weight on them

He glanced at them, noticing the unnatural swelling in one of their ankles and frowning.

"I'm going to need to pick you up; you are in no condition to walk."

"I won't do anything you aren't ready for, if you need time, I will wait," he promptly reassured them as he noticed the apprehension his words had caused.

"Why?" they mumbled, looking up at them

"We all need time sometimes," he answered simply.

"Are you okay with me picking you up?"

They nodded, letting a small whimper as he took a hold of them, their injuries making the position harder to maintain

"Don't worry; Sigewinne will get those treated for you as soon as we arrive."

"Thank you," they cried, enveloping their arms around him, trying to muffle the sound of their cries by pressing themselves closer to the Duke

"...You're welcome.".

What we thinking?

[canisalbus]

a few quick questions on Machete, what breed is he? I love the angles of his snout and the proportions remind me of a borzoi though I don't think he is one. Also, does he have a set age for when he's a cardinal? I picture him to be around mid-30s or so. Wonderful art! love your stuff and find you an inspiration :)

He's a fictional breed called Podenco Siciliano, which is closely related to modern day Ibizan Hound (pictured below) and other Mediterranean rabbit-hunting podencos. I usually just default to calling him a sighthound since he's somewhat of a provincial mongrel and not meant to be purebred anyway.

As for the age, mid-30s sounds about right. I think the current timeline goes something like this:

0 - Born to a lower-middle class family in Sicily, father is a tradesman, has three older brothers. Generally considered a runt, is weak and sick all the time, parents suspicious of his unusual colors.

3 - Gets left at a monastery and raised by monks as a foundling. Nervous and meek kid, but the monks think he's endearing and do their best to support him. Is taught to read and write, which is a massive advantage at that day and age, and learns rudimentary Latin through exposure.

9 - Apprenticed to a Neapolitan priest, moves to southern part of mainland Italy (or Kingdom of Naples as it was called, it was ruled by Spain actually). Does chores and runs errands in exchange for education and experience.

15 - The priest gets elevated to a bishop and decides to sponsor Machete's further studies at an acclaimed university in Venice (in Northern Italy). There he studies theology, medicine, arts, law, philosophy and gets fluent in Latin and adequate in Greek. Befriends Vasco but their relationship is short-lived.

21 - Ordained a priest. Leads a parish somewhere in Papal States (Central Italy). Is generally well liked but doubts his career choice from time to time.

26 - Becomes a part of the Papal Court in Vatican, mostly because of the recommendations of his former mentor and professors, good reputation, excellent track record and sheer luck. Still a priest but assists bishops, cardinals and the pope himself directly. Moves to Rome. Becomes pope's unofficial confidant due to his obedient and hardworking nature and because of his lack of prestigious family connections that would render him a threat. Slowly starts to gain wealth.

30 - Created a cardinal (which is the second highest position in the church after the pope, and it's at the sole discretion of the pope who becomes one). Is also a bishop as a technicality. Handles administrative jobs, tons of paperwork, at some point he's in charge of a lot of the political correspondence and diplomatic missions. Still the old pope's trusted advisor but disliked by the majority of the cardinals, who see him as an outsider, sycophant and a potential disruptor of the status quo.

34 - Meets Vasco again. Vasco has become a succesful politician in Florence, he's married with three children.

38 - The pope dies and Machete's status falters. He starts to work with the Roman inquisition more. Oversees trials, torture, excommunications and executions of heretics, witches and most of all, protestants (since we're reaching Counter Reformation times and the Vatican is Very Worried about the spread of Luther's ideas). Isn't having a good time at all but keeps up the appearances. Gets infamous. The beginning of the true villain era.

40 - Grows increasingly more disillusioned with life and his ideals, as well as the corruption of the Curia. Burned out, paranoid and desperate. Uses scare tactics, extortion and legal trickery to expose and undermine his enemies, but gains them faster than he can keep up. Employs spies, thugs and assassins. Feared and loathed.

43 - Gets assassinated and dies in disgrace.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Hello Miss Raven!✨💕

I would like to ask you for an imagine/scenario or character interaction with Crewel and Vil (platonic ofc), where they talk about fashion and everything like the queens they are and they just always have the hottest tea! Talking about the school etc.

It's a casual fic idea without any angst or things like that, maybe somewhere along the way they start talking about Yuu who's Vil's friend, that he has a bit of a crush on? It may start at the Vil's alchemy lesson or smth-

Anyways, the main focus is hot tea between the fashion queens🙏👑 Thank you!💖

This interaction takes place after the events of book 6, so there will be spoilers for that.

I kept the “Vil has a crush on Yuu” element out of this particular interaction since I didn’t find it super relevant 💦 I want the focus of this blog event to be Crewel and his relationships with others. Maybe if the interaction had been posed like Vil coming to Crewel for love advice (since Crewel is a trusted adult for him), it could have fit better. Either that, or I’d advise waiting for more generalized writing requests to open ^^

If he doesn’t scare you, no evil thing will.

“Crewel-sensei.”

He turned at the call of his voice. “Schoenheit.”

Vil, dressed in his labwear, approached. A beaker of a bubbling substance carefully was ferried in his gloved hand, which he offered to his instructor. “The Peddler’s Disguise is done. You may evaluate it for its quality.”

Crewel accepted the potion, gently swirling it to test the viscosity and noting the color.

“It was brewed with mummy dust, black of night, an old hag’s cackle, and a scream of fright. I then churned over high heat with a blast of wind and a thunderbolt.”

"You've memorized the recipe. Excellent work." Crewel set the beaker down on a lab bench and marked off Vil's name on a clipboard. "You're making up for lost time at a record pace."

"Of course. There is no excuse for falling behind," Vil insisted, tossing his blonde hair over one shoulder.

Crewel quirked a brow. "Not even being kidnapped? How strong-minded of you. I was surprised when you came to me asking to hit the ground running with makeup classes upon your return.”

He looked Vil up and down. “You remain put-together for someone who has gone through an event most would consider unsettling. Is it your PR training keeping you cool in the public eye?”

Vil folded his arms. "... If you're trying to be subtle with your worries, then you're doing a poor job of it, sensei.”

"And is there a problem with a teacher having concern for his student?”

“No, not at all.” A smirk flickered onto Vil’s lips. “Then shall we drop the pretenses? Though so bear in mind that I am under a strict NDA, so I can only divulge so many details.”

“Let’s,” Crewel agreed. “I presume you cannot share the bulk of your harrowing experience.”

Vil nodded. “But fortunately, I can tell about the worst of it… The atrocious lack of attention to self care!!”

“Our school uniforms were taken away and we were made to wear the same sterile grey uniforms every day. Threads as thin as hospital gowns, collared like misbehaved mongrels… Why, it was the worst injustice I faced in that facility.

“Not only that, but the air in the enclosure was stale and terribly drying.” Vil patted his cheek and shuddered at the memory. “It wreaked havoc on my skin.

“Worse still was that I was denied access to any skincare products and cosmetics! I was told that they were a safety hazard and to ‘rinse off with water and soap and go bare faced for a while, what are you aggro’ing about’!! Can you believe the GALL?! I was just about ready to let the staff have my wrath.”

Vil paused, taking a breath to calm himself. “… I was only saved thanks to a gaggle of nosy potatoes and a certain huntsman.”

“Speaking of, Hunt caused quite the stir at school when he vanished. Pomefiore was already suffering without its dorm leader and expected its vice dorm leader to step up fill that role in your stead… but with Hunt mysteriously gone, Pomefiore was without anyone in charge.”

“As I rightfully scolded him for.” Vil sighed deeply. "I was informed that Trein-sensei served as acting headmaster while the situation was unfolding. How did he address the issue of Pomefiore's missing leadership?"

"You're looking right at him," Crewel replied with a dry laugh. "I was called in to supervise the dormitory on top of my usual teaching duties. It seems the old man... excuse me, I mean my esteemed colleague, decided to put his faith in his favorite ex-troublemaker. Who was I to deny him?

"For the time Hunt and his rescue squad were away, I stayed at Pomefiore and kept watch over its students. What a mess—there are hardly time for my personal upkeep, nor a moment to steal away and seek the comfort of my beloved dogs... My clothes were horribly creased and my hair unkempt when the news first broke of your return.”

"What a harrowing tale of sacrifice. I apologize for the inconvenience my vice dorm leader imposed on you. He'll be getting another earful from me.”

“Hmph, no need. Though it was an inconvenience at the time, I am glad to see that you’ve come back to us safe snd sound. Perhaps it is not so bad for you pups to act selfishly every now and again.”

“Oh? Careful, Crewel-sensei. We may just take that as the green light to behave even more selfishly.”

“Then I will be there to keep you in line."

"Is that so? I'll be holding you accountable to that promise."

"And I'll be holding you accountable for your dorm's students," Crewel promised with the same ease as Vil.

There was a mutual understanding between them, the same spark set in their eyes. Teacher and student, fashionista and fashionista.

Together, they radiated an overwhelming aura.

[tanadrin]

Phrases like "shared history" and "common descent" smuggle in a lot of nationalist assumptions that I think are worth interrogating. Like, what makes a history shared? What defines the boundaries of a shared history? Can you really define a set of boundaries in the historical and genetic record that gets you anything that approximates, say, the modern nation of the French? We think of "Frenchness" as very intuitive because we have had two hundred years of nationalism treating nations as first-class concepts that need no excuse or justification, but this conception of nationhood has always been built on a mirage. Indeed, I think it's uncharacteristically stupid of someone like Bret Devereaux, who's usually pretty good at the hard-nosed material conditions side of history, to treat the idea of "common descent" as if it means anything, as if the mongrel children of the Gauls, Franks, Romans, Norse, Burgundians, Teutons, Occitanians, and so forth have ever constituted anything like a natural genetic or cultural clade.

And this is the problem with having to try to apply criteria to the concept of nation: the actual history, the thing you might reasonably base any criteria on, is irrelevant. It's mythos all the way down. The French are a nation because millions of people living there believe there exists something called the French nation, and they believe they are a part of it. That's all that's required!

[jeyuwuso]

Just realized I've never posted my very elaborate Always Sunny ACNH island on here

Description below the cut:

(Note: Harry, Jared, and Roy are OCs that I added to my island when I first started. I repurposed them for this theme)

Human Residents

Alli - Random Philadelphian

Jared - Matthew "Rickety Cricket" Mara

Harry - The Lawyer

Roy - Z

Villagers

Gruff - Duncan

Barold - Frank Reynolds

Gigi - Artemis Dubois

Quinn - Deandra "Sweet Dee" Reynolds

Raymond - Dennis Reynolds

Punchy - Charlie Kelly

Mac - Ronald "Mac" McDonald

Bea - The Waitress

Hazel - Margaret McPoyle

Shino - Carmen

Villager Homes

Gruff - Duncan's apartment

Barold - Under the bridge

Gigi - Love dungeon

Quinn - Dee's bedroom

Raymond - Dennis's bedroom

Punchy - The dump

Mac - Mac's bedroom

Bea - Coffee shop

Hazel - McPoyles' apartment

Shino - Honestly this one isn't from the show, it's just me self-indulgently giving Carmen a nice little house with her baby bc she deserves nice things

Labeled Map

Harry's home - Charlie's presentation (upstairs), fish factory (main room), lawyer's office (left), the tunnel under the Holiday Inn (right), Pop Pop's hospital room (back), Guigino's (basement)

Alli's home - Paddy's Pub. Includes: Bar (upstairs), Dayman production (main room), Charlie's bad room (left), bathroom (right), back room (back), basement (basement)

Roy's home - Frank and Charlie's apartment (upstairs), movie theater (main room), Family Fight (left), convenience store (right), public pool (basement) [back room unavailable]

Fallen piano and scratcher

Project Badass recording

Park

Eagles tryouts

McPoyle-Ponderosa wedding

Jersey Shore

Wrestling for the Troops

Fight Milk commercial taping

Invigaron presentation

Basketball court

Sting operation

Bus station

Range Rover

Boat

The castle and Frank's dinner

Cheese mongrel

The bog

Shelley Kelly

Woods

Abandoned pool

Paddy's Wagon

Italian market

The slopes

Train

"Staged" crash

Shipwreck

[yunaff05]

vultures. (prologue)

fanfic: a retelling of house targaryen and the dance of the dragons.

ever since princess rhaenyra targaryen, was named heir, the realm has never truly rested in peace. lords and ladies that surround the courts always going out of their way to poke the dragon that is house targaryen.

when rhaenyra targaryen and laenor velaryon married, it was meant to strengthen the two remaining houses of old valyria, too strengthen the realm, too show that "house targaryen's best years are ahead, not behind!" - the king viserys' own words.

the marriage had seemed successful when rhaenyra gave birth to her first born child. valaena velaryon. according to maesters' records, the princess' birth was premature. yet she came out perfect. born without any deformities but rather silver hair, lilac eyes, a healthy heartbeat and a beautiful face blessed by the seven.

the ideal valyrian princess.

though, being the first born child of the future heir of the iron throne comes with the heavy weight of the crown and duty placed upon their head. a crown they have to bear before they are even able to open their eyes to understand the world they'll one day have to rule.

sooner than later, the princess rhaenyra gave birth to another child. a son, jacaerys velaryon. healthy, but this child was born with brown hair and eyes. conflict and rumours spreading like wildfire about such a coincidence.

the king himself responding by saying it was "due to the baratheon blood" that is in the family from their grandmother, princess rhaenys. daughter of aemon targaryen and jocelyn baratheon.

then another brown haired babe was born, another son. and brother for valaena and jacaerys. the prince being named lucerys. his birth should've been congratulated by the lords and ladies of the realm, but instead only fueled the rumors that started to fester like weeds around the red keep.

accusations of such saying princess rhaenyra was mothering bastards that were not laenor's own sons. illegitimate and mongrels.

rumours only silencing when king viserys threatened that if he found who'd be spreading or repeating such treasons shall get hung on the walls of the keep.

valaena could often be found at the foot of the lone weir wood tree of kings landing. if people were searching for her, they'd know to search this place first.

she found peace and solace under the red leaves that fell onto the green grass below, littering the green to be covered red.

resting her head against the white trunk, she closes her eyes and tilts her head up. thinking about the events that happened earlier that begin to flash through her mind unwantedly.

this evening was poor. having been forced by her mother to go to the dragon pit and join her two uncles and having to bring jacaerys and lucerys along made it even more annoying of a chore.

she never why she was forced to go to the dragon pit, not having a having a dragon herself made the dragonpit empty in her perspective. aegon did, jacaerys and lucerys did too. maybe that's why aemond and valaena often confided in each other.

complaing about the teasing we received by his brothers and her own. sitting under this exact weir wood tree, wishing for one day that we could fly in the clouds.

an odd bond the two created on the mutual understanding of one another.

watching her uncle and brothers flaunt their dragons and tease aemond and valaena. no matter how many times valaena told her mother rhaenyra, the boys would still eagerly agree to be aegon's playthings just to mess with.

as her hands fist her dress of feelings of anger and injustice being brought to the surface, she is snapped out of her head as the crunchy sounds of footsteps are approaching her.

opening her lilac eyes to first see the red leaves against the blue skies to tilt her head down and look straightforward. being greeted with the familiar face of one of her mothers loyal handmaidens.

before valaena could ask what she wants, the handmaiden bows her head and eagerly speaks in a hurry.

"my princess, your mother has begun her labours."

[doomedandstoned]

RUFF MAJIK’s ‘Elektrik Ram’ Full Review + Interview

~By Billy Goate~

Artwork by Anni Bouchner

'Elektrik Ram' (2023), the latest spin by RUFF MAJIK, is a quintessential rock 'n' roll album. The motley collection of tracks has an Adams Family feel, grabbing your attention straight away with the snaggle-toothed "Hillbilly Fight Song." A rude, jangly welcome to the world of rehab and mental health, when COVID-19 stalked the world, keeping us fearfully isolated in our desolate rooms, going out of our everloving minds.

On his path to freedom from the clutches of chemical addiction, Johni Holiday encountered a host of strange, alluring, and belligerent characters. The songs act as "sketches of the many faces he saw inside the white walls of the hospital." No surprise, then, that the first one is brash and in your face. "Shut your mouth, you'll catch a fly," a most disagreeable fellow warns, insisting that you "sit down before you bleed." His vocals, cast in the tradition of Axl Rose (Guns N' Roses) and Dan McCafferty (Nazareth), snivel and snarl with the portrait of a man you better not cross.

"She's Still A Goth" is an effective, up-tempo ride through the night. In my recent interview with Johni Holiday (which follows below), I asked him if this was a person he met in his recovery. He said it was emblematic of his wife, who has been a continual support and encouragement during the long, slow road to wellness.

"Mourning Wood" slows the pace for a doleful, introspective mood. Things pick right back up, though, with the footloose "Rave to the Grave,". The Monster Mash vibe really pops alive, thanks to spooky touches from an '80s-style synth. I was ready for a beach party after this one. Ooo-weeee-ooo-ooooo.

The great thing about Ruff Majik is just how they joyfully borrow from different rock and metal traditions, stick 'em in a blender, and make due with the pieces, like a Salvador Dalí canvas. "Delirium Tremors" is such an example, a wide-ranging cartoonish soundscape that teeters on the edge of sanity (as we'd expect from someone going through actual DTs).

"Cement Brain" brings us back into the warm, swampy southern-stoner territory that Ruff Majik is known for, here utilizing a trip-hop beat that is so welcoming to the ears. The keyboard accents work quite well, but it's those gorgeous twin guitar harmonies that really get to me, especially following this impassioned plea: Please don't let me go back again. Don't let me fall off the fucking wagon.

Title track "Elektrik Ram" has one of those take the money and run kind of rhythms, not unlike "Dread Breath" from 'Tårn' (2019) -- one of my top Ruff Majik tracks. While the band provides an underlying sense of agitation, the lyrics are drenched in despair and regret:

I used to be a blue eyed boy I used to be so full of joy Now I'm a cog in the machine A random access memory Just a counterfeit of me And I've got nothing to give

A number of the tracks are prefaced by the sardonic wit of horror actor Vincent Price. This works especially well in the case of "Queen of the Gorgons," which plays out like an ultimate tribute to those classic monster movies. It's a great song, too -- one of the standouts of the album, joining "She's Still A Goth" (both inspired by Johni's wife and Ruff Majik album artist Anni Bouchner). Let's pause to respect that two of the record's most successful tracks were inspired by love.

"A Song About Drugs (with a Clever Title)" is a weird, quirky, lopsided march that one might expect to hear in some dimly lit cantina in a galaxy far, far away. The shortest of the 11 tracks, I'd love to hear Ruff Majik do more in this vein. Meanwhile, "Shangrilah Inc" is a soulful, slow blues number where Johni's grimacing vocals really show us what they can do. Lyrically, the song may be a dig at the commercial industry that's grown up around Mental Health.

The last track, "Chemically Humanized" is the longest and most remarkable track on the record, thoughtfully choreographed from beginning to end. There are some interesting literary references in the lyrics, as well. I tried to steal the Devil's note -- a reference to the dreaded tritone, once feared to drive people mad. I even borrowed David's chord, by contrast, draws upon the story of David in the Bible, whose harp playing was legendary for driving away King Saul's evil spirits. Our protagonist laments that none of these things -- not even a seance and crystal ball -- could relieve his tormented state. "I wish I was dead," he confesses, "I'm a ghost after all."

Quirky and enigmatic, Elektrik Ram showcases Ruff Majik at an exciting stage of creativity. Because of its thematic nature, the album begs to be considered not on the first track or even the singles, but as a collection united by an overarching theme.

Ruff Majik's new album is out now in digital and vinyl formats via Mongrel Records (get it here). Stick it on a playlist with Queens of the Stone Age, The Heavy Eyes, and The Tazers.

Give ear...

Elektrik Ram by Ruff Majik

Interview with Johni Holiday from Ruff Majik

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[gbhbl]

Crash and The Void Unleashes Powerful New Single and Video “Shadow Fiend” via Mongrel Records

Alternative cosmic rock band Crash and The Void is set to make waves in the music scene with the release of their latest single and accompanying video, Shadow Fiend.

Alternative cosmic rock band Crash and The Void is set to make waves in the music scene with the release of their latest single and accompanying video, Shadow Fiend. The band, known for their innovative sound and thought-provoking lyrics, is excited to unveil this transformative piece through Mongrel Records. The track delves into the psychological concept of “the shadow self,” a theme rooted in…

[makoto-shizumu]

A Long Rant About the 2024 Olympics Boxing Gender Row

Disclaimer: DO NOT REPOST. This post contains personal opinions and information gathered over the past week concerning female boxers and Olympic finalists 🇩🇿 Imane Khelif (left) and 🇹🇼 Lin Yu-Ting (right), as well as their opponents. You are welcome to share your thoughts, but if you come to me with hate or an attempt to convince me they are men through claims such as that of XY chromosomes (which have never been proven, mind you), especially if you or your source(s) cite the corrupt, biased and discredited International Boxing Association (IBA), will be blocked and have your comment(s) deleted. If proper fact-checking is too much work for you, I suggest you save your energy and block me instead. On the other hand, if there are relevant updates or information that I may have missed, do let me know in the comments, and I will edit this post accordingly. Lastly, I do not condone the harassment of any of the individuals involved - that time is better spent on more valuable causes such as 🇵🇸 helping Palestinians, 🏳️‍⚧️ supporting trans people, and calling for the rearrest of convicted child rapist Steven van de Velde. Thank you for reading.

Angela Carini is not a hero.

We all know Carini abandoned her match not even a minute in and complained about being “punched too hard” by Khelif - who made the women’s lightweight quarterfinals in Tokyo. The cop competed in the welterweight division and lost her opening bout 2-3 to 🇹🇼 Chen Nien-Chin (who will join Khelif on the Olympic podium, fuck yeah).

Carini’s involvement has gradually garnered less attention since her apology, but she will have a long way to go before she can be forgiven, especially by Khelif. An Italian posted and translated her deleted tweet before the infamous 46-second bout clearly alluding to Khelif as a man, and Algérié Football Média recently released a recording of Khelif, where she explains how Carini’s club and the Italian media took advantage of her.

What’s worse, the IBA decided to offer Carini a hundred grand as a “consolation prize.” At least this time the Italian federation values their dignity more and refused the money.

Luca Hámori is not a hero.

Remember the Instagram story reshares that she had to take down? Besides the bull-headed giant, Hámori reshared another which called Khelif a korcsot - a dehumanizing Hungarian slur which Google interprets as “monster” or “freak,” but more accurately translates to “mongrel.”

Hámori entered the ring expecting to walk out as a “savior,” but it was Khelif who turned out to be the bigger person that day. Upon her victory, Khelif called out the IBA for their abuse towards her, but she fights on because of her faith in justice.

Svetlana Staneva is NOT A FUCKING HERO. Neither is her equally ill-informed coach, Borislav Georgiev.

This case makes me especially furious not just because I’m also a Taiwanese woman like Lin Yu-Ting, but also the abysmal immaturity of 34-year-old Staneva, THE SECOND OLDEST BOXER IN THE FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION. Even Hámori has shown more decency in the ring, and she’s eleven years younger!

If you, like me, have watched their full match, you should acknowledge that Yu-Ting was undoubtedly the better boxer that day - same case in her RO16 bout against Sitora Turdibekova.

On the other hand, you’ll see that Staneva doesn’t need “protecting,” considering she literally held Yu-Ting by the head and SLUNG HER ACROSS THE RING (around 3:25-3:30). I’m sorry, Staneva, did you ever realize the audience was there to watch boxing and not wrestling?! And she calls herself a “proud XX woman.” Our commentators did not witness that gesture, but if they did I trust they would’ve been fuming as much as I have the past few days.

If she truly were a proud woman, she would not play dirty the entire time, then give up five seconds before the final bell. Look me straight in the eyes and tell me that you would want to be represented by such behavior. I feel sorry for the Bulgarians and her other supporters who had to witness such a shameful performance.

Oh, one more thing… Guess who the IBA gave a bronze medal in the 2023 World Championships after disqualifying Yu-Ting?

That’s right, it was Staneva. No wonder her coach was willing to give up all professionalism and pander to the IBA’s lies. And look what that got them - now they’re not allowed anywhere near the Olympic podium! This could be unlikely, but let’s hope they are punished by the IOC and/or any relevant departments back in Bulgaria.

(I’m not going on Twitter for a better resolution of this photo. This one fries my eyes enough.)

Esra Yıldız Kahraman is not a hero.

I am at a loss of words.

What the actual fuck, Kahraman. We thought you were better than this.

I will only say this once. DO NOT confuse bad sportsmanship, disinformation, transphobia, (inter)sexism, and racism with “defending women’s sports.”

Reducing womanhood to chromosomes, genitalia, physical appearance, and/or some other bullshit is the most despicable and disgusting thing to come out of such hatred, and I will die on this hill. And gender tests? They were abolished due to their ineffectiveness at identifying maleness after Atlanta 1996, but the IBA won’t admit it. And considering their latest mess of a press conference, they would rather stay relevant with empty claims and unnecessary threats. Stop giving them the time of day! Listen to the podcast Tested instead for more info on this matter.

Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting did not make the podium in Tokyo, but they will both leave Paris with their heads high up and medals hanging down their necks - all the while the likes of “fEmInIsTs” and bigots such as J.K. Rowling, Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and Logan Paul can only COPE AND SEETHE. Their victory is a victory for women, a victory for Algeria, a victory for Taiwan, and a victory for the boxing world that I never thought I’d care so much about.

I’m counting on Khelif and Yu-Ting to win gold and dunk on all the haters all over again. But respect to every other medalist in the welterweight tournament for being great sports - 🇨🇳 Yang Liu, 🇹🇭 Janjaem Suwannapheng, and our dearest Nien-Chin. You all deserve the podium! 💖💖💖

[theshitpostcalligrapher]

"come hither and speak that, thou saucy mongrel."

this a quote?

Askbox is closed for new requests, I'm recording these old ones on the to-write document

[sleuth-draws]

LOVESICK (part 1) - Wanna Fight, Princess? next >

Though it takes months upon months, Vitani and Kiara become quite close. 

Once the Outlanders had settled in the Pridelands, Vitani had initially been standoffish, preferring to either stick close to her former squadron or patrol the borders of the Pridelands by herself. Loathe as she was to keep away from her brother -- her only family now -- being around the royal family caused her hackles to raise involuntarily. It did nothing to quell King Simba’s leftover anxieties over how trustworthy the daughter of his enemy was but she needed time, they all knew; to spend your life as a pawn to a warmonger, preparing to overthrow a kingdom, and then end up making peace and living in said kingdom is no easy task.

It all changed with the concern of who would fill the position of Lion Guard in Kion's stead. All the creatures of the Pridelands were called to the Rock to seek council and discuss. It was an open forum and anyone was allowed to offer their suggestions. As King Simba would mention in his preamble to the meeting, his father would hold meetings like this so the lower subjects would not feel alienated in his reign.

Like clockwork, they gathered in the center of the plain, the royal family lying upon a flat rock, lions of their court around them, the elephants in the back and allowing smaller creatures to rest upon them, baboons and their babies nestled into trees alongside giraffes. The buffalo rest by the watering hole, the hippos poking their heads over the water’s surface, keeping cool as they listen, and the zebra and antelope graze all the while.

Vitani had never seen so much prey in one place, but contrary to seemingly popular belief, she’s no mongrel. She chose to linger in the back, feeling out of place in the communal crowd and hardly listening to them all babble on and on.

It was only when Kiara spoke up that her attention was caught. "What about Vitani?"

Creatures of all sizes turned towards her. Vitani, startled, bared her teeth out of instinct. "What about me?"

The prey around her trembled at her hostile response, but Kiara was unphased; in fact, she smiled. "Well, I figure if there's anyone who's up to protecting the Pridelands, it'd be you. I always see you out there diligently patrolling the border."

The Pridelanders couldn't help but agree. While initially stubbornly reluctant to fill such a highly spoken-of position, even Vitani had to admit: being the Pridelands' protector gave her something to do that felt satisfyingly familiar. 

King Simba, placing an overwhelming amount of trust in his daughter, gave his blessing in the decision; the job was hers from then on, but she couldn’t do it alone. Her Guard needed the strongest, fastest, bravest, and keenest-of-sight she could find and there was no group better equipped for these positions as her old squadron.

They all took to it quite quickly. It seems they were feeling similarly out of place in the aftermath of the war. Imara, with her newfound strength from her weight gain after finally finding sufficient food, impressed the Pridelanders with her ability to carry so many of them out of harm’s way. Kasi, eager to use her skills from her days as the team’s scout, rivaled Fuli, her predecessor, in her record speeds to relay information between trouble and the Guard. Shabaha found the life of a simple subject to be rather boring and was at last able to achieve the thrills she’d missed from her days in the Outlands. And Tazama, once trained to be an observant lookout, felt satisfaction in her usefulness to the kingdom, in a way that was far less murderous and risky.

They already had the advantage of knowing how to work as a unified team. As the Guard, they prospered far more than before.

And so, slowly, Vitani began to open up more. Protecting the lands put her in everyone's good graces; she was no longer a soldier, but a guardian.

This also meant reporting closely to Kiara. King Simba was emboldened from his daughter’s vouching of Vitani and placed her in charge of the Guard’s operations. The princess, strange creature that she is, seemed more than happy to have a way to keep in contact with Vitani, even to the point of becoming… friends . 

Vitani had always found her to be odd. Pretty. But odd. Before she’d assumed Kiara was a ditz, just a royal with shit for brains who understood nothing of life’s realities and was easy enough to trick into being a cog in her mother’s plan; but when she and Kovu ended the war by force, all her assumptions were dashed instantly.

She leaned into it. Kiara was kind. Though the royal family might have given her the creeps sometimes, Vitani had no reason to think she held any animosity toward her, especially Kovu at her side.

As their relationship slowly transitioned from friendly at work to friends before and after work, it was strangely easy to lie in the sun with her, chat about their days, and even groom one another, just as the other lions do.

Which leads them to now.

As per usual after the day’s work is done, the pair of them are stretched out together on a grassy strip and enjoying the warm sunset. Conversation had metered out into content silent.

Beyond comfortable in the dirt, her arms and paws satisfyingly sore from evening patrol, Vitani can’t help but linger on the fact that she no longer feels the anxiety she used to feel in the Pridelands. Things changed entirely without her even realizing.

Vitani asks, "Hey. Can I ask you something?"

Kiara looks over and gave that bright, playful smile of hers. "You just did."

"Aw, shut up."

Kiara giggles. Vitani can't help but crack her own grin. "Sorry, sorry. Go ahead."

“You remember the council meeting from a couple seasons ago? The one where they were discussing who’d lead the Lion Guard.”

“Yeah?”

“Why’d you vouch for me then?”

Surprised for a moment, Kiara quickly sobers and sits up from her supine position. "Oh. Well...I mean, I meant what I said. There's really no one I could think of that'd be better for the job than you."

"But we didn't know each other then. Not like now." The princess has a way with getting people to open up to her.

"True, but Kovu had told me a lot about you."

Kovu. Right. Vitani's throat tightens for a reason unknown to her.

Kiara continues, eyes searching Vitani's, "He's told me about how strong you are and how you took care of him when no one else could. You were at the forefront of Zira's army."

Vitani breaks eye contact to swipe at some pebbles in front of her. "Ain't exactly a good thing, Princess."

"What I mean is, you're experienced in both leading a group and extending that paw of guardianship.”

Vitani grumbles, brushing off the accolade. She shouldn’t have asked. 

Kiara examines her for longer before smiling a tad cheekily. 

“You wanna know something? You act all cool and tough and mysterious, but at this point, I think I've got you pegged, Vitani."

Vitani raises a brow, something of a thrill rolling over the fur on her back. "Oh, you do , do you?"

Kiara leans in, smiling. "Yeah. Despite it all, you're a big softie ."

It's enough to throw Vitani into a fit of laughter. She shoves Kiara's shoulder. "Oh, fuck you!"

Kiara shoves back. "It's true! You're a lion on the outside, but, like, a bunny on the inside!"

"You take that back!" Vitani pounces and Kiara receives her readily. The two wrestle in the dirt, laughing and kicking up grass. Kiara is not the little lioness she was at the time of the war. She's bulked up significantly since then, with her training to ascend to the crown continuing where it had left off. Vitani has to admit; she's rather impressed by her progress. She herself has started to fill out with her newfound and ever-replenishing food source here in the Pridelands, but Kiara was truly something to marvel at in terms of physique goals.

Eventually, Vitani breaks free, panting, "Damn, I guess the termite's been teaching you well!"

Kiara glared playfully. "Oh, none of that was Kovu; my mom taught me those moves!"

"Oh, yeah?" Vitani rolled her shoulders in anticipation and crouched readily, "Well, now I'm interested. Show me some of those moves you learned from your mommy ; I want a good fight outta you, Princess!"

Kiara readies herself, almost perfectly mirroring Vitani. "Bring it on!"

With that, the two leapt at one another.

[madsmilfelsen]

Hello! I'm really curious, what books/authors would you recommend to someone who's new to writing horror?

Hi! Here is what I have on hand (minus my loaned out copies of my favorite book ever Mongrels by Stephen Graham Jones and Never Whistle At Night: an indigenous anthology of dark fiction which made me cry on an airplane and made the person next to me very uncomfortable, like she was just trying to build a cart at banana republic, apologies to seat 17B)

God’s Cruel Joke Lit Mag because I’m in them and will be in issue 4, too :) published either mid-January or February 2024– @labyrinthphanlivingafacade is in issue 3 with a great short story that I won’t spoil ***right now the magazines are available to purchase in physical copies but I was told all issues will be free to download as pdfs pretty soon!

Severance by Ling Ma (body horror but not in the way you think, the real horror is repetition and loneliness)

Wilder Girls by Rory Power (body horror)

The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis (adjacent the horror genre but a hell of a read)

ANYTHING BY STEPHAN GRAHAM JONES ANYTHING

We Have Always Lived in a Castle by Shirely Jackson (I read this for the first time last spring boy howdy, I also included The Lottery for its suspense)

Dean Koontz because my husband suggested it for the list— this was just the first title I grabbed, I think he said Patrician Crowell too but I was busy looking for Mongrels

A Good and Happy Child by Justin Evans (I didn’t finish this because depression set in shortly after I started but the first chapter plays with second pov which I really liked, I’m determined to read it this year)

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (I really enjoyed HBO’s adaptation)

The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R. Carey (likely the only zombie stories that made me weep uncontrollably)

Girls & Sex by Peggy Orenstein (non-fiction: explores modern young women navigating sexuality and because I have a thing for loss of autonomy— it’s been a few years since I read it but there is discussion of sexual assault, but I appreciate the expanse of her research and even included a conversation with someone who is asexual)

Black Leopard Red Wolf by Marlon James (got a chill just typing this out— the audio book is exquisite)

You’ll notice some nonfiction because, as a historian undergrad, nothing scares me more than man. The battles of Leningrad and Stalingrad are particularly stomach churning. America’s Reconstruction Era is full of acted out malice and under taught in my opinion.

An Indigenous People’s History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

The 900 Days, The Siege of Leningrad by Harrison E. Salisbury

Enemy at the Gates by William Craig

(On the other side of WW2 I have a book of the experiences of German solider’s left over from a paper I wrote on the inadequacy of Nazi uniforms and how it expedited their failure in Russia, Frontsoldaten by Stephen G. Fritz)

Stony the Road by Henry Louis Gates, Jr (one of my favorite authors, try finding “How Reconstruction Still Shapes American Racism” Time Magazine, April 2, 2019, I used it as a source for a paper on the history of voting rights)

Bloodstoppers and Bearwalkers— folk tales of Canadians, Lumberjacks & Indians by Richard M. Dorson (published around 1952 but content collected from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the 40’s)

Raven Tells Stories: An Anthology of Alaskan Native Writing (I’m Alutiiq and the museum on Kodiak has a lot of stories recorded under Alutiiq Museum Podcast— my kids and I listen on Spotify)

I think the genre of horror is really mastering tension and playing on peoples fears which is why I included old school folk stories (An Underground Education had a great write up on the Grimm Brothers and the original fairy tales from around the world such as the Chinese and Egyptian Cinderella, as well as several different sections of funny tales, torture techniques, absolute weirdos etc etc) in this vein of thought The Uses of Enchanment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales by Bruno Bettelheim could prove to be useful

If you’re writing a character with Bad Parents— Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents and Toxic Parents (it has a longer subtitle but I don’t see my copy anywhere) might be able to help you shape character traits

I reached out to @littleredwritingcat who has a mind plentiful in sources who recommended

The Gathering Dark: an anthology of folk horror (I will be picking this one up asap)

Toll by Cherie Priest (southern gothic)

Anything by Jennifer MacMahon

The Elementals by Michael McDowell