Movies, Music, and More

Since 2003, Phil Sgrosso has been a very busy man. Not only is he the chief songwriter for Grammy-nominated metal giants As I Lay Dying, he also serves as a guitarist in such varied bands as Saosin, Author & Punisher, Wovenwar, and Poison Headache. He's proven his talent many times over crossing genres back and forth while contributing what is necessary to make each band shine in their own right. His latest endeavor is a solo project in which he in control of everything - from the guitars to the drums to the electronic elements.

I've had the pleasure of knowing Phil since his addition to As I Lay Dying back in 2003. We don't get to talk too often - mainly just when he's in town on tour. I was very excited to get to sit down and talk with him about his new project Apathian and everything else he's up to these days.

Tune in and listen to us chat about mainly music, some movies, and other things like who his favorite superhero is. He also talks about what's going on with As I Lay Dying and picking up the guitar for the band he's been managing for a few years - Author & Punisher.

For more info on Phil and his music, please visit www.philsgrosso.com.

To get more entertainment news, go to www.moviesmusicmore.com.

When most people think about bass players and The Sex Pistols, their minds immediately gravitate to Sid Vicious. Well, they shouldn't. MANY years before and MANY years after Sid had come and gone, Glen Matlock handled the bottom-end for the British punk innovators. He was a founding member of the band and re-joined them for several reunions starting in 1996.

The big hits The Sex Pistols are known for? Yeah, those were co-written by Matlock well before Vicious picked up the bass. As a matter of fact, out of the 12 tracks embodying the band's only true album, "Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols," 10 of those are credited as co-written by Matlock.

After his stint in The Sex Pistols, Matlock moved on to play with many well-known artists that have made a lasting impact on rock history. Some of those include Iggy Pop and The Damned. He also played in supergroups with members of The Clash, Generation X, The Alarm, New York Dolls, and Spandau Ballet. Glen even played in a band WITH Sid Vicious after the demise of The Sex Pistols.

Matlock has went on to have a successful and fullfilling solo career and also partners up with different acquaintances as time and pandemics allow. His latest pairing is with guitarist Earl Slick. For those who don't know, Slick is known for performing with big names like David Bowie, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Robert Smith, John Waite, Tim Curry, and David Coverdale. He also has several of his own solo recordings.

The limited-edition 7-inch record Slick and Matlock just released contains 2 tracks and is available in orange and black vinyl through Bandcamp. The songs include an original acoustic version of a tune off Glen's upcoming album entitled "Consequences Coming." The other treat is a cover of K.D. Lang's "Constant Craving."

I had the delightful opportunity to sit down with Glen Matlock and talk about how he's spent the pandemic, what he's up to, a VERY tiny bit about The Sex Pistols, hanging out with his neighbor Paul Weller, and his plans for the future. I failed to mention, we also talked about movies, music, and more. Sit down and enjoy this great chat with a true legend of rock and roll history.

For more information on Glen, visit his official website at www.glenmatlock.co.uk.

MrENC is the passion project of Eric Collins of Lakeland, FL. Collins has a long history in the indie rock scene. He formed MrENC after having played with Dennison Marrs, The Party People, and The Dark Romantics. Originally started as a solo project, Eric recruited his brother-in-law Dean Lorenz to collaborate on the newest album "We Do Our Own Thing." The EP was recently released through Velvet Blue Music and will definitely appeal to fans of Starflyer 59 and Hum, as well as 1980's legends Ultra Vivid Scene and The Jesus and Mary Chain.

I had a chance to sit down with Eric for an in-depth chat about what you would expect us to ramble on about. We talk about his musical influences and loves, favorite movies and TV shows, and what comic book character he prefers. His faith and how it affects his life also was talked about along with some other subjects. If you love getting personal, then you'll really enjoy this conversation with Eric Collins of MrENC.

For more information on MrENC, please go to www.facebook.com/mrencmusic.

Please visit www.moviesmusicmore.com for your entertainment news.

It's not too ften that you hear of someone who finally realized their childhood dream as an adult. That's exactly what is about to happen to Seth Metoyer. From the age of 14, Seth and his buddy have been putting together Mangled Carpenter. "Why did it take so long?" you ask. Well, as a grownup now with a family and other responsibilities, life tends to happen.

Mangled Carpenter's upcoming full length, "Under the Shadow," is the result of years of fine-tuning a blend of everything Seth wanted to hear in an extreme metal album growing up as a Christian kid with a taste for bands like Living Sacrifice, Vengeance Rising, Tourniquet, Deliverance, Mortification, and many other groups who laid the foundations for what modern faith-based hardcore and thrash has morphed into. He was so influenced by these artists that he actually moved out to California to live at Sanctuary Church, which birthed and fostered many of those early artists.

What you get when listening to Mangled Carpenter veers off from the typical "djent" metalcore and deathcore we've all become so accustomed to these days. Metoyer unleashed his inner beast in the guise of grind and death metal that we don't get much of anymore from bands who are openly Christian. Just don't expect the norm when slapping on Mangled Carpenter's first couple singles.
I had a chance to sit down with Seth Metoyer and talk about Mangled Carpenter and what he's all about. Of course we talk about movies, music, and more. We chat a bit about Metoyer's background, his favorite movies and TV shows, how he grew up, and other interesting aspects of Seth's life. Sit back and get acquainted with Mangled Carpenter and Seth Metoyer.

Also, be sure and stick around after the interview for a sneak peek at Mangled Carpenter's new single "The Hanging of Judas." The track is just a small taste of what to anticipate from their debut full length, "Under the Shadow," which is coming out through Hagah Recordings soon. Seth offers some commentary on the song before it crushes your ears.

*Editor's Note: The audio drops out between 14:50 and 15:08. Sorry about that. Just wanted to give you all a warning.

For more info on the band, go tohttps://www.facebook.com/mangledcarpenter.

To get more news, reviews, and interviews like this on a daily basis, be sure to visit www.moviesmusicmore.com.

If you grew up on a steady diet of Christian alternative, punk, and metal in the late 1980's and early 1990's, there's no way you could have avoided hearing about Scaterd Few. Scaterd Few was quite possibly the most controversial band coming out of the Christian music industry at that time. From their outward appearance and the way they sounded to the things they sang about and the rumors of "questionable" behavior at festivals and concerts, they made a lasting impact on angst-ridden and rebellious kids like me who always liked to push the envelope of what it meant to be an "acceptable" Christian teen.

Vocalist and songwriter Allan Aguirre was the face everyone associated with Scaterd Few. Much like KISS has Gene Simmons with his Demon makeup and fire-breathing, Scaterd Few had Aguirre screaming and wailing about drive-by shootings, drug use, killing your flesh, and other "taboo" subjects CCM artists were too scared to talk about in front of a safe youth group crowd. From the dreads on top of his head to the lipstick and makeup on his eyebrow-less face, Aguirre set the precedent for what was to become the norm in the underground Christian music scene.

Fast-forward some thirty years and Aguirre is now the overseer of Chameleon Church, which he describes as "a gathering of non-denominational / Spirit-filled Believers of the Way established in the scriptural roots of the faith." He is also the author of three books centered on spirituality and the Owner / Director of Operations for a publishing and clothing company. Let's not forget to mention he is planning to work on some new music soon.
Needless, to say, there was plenty to talk to Allan about when I sat down with him for this interview. We chatted a little bit about "Music" before diving heavily into the "More" category of the website's name. To lighten the mood, we did talk superheroes and "Movies" as well.

Jump right into one of my favorite conversations I've had with anyone and get ready to have your beliefs and faith challenged. Let's just say Allan Aguirre definitely doesn't swim with the current. Did I mention he is one of the most sincere and dedicated men I've ever come in contact with. Oh yeah, and a childhood musical hero to me as well. I probably didn't have to say that, though.

For more info on Allan Aguirre and what he's up to, check out his Facebook.

Please visit www.moviesmusicmore.com for more cool news, features and interviews like this.

Drummer Rickard Gustafsson (also from Crimson Moonlight) and Singer Karl Walfridsson from Sweden's Pantokrator sat down with me recently to discuss movies, music, and more. We chat about where they live in Sweden, how the band got together, and what they're all about. They also talk about their favorite superheroes, TV shows, and movies. If you're not familiar, Pantokrator plays a ferocious brand of metal that combines the elements of death, doom, black, and thrash into their own vicious extreme music monster. The band just released a new single entitled "We The People" off their upcoming album "Marching Into Babylon." The full-length will be out on January 29, 2021.
You can get more info on Pantokrator at https://www.facebook.com/Pantokrator .
Pre-orders are open on digital at Bandcamp and physical at www.nordicmission.net !

After a couple of months off, we're back with our first interview of 2021. Lazarus Complex play an explosive combination of death metal and hardcore that even goes as far as peppering in some progressive metal influences to keep things fresh. The band is made up vocalist / lyricist / bassist Jake Schultheis and guitarist / drummer / bassist Joe Murphy and our based out of Massachusetts and New Jersey.

Their latest single, "The Redeemer," caught my attention after I noticed Jason Wisdom of Death Therapy and Becoming the Archetype did guest vocals for the track. Being a big fan of Jason and his bands, I gave the song a listen and discovered there was more to this duo than just a special guest vocalist. They deliver a bludgeoning dose of extreme metal that fans of Impending Doom, early Embodyment, Whitechapel, and Thy Art is Murder will immediately latch on to.

I had the opportunity to chat with both Jake and Joe from Lazarus Complex recently. Guess what we talked about? If you said movies, music, and more, then you would be correct. Who are there favorite music artists? What superheroes excite and inspire them? These questions and more are answered in the interview.

You can get more info about Lazarus Complex on their official Facebook page.

Be sure to visit www.moviesmusicmore.com for the latest entertainment news.

When I was a kid, I would go to my father's house in the summers and stay up late at night catching up on all the horror and sci-fi movies I missed out on during the year. My mother, who I lived with in Texas, never let me watch them because they were inappropriate. HBO and Cinemax were my main late-night vehicles for feeding my love of monsters, maniacs, and things that go bump in the night. I would watch and re-watch movies like "Fright Night," "Trick or Treat," "The Fog," "The Gate," and anything else of that nature I could get a hold of.
Director and co-writer Sylas Dall's impressive independent supernatural thriller "They Reach" would fit perfectly into my late-night horror fiestas. You take elements of 1980s and 1990s films like "The Gate" "It," "The Monster Squad," and "Trick or Treat." Throw in some "Stranger Things" to appeal to a newer audience. Add the touch of a possessed item, such as the record in "Trick or Treat" or the tape recorder in "The Evil Dead." Top it all off with a pinch of nostalgic coming-of-age movies like "Stand By Me" and "Now and Then." You have the perfect recipe for a bloody splatterfest that will thrill both teen and adult viewers.
I had the opportunity to talk with Director, Producer / Co-writer Sylas Dall, Producer / Co-writer / Actor Bry Troyer, and Lead Actor Mary Madaline Roe a few days before the release of "They Reach." It was a pleasure to go behind the scenes and learn about the process of making the movie from the cast and crew who brought it to life. All three were very warm and shared their personal experiences creating this enjoyable fright flick.
Aside from getting their onset stories, we also delved into the subjects my interviews have become known for. The discussion eventually makes its way into areas like superheroes, religion, and other such topics. Tune in to hear what Dall, Troyer, and Roe had to say about movies, music, and more.
For more information on "They Reach," go to https://www.facebook.com/horrorfilmtheyreach.
"They Reach" is available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Platforms.

Horror punk is a pretty small niche in an otherwise broad genre of music. You can probably count the bands known for the particular style on both hands. You have The Misfits, The Damned, TSOL, The Cramps, The Undead, and a few others.

In the Christian music scene, there are even less horror punk bands. I know what you're thinking. "Christian horror punk? Isn't that an oxymoron?" Not really, if you think about it. What better medium is there to tackle subjects such as death, the afterlife, and spiritual warfare against the powers of darkness and evil? Honestly, it makes perfect sense to me.

Cast the Dragon joins a small group of believers who choose to delve into the world of horror punk. While they don't take on personas like their contemporaries Grave Robber or the late great Blaster the Rocketman and The Deadlines, their blend of frenetic punk, spooky keyboards, and crooning vocals are perfectly at home next to those bands.

Joshua Lory is the mastermind behind Cast the Dragon. Having played bass for the legendary goth / rock outfit LS Underground, Michael Knott, and dozens of others California punk bands throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Lory decided it was time to do things his own way musically. Although he handles the main duties of vocalist, guitarist, and bass, he has assembled a backup band who I struggle to even refer to as such. Veteran drummer Jim Chaffin (The Crucified, The Blamed) and keyboardist Skot Shaw (Leper) round out the lineup on the debut album "Annihilate the Adversary."

I had the opportunity to chat with Joshua about horror punk, religion, superheroes, the new album, and a bunch of other stuff... like movies and TV. We tend to ramble around a bit. If you are a regular, then you know that's how we roll around here. Jump into this interview and get to know the man behind your new favorite punk band, Cast the Dragon.

You can get more info on the band at https://www.facebook.com/castthedragon.

Horror punk and rock isn't a subgenre that gets much attention in the world of Christian music. When a band playing this style does comes about, it sticks out like a sore thumb. How can lyrics about vampires, werewolves, demons, and other monsters be used to push the message of the Bible?

Vocalist Wretched of Fort Wayne, Indiana's Grave Robber is here to explain it all to you. Playing a blend of punk and metal that brings to mind bands like The Misfits, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, and even Gwar, these guys are here to spread the message of the Re-Animator (ie. Christ) through their own brand of holy terror. I talked and Wretched growled and hissed through some questions about horror, religion, movies, music, and more. Enjoy and Happy Halloween.

For more info on Grave Robber, check out https://www.facebook.com/Graverobberpunk2.