Categories
Film Reviews

Timber Falls

Ascendant Pictures
www.timberfallsmovie.com

Watching ‘Timber Falls‘ was like watching monkeys play chess; inane and a bit daft, but you can’t look away on the off chance something interesting might happen. Washington couple, Mike and Sheryl, have set out in to the wilderness of West Virginia. Ready to camp it up, they begin a hiking adventure with no real knowledge of the trails or the forest. Luckily for them they bump into a local woman who’s eager to help, and lend a bit of her local knowledge, she recommends Timber Falls, for its beauty and lack of people.

The local crazy lady was right, the views are breathtaking, however the tranquility quickly fades, when they’re caught off guard by some bored, yokel brothers who force the couple to buy some moonshine (Deliverance anyone?). Anyway when Mike wakes up the next morning to find Sheryl missing he quickly suspects the rifle-wielding brothers from the previous day. However, Mike is very wrong, and in his haste and panic stumbles into a bear trap, which is one of those good old fashion squeamishly grim moments where the sound of crunching bone is much worse than anything visual. Mike is rescued by the lady who they briefly met before (Ida). But all is not as it seems, when Mike discovers Sheryl at the same house. Ida and her husband, the park ranger, want a child but can’t conceive so have gone to the extreme length at abducting a young fertile couple to basically do it for them.

This film is scary because of it’s setting, the backwoods of America scare the bejesus out of me, and if you’ve seen “Deliverance” or the X-Files episode “Home“, you will understand why. It’s always a terrifying thought, to be trapped in an isolated place, cut off from society, all bar a handful of deformed, redneck, psychopaths for company. Although Timber Falls aims to use these novel factors as it’s basis, it doesn’t really push it as far as it could, which basically means, they need a handful more disfigured Leatherface’s to gormlessly hack up younglings.

The reason this film doesn’t work like it should, is because it’s so basic. Neither Mike or Sheryl plot or plan or scheme their way out. Their captives are pretty dim, and there are a million moments when they could pretty much, up and leave. I don’t mind if there is no real gore, or brutality, but I’d like a bit of suspense and a few proper scares. If they had they filmed inside a dingy house in the daylight, it would have been a lot more unsettling, however, choosing to use the ‘cellar at night’ approach shies away from any real creepy developments. There are very few deaths in comparison to hack-em-up torture features like Hostel or Saw, which mean we have to focus on dialogue and plot, both of which are thin and weak.

There are almost too many chances in the film for it to turn around and shake things up a bit. But it doesn’t, it just meanders along, which to me is the reason it is so bad. Because clearly on a number of occasions someone could have made a brilliant spin, but they were just too lazy.

Emily Paget

Categories
Live Reviews

Cancer Bats – Live

Camden Barfly
22.05.08

It’s no great surprise that the outside of the Camden Barfly is currently covered in scaffolding, as this increasingly grotty north London pub has seen better days. That said, you can’t help but wonder if the venue’s management have copped an earful of the sonic wrecking-ball that is the Cancer BatsHail Destroyer‘ (arguably a contender for record of the year) and erected the scaffolding as a preventative measure.

The show is sold out, but only half of those present manage to haul themselves away from the downstairs bar for Hexes‘ set. A shame, as the band’s mix of hardcore bludgeon and Killing Joke-esque sample trickery sounds pretty damn impressive, even at this early hour. Johnny Truant make their entrance to what sounds like an aeroplane taking off from their amps, but even this pales into insignificance as they unleash a barrage of sickeningly heavy riffs on us. These Brighton hardcore heavyweights have been off the scene for a while, but they’ve come back as one hell of a force to be reckoned with.

Are there any bands out there who enjoy playing live as much as the Cancer Bats? It’s debatable, because as vocalist Liam Cormier roars the words of the opening ‘Hail Destroyer‘ into the faces of the front row, he and his band look like they live for moments like these. There’s no tedious aggro on display here, no ‘more-hardcore-than-thou’ posturing – just four guys from Canada who would probably rock just as hard if their audience consisted of three men and a dog.

Thankfully, the folks in attendance clearly know a good band when they see one, and respond to the likes of ‘French Immersion‘ and ‘Lucifer’s Rocking Chair‘ with flailing limbs, copious headbanging and a maelstrom of a circle pit. Things can only get bigger and better for the Cancer Bats, and on tonight’s evidence, they’ve got what it takes – and then some.

Alex Gosman

Categories
Buzz Chart

Skream

Whilst Grime was blowing up out of East London, spawning the likes of Dizzee Rascal, Wiley and Lethal Bizzle into the mainstream, South London was busy bringing about an altogether darker affair. Forgoing the bright lights of the mainstream and easy to handle Grime beats, the likes of Skream, Benga and Loefah were trawling their way through the sludge to produce what became known as Dubstep.

Bringing various degrees of bass and melodies to the table, each producer has their own touch and with Bromley-born Skream, it’s the dub that comes to the fore, the billowing basslines being laced with minimalist dub rhythms. His 2006 album features the likes of JME and Warrior Queen and mixes up a nice collection of tunes, with arguably the most popular Dubstep track in its short history, Midnight Request Line, featured on the album.

The track you can hear is Blue Eyez, a perfect example of the amalgamation of styles that the 21 year old brings to the plate.

“Can I have some noise for the Skream?” asks the intro. Fucking right you can.

Abjekt

Categories
Music News

Mumm-Ra split up

Mumm-Ra have announced that they have split up.

The Sussex five-piece, who toured on the NME Shockwaves Tour last year with The Automatic, The View and The Horrors, posted the announcement on their MySpace page. They didn’t reveal why they had come to the decision but did say:

“After seven years, 11 months and 21 days of writing and playing music together us Mumm-Ra boys have decided our journey as a band has come to an end. It has without doubt been the most fantastic adventure any of us could possibly have imagined all those years ago, when the rather naive idea to form a band sprang from our young minds and led us to the nearest practise room.

www.myspace.com/mummra

Categories
Music News

SMD release remix album

Simian Mobile Disco will release a remix album, Sample And Hold, on July 28.

The album will feature every track from the Attack Decay Sustain Release plus Clock from their 2008 Clock EP. The full tracklisting is:

‘Sleep Deprivation’ (Simon Baker Remix)
‘I Got This Down’ (Invisible Conga People Remix)
‘It’s The Beat’ (Shit Robot Remix)
‘Hustler’ (Joakim Remix)
‘Tits & Acid’ (Oscillation Remix)
‘I Believe’ (Pinch’s ‘I Believe in Bassline Therapy’ Remix)
‘Hotdog’ (Cosmo Vitelli Remix)
‘Wooden’ (Danton Eeprom Remix)
‘Love’ (Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve Remix)
‘Scott’ (Silver Apples Remix)
‘Clock’ (Chrome Hoof Remix)

www.simianmobiledisco.co.uk

Categories
Music News

Weezer enlist You Tubers for video

Weezer have posted their new video.

Pork And Beans sees a collection of You Tube “stars” including Tay Zonday of Chocolate Rain fame, Miss South Carolina and the Britney loving Chris Crocker. The album, which is self-titled but know as The Red Album, is out on June 16th in the UK. Here’s the video:

www.weezer.com

Categories
Skateboarding News

Introducing Petr Horvat

Nomad Skateboards have unleashed Petr Horvat footage on YouTube this morning. The Spanish crew are really stepping up their game right now, check the shout for longest nollie flip street manny at 00.52!

Categories
Music News

Kidda’s new single gets animated

All round beats and animating genius Kidda is back with a new single called ‘Smile’ that will be released from upcoming album ‘Going Up‘ on Skint Records. Go to www.kiddamusic.com for more.

Categories
Skateboarding Product Reviews

Etnies Ashbury

25.05.08
Back in December 2007, 2 pairs of Etnies Ashbury’s arrived here at HQ from the US and changed my feet forever. One pair was a special edition Stereo collab that were so bohemian in style, and so comfortable on my feet that i made a conscious decision not to skate in them.

The Ashbury went out on a big night on the town, helped me recover from coming-to in a phone box semi conscious and got me home without me even knowing anything about it. My wallet had gone with credit cards and cash included but my feet and these shoes carried me 4 miles careering in the road and through bushes, and delivered me from evil. The next morning i was destroyed. I had lost the plot and my mind was a puzzle of destruction. I got the teas on, sat down and opened the other shoe box. A brand new pair of jet black Ashbury’s were clucking to get out of the box. I had to help them and they got me through the day once again. You know the feeling i’m talking about here, the feeling of comfortable new shoes. It changes everything. I could not bring myself to skate in either pair, as i had too much respect for the perfection. They would have been destroyed in time and it wasn’t on.

This week, 2 more pairs arrived in the post. The brown leather version of this shoe is supreme, a master even. Once again, instant respect, no way i’m skating in these. Then opened up the golds. Lairy orange laces beamed like UFO shrapnel and said ‘not a chance’. Moral of the story is that the first 2 pairs have now been taken to the griptape and are performing like beasts. These are the ultimate volcanized skate shoes with enough STI foam padding to feel like you are moonwalking. Etnies have made a victorious chiller with the Ashbury, the ultimate shoe for the ultimate satisfaction whether you want to skate in them or not. Get a pair (or two) today. Shepherd Bush

Categories
Skateboarding News

Southampton gets a new bowl!

Gravity have just finished this little beauty in Eastleigh, Southampton.

Marc Churchill and the team have been busy getting this one ready for the summer and it’s now open.

Dimensions are 5ft >7ft deep, with 7ft wave, loveseat, and waterfall to 7ft deep pool section

Get down there.