Author: heathenstorm
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Kony Lingers
Most people in the West had never heard of Joseph Kony. Head of the Lord’s Resistance Army, a Christian insurgent militia operating out of Uganda and elsewhere since 1987, Kony met all international definitions of a terrorist warlord. Cutting a swathe through the region, the LRA soon became notorious for mass atrocities, kidnapping, and the
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Sunday Morning Melancholia
While visiting Deutschland back in March, I had the privilege of spending the weekend with omni-talented artist, seamstress, and muse Méli Melancholia. Internationally renowned across many alternative subgenres, her enchanting aura consistently captivates. A long-time admirer, my appreciation from afar has blossomed into a wonderful friendship, and it was a delight to go on an
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Into the Fediverse
For those who already know about the Fediverse, I can be followed at @index@heathenstorm.com As for those who don’t (likely most reading this), an explanation: The Fediverse is a decentralised, federated network of independent social platforms that communicate using the ActivityPub protocol. Each individual instance runs according to its own community rules, hosting anything from
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Startin’ up a POSSE
Owning one’s identity, online or otherwise, is a fundamental responsibility. It is a core tenet of individual liberty and the capacity to respond to any challenge on one’s own terms. Free from the influence of censorious agents who would silence or sway opinion to insidious ends. Connections made with others still matter, absolutely. Even as
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A Populace of Plastic People
In the 2013 TV special “How Videogames Changed the World”; Charlie Brooker (of Nathan Barley and Black Mirror infamy) positioned SocMed as nothing more than a game. Players would jostle for attention, earning points by views and followers. The aim being to win regardless of what it takes to get there, with integrity and accountability
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Detaching from SocMed
It has become the fashion for folk to announce, very publicly and performatively, their departure from current Social Media accounts. Moving on to other sites, or even switching off entirely, due to changes of company ownership and the incessant swing of the political pendulum. Protesting against the new regime, they isolate themselves against loss of
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Dornenreich / Vinsta – Dortmund
Braving the thorny shutdown of London’s Heathrow Airport a week ago, I recently travelled to Dortmund by way of Düsseldorf on very little sleep. Awaiting an evening in attendance of Austrian Black Metal / Neofolk veterans (and fellow Prophecy labelmates) Dornenreich‘s recent Arcane Ceremonies acoustic tour. Hosted in the atmospheric surrounds of Dortmund’s Pauluskirche, the
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Crowd Control
The ORPHAN shoot continues with a trip to the Academy of Live Technology in Yorkshire. There we hosted an ‘Introduction to Film Making’ Workshop for the students’ Enrichment Week. The session opened with an introduction to the project and sneak preview of the storyboard, then covered inspirations and techniques to balance big ideas with a
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Wolvennest / Nachtmaer – Aalst
A few photos snapped at a sneaky sold-out sojourn to watch Wolvennest at the weekend. With the Cinema venue in Aalst, Belgium hosting a very special show indeed. Openers Nachtmaer, a side project of locals Kludde, showcased a succession of singers. Howling Black Metal both atmospheric and primitive, appealing muchly to an already-eager crowd. Atmosphere
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Onto the Next Chapter
With the festive baubles packed away and the first proper week of the year ahead, I prepare to get back on track to tackle the next twelve months. Many folk scoff at the concept of ‘starting afresh’ when the calendar flips over to January. That the New Year is just another day, or not even
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Cosmic Dawn (2022)
While randomly trawling the streaming apps after New Year’s exuberance, I happened upon psychedelic sci-fi thriller Cosmic Dawn (2022). Allegedly inspired by the experiences of writer and director Jefferson Moneo, this Canadian production is captivating from the get-go. Lost and yearning, Aurora (Camille Rowe) is a troubled woman. Haunted from childhood by the unusual disappearance
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The Year that radicalised me
Although I knew there were challenges ahead as the world ticked into 2024, I had no expectation of the struggles that would manifest from week one. Launching straight into the Mentors tour as festive fireworks still echoed was hardly the wisest timing; but through grit, good humour, and the able help of the Witchfinder, we