Dark Asylum Music will release Viktim's debut EP, As Love Turns Gray, on January 26 at Digital Ferret.


Viktim was founded in 2001 by frontman Eddie Threat, the culminating act of a punk rock youth gone electro. After a few short months of intense gigging a review of a Viktim live experience read like a short list of the signs of the apocalypse, complete with fire, brimstone, the rising dead and social decay.
 
Bringing the anarchy of scum-punk to the electro crowds of Philadelphia took its toll in 2004 when stage antics went wrong. Tragedy was barely averted when a mic chord noose lifted Eddie Threat off the stage at Philadelphia's The Barbary, bringing the show to an abrupt and morbid halt.
 
Even suicide didn't stop Viktim from bringing its unique brand of theatrics to audiences up and down the east coast. Angle Grinders continued to shoot sparks, foreheads continued to bleed and being a member of the Viktim Live Experience without health insurance was at your own risk.
 
Viktim rode the wave of violence all the way to New York in 2005, headlining the NYC INDUSTRIAL FESTIVAL. During the performance Viktim proved that the guitars weren't just for show. Frontman Eddie Threat explains, " Music is meant to be played live. People don't pack into bars to hear you play your CD and monkey around. They come to see you play your songs, with all the mistakes, improvisations and risk of death inherent in Viktim."
 
Like a diesel truck running full throttle with no oil, the violence takes its toll. In 2006 Viktim, tired from six years of full throttle industrial theatrics, took a break. During the time off Viktim decided to finally record an album- something they'd seen as hitherto pointless, demos were enough to garner live gigs, and live performance was all that mattered. But without steady gigs the fans had no way to listen, and the grew restless,
 
Necessity resulted in the recording of AS LOVE TURNS GREY, due out January 26th 2010 on Dark Asylum Music. With a debut record under its belt, Viktim will return to the stage, no doubt to leave fans with an experience that reads like a police blog. Especially "Drunk and Disorderly"

Mommy Hurt My Head, one of my favorite bands and a good friend, have an interview / review online for the debut album: http://www.brutalresonance.com/

They're a bunch of oldschool guys making some of the best genre music. This is their debut release and you should all listen to it, hit up their page and show some love.

Here, I'll make it easier for you: http://www.myspace.com/mommyhurtmyhead

Let me know if you love them!

We're designing a zombie-tee. Need an artist ;) Now accepting submissions! Contact for more info.

So whats going on here at DAM?

Well we're currently mixing AS LOVE TURNS GREY- the debut EP from cyberpunk group VIKTIM fronted by lunatic Eddie Threat. We love Eddie, we also fear him. Don't be surprised if years later when VH1 does the "Behind the Music" for us we reveal we agreed to put out Viktim because he threatened us.

Just kidding- Viktim has been a mainstay of the scene around here for over seven years. They made it ok for the rest of us to play brewpubs. Eddie Threat has done a LOT for philly - goth and I'm fucking excited to have his raw tracks to mix before the rest of you!

Want a taste ? Check our videos, or our youtube channel: http://www.darkasylummusic.com has the link! The promotional video for As Love Turns Grey featuring Except You! And a shitload of gore.

Also we're working on a new project. Secret tho :) We'll announce when its ready!

What else is in the works? The Broken Heart digi-single by Immaculate Romance is upcoming after Viktim, followed by the IR CD Single. Then we'll be courting a few other projects. At the very least another digital compilation featuring My Parasites, Syrenn Music and Dj Dicepticon (no one's told him yet, so if you are his friend break the news ok?)

Short List of things to look forward to in 2009:
VIKTIM - As Love Turns Grey
Immaculate Romance - The Broken Heart Digital Single
Immaculate Romance - The Breaking CD EP
Dark Asylum Music Ghoul Party Volume 2
and more surprises!

So we took the mandatory two weeks off after Halloween!

And in that time got a lot of work done and decided on a few big things!

We'll have an announcement about that soon as we get the graphics up to celebrate it. But I figure this new development is to "Dark Asylum Music" what "SEND MORE COPS" is to "Return of the Living Dead"

Also Skinny Puppy was in town today and I got my Vinyl copy of DIG IT signed! FUCK YES!

Everyone seems to have been in the spirit this year! Maybe its the recession and the horror movie revival going on lately...

...But the simple pleasure of Halloween seems to have been in great supply this year!


For my part, we released two free albums, got the ball rolling on the label, and definitely had a fantastic weekend.


Carving pumpkins while watching the Halloween series in order. Hard cider and the utlimate ale six pack (Ichabod's Pumpkin brewed Ale, Bealzabuth 13%, Punk'n Ale, a nice Pumpkin Stout, Smuttynose... you name it!). Baked pumpkin seeds. We got the wedding website up and running (autumn themed of course!), played a big show in New york @ SMACK! Fetish, came home and spent all day brewin' up a Halloween Feast:

If you want the recipe for ANY of these let me know, I'm writing a Spooky cook book!

Course 1: Vampire Soup + Bat Toast

Course 2: Pumpkin Ravioli from Scratch

Course 3: Hard Cider, Pumpkin Chicken, Carrots, Potatoes, cooked onions!

Dessert: Pumpkin Pie, Candy Corn, Halloween Cake.


A great year, and thanks to all of you who Haunt our cities and keep this spirit alive!


Also we discovered why Halloween is the best holiday. You don't have to see your family and there is candy.

Two weeks off, then we start planning for next year. Who's ready?

To celebrate our article in the local paper: http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20091016/GETPUBLISHED/910160375/-1/getpublished/Free-Halloween-Treat-from-Dark-Asylum

We cooked up a batch of a nice harvest Recipe, cream of black bean soup!

Ingredients:


1 Can Black Beans

2 Tbs Butter or margarine

1 Cube Chicken Bouillon

2 Cups water

1 Cup milk / creamer

2 tbs herbs of choice.

½ tbs salt


Serves 4


Fill medium saucepan with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Place cube of bouillon, butter and black beans into saucepan and heat until bouillon is dissolved. Lower heat and add milk, herbs and salt. Stir for 3-4 minutes. Serve hot!

Enjoy our CREAM OF BLACK BEAN soup with a nice cold IPA. I suggest http://www.smuttynose.com

Use black bean soup as an appetizer for rustic chicken and serve with Smuttynose barleywine!

Its a full time battle just trying to stand on your own two feet as a musician. Today's world is built on especially loose footing as a generation of end users are growing up with the idea that paying for music is completely optional.

Heck, even those of us who remember the scratch of a fresh needle on vinyl were dubbing cassettes and investing in CD-R drives before anyone had even heard of Peer to Peer- still someone somewhere in that original chain had to purchase media. For every bootleg there existed at least one soundscan sale. And back in the days of tape deck to tape deck hi-speed dubbing we still had significant generational degeneration.

Even as the Music Industry sand castle started to crumble, our 56k modems limited our Mpegs to lower bitrates and websites could only offer short soundbytes without prohibitive bandwith issues.

However now as high speed internet and terrabite drives are devouring record sales, bit torrent websites have replaced record stores.

The RIAA's heavy handed lawsuits are not the answer. They simply sour people on artists and labels even further and create an atmosphere of antagonism. The sad truth is that technology is what made music an industry and technology has technology has imploded that industry.

Now the issue of paying for music, even for hi definition audiophiles, is a choice. Do I choose to support an artist or not to?

When I decided to start running Dark Asylum as a label and not just a yearly haunted attraction project I knew I'd be contending with the attitude of convenience in a less than ideal economy.

The label and our music is small enough that we don't have to worry too heavily about bootlegging. In six years of providing haunted orchestral music to individuals and industry events I've never once lost a sale to downloads.

That being so I am uniquely advantaged that I have the freedom to offer Dark Asylum's music as a choice. While many labels are scrambling to retain rights to their music and license it out to TV or Movies or whatever else might get a quick buck- I don't see that as a long term answer. My basic premise is to offer free music.

The albums we have are great and have been proven so in numerous haunted attractions and homes for half a decade. Rue Morgue hailed our debut release as, "A strange and subtle stroll through the audible darklands... Suitably foreboding and never panders to cliche."

So we're going to keep it simple, respect our fanbase and respect the new market.

We're going to release free music and pay music. An equal mix of both.

In that spirit- we're releasing our first free albums this year directly to Haunt Industry amateurs and professionals. Halloween is where we got our start and where we keep our heart (we keep other people's in the freezer though).

If anyone deserves a break its Haunters who understand the idea of thankless effort and shoestring budgets. So enjoy MIDNIGHT, dark asylum's free release for Haunted Attractions.

http://www.darkasylummusic.com/buy.html

Download it, play it, share it. Its yours. As my first record said:

"UNAUTHORIZED DUPLICATION IS INEVITABLE."

Happy Haunting!

If you don't already know, The Wired are a Philadelphia band that Dark Asylum Music simply loves. They have a kitchy blend of industrial, metal, trip hop and.... well the best way to describe them is Dark Electronic Music.

We were pleased when Dark Asylum was given a remix kit for "Miserable World" and decided to approach it in true spooky fashion and do a simple chamber music version of their downtempo triphop track.

They are releasing a single soon and we've been told they like the orchestral version of their track enough to include! Hooray! So... keep your eyes peeled for "Miserable World" and the Dark Asylum version of it!

Meanwhile, feel free to download any of our free halloween albums! The season draws near!!

We've finally made our entire catalog available for purchase online! This includes ghastly horror soundtracks for your haunting needs this Halloween, horror-ebm band NINETWELVE's debut release and a creepy assortment of custom made DVD's!

Albums:

Various Artists Ghoul Party 2009
- Free Download!

Dark Asylum's The Terror Cycle
- Out of Print
- Less than 10 REmain

Dark Asylum's Malice
- Out of Print
- Less Than 50 Copies Remain!

Dark Asylum's House of Tears
- Out of Print
- Less than 60 Copies Remain!

Dark Asylum's Midnight
- Free Download! Coming soon!

Ninetwelve's American Zombie

Videos: 3 1/2 Hour Continuous Play DOUBLE FEATURES! Just like a real drive in! Vintage clips from the 60's and 70's as well as ambiant sound effects! Its like you're really there!

Drive In Double Feature Volume 1 - DRIVE IN DOUBLE FEATURE VOLUME 1: The Ghost / Bloody Pit of Horror
Drive: In Opening
Spookshow Reel
Trailer: Kill Baby Kill
Trailer: Dracula's Daughter
Trailer: Frankenstein 1970
Trailer: Prehistoric Women / The Devil's Own
Drive In: Radio Active
Feature One: The Ghost
INTERMISSION (10 Minutes)
Short: Casper The Friendly Ghost
Short: The Cobweb Hotel
Feature Two: The Bloody Pit of Horror
Drive In: Goodnight

Drive In Double Feature Volume 2 -DRIVE IN DOUBLE FEATURE VOLUME 2: Invasion of the Bee Girls / The Amazing Two Headed Transplant
Drive In: Opening
Spookshow Reel
Drive In: Coming Attractions Trailer: Black Sabbath
Trailer: Curse of the Werewolf
Trailer: Cannibal Girls
Trailer: Scream and Scream Again
Drive In: Save Free TV (Monsters!)
Feature One: Invasion of the Bee Girls
INTERMISSION (10 Minutes)
Short: Phillips Shaver Nightmare
Short: Private SNAFU's Booby Traps
Feature Two: The Amazing Two Headed Transplant
Drive In: Goodnight

Drive In Double Feature Volume 3 - DRIVE IN DOUBLE FEATURE VOLUME 3: Grave of the Vampire / The Terror
Drive: Saftey
Spookshow Reel
Drive In: Coming Attractions Trailer: Lady Frankenstein
Trailer: Driller Killer
Trailer: Prehistoric Women / The Devil's Own (BW)
Trailer: I Bury the Living
Drive In: The Ratings System
Feature One: Grave of the Vampire
INTERMISSION (10 Minutes)
Short: Betty Boop: Minnie the Moocher
Short: Felix the Cat: Ghost Break (Silent)
Feature Two: The Terror
Drive In: Goodnight