SACRED DAWN Dismal Swamp
( Qumran )
After 2011 ’ s A Madness Within , local boys Sacred Dawn went on hiatus when leader / guitarist / vocalist Lothar Keller joined doom metal pioneers Eric Wagner and Ron Holzner of the legendary Trouble to co-found a new band called The Skull . Thankfully , Sacred Dawn regrouped and released their comeback EP Contradiction in 2019 . The band returns with its first full-length recording in 12 years with Dismal Swamp . The eight tracks that make up the album contain a good mix of heavy riffs and soaring melodies with Keller ’ s inviting vocals . The first single and lyric video for the invigorating “ Truth be Told ” was released in early June , giving a sufficient inclination of the current musical structure of Sacred Dawn . The instrumental opener “ Das Chaos Beginnt ” consists of an uplifting and melodic spacey vibe , while “ Unintended Consequences ” successfully merges ’ 70s prog melodies with chugging ’ 80s metal riffs . “ One More Day ” displays an emotive ’ 70s classic rock vibe , á la Styx , complete with soaring vocal harmonies and a vibrant chorus , while the ominous , eight-plus minute “ The Lake of the Dismal Swamp ” closes out the record in fine fashion . While Sacred Dawn may have lost some of its momentum during their eight-year hiatus , Dismal Swamp has put the band back on track with its electrifying concoction of power / prog heavy metal .
– Kelley Simms
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TEARS FOR FEARS The Hurting 40th Anniversary Abbey Road Remaster LP ( Mercury / UMC )
For a band with its staying power and following , Tears for Fears ’ catalog is brief . By all reports , it isn ’ t a lack of work ethic that suppressed productivity – it ’ s the internal quality control exercised by principals Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith . The pair ’ s seven albums have been painstakingly crafted with frequent deconstruction , revision , and rework . The effort has resulted in acknowledged classics , including Songs from the Big Chair and The Seeds of Love . Truth be known , the band ’ s latest effort , The Tipping Point , deserves to be named among them . But it all began with the band ’ s immaculate 1983 debut , The Hurting . Timed with the album ’ s 40th anniversary , The Hurting has been remastered for this reissue . It has also been half-speed mastered at Abbey Road Studios for a pristine new vinyl pressing released with the album ’ s original UK cover artwork . This Spins review used a 1987 Hauppauge Pressing LP for comparison to the new release . Extra clarity and detail during “ Mad World ” was evident in the Abbey Road pressing , particularly in the higher frequencies . Bass instruments are also reproduced with enhanced definitions . The crystalline “ Change ” leaps from the speakers with enhanced body and presence . Roland Orzabal ’ s reverb-drenched baritone during “ Suffer the Children ” carries additional bite and warmth . Heavyweight vinyl contributes to stable playback and imaging . The result is an album that always sounded good but now sounds even more lifelike . The material itself is the main thing , and The Hurting brims with catchy songs that offer substance upon deeper examination . Roland Orzabal ’ s heady lyrics examine the fallout of childhood neglect and abuse , psychological wounds , and depression . These are exposed as a form of emotional exorcism . The icy soundtrack and bassist Smith ’ s downcast vocal delivery match the tone of an internally blocked person who might benefit from psychotherapist Arthur Janov ’ s primal scream therapy . “ Pale Shelter ” pleads for love in the face of parental shortcomings and neglect , but the musical mood is undeniably energized and catchy . “ Change ” sends the dance-floor energy higher . Orzabal has downplayed the lyric as lightweight , but the scenario describes a common experience that is relevant to the album . A young man sees a former companion and is unable to break through self-imposed fears to rekindle a friendship or even communicate . Still , Orzabal ’ s lyric offers hope through selfexamination . “ You can change ,” sings Smith . Ingesting the intimate and sometimes dangerously personal material on The Hurting gave many fans a means to identify with others who sought to shed long-carried emotional chains . Misery loves company , no doubt . But this isn ’ t misery for misery ’ s sake . The album seeks an open door to freedom . It didn ’ t hurt an emerging sense of liberation that the songs were easy to dance to .
The Hurting undeniably sounds of its time because it helped define the musical landscape of alternative pop and the new wave in the early ‘ 80s . With such high quality , though , the album still manages to sound fresh in spite of dated synthetic drum sounds and synth-pop trappings . Clinical synthesizers combine with human elements , including shimmering acoustic guitars , springy electric guitars , and vocal performances that are emo-
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AUGUST FILMS AND STREAMING
Gal Godot in Heart of Stone
A
ugust is relatively a dud of a month ( especially compared to July ), with “ Barbenheimer ” and so many tentpoles released that are still playing in theaters . Combine that with the WGAand SAG / AFTRAstrike , It ’ s a bit hard to get excited about anything new coming out . August has traditionally been a dump month for films that don ’ t seem to fit in anywhere else , and this year is no exception . The pandemic did a number on Hollywood , and these strikes won ’ t help the small strides made at the box office this year . Many highly anticipated projects are being pushed back to 2024 and beyond because actors won ’ t be able to promote them as long as the strike continues . But fear not . There are many options for new content in theaters and streaming this month .
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles : Mutant Mayhem
Directed by Jeff Rowe Rated NYR • August 2 - In Theaters After years of being sheltered from the human world , the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts . Their new friend April O ’ Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate , but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them . Starring the voices of Micah Abbey Hannibal Buress , Rose Byrne , John Cena , Jackie Chan , Ice Cube , Giancarlo Esposito , Post Malone , Seth Rogen , Paul Rudd , and Maya Rudolph .
Meg 2 : The Trench
Directed by Ben Wheatley Rated - PG-13 • August 4 - In Theaters
Get ready for the ultimate adrenaline rush this summer with this larger-than-life thrill ride that supersizes the 2018 blockbuster and takes the action to higher heights and even greater depths with multiple massive Megs and so much more ! Dive into uncharted waters with Jason Statham and global action icon Wu Jing as they lead a daring research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean . Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival . Pitted against colossal Megs and relentless environmental plunderers , our heroes must outrun , outsmart , and outswim their merciless predators in a pulsepounding race against time .
By Lori Vernon
Shortcomings
Directed by Randall Park Rated R • August 4 - In Theaters
Ben ( Justin H . Min ), a struggling filmmaker , lives in Berkeley , California , with his girlfriend , Miko ( Ally Maki ), who works for a local Asian American film festival . When he ’ s not managing an arthouse movie theater as his day job , Ben spends his time obsessing over unavailable blonde women , watching Criterion Collection DVDs , and eating in diners with his best friend Alice ( Sherry Cola ), a queer grad student with a serial dating habit . When Miko moves to New York for an internship , Ben is left to his own devices and begins to explore what he thinks he might want .
Heart of Stone
Directed by Tom Harper Rated PG-13 • August 11 - Netflix
An intelligence operative ( Gal Godot ) for a shadowy global peacekeeping agency races to stop a hacker from stealing its most valuable - and dangerous - weapon . Also stars Jamie Dornan , Alia Bhatt , Sophie Okonedo , and Matthias Schweighöfer .
Gran Turismo
Directed by Neill Blomkamp Rated PG-13 • August 11 - In Theaters
Gran Turismo is based on the unbelievable true story of a team of unlikely underdogs – a struggling working-class gamer ( Archie Madekwe ), a failed former racecar driver ( David Harbour ), and an idealistic motorsport executive ( Orlando Bloom ). Together , they risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world . Gran Turismo is an inspiring , thrilling , and action-packed story that proves that nothing is impossible when you ’ re fueled from within .
The Last Voyage of the Demeter
Directed by André Øvredal Rated R • August 11 - In Theaters
Based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker ’ s classic novel Dracula , the film tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter , which was chartered to carry private cargo — fifty unmarked wooden crates — from Carpathia to London . Strange events befall the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage , stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship . When the Demeter finally arrives
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