The society issue 4 august 2015

Gothic Acquisitions

Who and what arethe SAGS?

Page 4

Centralia, a Ghost Town.

Page 8

Cybernetic Goth, The Featured Goth.

Page 12

Cyber Goth Vs. Steampunk.

Page 16

Cover Story; Jossie Ayame, The Full Package.

Page 17

Body Modification; Know your Names.

Page 21

Mirror, mirror on the wall which piercer is the fairest of them all?

Page 23

G.L.O.W Merchandise Advertisement.

Page 25

Home & Garden; How to Grow Black roses.

Page 27

Advertisement; Steam variety, Your One stop shop.

Page 39

Health & Beauty; Cyber Goth makeup Ideas and tips.

Page 31

Life’s Thorns; Life’s Thorns Introductions.

Page 34

What to..., and What not to.

Page 35

Blasphemous Goths

Page 38

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Goth is Dead.

Page 40

Centrefold Poster

Page 41

Consulting the Seers.

Page 42

Music; The Music at our Doorstep.

Page 45

Interview with TERMINATRYX.

Page 47

Interview with Richard wheeler from G.L.O.W

Page 54

Cyber Goth Top 10 .

Page 58

Dark Lyrics - 'We are the Gods' - House of Ra.

Page 62

Events; Geekfest.

Page 63

Legend of the Ages Feature; Kurt Cobain.

Page 69

Reviews; Five Flicks to Thrill and Chill!

Page 73

TSM’s Read of the Month.

Page 76

House of Goth KZN’s Black Picnic.

Page 77

Poetry; Eternal Lotus in the Night

Page 78

Where can TSM be found; Web sites and Social Platforms.

Page 81

Contact us.

Page 82

Back page Poster.

Page 83

Who and what are the SAGS? Who are the SAGS? What are the SAGS? There have been a few pages, a few projects, goals and almost numerous other ideas which all fly the SAGS acronym and flag.

South African Gothic Society, this is what the SAGS stands for, which is what the SAGS is about, it’s Goths for Goths and by Goths. It’s bringing the Goths together, uniting them and binding the family that we are, this is our main goal.

Just uniting Goths will go nowhere fast, for we are diverse, dark, brooding, antisocial and display many other such fine traits, how do we come together, how do we stay together?

This is what led to these subsidiaries, projects bringing Goths together, keeping them together and giving them reason to stay, to kindle and create ties, these endeavours are more than just activities, each are created to and extend where they can grow and become permanent add ons to life, permanently supplying Goths with relevant content and such you might say, like the magazine for example. This magazine is the perfect way of bringing a unique set of Goths from all types together, sharing and pooling ideas to bring…

Goth to all Goths from all diverse of Gothdom.

This is but one of many grand ideas of things to come.

Here is a brief official introduction of the SAGS and an update as to how far they have come.

Gotthdom thr roughout SA has be een falter ring, which h is why the t SAGS was foun nded, witth the simp mple goals of uniting g Goths, a and the cr reed of Bringing Go oth to all Goths, G and d thus far r they hav ve expand ded to a d digital Gotthic Lifestyle Maga azine, with h focus poiints on the e SA scene and reb build. Ano other aspe ect which launched d was an online o shop op with sp pecial obje ectives to help locall designer rs and artists prom mote, mark ket and sell ll their goo ods, with long l term m goals of b being a Gothic verssion of Ho ouse & Ho ome, wh hich as you u can ima agine open ns many p possibilities, furthermore, reeligious fr ree gotthic coven ns are in motion, m an nd availa able to join n, each pr rovince ha as the star rting of a House, H alll busy with h recruitm ment, whiich furthe er helps th he goals an nd rules set s for rth by the SAGS. The e main go oals as mentioned on o top is u unity, uniffying the Goths und der one ba anner, most are lostt and too scattered d, uniting will not only o save us from d dying out,, but it willl make uss stronger r, and it will w open d doors to se ettle, and d set up ma any lost aspects a tha at we as G Goths not only o need d but have e the rightts to. Theiir newest p projects, DGE a gotthic modelling agency is being ng opened d up, and the t Where e Art Thou u... The SA AGS exiists for the e Goths by y the Goth hs through hout SA, there t are no bound daries.

The ese are bu ut a few off the SAG GS subsidia aries curr rently in progress, p tthere are many more planne ed, each co overing a unique a aspect of Gothdom G and a for Go othdom.

As you can ssee, the pllans are many m and d the scope es are bro oad, In Go th you ca an tru ust, for we e will brin ng you eve ery aspectt of Goth, to you th he Goths, ffor Goths and a by Gotths.

This T is the p promise the t SAGS holds.

SAGS; S focu using on SA S (being South Afr frican), the big goal g here iis global unison, u yess that’s co orrect add dding so ome more e (GS) to th he acrony yms like A AGS for American A Gothics Society, S AUGS A for A Australia an Gothic G Soc iety. Thesse are but two exam mples of how h broad b in sc cope we wish w to un nite, togeth her we ca an be the e WGS ,the e World Gothic G Society, it’s a an idea, on ne that will w require re the mov ving of mountains tto pursue, but every y Goth is e entitled to o it.

Here are the goals of the SAGS, its purpose and intentions, brought to you by team SAGS. To connect and unite every Goth with one another. We want to find those who share specific views and choices, whether it is music, art, literature, or just good conversation. We all share certain likes and dislikes, but the thing we share most is being Goth, our dark and glorious nature. It’s time to come together, to stand tall and strong against an ever worsening world, a world who exiles us for our true nature, a world who would much rather embrace a standard that doesn't exist, that corrupts, incites fear, hate and jealousy, we as Goths must come together and unite under one skull. This is and should be each and every one of our first and top priority, finding the Goth next door bringing them in and closer.

Getting them to find the Goth next door to them.

The time has come for the us to rise to our true and full potential... In Goth we Trust, for it is trusting in ourselves, our truth, our livelihood, our eye sight, we who see what really is, finding that beauty where beauty doesn't exist...in Goth...In you we Trust.

Here we can find those whose likes and dislikes are similar to ours. We want to unite the Goth society together under one banner. We want to share stories, experiences, and issues you have had to deal with and obstacles that you have faced.

We want you to share what being Goth means to you and how you love your lifestyle amongst the mainstream people of today; how do you do what you do, whilst being who you are. We aim to unite, and in doing so we will all come together, and with that we get the privilege of sharing with one another, teaching and guiding one another, helping each other reach the blackest heights of Gothdom.

As for the baby Goths; we wish to help and guide them as they find themselves in today's life - a life which will not always accept them for who they are. They will be discriminated against, bullied and people will try to change them, but we want to show and prove to them that there's always hope. We will to help these baby Goths "blend in" and work through all the challenges that life will throw their way.

We will teach them how to stand tall and proudly as a Goth, for we are a proud and truthful culture. We embrace who we are, what we are, not who we pretend to be.

There are several different categories of Goth, ranging from Glam Goths all the way to Vampire Goths. This SAGS is for everyone who lives the Gothic lifestyle and who shares our way of life: people who have the gift of Nyctophilia.

Our r differen nt races, cu ultures an nd religio ons makes us differe ent Goths,, who you u are is wh hat you ar re, and yo ou as a Goth alwayss...alwayss have a place p with hin the SA AGS.

Our r Creed iss simple, Bringing B Goth G to alll Goths. here, bein We e plan to d do just thiis by being g everywh ng on ever rything, h having our dar rkness nott only rea ach it all, but touch hing it all, l effectively coverin ng all we can cov ver, ensur ring that we w Bring you the G Goth you deserve. d As with all tthings in life, l we will have so ome good d and some e bad from m those who w do nott understa and what being Gotth is abou ut. People e will do what w they y do, but itt's up to us u to be th he better persons p by y either h helping them under rstand or ignoring them.

"Ign norance is bliss" bu ut "knowle edge is pow wer". The ere will be e negativiity among gst our rselves too o, but we can strive e to keep that to a minimum m. We as G Goths are slan ndered, sh hunned an nd cast ou ut to variious and different d degrees, d fo or that mere exiile we shou uld focus on unitin ng. Coming g together r, and bein ng there ffor one an nother.

Pettty squabb ble and discrimina di ation amon ngst us sh hould neve er be an op option.

We e hope we can help you reach h your fulll dark an nd Goth po otential. T The SAGS holds pro omise to a grand an nd dark future, fu butt only witth your he elp and su upport wiill we see that blac ck awe risse, Its Goth hdom nott Goth... Itt’s for all of o us and only with h all of us will w we se ee this ma anifest.

by y MGR R

C Centra alia, a Gho ost Town ntralia, Lo ocated in Columbia a County, Pennsylv vania. Thiis town ha as been th he Cen cen ntre of ma any ghost stories, itt inspired d the moviies and ga ames, Silen nt Hill. In n 1841 the e story of Centralia a begun ass a coal bo oomtown called “Bu ull’s head” d”. Bull’s he ead wa as later inc corporate ed as the borough b of Centrallia in 1866 6. In 1962 tthe coal in n the min ne caughtt fire, ther re has bee en many a argumentts amongst the auth horities ass to how w the fire started. The T most famous f re eason is th hat the Ce entralia C Council hired 5 members of the volun nteer fire company c to clean up u the tow wn landfilll, located d in the aba andoned sstrip-mine e pit next to the cem metery. So S on May y 27th 1962 the firefigh hters, as tthey had in i the passt, set the dump on fire, f they y then neg glected to fully f exttinguish th he fire an nd an unse ealed open ning in th he pit allowed the ffire to spr read to the e coal min nes.

The e town did d just fine e for a few w years affter the fiire started d but in 19 979 a gas-sta ation owne er inserted a dipstiick into on ne of his undergrou u und tankss to see the e fuel level, he then n saw the temperature of th he fuel wa as at 77.8°C C. Later in n 1981 a 12 2- year old ld boy ole that nam med Todd d Dombosk ki fell into o a sink ho wa as 1.2m wid de and 46 6m deep. Fortunate F ely Todd’ss cou usin, Eric Wolfgang g pulled Todd T out a and saved d his life.

The e residentts of Centr ralia refussed to leav ave their hom me town b because off the fire. In 1984 T The U.S co ongress all llocated ov ver R518 million m ($42 mill llion) for relocation r n of the Ceentralia residentts. Most off the resid dents accep epted the buyb out. In 2 2002 the ZIP Z code was w revok ked. The remainin ing residen nts of Cen ntralia fou ught in co ourt for their rig ght to stay y in their home tow wn. The U.S U Congresss allowed d the rema aining resiidents to live l out their r lives in Centralia a. When th he last remainin ing residen nt dies the governm ment willl demolish h the town n complettely. Somee of the residents beli lieve that the state’’s eminentt domain claim wa as a plot to o gain thee minerall rights to the t anthr racite coall beneath the borou ugh. Altho ough the exact e amo ount and value of the t coal iss unknown n, the resiidents bellieve that the value e is in the hundreds ds of milllion dolla ars. Accor rding to th he state la aw, when the muniicipality ccan no lon nger form rm a functtioning municipal m governme g ent, the bo orough leg gally ceasses to exisst. This willl then allo low the bo orough of Centralia a to claim the miner ral rightss.

Currently there are very few homes that have not been demolished in Centralia. The church and 4 cemeteries in Centralia still remain. Many people have visited Centralia since the big fire disaster in 1962. Many of the visitors are awe struck by the nameless streets, the remnants of buildings like steps leading to nothing, a lonesome door standing on a property and a half crumbled down house. No lives were lost to the fire but some people who go there cannot shake the feeling of the town being haunted, but the town being called the gate to hell would send a shiver down most people’s spine.

The highway leading into Centralia is known as Route 61, the fire has caused this highway to crack and it has been closed down. People are now calling it “The Highway to Hell” or “Graffiti Highway.” The entire highway has been defaced with

Graffiti hence the na me , Gr aff iti hig hw ay.

Here are tw wo ghostly experiences record ded by vissitors of Centralia.

C ott Sailor: Sco "I visited v Cen ntralia la ast weeken nd with a couple off friends and a I thou ught I mig ght sha are a very y weird ex xperience I had wh hile explor ring the to own. We were ther re for abo out an hou ur and a half h and were w chec cking out the intere esting loca ations tha at I he crack in hea ard about, t, like the burning b hill h side, th i Rt. 61 and a the sttreets with hout hom mes. We w were in th he area ne ext to an old cemettery, on th he east sid de of the town, t easst of Rt. 611. We had d just chec cked out tthe old tom mbstones and weree getting a whiff of smoke s from m the easst of that so s we wallked down n the old gravel g roa ad to look k aro ound. We e found a slag s cover red hill sid de with stteam com ming out off it and were w pre etty fascin nated by some s fossiils we foun nd, when we heard d what sou unded like ea voiice saying g somethin ng in-audi ditable from m down below b whe ere we weere. All th hree of us heard h it. We figur red it was someone else check king out the t area to oo so we sort s of ign nored it. T Then we heard h it ag gain, a litttle more clearly. A few worrds and itt sort of sounded s li like "leave this place". At tha at momen nt the hilll we were standing on sta arted steam ming mor re than a few f mome ents befor re and it really r stun nk, like ro otten egg gs (sulphur r I guess).. Well, it sort of sp pooked us so s we figu ured we b better head d back to the t car. A As we wer re walking ng back, in n the area a of the cem metery, w we heard it i aga ain, not th he same words w and d not clear r but some ething like "why ... why did you do tha at." Whatt was even n weirder r was thatt it wasn'tt like some eone was yelling itt out of the e bushes, it was quie et, and kiind of closser and we couldn'tt figure ou ut the dir rection it was w comin ng from. Too T weird d. We go t back to our car and a didn'tt see any other o car rs or peop ple the whole time we w were th here. We left and weren't w su ure what to ma ake of it. W We really y weren't sure s we w wanted to talk abou ut it. All I know is I'm nott going ba ack. When n I got hom me I foun nd out tha at the area a where I we were wa alking wass near the e location that was where th he fired sta arted, acrross from the cem metery. I jjust thoug ght I'd lett you know w about it. Someth hing is nott right ab bout tha at place."

Jim m and his g girlfriend d

Laurie fr rom

199 99: Hi,, My nam me is Jim.

About a month m

ago o, my girlf lfriend

Laurie an nd I

wer re coming g back

ffrom Kno oebels

and d we decid ded to

take 61 home

and d stop at C Centralia

to take a look

as we w did on nce before..

First let me m

say y, we're no ot

superstitious.

In fact f we're e quite

the oppossite, we

like e checking g out aban ndoned pllaces and d old build dings, old cemeteries c s and tha at sort of thing. t We e've seen a lot of old ld, abando oned home es over th he years bu ut the one e we

checked out in Centralia about a month ago really gave us a fright. It was a white abandoned twin home, up on a side street, on a hill. There were two units and both had red numbers sprayed on the front which indicated from what I gathered the homes were probably set to be demolished in the near future. So we decided to check it out. The back door was open so we went in. The some of the first floor windows were boarded up, making it dark but we explored the old house a little.

We were on the second floor in the hallway, near the stairs that led up and down to the first and the third floor. The door was open leading up to the third floor.

Laurie was in the hallway while I was at the top of the steps that lead downstairs.

At that point we heard footsteps coming down the stairs from the 3rd floor. It sounded to me that the steps were coming down the ceiling above the steps going down to the first floor so my first thought was someone coming down out of the attic (or third floor bedroom). At first we were startled and thought someone else was in the house. As the foot sets sounded like they were about to reach the 2nd floor hallway, Laurie looked into the stairwell, expecting to see someone. There wasn't anyone there! At the same time, I looked down the steps to the first floor and saw nobody.

We just stared at each other for a few seconds. I said, “you want

to leave?� She said yes. We made a bee line down to the back door where we came in and out to the car. We drove about a hundred feet and stopped to look back at the house,

looking at the windows. I mean,

we

expected to see someone looking

out at us.

Nothing though. Really weird.

Like

someone walked down those

stairs but

we couldn't see them! Freaked us

out.

- Jim

The town has a vault which they filled up in the year 1966; it is to be opened 50 years later in 2016. Many will travel from all over the world to see what this vault contains. Haunted or not will never be determined but it surely makes for a wonderful place to add to your bucket list.

by Para-Noir

Cybernetic Goth, the Featured Goth.

"Cyber Goth" What is Cyber Goth.

While traditional Goths are stuck in the past, Cyber Goths are the exact opposite.

Filled with futuristic and progressive style, body modifications, radical, wild and bizarre clothes, they're often referred to as "the Goths of the future". Being a cyber Goth requires a lot of time, effort, money and research to prevent crossing over to the rave scene. It's a subculture that definitely needs major commitment and dedication to obtain the look. The trend is now gaining popularity all over Europe.

South Africa adopted the scene a while back. Only a few clubs introduced the culture to the mainstream.

Cyber Goth is derived from the main elements of Goth crossing over to cyberpunk and rave. Some of its styles differ depending on countries. In Japan it mixes with Bubble Goth and Visual Kei. In Sweden and Finland, we mostly see females doing it with lesser dark colors and more neon and glow in the dark styles.

Let’s take a closer look to this futuristic approach to Goth.

Hair

Cyber Goth hair is normally big and filled with neon strands. These colorful things you see are dread falls. The hair has to be big and styled cyber dreads contain optic fiber like computer cables, dyer tubes and lots of color full coils. Add some spiked goggles for the full effect.

Make-up Most of their make-up matches their outfit. It coordinates well and compliments their hair and style. Eye shadow is bold and bright, sometimes matching the lip color. Heavy eyeliner and false eyelashes are also worn for the effect of bigger andfuller lashes. Contact lenses are also part of the outfit. Most Cyber Goths like to wear comical or horror lenses.

Clothing Latex and PVC plays a big part in the Cyber Goths wardrobe. The clothing includes radioactive signs and colorful symbols. Fishnet stockings and leg warmers is also a crucial part of the whole outfit especially with the girls. Wearing cyber stack platform boots, or industrial strap buckled platform boots makes the complete package. These boots are also known as New Rocks or Demonia wear.

Accessories Cyber Goths usually cover their faces with cyber Goth masks and respirators with studs or spikes.

Bio-hazard warnings and radioactive symbols are also included into the mask for an effect.

Music The most and I mean the most important part of being Cyber Goth is the music. The music is heavily electronic in nature, covering both alternative electronic genders such as EBM, industrial, future pop, power noise. It is advisable not to go into this style without knowing at least some of the more popular Cyber Goth bands, such as VNV Nation and Icon of Coil. Otherwise you would be labeled as a poser. Here is a list of the most preferred Cyber Goth and industrial bands out there and also my favorite at the moment in the club scene and also enjoying at home getting my groove on.

Cyber Goth is classified as weird but so is any other type of culture people practice.

Be creative and be who you are and make the Cyber Goth experience your own.

As a Goth “well old school Goth” the Cyber Goth culture changed my whole perspective regarding dance music. You can make it melodic, powerful lyrical, romantic, expressive and most off all inspiring.

So Cyber Goth lovers, turn the electronic indulgence up to eleven an dance your ass off.

by Rudi Vermeulen “Draco”

Cy yber Goth G V Vs. Stteamp punk Ma any people le get conffused betw ween a Cy yber Goth and a Steampunk. This is und derstanda able becau use they do d have a ffew featu ures in com mmon, bu ut they are two ver ry differen nt subcult ltures. The e biggest a and most obvious distinction d n between n the two o subcultu ures are th he colourss of their attire, ma akeup and d hair. er Goths – They mainly wearr black wiith Cybe neon n and UV colours. Most M popu ular are neon n green n, orange and pink k

Stea ampunks- They hav ve more off an admiiration to br rowns cop ppers and d gold.

Goggles an nd corset Steampunk G

Cyb ber Goth Goggles G an nd Corset

The e Cyber Goth cultur re derived d from ele lectronic music m and d gaming. Steampun nk on the e other ha and derive ed from literature a and steam m machinery. Both h of these sub bcultures a are very eccentric and have e an almo ost cosplay y feel to th hem. They y both wea ar goggless and the females f from f both subcultur res love co orsets. Stteampunk ks wear “W Wild West” or Victor rian inspiired shoes,, you willl also find d a lot of fr frills and ruffles r in the t closet of steam punk, p botth men an nd women n. The men n also wea ar waist coats c and d pocket w watches. Cyber C goth hs wear h huge platfform bootss and use PVC and d refflective ma aterials to o make th heir clothiing. These e two subc cultures ar are extrem mely live ely and cr reative pe eople. They are crea ative in their t own individua al way, bu ut rest assured ther re will nev ver be a dull d mome ent around either one o of thesse inspired d peop ople.

by Para-No P Noir

Jossie Ayame, The Full Package Dark and Cyber greetings to each and every one of you, some will love this issue, bringing out the Cybernetic Gothic essence and some will be less inclined to like but that’s being a Goth. It’s part of our diverse and unique nature.

But nowhere does it state we shouldn’t like the astounding models in our universe, especially when they play dress up, making the Goth in them even more admirable.

With this issue we speak to Jossie Ayame and what I can say, what I should say, and will say is…WOW, just WOW, she’s the full package, not only a stunning Gothic model, but a massive metal head and supporter. You can see her everywhere, showing her support to local and international bands and artists, doing her part for our music needs.

That’s not all, she furthers her music support by being one of the hosts on one of our very own metal radio stations, sharing news, new music and what to expect, giving us that extra bit we can’t get anywhere else… This is Jossie Ayame doing her part and that’s not all - she has a creative touch and makes jewellery which can be found at festivals and online. Her jewelry designs being more than just a creative hobby, but a goal to sell quality Gothic and alternative jewelry at an affordable price, making each piece she hand makes a unique addition to your collection, and this too everyone at affordable prices, something not nearly enough shops take into account these days, this being just another aspect in how she builds her culture, strengthening Gothdom as she moves forward, and all this while she maintains a job and manages studies. We asked her a few questions regarding her current dark path, short term plans and goals including a few other bits that you might enjoy. Here it is and enjoy.

by MGR

Interview with Jossie Ayame Could you give us a brief introduction of who you are?

I’m a 21 year old alternative model based in Pretoria and have been modelling since late 2011. I experiment with all sorts of styles and especially love the weird and unusual shoots.

What or who inspired you to become a model?

I actually didn’t have anything specific that inspired me to become a model. I just always wanted to become a model when I was younger but was told by commercial agencies that I was too fat (even though I’m average sized), so I decided screw that, I’ll prove them wrong. I think I’ve done pretty well for myself.

What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever done for a shoot?

I’ve done a lot of weird things for shoots but the strangest was probably the shoot I did with a real pig heart when I still had blonde hair. I’m quite squeamish so it was a challenge for me. I drained the heart of the real blood and filled it with fake blood to lick and play with. Occasionally I would forget that it’s fake blood and get really grossed out! It was definitely an interesting experience and I’d love to do something weird like that again.

What do you do apart from modelling?

I do lots of things apart from modelling. All the discussed links are at the end of the article.

My main source of income at the moment is being a waitress because I am busy studying BA Fashion. I’m also a freelance makeup artist, but I don’t do it often because I work a lot. I always do my own makeup for my shoots though.

I am a DJ on an online radio station called The Grind Radio. I host the Darklings Dystopia Show every Monday 9-11pm, which is where I play anything that falls under the umbrella term of Goth music, so anything from old school Goth rock to darkwave to industrial and more!

I also host the Metal Warriors Show every Tuesday 9-11pm, where I play any metal that isn’t commercial – so lots of folk, symphonic, power, death, black, thrash, etc.

You can tune in at www.thegrindradio.co.za Going hand in hand with the radio shows, I have a blog where I post the playlists from each show, as well as do album reviews. Bands are welcome to send me their music to review as long as it ties in with the type of music I play on my radio shows. I also post other things on my blog such as tutorials and advice, or just anything that’s on my mind at the time.

I also make and sell dark elegant jewellery. I only recently started up my jewellery business again and I’m loving it! I make all sorts of Gothic jewellery including fancy chokers, earrings, and more. I also make custom designs so if you want something made specifically for you, drop me a message on my page.

Tell us more about your radio show. What challenges and opportunities have crossed your path?

Music is my passion and it’s been so rewarding to be able to provide local Goths and metalheads with a radio show that plays what THEY want to hear, as well as introducing them to new bands. One of the challenges I face every week is finding new music for the shows. I try to find at least 3 new bands that I’ve never played for each show. I love discovering new music but sometimes it’s difficult to find the time to sit for a few hours searching for new music.

The biggest challenge for me is the fact that I am incredibly shy (yes, I know it’s hard to believe!). I suffer from social anxiety and I often struggle to say things because I know that people are listening and I’m scared that I’ll say something stupid and that people will think I’m stupid or judge me. Luckily it’s been better since I’ve had my friend Juan as my co-host because I usually pretend that I’m just talking to him, but he’s also shy and doesn’t have much to say.

As for opportunities, wow! It’s been an incredible experience so far. I’ve been able to attend events that I otherwise couldn’t afford to attend and I’ve met so many people in the music industry. I got a press pass for Witchfest 2015 and got to interview and hang out with one of my favourite metal bands – Alestorm.

I’ve also had international bands send me their music for free. Some of them were bands I’d never heard of, others were bands who saw that I played their music that was found on compilation albums on my show. I feel so proud to know that what I’m doing is being noticed internationally as well.

What inspired you to start making jewellery?

I always see cool jewellery online but can’t afford it, so I decided to start making it for myself. Then of course people started asking where I got my jewellery and then I decided to actually make a business out of it. I love making jewellery because it’s very therapeutic when I’m stressed or going through a rough time.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I’m hoping to move to Europe (preferably Sweden or Germany) in 2-3 years to further my modelling career, as there is a larger market for it there. I hope to get to the point where I can travel specifically for shoots everywhere in Europe.

f you to o show you ur suppor rt and app preciation n.

Here are a ffew links for Fac cebook: ww ww.faceboo ok.com/JosssieAyame Twitter: www w.twitter.co om/jossiea ayame www.instag gram.com/j /jossieayam me Insttagram: w Blog g: justjossie e.wordpresss.com Aya ame Desig gns Faceboo ok: www.fa facebook.co om/Ayame eDesigns Aya ame Desig gns Etsy sto ore: www.e etsy.com/A AyameDessigns

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BODY MODIFICATION. Know your names

So now that you have read about choosing a good piercer you know what you want but you just don’t know the right name of that awesome lip piercing you saw.

Fret not I have a list for you to read and gain the knowledge behind the names of all this lovely lip piercings out there that you can experience.

The Labret.

The most popular lip ring. Simple but still classy.

The Monroe:

This lip ring has become extremely popular amongst females in recent years. It inherited its name from the 1960’s icon, Marilyn Monroe.

The Medusa.

This is a piercing done on the philtrum region just below the nose, therefore officially called a philtrum piercing.

Vertical labret.

This piercing is similar to a regular labret piercing. Instead of going to the interior of the mouth it comes out at the top of the lip.

Snake bites.

This is a combination of two piercings that are separated on the lower lip like the labret. Only they are not in the centre there is one on each side of the lip.

Angel bites.

This consists of two piercings on each side at the top of the upper lip.

Cyber bites.

This is a combination of the medusa and the labret worn together.

Dahlia bites.

These are piercings similar to a labret on the corner of the mouth. It is most popular to have two but even one is called a dahlia bite.

Canine bites.

Canine bites consist of 4 piercings. It’s the combination of the snake bites and angel bites worn together.

Spider bites.

These are two piercings on next two each other at the bottom of the lower lip.

Dolphin bites.

This is where two piercings are centred on the lower lip, similar to the snake bite piercing, but closer together.

by Para-Noir

Mirror, mirror on the wall which piercer is the fairest of them all?

Before we delve into the various piercings available out there let’s first talk about the most important part. The person doing the job, the piercer.

Sometimes people will get a piercing on the spur of the moment. They’ll wake up and just decide to get one or they’ll be with their friend at a studio and just get something. There’s nothing wrong with that at all. On the whole, though, people will have thought about it before the time. They’ll know what they want, look on the internet for examples, ask their friends and contact a piercer to find out about it.

Surely it makes sense to do the same amount of research about the person you choose to do the job. Sadly, this isn’t the case a lot of the time. These days piercers are easy to find. The good ones, not so much.

Upwards of 50% of the business seen by good piercers is fixing piercings from the not so reputable. Be it replacing the wrong jewellery or redoing the piercing correctly.These people either don’t care that they’ve done a bad job or simply don’t know any better. Either way, you probably want to avoid that. It’s really up to the clients to decide whether they stay in business or not.

You could avoid all of this simply by finding the best piercer you can.

While we’re on the subject, don’t be a bargain hunter. As a rule of thumb, reputable piercers all charge around the same price. If it’s significantly cheaper and then the chances are you’re not going to get the best quality. It’s pretty much how everything works, why would piercing be different? Though, I’m sure plenty of dodgy piercers charge more than they’re worth.

You’re trusting someone to push an incredibly sharp needle through your skin and leave you with jewellery. You’re trusting them to do this so it is aesthetically pleasing and heals with the minimal amount of trouble. You’re also trusting that they’re not potentially contaminating you due to poor hygiene practice.

You want someone who cares what their work looks like, won’t let you walk out of the shop with something they’re not proud of and is there if you need help.

When looking for a good piercer, the internet and social media are a good tool. Look at their Facebook page, see how many followers they have, look at reviews. If they’re overwhelmingly positive then you’re probably onto a good one.

Next month we’ll start getting into more specific piercings. We’ll also periodically talk about other topics like safety and hygiene.

Information contributed by the piercers at Beyond Body Modification www.beyondthepain.co.za

by Shawn Gillespie and Para-Noir

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HOME & GARDEN How to grow Black roses

One of the biggest disappointments as a gothic gardener is that natural black roses only grow in Turkey. They are absolutely gorgeous little creations with their natural growth leaning towards the dark side sound familiar doesn’t it? Sort of reminds you a bit of yourself. We only have a few black roses in this world filled with roses even in some of the driest countries, however the black rose certainly is the most beautiful. Well your longing for a black rose garden is over. I will teach you in this article how you can grow your own black rose.

Inventory needs: 1. 5 cups of water (1.25 litres) 2. 1tsp of black food colouring.

3. A red rose bush that only has buds, no blooming roses. A light colour rose will not work.

STEP 1: Plant your rose bush in partial shade STEP 2: Make the root dye by mixing the food colouring and the water together.

(Be careful when doing this, food colouring stains!)

STEP 3: Water the roses with the root dye. Only water with the root dye once every two weeks. Aim the root dye to the centre of the shrub when watering.

STEP 4: Be patient it will take about a month for the dye to start showing in the rose buds. Wait for the buds to start blooming before you decide whether you want to increase the amount of dye.

STEP 5: In a couple of months you will have the perfect dark colour to suit your taste.

Tips and warnings ∞ The bigger the rose bud the more dye you will need, if the rose bud is smaller than average you will need less root dye. ∞ The bigger the bud the longer it takes to start changing colour. ∞ You can use a white rose and experiment with different colour root dyes. You can also stop adding dye at a certain point and have a half black half red rose. The possibilities are endless. ∞ Don’t use any other dye to make the rose black, it WILL KILL the rose. ∞ Do not plant the rose bush in direct sunlight. The dark colour of the rose will cause it the sun to burn it. The dark colour of the rose will ensure that the rose gets enough heat and sunlight.

by Para-Noir

Steam Variety Your 1-stopcyber-Shop

Buy existing goggles, gas masks and other accessories, or have your own ideas take life in a customjob.

Steam Variety is a private manufacturer of both Steampunk and Cyber Goth accessories based right here in South Africa. They post to all over the country at an amazing rate.

I have personally bought from them and I am very happy with my purchases.

“I make Steampunk products out of pure passion and enjoymentBoth the Cyber Goth and the Steampunk sub-culture is growing at a rapid pace in South Africa and I am honoured to be able to contribute to this unique style.� says Deon van der Nest, the owner and mastermind behind Steam Variety.

Quality at truly affordable prices, Contact Deon to place your order.

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HEALTH & BEAUTY CYBER GOTH Make-up ideas and tips..

Dots!! Dots!! Dots!! & Bold eyebrows are essential to pull off the Cyber-look.

Use your eye makeup to bring all of your clothing elements together. From your Dread Falls to your shoes.

The magical aspect behind a cyber Goth is how they are able to look like an absolute, chaotic, organised mess, bringing in extreme colours without looking like a clown-the secret?

The secret lies with their makeup. We all know that green and yellow should NEVER be worn together but, for some unexplained reason, a Cyber Goth can make it work.

Cyber Goth makeup ties in greatly with the colours of your Dread Falls. The colours of your deadfalls then determine the look and colour of your entire outfit.

Stick with your “brights”… Bright reds, bright blues, bright greens, etc. and try to find an eye shadow shade as close as possible to the colour of your Falls.

*QUICK TIP: your two best friends are black liquid eyeliner and white eye shadow.

Cover your eyelids with white eye shadow before applying your brighter eye shadows. The colour will be more striking and vivid.

1

2

Remember to start with your lightest colours and end off with your blacks.

Red Cyber Goth Makeup: Step by Step Since I personally don't believe in paying a fortune for makeup this will be an AFFORDABLE tutorial 1.

Start off with a blank canvas. Nothing more but your Foundation,

Concealer, Primer.

2.

Cover your upper lid with the colour of your falls and outfit. I chose red. If

its a lighter colour like baby blue, remember to cover your eyelids with white first!

I decided to bring the red in over my eyebrows as well. For both my eyebrows and my eyelids I used a lip liner pencil from Ascot (R34.50). This is also the part where you can go crazy with dots, or patterns. Decide what works for you and go for it!!

1.

Bring in some black. Regardless of the colour scheme you are going for, black

is a must. I used a black eyeliner pencil from Ascot (R18.90) just above my eyelashes to bring in some definition. This part doesn't have to be neat or perfect, so don't worry too much.

2.

Finish off your look with some liquid eyeliner (WOW! Makeup R38.95) close

to your lash line, some mascara

(L'OREAL Volume Million Lashes) and killer lips (Black and Red lipstick from Ascot @ R20.00ea) if you so wish. Some Cyber Goths opt for false eyelashes but I wouldnt recommend them purely because they are bloody irritating!

5. Grab your gear and paint the town!!

by Roulette Belet-Seri

Life’s Thorns Life’s Thorns Introductions In today's life we have many "issues" to deal with - for some its school, further studying or being bullied, and for others its discrimination, problems in the workplace and acceptance in society amongst many other thorns we are pricked with in life...

We here will do our best to supply you with accurate answers to these thorns, how to deal with them, how to go about solving them and removing them…

Consulting the Seers are our newest addition to the family, a questionnaire column where you the readers are more than welcome to send in questions about things that prick you, things that makes no sense or general queries, and we here will answer them where they will be published in the magazine or answered here and shared on one of our social pages.

Aside for these Thorns, in every issue we will focus on specific Thorns, we will choose unique topics, occurrences or events that either happened or was shared with us. We will take these chosen topics and share it with you, in detail, as to how, why and what to do about it. Life's Thorns exists to serve you in need or just as an informative read, we are here to help you with answers or merely satisfy your curiosity. Baby Goths...they are our future in this world, our Gothdom cannot continue if our 'ranks' do not get reinforced, bolstered or refreshed, and most of these numbers come from our youth. We here along with the SAGS take special care, and great responsibility in being here for the Baby Goths, guiding them, protecting them, being there for them, as friends, family ,teachers or merely someone to talk to. Losing a Baby Goth is never an option; we will do whatever we can to be here for you in any way you require us to be. This is a promise we the SAGS makes to you. Then Gothic parenting, being a Goth mommy or daddy, under Consulting the Seers at this stage we are implementing a questionnaire of sorts, some guidance and informative tips and advice, these will be made available to you straight from the lives of our gothic parents, sharing with you what they've gone through and experienced, and just like with Life's Thorns itself, the Baby Goth goal and CtS itself, we want you to share with us, asking us questions and being generally curious about things. We are here to serve you, you have our confidence and confidentiality to start off with, and so at any given time...you’re welcome to come to us with anything you choose to.

We will also share words of wisdom and words of inspiration with you. We look forward to hear from all of you. Should you feel the need to discuss something feel free to mail us at lifesthorns@gmail.com

by MGR

What to..., and What not to.

This article is focused on us Goths , being Goths to ourselves and to others.

There's been an increasing hating amongst ourselves, and a steady flow of discrimination against potential Goths...Baby Goths and different youths.

When did we start becoming judgmental? We as Goths are outcasts to the world, not because we're different, but because we're true to who we are, to what we are, and this doesn't fit in with society's plan, thus they shun us, they condescend us, label us evil, outcasts and society’s losers.

Each and every day we live that life of being looked down upon, yet we should stand tall, proud and unwavering for our courage to be what we were meant to be.

So when did we decide we have the right to look down on others or look down or our own family?

You reading this comes from your own culture, your own heritage, your own faith, beliefs, goals and outlooks, you’re from one country with one upbringing and understanding, but you have the touch of Nyctophillia, a love for the darkness, but you reading this right here?! You are one of a great many people reading it, young of age, matured in age... A seasoned Goth, a new Goth, a possible Goth, but no two of you reading this are the same, you are your own unique individual, acting and living on that, that and the gift of Nyctophillia is what you have in common with the others. You are the same kind, belonging to the same family, but your unique traits such as culture and upbringing make you different. Not to speak of choices such as Fashion, Music, expression. These are all things we as Goths thrive upon, further cementing what makes us ourselves.

No one of us has any right to look down on another sub Gothic culture, we are all Goths, our differences make us who we are, and over the years it has led to the creation of several sub Gothic cultures. When I look and see all these people, all these Goths and how far we've come in this life, against all odd, yet here we are standing strong, fighting the black fight, it makes me proud to be a Goth.

How can it make you anything less than proud? Our future depends on numbers, a community; a family of our own, and every family must bare all traits to be a family and you Goths have something no other family has; family members from all over the world, knowing what you feel, what you long for and what is needed.

Looking down upon one another due to music and fashion choices, beliefs or religion, for being a different Goth than you are, my brothers and sisters, that is pathetic, that is what we stand against in society itself , how can we allow this between ourselves? Each and every one of you will need to take a stand for what you believe in yes, but for what they want as well. Gothdom is in dire need, all over

the world Gothdom is struggling and in some cases it nears extinction which means some of your family are prone to be eliminated, which by all rights should get you to stand and fight for them, with them, side by side, not against them for being different, it’s our difference that makes us so unique.

Think about this... Your time to choose is upon you.

This issue will serve a double edition, working with the above discussed Topic, but focusing on the youth and Baby Goth sector per se.

We all became Goths at different ages, some of us were born different, some chose it, and others embraced it. In the end, we Goths were always different, we always had the gift of Nyctophillia, what makes us different is taking the courage to fully embrace it, fully accepting who we really are.

For some it happened early in life, others later, some accepted only parts of it and other went overboard with it, we are a diverse people, but the fact remains, we are Goths because we have that one trait, that one gift that makes us ourselves. It makes us Goths and it’s up to us to accept it, stand for it and be proud of who we are. Some will stand against this with the response of they won't or don't like being labeled, or being put in just one box. To you I say, I fully understand that, I know why you say that and feel that way, BUT you have yet to fully accept, to take the courage to stand firm and say, I AM A GOTH , and I AM PROUD of it. If you are proud of your heritage as a human in this world, being labeled what you are is nothing to fear, yes some of us, go out and slander our culture, non-Goths act against us, Non Goths do deeds and we are blamed, there's such a misunderstanding of what we are, but that is because there's no education. There's no source to educate the ignorant. This is something we can fix, and fixing it will save countless brothers and sisters out there.

How many people shun us in our indirect livelihood, but then they get to know us, and their opinions change because they saw what we really are, instead of listening to bad media? We can change this, we can fix it and that makes it our responsibility to do so, for ourselves, for our youth Goths, for our children who will grow up like us, being like us. We owe this to Goth itself.

Now part two begins.

Baby Goths, how many here can say they've had the good fortune of finding a Baby Goth? A youthful individual that's different, that's unsure of who and what they are, of where they belong in life? How many? How many here can say they took the time to offer help and guidance to these individuals? How many simple left them to wander? To go about alone, unsure and insecure of what is and is not?

How many? Seeing these individuals again, what did you see? Did they succeed in their quest alone, or did they find people they thought could be their kin, ending up being rebels? Drug abusers? Gangs bent on anarchy? You’re lacking to lend a hand;

did it do that youth justice or injustice? Could you have helped them better by being there for them? Makes you think now, doesn't it?

I personally usually get them after they've been left to wander; finding the wrong people, being abused and broken, then someone brings them to me. And each time I wish I could have been there before they found these animals. They do not need to be a Goth or a baby Goth to deserve our help. They are human beings and they deserve our help, even if you are not able to help them, at least point someone who can in their direction, or point them in someone’s direction, or offer them some counsel. You as a Goth have endured many stares, verbal attacks and abuses, so no Goth can say he has nothing to offer in terms of moral support.

Think about this the next time you see such a youth, how much different or simpler would things have been had someone been there for you? Be that someone for someone else.

As I said, we as Goths accept our dark nature, our gift in different stages and aspects on life, it’s never the same for two people, and it all depends on you the person. These Baby Goths, they may be different than you were, as stated above, we come from different lives, so different sub Gothic cultures have risen. They may be different from you, but this does not make them any less of a Goth than you, having the privilege of guiding, grooming and teaching a baby Goth is a rare and unique gift in itself, they are feisty things, quick to lash out and rebel, weren't we all at some point, but this just makes them require patience and time, seeing them grow piece by piece until they open up and their full Goth is unveiled. It’s a remarkable thing, a beautiful thing. Something that gives hope, something that bolsters faith in mankind, it reinforces our will as Goths and it increases our numbers as Goths and this is something we sorely need, we face extinction.

With this I'm going to leave you now, think about this carefully now, never be too quick to cast someone out or away, and if you see or notice someone and they may be in need of more than you can or are willing to give, you’re welcome to send them our way, SAGS is national and across SA, as for our Seers here in Life's Thorns, we have a team, all willing to step up.

by tBR

Blasphemous Goths A while ago, my sister-in-law invited her parents over and we had a small gettogether. Before we knew it, we had all had a few glasses of wine and actually enjoyed the random religious topics that we were chatting about. Now with the inlaws, both being pastors, I was quite entertained about the jokes that were shared.

Not being much of a religious fanatic, like myself, my sister-in-law refrained from being a part of this fun sitting. Just as we all said goodnight before we parted ways, I had to ask the pastor why he engaged in the jokes and shared a few of his own? Does he not see it as blasphemy? His answer: “My dear, Jesus was a man, just like us, and I am certain that if cracking a joke every now and again was not tolerated, then we would not have any sense of humour. God knows us, as we are.

He also, has some sense of humour.” This made a span of sense to me and now hopefully it will to some of you out there as well.

To those of you who find this revolting and disturbing, that would bring a bit of light to us who now also know why some animals eat their young ;) get some humour, it is not the end of the world. We all share different views and most definitely different judgements on certain topics. When some prefer to post their views and stories on social media or personal profiles, we really do NOT expect anyone’s opinion on it. Those of my friends who fall under the category of expressing themselves in such a manner by posting religious jokes and satanic pictorial on their social pages explained to me that it is a way of expression, even though some teens go about it the wrong way and post such things only to get people to fear them and the religion that they chose. Which I personally find inappropriate yet respect it because who am I to judge, right? The best answer I have yet received from a very dear friend of mine when I asked how he sees some religious related pictures being posted on media, was- “To make their belief feel superior in their own way.” And added to that remark, his own view on why he, himself does it- “Some pictures I find funny. Others, I don’t really care for.... I don’t gain anything.”

Strangely enough, in the 1980’s, Fred H. Berger, the publisher of Propaganda magazine, was a huge success when the mag went viral and even the smallest towns wanted to get their hands on an issue as it contained a wide spread variety on fetish-fashion, post-punk music, literature and art. Most people would find this as the birth of what became the Goth culture and lifestyle as they were so intrigued by the oddly alternative taste in darker colours of life. Although it was referred to as “underground” or “darkwave”, this magazine was a huge success regardless of what expectations were expected from any religion or race. Instead of writing up a petition in the elderly days to stop this era that was being born and, well, pretty inattentively eager to become one of the most popular lifestyles, people just went with it and embraced this change. We might as well start suing every single artist for singing a song we don’t agree to be appropriate to our taste or lifestyle...right?

Only thing is that, we won’t win, no matter how strong our case may be or how many people we have on our side. The same goes for those who are so against the gothic culture but still go onto Goth websites and even buy our fashionably elegant clothing etc. Hey, we don’t mind, keep that shit up, seriously, we like it! As for the “against Goths, the living dead” groupies out there, we also enjoy reading your pages and what you see us as. The one particular page www.jesus-is-savior.com, (please feel free to go check it out) you can go on their site and read all about all these different major dark and evil events that occurred around the globe by, guess who.......? Yours truly, the GOTHS. The mere variety who idolized metal bands such as Slayer and some even in bands themselves who brutally murdered people etc.

Pretty freakin’ astonishing that our lifestyle gets blamed for such horrific behaviour just because some people can just not comprehend the difference between a certain lifestyle, religion or even interest. Even the person who wrote the definition of a Goth in the Wikipedia has raised a bad image of a Goth to some people. Yes, most of us share different point of views on religion and we have a mutual understanding on where to draw the line and respect one another for our independent differences. But believe it or not, some of us are the biggest Christians ever that would make the boy/girl next door look like a dinky toy filled up with the basic manners on how to react all prim and proper yet lack so much intellectual knowledge about their own religion, it’s embarrassing. If any “normy” out there would just grow a pair and ask a Goth about some religious views, I myself would welcome such a person to teach them more and maybe even gain some respect once that is over, having someone who doesn’t share my lifestyle actually opening their eyes and mind to what and who we really are. Whatever the case may be, you win some, and you lose some. Whether it is respect and friends or enemies and criticism, it is all a part of life....

Resources:

theeverydaygoth.com Jesus-is-savior.com Dangerousminds.net

by Renè Roux.

Goth is dead.

The new popular term to use, Goth is dead in my city; there's no more clubs to hang out with. No stores supplying decent gear, garb or clothing.

Goths themselves are scarce and gone. The entire scene for Goths seems to be dead.

So I have two options, I can sit and bitch about it with the idea that it will fix itself. Or I can be one of the people working to fix it, to revive it, bring it back and make it grow, going as far as recruiting more Goths, laying down permanent foundations so that we don't die out again.

Choices, that's what it comes down to.

One Goth can’t fix it, one group can't fix it. To fix it Goths from every group need to come together, sharing ideas and plans on how to bring back Goth. In the end it depends on YOU. What you’re willing to do for yourself as a Goth, what you’re willing to invest, sacrifice and fight for. If you’re not willing, don't expect anyone else to be willing, it’s as simple as that! The SAGS was an idea which was planned years ago, and when it was launched, its purpose was uniting the Goths, but what then? How do we make them stay? Grow on each other, build bonds? Expanding, giving them reason to do so, which led the SAGS to Launch SAGS TSM a digital lifestyle gothic magazine, for you by you. That is the purpose of the magazine; it needs you for it to succeed!

But that's not all, the SAGS keeps on expanding, bringing more Goth to all Goths.

Currently the Houses of Goth, which exist in each SA province, are open and available for any Goth keen on joining. There's a much bigger idea and goal behind these Houses. The scenes are dead yes, but instead of complaining about it, invest that effort and see it rebirthed. There are Goths amongst you trying to do just that, but they can't do it alone, we need everyone. In the end, the scenes are one as dead as you allow it to be. We are Goths, but we don't limit ourselves to just Goths, our magazine works with bands, artists and models from all ‘scenes’. The new gothic modelling agency has the name Goth proudly, but we do not limit ourselves to just Goths, we are open to any that needs and wants to work with us, but under one condition. That they know we are Goths, now and ever. So to my fellow South African Goths, before you claim that the Goth scene is dead in your location, rather ask what you can do to help rebuild it because we are working on that, and with your help, it will go faster and better, because you'll be directly involved, sharing your location’s strong suits, sharing inside information on making it perfect for you. Our goal as always is Bringing Goth to all Goths, building a lasting empire for the Goths of now and the Goths to come...

by tBR

Consulting the Seers

Question; my parents don’t understand they’re not giving me a chance to reply or explain my side of the story; they’re too quick to judge and condemn me.

Answer: At times we have to take a step back to take a look at other’s perspective of things. Especially when it comes to our parents. It isn’t always easy as you think that they don’t understand you, but actually they just want the best for you. This would all depend on the reason why they act this way toward you. So how about giving them a break? As a parent they have so much more responsibilities and raising a child is nothing like baking cookies. Maybe try and have a decent, civilized sit-down with them? Even one at a time, which will help you to get a chance to explain yourself and that is surely the only way that your parents will get a better understanding of what you are all about.

Question; Social flaws… I don’t know how to speak to people, or what to say. I want to make friends but I’m not too sure how, or what to say. I’m a Goth with no Goth friends. I see some, but I don’t know how to approach them or how to make a bond.

The “fear” of socializing is making it very difficult for me to go out there and make some Goth friends.

Answer: Social flaws, I’d rather use the term Opportunity. It is not always easy to just walk up to some strangers and start conversing about various interests. As Goths, we seem to have a good understanding about feeling alone or left out so don’t be afraid to smile or even greet them when you pass by them. That would be a welcoming sign as to show that you notice them and who knows, maybe they have noticed you as well but just don’t want to approach you since they have no idea if you might want it. You will never know unless you give it a go. Many a friendships started with just a smile.

Question; as a parent, I’m not really informed as to what the alternative scene is about. Then there’s Goth, which is explained in so many ways as dark, evil, and keep away from your children. There’s much more to that, but publicity has labeled Goth as a bad “phase” for our children. How can I learn more about what it means to be a Goth? How can I better my relationship with my child? My child is a Goth, a teenager, but fixed on completely set on that she’s a Goth How can I teach myself so that I can better understand what it means to be a Goth? To accept her for this and to rebuild our relationship?

Answer: Where to start? Parenting is never easy, no matter how good you think you have it. Even those who think they have it all together make mistakes. The thing is, when it comes to children, we never know what we’ll be in for. As teenagers, we also went through changes and experiences which drove our parents insane. My advice would be basically the same as what my reply was to our first question. Teens might not always like it or have a way too busy social life to attend to then have a sit-down with a parent. I guess we all have our ways in dealing with certain situations but I’m sure that once you show interest in their lifestyle, they will actually start talking to you in ways you could never imagine (good ways though). Teens will follow what they interest, what they feel is best for them at that time, which make them feel secure and help them discover who they are. In that sense, you can start growing with them as they try out new things. There, a bond can be built which no other can ever take away. As for the concept of Gothdom and the scene, I am sure that you will get a better understanding once you just let go and let your daughter grow into her own being. There is no better way to understand a Goth, than by knowing one and their ways. So don’t get worried too much and all of the best with your Gothling.

Question; I’m a 16 yr. old girl and don’t identify with other kids my age. I like wearing black or dark clothing and my music differs from my peers. Am I a Goth?

How do I know I am a Goth?

Answer: well, 16 is such a delicate age and at this stage in your life you are still trying to discover your true self and where you belong. As for wearing black, it tends to bring out the best in us and we feel so much more comfortable with whom we are. In trying to figure out if you truly are a Goth, you will have to take a look at yourself a bit closely. What do you like to do for fun? What genre music interests you? Maybe even who your role model might be and their lifestyle? Yet personally, it will only be up to you, to decide whether you are a Goth or not as we all are different from each other, but we still have some similarities as to what draw us together. All the best with this wonderful journey.

Question; Hi there. I am a 28 year old woman and a cyber-Goth I got married a year ago and in the beginning things was perfect between me and my husband and

he was very supportive of me being goth. However I noticed our dynamics changing since about a month ago and he complains about how I dress, act, my music, my choice of friends whom used to be our friends‌.

Should I try change to accommodate his expectations? It will be very hard changing my ways as it’s my identity.

Answer: where to start. It does seem that there might be some changes that have occurred in your relationship with your husband. We just cannot be certain about what his reason(s) might be. We all have to make sacrifices at some point in our lives yes, but having to change who you truly are most definitely not one of them.

Maybe he has some issues that he needs to deal with and it isn't always as simple as flipping a switch. So maybe try and let him into your life for a day/night and show him how you truly enjoy who you are and why you chose this lifestyle. Who knows, he might just even convert ;). If not, well, there is always marriage counselling.

Question; I know this girl from school and she let slip she is emo‌.she dresses very weird and always seem sad and alone. What can I do as a normal teenager to help her and make her a part of our friend group? She cries easily in class when reprimanded and she always listens to very depressing music in our lunch breaks or between classes. Last week I noticed for the first time horrible scars on her arms and upper legs. I worry she may commit suicide if I do not intervene soon.

Answer: there is only one way to deal with such emotional individuals...kindness and care, and loads of it. Be gentle when you try to talk to her, be understanding and try not to let her feel uneasy at any time. These type of people usually have a lot to deal with in life, whether it be personal problems haunting their poor souls from the past, divorced parents, deceased friend/family member, or just that they are not good at dealing with certain things. But I am quite sure that if you show respect and understanding, she just might find a friend in you and start sharing her troubles as a sign of trust and a cry for help. If you feel that it might be a bit too much, it might just be best to consult a grown up and no better person than the school councillor or a teacher that you know you can trust. Would love to get a response again once you have gotten through to her so we can be sure that she is well and has someone as caring such as you in her life.

Music, the Soul food.

The Music at Our Doorstep.

Too many times we forget to look at the local music talent. We don’t always know where to start looking for them or we just don’t know how that talent in this genre even exists here. We fail to feed our local music industry and we starve our local musicians. Not only do we starve our musicians but we miss out on some really great music that’s out there. In today’s society music is what a lot of people use to cope with their daily struggles. I have compiled a list of the greatest local E.B.M and Industrial talent. Just to make things that much easier for you.

1.

G.L.O.W (see page 54for full interview) Genre: E.B.M Members: Richard Wheeler City: Johannesburg Facebook link:https://www.facebook.com/pages/GLOW/ 368268623763?fref=ts Music link: Anger: https://soundcloud.com/g-l-o-w/anger Flying Dutchman (Final Quest): https://soundcloud.com/g-l-o-w/flying-dutchman-final-quest Aigamuchab: https://soundcloud.com/g-l-o-w/aigamuchab Hate Crime https://soundcloud.com/g-l-o-w/hate-crime

2. Jed Rabid Genre: freestyle electronic/ E.B.M/ Dubstep/ Trip hop/ Bass Members: Jade Rabie City: Cape Town Facebook link:https://www.facebook.com/jedrabidmusic?fref=ts Music link:https://soundcloud.com/jedrabid Short bio: Formed in 2010 after many years of experimenting with music sequencing programs Jed Rabid have released various free and commercial music releases on various local and international record labels. As a youth Jade attended gothic parties in Cape Town and was hooked by the sound and was attracted to the idea of making his own music, He started making music with Fruityloops (Fl Studio), and now uses Ableton and/or Reason, it's all software based and the only hardware used is a midi keyboard.

Biggest musical influences are; Velvet Acid Christ, Haujobb, Skinny Puppy, Icon of Coil and Wumpscut. Last year Jed Rabid went to Germany and visited Berlin and Hamburg and wishes to return again next year.

3. Axxon Genre: Industrial Members: Stephen Green - Lead vocals / songwriting / programming / sequencing and production Cathryn Golby - Guitars / songwriting / lyrics / instrumentals Malcolm McArb - Guitars Scott Miller - Drums / songwriting / percussion Kevin King – Vocals City: Cape- Town Facebook link:https://www.facebook.com/axxonmusic/timeline

4. Cyvergence Genre: Members: Leon Nieuwoudt - Production, Vocals, Mastering City: Pretoria Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/Cyvergence/timeline Bio: Cyvergence is a mind bending electronic producer and DJ, exploring and combining the harsh and dark soundscapes of EBM, industrial and dance.

The style is instantly recognized by the desire to find the ultimate "Wall Of Sound" with the perfect combination of innocent and tainted music genres.

Look forward to the unexpected...

by Para-Noir

Interview with TERMINATRYX

“TERMINATRYX (pronounced: "terminaytrix") - a new breed of South African music” Source: www.facebook.com/Terminatryx TERMINATRYX:Sonja Ruppersberg – Lead & Backing Vocals Paul Blom – Guitar, Bass, Programming, Backing Vocals Patrick Davidson – Guitar Ronnie Belcher – Drums, Programming Genre: Industrial-Metal / Alternative Metal Home Town: Cape Town, South Africa SAGS: Right off the bat: Witchfest 2015 was an amazing experience for all of us. How was it for you?

Sonja: It was a great experience being on the same bill with many illustrious local and international acts. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of support, and must say that the event reaffirmed my dedication to the scene. I had a very bad case of bronchitis at the time so the physical performance itself was tough, but the crowd and the support made it all worthwhile. We honestly love our fans in the North, they are great and we don’t see them often enough.

Paul: Yes, this was the 2nd of 3 important 2015 shows for us. With the costly and impracticality of an alternative band touring regularly beyond Cape Town, our last Gauteng tour was with our debut album launch in 2008! So it was a long time coming in heading up there again. Even though we played Witchfest on the Sunday when everyone was wrecked from the weekend’s intensity, we admire the supporters for scraping together the energy! The first Gauteng show this year was the support slot for one of our favorite international bands, Ministry (in March), and thirdly the Sam Dunn / Banger Films documentary shoot on SA Metal at Iron Tusk (in June). We feel privileged to have been chosen to be part of these events, and it is always great to meet old supporters who'd been backing us for years, as well as new ones - so often people come up to us blown away saying "why haven't we heard of you before?!

SAGS: Your sound is very distinctive, how would you describe it and how has it evolved over the years?

Paul: Different people react to it in their own unique way (which is great as it can appeal to those into heavier, darker or less intense stuff – we’re a gateway drug for people who didn’t think they may like this kind of music and get them to meet in the middle!), but it is a hybrid of various Alternative genres. While the quick & easy description would be Industrial-Metal, many songs contain either one or the other, or a combo of those, but some songs have Gothic touches, others have a Punk / Hardcore glimmer, while others have an orchestral or movie soundtrack touch. Some have a very strong Rock basis. None of this is intentional – it’s just the way it flows from us. With more of a programmed basis, the earlier Terminatryx songs were leaning more towards the Industrial end of the spectrum as opposed to the Metal side (although all the aforementioned genre derivatives were definitely present).

I think what also sets us

apart is we don’t try to be the heaviest, fastest or most brutal, and rather concentrate on songs that people can connect with and remember, with melodies or something catchy (I love my extreme music, but that doesn’t mean I’m compelled to write it as well – I played very fast and very heavy music with my band V.O.D since the late-‘80s!), so I also want to broaden my horizons and experiment in other musical ways of expression. In addition I also feel Sonja’s vocals are more unique in that she doesn’t try to emulate anyone (as is the case with our music – why copy someone who already has their identity down? – rather create your own).

As with everything, you improve with practice (!), so after 13 years we pretty much found our identity, which is a blend of organic and electronic sounds.

Sonja: The sound is really a culmination of Paul and my imaginings and inspirations.

We are both big fans of cinema, especially Sci-Fi and horror genres, and we approach our sound like one would approach a sound track of a movie. In the beginning Paul did the majority of the writing and composing, but on the new Shadow album I contributed more. This added a different dimension to our sound.

Paul: Yes, Sonja's writing adds a more emotional touch (not necessarily in an Emo sense!), with introspective subjects, whereas mine are often more confrontational or questioning in nature.

SAGS: Who inspired you to become who you are today and how have various artists influenced you?

Sonja: I don’t particularly feel that I am influenced specifically by anyone, I have my likes and dislikes and I do and wear and say what I feel comfortable with. We, as individuals, are essentially an amalgamation of all we were before. I have to give credit where credit is due though and will say this much, I have always felt inspired by people like David Bowie, Trent Reznor, Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie. But I also love Beethoven, Mozart, Mahler, Kate Bush, Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits. These individuals are worlds and even centuries apart, which illustrates the depth and extent of what inspires, stirs and stimulates, and eventually make us what we are.

Paul: From a personal perspective, naturally my parents, who allowed me to be who I felt I needed to be - letting me listen & watch the odd music & movies I was drawn to; letting me do my thing as a pre-teen and teenager when wearing studded bracelets, spraying blue streaks in my hair or bleaching the side of it like Mad Max in The Road Warrior(!); asking my mom to make me a muscle T-shirt with zips like Snake Pliskin in Escape From New York; my dad arranging money orders to get me Metallica T-shirts from the UK or getting me a subscription for Fangoria magazine… My taste in music is extremely broad, but my first exposure to music more exciting than the status quo was Kiss in the early ‘80s as a teen. The theatrical approach of their make-up, huge stage shows and music just resonated with me (and to this day is still my Brother Francois's biggest influence). That sparked my interest in the drums. From there I was drawn more towards alternatives pushing the boundaries and discovered bands like Iron Maiden, swiftly rising to Thrash like Metallica, Slayer (those two bands very inspirational when it came to my drumming – my first garage band Moral Decay with my brothers, then Metalmorphosis, then V.O.D - Voice Of Destruction). This went into Death Metal and Grindcore, but when I discovered Ministry in the early-'90s, that was quite a shift.

While touring Europe with V.O.D in the mid-'90s, I bought a bass guitar and started messing around on that, leading to my bass-only solo project F8. As with drums I had no formal bass guitar training and tackled it my way, with lots of distortion, approaching it like a guitar, with riffs as opposed to strictly keeping the groove (I find playing that way too boring) - With the creation of Terminatryx in the early-2000s, this naturally flowed into picking up the guitar as well, and expanding my programming and recording skills all of these utilized in Terminatryx. My interest in movies is as strong as music, making our own music videos and short films (whenever we can). I admire filmmakers like David Lynch, David Cronenberg, Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese (to name a few).

Visual and audio expression is very powerful and these guys have an amazing grasp of both. Cinema has a very strong influence on our music as Sonja mentioned.

This also expanded into our other project, The Makabra Ensemble (with collaborative musician friends Simon, Sean and Matthijs) – creating new original soundtracks to classic silent films, and performing them live to the screen incorporating a wide range of instruments and sounds – Check this link:- www.terminatryx.com/makabra

SAGS: Tell us about your latest projects: albums, concerts, and other planned endeavors?

Sonja: As Paul mentioned, this past June we hit the North again for the Sam Dunn documentary on the South Africa Metal and Alternative scene. I feel particularly privileged to be part of this venture and to have been considered.

We did our first ever all ages show in June at ROAR in Cape Town with 6 other bands (18 Til I Die, organized by The unScene). The attempt to educate and expose the younger crowd to Metal / Alternative music went down very well.

Our next live show we're headlining on 11 July: Welcome To The Carnival at Buckley's, Bellville, with a 10-band line-up (arranged by To The Stage).

We will also be focusing on a new (overdue) music video (or two) very soon.

Paul: To celebrate our 13th year, we'll release our first ever digital only compilation from across our catalog, exclusively via FangoriaMusick (the huge international horror magazine's music imprint) We've contributed a track to the upcoming compilation album of local artists adapting poetry by legendary South African poet Ingrid Jonker (who committed suicide 50 years ago). Our YouTube channel contains many official video clips, interviews, and additional content, but thus far only one live clip. I will be editing live clips from Witchfest, Ministry, the Banger Films show and the recent all ages ROAR show.

Sonja also has her dark folk project A Murder, which will start playing their first live shows soon - www.facebook.com/pages/A-Murder/638414342902290 We run various indie film festivals including the HorrorFest (in its 11th year!), and we'll do another Makabra Ensemble live movie soundtrack there to a classic silent film www.terminatryx.com/makabra Our Sound On Screen Music Film festival happens end-July at The Labia Theatre in Cape Town, featuring some amazing movies like the Lordi documentary Monsterman www.facebook.com/SoundOnScreenFilmFest SAGS: What do you see in the future for Terminatryx and what can we expect from you in the time to come?

Sonja: For now, we are just focusing on pushing our Shadow album. There is so much work effort, time and money that goes into an album like this, and we want to get maximum traction out of this. Being an independent band is not easy as many bands will tell you, and it is important to get the most out of our latest release, hence more performances and more music videos. I must admit that I am eager to start with new

material again, we will see how it goes.

Paul: It is always good to think big, but we are also not unrealistic. While we'd like to reach all Alternatively inclined people in SA (and those may not realize that they could actually like our music), we also want to expand our reach abroad (as we've found people to be more enthusiastic about us outside of our borders).

So basically, reaching as many people around the world as we can.

SAGS: What has always been your dream or goal of the band?

Sonja: Terminatryx is an extension of us, it is our creative outlet, our platform to speak from and we hope that it adds another option for people that, like us, are not too interested in what is played on the radio daily. We have never proclaimed to be anything other than what we are; a group of people, with shared loves, expressing ourselves in a creative way. If people like what we do, it is a bonus. We get loads of pleasure out of entertaining people and giving them another alternative to what is out there.

Paul: This links to what I said before - reach as many people as humanly possible. I think people in places like Japan will really take to us - but it is a full-time job working the band promo-wise, and as an indie band, we are limited in doing so - however we push it whichever way we can. I’d love to make a feature film wrapped around our music(!)

As with most bands, nothing has fallen in our lap – we must find creative ways to get things done to optimum effect, and reach as wide an audience as realistically possible (without sacrificing our integrity).

One of my main goals is for the band to be noted as an SA group that does something different on their own terms, and in the process providing people with a soundtrack that brings them pleasure in whichever way. We’ve executed many “firsts” or rare happenings like our debut album launch performing in a cinema, followed by a prerelease screening of a new horror film; releasing our DVD with the classic feature film Nosferatu with our new soundtrack, stuck it out over 12 years; releasing a full remixed album of our debut; making a short film linked to a music video etc.

SAGS: The SA alternative scene is really kicking up again thanks to the efforts of Witchdoctor Productions and their affiliates. What would you like to see happening within the scene and how would Terminatryx be a part of this?

Paul: Good that you mention them - the fact that we've hit Johannesburg 3 times in 4 months is directly due to Witchdoctor and their projects. It's great to see the potential of a strong resurgence, but while they're doing great things and drawing in local acts when it comes to hosting international bands, I'm interested to see how it may affect the regular local shows in between these events (they have huge costs to cover and when people already have to turn over their pennies, will this affect attendance of local shows when people are saving up for the internationals?) We feel we have already played a part in expanding the scene (and intend on continuing doing so), by adding a different ingredient to the pot (while as I

mentioned I like my heavy stuff, there is an overflow of extreme and core-type band variations, that are very often indistinguishable unless you see them). We also bring some aesthetics to the party (not just with a hot vocalist!) but also with our stage outfits, (where possible) a synced video projection behind the band with our original content, and our music videos, which we always push to be of international standard. We'd like to be deemed an SA export of note, and with that cast further attention onto the local scene.

Sonja: Witchdoctor is on the right course, we as fans, musicians and members of the alternative tribe have a responsibility to support and nurture them, and to look after, and grow our scene. We must be united as alternative people. No one is going to do it for us. As a member of Terminatryx, and even before Terminatryx, I have always felt compelled to add to, and build our alternative scene because I love it so very much.

Without it we would be like a tribe without a home or purpose.

SAGS: Are there any special experiences or memories associated with your time as Terminatryx that you would like to share with us?

Sonja: At the end of the day nothing that we have done and achieved as a band can really compare to the special relationship we have with one another as band mates. Ron and Pat are like my brothers and Paul is my husband and best friend.

There are many great moments when you know you are killing it on stage and you can feel the positive energy from the crowd and the rest of the band. There are also times when you realize how badly you have just sucked and you receive instant support and forgiveness from your band mates (and then still have people from the audience come up to you afterwards and say they loved it, or ask for an autograph, or buy merch). We laugh a lot and we all contribute in the right places and spaces of the project. We are all very creative and a photoshoot or video shoot is never a boring event, although Patrick normally utilizes it to catch up on much needed sleep(!).

Paul: There are so many moments… from the stage, to the studio, to video shoots, socially…

One vivid memory would be the grueling shoot of our "Virus" music video, which I directed (also expanded into the short film "Marked" - both screened at film festivals around the world, the music video winning an award in Australia). It was a full-on movie production, with make-up FX crew, smoke FX expert etc. But we had a lot to do in the space of about 24hrs and hardly got any sleep, outside in winter - we had to get all the shots done before sunrise, and at one stage I zoned out to the extent of sleep-deprived hallucination! Sonja's went a step further where she started seeing patterns on the wall move while sitting in the make-up chair for her werewolf transformation make-up (no, the punch wasn’t spiked!). Afterwards she freaked herself out when seeing Clinton Smith's (amazing) make-up in the bathroom mirror, having forgotten all about it!

A lot of sacrifice goes into these endeavours and we're eternally grateful when people assist us to produce the best possible outcome. www.youtube.com/Terminatryx SAGS: If someone asked you: “What is Terminatryx?” – how would you respond?

Sonja: Terminatryx is our personal project, an artistic expression and one of many great alternatives out there for you to check out.

Paul: Terminatryx is that space you need filled, an integral part of us, shared with others - It is a unique South African entity with its focus on lasting audio and visual creations, fusing art and entertainment.

by Jera Dísir Email for fans: Via our Facebook group - www.facebook.com/Terminatryx Website: www.terminatryx.com Additional project links: www.terminatryx.com/makabra www.horrorfest.info www.flamedrop.com/sos www.xfest.org www.celludroid.net www.facebook.com/pages/A-Murder/638414342902290 Facebook/Twitter/Instagram: www.facebook.com/Terminatryx www.twitter.com/Terminatryx www.terminatryx.bandcamp.com www.youtube.com/Terminatryx www.terminatryx.wordpress.com www.instagram.com/Terminatryx Song Links: "Shadow": https://terminatryx.bandcamp.com/track/shadow "Medusa": https://terminatryx.bandcamp.com/track/medusa Video Links: "Shadow": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTvk-7Zz5rc "Gone": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeiJPjnqfkM "Virus": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDiRabFQXvg "Obsession": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4wM9w79_YI "Midnight (The Awakening Remix)":https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCwRrJQbz-E

G.L.O.W is a local E.B.M music project created by Richard Wheeler. He has worked very hard on providing good music and beautiful merchandise for Cyber Goths in South- Africa (see page 25For G.L.O.W merchandise). There is more to his music than just a simple song that has been thrown together. When you listen to G.L.O.W it actually makes you feel like putting on your massive platform boots and getting some crin falls on and hitting that dancefloor…. HARD! Until the UV lights have faded and your boots have been worn through. I have had the pleasure of talking to Richard Wheeler and giving you a bit more information behind this amazing talent.

Interview with Richard wheeler from G.L.O.W Please introduce yourself and G.L.O.W. “My name is Richard Wheeler. I am the creator of the E.B.M. project G.L.O.W. I was drawn to and inspired by the strange, eccentric & eclectic style of the Goth culture and so began creating songs that examined the darker side of the human condition.”

Who is your target audience?

“My target audience are fans of unique, deep & interesting music.”

What made you choose this profession and when did you start doing it?

“I chose this profession as I wanted to create music of my own. I chose to start this profession when I finished school, and simply followed my passion which was music. ”

For how long have you been creating your own music?

‘I have been involved in this profession for 7 years now.

What inspired you to pursue music?

“I was inspired by my studies in sound engineering and the Goth scene in South Africa. A variety of artists inspired me to start this project such as VNV Nation, Covenant, Assemblage 23, Depeche Mode & Joy Division.”

Who are your biggest influences?

- VNV Nation - Covenant - Editors - Depeche Mode - Combichrist

What are your short term plans?

To compose music for film and TV. - Expose G.L.O.W. on a variety of international promotion platforms - Djing.

What are your long term goals?

-To grow my fan base -Making my music known in the Mainstream, Alternative & Underground music scenes.

What can people expect from you?

“People can expect tenacity, dedication, and belief in the music I produce.”

What are you currently working on?

“I am currently working on a new album where the style of music has made a slight change from Industrial/E.B.M. to a more Mainstream, Alternative Rock and Electronic style.

This is to make the project more flexible in the music industry.”

Does learning ever stop?

“No, never. There is always something to learn every day.”

What makes working with you unique?

“I’m different to most people as I follow the beat of my own drum, and I would like to help other music projects stand out more.”

With everything there’s a good and a bad.

What would you say is the worst part of your job? And what is the best part of your job?

“Let’s start with the best part of my job which is letting the mind be creative, thinking about the next track I would like to make, and talk about with family and friends to help brainstorm ideas.

It’s great fun.

The worst part of my job, on the other hand, is it’s very time-consuming, and making time for it when you have a lot to do is such a drag!”

Aside from G.L.O.W., what else is there to know about you? A few hobbies? Besides working, what do you consider fun and adventurous?

“I love going on ghost tours, camping, visiting interesting places, and spending time with my animals.”

Any tips for future generations?

- Believe in your passion - Don’t let the world undermine you - Don’t let anyone or anything push you, if you let this happen, your work will be a complete mess!

Get in touch: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/GLOW/368268623763?fref=ts Twitter: @GeneralLanguage E-mail: general.language@gmail.com

byPara-Noir

Cybergoth Top 10 For some time now I have been listening to a few new and old industrial and cyber Goth bands. Well some good ones and not so good. In my opinion the different styles of new wave electro and dark wave sounds out there will cause people to differ in opinion. Some will like the songs and some won’t.

Around the world cyber Goth has a culture related to the type of band and their music.

The top rated bands now known as “club dominators” will dominate the culture as long as its existence.

The top 10 bands rated industrial and ebm circles are: Number 10

Nitzerebb Number 8

Velvet acid Christ

number 9

tacticalsekt number 7

suicide commando

Number 6

Icon of coil Number 4

Funkervogt

number 5

combichrist number 3

front 242

Number 2

number 1

Wolfscheim

vnv nation

To be honest, all the bands I like for a cyber party will include these bands for sure.

Most of the bands are from Germany and this explains the roots of being cyber Goth. These bands are featured on a whole lot of online radio stations like last fm and ebm radio.

Explaining the talent and style of each band will differ immensely.

Profiles for: Dead Can Dance - SPK - The Birthday Party - The Church - Foetus Severed Heads - Christian Death (as led by Valor Kand) - The Dark Shadows - MiSex - Empire of the Sun - Died Pretty - Snog - Models - EYE - The Presets - Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Jerk - The Wreckery (& Hugo Race) - Split Enz - The Scientists - Black Lung - The Boys Next Door - Tedium (TDM) - Shiv-R - Insurge / Soulscraper - Midnight Juggernauts - Angelspit - Divinyls - Skyhooks - The Reels Cut Copy to name a few can be found on YouTube.

All the bands mentioned here also form part of the cyber goth culture but classified as more melodic goth.

ANZ bands were at the forefront of defining these genres* in the 70s & 80s. Some have become the most enduring & prolific artists; producing continuously through to the present time. This site presents a guide to hundreds of projects: some artists have become international icons of their genre; some bands transitioned in order to achieve commercial chart success & thereby survive (which meant many people are not aware of their earlier, darker, more experimental music); and many other groups stick to the Punk ethos of remaining independent, DIY & underground. electro-rock, electro-punk, synth-punk, cyber-goth, cyber-punk, dance-punk, horrorpunk, power-noise, witch-house, glitch-hop, dark electronic dance music (EDM), drag, dark ambient, musique concrete, avant garde, coldwave, chill-wave, breakcore, digital hardcore (DHC), darkcore, hellectro, techno-punk, aggrotech, darkstep & so on... bands, artists, groups, producers, projects ... ;-) Youtube playlists features 150+ songs by dozens of artists, past & present, spanning these various genres; barely scratching the surface! You'll find thousands more songs in the playlists on the respective Artist Profile pages. The tracks were selected by DJ Robot Citizen in January 2015.

In more detail, the scope of music covered on this site includes: industrial, gothic, electro-industrial, goth rock, darkwave, death-rock, new romantic, electronic body music (EBM), industrial-rock, metal-industrial, dark electro, dark electronica,

elektro, (darker) synthpop, dark alternative pop/rock, noise-rock, pre-punk '70s glam-rock (being a precursor prime influence), (darker) new-wave rock, no-wave, electro-rock, electro-punk, synth-punk, cyber-goth, cyber-punk, dance-punk, horrorpunk, power-noise, witch-house, glitch-hop, dark electronic dance music (EDM)

Source: http:/www.australiangothicindustrialmusic.com/

By Rudi Vermeulen “DRACO�

Dark Lyrics - 'We are the Gods' - House of Ra (Intro) Again you tried to escape your life ( Opyat' ty pytalsya bezhat' vashu zhizn') (Verse) Hold the knife against the flesh Try not to die We are the gods that walk thé earth Bring the war We are ready Slay the enemy Slice the gut Exceed the limits Bring death to thine enemy (Chorus) (Férte to thánato ston echthró sou) Slay Kill Decapitate Dethrone the tyrants (Férte to thánato ston echthró sou) Slay Kill Decapitate Dethrone the tyrants (Verse 2) Work with rhythm Slice in a dance Walk in a formation For running will kill you We are the gods that walk thé earth N Chorus) (Férte to thánato ston echthró sou) Slay Kill Decapitate Dethrone the tyrants (Férte to thánato ston echthró sou) Slay Kill Decapitate Dethrone the tyrants

Now man can kill a god (Middle section) In the name of the father We Dethrone tyrants The god of tyranny will bleed the blood of a mortal the signs of war Has made its presence Soon the bell of victory will ring We are the gods that walk thé earth (Chorus twice) (Férte to thánato ston echthró sou) Slay Kill Decapitate Dethrone the tyrants (Férte to thánato ston echthró sou) Slay Kill Decapitate Dethrone the tyrants (Outro) Time has come for me to take back what you took from me For we are the gods that walk thé earth!

FOR WE ARE THE GODS THAT WALK THE EARTH!!!!!!

Copyright: Danny Bloodrocuted. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/House-ofRa

EVENTS Geekfest 2015

Held at Huddle Park Golf and Recreation in Linksfield, Johannesburg, this event was organized by The Dark Carnival, and about 5000 people spent the day at this event. Many people brought their dogs with them and there was even a pet category in the cosplay competition.

Pikachu There was a diverse array of stalls selling articles ranging from beard soap to original artworks. There was craft beer and corsets, jewellery and figurines. You could even buy your very owndisembodied thumb or shrunken head.Some of the stalls present were: Black Kilt Brewery, Solsken Clothing, Grievious, Kulcha Kollective, La’ila Designs, Fairy Fountains, Vile Photography and Art, Dabstar,

Cargokilts, Mogallywood Brewery, Reigning Red, Vino on Tap, Henna by Jorietha, Doki Doki Cosplay Shop, and many more.

Zombie Run South Africa had a twenty-minute zombie run where both zombies and humans (who turned into victims) could join in a short fun run. Many zombies stayed in character for the rest of the festival.

revitalizer balm fromTLC Organic Man

Beard soaps and facial

3D printed designs from Fairy Fountains

Creations

Thumbs from Horrific

The Troll Bow Project was there to give people the opportunity to try their hand at archery and perhaps win their very own bow. It’s harder than it looks and felt completely different from what I expected, but it was a lot of fun and I understand how it can become addictive.

Throughout the day there were various activities going on to keep everyone entertained. Big Chess had a giant chess set and regular sized ones that people could use.

There were numerous giveaways and musical entertainment. The Medieval Fight Club had an area where you could fight a knight and young and old stepped up to the challenge.

There was LARPing from Tales of Teana and Bagdrop from BagDrop SA for those unafraid of heights who seek an adrenaline rush.

Carbon fibre arrows

Wheeeeeee!

LARP – Live Action Role Play

The cosplay competition was one of the main events of the day and there were 79 contestants.

Things didn’t flow so smoothly, but we all hope that will be fixed next year.

It was a great experience to see all the costumes, ranging from original characters, to anime, to games, to television. Some of the cosplays we saw were: Mortal Kombat characters, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, Avatar characters, League of Legends characters, Floki from Vikings, Star Wars characters, and many anime characters. It was great to see families all dressed up together and having fun.

Floki rubbing shoulders with MK1 Sub Zero Harley Quinn

Silent Hill nurses

Genderbent Joker and

Original character – lava demon

Lin nks: Eve ent Faceb book page:: https://w www.face book.com/ m/events/15 5627829733962634/ Gee ekfest Fac cebook pag ge: https:/ //www.fa acebook.co om/GeekF FestSA?fref ef=ts Da ark Carniv val websitte: http:// /www.dar rkcarniva al.co.za/

By y Anna ari du Plessiss

Model M R Roulette e Belet Seri

Mode el; Roulette Belet B Seri

Legend of the Ages Feature; Kurt Cobain

The actual Facts Born: February 20, 1967 Died: April 5, 1994, Spouse: Courtney Love (m. 1992–1994) Children: Frances Cobain Movies: Not Bad for a Girl Music groups: Nirvana (1987 – 1994), Fecal Matter (1985 – 1986)

About Kurt

Cobain was for most his childhood a sickly child, suffering from respiratory problems, which could have possibly had some relation to the other ailments he suffered with later on in life.

For Kurt things only worsened when his parent's divorced at the age of seven and by his own account Cobain said he never felt loved or secure again, feeling rejected and insignificant, he became increasingly problematic, anti-social and withdrawn.

When Cobain was eleven he heard and was captivated by the Britain's Sex Pistols and after their self-destruction Cobain and friend Krist Novoselic continued to listen to the wave of British bands including Joy Division the nihilistic post-punk band that some say Nirvana are directly descended from in form of mood, melody and lyrical quality.

Cobain's artistry and iconoclastic attitude didn't win many friends in high school and sometimes earned him beatings from "jocks" Cobain got even by spray painting "QUEER" on their pick-up trucks. By 1985 Aberdeen was dead and Cobain's next stop was Olympia. Cobain formed and reformed a series of bands before Nirvana came to be in 1986. Nirvana was an uneasy alliance between Cobain, bassist Krist Novoselic and eventually drummer and multi-instrumentalist Dave Grohl

By 1988 Nirvana were doing shows and had demo tapes going around. In 1989 Nirvana recorded their rough-edged first album: Bleach - CD-Album for local Seattle independent label Sub-Pop Kurt was only 27 years old when his body was found dead from an apparent suicide on April 8th, 1994. An investigation determined that his death occurred three days prior to his body being discovered, a legend in his time, a legend in mine, Kurt Cobain, has influenced the rock scene for decades after his death, and I am certain that he will continue to do so in the years to come. Not only was he a talented artist, but he was haunted soul, like many others, and perhaps his death was not in vain.

Random Much?

Suicide Tendencies in the Cobain Family

Whether Kurt committed suicide will forever be questionable, however two of Kurt's uncles actually committed suicide a self-inflicted gunshot to the head on both accounts. Frances Bean Cobain’s party theme for her sixteenth birthday was a suicide theme? Coincidental? I think not.

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Body Deodorant Kurt got into an argument with a friend, and apparently upon waking, he found that she had written "Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit" on the wall of his hotel room.

Unaware of the deodorant, Kurt loved the term so much that he decided to name his Pixies-influenced song, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Kurt Cobain Once over dosed and the show indeed went on In July 1993, Kurt was scheduled to perform however; Kurt injected himself with too much heroin which resulted in an accidental overdose. Courtney reportedly injected him with Narcan. Punching him in the chest she managed to resuscitate him – the show went on.

Kurt Suffered From Intense Debilitating Stomach Problems In his journals, Kurt mentioned that he was suffering from chronic stomach pain.

Several Dr’s consultations left the star with little to no information as to why he suffered from this condition, the condition worsened increasing the dosages that Cobain would use to alleviate the pain, in his note, Kurtmentions his stomach problems: "Thank you all from the pit of my burning, nauseous stomach for your letters and concern during the past years."

Kurt addressed his Suicide Note to his Imaginary Friend

While growing up, Kurt had an imaginary friend named Boddah. He would blame his misfortunes on Boddah and actually addressed his suicide note to him.

References: Google Biographies, Burnout Biographies, UpAvenue

by: Serephim

Reviews; Five Flicks to Thrill and Chill!

Do you feel like giving your Tim Burton collection a break for the last month of winter, or letting your Dracula films collect a teeny bit of dust? Was that a no?

Well, if you just put them down for a moment and look at this top five collection of hair-raising horrors I can promise that you will not regret it!

Commit to finding one of these films and I can assure you, you will track down another!

5. Ju-On: ShiroiRojo (The Grudge: Old Lady in White - 2009)

Why watch Ju-On: ShiroiRojo?

You have only watched American remake of The Grudge and you feel like giving yourself the real treat!

This is truly one of the unnerving horror films I have seen. It is one of those films where you either giggle for the entire duration of the film or you curl up really small and continuously look at the curtains. I enjoyed that the story was simple to understand (I watched this film without English subtitles) and the eerie factor definitely gets a ten out of ten!

About A possessed father, a demented grandmother, a paranoid delivery boy, a cursed tape and a girl who sees a friend from the past; when all these pieces come together you will understand why this film is a spine-chiller!The “old lady in white” is the character that adds the thrill-spice in this Grudge film.

4. Honoguraimizu no sakakara (Dark Water- 2002) Why watch Dark Water (2002)?

You feel like watching a disturbing, emotional horror.

About A struggling mother is trying her best to keep her daughter and her ex-husband is not making that an easy task. To create stability she lands a steady job and finds a flat that is close to her daughter’s school. It is in this dilapidated flat that mysterious things start to happen.

Beside this being a superb horror it also pulls on the heart strings.

3. The Thing (1982)

Why watch The Thing?

This is a film that every horror aficionado needs to see and own. You want to watch this film if you’reready for a trip that is overflowing with suspense.

Ladies, if you are a Kurt Russell fan he is young and has a nice beard.

About A creature has the ability to take many forms, and the action begins when it finds crafty ways to kill off members of a research team. Just what is this “thing”?

2. Ringu (The Ring- 1998)

Why watch Ringu?

You should watch this film because your friend, lover or someone is over. That way you can sleep next to somebody instead of sleeping alone with all the lights on. Just to be safe, you know?

Note: Your cat or dog won’t save you.

About The cursed tape goes like this: you view the tape and then you receive a phone callbreaking the bad news - you only have sevendays to live.

A reporter, her ex-husband and son have watched this tape. It is now her duty to find the origins of the tape and break its curse. The detail in this Japanese original exceeds the American remake. Long after watching this, the thoughts of the cursed tapes

content left me terror-struck.

1. The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari (1920)

Why watch The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari?

You should watch The Cabinet of Dr.Caligari simply because the movie was made and you are alive.

I came to watch this silent film by accident. Years ago, I asked a friend for his top ten horror flicks.

Among the cult classics I discovered this fleshcreeper. The name did not really appeal to me but I saw the running time was just less than an hour so I decided to give this one a shot. From the moment I heard the eerie sounds, I knew I was not going to be disappointed. This one makes the blood run cold, but in that magical way.

About Art is not the same for two individuals and that can definitely be said for The

Cabinet of Dr.Caligari. Just watch it.

By Shandre Dalais

TSM’s Read of the Month “LEXICON” – MAX BARRY GENRE: SCIENCE FICTION

Imagine if words could kill. Literally. That is the power of the poets, an elite underground group who train those who possess the talent to further their agenda.

Among these recruits is teenager Emily Ruff, a street urchin who makes her living through verbal manipulation and sleight of hand. Emily soon rises above the ranks to become the school’s most promising student, until her emotions – a forbidden aspect of being a “poet” – lead to her making a fatal mistake.

In the meantime, a young man named Wil is fleeing from unknown enemies with the help of a rebel poet. All he knows is that somehow he holds the key to unlocking a deadly secret of their society, hidden within a decimated town that nobody may enter.

A fascinating and complex exploration of the power of words and suggestion on the human psyche, the two journeys of Emily of Wil culminate in a thrilling twist that you will never guess.

by Jera Dísir

Poetry;

Poetry;;

Eternall Lotus in the Nightt Upon n a breeze e that blow wing lightt Did co ome a scen nt that sa ang of nigh ht And in n that dre eam did I so wande erOn suc ch thoughtts there I did ponde der For in n this reallm that was w not day Where the dark kness did d hold sway y The e Eternal L Lotus, witth a sigh Se eparated d earth from sky Itss petals qu uivered a as the air stirred s sliightlyAnd with h Voice th hat whisp pered quietlyTolld me of m my coming g doom Bene eath a disstant, grin nning, moon For the dream off Life was dream no o more And ben neath thatt bloom, up pon the flloor The ere, at lastt, the Aby yss deep Awok ke me from m my ear rthly sleep p Where I walked d beyond my m shadow w On thorny y path, no ot straigh ht- yet nar rrow Where with w every y horror there t to face fa N New stren ngth arriv ved- and with w such pace Thenc ce did I lea arn the re eason why y That to llive I first must die e As all wiill learn w when their r time passsesFor Fate does no ot believe in chance esAnd ther re is no re eason then n to questtion That Dark Blo oom’s hidd den intenttion w it cho ooses nightt not day Or why To send s us kiindly on our o way

Where can TSM be Found; Website and Social Platforms

The Society Magazine has spread quite a bit since it launched, keeping to the promise of Bringing Goth to all Goths, and doing that by spreading far and wide.

First off, copies of the magazine can be found here, @ ISSUU.com http://issuu.com/theshadowmag The official Facebook Page for the magazine can be found here @ https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=716286351744242 The magazine has an official Facebook page covering its Health and Beauty, Hair and Makeup and Fashion Categories which can be found here @ https://m.facebook.com/SAGSHealthandBeauty The support column and group names Life's Thorns and its Consulting the Seers category can be found here @ https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=1439109419722300 The Magazine also has an official WordPress Blog where the editors will share upcoming teasers, insider information and updates regarding the magazine which can be found here @ https://sagssocietymagazine.wordpress.com/ The Black Vault, our bizarre, strange and horror category owns a blog on Tumblr which can be found here @ http://southafricangothicsocietymag.tumblr.com/

Contact Us; Email Addresses to Contact TSM directly.

Don van Deventer: Marketing Editor advertising.sags@gmail.com Don van Deventer : Editor mgr.sags@gmail.com Lena Judkins: Publishing Editor sags.editor@gmail.com Ross Fisher: Proof Editor editor.sags@gmail.com Don van Deventer: Life’s Thorns Editor lifesthorns.sags@gmail.com Roche Coetsee: Hair & Makeup Editor roulette.sags@gmail.com ShandreDalais: Reviews Editor Reviews.sags@gmail.com Annari du Plessis: Health & Beauty Editor beauty.sags@gmail.com Frankie Gough: Body Modification Editorbodymod.sags@gmail.com Annari du Plessis: Gauteng Events Editor: annariduplessis@gmail.com Office office.sags@gmail.com Lena Judkins: Poetry & Literature Editor poetry.sags@gmail.com Complaints complaints.sags@gmail.com Suggestions suggestions.sags@gmail.co

SAGS TSM (South African Gothic Society’s The Society Magazine) will not be held responsible for writer’s usage of content and references or the lack thereof. Should you wish to address this, please refer to the contact us page.