Philm - "Harmonic" CD

Featuring drummer Dave Lombardo (of Slayer and Fantomas fame), this new power trio is, as expected, pretty heavy-duty stuff. Philm, which pairs Lombardo with friends from the bands War and Civil Defiance, is a raw, stripped-down, and organic beast, with tracks pulling from metal, punk, and even a small amount of jazz (however slight). "Area" combines a melodic side with fairly brutal and tight metal/punk, whereas "Way Down" even gets bluesy near the end. Other cuts, like "Sex Amp", remind me of a punchier Prong, namely due to Gerry Nestler's vocals. "Mezzanine" jams it out for a spaced-out psychedelic vibe, while "Meditation", the closer, is anything but. "Harmonic", all told, is a lengthy set of playful and taut heavy rockers that showcase Lombardo and company's diverse tastes and talents. (Ipecac)

"Where The Dead Go To Die" DVD (director: Jimmy ScreamerClauz)

Films don't get much more antagonistic, confrontational, or outright damaged than this wildly hallucinogenic celebration of blood, sex, gore, murder, blasphemy, bestiality, satanism, and insanity. Put simply, "Where The Dead Go To Die" is an LSD nightmare of epic proportions. Created using XBox Kinect's motion capture, this primitively animated feature-length film lacks humanity, but instead dives in as a catalog of horrific and depraved imagery. The supposed story is foggy and unnecessary, and serves as little more than an excuse to parade out the extreme visuals. A vicious and unrelenting assault, and definitely not one for the squeamish. Unforgettable. (Unearthed Films via MVD Visual)

Lydia Lunch - "The Gun Is Loaded" DVD (directors: Joe Tripician and Merrill Aldghieri)

Hmm. An 80s-era film starring Lydia that's not directed by Richard Kern. And wildly less-successful this one is, too. A surreal mix of stage monologue and documentary, "The Gun Is Loaded" basically allows Lunch to rant and rave at the state of the world, America, greed, sexism, and so on. To be honest, her shrill tirades grow weary quickly. With a backdrop of stage and streets, and with interspersed news footage, this film is a platform to exhibit Lunch's critical gripes and anger at the world around her. The soundtrack is the sole attraction here, being a subtle and fittingly dark score by Lunch's former partner J.G. Thirlwell (aka Foetus). I can't say I enjoyed this one much. And at a paltry 45 minutes, there's not much else to recommend. (MVD Visual)

Lydia's official site