'Memento Mori' - © Imago Mortis Photography 2013

As you can see, there have been some changes to the site. My old server added annoying adverts without telling me, and I got sick of the look of the old site. So now, following on from my webzine (http://www.intravenousmag.co.uk – go take a look!) I decided to integrate my Imago Mortis site into my Adversaria blog and merge the two into one.

There are still tweaks to be made here and there, and some pages still need to be uploaded, but overall I'm liking the new look.

I've also deleted some old profiles and created some new ones. Have a look in the LINKS section to visit... or if you're lazy, just look below:

www.facebook.com/imagomortis

www.modelmayhem.com/745193

www.purpleport.com/portfolio/imagomortis

imago-mortis.redbubble.com

www.flickr.com/photos/imagomortisuk

So this year I've got a few shoots under my belt and there is talk of more. Which is always positive.

First of all I did a burlesque themed shoot with Scissor Doll. It was originally supposed to be a quick test shoot to try out some new lights I bought. Anyway we got into it and ended up with A LOT of photos.

First of all I shot some with Scissor Doll's natural short and spikey hair and edited the pictures in a way that, to me anyway, had a hint of the 1980s. For the second lot, Scissor Doll got her new black dropped wig and let her inner Dita Von Teese out. The results I think are some of the best pictures I've ever shot. I liked them so much I did an alternative edit of every shot. This time, rather than just opting for the low-key black and white look, I took my inspiration from ManRay and decided to give the pictures a semi-solarised look.

The second shoot of the year also turned into a three-parter. It was the first time I'd shot with my friend Alivya for a few years and it was well worth the wait. I bought some 1950's underwear for her especially for the occasion and I think Liv found them quite comfy.

First we shot some infra-red pictures in what was, in hindsight, inadequate lighting. I could have done with a fill flash or something really. But the final shots after editing came out rather spooky and cool. For the next lot of pictures we used the camera with no filter and went for a classic black and white look. Finally I got the phone out and got some low-fi shots to edit in Vignette and Pixlr. Again I'm really happy with all of the results.

All the new sets are available to view in the gallery page in the MODELS slideshow, or you can visit my flickr page HERE.

All photographs © Imago Mortis Photography

Model Links:

Scissor Doll

Alivya V. Free

April, 2013

This is episode number seven of the bootleg basement, and this month I have a classic performance from the legendary Killing Joke lined up for you.

This recording was made at the Hammersmith Palais in London on the 28th September 1986 as part of the band's supporting tour for the album 'Night Time'.

This is a very “old school” style of recording which suffers from a somewhat muffled sound and a very pronounced tape hiss that gives away the fact that it was transferred from tape to CD without any real mastering  Nonetheless this is a strong performance from the band in the period where they were making in-roads into mainstream acceptance.

Track List:

01. Twilight Of The Mortals
02. Chessboards
03. Kings And Queens
04. Darkness Before Dawn
05. Night Time
06. Love Like Blood
07. Love Of The Masses
08. Sanity
09. Sun Goes Down
10. The Wait
11. Requiem
12. Eighties
13. Wardance

To listen to the show you can either visit my page on Mixcloud, or click the embedded player below.

Mr Palfrey's Bootleg Basement: Show #7, April 2013 by Sean M. Palfrey on Mixcloud

"You must make Water of the Earth, and Earth of the Air, and Air of the Fire, and Fire of the Earth. The Black Sea. The Black Luna. The Black Sol."

If the blog looks strange and imagomortis.co.uk disappears, please do not be alarmed... this is merely an act of digi-alchemical union...

Normal service will be resumed soon.

In the meantime consult your pineal gland for more information...

March, 2013

This is episode number six of the bootleg basement, and of course with the number six being linked to the devil, I thought that this month I would bring you a cracking live performance for the Antichrist Superstar himself, Marilyn Manson.

This recording was made on the 24th of January 2001 at Docklands Arena in London during the Guns, God and Government tour that supported the album Holy Wood.
This is a very good quality soundboard recording that documents one show from start to finish, unlike the the typical official live Marilyn Manson CDs, Videos and DVDs, all of which only tend pick the best bits from across entire tours. So what we get here instead is a far more honest, and I think enjoyable depiction of Manson in his most interesting period.

Track List:

1. Intro (Count To Six And Die)
2. Irresponsible Hate Anthem
3. The Death Song
4. Disposable Teens
5. Tourniquet
6. The Fight Song
7. The Nobodies
8. Lunchbox
9. Rock Is Dead
10. The Dope Show
11. Cruci-Fiction in Space
12. Sweet Dreams
13. Valentines Day
14. The Love Song
15. The Beautiful People
16. Great Big White World
17. Cake and Sodomy

To listen to the show you can either visit my page on Mixcloud, or click the embedded player below.

Mr Palfrey's Bootleg Basement: Show #6, March 2013 by Sean M. Palfrey on Mixcloud

February, 2013

The second show of the year is perhaps the most topical one so far, as episode number five of the bootleg basement features the legendary techno/synthpop quartet Kraftwerk who have just completed a run of sold out shows at the Tate Modern.

This show was recorded at the Docks, Hamburg November back in 1991 as part of the band's “Radioactivity Over Europe Tour” which was in support of their album 'The Mix'.

Like the previous show this recording was made in the audience so again it does suffer from a slightly muffled sound in comparison to the crowd noise. However this is still a great example of the electro-pop pioneers' technical excellence.

Track List: 

1. Nummern

2. Computerwelt 

3. Heimcomputer
4. Computer Liebe
5. Das Modell
6. Tour De France
7. Autobahn
8. Radioactivität
9. Trans Europa Express
10. Die Roboter
11. Taschenrechner
12. Musique Non Stop

To listen to the show you can either visit my page on Mixcloud, or click the embedded player below.

Mr Palfrey's Bootleg Basement: Show #5, February 2013 by Sean M. Palfrey on Mixcloud

January 2013

This is episode number four of the bootleg basement, and also the first show of 2014. Previously I've aimed to have a new show up on here for around the second Saturday of the month. However I'm a bit late this month due to starting my new webzine www.intravenousmagazine.co.uk. Please visit the site and have a read of some of the great interviews and reviews we've already got on there. But without any more delay, here's Bauhaus.

This recording was made at the Cabaret Metro in Chicago USA as part of the band's 1982 US tour. And sees the band in typically rebellious form. As this is an audience recording, it does suffer from a slightly muffled sound compared to the rest of the crowd noise. However this is a great example of the band's energy and even their ability to improvise as can be heard on their saxophone-less version of 'In Fear Of Fear'.

Track List:

1. Bauhaus - Intro Tape
2. Bauhaus - Third Uncle
3. Bauhaus - Silent Hedges
4. Bauhaus - In Fear Of Fear
5. Bauhaus - Spy In The Cab
6. Bauhaus - Terror Couple Kill Colonel
7. Bauhaus - She's In Parties
8. Bauhaus - Rosegarden Funeral Of Sores
9. Bauhaus - Antonin Artaud
10. Bauhaus - Passion Of Lovers
11. Bauhaus - Three Shadows II
12. Bauhaus - Nightime
13. Bauhaus - Hair Of The Dog
14. Bauhaus - Kick In The Eye
15. Bauhaus - Hollow Hills
16. Bauhaus - In The Night

To listen to the show you can either visit my page on Mixcloud, or click the embedded player below.

Mr Palfrey's Bootleg Basement: Show #4, January 2013 by Sean M. Palfrey on Mixcloud

I know there are still a few days ago but this is the only time I'm going to have to fit this in due to the launch of a new project (see the notes at the end for more. Anyway, 2012 has been a pretty good year for alternative  music, which is why this year I'm resorting to a list of 25 the best Gothic / Industrial (and related genres) releases this year has to offer. Not only that, but there have also been some great releases that don't quite qualify as albums such as live and remix albums as well as singles and EPs that shouldn't be allowed to slip under the radar just because they weren't full releases.
I've opted to present these in alphabetical order for the simple reason that when I attempted to assign ranks there were too many that were getting joint rankings. So I thought I'd just present my shortlist and let you all be the judges. So here are my picks (50 in all) of the best of 2012.

Note: Artwork, purchase links and videos are included where possible.


Full Albums [In Alphabetical Order]

Aeon Sable – 'Saturn Return'

Alterred – 'Dollstown'

Caustic – 'The Man Who Couldn't Stop'

Cease2xist – 'You Are Expendable'

Cold In Berlin – 'And Yet'

Darkc3ll – 'Reboot:Repeat'

Desdemona – 'Endorphins'

Diskonnekted – 'Hotel Existence'

Ghost In The Static – 'Fallout'

Grooving In Green – 'Stranglehold'

In Death It Ends – 'Forgotten Knowledge'

Killing Joke – 'MMXII'

Les Modules Etranges – 'Socially Awkward'

Marilyn Manson – 'Born Villain'

Merciful Nuns – 'Goetia IV'

O. Children - 'Apnea'

Object – 'Mechanisms Of Faith'

Pakt. – 'Berlin'

Red Sun Revival – 'Running From The Dawn'

Stray – 'Letting Go'

Tiamat – 'The Scarred People'

The Soft Moon - 'Zeros'

Third Realm – 'Beyond Good and Evil'

Twitch The Ripper – 'Colorblind'

Uberbyte – 'Five Year Plan'

Miscellaneous (Live, Remixes, EPs & Singles etc.) [In Alphabetical Order]

Alterred - 'The Electro Creepshow'

ASP - 'GeistErfahrer'

Beastmilk - 'Use Your Deluge'

Berlin Black And The Shades Of Grey – 'It's Only Natural'

Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs

Cynical Existence - ' Ruined Portrait'

Dalis Car – 'InGladAloneNe§'

Dawn of Ashes - 'Hollywood Made In Gehenna'

Dead Hand Projekt – 'The Lost EP'

Fields Of The Nephilim – 'Ceremonies'

Gary Numan - 'Dead Moon Falling'

GHXST – 'Black Camaro'

Goteki - 'Piranha'

How To Destroy Angels – 'An Omen'

In Death It Ends – 'Restorative Art'

Kommand + Kontrol 'It Hz'

Laibach – 'Monumental Retro-Avant-Garde'

Mari Chrome - 'Toxic'

Modulate - 'Robots'

Partly Faithful – 'Partly Faithful'

Psy'Aviah – 'OK/Virtual Gods'

Rammstein – 'Mein Herz Brennt'

Rome - 'Fester'

The Eden House – 'Timeflows'

Zeitgeist Zero – 'The Blackout' 

Well that's it. The end of 2012 and here are just some of my highlights from the year. If you like any of these releases please use the purchase links to support the artists.

Please also keep in mind that on the 1st of December 2013 I will be launching my own webzine Intravenous Magazine. Before then you can follow IVM on Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook to keep up with the latest developments.