Everything Went Black Podcast

My brother Ralph Schmidt returns. It seems like an inordinate amount of time has passed since we last spoke, so it was great catching up.  Ralph is one the people out there who I can just hit play / record without and notes prepared and a whole hour just slips away.   Intro:    “All of the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “Unholy Passion (Samhain cover)” – Ultha featuring Mike Hill

I’m back from tour and ready to get back on the grind.  Touring with legends like Profanatica and Nunslaughter was truly and honor.  It was one of the easiest runs that I’ve been on in years, everyone was cool and easy to get along with. I had a chance to sit down with Don of the Dead, founder of Nunslaughter for a low-key chat backstage at our show in Quebec City. Intro:    “All of the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “I Hate Christians” – Nunslaughter

From the Patreon Vault! This week an re-present an episode of Long Shadows, a weird fiction series that Ralph Schmidt and I do.  This one was release around the Christmas holiday. Ralph and I get into the Lovecraft tale THE FESTIVAL.

The next couple of episode are going to be "from the Patreon Vault" while I'm out on the road with Tombs.  When I return, we will be ripping brand new material so hopefully you guys enjoy these. This week is an episode of Hollywood Babylon a series that I do with Evan Hopper of Quell. We deep dive into Event Horizon, one my all-time favorite science fiction / horror films.

Karl Haikara of Sol Nox joins us this week or another episode of Darkness Weaves, our collaborative project exploring the work of Karl Edward Wagner.  This week we dive into the Gothic, dark fantasy of Raven’s Eyrie. Music in this episode: “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill “Darkness Weaves” – Mike Hill “How It Ends” - Primordial

My friendship with Ryan Patterson has spanned over a quarter of century at this point.  We met way back in the day when he was playing in National Acrobat with his brother Evan.  We became friends and have supported each other’s creative efforts for the past several decades.  The list of bands and creative endeavors spans from his bands Fotocrime, Coliseum, Black Cross and National Acrobat (among others) to include design work, promoting shows and operating his design and merchandise company Shirt Killer.  It was a pleasure catching up with Ryan and I feel fortunate to call him Friend. Intro:     “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:   “The Stranger” – C.L.S.M.

2024 has been kicked off and we’re all engaged in whatever endeavors we have in our live.  I wanted to do an episode talking about goals for the upcoming year.  Initially, I was going to do this as a Patreon exclusive but reconsidered.  It would be interesting to get this out there and hopefully you guys can share your own goals and reflections for the new year.   Intro:    “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “Cleaved Asunder” - Diolcetian

Ralph and I get together for our first episode of the year.  To kick things off, we give out hot takes on the new True Detective season before launching into our rundown of our favorite Draculas. Intro:    “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “Pharmacy” – Ascetic

Paul Aloisio of Restless Spirit returns to the podcast this week.  Over the next couple of months, I’m going to be doing these kinds of list episodes.  Paul and I kick it off with what we consider to be our favorite movies of the eighties. What movies would you put in your go bag if you had to leave town unexpectedly; it’s that kind of thing.   Intro:    “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “Cascade Immolator” – Restless Spirit

Shayan of Trivax and Ibis Manifestations returns this week.  If you haven’t heard our first conversation from a couple of years ago, please go back for some intense background on his journey.  We talk a bit about Eloah Burns Out, Trivax’s 2023 full length and we veer off, as I expected, into some deep topics.   Intro:     “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:   “The Serpent’s Gaze” - Trivax

Happy New Year Everyone.  I hope everyone had a great, safe holiday.  It’s time to get back to the grind.  We’re kicking the new year off with NYC-based multi-disciplinary artist Alice Teeple. We discuss her background and what started her off on her creative journey and it’s recent manifestation of Solve Et Coagula, her reinterpretation of Victorian mourning practices as spiritual alchemy in the modern era.   Solve Et Coagula is currently on display at Shelter Gallery, 127 Eldridge Street, NYC thru January 21. Intro: “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro: “Ghost Walking” – The Mighty Sphincter

2023 has been quite a year.  I’d like to thank everyone who has supported the show, old and new listeners, doing this has been a labor of love.  Ralph Schmidt joins us this week, for a low-key episode, recapping our year and what we hope 2024 will bring.   I hope everyone enjoys their holiday, has some time to spend with their families and loved ones.  We will see you in January.  Cheers\   Intro:    “All of the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:  “Whispers” – Ropes of Night

We continue the Sol Nox / EWB collaboration with another installment of Darkness Weaves, a comprehensive deep dive in Karl Edward Wagner’s dark world of heroic fantasy and weird horror fiction. Two Suns Setting was originally published in Fantastic Magazine in 1976 and was included in Night Winds, Wagner’s out of print collection of Kane stories. In this tale, we find Kane, late of Carsyltyal, wandering a desolate, remote wasteland where he happens upon the giant Dwasslir and adventure ensues as they embark on a quest to find the ancient crown of a long dead Giant King.

I met Jeremy Hush a number of years ago when he was travelling with the band Baroness. At the time, due to my ignorance, I had no idea of his incredible talent as an artist.  Over the years, I have grown to become a huge fan of his artistic vision. Additionally, I have learned of his Arthur Machen-esque adventures into the underworld; literal adventures into the underworld that I hope to discuss on this week’s episode.   Intro:     “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:   “The 11th Commandment” – Bethlehem

I’ve been going back and forth with some of you guys for the last year or so about the tour my old band Otis did with the Ramones back in the 90’s.  It was short, but nonetheless cool to share the stage with such legends.  For some of you younger people that listen to this, the significance of the Ramones may have been lost, but to me they were a crucial band when I was growing up.  Back in the dim past of my early teenage years, when information was rare, they were these larger than life, leather-clad phantoms that haunted  NYC’s Lower East Side and created American Punk Rock.  They were the first punk band that I had the opportunity to see and it was  a life-changing experience for me.   Granted, the Ramones during the 90’s were not quite in their peak, but it was still a tip to get to experience some of my idols in candid moments and watch them perform from side stage.  I hope you guys enjoy these recollections.  The first part will be available on the main stream and the rest will be exclusively on Patreo

My brother Champ Morgan returns this week.  Morgan is one of the most intense frontmen that I’ve ever shared the stage with. Our bands have played many shows over the years, be in Kill the Client, BLK OPS or Triage, he always brings it hard.  Above all, out friendship is epic and this episode is more of a review of our friendship and our development as men as we move through life on this unforgiving world.  Intro:     “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:   “Police State” - Triage

Amy Sabin of Shadowlands joins us to discuss the band’s unique blend of dark pop, post punk and cinematic grandiosity.  Shadowlands hails from Portland, OR a city that also is home to EWB Alumni Murderbait and Dry Wedding.  We cover a multitude of topics and Amy was kind enough to provide a killer playlist for us.   Intro:     “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:   “Perfect Void” - Shadowlands

The Adams Family, sans Zelda, return for another killer episode. I get in deep with John and Toby about their brand new feature film Where the Devil Roams as well as some tangents regarding Gnosticism, folk lore and the European Horror Fest circuit.  Be sure to check out WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMS in it’s short theatrical release and streaming.   Intro:     “All the Dark Thing” – Mike Hill Outro:   “Moonlight Motel” – Gun Club

This episode of Darkness Weaves marks a milestone in the series.  Beyond Any Measure is the last story in Wagner’s horror collection In A Lonely Place.  Our original mission statement was to cover this collection but we are going to move on to his other material.  Up next, we will delve into the Kane stories.  Thanks for checking this out and I promise you, if you dug these stories, you will also love the Kane stories.   Intro / Outro: “Darkness Weaves” – Mike Hill

Known Associate Paul Aloisio joins us again this week.  Paul is the guitarist and singer in Long Island’s Restless Spirit a band officially backed by the Horsemen of the Podcasting Apocalypse.  Their latest album AFTERIMAGE has just dropped to critical and fan acclaim and the band just wrapped up a headlining US tour.  Me and Paul touch on that as well as our rundown of the vampire-western NEAR DARK.   Intro:     “All the Dark Things” – Mike Hill Outro:   “Shadow Command” Restless Spirit