#dream house is one where I have a room for my 87 craft projects

[crashstanding]

God I wanna get into doll customizing so bad

[fairytales-and-folklore]

Get To Know Me Uncomfortably Well

✨ Original Post ✨

I know it's supposed to be an ask game but I love stuff like this so I just answered them all lol

Tagging @elevenstarsofchaos @summertimekiller @nutellarghh @tails89 @ash-mcj if you guys want to do it too

1. What is your middle name?

Chase

2. How old are you?

I grew up with dial-up internet, AIM, tamagotchis, and the spice girls

3. When is your birthday?

July 25

4. What is your zodiac sign?

Cancer/Leo cusp

5. What is your favorite color?

Dark Gray and Minty Blue

6. What’s your lucky number?

11 and 7

7. Do you have any pets?

Sadly no, but once I live in a place that allows pets, I'm gonna have a whole bunny army

8. Where are you from?

US east coast

9. How tall are you?

5'4"

10. What shoe size are you?

7/8

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

How many do I have sitting in a shoe rack in my closet or how many do I have stacked by the front door that I actually wear on a regular basis?

12. What was your last dream about?

Last night I dreamt that I was competing on a baking show with my pack and we were all covered in flour trying to figure out how to make sourdough bread lol

13. What talents do you have?

Writing, sewing, knitting, papercrafts, and for some reason, memorizing really random weird fandom-related tongue-twisters like raxacoricofallapatorious

14. Are you psychic in any way?

I like to think I have intuitive moments

15. Favorite song?

It changes daily, but right now it's Willow (Dancing Witch Remix) by Taylor Swift

16. Favorite movie?

It used to be a cross between Tangled, Half-Blood Prince, and The Avengers, but it's been a while and I'm not sure what I'd choose now

17. Who would be your ideal partner?

@elevenstarsofchaos ♥️

18. Do you want children?

Just bunnies 🐰

19. Do you want a church wedding?

I want an outdoor wedding — beach or garden

20. Are you religious?

I think I'd fall under agnostic

21. Have you ever been to the hospital?

Yes

22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law?

I got a couple of parking tickets lol

23. Have you ever met any celebrities?

Apparently I just missed meeting Brendon Urie by a couple of minutes when my partner dropped me off at the airport one time

24. Baths or showers?

Showers, but baths are nice too

25. What color socks are you wearing?

It's July, too hot for socks

26. Have you ever been famous?

If you count seeing your own fic reblogged on your dash

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity?

Nah, too much pressure. I like my peace and quiet.

28. What type of music do you like?

A little bit of everything, except for country, rap, and metal

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping?

Yup

30. How many pillows do you sleep with?

I alternate between a memory foam pillow and a buckwheat pillow, both super comfy

31. What position do you usually sleep in?

Side or stomach, usually

32. How big is your house?

It's cozy

33. What do you typically have for breakfast?

Poached egg on toast and a honeycrisp apple

34. Have you ever fired a gun?

Nope

35. Have you ever tried archery?

I haven't, but I bet that'd be fun

36. Favorite clean word?

Wisteria

37. Favorite swear word?

Fuck

38. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?

Two days

39. Do you have any scars?

A few little ones, mostly from hiking or crafting

40. Have you ever had a secret admirer?

Well if it's a secret, how would I know?

41. Are you a good liar?

Lying makes me uncomfy

42. Are you a good judge of character?

I'd like to think so

43. Can you do any other accents other than your own?

I think I'm decent at a Scottish accent?

44. Do you have a strong accent?

I don't think so

45. What is your favorite accent?

Scottish, Irish, English, and Australian

46. What is your personality type?

INFJ

47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing?

Probably my boots

48. Can you curl your tongue?

Yes

49. Are you an innie or an outie?

Innie

50. Left or right handed?

Right

51. Are you scared of spiders?

Oh yes

52. Favorite food?

Hibachi, pho, and thanksgiving style turkey and mashed potatoes

53. Favorite foreign food?

Pho

54. Are you a clean or messy person?

Clean, mess makes me anxious

55. Most used phrased?

56. Most used word?

I'm just gonna take and apply what my lovely friend Hayley said when I asked my pack what my most used phrase and word are lol

Me: What are my words? I have no words. I am wordless. Adrift in the sea without word or wood.

Hayley: Maybe you just have so many words. Every sentence you craft is unique. A gift to be treasured.

Me: Oh 🥺♥️

57. How long does it take for you to get ready?

If I'm showered and dressed? Two minutes. If I'm in the middle of a project? I'll *say* two minutes but it'll actually be more like an hour.

58. Do you have much of an ego?

I would, but the self-esteem issues keep getting in the way lol

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops?

Suck until it's soft enough to bite

Welp, that sounds interesting out of context

60. Do you talk to yourself?

I give myself pep talks when I'm feeling anxious

61. Do you sing to yourself?

I sing while I work on projects sometimes

62. Are you a good singer?

I like to think so, I've been told I am

63. Biggest Fear?

That health issues will get in the way of me living a good life

64. Are you a gossip?

Nah

65. Best dramatic movie you’ve seen?

Moulin Rouge

66. Do you like long or short hair?

For me personally? Long

67. Can you name all 50 states of America?

Yup, the song was drilled into me in middle school chorus lol

68. Favorite school subject?

Art and English

69. Extrovert or Introvert?

Introvert, but I like being social with the right people

70. Have you ever been scuba diving?

No, but I'd like to

71. What makes you nervous?

Feeling out of control health/body wise, people with bad intentions

72. Are you scared of the dark?

More scared of what might be lurking in the dark, especially dark waters

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes?

Only if they'll cause harm

74. Are you ticklish?

Yes, I'll flail and kick

75. Have you ever started a rumor?

No

76. Have you ever been in a position of authority?

I was line leader in kindergarten

77. Have you ever drank underage?

Yeah lol

78. Have you ever done drugs?

If weed counts

79. Who was your first real crush?

Ewan McGregor lol

80. How many piercings do you have?

Technically five, all ears, but most of them have closed up by now

81. Can you roll your Rs?

Oui

82. How fast can you type?

Moderate

83. How fast can you run?

I'd like to get better at running in general, let alone fast

84. What color is your hair?

Honey blonde

85. What color is your eyes?

Blue

86. What are you allergic to?

Most fragrances, cigarette smoke, peanuts

87. Do you keep a journal?

I do

88. What do your parents do?

Like for fun or for work?

89. Do you like your age?

It's fine

90. What makes you angry?

People who are insensitive, argumentative, and controlling

91. Do you like your own name?

Yeah

92. Have you already thought of baby names, and if so what are they?

No, but I have a list of character names I like

93. Do you want a boy a girl for a child?

I don't want kids, but if I had to choose, I guess I'd want a girl

94. What are you strengths?

I'm creative, I'm resilient, and I can make people laugh

95. What are your weaknesses?

Anxiety and fear of pain

96. How did you get your name?

I was born and my parents named me lol

97. Were your ancestors royalty?

I don't know, I've never done an ancestry test

98. Do you have any scars?

I feel like I already answered this lol

99. Color of your bedspread?

Charcoal gray comforter and blue and gray stars on white sheets

100. Color of your room?

White, but if I had a choice, I think I'd paint it light minty blue or light purple, with a matching darker accent wall

[cnox]

Rowen for Distant Mirror Zine #1.* ROWEN is a project between Cristahel and Cantrith Knox. They play a subgenre of the dark ambient / dungeon synth movement they call Mythical Electronic. They have years of experience and also operate Hollow Myths in New England. I thank them for their contribution to the first issue of Distant Mirror. First, Rowen is a collaborative effort between Canrith and Cristahel Knox - do you have specialties which you like to focus on when creating (someone runs the drums and arrangement, someone finds the melodies)?

Eve, Thanx for the interview. We both play synths, drum machines and write together.  As of now, when playing live, Criss handles the synths, vocal whisperings and I play the electronic drums. Along with our visuals, fog and lighting. We are introducing more vocals on some new songs. In the studio, we also add our field recordings and percussion as part of composing. We sit and mix each song side by side.    

Tell us about your musical histories before forming Rowen, because its somewhat obvious you both have experience which maybe led to the result of what Rowen is on "Ashen Spirit"!

Both of us have electronic music in our past. Cristahel with Minimal Synth and I with Darkbeat. One of the first ideas we had for Rowen was to start all over. As part of the experiment, finding ourselves and each other through making music anew. See and hear our music become it's own entity. We started developing the concept in '14, in '16 we began recording and had our first release in '18. We set out with a clear vision of what we want to do with Rowen.

Also tell us how you discovered music and what your first true love in music was... How did you come to find music that would lead you to this underworld of music culture?

Canrith: I discovered music on a radio at age 3. First, second and third grade, I would stay up nights crashing on Ritalin (due to being diagnosed as Hyperactive) watching the first ever music videos on a UHF channel in Colorado called FMTV which predated MTV by a year or two. Laurie Anderson - O Superman, Kraftwerk, Barnes & Barnes - Fish Heads videos all had a great impact on me as a kid. During that time, late 70's - early 80's, I was hooked on the music and image of both Kiss and Devo. One of the first albums I owned was AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap on cassette that I purchased at K-Mart. Summer '81 NYC, I saw the first video air on MTV. Later, watching another UHF channel out of Boston called V66. Heavy Metal led me to the Black Metal and the dark electronic music underground. Dark Ambient and Dark Dungeon Music have always been a particular interest of mine. Mail order distro tapes and free box extras in orders started my collection as far back as the mid 90's. In the late 90's, I got really into BM, then obsessed in '03 onward, as many UGBM labels and distros were rising on the web. We are also into Minimal, Martial, Electro, Techno, New Beat, Cosmic, Italo, 8-bit, Video Game, Soundtrack, Old School Dungeon Synth, Winter Synth and so on...

Cristahel: My first exposure to music as a child was through my grandfather, who began teaching me to play classical piano by ear at the age of four. We would sit for countless hours at his black upright Steinway as he would play Chopin, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky etc. a few measures at a time for me to memorize and string together until I had the whole piece memorized. His love and enthusiasm for music, and the time he took to develop that in me, is something I will always be grateful for. Also my cousin Sue was a few years older than me and was like some kind of magical mixtape faerie, forever bestowing masterfully crafted gems upon me filled with things like Lush, Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins, and Mazzy Star that served to mold/blow my little mind.  

By my late teens it was the late 90's/early 2000's and I was immersed in a maelstrom of kraut/prog, electro, early new wave and electronic/industrial, shoe gaze. I was fortunate at the time to have a lot of friends with varied tastes and massive record collections they wanted to share with me, because back then there was like, only Napster to try and download music off this nebulous internet thing they had just invented.  

I spent a lot of time not doing my homework and dancing around my room on speed and/or klonopins listening to things like Tangerine Dream, Cluster, Miss Kittin & The Hacker, Dopplereffekt, Chris and Cosey, SPK, early Human League, Slowdive, Clan of Xymox... all of which in their own ways began to inform the atmosphere of the music I create now, warped and haunted meandering electronic melodies, analog synths, string machines and rhythm boxes, pounding 303s and 808s, tape echoes, analog delays, layered sounds lost in chasms of reverb...

I moved to NY and started making music, playing shows and djing a bit (mostly playing gabber techno synth new age sets at London squat parties to kids who wanted to hear nu rave), getting into minimal synth, and beginning my love affair with collecting and recording with analog equipment.

Of course now anything you want is available immediately online, compared to how the 80’s and 90’s crowd discovered music. I’ve asked the other artists a similar question - how do you feel about the loss of mystery these days and what will happen in the future to return to that?

I feel the ability for creating mystique is greater now thanx to the internet. Almost anyone can record some music, upload it to bandcamp, make artwork, physical releases, open an online shop, start a label, etc..   If one is good at what they do, be it a hidden persona or being a face, presenting a strong sound, image and aesthetic, either way, when done right, it works. In some ways even mystery can be a gimmick.

You both are lucky to have grown up in the best time period for music. But what about movies and books people should check out?  

I collect children's books, read a mess of olde and new Black Metal zines, Books about Black and Death Metal. Sexy comics about Vampiress and Faeries. Presently reading The Devil's Cradle, a hard back about The Story of Finnish Black Metal. It was a gift from Criss. Everyone should read Lords of Chaos '98 (then '03) and Lucifer Rising '99. I still need a copy of that leather bound Mortiis - Secrets Of My Kingdom book '01.

As for films, we watch obscure horror, foreign horror and documentaries.  

Here are some if you have not already read or watched them; 

Read: Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs ('78) James and the Giant Peach ('61) Masquerade ('79) The World of the Dark Crystal ('82) The Book of Alien ('79) Moebius - The Collected Fantasies of Jean Giraud Series ('87 - '94) Flowers in the Attic - Dollanganger Series ('79 -'86) Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo ('78) William Klein: Films, 1958-99 ('99) Wreckers of Civilisation: The Story of Coum Transmissions & Throbbing Gristle ('99)

Watch: Christiane F. ('81) Out of The Blue ('80) Deadbeat at Dawn ('88) Combat Shock ('86) Street Trash ('87) Brain Damage ('88) Zardoz ('74) Excalibur ('81) Emerald Forest ('85) Wicker Man ('73)

If atmosphere seems to be a heavy orientation for your creative drive, is your local landscape an important part of this? or is it personal experiences driving the music towards such a dark and melancholy place? something about Rowen is both light and dark.

We live on a island North East New England and seldom see others. Most of our time is spent outside, alone with the wind, the trees, on the marsh, in the mist and rain, sea side mornings, hawks at dusk and in the woods every evening. Pretty, evil and sad is what we do. We are hoping folks will also consider us in the Nature Synth category.  

New England must be a very interesting place to live... what is your favorite time of year there, and what is your favorite part of the landscape there?

We love the woods, day hikes, mountain tops, swimming holes, water falls, gorges and quarries. Small towns, old houses, fields, orchards, pumpkin patches, bonfires. Train tracks, trestles, towers, castles, monuments and graveyards. I was born in October so naturally I love the fall. Hallow's Eve and all into November.  Leaves turn, death comes and things change. There is nothing like a cold moonlit night in the snow. I appreciate being where we can really experience all four seasons.

Also You are so fortunate to live on an island.. That’s amazing. It’s cliche to talk about misanthropy with dark music but is this the reason for being secluded? What do you feel is the best thing for people could do with themselves in (what is in my eyes the end of the world?)

We made the decision to come here for a time of research, get to know each other, talk about our dreams, foster our ideas. Focus on only that of which we love and gives us purpose. Live away from it all.  If everyone did what was the most important to them, a different world this might be.  

Rowen is listed among other trees in occult literature as a tree of magical powers... Is this the reason for using the name? Is there personal beliefs at play in Rowen?

As a band we have our own ideologies, as musicians, our own theories, as artists, our own creative processes and as members, a belief system. These are shared between us and are expressed through the music, words and imagery of Rowen.

The Greeks, Norse, Celts and Druids all told mythology of the properties and significance of this mystical tree. The Greek Goddess of youth who lost her magical chalice to the demons. An eagle was sent to retrieve it. From battle, it's blood splatter on the earth grew Rowan trees. It's leaves as feathers, it's berries, the blood. The Norse myth speaks of the tree from which woman was made. And man, from a mountain ash. Saved Thor in the underworld. Runes are burned on Rowan wood. In the British Isles they tell of the folkloric tree which protects against witchcraft. The red berries of fall make up the 5 points of the Pentagram. Goes also as the Goddess or Faerie tree. The Druids used the bark and berries to dye the garments worn during lunar ceremonies black. Rowan twigs were used for divining, particularly for metals.

I had no idea the importance of Rowen to ancient people. Yes, it is true that Norse belief teaches humans were originally trees before given life and awareness by Odin, Vili and Ve. Is there any interest for you both to express your philosophy on things in the music or is this an affair of escapism and pure magic.

"The Past is not Dead, it lives on in a Woeful Drift." We are connected to our roots, our family trees, where we came from, our heritage and lands. We could only hope that our music would offer an escape. Magic is the only way.

If you could live in any time period, what time period would you live in and what would you be doing?

Canrith: I feel lucky to have been a child of the 70's and we grew up in the 80's, 90's & 00's. We were there, I wouldn't change it. I would love to live in some medieval castle in the mountains, riding a black Clydesdale, wielding a mace, reeking havoc across the land.  

Cristahel: Same as Canrith but on a white Clydesdale with a halberd.

What's the most important part of the creative process for Rowen - is there a certain revelry for using old mysterious pieces of synthesizers or do you enjoy the vast possibilities of computers? There's always the game of analog vs computer in the electronic scenes, what is your thoughts on this?

For us, again, the most important part of the process is the experiment. We use all analog synthesizers, drum machines and record live. Roland, Korg, Yamaha. Same goes for our stage show. We have used and are not opposed to using digital synths on recordings and live. Casio & Yamaha synths, Simmons drums. For instance, "In Another Dream, You Were Mine" from "Ashen Spirit" was made almost entirely on a Casiotone. We record and mix on a desk top home computer.  

What are you both really enjoying listening to at the moment?

Listening to cult 80's video Game music on YouTube while answering these questions.

do you have any thoughts on where this rising momentum will lead as far as the dungeon synth genre is headed, and do you feel proud of your place in that? am i wrong in assuming you both also run Hollow Myths?  

We are proud of our place in DS. Though we set out to make our own mythical electronic music. And think the genre is progressing as it should. We have been very active in the scene going on six years now this November. As supporters, label, distro and band. We are most appreciative of the support we have received. And from the Black Metal Underground. Our first demo was released on pro-tape by Personnel Records, a sub-label of Seedstock Records ran by Marco Del Rio of Raspberry Bulbs aka He Who Crushes Teeth of Bone Awl. We are finishing our second release that will be out on CD & Cassette this time.  

Hollow Myths, the label and distro, is the work of us two. Releases, artwork, layouts, Photography, bios, press, promo, videos, zine, jewelry, leather work, patches, we also offer clothes that we call Cryptic Raiment for After Dark. Official Dungeon Synth, Dark Ambient, Black Metal, Hollow Myths* Shirts, Long Sleeves, Hoods, Record Bags, Altar Cloths...

Correct me if I’m wrong, but Hollow Myths has had to dig deep into the underground and re-release old gems, which is like reissuing from the archives.. many people don’t really appreciate that, can you tell us about what that’s been like and if anything else like that will ever happen?  

Hollow Myths* have re-released limited special versions of cult classics in a row of how I first discovered them back when. Being also from Dallas, TX, Equitant - The Great Lands Of Minas Ithil (City Of Isildur) '94 was one the first tapes I owned of the genre (and our first release from H/M* on cassette) after I found a copy of the Mournlord - Reconquering Our Kingdom Demo from '95 (SE) for a $1 in a bargain bin. These strange and very limited cassette releases helped crystallize what Dark Dungeon Music was to me. Like hearing the Caduceus - Middle Ages Demo '95 (LT) for the first time or later with the Corvus Neblus - Chapter I & II - Strahd's Possession tapes from '99 / '01 (LV). Our second re-released offering was Equimanthorn - Entrance To The Ancient Flame on cassette, another Texas born Ritual Black Ambient project with both Equitant and Proscriptor of the Mythological Occult Metal band Absu as members. After which, we made a chain of very special limited re-releases from; Gothmog, Depressive Silence, Solanum, Lunar Womb, Cain, two from Aperion, Arthur as well as Xerión with more to come. At the same time, we have introduced many new Dungeon Synth artists, some with their follow ups; Isåedor, Wyver and Wizzard to name but a few. We began in '16 and have 43 releases to date. Some mentioned above will see second pressings in the near future.

What has been your favorite release to work on this past year and what sort of artists does Hollow Myths look for?

We focus on outsider music and art and put our blood, sweat and tears into every release. Since we are primarily a physical label and distro (Tapes, CD's, Vinyl, Merch, etc.), it has been interesting to curate and mix the last three Shadowlore Compilations.

Each run over 2 hours long and feature new and exclusive songs by legions of Dungeon Synth artists from around the world. Being Digital, we offer it for Free or name your price for those who want to add it to their collections. Corresponding J-card "tape trade" layout print outs are included in the download, so one can make their own 2x cassette version. To be shared with friends, to inspire tape trading, for more reach and exposure for the artists' projects. Shadowlore Four will be released this Summer Solstice.  

Other releases from last year we are very proud of: Apeiron - Stardust / A Separate Reality. Cosmic / Dark Ambient / Black Metal from Austria. '95 & '97 and featuring a never before heard hidden track from '96 titled "Dimensional Chanting" exclusive only to this release. Xerión - O Espírito Da Fraga / O Trono de Breogán. Black Metal / Dark Ambient from Spain. The first two demos from '01 & '02 with 3 new songs recorded exclusively for this release including a Windir cover.  Galician Mythology and Folklore. Wyver -  Tragedies of Lost Village (Demo II). Dungeon Synth / Fantasy Music follow up. (PDX) Hypogeum - S/T. Introducing outsider, Raw Black Metal from the woods of Oregon. Wizzard - The Cauldron Descent. Cryptic Dungeon Synth follow up from Sweden. Morihaus - The Empty Marches. Eccentric Dark Ambient / Dungeon Synth debut from Kentucky.  

Tell us about Rowen’s plans to start touring.

We just played our first show at the Northeast Dungeon Siege MMXIX festival. Now we are working on piecing together a tour that will begin this summer in the north east coast with the plan to then head down, across the south to California, up the west coast, pacific northwest and back across the north and through the mid-west to return late fall. We recently put the word out that we are up to perform anywhere, anytime and received an overwhelming response. If we can get on tour, stay on tour, get back to Europa without haste, we would be more than pleased.

The first two shows will be outdoor camping events. Mythical Electronic, Dungeon Synth, Black Metal, Acoustic Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom, Crust, Folk, Country, . . . Both are on private land, in the forest and BYOB. Bring a tent, water, food and supplies. Crossbows and throwing knives.

Rowen   Seasons of the Savage at The Sonorous Glade June 22nd Topsham, VT w/ Haxen, Sombre Arcane, Fed Ash, Gorcrow, Melkor, Black Axe, Void Bringer, Acid Roach and Wild Leek River  

Rowen   Woods of Gallows II August 17th  West Chazy, NY w/ T.O.M.B., Worthless, Sombre Arcane, Ordeals, Malacath, Lightcrusher, Hræsvelgr, Graveren and Callous