Michael Pementel
BloodyDisgusting.com
Chicago, IL, United States
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Past articles by Michael:
[Review] Absent In Body’s ‘Plague God’ Is a Trip Through Surreal Darkness
In the five tracks that make up Absent In Body‘s debut record, Plague God, the band delivers music that is furiously spiritual. Its harshness is balanced by tranquil progressions that stir the mind – that lull listeners into a state where there is calm and storm. Made up of brilliant musicians, Absent In Body features […] → Read More
[Review] Blood Incantation Unleash Their Most Surreal Work With ‘Timewave Zero’
On Blood Incantation's Timewave Zero the band trade-ins blast beats & killer riffs for an experience that transports the mind into a place of meditation. → Read More
[Review] The Body & OAA Come Together to Unleash Agony and Hurt on ‘Enemy of Love’
For over two decades, The Body (the duo of Lee Buford and Chip King) has remained a defiant force of sonic horror. It’s near impossible to classify The Body under one genre label, for nothing is ever straightforward in their brand of noise, electronics, and experimental metal. Barely a year apart since their previous release […] → Read More
‘Slapface’ Review – Shudder’s Monster Movie Goes Heavy on the Heartache
Sometime after their mother has passed away and their father has deserted them, brothers Lucas (August Maturo) and Tom (Mike Manning) are left to fend for themselves. Living alone in a shabby house in the woods, Tom spends his days going to work and then going out at night to drink, whereas Lucas roams about […] → Read More
How Love Drives Horror: Looking Back On ‘Resident Evil 7: Biohazard’ Through The Lens Of Romance
In my past five years of gaming, that first night playing Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is one of my top favorite experiences. As a fan who was itching for a return to classic survival horror vibes, Biohazard more than delivered. Not only was I blown away by the southern gothic aesthetic of the game and the abrasive cruelty of its antagonists […] → Read More
Scream in Your Hands: How To Evolve the Serial Killer Subgenre In Video Games
The release of the new Scream movie has me in the mood to play games where you’re trying to evade a slasher/serial killer. My personal favorites when it comes to this type of mayhem are that of Puppet Combo’s games; in gems like Babysitter Bloodbath and Murder House, you must run for your life as a mad killer tries to hunt […] → Read More
[Review] ‘The Kindred’ Makes for a Heartfelt Thriller with a Weak Sendoff
A woman makes her way down a hallway in a panic. Wobbling slightly, she looks behind her shoulder, making her way into an elevator and heads to the ground → Read More
Bloody Disgusting’s Most Anticipated New Albums for 2022!
Writing my top records for 2021 proved to be a challenge considering all the good music that came out last year – and 2022 already looks to be just as exciting. Across death metal, doom, ambient, avant-garde, nu metal, and even more, there’s a lot to be on the lookout for. An important note that […] → Read More
Bloody Disgusting’s Michael Pementel Replays the Top 10 Records of 2021!
This was a killer year for music across the board. I love a year where it’s challenging for me to put together a top 10 list; I initially start my process with a top 20 and then work my way to those really special records. It’s also exciting to share my personal top records with […] → Read More
[Review] ‘Hurt’ Devastates With Emotional Tension and Dread-Filled Atmosphere
Directed by Sonny Mallhi, written by Mallhi and Solomon Gray, Hurt’s general premise involves a solider returning home to his wife, and when both go to one of their favorite Halloween haunts, an evil follows them home. While this is a prominent part of the film, Hurt has a lot more going for it beyond […] → Read More
[Review] ‘The Advent Calendar’ Offers Few Treats Inside Its Cursed Doors
Written and directed by Patrick Ridremont, The Advent Calendar offers an intriguing spin on holiday horror through the use of its titular plot device. For those unaware, an Advent Calendar is a calendar used to track the days leading up to Christmas. The calendar contains doors which people can open on each consecutive day, the […] → Read More
[Interview] Gaming In The Deep: An Interview With FLOAT Designer And Creator Freddie Carlini
For as much as I love playing with friends online via trading card game simulators or other video games, there’s nothing like the in-person tabletop experi → Read More
[Haunted Riffs Review]: Khemmis Capture Epic Doom on ‘Deceiver’!
Khemmis is a powerhouse of doom. Unlike the more oppressive side of the genre, the Denver, CO act take on a more triumphant tone – albeit one imbued with m → Read More
[Review] Vampire Movie ‘Dead & Beautiful’ Hesitates to Bite Deep
With exceptions, many vampires are presented in a light (though not literally) of wealth. Class and vampires aren’t that far a stretch when it comes to top → Read More
[Review] 200 Stab Wounds’ ‘Slave to the Scalpel’ Is Vicious, Gory Death Metal #HauntedRiffs
The noise that 200 Stab Wounds have been making is far from subtle. The Cleveland, Ohio death metal outfit are relatively new to the scene – having formed in 2020 – but have been rattling the underground. Their impressive EP Piles of Festering Decomposition bursts with ferocious sounding riffs and pummeling presentation. Compared to other […] → Read More
Into the Abyss of Existentialism: An Interview With Cradle of Filth’s Dani Filth
There’s a decent chance you’ve had an existentialist thought or two in life. Why do humans act as cruel as they do? What’s the point of existence? What happens when we die? These huge thoughts that involve layers and layers of thought and have gone through decades of examination are but a small taste of […] → Read More
[Review] Cradle of Filth Bring Spectacular Thrill and Despair on ‘Existence Is Futile’
Within black metal, Cradle of Filth has always been an (ahem), black sheep of sorts. Yet in taking parts of the genre’s conventional sound, they’ve carved out an exciting path for their material. In providing a symphonic edge to their blackened speed, the band’s exploration of the occult and fantastical is nothing short of theatrically […] → Read More
Of Lonely Hells: Looking Back On ‘Silent Hill 2’ Through The Lens Of OCD
*Author note: Given the subject matter of this article, I would like to state that I absolutely acknowledge everyone has their own experiences with mental → Read More
Into the Madness of Space With Blood Incantation: Looking Back on ‘Starspawn’ [Haunted Riffs]
The 2010s saw a great amount of growth for the death metal genre. Among the acts to rise during this time is the extraterrestrial death metal force known a → Read More
Records From the Dark: Six Under-the-Radar Albums to Check Out Immediately! [Haunted Riffs]
Sub-columns in columns are a thing, right? Well whether they are or aren’t, I’m introducing Haunted Riffs' Records From the Dark. From time to time, I’m go → Read More