The Manor of Darkrose

"I trudged through overgrown Hollow, eyed by watchful crows, 

Rode the train 'cross the borderlands, with the setting sun aglow, 

Survived both frozen cavern and darkest carnivale, 

Now this ghostly train has reached its terminal, 

And I stand before my thorny end... the Manor of Darkrose!" 

Yes, in just shy of two weeks I will be journeying out to Denver, CO to visit with August and Pandora Rose, the creative masterminds behind Darkrose Manor Haunted House! There is sure to be madness, mayhem, and and the sort of badassery that only haunters can create! There also be a vlog or two so keep your eyes peeled for that! I'm so excited, this is sure to be a total blast! DRMFL!

DarkroseManor.com 

Castle Blood Haunted Adventure

A few weeks ago, I was one of those lucky enough to attend a series of classes and make n takes held at Castle Blood Haunted Adventure in Monessen, PA, as part of a halfway-to-Halloween event. It was a fantastic event, with classes on makeup, lighting, cemetery statues, magic, lighting, haunt acting, and so much more. Included with the event was dinner, a lights on, daylight tour of the Castle, and of course, a full on performance in the evening.

For those not familiar with Castle Blood, allow me to give you a little background: it began in the early 1990s as a home haunt, but quickly rose to become one of the top haunts in America. Breaking from the traditional haunt format of "jump-out-and-go-boo", the Castle takes a highly theatrical approach, having patrons actually interact with the characters and solve puzzles in order to progress through the Castle; it's a lot like playing a game of Dungeons and Dragons in Disney's Haunted Mansion. There was even one interactive moment where I was actually separated from the group for a one on one experience - let me tell you, if you think a regular haunt is scary, try going through that same haunt ALONE. There's nothing to get the blood pumping like ascending a dark staircase with Midnight Syndicate playing softly in the background, uncertain of what lies ahead of you.

It's been referred to as "the thinking man's haunted house", and I agree wholeheartedly. It was a truly fantastic show, the performances were spot on (the Transylvanian doorman and Vapor the zombie bride stood out as particularly memorable), the scares will timed, and the fact that they only let in small groups really gave the whole event a truly intimate, creepy feeling. And the sets - just incredible! First off, the crew of Castle Blood really know to set dress a haunt - I really felt like I was walking through some long abandoned haunted manor inhabited by the undead. The building alone is incredible - a 100 year old former former funeral home housed in a three story Gothic Victorian house high on hill - in other words, the perfect location for a haunt!

All in all I had an absolute blast at Castle Blood - and you can bet your fangs I'll be back in October for their full Halloween show!

HalloweeNut's Verdict:
5 out of 5 Skulls

World Goth Day 2015

Music Video Monday: "Du Hast"

A cover by Motionless in White:

Mortimus

My newest prop - a monster mud Grim Reaper bust.

Support Shattered Nightmares Haunted House

Shattered Nightmares Haunted House in Terre Haute, Indiana was the victim of an arsonist, and, due to it being the off-season, they did not have insurance to pay for rebuilding the haunt. Help some fellow haunters get back on their haunt after this malicious act by donating and/or spreading word about the campaign. We're Haunters, we're in this together, united by our passion for our art. Let's show some support to one of our own!

Click here to support Shattered Nightmares: 

Help Resurrect the House of Shock!

"In October 2014, House of Shock decided to close its doors after 22 years in business. To me, House of Shock is not just an incredible haunted house, it's an amazing work of art that comes to life through the love and dedication of our volunteer family as well as the undying support from our New Orleans community. The House of Shock is a creative outlet and a home for many different people of all ages and walks of life. It;s a place where they are allowed to express themselves openly and artistically without judgement. After an overwhelming outcry from our New Orleans community and our House of Shock volunteer family, many of us got together and decided that we were not ready to put the nail in the coffin. We decided to turn to Kickstarter and ask for support from our community and fans to unite in backing House of Shock in hopes of bringing back this legendary New Orleans Halloween tradition. We are confident that with the full support from our community of backers, we can revive the House of Shock for at least one more year! This means creating an even more intense and unique experience to entertain our faithful following along with an entirely new generation of kids eager to become part of House of Shock history!"

Click here to become part of the project: 

 Thanks To Highbury Cemetery for bringing this to my attention.

The Hatbox Ghost Returns!

The Horror Portfolio

Via Pumpkinrot:

Castle Blood

Today I'm off to Castle Blood Haunted House in Monessen, PA, for their Halfway to Halloween event. A full day of haunt-related classes, plus an evening tour of the attraction. This is sure to be a blast! Look for a write-up soon, Specters!