Sensory triggers have a big role to play in this process, and when the warmth of Summer becomes more of a routine, and the air starts to turn cold, our senses awaken something within us. For me, it happens in the morning, when I roll out of bed to open the shades and immediately notice how chilly it is. I gaze out the frostbitten window to see fog rolling in and around the trees, which now take on a completely different shape and texture. No longer drooping sadly towards the ground, now bursting into the air with colors that illuminate the sky. This is the exact moment my brain opens its vault, and begins to release memories from all the years prior when I basked in all of the autumnal glory that stood before me.

It’s typically around this time when you begin to notice stores stocking up on spooky supplies. You may even see a few things pop up earlier, with random decorations or Halloween themed foods appearing on shelves. Places like Spirit Halloween begin to open their doors, with fans of the season gathering in droves to admire all things creepy and crafty. There are even those who begin to decorate their homes with such novelties, adorning their rooms with cobwebs, skulls, and pumpkins as far as the eye can see. In contrast, many people start to complain, something I’ve been guilty of many times, as I’ve never been a fan of celebrating the season so early. However, there are some occasions where you require such a drastic shift to carry you out of a mental slump, and there’s no better drug than nostalgia to expedite such a task.

I have fond memories of visiting the video rental store as a kid, endlessly browsing the horror section in awe of the ungodly creatures that lay upon my impressionable eyes. Halloween amplified this experience, with local video stores decorating the entire place as if it were solely devoted to our favorite hallowed holiday. Even walking home from the bus stop after school was a total vibe, crunching the leaves under my feet with each step getting closer and closer to the night I loved with all my twisted little heart. These details culminated towards a day where we were granted free rein to behave as mischievously as we wanted, all while embracing everything that scared the living shit out of us. Which, oddly enough, brought us such immense comfort.

As the leaves turned into fire falling from the trees, and the wind just cold enough to draw your hoodie tighter, the season grew on you like an old friend you hadn’t seen in some time. A familiar friend, whose presence always brought you peace, happiness, and a longing for connection to share this experience with those you care most about in life. Nature guided our senses towards a feeling of bliss that was inspired by haunted stories, macabre decorations, and other twisted aspirations that only reared their ugly but charming heads once a year.

This is a time like no other, and the buildup to it is almost as good as, if not better than, the moment Halloween arrives. So if ever I question the hows and whys behind this bizarre obsession with death and decay, I will always remind myself of those nostalgic details that linger. The horror movies I binge, the leaves crunching under my feet, and the never-ending obsession with all things orange and black. All of it an homage to my past, and a hope for the future. One where I can not only continue these twisted traditions, but pass them on to my own family, and keep the undying legacy of this seasonal transition as vibrant as it ever was.

The post Why Some of Us Come Alive While Summer Begins to Die appeared first on Autumns Eyes.

Honestly, I think it just boils down to how we all process information these days. Everything happens at light speed compared to how things used to be. Anything you want to find out, you can do so within a few seconds. This process is convenient, but it also trains us to utilize the same methodology outside our little phone bubble. We don’t really spend much time being bored, or just gazing off into the sky. Maybe we do, but nobody would know, because we’re too wrapped up in that little bubble of ours. It’s an interesting dilemma, and I’m curious how it will all unfold in the years ahead. I do believe we are hitting a ceiling where this type of content will be looked at much in the way junk food was looked at long ago. People will eventually start to see the long term effects of consuming so much brain junk that more time will be spent on what matters most. Real connections with real people and real places that hold real value. At least that’s what my optimistic side thinks anyways.

I struggle to even write these thoughts out on my computer, as both eyes are now infected with styes. Basically, a large bump that clogs up your eyelid and makes you look like you just challenged the biggest guy at Duff’s in Brooklyn after saying Bloody Kisses was overrated. Moments like this seem to happen more as you get older, with random, inexplicable health issues popping up to try and ruin your day. It could be anything from a stye, to throwing your back out trying to put your shoes on. Either way, I take these cues as opportunities to learn something. Perhaps they’re a chance to gain perspective on the things I used to take for granted, much like we tend to do when we get lost in our phones day after day. We scroll through an endless loop of nonsense that rewards us with empty calories, much in the same way a box of donuts would. Granted, it’s delicious in the moment and great in small doses, but in no way, shape, or form is it sustainable for a healthy outlook.

Whenever I spend too much time on my devices, I always feel more limited in my creative world. I don’t want to write as much, I have nothing to share with the world, and motivation is always sucked dry because my attention can be so easily manipulated just by scrolling. Actual progress requires more effort, and as tedious as that may sound to the lazy side of my brain, it does result in a better overall outlook on things. I’m at my best when I’m exploring the world around me. Connecting to the people I love, the things I love, the places I love to visit. It all adds up to a collective feeling of accomplishment that gives more motivation to express myself through things like music. If I pick up a guitar after an hour of scrolling through nonsense, I always end up writing nonsense riffs. When I pick up the same guitar after an hour of walking through the woods, I’m spitting out songs that could put a smile on any devil, demon, or dark spirit within a stone’s throw of the nearest graveyard.

I suppose this all boils down to how we manage our time, and what we do with the time that is given to us. Yes, I just quoted Gandalf, but that old bastard had some wise words that always vibe with my daily routine. There have been more than a few friends of mine sharing the same sentiment lately, which helped trigger this article entry to begin with. I can only hope that they, and all of us, don’t get too bogged down by the algorithm stealing our lust for life. I want to spend my time doing the things I love, exploring the places I love, and connecting with the people who make this whole thing worthwhile. Family, friends, fans of Autumns Eyes, whatever you want to call it. Those are the people who truly hold the key to my unabashed affection for life. Without them, it’s nothing more than the same empty void doom scrolling sells as reality.

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The first season introduces characters we are all too familiar with in the horror universe, but introduced in ways that keep its intentions fresh and intriguing. I found the plot to be somewhat slow and sleepy during the first few episodes, but as time went on, and you’re introduced to more people, you start to find out little clues that piece together a puzzle that grows in size the more you put it together. While this might sound daunting for those like me who cannot stand shows where people say “You have to stick with it!“, I will vouch for the fact that the slow build is intentional, and the rest of the series contrasts it nicely. The pace of the story requires a steady hand at first in order to build trust and inquiry, something that rushing through up front would have destroyed early on, thus making such a fast paced ending all the more worthless and without merit.

One of my favorite aspects of this story was just how historically rich it was within the realm of gothic and horror history. The production was a living, breathing entity that lent itself beautifully to the direction of everyone involved. It left you feeling like this was an actual place in time where you were witnessing these events unfold, unlike a massive set piece on a Hollywood backlot. This, in turn, gave credence to the illusion of magic and monsters when they are revealed. Your morality has no quarrel with believing its legitimacy in such a realm rich with lush layers of darkness and despair. When the fantastical elements of the story reveal themselves, it’s done in a way that doesn’t leave you questioning if it’s plausible, but rather why it took so long to get there in the first place, and what the consequences of such actions will be.

Without diving deeper into detail in an attempt to avoid spoiling any of the numerous surprises that lurk around every corner of this show, I’ll simply end my recommendation by stating how much I appreciated the finality of this story. It has a beginning, a middle, and an end, all standing on a foundation of truly great storytelling that encompasses everything a fan of gothic horror could ask for. Yes, there are things that could have been done differently, but as is the case in any story. Like I said earlier, this might be a result of us being too greedy in an age where information is forced down our throats at a rapid pace. When a story like this comes along with such a deep lore and history, it’s only natural for us to want more. That’s precisely why I believe many fans of Penny Dreadful felt slighted in the end. It’s a story that lures you in, holds your attention, and casts you out into the darkness when it’s finished with you, much like the monsters of the show do at their own discretion, but at least here you still have your life. One that you can use to rewatch the show as many times as your black little heart desires.

The post The Gothic Horror Series That Transformed My Skepticism Into Surrender appeared first on Autumns Eyes.

The face thing has been a nuisance for years, decades even, with a small little bump appearing on my cheek that my best friend, and now wife, used to love popping occasionally. After some time, it dawned on me that popping this twisted little pustule might not be the best idea, so I had the bright idea to go to a doctor and figure out how to get rid of it. Obviously, I was prepared for some form of excision, a process I am no stranger to, having had plenty of cysts removed before, but I was not prepared for the recovery phase afterwards when I was told to avoid smiling so as not to tear the stitches. Now, as someone who is somewhat known for his maniacal laugh and smile that rivals the Joker’s most disturbing, demented grin, this proved to be somewhat difficult. On top of all that, the doctor made sure to remind me not to do anything that would raise my blood pressure for a few days so my scar could have a better chance at healing. This was when my phone decided it would be a great time to stop working.

Arriving at the Apple Store for a repair that I was told would take an hour, only to find it was going to take five hours, was enough to make the massive bandaid on my face start folding at the seams, but that wasn’t what quite sealed the deal on my stress for the day. It was the long trip back when I realized I didn’t have my wallet with me, and they refused to give me my phone back because they couldn’t confirm it was me without an ID, even though I had literally just been there, and it’s quite hard to forget a goofy-looking jackass with a giant bandaid on his face. Nonetheless, they reviewed the security camera footage and confirmed it was me. Then, before sending me packing, they slipped in the fact that they couldn’t activate my newly repaired phone, and that I had to travel to a Verizon store for that process. This is when I started hearing echoes of my doctor saying, “Make sure you don’t do anything to raise your blood pressure for a few days!” swirling around my head like the clown that tormented Bart Simpson: “If you should die before you wake!” Thankfully, my inner nerd took over, and I was able to set up the phone myself by calling an automated Verizon support line and figured everything out.

As for the computer, I’ll admit I’m not the type of guy to buy shitloads of gear every time the latest, greatest tech arrives on store shelves. I tend to buy once, cry once. Spend a lot up front on something that will last me a long time. This was the case with my last computer, a 2017 5K iMac that I bought fully loaded at the time, and has gotten me through some amazing creative catastrophes. Unfortunately, Apple, in their infinite wisdom, decided this machine was obsolete and stopped supporting updates. Not to mention, anything I’ve tried doing with it video-wise was like trying to race a Porsche while driving a riding lawn mower. It was clearly time to upgrade, but the current state of the computer industry has its balls in a vice due to an ongoing memory shortage. So I couldn’t just go to the Apple Store and buy a new computer that would arrive in a day or two. Shipping was now pushed out for months with new computers, but the refurbished store on Apple’s website has always been a bastion of hope for me, so I set up alerts and notifications there to see if anything popped up. Lo and behold, I was able to secure a new Mac Studio along with a Mac Studio Display to go with it, and as I type this lovely article that two people will read on a machine horribly overpowered for what I do, I couldn’t be happier.

On the subject of happiness, and I won’t dive into too much detail on the next topic, as I feel family stuff should remain somewhat private when it deals with those outside my day-to-day circle. I’ll just say that I am extremely grateful and happy that things took a turn for the best in that department. We had a close call that scared the living shit out of everyone, but for the most part, it all tempered down, and things seem to be in a manageable state. Quite the opposite from when shit hit the fan, and we all thought we were going to lose someone incredibly important to us all. This is where hope rewards faith, and you are reminded of just how fragile and incredibly fleeting all these moments are. Perspective helps navigate them in the future, but when you are in the midst of such stress and turmoil, you can easily lose sight of not just where you are going, but who you truly are deep down.

Not only am I thankful for the family I have, but also the friends both on and offline who helped me get through all of this. Not by any intentional means, but rather the smaller, trivial moments where a text or two would be enough to kick my brain out of misery and into a better place, even if for a few seconds. Those little pieces certainly help ease the burden of life’s many unimaginable challenges, just as it does when I pick up a guitar and let my fingers express what’s buried deeper in my soul that words could never touch. Which is where I’m at now, as I continue to chip away at the next Autumns Eyes album. An entry that is certain to please fans of “Ending Life Slowly” and bring back the Halloween vibes that warm all of our haunted little hearts. So until then, stay tuned, stay in touch, and if shit is hitting your fan as it did mine, reach out to someone for a bit of distraction. It’s such a curious thing how distraction can help us focus, but it really does work in those cases. Unless, of course, my new phone and computer shit the bed next week, in which case all of this goes out the window. Fingers crossed!

The post Sunshine, Stress, & Summer Scars appeared first on Autumns Eyes.

As an artist, this feeling is all too familiar, but as with such a gift, so too does it carry an unrelenting curse. The curse of trying to build an idea with tools you might be unfamiliar with. Whether you’re a songwriter who can’t quite shape the song how you see fit, or a large company who needs to rebrand a stale website from the ground up, this curse knows no bounds when it comes to creative roadblocks. While tutorials are more available than ever these days, true artistry is more rooted in connection, and collaboration.

Collaboration, at its heart, is the process of letting another perspective help guide your own. While that might seem counterintuitive to some, anyone looking to elevate their work often finds that another set of skills can unlock a door they never knew how to open. That is precisely where my strength in the studio shines, and why I’m opening my own door to artists who share the same passion for the process.

Whether it’s the smaller songwriter or the larger corporation, I’ve spent the past two decades helping people solve their own creative puzzle no matter the shape, size, or scope. It’s more of an analog element of effort that no TikTok tutorial, YouTube clip, or AI instruction can replicate. The little details built from years of experience that contribute to instinct, guidance, and perspective. All areas of creative focus that will help shape your idea in a way that’s both honest and unique to your own vision.

My own creative door into this field was opened with Autumns Eyes, a musical project I’ve grown over the years under the guise of heavy music born in the woods and bathed in darkness. Throughout my days creating with Autumns Eyes, I spent a lot of time helping other artists behind the scenes. Eventually it got to the point where, for business purposes, it needed a name. That’s where Beneath the Woods came from, a studio that carries the same love of nature that always found its way into my work.

If at any point you feel like your idea just isn’t getting off the ground in the way you want it to, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always up for a chat, even if it’s just to brainstorm some different ideas and see if something sparks another strike of lightning. Whether your project needs refinement, direction, or another set of skills to help bring it into focus, that is what Beneath the Woods was built for. If your idea is ready to take root, let’s see where it can grow.

The post Where Creativity Finds Its Roots appeared first on Autumns Eyes.

While diversity is always at the forefront due to my ever growing respect for all genres, the mood of the music has definitely shifted. Here we move away from the frost bitten dirge of winter, and into fresher, more enthusiastic soundscapes. While they might not be your cup of tea, thats totally okay, rest assured you will never find me judging you based on what moves you personally.

I may be an arrogant prick for dozens of reasons, but I am not the kind of elitist douchebag who thinks music needs a velvet rope. Let’s move on, shall we?

Neurosis

Last Light

A band that deserves to evolve, and an album that nobody expected would be here in 2026, let alone with such an iconic singer on vocal duties. Last Light is the final track on the new album, and one of the lengthier tunes this band has ever put out that’s certainly not short on emotion.

Converge

Hum of Hurt

I’ll be damned if I wasn’t shocked to see Converge announcing yet another new album this year after delivering this past February, but hey, it’s not like fans would turn down the opportunity to hear some of the heaviest hitting music you can find these days.

Nine Inch Noize

Closer

The entire album highlights how such a collaboration between Nine Inch Nails and Boys Noize is a genius way to modernize such a classic industrial back catalogue. It’s a fresh entry for new fans, and a great rediscovery for old ones.

Black Sabbath

Hole In the Sky

With Ozzy being gone, it definitely leaves an eternal bruise on the heart of heavy metal, but songs like this remind us why his legacy will outlive us all. The remastered version also breathes new life into a dated production that was still great to hear, but in much need of sonic evolution to bring out its full potential.

Nevermore

Born

Their newfound revival is taking hold of the metal world, so it’s no surprise one of my favorite bands landed on this list with a track that encompasses everything they stood for. Outstanding guitar work with extraordinary vocals built over a solid rhythm section that solidifies Nevermore as some of the best to ever stand in the genre.

NOFX

Stickin In My Eye

Back when I was deeply hooked on NOFX, they were busy evolving from a chaotic mess into a tight, energetic machine. This track is a perfect snapshot of the sound that helped launch the 90s punk revival into the stratosphere.

Soul Asylum

Somebody to Shove

It would be sacrilege to put out a playlist without highlighting the heavy hitters of 90s rock, and Soul Asylum often gets unfairly glossed over in favor of their grungier counterparts. Make no mistake, they are incredible songwriters with melodic depth that proves they were far more than just the one hit wonders the mainstream tried to label them as.

Spectre General

Nothin’s Gonna Stand In Our Way

As if I needed a reason to watch the Transformers animated movie again? Take all your best cheesy 80s metal songs and toss em’ in the trash, because they don’t hold a candle to the tunes on this soundtrack.

Mobb Deep

Survival of the Fittest

Dirty NYC hip hop will always have a home in my playlist, and this entire album is one of the best examples of how hauntingly poetic this sonic landscape can get. I’m a sucker for grungy production too, which is painted throughout all the vibes this album carries with it.

Deadmau5 and Kaskade

I Remember

A hypnotic dance classic that always warms my soul every time it comes on, and another great example of collaboration gone right, with two titans of the industry pairing up to create an iconic song.

Grateful Dead

Bertha

It’s probably the loss of Bob Weir that has me nostalgic for old dead tunes, but this 1971 performance at the Fillmore remains one of my favorite tracks the band ever released. Such a great groove, with equally great melodies soaring over top.

Cleveland Eaton

Slipping Into Darkness

I’m a sucker for great funk music, and this album delivers on levels reminiscent of anything the Isley Brothers or Herbie Hancock did back in those glory days of 70s funkadelic. There is so much going on in the production, it only gets better and better with each listen.

Return to Forever

Sorceress

Legendary musicians Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Al Di Meola, & Lenny White got together to make music, and the result was nothing more than some of the greatest jazz fusion this side of sanity. It’s almost telepathic how well they were able to vibe together all those years ago, and create music that still stands the test of time.

The Beatles

I’ll Follow the Sun

There are so many fond memories I have of time spent with my mom years ago as a kid with The Beatles playing somewhere in the background. This was one of those tracks, and it’s one of the ways I stay connected to her after she’s been gone.

Enigma

Prism of Life

I’ve always been a massive fan of Enigma, even long before the Pure Moods disc tormented us all at 2am back in the 90s, but this track always brings a huge smile to my face. It’s such an uplifting tune with a soundscape so unique, I still ponder how Michael Cretu comes up with this stuff.

The post Whats In My Ears: Spring 2026 appeared first on Autumns Eyes.

The animated show was one of those rare instances where what you saw on screen was just as good as what you read on the page. It also elevated the story by incorporating sound, something the pages lacked, and its sonic influence would soon take hold of me some years later. Once I started recording the album Please Deceive Me back in 2010, I toyed with the idea of doing a song inspired by The Maxx, but I had no desire to sing about such oddities, so I kept it all instrumental. The track, appropriately titled in jest, Pangea, mirrored the story with its song structure. Starting out with tribal rhythms that reflected the outback setting of the story, and flashing abruptly into the dank, dark, depressing sludge of the city realm. A stark contrast that made The Maxx so relatable to those of us who loved to let our minds wander into the unknown.

Pangea was never a major hit with fans, many of whom questioned how a track like that fit on a record centered around Halloween and other spooky themes. In truth, it was less about cohesion and more about satisfying my own fascination with such a brilliantly influential story. While Sam Kieth created many other tremendously imaginative works, his contributions to The Maxx left the deepest impact on my life, and on the lives of many others. It offered a glimpse into a strange, singular world where heroes don’t resemble the big, strong, square jawed archetypes we’re taught to admire. A world where terrible things happen, yet are presented through a lens that allows even evil a place to rest, something rarely seen in comic book storytelling at the time.

Death never feels like an appropriate time to resurrect your admiration for someone you haven’t talked about in so long, but that doesn’t mean their memory needs to be buried with equal silence. While I never knew Sam Kieth personally, I connected to his work on a personal level that left an immeasurable impact on my creativity. Few moments pass where I don’t reach for nostalgia to ease the weight of an uncertain future, and part of that nostalgia lies within The Maxx, and the stories that Sam helped create. For that, I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in his twisted little tales. Thank you Sam, and rest peacefully in whatever realm you ventured on to from here.

The post Sam Kieth and the Song He Inspired appeared first on Autumns Eyes.

It happened during the airing of one of my favorite shows, 120 Minutes, a program that played a barrage of up and coming indie bands as diverse as you could imagine. One music video would feature a heavy band attacking your senses with walls of guitars and drums so raw they felt like they were breaking your TV speakers. On the other side of the coin, you’d have a somber band swirling simple chords from a mellow keyboard, with a singer so mesmerizing you’d wonder how the human voice could extract such emotion. Then there was the night I heard the sample from Kool & the Gang titled “Funky Man” looped and pitched up, which gave way to one of the best music video experiences I can remember. I use the word “experience” because that’s precisely what these were at the time. We were young, obsessive, angry, angst ridden teenagers looking to light up whatever counter culture was prime for igniting, and music videos helped fuel that fire.

The video for Smack My Bitch Up started with a POV shot from someone getting ready for a night on the town, a night that would soon devolve into such debauchery that there still may be a mark on the ground of that basement from where my jaw hit the floor. It showcased everything from drug use to vomiting to straight up full nudity with explicit sex, all of it making even the hottest Hollywood sex scenes feel timid in comparison. It was something you’d never see on television, and my brain was equal parts confused and amazed as this all unfolded in front of my terribly impressionable adolescent eyes, especially given the unique twist at the end. Not only was it my first experience seeing this type of smut on television, but it was also my first introduction to The Prodigy, a band that would forever cement itself as a major influence on so much of what I would later create as a musician.

Following such an intense evening was a day at school where I asked all my friends if they had seen the same thing I did, with little to none of them making sense of what I was talking about. Few believed me, and it didn’t help my case that MTV decided not to air the video anymore due to its vulgarity, but the impact had already been made. I was led down a rabbit hole that pulled me deep into the band’s albums, live performances, and merchandise. Hell, I even contemplated cutting my hair to look like the devil horned frontman, Keith Flint. Needless to say, I wasn’t alone, as the album Fat of the Land skyrocketed to the top of everyone’s playlists, with countless great tunes polluting the airwaves that our parents all but condemned from the earth.

The song Smack My Bitch Up was just as creative as the music video, with samples from bands like Kool & the Gang, as I mentioned before, while also utilizing samples from current bands at the time like Rage Against the Machine. It was creativity on acid, and I loved every minute of it. The band showed me how to carve my own corner in a landscape filled with copycats and clones. While everyone was trying to imitate the massive grunge movement that came before, bands like The Prodigy were leading their own charge and creating music just as heavy as any underground metal band at the time.

They had the sound, the look, the attitude, and even after all these years, their legacy remains intact. Losing Keith (RIP) didn’t slow them down either, as the band continues to move forward, drawing massive crowds that pay homage to their past while paving the way for future artists to draw inspiration from these unique musical madmen. I’ll never forget the first time I saw that video or the intensity it stirred within me. It was a feeling I still chase, a reminder of how good music should feel. Raw, uncensored, unabashed, and completely unrestrained from the confines of what society thinks it wants to hear.

The post The Night an Uncensored Music Video Rewired My Brain appeared first on Autumns Eyes.