Occasionally in life, it makes sense to breathe in and take stock of where things are in a situation. I’ve taken some time the last few days to do just that, and it’s the reason I’m composing the State of the Ensemble Address. I know Death Ensemble has a small audience, but I feel I owe it to the readers who’ve supported the site from the beginning to let you know just exactly where we stand.
July has been an incredibly odd month for me, filled with all sorts of vicissitudes that have had me on a roller coaster. I don’t want to make this all about me, but let’s face it: I write about 98% of the stuff that goes up on DE. I’m the man behind its image, and if I don’t have time or energy to write, or if I’m distracted by things going on in my life, then DE doesn’t really have any output. In the last month, I’ve written a script in about a week’s time as a birthday gift for a friend, suffered back spasms from the heavy lifting I do at my day job, and worked some weeks in excess of 80 hours, not including the online teaching I do for a particularly piss poor university. These things have left me spent, sometimes with little time to collect my thoughts, let alone produce consistent output for Death Ensemble.
But here’s the thing. I don’t want you to think that Death Ensemble has suffered a death of its own. I love this site. I’ve put a lot of thought and energy into birthing a horror site in the image I’ve always wanted for one, and I take great pride in writing not only for it, but for you, loyal readers. DE is an alternative for all the big name sites that puke out third hand news and not much else. It’s a place for real reflection on horror, from divergent thinkers. I’ve assembled a small staff—too small in fact; I keep trying to add to it, but even that’s a struggle—of avid horror fans who want you to get the real story, straight from their black hearts. They trust me with their writing, and I applaud and thank them for taking the time and the effort to put their words down on paper.
And DE will continue on. That I promise you.
A rough July has only produced two pieces so far, but I have a rare, back-to-back off from my night job, and tonight I’m off to see a dreadful double-shot of THE OMEN and ROSEMARY’S BABY. I’ll write a review of the experience, as it’ll be my first time seeing either on the big screen, a special event for me as THE OMEN is my favorite horror flick.
And there’s more to come. I’ve watched a slew of horror flicks as I lay writhing in back pain trying to get a few hours of quality sleep. So expect a number of reviews in the coming weeks. As the month is almost over, I also owe a You Suck! piece (a good rant should put my cylinders back in firing order). And there’s plenty more on the horizon.
All I ask is that you stick with me, folks. DE is coming back strong in the next several weeks, and I want you to be part in our renaissance. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Be cool,
Big Evil himself, Death Ensemble Editor-in-Chief Phil Fasso
