Alchemy’s resident horror fiend Gavin Baddeley attends a lot of horror festivals, but he reckons the Welsh event, Abertoir, is among the best. So we asked him to report back on the best new fear flicks that previewed at 2015’s six day Aberystwyth marathon of the macabre…

I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I have long been a fan of Alchemy Gothic. From the time I saved for months to buy my first piece (which was the Gothic Ankh incidentally, and is still one of my favourite pieces to wear and one of their bestselling items) to now be honoured and welcomed as part of the family.

Having in mind that the 18^th of November is Occult Day we dedicate this story to all the witches among us.

Deadly Cards

A young lady came to my shop on one Friday morning. She seemed very cheerful and she was dressed very prettily. She told me she wanted a tarot reading. I asked her if she preferred a certain deck for I had many tarot decks. She told me she very much liked all of them and that she would leave it up to me.

Students of the occult and devotees of the darker fringes of history will be delighted to hear that the Royal College of Physicians, in Regent’s Park London, are planning an exhibition dedicated to John Dee. A pioneering scholar – learned in mathematics, philosophy and navigation – Dee was one of the most fascinating and brilliant figures at the 16^th century court of the English queen Elizabeth I, universally admired for his learning.

Now that the darker days are coming, more and more monsters will be crawling out of their hideaways, ready to feast on the human flesh once again. You must be prepared for what is about to come.

I have never been very fond of the human kind. Too plain for my taste, too dull. I did however follow their wars and quarrels from time to time when on greater scale and now and then my curiosity took over when it came to their bizarre traditions. That must have been my destiny for that is how it all started. And that is how I met him.

Beautiful title for a wicked article isn’t it? Because this article will be wicked in every way possible. Halloween is knocking on our doors and I could not possibly let this opportunity pass without some naughtiness.

For almost as long as there have been feature films, there have been vampire films. The first of it’s kind Nosferatu or “Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens” as it was was originally titled being released in 1922. Although there are now very few copies of this film due to a long and difficult battle over copy write it is regarded as one of the most influential masterpieces in cinema. Stories about vampires have captivated audiences for hundred of years, with the novel Nosferatu was based on, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, celebrating it’s 125th anniversary this year.

Aegishjalmir,

The Helm of Awe,

Guard thy carver,

Stand as my wall.

There was a complete chaos at the City Hall. The crime scene was surrounded by at least a dozen reporters and hundreds of civilians. I barely managed to reach my Crime Scene Investigation team. All I could think of was the body. I wanted to see the body. I needed to see that body! That was the only way to discover if I was the criminal.

I wanted to write a special bloody, dark article for Halloween. But, when I thought more about it I realised that my articles are always dark and twisted so I wouldn’t be able to make it special in that manner. The only way I could make this article special was to share with you what Halloween actually means to me and in doing so perhaps you could tell me what Halloween means to you.

It’s the ultimate question, isn’t it? Do you choose a vampire or a werewolf as your ideal partner? Cold or hot? Night or day? A wolf or a bat? It’s basically choosing between two completely different characters, though both are nocturnal and have a lust for blood, both are very dangerous and quite unpredictable and both are…well…let’s just say lethal in every way possible!

I have never been able to choose between vampires and werewolves. Though I am sure a lot of you think the answer must be obvious.

I must decide once and for all, but how?

If Selfridges can open their Christmas shop at the start of August, we don’t think it’s too early to get excited about Halloween!

As the principal artist at the Alchemy England Design Studios the pleasure of designing and painting the annual Alchemy catalogue cover falls to me.

I slowly opened my eyes listening to the surroundings. It seemed quiet at first but then I realized it…I was still on the train!