April

2014

SAGS Notes & Letters Gruesome Twosome Shadow from The Raven 3 Shadow from Macabre Marspuppy 4 Founders Letter Birth of SAGS 5 Beauty and Fashion Lessons in Ink 7 Piercings, piercings everywhere !! 9 Bubbling Cauldron Batty for cupcakes 11 Black Rice 15 Dark Icons Victoria Frances 18 Celebrities Life in the womb of Amy Lee 21 Support The Dark Veil of Depression 23 Life’s Thorns 25 Being who you are 26 Poetry Shadows of the mind and soul The Eternal Moon –A Butcher 28 Darkness – J de Beer 29 Reviews Books Alexey Pehov – Shadow Prowler 30 Movies The Mortal Instruments 31 Pets Morbid Menageries 32 The Shadow Shards of Shadow 35 SAGS Communities 36 SAGS Contact Details 37 Classifieds 38

T S A

Shadow From The Raven

Gruesome Twosome

elcome to the lair of the SAGS. As an

anthropologist I

often wonder into the cultural and historical

background of goth and I soon came to realise that it is

irrelevant. To be goth is a norm. It is spectacular,

meaningful and poetic and at the same time it has its

darker traits. Being accepted is the biggest dream for

anyone in the "alternative scene" and to be called goth

almost seems like being categorised into a fallen

minority who lives a life of constant judgement and

discrimination. I however am proud to be a part of this

fallen minority despite all the negative interactions I

witness from the public. I hold my head up high, knowing

that this growing culture will soon be like any other in

the world. So we bring you The Shadow Magazine. A

shadow never dies, can never be worn out, stabbed,

burnt or oppressed. It is omnipresent and even if you

cannot see it, elsewhere in the world other shadows

exist. We are the shadows. Our thoughts and ideas are

also shadows and our latest forum for sharing all these is

now available.

- The Raven

W

"Those who dream by day

are more cognisant of

many things that escape

those who dream by

night." -Edgar Allen Poe

T S A

Shadow From Macabre Marspuppy

Gruesome Twosome

“ t was a dark and stormy night” seems to be the

stock introduction phrase for many things dark

and gruesome and associated with anything alternative.

Saying I’m somewhat intimidated by writing an

introductory editor’s note for the first copy of SAGS’s

The Shadow, is an understatement of epic proportions.

Oh my goth, the pressure – I’m but a girl with a penchant

for all things dark and dramatic... It is in the darkness

and shadows where I shine brightest.

A New Earth’s lyrics say “Deep inside you there’s a

roaring fire that is not cooled by comfort or tamed by

fear. A fire that burns in all things.” This is the way we

feel about all things gothic here; passionate about our

love of all things seen as different, macabre and even

eccentric. A passion on wanting to educate every type of

goth about each other as well as giving the world a look

into OUR world... A passion for taking the stereotype of

being gothic and turning it upside down.

Where even the shadows have shadows – this is us and

we hope you’ll find much comfort in your non-

conformance, as we share news, knowledge and aim to

entertain.

- Macabre Marspuppy

I

T S A

Birth of SAGS

Letter From The Founder

ear readers

I would like to start off by welcoming you to the SAGS and The

Shadow, it is most fortunate to have you with us.

You may have noticed that we have big plans that are currently

under development. The SAGS has seemingly simple goals, but

following the roots of these goals is not that simple.

I have been working, tinkering, brainstorming and throwing ideas

together for a few years now, and to be honest, the launch of the

SAGS was unplanned and unscheduled. It simply happened

through the courage I had received from a good friend.

Our goal is straightforward; we want to unite the gothic culture

in South Africa, bringing all types of goths together under one

banner, thus forming our own society. We have various reasons

accompanying this goal, such as friendship - not all of us are

fortunate to have a friend in our area that shares our views or

ideas. We usually hide from the human eye, yet we dress to

impress, but yes it can be difficult to find company. Another point

is to look at our youth or our baby goths; by us uniting we will be

able to not only guide them but help them with life and the

choices that are to follow in their lives as they come of age.

By uniting under one banner we will be able to accomplish so

much more. We have all seen or heard of the fancy annual goth

events that are hosted in other countries as the goth Treffen in

Germany and the Louisiana Vampire Ball and those are just a few

things we would like to accomplish in our own country. We plan

to host our very own events. We have the people and we have the

numbers - it might not seem that way, but that's because there's

no structure or communication amongst us. –Pg 6

D

T S A

Birth of SAGS - Continued

Letter From The Founder

That's something we as a society can change. We are

currently planning a fully interactive web page along

with its own forum and a proper gallery function where

all the artists will be able to host and publish their

works. With you, the reader, we can make this a

success: we need you to communicate with us and

inform us what you would like to accomplish with us.

No two people are the same and that's one of the

reasons we have different types of goths - we want you

to express it. We want to offer something for everyone,

but this means that again we will require you, the reader,

to help us and inform us what it is that makes you YOU.

We want the SAGS to be an interactive forum and not a

formal business.

We want to hear from you. We want to know your

definition of goth. What life events and challenges are

you dealing with? What have you achieved and what are

you planning next?

We are open minded people. Our being is a way of life, a

style and a culture on its own with multiple subcultures,

and we want to know about it all and only with your help

are we able to.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you

in advance my fellow goths.

May you find as much joy "here" as we do in putting here

"here."

-MGR

T S A

Lessons in Ink

Beauty and Fashion

n the modern gothic lifestyle it is often assumed that

a person would have tattoos. It is one of the most

prolific stereotypes in today’s gothic culture, but that is all it

is: another stereotype. That said, it is also one of the most

explored topics for gothic people in today’s world.

As a child you probably drew on yourself. It is supposed to be

bad for your skin, and you've probably heard all the scientific

theories of how it can cause cancer - but stubbornly ignoring

this together with your school teachers stern reprimands - you

developed an acute desire to have some sort of design

permanently etched on your body, since it then wouldn't wash

off in any manner!

The main thing to remember is that tattoos are permanent,

unless it’s of the semi-permanent henna variety. Laser

removal is expensive and may be very harmful to your health-

not to mention not always successful and rather painful. I'm

obviously all for tattoos, but seeing as it is permanent, I

refuse to have something on my body simply because "it looks

pretty". It needs meaning and value - something significant.

What other reasons would you have it on your body for until

the end of your life? –Pg 11

I

I had the opportunity recently to

have my second tattoo done. I thus

decided to ask a few people about

their choice of tattoos. Some said

that they simply enjoy the feeling,

others that the sound of the

machine is hypnotic. Then there was

my personal favourite: "because it

looks pretty"! That statement was

what made me decide to give you a

short tutorial on tattoos.

Tattoo by dr Jade from Jaded Ink

T S A

Lessons in Ink - Continued

Beauty and Fashion

I always tell people that the best way to choose a tattoo is to

remember who you are, what you stand for and what you love

most in life – your identity, philosophy and passions. Most

certainly not the name of your lover or a silly tramp stamp.

I personally have my ‘identity’ on my wrist; a Celtic cross as I am

of Celtic descent. Also because I sign my artworks with a cross

and at one stage my nickname was Chris Cross. My ‘philosophy’

is my most recently done tattoo, but blends well with my overall

Celtic theme. It reads: "Light of eye, soft of touch. Speak ye

little, listen ye much." I had it done using Elder Furthark script as

the font.

Tattoos aren't just a form of art, it is body art, something sacred

that should be taken seriously. Take consideration into choosing

what to ink into your skin. Ask yourself what it means to you?

Will you regret this when you get older? Will you regret its size

and its chosen location in years to come? Often people get

themselves a small fish that with time passing amusingly morphs

into a whale, or bucks morph into giraffes as peoples bodies age

and very often sag or expand!

When you have had it done don't let anyone tell you that you have

made a mistake. They will more than likely say that 'your body is

a temple and you should take care of it'. Sure your body might a

temple, but have you EVER seen a temple that isn't somehow

permanently decorated and adorned with amazing works of art?

Come back to me with a better excuse for what makes body art

so terrible next time please.

In the end our bodies all turn to dust. Tattoos may fade or scar

with time, but its meaning to you as well as the memories of the

experience can never be taken away and will remain with you for

life.

-The Raven

T S A

Piercings, piercings Everywhere !!

iercings: (noun) piercing

1.holes in parts of the body,

typically other than the ears, made

so as to wear rings, studs, or other

jewellery in them.

"She had piercings in her nose,

eyebrow, and tongue.„

That is the definition of what

piercings are according to google.

Nowadays its more than safe to say

that piercings are not only

P

Beauty and Fashion

found on the female physique, but are in fact gaining more and

more popularity with the male population- it is also no longer

limited to ‘run of the mill’ piercings such as ‘nose, eyebrows and

tongue’.

Many of us are familiar with the age-old question ‘Why on earth do

that to your body?’ accompanied by a horrified expression! So let’s

see, why DO we pierce and what exactly is the history behind it?

Humans have been piercing their bodies for a great deal of

reasons since thousands of years ago! Research has shown that

the majority of people pierce to express their individuality, some

do so to celebrate a big life event or to overcome a traumatic one.

Many do so simply for aesthetic value and also for sexual

gratification. Our bodies are our biographies and temples and we

choose to decorate them appropriately it seems.

The oldest mummified body with pierced ears was discovered in

Iceland and dates back 5300years – he had a stretched ear

piercing of 7-11mm! Talk about trendsetting! After that, the rest

as we say, is history. We at The Shadow will be edutaining all our

readers in future issues regarding different types of piercings and

stretches as well as tattoos and other body art – knowledge is

power after all! Please feel free to contact us regarding any

specific piercings or tattoo styles you’d like featured. -pg 13

T S A

Double Monroe above left upper lip

Piercings, piercings Everywhere !!

-Continued

Beauty and Fashion

For the first issue we are focusing on a piercing that is not all too

well known: the double Monroe. This is similar to the standard

Monroe except that it is two Monroe’s placed next to each other.

This makes it a bit less mainstream and more noticeable. Its name

stems from its name sake, Marilyn Monroe, who had a beauty spot

on the same location as this piercing(off-centre above the top lip

to the left) – its sometimes also referred to as a Crayfish, Angel

bites or Anti-bites.. It is a piercing that can be worn with rings,

studs or even a combination of the two.

Please remember with any new piercings that the correct

aftercare is essential, otherwise severe complications can set in!

Make sure you please follow the correct aftercare as prescribed,

on all piercings

All piercings featured is done by our resident official piercer, Cole

Moebius from Jaded Ink in Fourways, Johannesburg. Please feel

free to contact him regarding any work needed or advice on

piercings. Their contact details are (011)658-1736 or

theshop@jadedink.co.za or www.jadedink.co.za

Painful pleasures to all darklings!

Some piercing trivia!

From the European Middle Ages, a superstitious belief that

piercing one ear improved long-distance vision led to the practice

among sailors and explorers. Sailors also pierced their ears in the

belief that their earrings could pay for a Christian burial if their

bodies washed up on shore.

In some Pre-Columbian and North American cultures, labrets were

seen as a status symbol.

Nipple piercing may have been a sign of masculinity for the

soldiers of Rome.

A cross-cultural study published in 2011 found that individuals

with piercings were likely to be involved in other forms of

countercultural expression as well.

- Macabre Marspuppy

T S A

Batty for Cupcakes

Bubbling Cauldron

he vampire cupcake decoration is quite simple and the bat

one is a bit more advanced. The method itself isn't difficult but

the ingredients and equipment needed is not that commonplace,

one would probably need to buy some of the required items from a

cake decorating shop. The bats can also be made by rolling out

marzipan or decorative icing(fondant) and cutting them out after

tracing the outlines onto the icing.

T

Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe (makes 24)

Ingredients

CUPCAKES

625ml (2.5 cups) cake flour

2.5ml (0.5 tsp) salt

60ml (4 TBS) cocoa powder

3 extra large eggs

250ml (1 cup) castor sugar

312ml (1.25 cups) oil

60ml (4 TBS) red food colouring

5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence

250ml (1 cup) full cream milk

7.5 ml (1.5 tsp) bicarbonate of soda

5ml (1 tsp) lemon juice

Paper muffin cups

-Pg 15

T S A

Batty for Cupcakes - Continued

Bubbling Cauldron

ICING

250g (half a brick) white margarine at room temperature

1kg icing sugar, sieved

1ml baking powder

90ml (6 TBS) full cream milk

5ml (1tsp) vanilla essence

METHOD

1. Sieve flour, salt and cocoa powder together. Put to one side.

2. Beat the eggs and sugar with an electric beater until light

yellow, for about 5 minutes. Stir in oil and beat for another 3

minutes.

3. Add food colouring and vanilla essence and mix well.

4. Add flour mixture, then the milk, to the egg mixture.

5. Whisk bicarbonate of soda and lemon juice together and add to

the mixture.

6. Arrange paper muffin cups in a muffin pan and fill them ¾ full

with mixture.

7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

8. Let cupcakes cool completely.

9. To make icing: Cream margarine until soft, for about 5 minutes.

10. Mix the icing sugar and baking powder. Add about 1 cup of

icing sugar to the margarine.

11. Add milk and vanilla essence to the margarine mixture. Beat

with electric beater until fluffy.

12. Add more icing sugar a little at a time and keep beating until

mixture is firm, for about 5 minutes.

13. Trim the tops of the cupcakes if necessary, then spread icing

evenly over the cupcakes.

-Pg 16

T S A

Batty for Cupcakes - Continued

Bubbling Cauldron

TO MAKE VAMPIRE BITES

Red food colouring

Small paintbrush or kebab stick

1. Use the back of a paintbrush or a kebab stick to make

two small holes (about 4cm apart) in the icing of the

cupcake, just deep enough to reach the cupcake itself.

2. Saturate the paintbrush with red food colouring and try

to fill the holes, pulling the brush out and down slightly to

create small channels in the icing for the colouring to run

into – this creates the bloody fang bite wound effect.

TO MAKE BATS

1 egg white

Icing sugar

Black food colouring powder

Silver food colouring powder

Small paintbrush

Clear alcohol

Small piping bag

No. 1 round and No. 3 round piping nozzles

Wax paper

-Pg 17

T S A

Batty for Cupcakes - Continued

Bubbling Cauldron

1. Make royal icing by whisking the egg white until light and

frothy.

2. Add a teaspoonful of icing sugar at a time, mixing well each

time.

3. Keep adding icing sugar until mixture has formed a consistency

that will form a peak when a wooden spoon is pulled out of the

icing. Keep mixture covered with a damp cloth while not in use.

4. Place wax paper over bat template and secure in place.

Carefully pipe outline with No. 1 nozzle. Repeat for as many bats

as you need. Let this dry completely before continuing.

5. Fill in the outlines with the No. 3 nozzle. Try to make the layer

of icing fairly thick or the bats will be too fragile. Let this dry

completely again before continuing.

6. Switch back to the No. 1 nozzle and pipe two small dots on each

bat for eyes.

7. Once the eyes have dried completely, mix a small amount of

food colouring powder with clear alcohol and use this to paint the

bodies of the bats. Make the layers thin, and let each dry properly

before adding another layer so as not to soften the icing.

8. Next, paint the eyes with silver.

9. Carefully lift each bat off the wax paper by gently curling the

paper so the icing separates from it.

10. Place them onto your cupcakes and enjoy!

-Angela Butcher

← Print out and

use outline!

T S A

BLACK Rice ?!

Bubbling Cauldron

elieve it or not, black rice, also known as purple- or

forbidden rice, is a medium-grain rice that is simple

to make and easy to use in many recipes. Once cooked,

this rice turns a deep purple-blackish colour and has a

nutty flavour with a soft texture. Varieties include but are

not limited to Indonesian black rice and Thai jasmine

black rice. Black rice is high in nutritional value and

contains 18 amino acids, iron, zinc, copper, carotene and

several important vitamins. The grain has a similar

amount of fibre to brown rice. Unlike most types of rice,

black rice does not cook well in a rice cooker. Also be

aware that although the colour of cooked black rice is

pretty, it may stain your ceramic or enamel cookware.

Washing and preparing the rice for cooking

Step 1

Measure out two cups of water for every one cup of rice.

Remember that the rice will double in volume once

cooked.

Step 2

Rinse the rice two or three times. Place in a bowl and run

it under cold water. Rub the rice through your hands. Let it

sit a while, then strain. Repeat this process two or three

times. Doing this will remove most surface starches.

Step 3

Cover the rice in water one more time. Let it sit in the

water overnight. Doing this will ensure that your rice does

not clump.

If you don't have the time, you can cook the rice after you

have completed step 2. –Pg 19

B

T S A

BLACK Rice ?! - Continued

Bubbling Cauldron

Boiling the rice(finally!)

Step 1

Pour your measured out cups of water into a large pot.

Add the rice to the water. Do not turn the stove top on

until both the water and the rice are in the pot.

*If desired, you can cook it in stock (chicken, beef,

vegetable etc.) rather than water. The stock will give the

rice a saltier taste. Most recipes state that you should

have 1 cup of stock for every 1/2 cup of black rice.*

Step 2

Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot

and leave to simmer for 20 to 35 minutes, or until all the

water is absorbed.

Step 3

Turn off the heat and leave the pot to sit for 15 minutes.

Do not stir.

Step 4

Fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains and serve

with a dish of your choice. –Pg 20

T S A

BLACK Rice ?! - Continued

Bubbling Cauldron

Different ways of cooking and serving black rice

- Use in cold salads. Black rice is a healthy substitute for

noodles and white rice. If you are planning on making a

cold pasta or Asian-fusion salad for a BBQ, party or

sporting event, why don’t you try replacing the pasta with

black rice? (Always make sure that the rice is fully cooked

before adding other ingredients.)

- Add it to stuffing - it is also an easy and delicious way to

make stuffing. Cook the rice fully and then combine it with

bread crumbs, herbs, spices and celery like you would

when making normal stuffing. Place the stuffing in your

turkey or chicken and then bake it as you would usually.

Your guests at Thanksgiving and Christmas will be

begging for more.

- Eat it as a side dish with your favourite meat, fish or

poultry dish. You can also add different herbs and spices

to give black rice some exciting flavours. Don’t be afraid

to play around and create some different palate-

pleasing combinations.

- Make black rice into a dessert. Next time you think about

making rice pudding, use black rice! Combine the rice

with cream, sugar, and cinnamon for a delicious after

dinner treat. Try adding different fruits too!

Source and image - http://wikihow.com and

www.gatheratthetable.com .

T S A

Victoria Frances

Dark Icons

ictoria Frances was born in Valencia, Spain, on October 25

1982. She attended the Polytechnic University of Valencia,

where she studied Fine Arts at the Facultad de Bellas Artes de

San Carlos. She started out as an illustrator designing book

covers and other pieces. Her illustrations and sketches resemble

the surreal world of gothic romanticism. Influenced by pre-

Raphaelite paintings as well as the works of Luis Royo and

Gerald Brom, Victoria specifically chose characters that

represented a symbolic, magical and ancient world. All the

sufferings of the outcasts of this world are portrayed in dark

castles and mansions complete with flickering lights, with the

well-defined influence of Goethe, Edgar Allan Poe, Baudelaire

and even Bram Stoker.

V

Favole, her first illustrated book, is

the remembrance of three cities,

Verona, Venice and Genoa. Soon

after, Favole 2 and 3 followed,

gaining her even more success.

Her most recent work includes:

El Corazon de Arlene (Arlene's

Heart) in 2008 - a metaphor for

hope in the shape of a fable.

Lyrically and suggestively painted

it's a visual poem of fascinating

sensuous gothic beauty.

In 2009, her first volume of Misty Circus was presented

at the Salon Del Comic de Barcelona; a collection of

books filled with magic about the indulgent world of

travelling circuses.

At the end of that same year Dark Sanctuary was also

published. –Pg 22

T S A

Victoria Frances - Continued

Dark Icons

Witches Night is the title of the second volume of Misty Circus

and was published in 2010. The continuation of a plot that will

take you to a Pagan witches' Sabbath, beyond the medieval night

of Samhain.

In 2011, came the publication of Internal Favole, a compilation of

the three volumes.

The Lament of the Ocean is Victoria's most recent work- an

illustrated story told through the obscure songs of mermaids.

As the 'greats' sum up her vision near perfectly:

“It is a strange world, a sad world, a world full of miseries, and

woes, and troubles... Bleeding hearts, and dry bones of the

churchyard and tears that burn as they fall- all dance together to

the music that he makes with that smileless mouth of his. Ah, we

men and women are like ropes drawn tight with strain that pull

us different ways. Then tears come, and like the rain on the

ropes, they brace us up, until perhaps the strain becomes too

great and we break. But king Laugh, he comes like the sunshine,

and he eases off the strain again, and we bear to go on with our

labour, what it may be.”

-Bram Stoker, Dracula

“ Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering,

fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to

dream before.”

-Edgar Allan Poe

“ An artist is an artist only because of his exquisite sense of

beauty, a sense which shows him intoxicating pleasures, but

which at the same time implies and contains an equally exquisite

sense of all deformities and all disproportion.”

-Charles Baudelaire

T S A

Life in the womb of Amy Lee

New Essence to

Evanescence

he Gothic rock icon Amy Lee(real name

“Amy Lynn Hartzlerr”) has been a

lasting member of the band Evanescence. Its

our greatest pleasure to kick our first issue

off by writing a small article on both her and

the band.

T

Amy Lynn Hartzler

She has taken the world by storm since the appearance of

their first album “Fallen” and the instant hit song Bring me to

life. This singer and songwriter, along with the band

Evanescence has been nominated for several awards. They

had the good fortune of also winning several of those awards,

such as two ECHO awards, two Grammy awards, one World

Wide Music award, two Teen Choice awards and one Revolver

Golden Gods award.

Besides for writing and singing she also enjoys designing her

own fashionable clothing such as been seen in the Going

Under music video.

Although she has nothing planned music wise for this year thus

far, we’re all pretty sure when she does start planning she will

deliver another work of art. –Pg 25

Celebrities

T S A

Life in the womb of Amy Lee

New Essence to Evanescence -Continued

As a great start to this year she has announced that

she and hubby Josh Hartzler are expecting their first

child, so that extended break she was talking about

might just be what she needs. We’re eager to find out if

the baby will be a boy or a girl...

From all of us at SAGS, congratulations to Amy and

Josh with the baby on the way ,may it be a prosperous

year filled with joy and love.

-MGR

Celebrities

TWITTER

FEEDS

@amyleeEV:

19 Jan

“OK I can’t

keep it a

secret

anymore-I’ve

been working

on a very

special project

for 2014- A

BABY! Josh

and I are

expecting!

I’m so happy!”

T S A

The Dark Veil of Depression

Support

adness is when you have had your heart broken or you feel a

sense of great loss. You might even cry, punch it out or talk to

someone who understands. Depression is something entirely different.

It is a clinical mental disorder in which the sufferer has a complete

imbalance of happy juice in the brain. For most depressed and bipolar

people it is something that always lurks in the shadows of their minds,

ready to pounce periodically. It’s been likened to having a heavy dark

veil pulled over your life and everything you love and care for and about–

the veil feeling utterly out of reach, leaving you unable to lift it and pull

it off again. This in turn leads you to feel even more emptiness, despair

and isolation. It’s a vicious emotional cycle.

You will need your friends more at a time like this, especially when

people are often tempted to isolate themselves from the outside world

during a depressive episode. What you probably need to remind yourself

of most during this period is that it isn't something you can control or

have caused, and it isn't your fault you have it. Bear that in mind and

the weight on your shoulders should already become somewhat lighter.

I myself had an unusual experience that triggered a bit of an epiphany.

During a heavy migraine, I felt myself slip into a darker and darker

mental space, the feeling still looming as I write this article. I strongly

considered taking more than just my migraine cocktail and to perhaps

also raid the medicine box for pills, then sitting in the shower and just

leaving the world and this life behind. I would probably have been dead

now if my brother hadn’t found me lying on the floor reading an

assortment of pill packets and inserts.

The very next day at work, I hyperventilated, but luckily my colleagues

were quick in assisting me. I opened up to them for the first time ever,

expecting them to say things like “you'll be fine” and ‘just pull yourself

together man”, or “get over it and get back to work”, which are often

the responses by people who simply don’t understand depression and

other mental illnesses. To my surprise they ended up sending me home,

arranging help for me and giving me contact details of people I could

talk to about this. Not that I needed validation, but the mere fact that

they knew and also understood that depression is an actual medical

disorder, and didn’t just brusquely dismiss my experience as I’d

expected them to, made me realise that the world might actually be

more educated on this topic than I had originally assumed.

S

T S A

The Dark Veil of Depression

Support

Bipolar disorder and depression are two of the world's most common mental

diseases. You can have depression through genetics, but it’s mostly caused

by past traumatic experiences and situational stress. This makes me

appreciate the fact that it is treatable. One could actually live a very healthy

and fulfilling life if it is correctly diagnosed and treated by medication and

also counselling in some cases. It’s vital to start treatment before you come

to a phase in your life where suicide becomes an option or great

consideration.

There are ways to make a preliminary diagnosis on suffering from depression

yourself.

Here are a few warning signs and symptoms:

Anxiety and feelings of panic

This can be a neurological issue all on its own, but generally when a person

feels random bursts of unexplained anxiety it is a symptom of depression.

Feelings of helplessness and lacking control

These are especially applicable to those who are still undiagnosed.

Blank stares

Often the individual just gazes blankly into space, seemingly lost in their

thoughts. A case of “the lights are on, but nobody’s home”. These deep

thoughts can be so regular that they may even occur in mid-conversation.

This symptom usually applies to the more severely depressed person.

Inability to concentrate and emotional outbursts

Disturbing flare up’s of emotions that seem unusual or inappropriate for

certain situations. These can both be signs of depression or symptoms of

bipolar disorder, especially if the outbursts involve anger or frustration.

Crying

Please note that not all depressed people cry- in fact they seldom do. In most

cases random sobbing sessions indicates the severity of the disorder, this

applies especially when the feeling of helplessness kicks in. Crying is also a

good sign. The depressed person would usually only cry if they are fighting

the illness.

We will be looking at bipolar disorder more closely in our next issue, as well

as the effects suicide has on the loved ones left behind afterwards.

If you would like to share your experience with a mental disorder, please do

send us an email at lifesthorns.sags@gmail.com - You may just get more help

than you expected and there is also the option of connecting with people in

similar situations and circumstances. Remember that you are NOT alone!

T S A

L I f e ’s T h o r n s

Support

t some point in our life we all have been discriminated against

by

various means which all led to different endings.

A few examples of discrimination we’re dealing with would be verbal

and physical along with religious remarks… All which lead to

unwanted happenings.

We’re called Satanists, evil, devil worshippers, suicidal and another

misunderstood word "emo“ Why? Because of how we choose to dress?

The make up? Our way of life? Thus leading to us being tagged as

things most of us never even remotely thought of doing.

Most of us are pacifists and peaceful by nature but alas the saying

goes "if ye want peace, better ye prepare for war" and this is true.

Discrimination will never stop, not even when every human being is

the same. Its in human nature to act this way and there are things we

can do to lesson it although it will depend alas it will depend on the

situation of the person. For those who are fortunate to have fellow

goth friends. Pack travel is used by goths as a way of self defence for

safety is in numbers...

The bare honest truth is that once you choose to express yourself in

"our style", prepare yourself for the harsh worlds cruelty - it is how it

is unfortunately and its not likely to change.

Forms of discrimination and abuse can't be controlled and sadly it will

happen when we enter public areas and places. It is unfair and it is

uncalled for but take a look people!, look at life and how things are?

We can't wait it out or hide away in our homes, we have to face the

words "what does not kill you, makes you stronger". This quote serves

true but yet it can sometimes be difficult to maintain composure.

The times when we feel like drowning from this cruel world’s actions,

we must take into consideration that the night is darkest before

dawn...it is when we are at our lowest that true courage is born.. To

be goth is to grow a thick skin... My darklings, when in doubt, talk to

someone not just for help, but to lower your emotional build ups...

In today's life we have many "issues" to deal with - for some its

school, further studying or bullied, and for others its discrimination,

problems in the workplace and acceptance in society amongst many

other thorns in life...

Should you feel the need to discuss something feel free to mail us at

lifesthorns@gmail.com

-tBR

A Discrimination

T S A

Being Who You Are By The Don

Support

ust like most of you

fellow goths out there, I

was raised in a "normal"

family, one that didn't

understand or even know

the word "goth". I myself

at an early age in my life

never knew that.. As

people we are all different

and unique, some of us

more so than others. I

was such a person,

concerning my interests,

hobbies and my way

J

For me, the way I presented myself in the beginning was not only

frowned upon, but it was looked down upon and criticism was

always in the surrounding areas. When it came to work and the

working environment where you had to look and be respectable,

especially when your profession is in the line of quality control, I

had to choose, give up who I am, or improvise on the situation.

That led to the importing of my Corporate goth image, style and

lifestyle. at first it was a big change, but one that in a short time

I grew fond of. We have all faced and still face bad

reception amongst many other actions, remarks

and condescending criticism, but this is not what I'll be

discussing in this article. In the last few years, I have been

working on finding what my role in life is, the reason I'm on earth

and the way that I am. –Pg 30

of thinking and expression...

My music was unique among my populace, my taste in art,

literature, films and my way of expression even more so it was

a truly unique view which most didn't care to understand.

“living a lie is

not living at all”

T S A

Most of my answers came from a deeply religious

experience. Psychology is a passion of mine. I mainly

dug into it as a self help basis, but I have been most

fortunate to help several others that had been battling

with problems and situations. I can add that most of

them can be described as goth or "outsiders" and in

time this proved to me that I am where I need to be

and that I'm on the right path. While trying to find my

"destiny", I have walked quite a few paths with one

foot always treading the dark Gothic road, with the

other on "normal" ground... I faced many challenges

but in the end it proved to me that I am who and what

I am... I should be proud that I am aware of this

knowledge and I can use it to help others.

Here where I am today I have a fairly great

confirmation of what my purpose in life is. For me to

partake in my purpose I had to accept my role in life. I

had to accept who I am and what I am... without being

ashamed of it, for there is nothing to be ashamed of

when you are true to yourself - living a lie is not living

at all. This ladies and gentleman is a brief story of me

and how I know what you are going through. I am what

I am, and what I am is all I need.

-The Don

Being Who You Are -Continued

Support

“I am what I am, and what I am is

all I need.”

T S A

Shadows of the mind and soul

Poetry

eel free to mail us your poetry at poetry.sags@gmail.com

for possible publications in future issues!

The Eternal Moon By A Butcher

Steal the life and make it your own

From darkest blood and palest bone

Drink the essence that you might

Live to see another night

Again, to hear the painted stars

Sing their starry tales from afar

And the chanting forest, you’ll never tire

Of listening to that whispering choir

But again to see your Goddess arise

Her silver skirts light up the skies

There She stands, the Wicked Moon,

Her bloated body a bloody maroon!

All hail, the glorious Queen of the Night

Who bathes the land in Her life-giving light!

Her terrible beauty for which you so long,

The only reason you choose to go on.

Her rule is short-lived as night quickly fades,

When pagan daylight sacrilegiously invades.

And you, with the darkness, will disappear,

As the end of her savage reign draws near.

As you lie, like the dead, in your gravelike bed,

She sings to you still, inside your head,

You dream of the sacrifice you’ll procure;

Sweet and dark, blood spilt for Her.

As evening creeps, the time is soon,

She waits, your Queen, the Eternal Moon.

F

T S A

Shadows of the mind and soul

Continued

Poetry

DARKNESS By J de Beer

Daily, my soul is disturbed by darkness;

The rain of heaviness my only hope.

Yearning for peace, trying to cope,

Submitting, trying rather to embrace the

blackness.

In the deepest corner of the forest of my soul;

It is the birth of the hope of light.

Suddenly clinging to the hope of a goal.

There is the dim flicker of a lone dark candle in

sight.

The fears of all the midnights, only darkness;

My soul once again yearns to be consumed by

blackness.

...Then springs forth the fountain of red...Of

life...Of blood.

My heart and mind being run over like a flood.

Now the light forces back the darkness,

My soul now down to the flicker of that dim light.

One thought returns with more life than death:

Light always drives out the darkness.

A new day always starts in the blackness of

darkness.

Now I embrace darkness...

Knowing that the dim flicker of the candle will

always...

...replace my old friend, the darkness.

T S A

Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov

Reviews

Like a hellhound on a scent... …

his remarkable series of novels from

Russian author Alexey Pehov consists

of 3 books, namely Chronicles of Siala;

Shadow Prowler, Shadow Chaser and

Shadow Blizzard.

T

“Night is the best time for my kind.”

– Shadow Harold

The first of the trilogy, Shadow Prowler, plays off in a city

called Avendoom.

The main character is Harold(better known as Shadow

Harold), who is a thief by profession. He discovers that he

is marked and destined for greater happenings in life.

Armed with a crossbow, miscellaneous alchemical

weapons and magic, he stumbles onto a path he knows

little of.

A dark and evil force (the Nameless One) has gathered his

army consisting of giants, ogres, demons and many more

to fall under his command. In the meantime, Harold and

his feeble army consisting of goblins, dark elves and the

king’s selected garrison shows courage and

determination, ready to overthrow the Nameless One’s

forces.

From arch mages to the King’s goblin jester, Alexey gives

a fantastic start to the Chronicles of Siala with great

humour, gut splitting gore and violence.

The storyline is gripping and for the fantasy freaks it’s

VERY hard to put these books down. Each and every

chapter ends in a way that compels you to turn to the

next page.

-Jean Marks

T S A

The Mortal Instruments

City of Bones (2013)

Reviews

Director: Harald Zwart

Starring: Jamie Campbell Bower, Jemima West, Kevin Zegers,

Lily Collins, Robert Sheehan, Lena Headey, Jonathan Rhys

Meyers

Budget: $60 million. Box office: $90,565,421

Genre: Fantasy

teenage girl is thrust into a supernatural world featuring a

handsome, sullen young man who competes with her love-

struck best friend for her affections.

No, I'm not talking about Twilight. This 2-hour long production

based on the first book in Cassandra Clare's series of six teen

fantasy novels takes us into a dark world of angels and demons,

vampires and werewolves, and a secret order that protects the

mortal world from these evil entities. Not a bad formula for a

film, if it weren't for the raging hormones and bad acting.

There's nothing wrong with romance, but in this case the

struggle against evil takes a back seat to the angst-ridden love

triangle. The story feels rushed, and the tone inconsistent.

Though the special effects and settings are breathtaking, the

rest is fairly predictable and painfully clichéd. Recommended for

under 16-year-olds, unless the Twilight type films are to your

liking.

- Angela Butcher

A

T S A

Morbid Menageries

Pets

ets: almost everyone has one at least once in their lifetime.

For some they are interesting specimens to study and admire; for

others they are close companions. We, who enjoy the darker

things in life, are no different. Do our out-of-the-ordinary lifestyles

call for out-of-the-ordinary pets? Let's have a look at some of the

eerier creatures out there to love and look after(and we are not

referring to us).

Snakes

For most folks, snakes are dreadful, dangerous things... but there

are some who appreciate their silent grace and beautifully painted

scales. Boas, pythons, and some smaller varieties are most

common as pets. They are low-maintenance and don't require a

lot of space; however, your sublime serpent is to be enjoyed with

the eyes more than with the hands. People looking for affection

and acknowledgment from a pet should consider another option.

-Pg 36

P

T S A

Morbid Menageries -Continued

Pets

Spiders

These eight-legged predators haunt old and abandoned

places... as well as the abodes of those who care for them as

pets! In just about any pet shop one will find tarantulas of all

shapes, sizes, and colours for sale. Expensive and exotic,

their beauty and longevity are ample rewards for spider-

lovers. Like snakes, minimal space is required, as well as

minimal attention - frequent handling is discouraged.

Rats

Rattus Norvegicus (or brown rat) is native to Norway, and is

now the common domesticated breed for pet rats. Rats are

social animals and are happiest when in a group of two or

more. Highly intelligent and attention-loving, your little

plague-bearers are able to learn their names as well as simple

tricks. They are inexpensive to care for but need a lot of

attention as well as daily free-range run and play time. They

love investigating their surroundings, often in the form of a

bite, so be prepared and don’t be alarmed when this happens!

Wolves/Wolf-dogs

Who wouldn't want a magnificent tamed wolf as a pet?

Unfortunately pure wolves are extremely rare as pets, but in

the past have been successfully bred with dog breeds such as

Huskies and German Shepherds to create hybrids. These

hybrids retain much of their wild ancestors’ characteristics,

both in physical appearance as well as in their behaviour, and

are extremely difficult to train. If not socialized properly at a

young age, their wolf instincts can cause them to become

aggressive and dangerous. Only the most dedicated handlers

with an extensive knowledge of animal behaviour are able to

successfully raise their wolf-dogs to be intelligent, loyal and

beautiful pets. –Pg 37

T S A

Morbid Menageries -Continued

Pets

Crows/Ravens

These carrion birds are handsome and symbolic, and make

intriguing pets. Like parrots, they can be taught to speak and

imitate sounds; unlike parrots, however, they need substantial

space(even the largest macaw cage lacks the necessary space for

a raven or crow). A human skull for a perch is also compulsory.

Owls and Bats

Owls are mysterious and elusive in the wild; silent as ghosts in

flight. If you want one for yourself, you may as well forget it.

Special permits are needed to be able to keep an owl- even owl

sanctuaries need these to operate- and indigenous species are

illegal to buy or sell as pets. Owls are expensive to feed and

cannot be kept in a cage. Unfortunate as it is, owls as pets work

best in the movies.

The same goes for keeping bats as pets. Again, it is illegal in

South Africa to keep local species in captivity, because of the

rabies threat. It is however possible to build or purchase bat nest

boxes to place in trees outside your home for them to freely

inhabit.

Cats and Dogs

Lastly, for those who would prefer something more familiar over

some exotic creepy-crawly, cats and dogs will always be the ideal

choice. What about a formidable pure black German Shepherd as

your personal bodyguard? Or a coal-coloured Persian cat to

lounge about and look pretty all day? Any breed of cat or dog has

the potential to become your very own hellhound/hellcat; at the

end of the day, it's up to you to decide what breed would suit you

as individual best.

-Angela Butcher

T S A

Shards of Shadow

The Shadow

T S A

~SURVIVING THE CORPORATE WORLD~ Corporate goth survival strategies Courtesy of the corporategoth.net • Always take advantage of stereotypes that work in your favour and play along. • Know , and never cross, the boundaries of tolerance in appearance for your specific profession. • Check how others dress in the company before interviewing. • Wean them in-establish mutual respect and then slowly show your true colors (or in this case, lack of colors!). • Maintain a professional stance. Dress and act appropriately for meetings. Sometimes you need to make sacrifices to stay ahead. • To help make sure you are taken seriously, try to make your first contact via e-mail or phone. • Dress in a manner that is comfortable for your coworkers (within reason). Compromise enough to establish a good working relationship with your coworkers. • Speak to your HR representative and learn your rights! Technically I can dress in drag (as long as it is something a woman could wear to work), and legally they can't say anything to me. Of course that does not mean they won't figure out another reason to fire me! So know your rights and also the limitations to those rights.

~ANCIENT TATTOO RECIPE~ Tattooing recipe from 6 A.D. Rome Courtesy of Aetius, Roman physician •1 Lb. Egyptian pine wood bark •2 Ounces corroded bronze, ground with vinegar • 2 ounces of gall (insect egg deposits) •1 ounce vitriol (iron sulphate) Mix well and sift. Soak powder in 2 parts water and 1 park leek juice. Wash skin to be tattooed with leek juice. Prick design with needles until blood is drawn. Rub in the ink.

YOU MIGHT BE GOTH HICK IF… •Your casket is on cinder blocks in your driveway. •You name your child after your dog, and they're both named "Enigma". •You think Dolly Parton should be the lead singer for Switchblade Symphony. •Your coffin is lined with a velvet Confederate flag. •You smoke cloves in a corn cob pipe. •You dye your sheep black. •Your bull's nose is pierced six times. •Even your teeth are black. •Your rooster crows at moonrise. •You have spent your life perfecting black corn. •Your coffin has side- mounted spitoon. •Your granny crochets your fishnets. •Your favorite comic is Johnny the Homicidal Tractor. •You have an Elvira pinup in your outhouse. •You get up at 4 A.M. Every morning to collect eggs from the raven coop. •You and your pit bull share the spiked collar. (Taken from the Goth bible.)

SAGS Communities

Blackberry Channel C002BF3D7

Facebook Pages

https://m.facebook.com/sagothicsociety?refid=48&ref=bookmark

Twitter https://twitter.com/SAgothicsociety

Facebook Pictorial upload Group https://m.facebook.com/groups/277171835765544?refid=27

SAGS The Shadow Magazine https://www.facebook.com/pages/SAGS-The-Shadow-Magazine/716286351744242

South African Gothic Society

T S A

SAGS Contact Details

Details Contact Person Address

Editors Marlise Magna Christopher Knight editor.sags@gmail.com

Information

SAGS information.sags@gmail.com

Support tBR lifesthorns.sags@gmail.com

Submit Poems Marlise Magna poetry.sags@gmail.com

Request reviews Angela Butcher reviews.sags@gmail.com

Submit complaints SAGS complaints.sags@gmail.com

Submit Suggestions

SAGS suggestions.sags@gmail.com

Graphic Design Jean Marks graphics.sags@gmail.com

Photography Sven Slabbert photography.sags@gmail.com

Add to mailing list

SAGS mailinglist.sags@gmail.com

T S A

Voodoo Eyes

Classifieds

https://www.facebook.com

/pages/Eye-VooDoo-

Contact-

Lenses/222880087876497

eye.voodoo69@gmail.com

T S A

Voodoo Eyes

Classifieds

emplate

T S A

Classifieds

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emplate

Tel: 011 658 1736 theshop@jadedink.ca.za

www.jadedink.co.za

Shop 38 The Buzz Shopping Centre, Cnr Nerine and Witkoppen Road,

Fourways

aded Ink, situated in Fourways Johannesburg

is the OFFICIAL South African Gothic Society’s Tattoo and

Piercing parlour (With surprise give aways at surprise times!)

Something to look forward to is articles about different tattoo

styles and artists MONTHLY as well as FAQ section, so send in

those requests!

J