Category Archives: cryptozoology

Spookatorium 024

Posted by scottsplatter on

Welcome, after a long delay,  to Episode 24. Computer issues and chain stores downloaded their grief upon my doorstep in a flaming paper bag. Hopefully, I will get back to a proper schedule now and that some of you are still listening…

First up, we revisit the legend of “Oriuagor,” a tome purported to drive insane those who dare read it. First touched upon in Episode 19, an email submission cracks this one open again. I had largely written it off as a marketing gimmick for someone seeking to fabricate a new Necronomicon, but a submitter from Denmark suggests that the legends at least are known there, and the work of fiction we discussed previously was born of those legends.

Next up we look at reports of a lake monster in Minnesota’s Lake Pepin, quaintly, if not predictably, known as Pepie. A local paddle boat operator is offering $50,000 for evidence of Pepie’s existence. I’m sure he’d be happy to sell you a boat ride to go have a look. Next in Pennsylvania there have been at least four reports of a large bird or bat like creature stalking the back roads over the last year. The descriptions vary slightly, but the witness reports are pretty interesting.

Finally, we brush upon the subject of Demonology, and the its inherent bias and delusion when approaching the paranormal. There is an excellent article from noted Parapsychologist Loyd Auerbach on a similar tract that can be found here. Beyond that the balance of skepticism and belief is looked at as well as the definition of skepticism as it relates to the unknown. For me skepticism is an informed state of indecision, however much of the skeptical community seems just as zealous in the their disbelief as those who think every orb caught on film is the ghost of some thing or other. Intellectual curiosity gets pushed from the equation and genuine research suffers when your mind is already made up and it’s detrimental to the greater understanding that I hope most people involved in such things are seeking.

Music this time supplied by…

MASCHINENZIMMER 412 (1:05)
CLOCKDVA (5:50)
SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES (9:54)
LUDICRA (21:15)
DEAD WORLD (25:29)
HAUS ARAFNA (29:49)
TIGER LILLIES (33:23)
BLOOD AXIS (44:08)
CHRISTIAN DEATH (48:16)
DISGRACE (52:14)
HELTIR (60:47)
NOISE UNIT (64:29)
OLD MAN GLOOM (69:20)
GGFH (72:46)

With background accompaniment from
LAIBACH

Professor Gruntsplatter’s Spookatorium 024

Happy Friday the 13th,
Prof. Gruntsplatter

Spookatorium 023

Posted by scottsplatter on

Episode 23 has arrived… tin foil hats are optional but fashionable. This time we take a peek at the life of Thomas Dyott. Dyott amassed a sizable fortune selling patent medicines under such tantalizing names as Roberton’s Infallible Worm Destroying Lozenges & Vegetable Nervous Cordial. The fortune was sizable enough to enable him to build a “utopian” village, called Dyottville (what else?) that conveniently allowed him to skirt labor laws to perpetuate his business.

From there we peek behind the curtain of opportunist psychiatry and look at the phenomenon of Spirit Release, the process of psychiatric exorcism. In fairness to the recent stories I’ve done on the exorcism/possession upswing (here’s another one), I thought we’d look at some charlatans of a different color. As well as a brief overview we look at the case of Askinra, a spirit that reportedly tormented a man who was possessed by the spirit when he was murdered in a past life.

Finally we look at the Mormon theory that Bigfoot is actually the earthly incarnation of the biblical Cain. It is accepted among some within the church that Bigfoot is in fact the doomed Cain milling about the earth as penance for the murder of his brother forever wracked with misery and virtually immortal.

Music this time supplied by…

HARVESTMAN (1:05)
BAD SECTOR (4:38)
HOLLENFURT (8:24)
GARMONBOZIA (17:35)
BELBORN (20:48)
FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY (23:44)
IMPETIGO (28:50)
LAMENT CONFIGURATION (40:19)
GOLIAH (44:16)
SOMEWHERE IN EUROPE (47:58)
BETHLEHEM (55:35)
DIE VERBANNTEN KINDER EVAS (60:36)
GAURITHOTH (63:23)
RUHR HUNTER (67:54)

With background accompaniment from
HYBRYDS

Professor Gruntsplatter’s Spookatorium 023

That’s it until next time…

Prof. Gruntsplatter

Spookatorium 022

Posted by scottsplatter on

Episode 22 is upon us, this go around we examine numerous instances of a aural phenomenon described in the Tibetan Book of the Dead as the sound of the soul separating from the body. Buzzing and grinding sounds that build to a crescendo have been associated with everything from Near Death Experiences, Shamanic Rituals, Old Hag Syndrome and other forms of transcendent consciousness. An excellent article, called “Her Sweet Murmur” by Greg Taylor (which you can read if you click the link there) from the collection Dark Lore Vol. 1 summarizes these connections and we take a look at this one component of the article which goes further into exploring some additional sounds.

Then we travel to Ohio to review the story of the Loveland Frog. A 3-4 foot bipedal frog like creature allegedly spotted on the back roads around Loveland, Ohio in 1955 and 1972. While evidence is limited to eye witness testimony and there are reports that at least some of it may have been exaggerated or hoaxed it remains one of my favorite crypto tales.

Finally we take a look at the discredited work of Dr. Johann Beringer. He believed in the early 1700’s that fossils were in fact cast off ideas carved by the hand of God. His collection grew to encompass bizarre specimens like birds with fish heads, and even stones that bore the name of God.

It was later revealed he was duped by colleagues and they were all forgeries, but not until Beringer had published his work. Humiliated, he supposedly spent his remaining days and fortune trying to buy back copies of his book, Lithographia Wirceburgensis, which you can view through the link. His story is, perhaps, a cautionary tale for those Intelligent Design fans out there.

The sounds this time around are supplied by…

CHAOS AS SHELTER (1:05)
WYRD (4:36)
NOVY SVET (9:53)
SISTRENATUS (25:31)
BODY CHOKE (28:25)
NEW MIND (32:18)
MOTH MASQUE (36:38)
BACKWORLD (45:19)
AGNES BERNELLE (49:55)
KHOLD (53:28)
SKINNY PUPPY (60:15)
BRUTAL TRUTH (63:55)
CAUL (66:45)
NEFILIM (70:19)

With background accompaniment from
BURZUM & NOCTURNAL EMISSIONS

Professor Gruntsplatter’s Spookatorium 022

Thanks as always for tuning in… and congrats to Aspen, the winner of the Blood of the Black Owl “S/T” CD in our first drawing.

– Prof. Gruntsplatter

Spookatorium 021

Posted by scottsplatter on

Welcome gawkers to episode 21 of the show! This episode we examine the Jewish ritual of Kapparot – the transfer of sins into the body of a chicken and the sacrifice of the chicken prior to Yom Kippur… as well as recent performance of it in New York and the aftermath left behind. I’ve also included a short PETA video here in the notes to further give you an idea of what we are talking about. I also juxtapose this with a sensational article from the Sioux City Journal regarding a reported ritual killing.

Following this we look at the hoax of the Jenny Haniver. Oddly named this crytpotaxidermy beast constructed from dried, rays, skates and cuttlefish has been passed off as a bona fide monster since the 16th Century, and continues to be despite widely being dubbed a hoax from early on. You can buy one right here.

Finally a look at the fascinating Charles Bonnet Syndrome. The condition in which those with failing vision find their lives interrupted by elaborate hallucinations. I hadn’t heard of this until reading a great piece in the book Dark Lore Vol. 1 which I would recommend.

In addition this time we are having a little drawing from which the winner will receive a copy of Blood of the Black Owl’s self titled record on Bindrune Recordings. Details are in the show…

Music this time from the likes of…

BLIXA BARGELD (1:05)
CARPATHIAN FOREST (5:00)
TULUS (10:45)
THE ACCUSED (26:33)
HARMONY GARDEN (28:55)
MALHAVOC (32:51)
DARKTHRONE (37:14)
BABYLAND (43:23)
SUBTERANNEAN MASQUERADE (46:56)
EMBER (52:45)
DESSAU (54:57)
COIL (65:17)
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS (71:15)
NEVER PRESENCE FOREVER (76:25)

With background accompaniment from
DEL

Professor Gruntsplatter’s Spookatorium 021

That is it this time, leave a comment or drop an email ya ingrates.

– Prof. Gruntsplatter

Beezlebufo & It’s Not Necessary Being Green

Posted by scottsplatter on

The Associated Press sent out a story that has made the rounds of news outlets today about the discovery of the bones of a giant prehistoric toad in Madagascar. Nicknamed the “Devil Toad” or Beelzebufo, it weighed in excess of 10 pounds, the largest current living frog the Goliath Frog can get up to about 7 pounds. It is believed the Devil Toad was capable of taking down small dinosaurs. Also of interest is the similarity between the the Beezlebufo and current toads in South America on the other side of the world. It’s led to renewed speculation about prehistoric geography.

While I’m here, here’s an older story I have been holding onto for awhile. Back in September it was announced that Japanese scientists had created a transparent frog. Their reasoning for prompting the transparency mutation was so that the organs would be visible without dissection for educational purposes and general coolness. Professor Masayuki Sumida whose team bred the frogs has hopes that with further experimentation they will be able to create a frog that will glow when it develops cancer. Sumida plans to patent the transparent frog technology.

Spookatorium 019

Posted by scottsplatter on

Episode 19 is now up, this time out we take a look at an alleged forbidden tome called Oriuagor, and the superstitions and warnings associated with reading the work. We also look at the very real likelihood that it’s all a marketing hoax.

Next we review the life and death of Anna Goldi who was immortalized as “The Last Witch of Europe” after her execution 1782 on bogus allegations of witchery in a small Swiss town.

Lastly, we look into two fabled giant serpents, the Lindorm in Scandinavia, and the Tatzelwurm reported to live in the Alps throughout Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland. For a comprehensive look at the Tatzelwurm evidence and lore check out the feature over at Cryptomundo.com.

The sounds this time around are supplied by…

NAIANDRA MURIATICA
ECONOCON
KAPO!
IBURN
HEAD OF DAVID
VENOM
NAPALM DEATH
EINSTURZENDE NEUBAUTEN
VEIN CAGE
DEF.MASTER
GODFLESH
TEAR GARDEN
GROTUS
DREAM INTO DUST

With background accompaniment from
AESTHETIC MEAT FRONT
NOS
DEVILLOCK

Thanks as always for checking out the show, feel free to comment and don’t forget to check out the Flickr group and other features of the site.

Professor Gruntsplatter’s Spookatorium 019

– Prof. Gruntsplatter