Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute

About Me

WELCOME TO RAY "ALMOST FAMOUS" VAN HORN, JR.'S PAGE...SERIOUSLY, THAT'S WHAT MY WIFE CALLS ME, "ALMOST FAMOUS..." IS THIS KID COOL, OR WHAT? Ray turns zombie in the horror film Bane...I am the author of the horror/thriller novel "Mentor," available through Publish America. Likewise, I am your host of havoc at The Metal Minute, a daily site dedicated to all things metal filled with reviews, interviews, news and other good crap. You horror buffs can bounce in too as I throw in some random gorespeak. I also currently write for Metal Maniacs, Pit, AMP, Unrestrained, Impose, Angst and Loud Fast Rules (in the past for Caustic Truths and Legends Magazines), as well as websites such as Music Dish.com, Rough Edge.com and Live4Metal.com. I am the host of "Death From Below" in AMP magazine, an all-metal column featuring news, reviews, interviews and other various tidbits for fun. To-date I've conducted over 300 musician interviews and counting. I've been aggressively writing about the genre of heavy metal, both past and present. I also do DVD reviews for DVD Review.com. I am currently working on a nonfiction book, tentatively titled "Headbanger," title subject to change, and a Gen-X angst fiction novel...All Photos in Slideshows (c) Ray Van Horn, Jr. (but by all means write me if you wish to use any!)I am also seeking to break into the film industry, starting with my most passionate genre, horror. Need a zombie extra? I want in! I will soon hope to be learning the ins and outs of cinemaphotography as still photography is one of my outlets, particularly concert shots. Thus far I've interviewed a few well-known actors and directors for Metal Maniacs and Hails & Horns mags. 2008 and beyond will be mine!!! Like the Down By Law song says, it's time to break out! Ray's horror "extra" audition pic.......
Add to My Profile | More Videos THIS is how things used to be... You would never have survived the old school...Janick Gers - Iron Maiden, Camden, NJ (c) 2006 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Alex Skolnick, Testament - Jaxx, Springfield, Virginia (c) 2005 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Joey Belladonna - Jaxx, Springfield, Virginia (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Chris Spencer - Unsane - Ottobar, Baltimore, MD (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.I've been rapidly establishing my writing career in various avenues. I am the host of The Metal Minute, a daily site where I do news, reviews, interviews and photography related to metal music.I've learned that nothing is unrealistic if you have the fortitude and conviction to believe in yourself and you have the character to build your rep slowly. What started out seeming impossible has blossomed into something where I've had the opportunity to meet my heroes, discover new talent, attend concerts and be exposed to a wide array of artists busting their butt to make their dreams happen like I myself.I have contributed numerous articles in music and sports to various publications and my short fiction appears in lots of journals. I wrote for The Hockey Nut the better part of a year and a half. I am the winner of Quantum Muse's short fiction contest of 1999 and five of my short stories were collected in the Cyber Age Adventures anthology, Playing Solitaire.Additionally, I am a poet who has been reading at local open mike venues the past couple of years, although very slack this year due to my music writing commitments and a full-time job in a title company.Finally, I'm something of a hack drummer (but not a bad conga player), playing better to tribal beat than rock, which is pretty hilarious if you'd see my 2400+ CD collection! So, enough of the braggery....

My Interests

ON THE ROAD....RAY INTERVIEWS DORO PESCH AND CHRIS CAFFERYGIMME THAT, ORVILLE!!!FLASHIN' HORNS w/NELSON STEWART OF THE ROGUES...Cro-Mags - We Gotta Know
..Pursuit of peace, establishing a deeper relationship with the higher entity...writing, music, movies, cartoons, art, animals (especially our crazy cats, Neo and Anubis), hockey, football, history, hiking, travel, Renaissance...am open to new experiences for the most part, I feel like one should strive to get the biggest quality of life before checking out, which means enrichening yourself with other cultures and points of view...knowledge is power, cliche but true. I'm no messiah, but I would like to help hand this nasty world over to future generations in better a condition than which we live in currently. If I made my fortune, I could see getting into philanthropy. Too bad this world is only interested in self-gain and convenience. Truth is absolute but almost forbidden by this force-fed society. If more people would think for themselves and take the time to seek the truth...

I'd like to meet:

OH, LORD, HURT ME.... SIMONE OF EPICA (WISH I'D TAKEN THIS PHOTO)People involved in music and writing. I have built myself a rapidly growing network of contacts in the music business and am eager to go deeper. I stand by, ready to meet bands, managers, publicists, pr reps and other media folk. I'm looking to connect with literary agents willing to take a chance on a highly ambitious writer who has paid his dues for 17 years and is looking to take his craft to the next level. My enthusiasm is only surpassed by my continuous inspiration and endurance.As author of a novel, I have other projects on the backburner aside from my nonfiction book on heavy metal, which means longevity as a productive client. As wearer of many hats, I'm a multi-tasked individual. That being said, I'm seeking editors of magazines as well. I have plenty of credentials, writing samples and leads. I think we'd make a perfect fit! I take deadlines seriously and often burn the midnight oil meeting my obligations. I also invite other writers to drop in and say hey. I'm ultra-busy, but I promise to do my best to stay in touch. I also just want to shoot the shit with dudes and dudettes, so bring it!

Music:

Aside from writing, music is my life. I am most fond of metal, punk and hardcore as I primarily write about those genres, but I am deeply into other genres: alternative, old-school rap and R&B, funk, classical, jazz, world, Celtic, drum, electronica/techno, 50s RNR, psychobilly, rockabilly, Texas swing/bop and so on. It would take me a good hour to list most of my favorites, but suffice it to say I've got much covered with 3200 CDs.Despite my metal roots, Prince will always reign supreme in my mind as the greatest musician and guitarist of this generation, and yet I've learned later in my years that the Beatles and Bob Dylan are the foundations of everything we enjoy today. My basement, AKA Sanctuary, is loaded with CDs, DVDs and my drum kit. One day I'd like to get a jam band going just for fun. I enjoy writing about music and feel my knowledge is deep enough to sustain interviews with many types of artists. I feel a burning desire to become one of the most respected music journalists of our time, but I humbly leave that to the musicians to decide. We can only extend ourselves within our own capacities; the rest is left to fate.Steve Harris, Iron Maiden (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Stephen Pearcy, Ratt (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Lizzy Borden (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.CC Deville, Poison (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Khan, Kamelot (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Jwyanza Hobson, Crisis/The Angels Whispered Danger (c)2005-07 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Liv Kristine Espanaes Krull, Leaves Eyes (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Jesse Liu, Chthonic (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Trevor Strnad, The Black Dahlia Murder (c) 2006-07 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Deepfield (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Cult of Discordia (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.Rich Davis, Shift (c) 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr.

Movies:

Star Wars...need I say more? If my life wasn't smothered with writing and music, it'd be hovered around movies. Other favorites: Citizen Kane, Casablanca, The Virgin Suicides, Rebel Without a Cause, the original Dawn of the Dead, the first Halloween, A Clockwork Orange, Lord of the Rings trilogy, Woodstock, American Beauty, A Christmas Story, Gladiator, Monsters, Inc., Nosferatu and too many more to even scratch the surface.

Television:

Man, who has time for that? I will say the few shows I faithfully peel myself away for are Six Feet Under (RIP SFU), Crocodile Hunter (RIP Steve-O), Masters of Horror, Dexter and Weeds. Dirty Sexy Money and Pushing Daisies just got my attention...wonderful! I love cartoons, football and hockey. I dig movies too. Headbangers Ball when I'm actually home to catch it. Favorite channels (again, when there's time): History Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery and Nick. I feel like I'm not missing anything; anyone who buys into those so-called "reality" shows need a reality check themselves. TV lacks the charisma it had from the 50s through the 80s it's just not worth the effort. Favorite show, though, and it still stands the test of time: the original Twilight Zone.

Books:

Le Morte d'Arthur - Sir Thomas Mallory; The Autobiography of Malcolm X; Fight the Power - Chuck D; The Shining - Stephen King (the master who inspired me to write); On a Pale Horse - Piers Anthony; Buried Alive, The Biography of Janis Joplin - Myra Friedman; Ragtime - E.L. Doctorow; Catch-22 - Joseph Haller; Canterbury Tales - Geoffrey Chaucer; By Bizarre Hands - Joe R. Lansdale; To Die for the People - Huey P. Newton, The American Night - Jim Morrison, Watchmen - Alan Moore, Sandman series - Neil Gaiman, The Wisdom of Confuscius, the Harry Potter series.... Thank you, Stephen King, for showing me the way...

Heroes:

God, my parents, Malcolm X, Steve Irwin, anyone who dedicates him/herself to peace...and of course my wife, Ardisse, for sticking by me on the hard roads we've traveled and letting me be who I've got to be, your faith keeps me strong; through trial by fire we've learned to become unbeatable

My Blog

Clutch and Tori Amos DVDs plus Josh Hartnett’s August Reviewed at DVD Review.com

Have a look at my review of the new Clutch DVD Full Fathom Five: Video Field Recordings 2007/2008 at www.dvdreview.com. I also recently reviewed Tori Amos' Live at Montreaux 1991-92 and th...
Posted by Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute on Sat, 04 Oct 2008 05:35:00 PST

Trivium review, a look at Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack and more at The Metal Minute

Today at look at the blistering hot new album from Trivium, Shogun, plus a Potpourri Sundays selection, the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack. Also, a review of Exotic Animal Petting Zoo a...
Posted by Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute on Fri, 03 Oct 2008 06:34:00 PST

Bleeding Through, Hank III, Neuraxis and more reviews at The Metal Minute

This week, The Metal Minute spins the latest offerings from Bleeding Through, Neuraxis and the hellraisin' Hank III. Also be on the lookout for a review of the new Nashville Pussy DVD Live in Ho...
Posted by Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute on Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:37:00 PST

Ray Appears as a Zombie in the Horror Film Bane

Wish fulfillment played out as I got to ghoul it up as a zombie on the indie horror film Bane. Some pretty wicked makeup, a hot post-summer afternoon with lots of gnats and plenty of "milling" a...
Posted by Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute on Sun, 14 Sep 2008 07:01:00 PST

Bigelf and Wetnurse reviews at The Metal Minute

A pair of high-rated albums from Bigelf and Wetnurse, two bands wholly apposite of one another. Check 'em out at www.metalminute.com ...
Posted by Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute on Sat, 06 Sep 2008 11:31:00 PST

Iced Earth review and Potpourri Sundays Featuring The Cure and Lush at The Metal Minute

Continuing his Something Wicked saga with the return of Matt Barlow on the mic, Jon Schaffer brings us Iced Earth's The Crucible of Man... Read about it at The Metal Minute... Plus, a new feature at T...
Posted by Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:20:00 PST

Norma Jean review and others at The Metal Minute

Today, a review of the new Norma Jean disc The Anti-Mother, plus many more goodies... www.metalminute.com ...
Posted by Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute on Fri, 22 Aug 2008 04:14:00 PST

Zebrahead review at The Metal Minute

Ray boldly (or stupidly, if you will) declares the new Zebrahead album Phoenix as quite possibly the Sgt. Peppers of pop punk... Read about it and bring your moldy vegetables to toss in my direc...
Posted by Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute on Sun, 10 Aug 2008 08:37:00 PST

Ray Interviews Ivan Moody of Five Finger Death Punch at Hails & Horns magazine

An interview with Five Finger Death Punch (and former Motograter) vocalist Ivan Moody, as well as Indian's Dylan O' Toole in the latest Hails & Horns magazine... ...
Posted by Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute on Sun, 10 Aug 2008 06:55:00 PST

Ray interviews Max Cavalera for Metal Maniacs magazine

Ray conducts his third interview with Sepultura/Soulfly/Cavalera Conspiracy legend Max Cavalera in the latest ish of Metal Maniacs magazine. ...
Posted by Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute on Sun, 10 Aug 2008 06:53:00 PST