photo credit: Josh DeForge

HERO AND THE HORROR

Breakout Video Shot on Grounds of the Historically Haunted

Belchertown State School for the Feeble-Minded

Watch “Another World” at Knotfest Now!

HERO AND THE HORROR‘s home-spun video “Another World” premiered today on Knotfest. Watch here: Knotfest. The video for “Another World” was filmed and directed by Josh DeForge in Western Massachusetts on location of the now abandoned, notoriously haunted, and condemned buildings that housed the controversial Belchertown State School for the Feeble-Minded in Massachusetts. The site has a reputation for being a hotbed of paranormal activity, most famously, reports of hearing phantom running sounds between dormitories believed to be the ghosts of two residents of the institution who were in love but, not having any basic human rights, were cruelly kept apart. The lyrics, “ I want to dig my dark grave next to yours and I will lie here forever with you. In another World… In this other World… This is our World,” honoring and befitting the grounds on which filming occurred. While discussing the band’s plan to film a video for “Another World“, Director, Josh DeForge pulled up some images of the Belchertown state school that he had shot previously. “Obviously we were familiar with the legendary site and were enamored with the it’s oddly beautiful, overgrown ruins. Although closed to the public, Josh was, remarkably, able to get permission from Belchertown officials to shoot there and we are extremely grateful to them as we could not imagine a more perfect setting for the video of “Another World,” says John “Slo” Maggard.
 
“Slo” recalls feeling “a sense of anxiousness, but also a sense of respect“ and shares “For me, walking through there was both eerie and solemn. Of course the band was very excited to get the final shots of our video underway, but simultaneously I was getting a sense of what it was like for the residents and particularly a family member that resided there in his final days. Knowing the history this place held, the experience for me was surreal and heavy hearted.”
(Learn more about the history and haunting reports of this thankfully-defunct institution below.)
The band states “HERO AND THE HORRORare proud to release our new video and single entitled ‘Another World‘. Over the span of the last 18 months, we have worked diligently to overcome many obstacles we faced due to the obvious hurdles of global pandemic. Facing these challenges brought us closer to what really are the most important aspects of our lives. ‘Another World‘ is our message to those closest to us, that whether in this world or the next, we will continue to be passionate for them.”

Rooted within the influences of heavy rock and metal, HERO AND THE HORROR(comprised of former members ofUnearth, Once Beloved, Man of Velocity, Before Darkened Ashes,andAll My Sins), became a complete band after the addition of vocalist Dean Dewey in late 2017. Having played shows since 2018, the band did not embrace its true identity until after the pandemic hit. While encountering a member change and dealing with the damage caused to live venues from the pandemic, the band withdrew within itself, and with the help of new guitarist Michael Drost, began to find it’s true and current identity. HERO AND THE HORRORreleasedChapter 1, their debut EP, in June of 2020,with the single“When They See Us”receiving massiveairplay on stations in New England, the Midwest, and Europe.

HERO AND THE HORROR continue to book shows and create new music. They enjoy collaborating with close friend and “Another World” engineer ,Joel Stroetzel, who is also the guitarist ofKillswitch Engageandwasrecently on tour with the Knotfest Road Show 2021.The band states“it was awesome to have Joel on board for this studio session. We recorded two songs with him as engineer and we are currently planning the release of another single entitled ‘Empty Handed'”.The band also plans to record and produce music with theaward-winning record producer and post-production engineer,Kia Eshghi(former touringUNEARTHguitarist), of Hanging Moon Records.

HERO AND THE HORROR is:
John “Slo” Maggard – Bass (ex-Unearth)
Dean Dewey – Vocals
Phil Bonk – Guitar
Michael Drost – Lead Guitar
Sam Gaulin – Drums

About HERO AND THE HORROR:
Hailing from the heavy music hotbed of Massachusetts,HERO AND THE HORRORwas formed when longtimeUnearthbassist John “Slo” Maggard joined forces with Phil Bonk (All My Sins, Once Beloved) and Sam Gaulin (Man of Velocity).  After retaining the services of professional cover vocalist Dean Dewey, the band envisioned a project not to be held down by the parameters of any one sub-genre of heavy music, but instead become a band that took all heavy influences and apply them to a rock format. In time, the band was playing regionally throughout New England, New York, and New Jersey. As the pandemic closed in on the world,HERO AND THE HORRORexperienced a member change as guitarist Ray Pronovost left the fold.  The band quickly found their missing link, Michael Drost (Before Darkened Ashes), and continued honing their current sound.  HERO AND THE HORRORplans to continue playing, writing, and recording for the long-term future.

About “Another World”:
Written by:Hero and the Horror
 Engineered/Mixed by:Kia Eshghiat Newtown Recorders (Brooklyn, NY) and at
Sonelab(Easthampton, MA)
Engineered byJoel Stroetzel(Killswitch Engage, Brothers Born) atThe Cave(Easthampton, MA)
Mastered byChris “Zeuss” Harris(Rob Zombie, Hatebreed) atPlanet Z

Lyrics:
I want to sink my teeth into you
It’s something that I crave, the taste intoxicating
and you give me life, as I take yours into mine
into another world we go, you make me high
I want to dig my dark grave next to yours
and I will lie here forever with you
and I will bare my teeth for you
whenever you need me to…
cause you light my fire when I’m my coldest
you were my heart beat when it was frozen
it’s how I know I’m where I’m supposed to be tonight
In Another World… In this other World
I want to dig my dark grave next to yours
and I will lie here forever with you
This night is ours to hold, the moon’s ours to behold
In Another World….
In Another World…
You make me high… Intoxicate me tonight
In Another World… You make me high.
I want to dig my dark grave next to yours
and I will lie here forever with you
In another World… In this other World… This is our World
  
Booking and all other inquiries: heroandthehorror@gmail.com

Social Media Links
TikTok : @heroandthehorror
Hero and The Horror Official Online Store: https://downrightmerchinc.com/collections/hero-and-the-horror
Chapter 1 available at https://fanlink.to/cVxK
About Belchertown State School for the Feeble-Minded:
Thankfully, today, state and federal agencies, such as The Office of Human Rights, are dedicated to affirming, protecting, and promoting human rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including the right to form relationships, which in the darker days was denied the “students” residing in long-term care institutions. States agencies are also in place to investigate every report of abuse and neglect to our differently-abled community. The mission of the Disabled Persons Protection Commission is to protect persons with disabilities from the abusive acts or omissions of their caregivers through investigation, oversight, public awareness and prevention.