An eye on the paranormal world in today’s popular culture.  Articles refer to news about paranormal groups, TV shows and appearances by the leading ghost hunters in the field.
May 16th, 2008 by djb

The Paranormal State Team

Starting on December 10, 2007, the new series Paranormal State began airing on the A&E Television Network. The series consisted of twenty 30-minute episodes which aired on Monday nights. Many weeks featured two episodes while near the end of it’s run, the network showed one episode per Monday evening.

A television show about the paranormal, even when that show is “reality” based, one must keep in mind that the producers first and foremost want to entertain their audience. So to be fair when one is reviewing a show it first must be judged on it’s entertainment value. Not doing so does a disservice to the viewers and to the readers.

However, a reality base paranormal show should also be judged on it’s credibility and it’s ability to make it’s audience think. So to sum up, it should:

  • Entertain
  • Have Credibility
  • Thought provoking

So let’s examine how Paranormal State measured up in these important goals.
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May 15th, 2008 by djb

The Soulseekers are a group from the UK that we have written about several times. They had released their mobisodes with one featuring Richard Felix of Most Haunted. They later released their Scary mobisode. And most recently announced they were teaming with the Spiritseekers of California.

Now they have announced the release of their first DVD with some really interesting locations, including at least one location that the Ghost Hunters have investigated:
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April 19th, 2008 by djb

Brad Klinge from Everyday Paranormal sums up what we posted earlier about the great news the team has had recently. The news includes their new web video channel EPTV on Mogulus and their new radio show The Cold Spot on Para-X.

April 10th, 2008 by djb

We were wondering when we might see a group produce their own shows and run them on their local cable TV access channel. Maybe this has been done before but Kindred Moon Paranormal Society is doing it now.

The columbiatribune.com has written an article about the group:

Calling themselves the Kindred Moon Paranormal Society, the enthusiasts have been on air for three months and have already scared the daylights out of workers at Jack’s Gourmet Restaurant on the Business Loop, “reunited” a wife with her deceased husband in Hartsburg and picked up bone-chilling audio at the University of Missouri’s Ellis Library.

They spent the night Saturday at the downtown library in St. Joseph, where a ghost named Rosie is purported to walk around reference shelves in high heels and switch on computer monitors after hours.

You can check out their investigations and they do have the three videos they have produced so far online.

April 5th, 2008 by djb

Everyday Paranormal has published their webisode based upon their recent investigation of Myrtles Plantation. Myrtles Plantation is known as “One of America’s Most Haunted Homes.” The webisode from Everyday Paranormal definitely backs up that statement!

Because of limitations of YouTube (10 minutes max) and the amount of paranormal activity captured, the webisode is in three parts. In part one we are given some background information on the property and shown some of the rooms in the light of day. We are also given some of the claims of paranormal activity.

The second part of the webisode we see the setup of the investigation and see the team do their work. Some fantastic DVR footage that you will want to see!

The third part of the Myrtles Plantation webisode continues the investigation with more captured video and some of the best EVPs we have ever heard.

We just want to mention that you may have noticed that there were people in the video who were not from Everyday Paranormal. For this investigation, people could sign up and go with the team and experience the investigation.

How fantastic is that?

There is going to be another investigation at Myrtles Plantation in May 2008. There may be spots still open if you want to go. We here at Spectral Review have signed up and are looking forward to the experience. If you sign up, tell ‘em Spectral Review sent ya.

See you there!

April 3rd, 2008 by djb

Northern Ireland Paranormal Society (NIPS) learned something today that we here at Spectral Review have known for a while. That Everyday Paranormal produces the best ghost hunting videos on the web.

NIPS has a new feature on their web site called NIPS TV (see bottom of the page) where they are running videos from groups all around the world. So it’s a natural they would include video from Everyday Paranormal.

If you haven’t seen them yet, watch the Everyday Paranormal video from The Freeman Coliseum and from a home in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Also Brad and Steve from Everyday Paranormal very recently did a radio interview that you will want to hear.

What is interesting is if at some point Everyday Paranormal is able to work with NIPS over in Ireland on some investigations. If they do I think we can expect some interesting results.

One last thing, their next webisode is due out very shortly that will include the terrific evidence collected at the Myrtles Plantation. We are looking forward to seeing it.

March 6th, 2008 by djb

Everyday Paranormal has posted another video of an investigation of a home in Fredericksburg Texas. Several very impressive EVPs and a some very interesting photos.

Another outstanding video from Everyday Paranormal. This group is doing some really intriguing research. We here at Spectral Review have watched a lot of posted video and we definitely have not seen anything better than what we have seen from Everyday Paranormal.

If you haven’t seen their investigation of the Freeman Coliseum you should check it out.

The founder of Everyday Paranormal is Brad Klinge who has participated in our “People in Paranormal Research” series.

February 26th, 2008 by djb

We here at Spectral Review are not paranormal investigators, demonologists, or drama critics. We don’t even play any of those on TV! But we do watch most paranormal shows and can tell the good ones from the bad.

Paranormal State episode report card.

“Asylum”

The PRS explores a New York state prison that was once a mental asylum.


Paranormal State takes a turn in the series and investigates an institution instead of a haunting being experienced by a person or family.

Client Credibility

This episode in this series was different than any other so far. There really wasn’t a client in this episode. At least not like their other episodes. It was more like a Ghost Hunters International location but without the legend.

We were shown the grounds by Melvin Williams the current superintendent of the facility which is a drug rehab center. And Michael LePage, a staff member told us of a sighting of a apparition. Another staff member Lisa Bordeaux told a story of feeling someone was near her and a door opening.

Five ghosts out of five

Investigation

Chip Coffey appeared on this episode. He felt there were many active spirits. Then another spirit that he thought was a nurse or someone who was trying to help the “trapped” spirits by the name of “Lucy”.

They use a controversial tool called a “Frank’s Box”. It’s been used by Christopher Moon and is known as a “telephone to the dead”. You can watch a demonstration video.

We think what is dangerous about this device is that it could be something that could be a hoax. It’s not an “off the shelf” device like a digital recorder that is often used in EVP collection. Since the device is designed to pick up radio waves it seems to us very exploitable by someone who wants to perform a hoax. We are NOT saying this is what happened it’s just bothers us because there is a lot of room for a hoax here.

Using the device it reports that a demon is present and a strong one at that. To be honest we thought for a moment that the demon from an earlier episode was back. But this appears to be a different demon and it’s holding the spirits back from moving on.

Then when the device falls to answer it’s claimed by Frank that the demon is holding everyone back. Then when Chip Coffey starts spraying holy water the box appears to say “stop that eff-ing spraying”. That was what we are told the box said by Frank but to us on TV it was inaudible. Does that Demon’s Mother know what comes out of it’s mouth?

What is good is that Ryan and the team are skeptical of the box. We are glad that they just don’t buy it hook, line and sinker.

They do go onto trying to find “Lucy” who might have been a nurse. The superintendent and a former nurse are not able to shed any light on anyone who may have worked at the facility.

Three ghosts out of five

Evidence

The “Frank’s Box” was the only evidence gathering device highlighted really. It did claim to find “Lucy” as did Chip Coffey. The box is such in doubt though it’s hard to trust it as evidence.

One ghost out of five

Conclusion

They did put together a service for the mostly unmarked graves in the cemetery on the property. They also perform a ceremony with Lorraine Warren to try to help the spirits.

Overall an interesting episode. The team usually excels at the historical research of a location but this episode didn’t come up with any historical details that matched up. They did try but just didn’t come up with anything. It was great that the team was skeptical on “Frank’s Box”.

Three ghosts out of five

February 25th, 2008 by djb

People will probably think we here at Spectral Review just have too much time on our hands but we decided to make our own video spoof of the Ghost Hunters show that is on The Sci-Fi Channel.

Introducing the Kitty Ghost Hunters. You will be able to tell we are not professional movie makers but we hope it brings you a smile or two.

For those interested we wanted to do a small bio on each of the “actors” of our video.

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February 21st, 2008 by djb

Everyday Paranormal has posted a video on their recent investigation of the Freeman Coliseum located in San Antonio Texas.

Recently the founder of Everyday Paranormal Brad Klinge participated in our “People in Paranormal Research” article series. In that article he mentioned a video he captured many years ago at Gettysburg and he shows a glimpse of it at the beginning of the Freeman Coliseum video.

Really awesome stuff from Brad and his group. Several EVPs clearly can be heard in the video. Easily the best paranormal video we have seen posted on YouTube.