Historica Esoterica

Another casual noided discussion between good friends MattKUltra and Roswell. Look, I'm not gonna pretend this is our best episode, but it's a nice vibe. Topics include: Kanye, suspicious dentists, recent world events and the collective cultural memory, and more! If you'd like to suggest things for us to talk about or give us feedback, please reach out to us on social media. https://ww...

In part two of the Pop-aganda series, MattKUltra shocks and awes Roswell with the spooky details of the life of the late aughts pop-princess herself, Katy Perry. From her origins as the Gospel singing daughter of a preaching couple, to her meteoric rise to fame, to her legal battle with a convent of elderly nuns, to the dark themes of her music videos over the years, her biography takes us on a wi...

MattKUltra and Roswell return to discuss the heartthrob-turned-rocker-turned-guru: Jared Leto. We touch on his strange career trajectory and obscured beginnings and see what info we can glean from his family history. Furthermore, we discuss his strange relationship to his “Echelon” fanbase, his bands use of cryptic runes, and the funding and circumstances of the band in relation to their actual sa...

A Historica Esoterica Lost File. At the end of a year long break between episode, Matt & Roswell return for a relaxed and less heavily researched chat. Topics include; Matt's experience with ritual Magick, where the heck we've been, the parapolitical "scene", noided media, literature, and much, much more. Sorry for the wait and thanks for sticking with us!!

Matt K Ultra and Roswell return from hiatus with season 2 of Historica Esoterica! This is the first part of our series on MK ULTRA, a broad and complicated subject. With this episode, we hope to dispel some common misconceptions and contextualize the famous CIA sponsored mind-control experiments, and begin to lay the groundwork of what led up to the MK ULTRA experiments. This episode covers World...

Matt K Ultra and L. Roswell Hubbard return for another meandering movie discussion. We watched Paul Thomas Anderson's 2012 drama epic 'the Master'. Containing many para-political themes, the Master is a not-so-subtle exploration of a figure inspired by the life of L. Ron Hubbard, the creator of Scientology. We discuss the parallels between the movie's 'the Cause' and the real life 'Sea Org', the r...

A more laid back episode where Roswell and Matt K Ultra discuss everyone's favorite-least-favorite fed: J. Edgar Hoover. Notorious for being paranoid, petty, and wielding immense power, Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (a position he would hold for 37 years). We discuss his apparent lack of interest in investigating organized crime and compare it to his crusade...

Matt & Roswell reunite to discuss America's favorite cryptid: Mothman. Ever since John Keel's influential 1975 book, the Mothman Prophecies, Mothman and the surrounding phenomena have been an important topic among the UFO community. We unpack the strange events that plagued Point Pleasant West Virigina for 13 months starting in 1966, and examine the context of the area and time period. We also spe...

A special solo 'mini-sode' by MattKUltra, as a treat! The topic is Christopher Marlowe, a playwright and poet during the Elizabethan era (1558–1603). Marlowe is famous (among other things) for his play 'Doctor Faustus', a tragedy based on the German character of 'Faust'. Marlowe also had connections with the English 'privy council', the intelligence organization of the day, and has been alleged by...

Matt and Roswell return to discuss the film 'Under the Silver Lake' (2019). We discuss its use of occult imagery, symbolism, and codes in addition to its portrayal of the haunted city, Los Angeles. This film contains many nods to conspiracy theories and real life examples of Hollywood sex abuse and murder. We also discuss the Manson Family, the Process Church, Epstein, Cult Leader Jared Leto, Owl...

Matt and Roswell are back to discuss the least-secret secret society in the world— the Freemasons. We delve into their history, both mythological & historical, in addition to their influence on early American politics. We also discuss P2, A.K.A. Propaganda Due, an Italian Masonic lodge headed by Licio Gelli which acted as a shadow government in Italy and was accused of many illicit activities....

Slight content warning for this one, too. Babies DO NOT LISTEN. We continue our overview of the life and times of Aleister Crowley. We discuss the beliefs of Thelema, the disastrous Abbey of Thelema, Crowley's victims, and his final years. We also delve into his strange connections to the intelligence community and some of his notable associates. 

Slight content warning for this one, listener discretion advised. Join Matt and Roswell as they discuss the towering figure of Aleister Crowley. A master magician, writer, (bad) poet, mountaineer, and religious (cult) leader, Crowley has had an immense influence on counterculture and occultism down to this day. In this first part of our two episode series we will discuss his origins, early work, s...

[Some technical difficulties on Matt's end on this one, apologies!] Readers beware, you're in for a scare! Matt and Roswell take a trip back to 1895 to discuss Robert Chambers seminal short story collection: The King in Yellow. This 'weird fiction' work was highly influential on later horror writers such as H.P. Lovecraft, Steven King, and Nic Pizzolatto. We discuss three short stories and their r...

This week the boys are joined by Michael, Matt's twin brother and acclaimed chess expert (chesspert?), to discuss the saga of Bobby Fischer. We chronicle the early life of the legendary chess grandmaster, his rise to fame, his famous 1972 World Championship win, and his fall into antisemitism, conspiracy theories, and violent paranoia. Join us for a fascinating and unfortunately tragic tale, and l...

Art, apocalypse, death, and doomsday. The Augsburg Book of Miracles is a fascinating illuminated manuscript from the 16th century that details amazing beasts, strange astronomical phenomenon, and striking visions from the Bible. Join us as we examine the history of the document and some of its most interesting paintings.

Matt and Roswell return for a more laid back episode of Historica Esoterica. This week we discuss the 2009 Nic Cage blockbuster 'Knowing'; a film neither of us enjoyed very much. We discuss the weird themes of occultism, religion, and the Nordic-fascistic alien deification rife within the film. Kick back because you're for a silly, spooky, and generally fun time this episode. Spoiler alert but hon...

In 1440 a french nobleman was put on trial and executed. The charges? Murder, abuse, and black magic. Join Matt K Ultra and Roswell as they dissect the life and crimes of Gilles de Rais, one of history's most infamous serial killers, and discuss his relevance in regards to modern day abuse scandals. As the justness of the trial was a subject of some contention, we attempt to measure the credibilit...

On the very late fourth episode, Matt and Roswell discuss the famous Winchester mystery house in addition to ghost hunting in the late nineteenth century and modern periods. Was the eccentric home of Sarah Winchester haunted by spirits? (It wasn't) Do ghosts exist? (They don't) Join us for an in depth discussion of architecture, spiritualism, modern ghost hunting, and the consequences of the Winch...

Matt and Roswell discuss the movie adaptations of the 1959 novel 'the Manchurian Candidate' and it's relation to real life brainwashing. 

During the height of the second World War, the face of American Intelligence would be changed forever. The age of honorable warfare and gentleman diplomacy were over, soon to be replaced by systems of bureaucratic espionage. The O.S.S. was the forerunner to the modern CIA, and set the precedent for underhanded and often immoral tactics to be used not only enemy armies but also local populace. Join...

A primer to grimoires, books of magic and ritual. Establishing a history of spell books, an insight into their cultural perception through the years, and how these tomes of old fit into the early modern world. 

Please allow us to introduce ourselves, we are men of wealth and taste (not really). Welcome to Historica Esoterica, a show where affable hosts MattKUltra & Roswell explore the darker aspects of history, conspiracy and the arcane. A (hopefully) rational look at the fantastical truths, theories, and lore that bubble in the cracks of history.