Harbinger’s Killer Picks – February 2025

The Harbinger’s Killer Picks is back in your life! Issue number 2 is here. This month was filled with an overload of great albums and I couldn’t narrow it down to only five, so I have a whopping nine picks for the LPs I listened to and enjoyed the most for February and March releases, in chronological release order.

Before I get started though, I’d just like to take a moment to say that I’ve left Twitter about three weeks ago, and that goes for both of my accounts (Harbinger of Doom and my Alan Draven author account). I refuse to continue to contribute anything to a platform that is owned by the dangerous, evil, megalomaniac Elon Musk. I don’t usually mix serious issues/politics with my work/art, but this is where I draw the line. The two accounts are still live and I won’t delete them (you never know if one day he doesn’t decide to sell the platform), but don’t look for me there anymore as I’ve logged out. Instead, you can find me on Bluesky (where I’ve been for the past three months) under my author name Alan Draven. This is my only Bluesky account and it will serve for both my author and Harbinger of Doom needs. Feel free to follow me there: @alandraven.bsky.social

Now that that’s out of the way, on to the albums. First, long-time readers of this blog are well aware by now that KISS is my favourite band of all-time. So, when a new project or release that’s KISS-related surfaces, you can bet it’ll get my attention. Such is the case when Kenn Nardi, of the outstanding KISS-centric franKENstein Creations YouTube channel, released on February 7^th an expanded musical theater version of KISS’s Music from The Elder, retitling it A World Without Heroes. The Elder has always been one of my Top 5 favourite KISS LPs and Kenn just made it even better! This, ladies and gents, is a work of art! Expanded to 26 songs, adding Elder-era tracks like “Nowhere to Run”, “Take Me Away (Together As One)”, and “I’m a Legend Tonight”, as well as Psycho Circus’ “Journey of 1,000 Years”—trust me, those songs all fit perfectly within this new narrative Kenn has spun—this 1hr45mins double LP deserves to be heard by every KISS fan, even those who hate The Elder (and Lord knows there’re a lot of you!). This is the true KISS concept album we’ve always wanted.

Kenn is like a mad scientist; as he did with KISS’s Hotter Than Hell a few months ago, he took very specific existing guitar/drum/bass parts from original KISS tunes and reconstructed the songs to some extent. He tweaked and rearranged some tracks, sometimes altering the lyrics slightly with Gene/Paul’s actual vocals to make them fit this new storyline. You can read about Kenn’s process in the video description on his YouTube channel and even listen to him talk about it at length with Mike Brandvold and Mark Cicchini on this week’s episode of the awesome KISS Podcast Three Sides of the Coin (links below). Kenn also made a gorgeous 30-page program to follow along as you’re playing the album. It really immerses the listener into a full-blown musical in two acts. It allows you to experience the story in great depth with details on the setting of each scene, who the characters are, the song lyrics, and more. The best part of all this is that it’s absolutely FREE!! I encourage you all to follow Kenn’s YouTube channel and share your thoughts on his work. He’s a super passionate KISS fanatic who puts a lot of time and effort into his reworkings of KISS songs and albums. His channel truly is a treasure trove of cool KISS remixes. While A World Without Heroes may be geared toward the more hardcore KISS fans, the rest of his channel’s content is bound to please even casual KISS and hard rock music enthusiasts.

franKENstein Creations’ YouTube Page for A World Without Heroes (MP3 download link in the video’s description) 

Three Sides of the Coin’s Interview with Kenn

Second, iconic prog metal giants Dream Theater returned with their 16^th album, Parasomnia, on February 7^th. I must admit that I’m a casual Dream Theater fan, so I really can’t tell how this new LP stacks up against the rest of their catalogue. I was introduced to them back in 1997 by a buddy of mine. I proceeded to pick up their Images & Words and A Change of Seasons albums on CD. I love both dearly but for whatever reason, I never followed their career after that and have only heard a handful of their songs since. Fast forward to Parasomnia for which I’d heard the first three singles and enjoyed at least two of them. For me, “Midnight Messiah”, while a straightforward tune, is the catchiest song on here and is my favourite track of the LP, followed closely by “Night Terror”, the first single. Clocking in at 71 minutes, which isn’t out of the norm for DT, the album flows harmoniously like a river with intermittent waves and rocky undercurrents. From the opening cut, “In the Arms of Morpheus”, an eclectic roller coaster instrumental which serves as a good sampler for what follows leading up to the epic nearly 20-minute closer, “The Shadow Man Incident”, which could be construed as the flipside to the opener, it’s a solid and diverse record. Another track worthy of mention is the almost poppy, at times Pink Floydesque “Bend the Clock”, a terrific song showcasing LaBrie’s vocals and the band’s musicianship in all its glory. I have a feeling Parasomnia will end up on many Dream Theater and prog metal fans’ Top Albums of the Year list at the end of 2025. Will it be on mine? Probably not, but I do believe it’s a strong release that is every bit worthy of the quality associated with the Dream Theater brand that fans have come to expect.

Inside Out Music’s Bandcamp Page for Dream Theater

Third, Houston's occult rock quartet Warlung released their fifth album, The Poison Touch, on February 14^th via Heavy Psych Sounds Records. A follow-up to their excellent 2022 outing, Vulture’s Paradise, this latest record is their most accomplished yet. It’s got a cool ‘70s vibe throughout and that always scores brownie points with me. It feels like a concept album of sorts. The highlights for me are the second single, “White Light Seeker”, which is probably the catchiest track on here; the ambitious centerpiece, the epic nine-minute long “Spell Speaker” featuring a splendid guitar solo; the slower-paced “The Sleeping Prophet”; and the first single, “29th Scroll, 6th Verse”, which ebbs and flows like a tidal wave with its slick retro sound. Warlung fans rejoice! The boys are back and better than ever. The Poison Touch is stacked with great tunes from beginning to end. If you’re new to the band, The Poison Touch is a great way to get acquainted with them.

Heavy Psych Sounds Records’ Bandcamp Page for Warlung

Fourth, Blackie Lawless and his winged assassins, W.A.S.P., put out a surprise digital release of their Bonus Tracks and B-Sides CD on Valentine’s Day. Taken from their gorgeous 7 Savage: 1984-1992 CD Boxset that came out in January, the release contains 15 tracks culled mostly from the bonus tracks featured on the deluxe editions of their first four LPs. For some reason, W.A.S.P. always flew under my radar and I wasn’t exposed to their music growing up in the ‘80s. Aside from their big hits “I Wanna Be Somebody” and “Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)”, and their reputation for shocking live shows back in the day, I wasn’t that familiar with their music. That all changed last summer when I stumbled upon clips of their Album One Alive Tour. I liked what I heard so I proceeded to purchase their 1984 debut LP, their 1992 masterpiece The Crimson Idol, and their most recent album of new material, 2015’s Golgotha. Blackie Lawless is such an underrated singer and songwriter; he truly is one of the best in the business and I find he’s gotten even better with age. I instantly fell in love with the band and Golgotha, particularly, shot straight to my Top 30 favourite metal albums of all-time. If you haven’t heard it, I urge you to give it a spin, it’s absolutely phenomenal and very moving at times. The 7 Savage Boxset was a little too pricey for my budget so I skipped it, but I’m thrilled that this bonus tracks CD has now been released digitally. I picked it up without hesitating and I also purchased their 1987 Live…In the Raw album on the same occasion. That’s another must-have release, by the way.

Anyhow, back to this Bonus Tracks and B-Sides release. It features the afore-mentioned anthem, “Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)”, a dazzling cover of the Stones’ perennial hit “Paint It Black”, a thunderous rendition of Led Zep’s “When the Levee Breaks”, and a stunning take on Mountain’s “Mississippi Queen” which surpasses the original, in my humble opinion. Other tunes like “Savage”, “Lake of Fools”, and “War Cry” showcase the band’s diversity and Blackie’s ability to sing a wide range of musical styles. Bonus Tracks and B-Sides is a great companion to your W.A.S.P. album collection and a terrific old school metal LP from top to bottom. W.A.S.P. and non-W.A.S.P. fans will find something to cheer about in this eclectic collection of songs spanning their early years before the band sang less about partying and focused on more serious and mature issues. If anything, it’s a great way to get warmed up with Blackie & company before delving into their back catalogue. Do yourself a favour and pick this one up and grab one or two more of their LPs while you’re at it, you won’t regret it! MadfishMusic’s Bandcamp has a lot of their older albums while W.A.S.P.’s official Bandcamp has a handful of their more recent releases, including Golgotha.

MadfishMusic’s Bandcamp Page for Bonus Tracks and B-Sides

W.A.S.P. on Bandcamp

Fifth, Swedish heavy rock quartet Temple of Discord are set to release their debut LP, In the Ashes, via the mighty Ripple Music label on February 21^st. When I first heard that a new band fronted by Wytch guitarist Mattias Marklund was formed, I got instantly excited. Wytch’s 2021 Exordium LP is one of my favourite records of the last five years and, in my humble opinion, one of the best LPs ever released on the Ripple Music label. Marklund handles both guitar and vocal duties this time around and Temple of Discord’s music is more in the vein of heavy rock than the occult rock we were treated to with Wytch. The highlights for me are the second single, “Black Out the Sun”, which is also my favourite track and the catchiest tune of the LP; “Razor Me”, a song reminiscent of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds; the kick-ass, punky “All Their Lies”, and the closing track, the meditative “Rails”. While this LP isn’t on the same level as Wytch’s, it’s still a solid effort that will tide us over until Wytch release their sophomore album. Fans of that band owe it to themselves to check out In the Ashes and heavy rock aficionados are sure to find something they’ll like as well.

Ripple Music’s Bandcamp Page for Temple of Discord

Sixth, veteran German metal band Brainstorm will unleash their 14^th LP, Plague of Rats, via Reigning Phoenix Music on February 28^th. I hadn’t heard any of the quartet’s albums prior to Plague of Rats, but this was a great discovery for me. The second single, “Beyond Enemy Lines”, opens the album in classic metal fashion with a jolt of vigour. The first single, “Garuda (Eater of Snakes)”, follows and it’s one of the catchiest tunes on the LP. Other highlights for me include the ballady duet “Your Soul That Lingers in Me”; the high-energy “Masquerade Conspiracy”; the melodic earworm that is “The Dark of Night”, and the sing-along rock metal of “Crawling” which may very well be my fave track of the LP. Brainstorm delivers the metal goods aplenty. Plague of Rats is a fine album and while it doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it’s consistent throughout and should satisfy Brainstorm fans as well as old school metal enthusiasts.

Reigning Phoenix Music’s Page for Brainstorm

Seventh, Dirkschneider, former Accept frontman Udo Dirkschneider’s band, will unleash a reimagined version of Accept’s seminal 1983 LP titled Balls to the Wall RELOADED on February 28^th via powerhouse metal label Reigning Phoenix Music. I used to have the title cut on a metal compilation many moons ago on tape in the ‘80s during my teenage years. Apart from that, I have to confess that I’d never listened—to my knowledge, at least—to any other song from Accept until a few weeks ago. So, I went and sought out Accept’s original Balls to the Wall LP on YouTube to take it for a spin. I gotta say, it’s pretty good and it allowed me to appreciate a little more what Dirkschneider and friends did with this reloaded iteration. To be fair, I much prefer Accept’s original version of the songs, but that’s not to say these new renditions don’t stand on their own for modern audiences or even for fans of Accept or Udo Dirkschneider. For one thing, this is a duets album, meaning each of the ten tracks features Udo and a well-known metal legend collaborating together on the songs. The title track features Joakim Brodén of Sabaton; “London Leatherboys" has Saxon’s Biff Byford singing along, and we also get a star-studded cast of singers on subsequent tracks such as Mille Petrozza of Kreator, Nils Molin of Amaranthe, Michael Kiske of Helloween, Ylva Eriksson of Brothers of Metal, Danko Jones, Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, Tim “Ripper” Owens of Judas Priest & KK’s Priest, and the lovely Doro Pesch on “Winter Dreams”, which is one of the highlights of the album for me. Balls to the Wall RELOADED is chock-full of catchy metal riffs, arena anthems, fiery guitar solos, and reinvigorated rock ‘n’ roll classics. While I’m sure this LP won’t become the go-to release to listen to this vintage set of Accept tunes, Balls to the Wall RELOADED does reignite a spark to some old classic songs with a fresh approach. Old school metal fans everywhere should give this energetic new take to Balls to the Wall a listen; it’s a record that is as relevant as ever that’s been given a new lease on life.

Reigning Phoenix Music’s Page for Dirkschneider

Eighth, Swedish prog rock quartet Nebula Nine are getting ready for takeoff with their debut EP, The Last Sky Piercer, to be released on February 28^th. This four-track EP is a thing of beauty! From the gentle, melodic opener “Sky Piercer”; the superb traditional prog number “Terminal” with its nod to classic ‘70s prog with a modern edge; the hypnotic and heavy first single, “Blood Red Eyes”; to the meditative, drifting-in-space mood of “Maroons” as a closing track. The Last Sky Piercer is a multi-layered, highly-textured sonic experience that fully puts the musicianship of its band members on display. It’s a short, sci-fi concept album with a theme of a hopeful future for mankind. Fans of Yes, King Crimson, and Pink Floyd will find a lot to like here. Nebula Nine has a promising future in our universe and I, for one, am looking forward to hearing more from them.

Nebula Nine on Spotify

Ninth, Lordi, the legendary Finnish rock/metal band will return with their 19^th studio album, Limited Deadition, on March 21^st via Reigning Phoenix Music. This record is a ton of fun, folks. Lordi first came to my attention in 2006 with their now classic song “Hard Rock Hallelujah” when they won the Eurovision Song Contest that year. I bought their The Arockalypse (2006) album back then, but I sort of lost track of them in the years that followed, only hearing/seeing some of their songs pop up on YouTube over the course of the last fifteen years. And then Limited Deadition landed in my inbox about a month and a half ago and I gave it a spin. It instantly rekindled my interest for this wild and crazy band. This album is ten shades of awesome and features some of the best songs I’ve ever heard from Lordi. With a theme of ‘80s toys and the usual tongue-in-cheek horror references, it’s jam-packed with energetic, synth-driven hard rock earworms.

Some of the highlights for me include the catchy “Legends Are Made of Clichés”; the excellent 1^st single, “Syntax Terror”; the proggy “Killharmonic Orchestra”; the ode to horror flicks and horror magazine “Fangoria”; the 3^rd single, the clever “Hellizabeth”; and the super fun closing track, “You Might Be Deceased”. Limited Deadition contains sixteen tracks, including five cool humoristic adverts, and clocks in at 45 minutes. It’s hard to tell if long-time fans will dig this LP as much as I did since I haven’t kept in touch with the monster band’s output over the course of the last decade. I can at least promise that you’ll have a good time listening to this record. It’s infectious and it is proof that Lordi are still relevant today, well over thirty years since their inception. Newcomers to the band who’ve never had a chance to sample the band’s weird brand of rock/metal will most likely get a big kick out of Limited Deadition as it’s a very accessible record and one that goes down easy like a cold beer on a hot summer day. In any case, I declare Limited Deadition my album of the month and certainly a worthy contender for the Top Ten Albums of the Year list.

Reigning Phoenix Music’s Page for Lordi

And that’s all she wrote for the year's second, massive issue of HKP, folks! The March issue of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks will drop on March 29^th. Until then, stay safe and crank up the tunes! 

Harbinger’s Killer Picks – January 2025

Happy New Year everyone! The first Harbinger’s Killer Picks of 2025 has arrived! I’ve got a leftover release from 2024 as well as four hot picks from recent and upcoming January/February 2025 releases. Here’s hoping 2025 will be as great or surpass the phenomenal year that 2024 was for music. Without further ado, here are my top five picks in chronological release order.

First, Metallica’s Helping Hands 2024 benefit show took place on Friday, December 13^th at the intimate YouTube Theater in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on December 19^th on YouTube and made available for purchase as MP3s and lossless audio on their Live Metallica Website on December 23^rd, just in time for Christmas. This is a fantastic show from top to bottom, featuring a very different setlist than on their current M72 Tour. The first five songs are semi-acoustic and then the band goes fully electric for the next eight tunes. The concert opens with a great rendition of a track from Reload, “Low Man’s Lyric”, which hadn’t been played live since 1998. Then we get a cover of Diamond Head’s “Helpless”, a Garage Days gem performed semi-acoustically. We move on to a superb Bachman-Turner Overdrive cover, “Away from Home”, which I’d never heard Metallica cover before. To close out the semi-acoustic set, we’re treated to gorgeous renditions of “If Darkness Had a Son” and “Nothing Else Matters” with a little help from the SistaStrings duo on violin and cello.

Then the boys plug in to play their instrumental masterpiece “Orion” followed by a rare performance of one of my favourite songs from And Justice for All, “The Shortest Straw.” Then they hit the Load album with “Until It Sleeps”, a song that has aged gracefully; I personally enjoy it a lot more now than when it was first released back in 1996. Afterwards it’s on to a kick-ass rendering of “Screaming Suicide” from 72 Seasons followed by another tune not often played live, “The Unforgiven II” from Reload, performed for the first time in nine years. Up next, a phenomenal, swampy version of “Fuel”, also from Reload, a song that’s vastly improved over the years. After that, Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament joins the band for a blistering performance of “Hit the Lights” off of Kill ‘Em All and they close out the show with their perennial classic, “Master of Puppets.” Whether you’re a casual Metallica fan or you’ve been listening to them since the ‘80s, Helping Hands 2024 is an outstanding live set from the titans of metal that belongs in any metalhead’s music collection.

Metallica on the Live Metallica site: https://www.livemetallica.com//live-music/0,853/Metallica-mp3-flac-download-12-13-2024-YouTube-Theater-Los-Angeles-CA.html

Second, alternative/progressive metal band Suns of the Tundra (SOTT) have just released a 20^th Anniversary Remix of their self-titled debut album on January 12^th. The London and Cardiff band’s original lineup for this record was formed of Simon Oakes on vocals/guitar, Andrew Prestidge on drums/keyboards, and Rob Havis on bass. The previous iteration of the band was known as Peach GB in the 1990s before they split up and bassist Justin Chancellor left to join American prog metal band Tool. Some of these new remixes use new rhythm guitar parts from Mark Moloney who joined the band in 2005 and has been an integral part ever since. I wasn’t familiar with SOTT prior to listening to this record and shame on me—they’re absolutely amazing! Their debut album sounds like it could’ve been recorded now so much it sounds fresh—a testament to how well it’s aged over the last twenty years. The kick-ass first single, “Paper Wraps Stone”, is reminiscent of Tool, which is a comparison I’m sure they’d rather avoid but I make it as a compliment and if you’re a fan of that band, it’ll give you a good indication whether you’d enjoy SOTT or not. “Telescopic Misanthropy” and “Minus” are infectious tunes that stick with you. “Redeye” might be my favourite track of the LP; it has a lot going on musically. “Splinters” is another highlight, a hypnotic song that will put the listeners in a trance. And to cap things off, we have the epic “Syzygy parts I, II & III”, a rhapsody of sorts which initially appeared as three distinct tracks on the 2004 release. Suns of the Tundra, the band and the album, are well-worth your time and ears. Whether you’re a long-time fan or like me, are just hearing about them for the first time, their remixed self-titled debut is a terrific way to discover/re-discover their music before perusing the rest of their catalogue with more recent LPs such as 2019’s Murmuration and 2023’s The Only Equation. Fans of prog metal in general will have a blast with this record.

Suns of the Tundra on Bandcamp: https://sunsofthetundra.bandcamp.com/album/suns-of-the-tundra-20th-anniversary-remix

Third, doom legends Pentagram return with their ninth studio album and their first in ten years, titled Lightning in a Bottle, on January 31^st. Full disclosure: I always found Pentagram to be highly overrated and haven’t enjoyed any of their previous albums. I like a handful of their songs, but that’s about it. Frontman and founder Bobby Liebling is notoriously hard to work with and the band has gone through more than a dozen roster changes over the years. They seem to have landed a top-tier lineup for this record, consisting of guitar maestro Tony Reed of Mos Generator and Stone Axe, Scooter Haslip on bass (also of Mos Generator), and Henry Vasquez on drums of Saint Vitus fame. I have to say, this is in my opinion the band’s most solid album to date. The catchy two singles, “Thundercrest” and “Live Again”, are representative of the overall sound of the LP. The very personal “Lady Heroin” is another highlight as well as “Solve the Puzzle”, while the title track with its heavy riff gets my vote for best track of the album. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the band or have never been impressed by their output, I recommend taking Lightning in a Bottle for a spin, you’re bound to have a good time listening to it.

Heavy Psych Sounds Records’ Bandcamp page for Pentagram: https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/pentagram-lightning-in-a-bottle

Fourth, Swedish rockers Gin Lady will unleash their seventh opus, Before the Dawn of Time, on February 7^th via the mighty Ripple Music label. This album is a throwback to a plethora of genres from classic rock, roots rock, prog rock, and even acid folk. It’s a very accessible album that’s got a Beatlesque quality to it. From the get-go, “The Paramount” sets the tone for the entire LP; an instant classic in my book. “Mighty River” is a folky, sing-along kind of tune. The second single, “Tingens sanna natur”, which is actually sung in English (The True Nature of Things), is a slower-paced beauty of a song. “Ways to Cross the Sky” is a warm, multi-layered song and one of the LP’s best. The energetic “Turn Back” is the catchiest track on the record. The proggy “Mulberry Bend” has got a cool ‘70s vibe. It’s followed by the mysterious and mystical “The Universe Vibrant Rings” and a great rhythmic tune titled “The Brain.” The piano-driven, ‘60s sounding “Bliss on the Line” takes us to the last track, “You’re a Big Star”, reminiscent of Tom Petty with its retro sound—a definite highlight of the album. Gin Lady is a band whose music instantly puts you in a good mood. Before the Dawn of Time is the first must-own record of 2025 and one of Ripple Music’s finest releases in recent years.

Ripple Music’s Bandcamp page for Gin Lady: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-dawn-of-time

Fifth, Germany’s alternative/industrial metal band Enemy Inside will release their third record, Venom, via powerhouse metal label Reigning Phoenix Music on February 28^th. I’d been eagerly anticipating this album based on the first couple of singles I’d heard. It’s a very frustrating LP for me. Let me explain. Frequent readers of this blog know of my distaste for extreme metal and all its subsidiaries (black, death metal, etc). To me, growling, barking, or screaming ruins a song, period. Such is the case for many of the songs found on Venom. Now, I know I’m in the minority and that extreme metal has hordes of enthusiasts, so I’m sure that for the vast majority of listeners, this growling will only enhance the songs. In any case, what I found good on this album, I really did enjoy, with catchy gems such as “Should Have Known Better”, “Sayonara”, “What We Used to Be”, “Fuck That Party” and the cool ballad, “Let Me Go.” On the other hand, songs like “Venom”, “Dirt on My Name”, “Innocent”, and “Unburn” were ruined for me by the afore-mentioned growling. I find it a shame that a talented singer like Nastassja Giulia doesn’t use her vocal gifts to simply sing melodically the way she’s proven she can. She sounds like a cross between Britney Spears and Gwen Stefani (I know for metal fans that this sounds like I’m taking a dig at her but it’s not; I mean it as a compliment). Overall, Venom is a fine metal record with pop sensibilities that, were it not for its extreme leanings, I would’ve loved. Unfortunately, I’m just not the target audience for this one but I do recommend it to Enemy Inside fans and anyone who enjoys edgy metal with pop sensibilities.

RPM’s Enemy Inside page: https://reigningphoenixmusic.com/artists/enemy-inside

And we’re done for the first issue of 2025, folks! The February issue of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks will land on February 22^nd. Until then, stay safe and crank up the tunes! 

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.’s Top 10 Albums of 2024

Happy Holidays everybody! 2024 is almost in the books and it feels like it just flew by! It’s time for my traditional Top Ten Albums of the Year list, and man, did we get a phenomenal year for music once again! I already gave you a preview back in June with my 2024 Mid-Year Top Ten; some of the albums on that list switched places, others have left it entirely to make room for the second half of the year’s releases. These are basically the albums that I find myself going back to the most often. As usual, it strictly contains LPs released in 2024 in the genres and subgenres of Metal and Rock. So, without further ado, here are my ten favourite records of 2024 with a link to my review/killer picks article for each one featuring links to purchase the LPs:

10. VAZUM – Western Violence

9. Ace Frehley – 10,000 Volts

8. Tungsten – The Grand Inferno

7. Flat Black – Dark Side of the Brain

6. Bottomless & Witching Altar – Graveyard Thunder

5. Thrasherwolf - Inside the Sickened Mind

4. All For Metal – Gods of Metal (Year of the Dragon)

3. Bruce Dickinson - The Mandrake Project

2. Sebastian Bach – Child Within the Man

1. Judas Priest – Invincible Shield

And there you have it! I hope my list makes you discover an album that you’d overlooked or not given a spin yet. For regular visitors of the blog, I thank you for tuning in from time to time throughout the year and hope you’ll swing by often again in 2025. I’d also like to thank all the bands, labels, and PR firms for sending me albums week in, week out; I can’t review or talk about everything, but I do my best to shine a light on the music I really enjoy. I’ll see you all at the end of January for the first Harbinger’s Killer Picks of 2025. Until then, Merry Christmas and a healthy Happy New Year to all! 

Harbinger’s Killer Picks – November 2024

The penultimate month of 2024 has arrived! It’s the last Saturday of November, so it’s time for the fifth issue of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks! It will also be the final one for 2024 as next month I’ll be doing my Top Ten Albums of the Year list instead. Once again, I’ve got some cool music recommendations for you chosen from what I found were the best LPs I listened to this month. So, here are my top five picks for November in chronological release order.

First, Canadian hard rock maestro Ian Blurton returns with his band Future Now for a super cool LP titled Crimes of the City that was released this past October 30^th digitally and on November 15^th on vinyl. This album was a grower for me; I liked it upon first spin but didn’t think it was anything special. On subsequent listens, I really came to dig it a lot. Some highlights for me include “House of Lords”, a cool hard rock number which is definitely my fave track of the LP; the catchy “Cast Away the Stones”; the riff-driven “In Broken Lines”; the melodic “Seventh Sin of Devotion”, and the head-bobbing closing tune “Assailed by the Sun.” Fans of ‘70s & ‘80s classic rock/hard rock will find a lot to love with Crimes of the City; it puts a fresh twist on a tried and true formula.

Ian Blurton’s Future Now on Bandcamp: https://ianblurton.bandcamp.com/album/crimes-of-the-city

Second, doom purveyors Grave Disgrace released a stellar live album on November 6^th titled Live at Lastochka. I’ve loved this band ever since I first heard their Rest in Peace album back in 2020. They’re probably the most underrated old school doom band out there. Here they perform most of their 2023 LP Visions of Tomorrow as well as a couple of tracks from their excellent 2020 Rest in Peace record plus a great track (“Everlasting Fire”) from their 2018 effort Sabbatharium and even a new song, “Mad”, which they had released as a demo back in June. Overall, this is a solid live album from top to bottom and I’d recommend it to fans of old school doom, especially vintage Sabbath as their frontman, Alexey Uvarov, sounds eerily like a young Ozzy at times.

Grave Disgrace on Bandcamp: https://gravedisgrace.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-lastochka

Third, Dying Victims Productions are it again, having released on November 22^nd what was one of my most anticipated metal albums of the fourth quarter—Raptore’s Renaissance. This fresh blend of traditional/speed metal is the follow-up to 2022’s excellent Blackfire. Nico Cattoni and his band have managed to top that LP with this phenomenal gem of a record. Some highlights include the guitar-heavy banger of a single “Satana”, the old school metal goodness of “Abaddon”, the catchy sing-along tune “Requiescat in Pace”, the epic NWOBHM-inspired “Kingdom Come”, and last but not least, what’s probably my fave track with its killer intro, “All Fires the Fire.” Renaissance is a strong contender for the Top Ten Albums of the Year list.

Dying Victims Productions’ Bandcamp page for Raptore: https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/renaissance

Fourth, there’s nothing like British steel to satisfy your metal cravings and Forged in Black will be unleashing a remastered version of their debut LP from 2013, titled Forged in Black Remastered MMXXIV on December 3^rd. I first found out about this band last summer when they did an outstanding cover of Iron Maiden’s “Be Quick or Be Dead” and I went hunting for their music. I’ve been a huge fan ever since and to have their awesome first album remastered/re-released is a special treat. The songs are crisp and punchier than before and the LP sounds like it could have been released this year for the first time. In an album devoid of skippable songs, highlights for me include the kick-ass opening song, “Reins of Sorrow”; the addictive earworm, “Accusations of the Innocent”; the blistering “The Rapture”; the banger of all bangers, “Fortify or Die”, and the now classic, epic title track, “Forged in Black.” We also get two awesome bonus tracks in the form of the title songs to their two EPs from 2013/2014: “The Tide” and “The Exodus.” It’s an LP that has aged like a fine wine. Forged in Black’s debut is absolutely essential for all metal fans.

Forged in Black on Bandcamp: https://forgedinblack.bandcamp.com/

Fifth, German power metal legends Helloween are set to release a new live album titled Live at Budokan on December 13^th via powerhouse metal label Reigning Phoenix Music. The show was recorded back in September of 2023 at the famous Budokan arena in Tokyo, Japan. Brimming with energy, this is a perfect live greatest hits package for new and old fans alike. The band is in rare form and the fifteen tracks included cover most of the band’s impressive catalogue. We get some songs from their 1985 debut album, Walls of Jericho, a bunch of songs from both Keeper of the Seven Keys LPs from 1987-1988, a track from 1994’s Master of the Rings, a couple of tracks from 1996’s The Time of the Oath, as well as four tunes from their latest self-titled album from 2021. Highlights for me include a stellar rendition of “Skyfall”; a kick-ass version of their classic “Eagle Fly Free”; terrific sing-along songs like “Future World” and “Power”; a killer medley; a superb performance of “Best Time”; and a deftly-executed 20-minute interpretation of their masterpiece “Keeper of the Seven Keys.” Chock-full of arena anthems, Helloween show no signs of slowing down after forty years of delivering first rate power metal classics. This solid two-hour show is a testament to their longevity and Live at Budokan will undoubtedly please long-time Helloween fans and serve as a great starter pack for a new generation of fans.

Helloween Online: https://helloween.rpm.link/liveatbudokanWE

And that’s all she wrote, folks! Issue number five of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks has come and gone. Hopefully you’ll discover some great music from those picks. Check back here at the end of December for my Top Ten LPs of 2024. The Harbinger’s Killer Picks will return on January 25^th, 2025. Until then, stay safe and crank up the tunes! 

AMOK THE POWERFUL Pub Day is Here!

Greetings dear readers! The big day has finally arrived: Amok has been unleashed as a 6”X9” trade paperback and digitally on Kindle! Visit your country’s Amazon to purchase a copy of the book. Some Amazon sites may have a few days delay for the paperback to appear but I’m told it should show up on the entire Amazon network very soon. The reference price is $15.99 US for the paperback and $4.99 US for the Kindle. All other sites will adjust their price based on the exchange rate on the day of purchase in your respective country.

Here’s the book’s synopsis:

From the Author of BITTERNEST and NOCTURNAL OFFERINGS Comes a Collection of Eight Connected Sword & Sorcery Tales

Armed with his mystical sword, a young barbarian named Amok and his friend Goyiir the sorceress embark on a quest to seek answers about his forgotten past. As they head west toward the mythical province of Atlantia, the road is long and fraught with peril.

They’ll battle a wide variety of foes ranging from ninjas, spectres, and even aliens as they carve their way through the cycle of seasons. Will Amok and his friends survive to face the nearly-indomitable evil of Atlantia's tyrannical ruler, the Harbinger of Doom?

*** This book is for mature audiences only. It contains explicit adult situations. Discretion is advised. ***

Here are the three main Amazon sites’ Kindle links:

Amok the Powerful on Amazon.com

Amok the Powerful on Amazon.ca

Amok the Powerful on Amazon.co.uk

 

And for the trade paperback:

Amok the Powerful on Amazon.com

Amok the Powerful on Amazon.ca

Amok the Powerful on Amazon.co.uk

In closing, the book received its first early review a few days ago and it’s a 5-star review! Check it out over at Goodreads. Hopefully many more reviews will follow soon. I’ll keep you updated whenever there are mentions or reviews that pop-up about the red-maned barbarian’s book. I’ll also post a sample of the book in the days to come. If you pick up AMOK THE POWERFUL and enjoy it, I’d be very grateful if you took the time to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads to help me spread the word to other potential readers. Word of mouth is what works best to sell books, so tell your friends, family, and work colleagues about this book that is very dear to me. Until next time, happy reading and Long Live Amok! 

Amok is live on Goodreads and Amazon!

Greetings dear readers! My upcoming Sword & Sorcery book Amok the Powerful is now live on Goodreads and Amazon. It’s currently only listed on Kindle at the moment, but I’m told the paperback listing will go live on pub day, which is November 26^th so be on the lookout for that. You can find links to it below for the Amazon US, Canada, and UK sites but it’s also available across all Amazon sites. To give you an idea, the Kindle version is priced at $4.99 US and the paperback at $15.99 US. All other countries’ currencies will reflect that price point according to the exchange rate of the day when you purchase the book. You can click on the wraparound cover art below to enlarge it and read the synopsis of the book. I got my proof copy in the mail this week and it’s absolutely gorgeous! I can’t wait for this book to be unleashed upon the world! I’ll have some more news before pub day, so stay tuned and happy reading!

Amok the Powerful on Goodreads

Pre-order your Kindle copy today:

Amok the Powerful on Amazon.com

Amok the Powerful on Amazon.ca

Amok the Powerful on Amazon.co.uk 

Harbinger’s Killer Picks – October 2024

Halloween is almost upon us! It’s the last Saturday of October, so it must be time for the fourth issue of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks! I’ve got a veritable treasure trove of great music recommendations for you today. So, without further ado, here are my top five picks for October in chronological release order.

First, one of Germany’s finest metal labels, Dying Victims Productions, released a phenomenal doom split on September 27^th featuring Italy’s Bottomless and Brazil’s Witching Altar; the aptly-titled Graveyard Thunder. This 39-minute, 6-track doom masterpiece is a perfect listen for the Halloween season. From top to bottom, the two bands each deliver a masterclass in old school doom. Italian trio Bottomless gets the top half with three gloomy tunes: the atmospheric horror-themed opener, “Burning of the Vampire”, followed by the first single, the haunting earworm “Lightning in the Realms of Death” to the epic guitar-driven with a side serving of organ, “Shadows Call.” Brazilian duo Witching Altar get their side rolling with chugging riffs and Peter Murphy-inspired vocals with “The Sadness”, followed by the second single, the memorable “Silence at the Cross”, to close things out with a 9-minute plus slow-burning gothic doom epic that channels Bauhaus at times titled “The Crypts Below.” I declare Graveyard Thunder the best doom album of 2024, it’s that awesome. An easy contender for the Top Ten Albums of the Year list. Fans of Candlemass, Witchfinder General, Pagan Altar, and vintage Sabbath will worship this record.

Dying Victims Productions’ Bandcamp page for Graveyard Thunder: https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/graveyard-thunder

Bottomless on Bandcamp: https://bottomlessdoom.bandcamp.com/

Witching Altar on Bandcamp: https://thewitchingaltar.bandcamp.com/music

Second, supergroup Slower will release their sophomore album, Rage and Ruin, on November 1^st, a little over nine months since their awesome self-titled debut record which paid tribute to the music of Slayer. This time around, they’ve shaken things up a bit. They initially wanted to cover Slayer’s Haunting the Chapel EP in its entirety but found that not all its tracks wanted to be slowed down. So, what they did is they covered the title track and “Chemical Warfare” and came up with four original songs to complete this 6-pack of doomy metal tunes. Also, a slight change in the lineup with Amy Tung Barrysmith handling all vocal duties this time around. Once again, she played bass while mastermind Bob Balch played guitars with Esben Willems on drums and percussion. The result is a heavy and hypnotic affair that surpasses their debut, in my opinion. Barrysmith’s vocals are entrancing as always and her throbbing basslines paired with Bach’s guitar prowess and Willems’ pulse-pounding drumming are absolute gold. Doom metal and Slayer fans alike owe it to themselves to add this gem of a record to their collection.

Heavy Psych Sounds Records’ Bandcamp page for Rage and Ruin: https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/slower-rage-and-ruin

Third, Wizard Tattoo, one-man band Bram the Bard’s always evolving project, continues to be prolific and will drop another stellar EP on November 1^st titled One of These Knives. This EP contains what might just be the most eclectic mix of genres Wizard Tattoo has released thus far. In a short span of four tracks, we go through a cycle of seasons’ worth of musical variations from the visceral opener, “Varsak of Man”, to the drastic shift of the elegant female-fronted “A Wizard's Blade”, extending to the guitar-driven Thulsa Dan sequel from the debut EP with “My Second Knife Fight”, to close out with my personal favourite, an instrumental piece with classical leanings titled “Edge of Reprisal.” One of These Knives is a magical blend of grungy metal and doomy prog rock fused with inspired storytelling showcasing the musical dexterity of multi-instrumentalist Bram the Bard. I’d say, if you like any type of heavy rock or metal music, you should definitely take this EP for spin.

Wizard Tattoo on Bandcamp: https://wizardtattoo.bandcamp.com/album/one-of-these-knives

Fourth, Florida’s power metal quartet Seven Kingdoms will unleash a fantastic new EP titled The Square on November 8^th via the powerhouse metal label that is Reigning Phoenix Music. I’d never heard of Seven Kingdoms before but now I’m a big fan. From the catchy first single title track to the second single, the melodic riff-heavy “Through These Waves”, Sabrina Cruz’s vocals are a thing of beauty. The woman’s got a ton of talent and loads of charisma. We even get a cool old school ballad complete with weeping guitars in “Wilted Pieces”; a harmonious banger with prog tendencies in “The Serpent and the Lotus”; and a superb rendition of the classic 1985 song “Kyrie” from Mr. Mister which is so great that it’s my favourite tune of the EP. Seven Kingdoms have a searing-hot EP in their pocket with The Square. It’s chock-full of highlights and metal goodness, fronted by a terrific lead singer. They’re now part of RPM’s all-star roster and I can’t wait to hear what their next LP scheduled for 2025 will sound like. Fans of female-fronted metal and power metal in particular will relish The Square.

Seven Kingdoms on RPM Records: https://sevenkingdoms.rpm.link/thesquareWE

Fifth, RidingEasy Records will release ‘70s-inspired hard rock/acid rock Magick Potion’s self-titled LP on November 8^th. I don’t normally select an album for the HKP unless I’ve listened to it, but judging by their Early Works EP and the first single alone, “Never Change”, this is a band that is not to be missed and I have the utmost confidence that the Baltimore, Maryland trio’s LP will deliver the goods aplenty. It contains a great psychedelic track from their debut EP titled “Ultraviolet.” I swear, this band feels like they were making music in the ‘70s and somehow tripped into a time portal to land in present day. Their sound, their approach, and musical style (and that album cover says it all!) is a throwback to the glory days of Blue Cheer and Budgie with a pinch of a modern vibe added to make them stand out even more. I can’t wait to dive into Magick Potion’s heavy psychedelic brand of hard rock and so should you!

RidingEasy Records’ Bandcamp page for Magick Potion: https://magickpotionband.bandcamp.com/album/magick-potion

Magick Potion on Bandcamp: https://magickpotionband.bandcamp.com/

And that’s all I’ve got, folks! Issue number four of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks is in the books. I hope you’re enjoying this wonderfully dark and colourful fall season we’re having and that these picks will complement your autumn moods. Tune back here at the end of November for the next issue. Until then, stay safe and enjoy the tunes!