Audiobook: Fantastic Four - Doomsday

The Fantastic Four make their first prose novel appearance in legendary comic book writer Marv Wolfman’s 1979 book Doomsday. The official synopsis goes like this: “The brilliant scientist Reed Richards, also known as Mr. Fantastic, teams up with the woman he loves, Sue Richards, who also goes by Invisible Woman; her hot-headed kid brother Johnny Storm, or the Human Torch; and Ben Grimm, the Thing and top-flight test pilot. Together, these four braved the unknown dangers of outer space and were transformed by sizzling cosmic rays into something more than merely human! In this installment of their adventures, the Fantastic Four will go head to head against Dr. Doom.” The audiobook is narrated by Natalie Naudus and was released on April 5, 2022.

We get a great comic book and novelization writer to pen this one in the form of Marv Wolfman. Wolfman had already had lengthy writing stints at both DC and Marvel by the time he wrote this book in 1979. His claim to fame was the co-creation of The Tomb of Dracula with artist Gene Colan for Marvel in 1972, a comic that went on to become one of the most critically-acclaimed horror comics. It was during their run on the series that they created Blade, the popular character portrayed by Wesley Snipes in the movie trilogy of the same name. Wolfman had a run on Daredevil, creating the character Bullseye, and also wrote The Amazing Spider-Man in the late seventies. He also did quite a bit of screenwriting for TV, especially for cartoons in the eighties, most notably for G.I. Joe and The Transformers. Needless to say, Marvel’s First Family was in good hands for their debut novel with Marv at the helm.

Cover art for the 1979 print edition

My love for the Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom is no secret, as I’ve stated in my review of Fantastic Four: Redemption of the Silver Surfer. Here we get a fun, fast-paced story, that feels as if it were written for comics so much it flows well and the listeners can easily picture the comic book pages unfolding in their mind as they listen to the audiobook. Wolfman’s depiction of action scenes along with the characterization of the FF and Doctor Doom are right on point. The above-quoted synopsis doesn’t reveal much about the storyline so I’ll quickly sum it up for you. There’s backstory on how the Fantastic Four came to be, as well as Doctor Doom’s origins and then it’s on to Doom’s plot of deception to capture the FF. He splits them up and has specific traps set for each of them that they must go through. Most of the story takes place in Latveria, Doctor Doom’s homeland. When the FF escape, they finally piece together the diabolical scheme Doom had devised all along and it makes for a grand finale. Doctor Doom is featured prominently in this book and that scores brownie points with me as he is my favorite comic book character. Although I was skeptical at first having a female narrator for a book that only features one important female character (Invisible Woman AKA Sue Richards), Natalie Naudus did a terrific job narrating and voicing the various male characters such as Reed Richards, Johnny Storm, The Thing, and Doctor Doom, giving them each a unique voice.

The FF by Jack Kirby in the '70s

Doctor Doom by Jack Kirby in 1970

Fantastic Four: Doomsday is a hell of a fun audiobook. As I have stated in my reviews of the previous FF audiobook and The Avengers: The Man Who Stole Tomorrow, these books are pretty simple and straight-forward. They might not appeal to today’s more sophisticated readers and fans of the Marvel cinematic universe. It’d be a perfect listen/read for young adults though, and highly recommended for fans of Marvel’s glorious ‘70s and ‘80s era of comics. Nostalgia plays a big factor in the reader’s enjoyment here, but if you’re a fan of the Fantastic Four, Doctor Doom, writer Marv Wolfman or all three, then this audiobook should hit the bull’s-eye.

Rating: Five stars out of five

Get your copy on Audible 

Review: Cities of Mars - Cities of Mars

Cities of Mars is a band from planet Mars, euh, planet Earth, more specifically from Gothenburg, Sweden. They’re a fuzzed-out sci-fi conceptual doom trio. They’ll be releasing their eponymous third album through the mighty Ripple Music label this coming May 20.

Oftentimes when a band releases an eponymous album that’s not their debut LP, it’s because they’re switching gears and changing their musical direction. I believe the Swedish trio is constantly evolving and now that they’ve reached a certain peak, it felt natural to call the album Cities of Mars. The fact that it’s a sci-fi concept album about the red planet also makes it an ideal title for this record. It’s the story of a Soviet cosmonaut discovering an ancient Martian city in 1971 who awakens a sleeping conspiracy. Along the way, get ready to experience massive riffs, ethereal melodies, and masterful vocals set against a backdrop brimming with sounds that are out of this world.

The band is composed of Danne Palm on lead vocals/synth/bass, Christoffer Norén on guitar/lead vocals, and Johan Aronstedt on drums/backing vocals. At times Palm’s voice is reminiscent of The Scorpions’ Klaus Meine which adds some nice textures to the proceedings. The first single, “Towering Graves”, is a definite highlight of the album and a great snapshot of what awaits the listener in a nutshell. “Song of a Distant Earth” is a short gem of an acoustic song. There’s also the double threat of dual lead vocals for a number of tracks including “A Dawn of No Light”, “The Dreaming Sky”, and “Reflected Skyline” where Palm and Norén complement one another impeccably. The conclusion of the story comes with the 12-minute sprawling epic “The Black Shard.” I’m usually not a fan of lengthy epic songs unless they have a valid reason to exist, but this one delivers on all fronts and is my favourite song and the strongest track of the entire record in my opinion.

This is a brilliant album, folks. It will immerse you within its intricate soundscape and fill your mind with dazzling sci-fi imagery. This is Cities of Mars at their most ambitious, showing that they’ve matured both lyrically and from a musicianship perspective since 2019’s excellent The Horologist (their first album on Ripple Music). Cities of Mars, the album, is a sludgy, proggy, doomy affair heavy on atmosphere that deserves your utmost attention. Pre-order your copy today and enjoy it at your leisure on this side of the galaxy.

Cities of Mars’ Bandcamp page: https://citiesofmars.bandcamp.com/

Ripple Music’s Cities of Mars Bandcamp page: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/cities-of-mars 

Canuck Spotlight: Graham Strang

Happy Record Store Day, everyone! To celebrate, we’re having our second artist featured on Canuck Spotlight, a showcase for up-and-coming Canadian bands and artists. Canuck Spotlight is a new feature on the blog that focuses on awesome, hard-working Canadian artists to help spread the word about their music.

For the occasion, I’ve picked Graham Strang whom I first heard of via his “Roots and Routes” YouTube vlog about a year ago. He did an extensive KISS year-by-year project where he went through the entire KISSTORY. My love of KISS drew me to it and I found out about his original music as well. Graham is a singer/songwriter/guitarist from Maple Ridge, British Columbia who’s been performing locally for over a decade. His third album, Lantern into the Dark, undoubtedly his most polished effort yet, was released last week. Highlights from the LP include “The Borderline”, “Bringing You”, and “Push Right Through”. Graham has a distinctive and very accessible sound, blending classic rock with pop-infused indie rock.

Being a KISS fan, he also shares some of his time playing Paul Stanley AKA The Starchild in the Vancouver-based KISS tribute band Alive N Kissin’. They are currently performing in and around BC and are one of the best KISS tribute bands out there. He also does many weekly entries on his YouTube vlog where he discusses everything from music history and news to his own music career.

If you’re looking for acoustic-driven rock where the songwriting shines, then pick up Graham’s latest album, you’ll be glad you did! He just started touring to support Lantern into the Dark and will be playing a ton of gigs across BC until the end of the summer and well into the fall. So, if you’re looking to attend affordable live music this summer and you live somewhere in British Columbia, check out his schedule on his Website and catch one of his gigs!

Graham Strang’s Official Website: https://grahamstrangmusic.com

Graham Strang’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/GrahamStrang

Graham Strang on Bandcamp: https://grahamstrang.bandcamp.com/music 

Canuck Spotlight: AAWKS

Happy 4/20, everybody! What better way to celebrate than to present a new feature here on the Harbinger of D.O.O.M. blog. Welcome to the Canuck Spotlight, a showcase for up-and-coming Canadian bands and artists. As a proud Canadian, it’s my pleasure to help shine a light on some amazing, hard-working bands and spread the word about their music. The Canuck Spotlight will pop up from time to time on the blog without warning, so be on the lookout for it!

The first band to be featured is a Barrie, Ontario quartet that go by the name AAWKS. Formed in 2019 and comprised of Kris Dzierzbicki on guitar/vocals, Roberto Paraíso on guitar, Randylin Babic on drums, and the latest addition on bass, Dan Trickett, they deliver a fresh blend of fuzzy, spaced-out stoner rock. They draw influence from classic bands such as Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath, but also from more modern purveyors of stoner music like Monolord and Windhand.

AAWKS released their first EP titled All Is Fine/Summer Haze in 2020 and on June 10^th, their first LP, Heavy on the Cosmic, will see the light of day on the Black Throne Productions label. The first single off that album, “Space City”, came out in February and was a blast. Their second single, “The Electric Traveller”, comes out this Friday, April 22^nd. While the first single got my attention, I’m all in with this one! “The Electric Traveller” is a super fuzzy track loaded with spacey atmosphere and distortion. Be warned: this song is an earworm and will leave you humming it all day.

So, give AAWKS a spin, you’re gonna have a good time. If you wanna catch them in concert, they’ll be touring Ontario throughout the rest of 2022. I’ll have a conversation with the band sometime in May as well as a review of their Heavy on the Cosmic album prior to release, so keep an eye out for that.

AAWKS on Bandcamp: https://aawks.bandcamp.com/

AAWKS on Twitter: https://twitter.com/aawks666 

Review: Infinity Dream - Memories

Infinity Dream, a quartet hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina released last week their debut album titled Memories on the Metal Assault Records label. The band has a unique sound, blending traditional heavy metal, melodic metal, and gothic rock. In a landscape such as today’s where there are hundreds of subgenres of metal/rock, they’ve managed to craft an album that distinguishes itself and stands out from what we’ve been hearing these past couple of years.

Infinity Dream’s music has atmosphere to boot and if I were to compare their brand of metal, I’d say that they have a sound that harkens back to the Tony Martin-era of Black Sabbath from the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, mixed with drops of Candlemass and a touch of Dio. Their songs are dark, melancholic, but also offer a glimmer of hope. The gorgeous cover photo/artwork is an accurate indicator of what awaits the listener inside. “The Future Past”, first track and first single, paints a picture-perfect soundscape and sets the tone for the rest of the record: terrific vocals, weeping guitars, melodic keys, and a tight, solid rhythm section. “Under Darkened Sky”, “Bitter End”, and “Circle in Time” are tinged with melancholy and all highlights of the album. “Coming Home” is a sing-along-song and one of my absolute favorites. “Another Day” is a bona fide rock ballad and I love it! There isn’t one miss on the entire album; it’s all hits, no filler.

Memories will create lasting memories for the listener, the way your favorite band immortalized your youth with its anthems and memorable songs that you carry with you to this day. Infinity Dream have an incredibly accessible sound and if you’re into catchy choruses, vintage guitar solos with weeping guitars, keyboards that rock you gently, softer vocals that add extra textures to songs, then Memories will be a true gem for you. This is a special record, folks, one that I see myself listening to for years to come. A definite album of the year contender!

Infinity Dream on Bandcamp: https://infinitydream.bandcamp.com/album/memories 

Audiobook: The Avengers – The Man Who Stole Tomorrow

The Avengers are probably Marvel’s second most popular superhero team right behind the X-Men. Their roster has changed and evolved over the decades but they’ve always had a fair share of appeal with comic book readers. Back in the late ‘70s/early ‘80s, writer David Michelinie was in the midst of a four-year run on the celebrated title which made him the perfect candidate to write a novel based on the beloved comic book series. Originally published in 1979, The Avengers: The Man Who Stole Tomorrow was the superhero team’s very first novel.

Here’s the book’s official synopsis: “Iron Man, Thor, Vision, The Beast, Quicksilver, and The Scarlet Witch band together to save the life of Captain America, the living legend of World War II! Travel with these six sensational heroes 2,000 years into the future as they come face-to-face with the unimaginable villainy of Kang the Conqueror, a descendant of Dr. Doom who is determined to be rid of Captain America—for good.” The audiobook is narrated by Qarie Marshall and was released on April 5th, 2022.

Cover art for the 1979 print edition

This book is right up my alley, written by one of my favourite comic book writers back in the day, David Michelinie, who really wrote this as if it were a multi-issue comic book story. The action leaps from the pages, well, the pages being read by the narrator, that is. Michelinie really knows his stuff and does perfect characterizations of the cast of heroes. Fun fact: Michelinie is only second to Stan “The Man” Lee in terms of the longest run as writer on The Amazing Spider-Man. His run on the Iron Man title back in the ‘70s and ‘80s hasn’t been matched before or since, in my opinion, akin to Frank Miller’s run on the Daredevil series. Speaking of heroes, the selection of members for the Avengers in this novel is really great. I love having Quicksilver and Beast as part of the group, something quite different to the team’s cinematic iteration. Having Kang as the villain is also a wise choice, seeing as he was a popular recurring baddie for the Avengers.

The Avengers issue #267 from 1986

I won’t get into too many details regarding the plot, except to say that the Avengers find themselves facing a powerful opponent with mystic powers by the name of Brother Bear who is directly linked to Captain America’s disappearance. It feels like two stories wrapped into one with a connecting thread. The back-and-forth between the characters is always fun, the action scenes are well laid out, the story moves at brisk pace, and it’s an enjoyable ride throughout in spite of the titular villain only showing up in the latter part of the book. I love the feel of these vintage novels and while I’m sure some readers will bemoan the fact that they’ve kept some politically incorrect terms when referring to a specific group of people—not the most offensive of terms—I appreciate the fact that they’ve kept it intact, preserving the novel’s integrity as it was written back in 1979. There’s even a reference to Mork and Mindy, which was a highly relevant TV show around the time the book was published—if you’ve never heard of Mork and Mindy, just Google it! Since this is an audiobook, the narrator is a key part of the package and Qarie Marshall provides an excellent reading and voice-acting of the plethora of characters featured in the story.

The Avengers issue #201 from 1980

That being said, The Man Who Stole Tomorrow still remains a book that is very much a product of its time and similar to my previous Marvel audiobook review, Fantastic Four: Redemption of the Silver Surfer, it’s quite straight-forward and simple by today’s standards. For those reasons, a younger, more sophisticated group of readers might not find this book as appealing as someone who grew up or was a comic book collector back in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. If you want to experience what the Avengers were like in the Bronze Age of comic books, or if you’re simply a fan of vintage comic book stories or of the Avengers in any way, shape or form, then you’re bound to have a good time with David Michelinie’s excellent prose book. It’s a terrific adaptation of a great Marvel franchise. Avengers Assemble!

Rating: Four stars out of five

Get your copy on Audible 

A Conversation with Earl of Hell

It’s that time again: another conversation with a cool band! This time I’ll be chatting with the boys from Earl of Hell, a Scotland-based stoner/fuzz rock quartet and discussing their six-song EP, Get Smoked, which will be released on Slightly Fuzzed Records this coming April 29. I recently reviewed Get Smoked here.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: Hey guys, glad to you have you on here! Congrats on a stellar EP! How long did it take you to put Get Smoked together, from start to finish, and how did you decide on making a concept album of sorts with songs focusing on death and vengeance?

Earl of Hell: “Get Smoked” is our debut release so it features a mix of songs from when we first started playing in 2020 and some newer ones written at the end of 2021. We recorded and mixed the EP in 5 days and we’re really pleased with the result. Evidently, we’ve uncovered a secret fetish for murder! The concept wasn’t intentional to begin with, it only became apparent when thinking of a title to suit and we realised all the songs were linked by the theme of death. This macabre feel combined with our dark, satirical humour birthed the name “Get Smoked” meaning to be killed.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: Earl of Hell has a polished sound that usually comes from years of a band playing together, yet the band is about two years old. How did you achieve this or is it just that you guys are that damn good to have crafted such a tight-sounding EP in a short span of time?

Earl of Hell: There must be some truth in the latter. We started playing together in 2020 once the lockdown restrictions began to ease off and we rented out a private rehearsal room. Unable to socialise outside of the room, we just put all our efforts into playing and writing new songs. It was only when we eventually started gigging that we were able to finally meet and have a drink together outside of that room because up until then it was all about practise. If it hadn’t been for lockdown, we probably wouldn’t be as well rehearsed.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: Scotland has had a burgeoning stoner/doom music scene in recent years. What’s different compared to say, ten years ago, and how has it impacted you as a band?

Earl of Hell: It’s great to see a scene starting to develop in certain parts of Scotland and there is undoubtedly some great talent emerging from the local rock clubs which needs to be supported. The music scene in Edinburgh seems to be getting more stripped back whereas Glasgow has a lot more to offer up and coming bands. Personally, we can’t compare it to ten years ago as we haven’t been involved in the stoner / doom scene for that long, but we can see that Covid has left a huge hole where live music used to be and we’re prepared to fill it up with loud, evil guitar riffs and ominous lyrics about vengeance and death.

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: You have some upcoming tour dates in the UK. Is there a chance we’ll see Earl of Hell in North America in the near future, at a festival or special event? What are your touring plans for the next year as things slowly start to reopen?

Earl of Hell: We’re excited to be playing across the UK with some top bands, developing our live act and showcasing our new EP. We’re eager to get over to Europe at some point in the next year and get involved in the bustling stoner scene over there and of course we’d love to visit North America in the future too, especially now that we have the connection with Slightly Fuzzed. We have our hopes set high!

Harbinger of D.O.O.M.: Thank you so much for your time and for answering my questions. I wish you much success with Get Smoked and on the road. You guys rock!

Earl of Hell: Thanks for taking an interest in us and we’re really glad you loved the EP as much as you did!

Watch the video for the EP’s lead single “Hang ‘em High” on YouTube

Earl of Hell’s Official Website

Earl of Hell on Bandcamp

Earl of Hell on Twitter

Earl of Hell on Facebook

Earl of Hell on Instagram

Earl of Hell on YouTube 

Review: Venator – Echoes from the Gutter

Do you find yourself craving the good old New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) onslaught of the mid-‘70s to early ‘80s? You know, bands like Iron Maiden, Saxon, Judas Priest, Venom, and Blitzkrieg, to name a few. There’s been a modern resurgence of that kind of music lately and it fills me with glee. Venator, a band from Austria, is a shining example of the revival of this beloved subgenre of heavy metal. Venator released a fantastic three-song EP titled Paradiser back in 2020 and about a month ago they followed it up with their full-length debut, Echoes from the Gutter, on German label Dying Victims Productions.

I got sidetracked with other reviews and never got around to reviewing it upon release, but I’ve listened to the album countless times since and it’s time to remedy that omission from the blog. In short, Echoes from the Gutter is a NWOBHM fan’s dream come true. The band sounds tight with singer Hans Huemer who has great vocal range and it feels like they were thawed straight out of 1983. From the electric opener “Howl at the Rain”, absolutely stellar tracks like “Nightrider”, “Manic Man”, “The Rising”, and the pure delight that is “Streets of Gold” to close things off, this album feels like a greatest hits collection. I kid you not, it’s that brilliant! It’s got hooks galore, riffs for days, tremendous guitar solos to play air guitar to, and instant classic anthems throughout.

Venator’s Echoes from the Gutter is a superbly crafted modern-day NWOBHM classic. This band and its debut album are the complete package, folks. From the cool vintage-inspired album artwork to the thunderous 9-song set without a single dull track, it’s a record that can be played on repeat. I will go as far as pick it as my favorite album of the first trimester of 2022. A bold statement in a year full of phenomenal releases thus far, but I stand by it. What are you still reading for? Go buy yourself a copy right this minute!

Dying Victims Productions’ Echoes from the Gutter Bandcamp page: https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/venator-echoes-from-the-gutter

Venator’s Bandcamp page: https://venatorsteelcity.bandcamp.com/ 

It’s Bandcamp Friday and that’s no April Fool’s!

It’s that time again, my friends! You know the drill by now: Bandcamp waives its revenue share and all the money goes directly to the artists and labels until midnight tonight. As usual, your friendly Harbinger of D.O.O.M. is here to give you some purchasing suggestions so you can spend your hard-earned cash wisely.

First off, Detroit Deathgaze duo VAZUM released their fantastic new double single “Thief” last Friday consisting of a dark rock and electronic version. “Thief” is inspired by energy vampires who feed on the desperation of their lackeys. You can pay what you want and pick it up here.

Second, WEEDIAN is back with another epic-length compilation, this time with Trip to Switzerland, exploring the best Swiss Stoner/Doom/Psych/Prog bands. It’s 50 bands with over five hours of music! Another “Name Your Price” release. Check it out here.

Third, the mighty Ripple Music unleashes fan-favorites Steak’s epic new concept album, Acute Mania. And as an added bonus, the band also shot an ultra cool 35-minute Samurai mini-movie and an awesome comic book. You can grab the record and comic book here and check out the movie over here.

Fourth, if old school rock ‘n’ roll and metal is your thing, then you’ll get a kick out of Swedish rockers The Hellacopters’ Eyes of Oblivion released via Nuclear Blast Records. You can purchase that record full of bangers right here.

And fifth, as an upcoming release, a melodic metal band that shows a lot of promise, Infinity Dream, has their debut on Metal Assault Records out in just a week’s time on April 8, titled Memories. Judging by the two singles released so far, it’ll be a memorable album. Pre-order now and get two songs instantly here.

And that’s all she wrote, folks! Enjoy the tunes, support those hard-working artists and labels that provide us with so much great music and musical therapy. Until next time, the Harbinger wishes you a terrific weekend.