Musings: Buzzard – Gambler

I always get really excited when I discover a long-lost gem from a band I’ve never heard of. Last week, one of my favourite indie metal labels, Dying Victims Productions, released Belgian ‘80s metal band Buzzard’s Gambler via their Relics from the Crypt sub-label. Gambler initially came out in October 1984 on the heels of the band’s A Strange Gang demo in 1983. Sadly, it would be the quartet’s one and only album. We have Dying Victims Productions to thank for this reissue, a little over 38 years later, to reintroduce this band to a whole new audience, including yours truly. Akin to last year’s RidingEasy Records reissue of ‘70s rock band Sorcery’s Stunt Rock Soundtrack, this is another special album that I’ll have on heavy rotation for the remainder of the year.

We get the double threat of “Stone-Hard and Loud” and “We Are Heavy Rockers” to kick things off with a bang. Two barn-burning tracks that set the tone for the rest of the record with terrific guitar solos. “You and Me” even has some prog vibes, “Save Me” is a rippin’ good tune, and we’re even treated to a cool ballad with “Can’t You See.” “A Strange Gang”, a polished cut taken from their demo, is a fun arena rock song with a scorching guitar solo. One of my favourite tracks, “Nosferatu”, is an ode to the Prince of Darkness. The title track follows; it’s good, but not among my faves on the LP. Songs number 9 and 10, “Midnight Countess” and “Woman of Illusion”, bring the curtain down with panache, ending the party on a high note with a one-two punch as they are two of the very best tracks Gambler has to offer.

Gambler is an album full of highlights that keeps getting better on repeat spins. Brimming with youthful energy, it’s sure to satisfy fans of old school metal, fast hard rock, with a smidgeon of speed metal. It definitely takes inspiration from the NWOBHM movement and has echoes of ‘80s metal from Germany. It’s really a shame tragedy struck and we didn’t get more than one album from Buzzard. I’m sure they’d have broken through had they been given a few years to gather a proper following. That’s the beauty of reissues—we can enjoy this album now for the first time or if you’re already familiar with this band and LP, you can rediscover it all over again. Give it a spin, it’s a ton of fun.

Dying Victims Productions’ Buzzard Bandcamp page: https://dyingvictimsproductions.bandcamp.com/album/gambler 

Audiobook Showcase: Savage Realms Monthly #4 & 5

I first featured the Savage Realms Monthly magazine back in January during my Sword & Sorcery Audiobook Showcase series. I discussed what it was about and how much I enjoyed it, focusing on Books 1, 2, and 3. Since then, Books 4 and 5 have been published on Audible and today I’ll be shining the spotlight on those.

The same formula of three stories from three different writers per issue returns, narrated by the always excellent Moose Matson who really gets into the spirit of things with his infectious gusto and competent voicing of the various characters. One of the things I was most looking forward to was listening to the continuing adventures of Willard Black’s Redgar and Natali. I don’t know about other readers/listeners, but after three issues worth of following Redgar the Hathor, I’m firmly invested into this barbarian and can’t wait to hear about his next quest. It’s a similar feeling to what readers of the original Weird Tales run must’ve experienced waiting for the next issue featuring Robert E. Howard’s Conan, Kull or Solomon Kane, and H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos stories.

Book 4 starts off with “The Revenant King” by Willard Black and follows Redgar and Natali venturing into a town struggling with a plague. I wonder where Black got the inspiration for that idea! All kidding aside, it’s an engaging tale that gives us a little more insight into Natali. Another terrific Redgar story that only makes me want to see what happens next. “Crawling in the Dark” by Chad Wilson follows, a story about a hero named Brock who must take matters into his own hands and save a village from giant spiders. I really dug this one as a classic creature feature. The third and final story, “Uncertain Treasure” by Victor H. Rodriguez, ends the anthology on a strong note, more about sorcery than swords featuring a thief and a sorceress. I won’t divulge any more not to spoil the intrigue. We also get fun author interviews for two of the three scribes featured.

Book 5 gets the ball rolling with “Tower of Ornelia” by Ben Crawford, a returning author from Book 2, and features a warrior on a quest for a lost prince. This was a fun tale and I look forward to reading more of Crawford’s stories in future issues. Next up is Willard Black’s fifth story in the ongoing Redgar saga titled “The Keshite’s Lover”. Our adventurous duo winds up in a small town victim of racial prejudice. This one has a bit of a social commentary and a very cool brawl as things unfold. Another winning entry in the Redgar series. The last tale, “A Broken Column in the Salt Plains” by Adrian Simmons, grew on me as it went on because I wasn’t into it at first. It deals with an archaeologist, past life/memories from a different era, and Native American imagery. While not exactly S&S, it was a nice change of pace from the other stories and I smiled at the Star Trek references. No author interviews for Book 5 sadly.

Savage Realms Monthly’s fourth and fifth issues continue to showcase solid and engrossing Sword & Sorcery tales from a diverse crop of authors. If you’re just joining the party, no worries, you can pick up any issue and won’t feel lost. The Redgar tales all stand on their own and the other yarns don’t require to be read in any specific order. SRM is the perfect fix for S&S fans eager to discover new talent and be immersed into weird and fantastic worlds. Bring on Book 6!

Rating: Five stars out of five

Get your copy on Audible 

Audiobook Showcase: Star Trek – Harm’s Way

I was really happy to hear last summer that we’d get a new Star Trek: TOS novel titled Harm’s Way in December and that it would also be released as an audiobook. After the Star Trek: Coda trilogy of 2021, I was under the impression that there would be no more TOS, TNG, DS9, or Voyager books in the near future. Star Trek books would continue only for currently ongoing TV series such as Discovery, Picard, and the latest and most excellent Strange New Worlds. Judging by the upcoming publishing schedule for the next six months, I’m thinking this TOS book is a one-off, but either way, I’m glad it exists. Written by David Mack, the audiobook is narrated by Robert Petkoff and was published on December 13^th, 2022.

Here’s the book’s official synopsis: “Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the Starship Enterprise go in search of a missing Federation scientist--only to become trapped between a Klingon warship and Starfleet's mysterious Operation: Vanguard. In eons long past, alien hegemons known as the Shedai ruled thousands of worlds in the Milky Way Galaxy. They were thought to be dead and gone--but for a Starfleet landing party and a Klingon strike team, the race for the secrets of the Shedai turns into a fight for survival. Can they put aside their conflicts and cooperate, if that is the only way to survive?” 

I’ve been a Star Trek fan as far back as I can remember, growing up watching Kirk and the gang on our black and white TV set on Sunday mornings. One of my fondest Trek memories is of watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture in the middle of a crowded mall in December of 1979 while shoppers walked around. A very unique experience that was a lot of fun for a five-year-old kid. The Original Series remains my favourite crew, followed closely by Voyager. All right, enough trekking down memory lane, let’s talk about this new book. Harm’s Way is penned by Star Trek veteran David Mack who’s given us many great Trek books over the years and is a well-loved writer among Trekkers. This book is supposed to be a new entry of sorts into the Star Trek: Vanguard book series written by Kevin Dilmore, Dayton Ward, and David Mack which ran through eight books from 2005 to 2012 and until now was considered complete. For the record, I’ve never read any of the Vanguard books and wasn’t confused or lost at any point during Harm’s Way. So, they’re not required reading in order to go into Harm’s Way, but I would assume that if you’re familiar with them, you might get some extra enjoyment out of this latest book. Another bit of a tie-in for this book is that it takes place shortly after the events of two classic Season 2 Star Trek episodes: Amok Time, where Spock returns to Vulcan for a wedding ritual pitting him against Kirk, and The Doomsday Machine, where the Enterprise crew battles a mighty planet-killing machine from another galaxy. Again, these episodes aren’t required watching prior to reading/listening to Harm’s Way, though I’m sure most Trekkies are familiar with them. The book refers to them and Mack summarizes the events’ impact on Spock and Kirk more specifically. I’ve seen the episodes so many times (especially Amok Time) that it was a cool tie-in for me.

Harm’s Way moves at a rapid pace and feels like a genuine Star Trek adventure, probably more like a movie than a longer episode. In fact, many parts to me felt reminiscent of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. I say that in a good way as I have affection for that film, but I know it’s not generally one of the more popular Trek movies. The action in the jungle with the alliance between the crew and the Klingons reminded me of the setting on Planet Genesis in Trek III. My only gripe is that I would’ve loved to see more of Kirk and McCoy. I know we’ve seen plenty of them in other novels, but the book focused more on the away team comprised of Spock, Chekov, and Sulu rather than the squad left back on the Enterprise with Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, and Uhura. The Klingons act a little out of character for Klingons from time to time, but it didn’t detract from the overall enjoyment of the story. It can get pretty gory at times and sometimes feel like a horror novel, so that may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I had no problem with that. Mack’s characterization of the classic crew is spot-on as usual. A great book can get lost as an audiobook without a competent narrator, but when you have an experienced Trek narrator like Robert Petkoff at the helm, it’s an absolute pleasure to listen to. His portrayal of the various Enterprise cast members is wonderful, especially his voicing of Chekov, and his reading pace is pitch-perfect.

Harm’s Way is a must-have Star Trek novel for fans of all things Trek, TOS, and those younger readers/listeners who might’ve only been introduced to Star Trek in recent years. Go back to the original, as they say. There’s nothing more fun than a classic Star Trek adventure. I look forward to picking up the just released, very first Star Trek: Strange New Worlds novel, The High Country, by John Jackson Miller (also read by Robert Petkoff). Here’s hoping we get more TOS novels and that David Mack continues to write in the Star Trek universe.

Rating: Four stars out of five

Get your copy on Audible 

Alan Draven’s AMOK

As I stated in my post yesterday, I’ve just finished what is the first in a series of Sword & Sorcery short stories featuring the ongoing saga of a Conan-type character. This series of short tales will eventually be collected into a single volume available in print, digital, and audiobook formats. These tales will be episodic in nature, chronicling the adventures of Amok, an adventurer, mercenary for hire, and thief who lived in a distant land long ago. His adventures will be fraught with peril; he will embark on a deeply personal quest, encounter many evil men, battle scary monsters, deal with dark magic, and rescue a few damsels in distress along the way. Amok won’t be alone on his journey; he’ll come across some reliable friends on his path and will ride on the back of his trusty white stallion Melrik.  

The plan is to write about ten tales, ranging between 5,000 and 10,000 words each, and to publish them individually at first on Amazon’s Kindle. In April or May, I will also start recording readings of those tales (as well as a selection of my old Bitternest horror/thriller stories). Those audio files will be available on Bandcamp and on YouTube for your listening pleasure. Once I’m done the first phase of Amok’s adventures, an audiobook comprising the complete saga will be available on Audible as well. I’m also aiming to have an audiobook done for what I consider my best Bitternest short stories written between 2006 and 2018 to release individually on Bandcamp and as a collection on Audible as well by the end of 2023. Ideally, I’d love to have a book’s worth—about ten Amok stories—by the end of 2024. I feel reinvigorated writing in the Sword & Sorcery genre, something I’ve never tackled before. Sometimes all you need is a change of scenery to get the inspiration flowing again and reignite a fading passion for writing fiction.

The first Amok story is titled “Evil Soul, Evil Deed.” It is an introductory tale that sets up Amok’s world and sees a mysterious one-eyed man hiring our hero to seek and retrieve a rare katana from the clutches of a masterless samurai and his ninja acolytes. Deception and bloodshed ensue. Stay tuned to the blog for a release date and more details in the weeks to come. 

Sword & Sorcery Roundup – February 2023

I’d like to introduce a new feature that’ll pop up every three or four months on the blog: Sword & Sorcery Roundup. It’ll be an article on the goings on in the world of S&S literature mainly and the occasional movie talk. I’ll focus for the most part on indie/amateur S&S magazines and audiobooks as well as my own fiction writings.

First off, I’d like to shine the spotlight on my favourite S&S magazine, Savage Realms Monthly. Every issue features three tales from up-and-coming to more established writers in the genre. This is old school S&S done right in the tradition of Robert E. Howard’s Conan and Karl Edward Wagner’s Kane. Every issue is available in print, digital, and Audible audiobook, much to my delight since audiobooks are my preferred way of consuming fiction. I ran an Audiobook Showcase on SRM back in January as part of my Sword & Sorcery Audiobook Mondays columns. You can check it out here. I’ll be reviewing issues 4 and 5 (which came out last week) sometime next weekend. The audio version still has a way to go to catch up to the print version which just saw the release of issue 18 (13 issues left to go). But SRM narrator extraordinaire Moose Matson is hard at work weaving Audible spells so I’m sure they’ll be a plethora of them coming our way. Check it out at the links below.

Savage Realms Monthly’s Website: https://www.literaryrebel.com/savage-submissions/

Savage Realms Monthly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SRM_Monthly

Second, The Cromcast, a podcast focusing on the works of Robert E. Howard, his pop culture legacy, and other weird fiction puts out a fantastic FREE digital magazine once a year in December titled The Cromcast Chronicle. Their latest issue, number 3, was published last December. The magazine features short stories, articles, and reviews related to the genre of Sword & Sorcery. Check it out and pick up the latest issue at the links below.

The Cromcast’s Website: http://thecromcast.blogspot.com/

The Cromcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheCromcast

Third, Whetstone S&S Mag is a bi-annual FREE digital magazine published in June and December. The latest issue is number 6 from last December. Every issue is chock-full of great fiction short stories from up-and-coming to more seasoned writers. Check it out and pick up the latest issue at the links below.

Whetstone S&S Mag’s Website: https://whetstonemag.blogspot.com/

Whetstone S&S Mag on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SorceryWs

Fourth, New Edge Sword & Sorcery’s magazine features new Sword & Sorcery short stories as well as intriguing non-fiction related to the genre’s past, present, and future. Issue number 0 is available as a FREE digital download, but also in print on Amazon. The magazine’s future issues are funded via Kickstarter and you can visit their Website for all the details if you’d like to support and contribute to the magazine. A crowdfunding campaign is under way for issues 1 and 2 at the moment which will see the light of day in fall/winter 2023. Head over to the links below for all the details and to peruse issue 0.

New Edge Sword & Sorcery’s Website: https://newedgeswordandsorcery.com/

New Edge Sword & Sorcery on Twitter: https://twitter.com/newedgeswordmag

Next up, if you’re into S&S then you’ve most likely heard/seen that there’s a new Dungeons & Dragons theatrical movie coming out March 31^st titled D&D: Honor Among Thieves starring Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez among many others. I’m looking forward to it and I’ll have a review of the film upon its release. Also, to get ourselves in the mood for the new movie, there’ll be a couple of books/audiobooks published to tie-in with the release, one of which is titled D&D: The Road to Neverwinter that serves as a prequel to the film. It will be published on Feb. 28^th and I’ll be doing an Audiobook Showcase on it sometime in March, so keep an eye out for that.

As I was looking at the release schedule for upcoming S&S audiobooks on Audible, a novel from a military science-fiction writer by the name of Ryan W. Aslesen caught my attention. It’s a standalone (maybe the first in a new series?) book titled Raknar: The Northman which I’ve seen described as a cross between Conan, Spartacus, and Game of Thrones. That sounds awesome! The print/digital version of the book came out in July 2022, but the audiobook version is set to be released on March 21^st, so you can expect an Audiobook Showcase from me on Raknar sometime in April.

Last but not least, for those who’ve been following the blog, you know that I’ve been a fiction writer for about 17 years now, writing under the pen names Alan Draven/Neal Vandar, mainly in the horror/supernatural thriller genres. I called it a career last October with the release of my final novel, Once Upon a Time in Bitternest, but you know what they say about retiring from anything, right? It usually never lasts for very long. Anyhow, I’m done writing novels, that’s for sure. I’ve climbed Mount Everest enough times already and have no desire to do it again. I’m also done writing horror and dark fiction; I’ve outgrown those genres over the years. BUT I’ve just finished the first draft of my very first Sword & Sorcery tale yesterday and I am stoked about it! It’s roughly 10,000 words in length and features a Conan-type character who will be my focus for at least ten stories. I will create a mythology for him in short stories ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 words. Once I’ll have about ten tales written, I’ll publish a book in print/digital/audiobook collecting all of them. Until then, the stories will be published individually as I write them in PDF and Kindle. I’ll have more details on this new project in another blog post sometime tomorrow. So, stay tuned for that!

Alan Draven’s Writer Blog: http://bitternest.blogspot.com/

And that’s all she wrote, folks! This has been the first edition of Sword & Sorcery Roundup. I hope you’ve enjoyed it and that you find something to your liking in terms of reading material. Subscribe to this blog and follow me on Twitter to keep up with all the cool content about Sword & Sorcery, audiobooks, and all things Metal/Doom music that will be coming your way throughout 2023. 

Musings: Cleõphüzz – Mystic Vulture

I always love stumbling upon a Quebec band I’ve never heard of. Cleõphüzz is a psychedelic desert rock quintet from the far west of Quebec, more specifically Ville-Marie, a town on Lake Temiscaming. For those wondering where it’s located with respect to Montreal—the most well-known city in Quebec—well, it’s about a seven-hour drive from my hometown of Montreal. Mystic Vulture came out last week and is the band’s first full-length following 2018’s excellent Wizard of Phüzz EP.

Let’s start from the beginning with “The End”, a short, mystical instrumental full of western imagery. Makes you feel as if you’re about to watch a Sergio Leone spaghetti western. The apt-titled “Desert Rider” features beautiful cello and female vocals adding extra textures to the proceedings. “Sortilège” (French for “Magic Spell”) is a superb instrumental with the cello making a lovely appearance once again. “Desperado” is the highlight of the album, in my humble opinion—an epic track that builds to a magnificent crescendo. THIS is desert rock! The song was first recorded in 2019 and has evolved into this improved version for the new record. “Sarcophage” (French for “Sarcophagus”) is another standout track. The LP’s third instrumental where evil looms throughout. It’s an unrelenting celebration of desert rock. “When the Siren Blows” is a stellar groovy song with its space rock roots and grungy vibes. The fiery guitars and racing keys take it to the next level. Next up is the title track, a quasi-instrumental, lyric-less piece that is an absolute gem! Gets my vote for my favourite instrumental of the album. “Sundown in the Afterlife” is the last song—time to ride off into the sunset. A catchy tune and my second fave after “Desperado”. The melody and rhythm are full of energy and infectious till the last note.

Cleõphüzz delivers a fantastic album with Mystic Vulture. A largely instrumental affair, it’ll take you on a sun-drenched sonic journey. I swear, you’ll feel the sand between your toes at times! Competent musicianship and catchy tunes galore will put a smile on the faces of those who dig desert rock, stoner rock, and psychedelic rock in all its shapes and sizes. Head over to Bandcamp and treat yourself to some nice warm music from a very cold place in Quebec. And make sure to check out their Wizard of Phüzz EP; it’s just as great.

Cleõphüzz on Bandcamp: https://cleophuzz.bandcamp.com/music 

Frosty February Ushers in the First Bandcamp Friday of 2023

The first Bandcamp Friday of the year has arrived! You know the drill: Bandcamp waives its revenue share and all the money goes directly to the artists and labels for a full 24 hours. Let’s get 2023 off to a good start, shall we? Here are my top five picks for this first edition of BC Friday 2023.

First off, released two weeks ago on indie label King Volume Records, Lord Mountain’s The Oath is perfect for fans of old school doom and traditional metal. You can pick up the LP here and read my thoughts on it over here.

Second, out last week via Heavy Psych Sounds Records, a cool throwback to ‘70s classic rock with Love Gang’s Meanstreak. You can relive the glory days of rock ‘n’ roll over here and see what I thought about it here.

Third, hot off the presses and being unleashed today is Blackwülf’s latest heavy rock opus, Thieves and Liars, via the mighty Ripple Music. Grab it here and read my musings on it here.

Fourth, out this weekend, Montreal favourites Lüger return with a killer metal album titled Revelations of the Sacred Skull on Heavy Psych Sounds Records. Buy it here and peruse my musings column about it here.

Fifth, Hail the Void have created a beast of a record with their upcoming LP, Memento Mori, which will be out February 17^th through Ripple Music. Pre-order it here and if you’re still not sure, then read my musings about it over here.

And that’s all I got! Be generous, spend wisely, enjoy the tunes and be back for the next Bandcamp Friday. It was announced that Bandcamp Fridays would continue in 2023 on March 3^rd, April 7^th, May 5^th, August 4^th, September 1^st, October 6^th, November 3^rd, and December 1^st. I will see you again next month for another roundup of picks and in the meantime, drop by the blog from time to time as I have another month’s worth of good stuff in store for you. 

Musings: Hail the Void – Memento Mori

Hailing from the dense woodlands of Victoria, British Columbia, Hail the Void are set to release their sophomore LP, Memento Mori, via Ripple Music on February 17^th. The trio’s much anticipated follow-up to their 2020 self-titled debut album is an absolute beast of a record! Memento Mori is Latin for “Remember you must die” and that’s a very powerful statement. It’s not just a reminder that death is inevitable for us all, but also a strong motivator not to take anything for granted and to live life to the fullest as we never know when our time will come.

The sophomore slump used to be a thing, but it doesn’t seem so common these days. It feels like many bands have progressed and evolved tremendously from their first to second LP in recent years. Such is the case with Hail the Void: Memento Mori is a testament of the band’s growth in all aspects, from lyric writing to musicianship and sheer ferocity. The ceremony kicks off with a two-minute intro/prelude titled “Mind Undone”. It is but a taste of things to come. “Writing on the Wall” is heavy, epic doom that paints a thick atmosphere with its flurry of guitars and sets the tone for the entire record. I love the intro to “Goldwater”! But don’t let the gentle opening fool you—this song has teeth! It’s got Sabbathian vibes and is a standout track. Next up is the second single, “Talking to the Dead”, my second favourite track of the LP. Man, this song has everything! From ominous riffs, mammoth percussion, throbbing bassline, and edgy vocals, it slays all day long. And you have to check out the brilliant video for it on YouTube right here—it’s like a mini-movie with fantastic imagery. Next up is “High and Rising”, which was the first single late last summer. That song. What a fucking experience it was to hear it for the first time last year! I couldn’t believe I’d have to wait five more months to hear the full album. It had been a long time since a song got me that excited for an album from a band with only one LP to their name. It’s like an assault on the senses that you crave like a drug. A high-energy, killer track that shoots straight to the top as contender for song of the year. We get a bit of time to catch our breath with “100 Pills”, a more laid-back track with echoes of ‘90s alternative rock. A sad but terrific tune. “Serpens South” draws inspiration from the star cluster of the same name, the Serpent constellation in astronomy. Achingly melodic, it’s a highlight of the album. The last cut is “The Void”, another gorgeous, slower number with vocalist Kirin Gudmundson channeling the best of ‘90s alt rock. It’s a fitting way to bring this roller coaster ride of emotions across the finish line.

Memento Mori hits like a sonic boom. It’s manic, seductive, and takes no prisoners. It showcases a versatile band in full command of their musical gifts that integrates elements of doom, metal, psychedelic, and even prog rock into their music like seasoned veterans. Gudmundson's unique sounding vocals elevate the whole affair. Captivating and spellbinding, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t own this stellar record.  

Ripple Music’s Hail the Void Bandcamp page: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/memento-mori

Hail the Void on Bandcamp: https://hailthevoid666.bandcamp.com/