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
27th 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 1st, 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 1st 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 8th 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 8th. 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!
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