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!