Harbinger’s Killer Picks – October 2025

Halloween is just around the corner and we’ve arrived at the last Saturday of October! It’s time for the Harbinger’s Killer Picks. Autumn is the most stacked time of the year for new releases so I’ve got plenty for you this month. So, without further ado, here are my top eight picks for October, in chronological release order.

First, local Québec francophone rock ‘n’ roll heroes Vilain Pingouin are back to complete their trilogy of EPs which started in 2018 with Coup d’coeur followed by 2022’s Coup d’main and culminates with Coup de grâce which came out on September 30^th. The band is on its final tour across Québec at the moment and this is their final EP/album. Lead singer Rudy Caya has said that he will continue to make music but it will be via different projects in other music genres such as hip hop, reggae, electronic, heavy metal, jazz, and blues. I, for one, look forward to hearing whatever the man does. I’d been eagerly awaiting this four-track EP ever since the release of the catchy first single, “Eh oh!”, this summer. Vilain Pingouin is my all-time favourite French-singing band and their 1990 self-titled debut album is a desert island disc for me; a stellar record from top to bottom that I still listen to regularly to this day. Coup de grâce is a fitting way to end; three terrific songs and a superb instrumental. If you’re into hard rock, francophone music, or just love solid songwriting, pick it up (as well as the other two equally awesome EPs). For whatever reason, the EP isn’t on Bandcamp with the rest of their discography (only the lead single is), but I’m posting the link to their BC page and to Spotify where you can listen to the whole thing. Les pingouins nous quittent sur une bonne note! (The penguins exit on a strong note).

Vilain Pingouin on Bandcamp

Coup de grâce EP on Spotify

Second, New Jersey’s Ruby the Hatchet celebrated the tenth anniversary of their breakthrough album, 2015’s Valley of the Snake, by doing a live in-studio re-recording of it back in February-March earlier this year over at Retro City Studios in Philadelphia, PA. It’s an unexpected follow-up to 2022’s masterpiece, Fear Is a Cruel Master. The results are phenomenal and even outclass the original LP, in my humble opinion. Valley of the Snake: Live to Tape at Retro City was released on October 3^rd, exclusively on vinyl. When you purchase the vinyl, you get a bonus digital download with it. You can listen to the entire album on YouTube at the link below. They’d also released a bonus digital track back in September from the same sessions; a cover of Quarterflash’s 1981 gem “Harden My Heart”. I won’t get into a track-by-track rundown, but two of the highlights of the six-track LP are definitely the acoustic renditions of “Heavy Blanket” and “Tomorrow Never Comes”. Bottom line is, get the vinyl or listen to it on YouTube, buy the digital track; find a way to get this LP to your ears ASAP, you won’t regret it. Jillian Taylor’s soulful vocals are in a league of their own and the entire band shines on this release. This is old school, heavy psych rock at its finest, folks.

Ruby the Hatchet on Bandcamp

Valley of the Snake: Live to Tape at Retro City on YouTube

Third, the mighty Ripple Music just released a one-two punch yesterday with two awesome LPs; the first being Connecticut heavy rock band Bone Church’s third outing, Deliverance. Third time’s the charm for Bone Church and the boys have really hit their stride—Deliverance is a splendid album in every aspect. The band’s sound has changed and evolved for the better since their self-titled debut EP in 2017. Five long years have elapsed since their first LP, Acid Communion, and it’s less about Sabbath worship than it is about good old rock ‘n’ roll from the ‘70s à la Allman Brothers and ZZ Top, which in my opinion, suits them a lot better. It’s especially the case for Jack Rune’s vocals which sound tailor-made for singing this kind of material. The quintet is clearly passionate about this special bunch of songs they took years crafting to perfection and the delivery is both soulful and vibrant. From the opener, “Electric Execution”, a feel-good rocker, to “Lucifer Rising” with its occult vibes and addictive riff, to the easygoing “Goin’ to Texas” which ZZ Top would certainly approve, to the humoristic, groovy, bass-heavy “Muchachos Muchachin'”, to the kick-ass first single, the anthemic “Bone Boys Ride Out”, to the absolute epicness of current single and what may very well be the best song they’ve ever written, “Deliverance”. That song truly is a modern-day classic rock gem loaded with feeling, a catchy melody, and a gorgeous mid-section. Deliverance, the album, has it all. Long-time Bone Church fans will cherish it and newcomers will be blown away by just how great and tight the band sounds. If you’re a fan of classic rock and miss the good old days of blues-laced numbers by the likes of Led Zep and Lynyrd Skynyrd, then don’t hesitate to dive into Deliverance.

Ripple Music’s Bandcamp Page for Bone Church

Fourth, the second part of Ripple Music’s dual release from yesterday comes in the form of The Obsessed and Saint Vitus’s legendary frontman, Scott “Wino” Weinrich with his latest solo album, Create or Die. This exquisite new collection of songs goes along much in the same vein as his previous solo effort, 2020’s excellent Forever Gone, featuring a good balance of acoustic and electric tunes. Chronologically for Wino, this follows last year’s remarkable The Obsessed record, Gilded Sorrow. After the laid-back opener, “Anhedonia”, we’re treated to the first single, the jewel that is “New Terms”; this is how you write and perform an acoustic song—pure perfection! Then he plugs back in for “Carolina Fox” and its head-bobbing riff; “Hopeful Defiance”, a song of protest, is a banger; “Us or Them”, the second single, will rock you gently; “Cold and Wrong” unplugs again, another beauty in a style that has very much become Wino’s signature sound; “Lost Souls Fly” is the best track of the album, in my humble opinion, an otherworldly, hypnotic piece that will go down as a classic I’m sure; “Bury Me in Texas” is  a lovely ode to Texas with quite a bit of country jabbed into it for good measure; and the acoustic closer, “Noble Man”, had me picturing James Clavell’s John Blackthorne from Shogun in my head, a very cool song. With Create or Die, Wino strongly reaffirms why he’s such an icon of the heavy rock/doom genres. As much as I’m a fan of The Obsessed and Saint Vitus, I gotta say, these last two solo outings have been exceptional and might very well surpass the quality of his celebrated bands’ latter-day output. Create or Die has a timeless quality to it and shows that Wino has no shortage of creativity. We are lucky to have him continue to create music for us after so many decades. Highly recommended!

Ripple Music’s Bandcamp Page for Wino

Fifth, Portland, Oregon hard rockers Alpha Destroyer are set to release their debut LP, Fast Lane, on Halloween via Necromantic Press Records. This is one hell of a fun record, folks! An amalgamation of ‘80s hard rock with smatterings of old school metal, this rock quintet sure knows how to party. The four singles released thus far are all standout tracks and an excellent representation of the album: the barn-burner “Straight into the Grind”; the latest single, “Masterplan”, channelling Rush; the fiery “Lobotomized”; and the title track, “Fast Lane”, with its mystic flavour. Other highlights for me include “Sweet Dreams from Oblivion” with its tremendous guitars, the catchy “Manic Messiah”, reminiscent of Cheap Trick at times, and my personal favourite, the closer, “The Prophet”, with its gloomy, doomsday atmosphere. It’s got plenty of rapid-fire riffs and guitar solos to feed guitar lovers’ appetites, along with flamboyant basslines, and pummelling drums. Alpha Destroyer delivers the rock and metal goods in spades, wearing its Def Leppard, Van Hagar, and Morbid Angel influences on their sleeves, infusing its sound with a contagious energy. Fast Lane features a top-notch collection of bangers and is a solid meat-and-potatoes hard rock album. Highly recommended for hard rock and metal fans who miss the heyday of arena rock.

Alpha Destroyer on Bandcamp

Sixth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK’s post-punk/goth rock quartet Social Youth Cult will unveil their debut LP, The Lighthouse, on November 2^nd. This is one hell of an atmospheric record, folks. From the opening rhythms of the insanely catchy lead-in track, “Venus”, you know you’re in for a treat. The LP’s first and only single, “Close to Nothing”, follows with strong early Bauhaus vibes; a great representation of The Lighthouse as a whole. Other highlights for me include “The Man in the Photo” which feels like it’d be right at home in a David Lynch film while “She's Dread” is a beautiful, slow, and moody number. Also of note, “Strange Times”, a hypnotic tune, with singer Shaun Greer channeling Peter Murphy post-Bauhaus. This brooding band’s sound is reminiscent of ‘80s goth rock all the while instilling it with a vigorous, bleak energy that will keep them relevant for years to come. This English group serves us with a solid gothic music record that you’ll want to listen to over and over again during the cold, gloomy days of November and December. If Social Youth Cult is what post-punk sounds like nowadays, then please inject it into my veins!

Social Youth Cult on Bandcamp

Seventh, NYC hardcore/punk pioneers Agnostic Front will unleash their 13^th studio album, Echoes in Eternity, on November 7^th via heavyweight metal label Reigning Phoenix Music. Full disclosure: Until hearing Echoes in Eternity, I’d never listened to a single Agnostic Front song. I was well aware of them and of their importance in the hardcore/punk pantheon, but had yet to lend them my ears. Founded in 1980, the New York quintet is led by vocalist Roger Miret and Vincent "Vinnie Stigma" Capuccio on lead guitar. When the YouTube link to the first single, “Way of War”, popped up in my inbox, I felt compelled to click it and really dug what I heard so I figured I’d give Echoes in Eternity a chance. I’m very glad I did. I’m really not into hardcore music, and aside from a few classic punk albums from the Sex Pistols and The Clash, I don’t listen to punk, so I went into this record with nearly virgin ears. I’m aware that punk songs are quite short, but still, this album’s got 15 songs for a stretch of 27 minutes—now that’s really short! Nevertheless, there isn’t a dud for the duration of its brisk runtime; all tracks are absolute fire. Touching on themes as broad as injustice, self-doubt, fascism, and tyranny, Echoes in Eternity is a Molotov cocktail of an album. Aside from the blistering first single and opening track, some of the highlights for me include the anthemic “You Say” with its killer riff and sing-along chorus; the second single, the punchy crossover hip hop “Matter Of Life & Death” featuring RUN DMC's Darryl “DMC” McDaniels; the unbelievably catchy “Sunday Matinee” (my pick for best track on here); the kick-ass “Turn Up the Volume” with its metal leanings; the infectious “Shots Fired”, and “Skip the Trial”, a great punk rock tune with a cool guitar solo. Agnostic Front are highly regarded as pioneers of the crossover thrash genre and it’s showcased throughout this record, much to this reviewer’s pleasure. I honestly don’t know how it will fare with hardcore fans and long-time Agnostic Front devotees, but to this listener’s ears, it more than hit the mark. Unapologetic and brimming with adrenaline, Echoes in Eternity is an outstanding album that shows that Agnostic Front still has plenty of tricks up their sleeves even after 45 years of relentless aggression.

Reigning Phoenix Music’s Page for Agnostic Front

Eighth, yet another Ripple Music release coming your way on November 7^th, Black Sabbitch paying homage to Black Sabbath with their live LP Unrest in The West. This all-female Sabbath tribute band is nothing short of spectacular! Their choice of going for deep cuts rather than a crop of the more well-known Sabbath tunes is refreshing. So, no “Paranoid”, ‘’Iron Man” or “War Pigs” here. Black Sabbath’s music is just as relevant now as it was 50 years ago and that’s quite a statement. The founders of Doom and Heavy Metal can be proud of the mark they’ve left in the world of music, having influenced musicians from all ages and all walks of life. I don’t know about you, but I’m always up for a Sabbath cover song. There have been many great Sabbath tributes released over the last couple of years, including two pretty awesome ones from Magnetic Eye Records; two from the legendary Zakk Wylde and his band Zakk Sabbath; and more recently the Back to the Beginning concert last July paying homage to Ozzy and Sabbath with an all-star cast of performers. Black Sabbitch gives us an all-female perspective and puts a nice spin on things. The L.A. quartet has even performed at the inaugural Ozzfiesta at the personal invitation of Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne, so they’ve more than paid their dues. I’d heard of Sabbitch online, seen some clips on YouTube, and was eagerly anticipating this LP’s release. It consists of eight tracks with a runtime of 45 minutes from Sabbath’s Ozzy era. Since they’re a tribute band, they don’t deviate much from the original songs; it’s basically a classic Sabbath show with a female lead (and backup band playing). From the superb doomy opener, “Wheels of Confusion / The Straightener”, we get terrific renditions of “A National Acrobat”, “The Wizard” (a personal favourite of mine), the lesser known “A Hard Road” from Never Say Die, “Lord of This World”, “Hole in the Sky”, “Children of the Grave” (my all-time fave Sabbath tune), and they close out fittingly with “Into the Void”. Unrest in the West treats us to a spellbinding performance that is an instant classic for Sabbath fans. It’s a must-have record for metal and doom aficionados alike. I wonder if Black Sabbitch would be up to doing another album, this time focusing on Sabbath’s Dio era. That’d be a really cool listen and something we don’t hear too often. Who knows!

Ripple Music’s Bandcamp Page for Black Sabbitch

And this brings the October issue of HKP to a close! The Harbinger’s Killer Picks will return on November 29^th for the last time in 2025 as December makes way for my Top Ten Albums of the Year. Until then, stay safe, have a spooky Halloween, and crank up the tunes!