Harbinger’s Killer Picks – October 2026

Happy Halloween! For some, Christmas is the best time of the year; for me, it’s Halloween with its red and gold leaves on the ground and horror movie marathons galore. It also coincides with the last Saturday of the month, so it’s time for another edition of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks. Here are my top picks that I think are worth your time and money. So, let’s get into it, shall we?

First, the godfather of metal himself, Tony Iommi, just released his latest studio album, From the Dark, on October 23^rd, his first solo record in twenty-one years! This was one of my most anticipated releases of the season. After a handful of spins, I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about it. I don’t love it, but I don’t dislike it either. I was on the fence when Black Sabbath released their final LP (with Ozzy), 13, back in 2013 as I was with Heaven & Hell’s The Devil You Know (with Ronnie James Dio) in 2009. To this day, I still find them very forgettable and only like about three or four songs from each of those albums. In any case, I think I might already enjoy From the Dark a bit more than Mr. Iommi’s two previous band releases. Tony has assembled a terrific lineup for this record: Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande, Becky Baldwin of Mercyful Fate, and English session drummer Karl Brazil. In terms of sound, From the Dark is a lot closer to The Devil You Know than to 13. There’s also the fact that Dio is one of Jorn’s biggest inspirations and that his vocal style sounds like a Dio pastiche at times—and even like Bruce Dickinson occasionally.

On to the album. “Over the Violent Sun” is a fitting opener with solid riffs and should’ve been the lead single in my opinion. “Black Times” is a decent tune that goes on a tad too long and feels like something we’ve heard many times before. The first single, “World Alone”, is growing on me; it’s catchy enough but doesn’t blow me away. “Beyond the Dead” sounds powerful while the second single, “Stormwatcher”, a track reminiscent of Rainbow’s heyday, features Iommi’s trademark riffage. “Death Wake”, one of the doomiest songs on here, features a guitar solo from Queen’s Brian May. Honestly, had I not known, I wouldn’t have guessed—which is surprising as his guitar tone usually has a very distinct quality to it. “Return of the Arbalist” is a more energetic affair; a good song overall, nothing more, nothing less. The closing track, “Legacy”, might be my favourite; a sweeping epic tune where Jorn channels Whitesnake’s David Coverdale. In the end, this record sounds a little too much like a modern metal album for my taste. Still, it does have some great riffs, amazing vocal prowess, and plenty of doomy atmosphere. The lyrics, though, feel like a pale imitation of Dio’s vintage Rainbow/Sabbath tunes. Only time will tell if I’ll grow to appreciate From the Dark more, but I still recommend it to all Tony Iommi/Sabbath fans, as well as doomers and metalheads everywhere.    

Tony Iommi’s Official Website

Second, just in time for Halloween, American doom-folk metal band Atheist Alien unleash today A Mass of Candles, their reimagining of Swedish epic doom metal band Candlemass’s legendary 1986 album Epicus Doomicus Metallicus in its entirety. Fronted by Robert Lowe—who was a vocalist for Candlemass from 2006 to 2012—the band has taken quite a unique approach to the material. They’ve taken away the guitar and replaced it with a gothic pipe organ, and founder/producer Brian A. H. Labrecque recites mythical spoken-word poetry into each track. The end result is spectacular! I hadn’t listened to Candlemass’s timeless album in over a decade and it made me want to revisit it to compare the two. A Mass of Candles is a perfect companion piece to it and whether or not you’re familiar with the source material, if you’re into atmospheric doom, you simply must give this record a spin. This is the best kind of tribute album—one that doesn’t stay too close or stray too far from the original, but instead reinvents it in a way that fits it like a glove and feels like visiting an old friend, all the while injecting the songs with a bold new energy and adapting them for our times. The six classic tunes are hypnotic, epic, and darkly poetic. Atheist Alien’s A Mass of Candles is a pitch-perfect rendition of a bona fide classic LP; it truly feels like you’re listening to a dark ceremony. They should tackle Candlemass’s sophomore album, Nightfall, for next Halloween!

Stream A Mass of Candles

Get A Mass of Candles on vinyl or CD here

Third, Argentinian stoner doom trio Inferous released their latest album, Mueran Todos, this past October 13^th. Entirely sung in Spanish, the LP’s title translates to Everybody Die. This is a really cool record, folks. Some sludgy stoner doom (more doom than stoner) that is quite heavy and psychedelic. The opener, “Weed Hunter”, is a superb instrumental that channels stoner legends Sleep with flying colours. “Al borde del abismo” (“On the Edge of the Abyss”) follows, an uber atmospheric track that’s thick like molasses. On to the epic “Espada negra” (“Black Sword”), my personal favourite, with its groovy riff and great vocals with shades of Black Sabbath thrown in for good measure. “Ritual ciego” (“Blind Ritual”) is a more mellow piece with a thumping bassline and chill guitar tone. “Brutal conciencia” (“Brutal Conscience”) closes out the album, a speedy song with a punk edge to it. Inferous’s Mueran Todos really hits the spot. Fans of Sleep and Dopelord will dig it a lot. If, like me, you were disappointed by Sleep’s Hempispheres back in September, have no fear; Inferous has got you covered. It’s a first-rate substitute for Sleep. Don’t speak Spanish? Don’t matter. You’ll be hypnotized by this lean collection of massive tunes. Clocking in just under thirty minutes, it’s the kind of album you’ll want to put on repeat once it’s over. Bring on the fuzz!

Inferous on Bandcamp

Fourth, New Jersey hard rock/metal legends Skid Row will celebrate their 40^th anniversary with two offerings in November. First off, a newly remastered edition of their 40 Seasons: The Best of Skid Row retitled 40 Years: The Best of Skid Row for the occasion, arrives November 6^th via BMG/Rhino Entertainment. It covers the Sebastian Bach years, spanning from the self-titled 1989 debut to 1991’s Slave to the Grind through 1995’s Subhuman Race. This was already a terrific compilation back in 1998. but a remaster almost thirty years later is much welcomed. The track list remains the same, in the same chorological order. I only have two gripes about it (and one is very minor): the two new tracks which were unreleased songs from the debut and Slave still wind up at the end of the LP. They should have been inserted to follow the chronology of albums, i.e. “Forever” should follow “I Remember You” as it was a track from the 1989 sessions, and “Fire in the Hole” should come right after the song “Slave to the Grind” as it was a demo from that LP. It would make for a more cohesive listening experience in my humble opinion. As far as the song selection goes, there lies my other minor gripe: the omission of “Wasted Time” is a crime, plain and simple, and I was hoping they’d remedy that by swapping, say, “Psycho Love” for it. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Anyhow, other than that, this is a fantastic collection of 16 songs that shows why Skid Row was such a force to be reckoned with during that brief era. Subhuman Race remains to this day a very underrated album. The five tracks that represent it here are all stellar and have been remixed to sound less muddy than on the 1995 record. “Frozen” is the demo version which packs a bigger punch than the original album version in my opinion, while “Beat Yourself Blind” is an energetic live rendition taken from the Subhuman Beings on Tour!! live in London EP found in the Skid Row - The Atlantic Years box set.

Next up, on November 27^th to celebrate Record Store Day, a limited-edition vinyl will be released of their 1989 live set at the Moscow Music Peace Festival. The press release mentions that it’s a 6-track record (which would be their full set, including the opening song, a cover of the Sex Pistols’ “Holidays in the Sun”) but the promotional photo that’s being displayed everywhere clearly shows that it doesn’t include the Pistols cover and is instead only five songs. It would make sense for licensing issues to only feature Skid Row’s own material. In any case, this is a great early show from Skid Row with the band playing tight and Bach’s vocals in their ferocious prime, so if you come across it, do pick it up! Hopefully it’ll get a proper release on CD and digitally sometime in the near future. In the meantime, you can easily find it on YouTube (with video to boot!) and see/hear for yourself what the fuss is all about. Skid Row held open auditions last spring in search of a new lead singer. They’ve finally announced their choice: Broadway singer/actor Justin Sargent. They’ve just released a first single with him, a cover of The Who classic “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. Sargent sounds similar to Jon Bon Jovi in my humble opinion. I’m not thrilled but I’m keeping an open mind. Maybe we’ll even get a new Skid Row record next year!

Skid Row’s Official Website

Fifth, German power metal and thrash metal band Mystic Prophecy return with their 13^th album, In Metal, on November 27^th via Perception, a division of Reigning Phoenix Music. The band’s follow-up to 2023’s Hellriot follows in the same vein of short, punchy songs. Another band—more than two decades into their career—that I wasn’t familiar with and this album was a grower for me, but after a couple of spins, I really dug it. Some highlights: from the opening first single, the earworm “Robots” (also my personal favourite) to the anthemic title track “In Metal”, to the machine-gun rhythm of the second single “March or Die”, to the introspective “My Inner Innocence”, to the melodic guitar delight “Devil’s Son”, to end with a bang with the larger-than-life “Warrior of Asgard”. This ten-track collection is filled to the brim with shout-it-loud choruses mixed with heavy riffs and speedy guitar solos. In Metal is a top-notch metal record through and through. Long-time fans of Mystic Prophecy are sure to get a kick out of this album and power metal aficionados in general should pick it up; it’s well worth your precious time and hard-earned cash.  

Mystic Prophecy’s Official Website

And that’s it for the October edition of the HKP! Have fun trick or treating or handing out candy tonight, and above all, stay safe! Enjoy the parties, horror movies, and of course, the killer music. Until next time, crank up the tunes! 

Stories from Dead Scribes – Episode 5: Washington Irving’s “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”

Greetings! Halloween is just around the corner and I decided to pick a fitting tale just for the occasion. Episode 5 of my series of live readings is now up on YouTube in the Stories from Dead Scribes playlist. I did a reading of Washington Irving’s perennial classic short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”. This was a challenging read: a single sitting reading for an hour and fifteen minutes, no chapters, lots and lots of run-on sentences that can get confusing (rules were different writing in the 1820s) and encountering many ancient words that we no longer use today. I looked them up beforehand, of course, for pronunciation and meaning, but in the flow of things, I freeze up and forget the correct pronunciation at times, so it’s not a perfect reading by any means. Still damn proud of it though, but be advised that I do fumble a couple of times throughout, but that’s one of the pitfalls of doing live readings. In any case, it’s a fun tale that should be read/heard at least once if your experience of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has only been through the beloved 1949 Walt Disney cartoon or the 1999 Tim Burton film. Please bookmark the Stories from Dead Scribes playlist and subscribe to my channel to be notified whenever I post new readings. Until next time, enjoy! 

Stories from Dead Scribes – Episode 4: Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”

Greetings! October is underway, autumn with its red and gold leaves is among us, and I’ve got the perfect story for this magically dark time of year. I’ve just uploaded Episode 4 of my series of live readings on YouTube in the Stories from Dead Scribes playlist. I do a reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s classic macabre short story “The Tell-Tale Heart”. I’m really proud of this one; I think I nailed it. Please bookmark the Stories from Dead Scribes playlist and subscribe to my channel to be notified whenever I post new readings. Until next time, stay scared!  

Stories from Dead Scribes – Episode 3: H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Outsider”

Happy October! This is my favourite time of the year. I’ve just uploaded Episode 3 of my series of live readings on YouTube in the Stories from Dead Scribes playlist. It’s a reading of the Howard Phillips Lovecraft tale “The Outsider”. As a horror writer myself, H.P. Lovecraft has been one of my biggest influences. His Cthulhu Mythos has left its mark on a plethora of horror and sci-fi authors as well as filmmakers. “The Outsider” is a non-mythos tale, meaning it doesn’t fit in the continuity of the Cthulhu Mythos and its cosmic horror. Its style resembles more Edgar Allan Poe than what’s usually associated with Lovecraftian horror. Written in 1921, it was first published in Weird Tales magazine in April 1926. The 1995 film Castle Freak from director Stuart Gordon was loosely based on this story. Please bookmark the Stories from Dead Scribes playlist and subscribe to my channel to be notified whenever I post new readings. Until next time, enjoy! 

Harbinger’s Killer Picks – September 2026

Greetings metalheads! Summer’s gone and fall is officially here, my favourite season of the year! Last Saturday of the month, so it must be time for another edition of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks where I share five albums that I think are worth your time and money. So, without further ado, let’s dive into them.

First, brothers Hays and Ryan Holladay scored Zach Cregger’s new Resident Evil film, released to coincide with the movie’s opening day in theatres last Friday, September 18^th. The film is an immersive thrill ride filled with comical situations that perfectly captures the games’ atmosphere, having played my fair share of the Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis console games back in the late ‘90s/early 2000s on PS1 and Dreamcast. My immediate reactions upon exiting the theatre were 1) I wanna see it again, and 2) I wanna buy the soundtrack. Rarely do I find film scores memorable in this day and age, but this Resident Evil synth soundtrack really hits the mark. Reminiscent of John Carpenter’s glory days of scoring The Thing and Escape from New York, with nods to Goblin’s Italian horror scores done for Argento and Fulci movies, this impactful soundtrack is punctuated by haunting horns, crushing drums, and a pervasive mood of doom and gloom. The Holladay brothers also scored Zech Cregger’s smash hit Weapons last year and that soundtrack too was awesome. I’ll be following their career closely from now on. Resident Evil is a 29-track, 44-minute album that’s available digitally on iTunes, Apple Music, YouTube, and Spotify. I highly recommend it to fans of horror movies, synthwave music, and film scores in general. Oh, and go see the movie too; it’s well worth a trip (or two) to the theatre!

Resident Evil Soundtrack on Apple Music

Second, British heavy metallers Dethonator are set to unleash their fifth album, The Last Realm of Magic, on October 2^nd. It’s been six years since the release of Dethonator’s two-part ambitious Race Against the Sun, a superb pair of concept albums interpreting Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The band has also released a super fun single that’s an absolute metal anthem in 2023 titled “Donington” which you simply have to get. The English quartet returns with another phenomenal LP in the form of The Last Realm of Magic. For the uninitiated, Dethonator do traditional metal with a good dose of power metal and a sprinkle of progressive metal. Think Iron Maiden, Helloween, and Queensryche all rolled into one. Some of the highlights for me include the opening title track with its Maidenesque galloping riff; the catchy second single, “Motor Heart”, just released yesterday; the first single, “Storm Chaser”, a high-energy banger that would’ve been right at home on the 2024 Twisters movie soundtrack; the very accessible “Devil’s Dyke”, probably my favourite track and a great tune to raise your fist and bob your head to; the stellar “Elisa”, which I like to call a ballad with teeth; and the closing track, the melodic Edgar Allan Poe-influenced “Masque of the Red Death” with its barrage of guitars. The songs all feature killer guitar solos, terrific vocals from vocalist Tris Lineker, and a thundering rhythm section. Adz Lineker, on bass, also provides some dethvox but it is kept to a minimum. As regular readers of this blog know, I’m really not a fan of growling in songs but it does work for the band here, as it did on their previous LPs. The Last Realm of Magic is a triumphant metal album that’s a real contender for the Top Ten Albums of the Year list. Whether you’re new to Dethonator’s music or a seasoned fan, pre-order this album ASAP, it’s a must-have metal LP!   

Dethonator on Bandcamp

Third, Canadian/American/Finnish metal quintet Smoulder return with their third studio LP, Witch Wife in an Alien World, on October 9^th via Cruz Del Sur Music. I’d heard a lot of great things about Smoulder these last few years and since I’d never listened to their music, I was excited to take Witch Wife for a spin. All the ingredients are there: a powerful, charismatic vocalist in the form of Sarah Ann, the dual guitar threat of Shon Vincent and Collin Wolf who deliver killer solos throughout, and a tight rhythm section composed of Adam Blake on bass and Kevin Hester on drums. Yet after a few spins, I don’t find it as memorable as I thought I would. I wish there were more songs that stood out, like the catchy second single, “Shadow of the Vulture”—inspired by the Robert E. Howard short story of the same name that introduced the world to Red Sonja—and the closing track, the epic “Smouldering Remains”. The rest of the LP never reaches the same heights as those two songs did for me, even though at times, it features moments of brilliance and spectacular musicianship. Maybe I’d enjoy their previous albums better? Or maybe it’s just that this kind of power doom metal doesn’t click with me. In any case, I still recommend taking Witch Wife in an Alien World for a spin as Smoulder is a band that has talent in spades and you might just find this album to your liking.

Smoulder on Bandcamp

Fourth, Finnish witchfinders of old school doom and metal Cardinals Folly will be releasing their seventh album, Let the Posers Fall!, also on October 9^th via Cruz Del Sur Music. These guys will celebrate their 20^th anniversary next year; why have I never heard of them? This is a great band and a terrific LP. From what I gather, with the arrival of a new guitarist, the trio is shifting towards a more traditional metal sound, less doomy than on their previous releases. Let the Posers Fall! is a heavy metal album with echoes of old school doom and black metal touches. Some of the highlights for me include “Hitch-Hike”, a cool NWOBHM tune; the first single, the instant classic “New York Ripper”, an homage to the Lucio Fulci horror movie of the same name; “Your Stallions Are Burning”, loaded with Sabbathian vibes, a superb heavy song; the epic “Cultist Highway” with its driving guitars; and the closer, “Providence”, dripping with Lovecraftian references, an ode to horror writer H.P. Lovecraft’s hometown. Cardinals Folly’s latest opus is perfect for the Halloween season. The songs paint a vivid imagery of horror in pop culture and in real life. It makes for a rapturous listening experience and one hell of a magnificent metal album. Pick it up at your earliest convenience!

Cardinals Folly on Bandcamp

Fifth, mysterious Spanish metal quintet Crimson Coven will release their first LP, -I- The Forge, also on October 9^th via Cruz Del Sur Music. Another band with the word “Crimson” in its name; there sure seems to be an awful lot of them as of late. The Forge is a concept album, the follow-up to the band’s debut demo, -0- The Genesis, released in 2025. Crimson Coven’s sound can be described as a cross between vintage Candlemass and Mercyful Fate. The band members’ identities are kept secret on purpose, the lineup listed simply with single letters—M on Guitar, P on Vocals, etc. Some of the highlights for me include the first single, “Crimson Coven”, with its chugging riff; “The Birth of the Serpents”, a heavier tune about Medusa from Greek Mythology; “Crowns of Greed”, with its melodic galloping riff; and the epic “Unleash the Kraken”, another mythology-oriented song and certainly my favourite of the lot. The Forge oozes with atmosphere. Crimson Coven seems to be developing a large-scale setting for their songs, worldbuilding if you will, from album titles to the songs contained within. It’s a solid record from top to bottom and if you’re into dark and mysterious metal, you should definitely check out this LP and band.

Crimson Coven on Bandcamp

And that’s it for the September edition of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks! Enjoy the crisp, cool air and gorgeous scenery as we’re about to enter October and Halloween draws nearer. Until next time, crank up the tunes! 

Stories from Dead Scribes – Episode 2: Robert E. Howard’s “Blades for France”

Greetings! Episode 2 of my series of live readings is now up on YouTube in the Stories from Dead Scribes playlist. It’s the second Robert E. Howard Dark Agnes de Chastillon tale, “Blades for France”. I’m getting better at this and it’ll get easier the more of these readings I do; it’s especially challenging when the protagonist is a woman and I try to change my voice as I read it. This one is divided into two chapters, so two videos (Episodes 2.1 and 2.2). You can listen to Chapter 1 here and Chapter 2 here. Please bookmark the Stories from Dead Scribes playlist and subscribe to my channel to be notified whenever I post new readings. I’ve already recorded my next reading and it’s a short H.P. Lovecraft tale. I’ll upload it in about two weeks in time for October, the month of Halloween! Until next time, enjoy! 

Stories from Dead Scribes – Episode 1: Robert E. Howard’s “Sword Woman”

Greetings! As mentioned in my last post, I have now recorded my first live reading of Robert E. Howard’s Dark Agnes de Chastillon story, “Sword Woman”. It’s not perfect but I think I did pretty good for my first time reading a story other than one of my own in a live setting. The tale is divided into four chapters, hence the four videos (Episodes 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4). You can listen to the full thing on YouTube for free right here. Please bookmark the Stories from Dead Scribes playlist and subscribe to my channel to be notified whenever I post new readings. I’ll be recording the other Dark Agnes story Howard wrote, “Blades for France”, soon and it should be up on YouTube in about three weeks. Enjoy! 

Harbinger’s Killer Picks – August 2026

Greetings metalheads! I’ve been really busy during these dog days of summer but it’s a great month for new and upcoming releases and I’m showcasing some fall titles. Exciting records are coming your way and I dive into them right here with six killer picks—five LPs and a single—for the month of August.

First, you wanted the best, you got the best: KISS Destroys Anaheim ’76 was released last week on August 21^st to coincide with the 50^th anniversary of that historic show. I had to listen to it on YouTube on release day as my CD only arrived the following Monday from KISS Online (a big improvement in terms of past pre-orders for me), but it was well worth the wait. This live album is KISS-tastic! Why it took fifty years for it to finally be officially released after years of bootlegs circulating on the market in varying degrees of quality boggles the mind. This LP commemorates one of the most iconic shows in KISStory as KISS performed in front of their largest audience to date of 42,000 plus fans at Anaheim Stadium in California on August 20^th, 1976. Originally recorded by Eddie Kramer, Eddie has newly mixed this concert from the original multi-track tapes. This is peak KISS and the band fires on all cylinders here. Everything sounds crystal clear: Paul’s vocals are in top form, Gene’s bass pounds like an earthquake, Ace’s guitar tone is to die for, and Peter’s playing has never been tighter. The setlist is tremendous, with newer songs from Destroyer being added to well-known favourites like “Detroit Rock City”, “King of The Night Time World”, “Shout It Out Loud”, “Do You Love Me”, and “God of Thunder”. After having received my CD, I can honestly say that this is now my second favourite KISS live album, right next to ALIVE! It’s that great. It should’ve been released back in 1976, between ALIVE! and ALIVE II. It’s releases like this one that remind me why KISS is my favourite band of all-time. Up until now I really enjoyed the Off the Soundboard series, but I’d much rather have this kind of release with some slight studio production of a full concert, a cool booklet and packaging as opposed to the drab cardboard releases of Off the Soundboard. If you’re a KISS fan, pick this up ASAP! If you’re a casual fan who only listens to the original KISS era, this is a must-have record!

KISS Destroys Anaheim ’76 at KISS Online & Streaming Platforms

Second, speaking of KISS; Portland, Oregon’s Alpha Destroyer, hot on the heels of their stellar debut LP Fast Lane last year, have put out a metallized hard rock cover of KISS’s classic “God of Thunder” on August 11^th via Necromantic Press Records. They based their rendition on Paul Stanley's original demo version instead of the Bob Ezrin-produced song everyone knows. As a KISS fanatic who always loves discovering new KISS covers, I can tell you, this one ranks way up there. They put their own spin on it while maintaining the spirit of the original. The single is available on streaming platforms and collectors can also purchase the extremely limited, hand-numbered 7” clear vinyl at Necromantic’s Website (link below). It’s a perfect addition to any KISS and/or Alpha Destroyer’s record collection.

Necromantic Press Records' page for "God of Thunder"

"God of Thunder" on Spotify and Apple Music

Third, the mighty Ripple Music label unveils the first chapter of "The Underground Metal Vault"—a new LP/CD series dedicated to unsung late ‘70s and early ‘80s metal heroes. Leading the charge is Bay Area ‘80s metal band Violation with The Anthology due out on September 18^th. This will be another cool series from Ripple Music in the same vein as the “Beneath the Desert Floor” series which uncovers lost treasures from the early days of stoner/desert/doom rock. RidingEasy Records had started a similar series focussing on metal with “Scrap Metal” but seemed to have stopped after only two volumes. Here’s hoping Ripple Music’s goes on for much longer. Violation started out as a cover band in the late ‘70s and went on to write and record original songs, playing gigs throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1982, they released the 7” single of “Meet Me at Midnight” along with “Balls Out” and were also featured on the US Metal, Vol. 3 compilation with the song “Gonna Get to You”. Shortly after the release of that album, Violation disbanded in 1983. Now on to the album. The Anthology compiles all the band’s recordings in one place for the listener’s convenience. Close to an hour of music spread over 15 songs (including three demos), this is a solid LP from top to bottom, folks. Loaded with melodic hooks and memorable choruses, it’s really a shame that this band never took off. Some highlights for me include the kick-ass opener, “Balls Out”; the power ballad “Coming After You”; the rocker “Goin’ Down Fighting”; the killer track “Gonna Get to You” which gets my vote for best song of the LP; and “Meet Me At Midnight”, an obvious choice as why it was released as their first single back in the day. Whether it’s to hear guitarist Paul Harris’s guitar extravaganzas or to listen to a slice of the magical era of early ‘80s metal, Violation’s The Anthology is not to be missed. Fans of Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy, and UFO will really dig Violation’s music. I’ll be looking forward to Chapter 2 of Ripple Music’s "The Underground Metal Vault".

Ripple Music’s Bandcamp page for Violation

Violation on Bandcamp

Fourth, melodic hard rock quartet Storm Force will release the follow-up to their 2020 debut album, Age of Fear, via BraveWords Records on September 25^th titled Truth. Ain’t no sophomore slump here, folks! It’s easier than ever to put together and record an album nowadays, but bands like Storm Force are there to remind us that there are levels to this game and Truth is top-tier hard rock. Founded by guitarist/songwriter Greg Fraser—better known for his work with Canadian hard rock veterans Brighton Rock—Storm Force is the perfect example of old school meeting the new school. Just the right amount of nostalgia injected into a modern take on hard rock/soft metal. Frontman/co-songwriter Patrick Gagliardi’s vocals sound like a classy blend of Motley Crue’s Vince Neil with a dash of Jon Bon Jovi thrown in for good measure. Bassist Mike Berardelli and drummer Roger Banks form the rhythm section and complete the ranks of this seasoned bunch of musicians. The title track kicks things off and is a definite highlight of the record; “Silver Lining” is a great tune with a sweet guitar solo; the lead-off single “Saviour” is a terrific ballad worthy of Top 40 Radio; “Between the Lines” has got an intro that instantly reminded me of The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and is a cool rocking ballad; “Anti Social Media” is a fitting anthem for these social media-driven times we live in; “Fire Starter” is probably my fave song of the LP with its classic rock feel reminiscent of ‘80s KISS and AC/DC; “On with the Show” is another solid rocker while “You’re Never Alone” is an arena-ready, sing-along tune dipped in ‘80s nostalgia; “I Wasn't Finished Loving You” is another bona fide ballad and a damn good one at that; “Karma’s A Bitch” closes out the set, a certified banger to bob your head to. These ten songs are quite simply fantastic! The LP’s jam-packed with guitar-driven rockers and if like me you’ve been craving old school rock ballads, then you’ll be well-served with Truth. Storm Force is the genuine article. With a polished production, a larger-than-life sound, infectious hooks, and catchy choruses, Storm Force delivers on all fronts. Fans of Whitesnake, Bon Jovi, Motley Crue, and Winger will really dig this album. Truth will be a no-brainer candidate for the Top 10 Albums of the Year list come December. Storm Force’s Truth gets my highest possible recommendation!

BraveWords Records’ Bandcamp page for Storm Force

Fifth, Raleigh, North Carolina traditional heavy metal quartet Crimson Steel will release Show No Fear on October 2^nd through Heaven and Hell Records. The album was previously released on May 1^st on CD only but will now be available digitally and on vinyl as of October. When it comes to old school metal/trad metal, there seems to be no shortage of great new bands hailing from the UK, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and all over Europe, and even from my homeland of Canada, but there haven’t been as many from the United States. So, it’s another reason why I’m glad to talk about Crimson Steel as they’re a super talented American, female-fronted metal band. Show No Fear appears to be a reset of sorts with new singer Tina Langevin replacing Iris Obispo from their first 2022 album, Night Creatures. I say “reset of sorts” because apart from founding bassist Joel McGee, it’s a completely new lineup. And a great lineup it is! Crimson Steel delivers American metal at its finest. Show No Fear feels very much like a concept album with a focussed story of dark myth, hard-won defiance, and overcoming obstacles unfolding with each song. The two singles released thus far are high-energy battle cries: “Dark Rider” and “No Absolution”. “Purifier” follows, a scorcher of a track which I could very well see being the next single; “Final Phase” has a superb guitar intro and paints vivid imagery with its storytelling; “Century Sword” continues the story with more brilliant guitar work; “Bleed into One” is a gorgeous duet with metal icon James Rivera (Helstar, Vicious Rumors) with spoken passages in Latin—very original; the title track closes out the LP, another kick-ass banger to set you on your way. With Show No Fear, Crimson Steel puts the metal world on notice and shows they mean business. Langevin’s vocal prowess is reminiscent of Heart’s Ann Wilson at times. Chock-full of inspired and incendiary guitar solos paired with a dynamic rhythm section, Crimson Steel have put together a stunning record that will be relished by metal fans the world over. It’s a lean, mean album from top to bottom that fans of Judas Priest and Crimson Glory will particularly enjoy.

Crimson Steel on Bandcamp

Heaven and Hell Records’ Bandcamp page for Crimson Steel

Sixth, Swedish power metal force Tungsten will return with their fifth album titled Ashes on October 9^th via Perception, a division of Reigning Phoenix Music. It’s an outstanding follow-up to 2024’s The Grand Inferno, which I loved. If their last record didn’t propel them to worldwide awareness in the metal community, then Ashes will be the one that solidifies Tungsten as a force to be reckoned with. There are certain performances that signal a shift in a band’s career, that become a defining moment where everything clicks. For Tungsten, it happened at the ROCKHARZ Festival which took place last month from July 1^st to 4^th in Ballenstedt, Germany. You can watch their awesome set in its entirety right here on YouTube. This quartet plays so organically together—the fact that it’s a family affair certainly helps; drummer Anders Johansson formed the band with his two sons (Niklas "Nick" Johansson on guitars/backing vocals and Karl "Kalle" Johansson on bass/keyboards/screams). Frontman Mike Andersson commands the audience and gets everyone to sing along and participate throughout the set. Anyhow, on to the LP. “Joker” and “Bite My Tongue” are catchy-as-all-hell singles to open the festivities. Some other highlights for me include “Supernova”, an earworm of a song that’ll stay stuck in your head all day and which should be the next single; “Sunshine of Fall”, a slower single that serves as a wonderful ode to the autumn season; “The North Will Rise”, a Viking anthem, featuring Tony Kakko of Sonata Arctica; the Celtic “For Thee”, reminiscent of their massive hit “On the Sea”, a superb sing-along tune; and the final track, “The Forge”, a heavier song that is melodic metal at its finest. With Ashes, all the ingredients for a hit record are in place: fiery riffs, terrific melodies, catchy choruses, and not one skippable track. Tungsten’s music infuses a positive mindset that instantly puts the listener in a good mood. They will only get bigger as the year progresses and Ashes will wind up on many Top Albums of the Year lists, I can guarantee it.

Reigning Phoenix Music’s page for Tungsten

And that’s the Killer Picks for August! Summer and vacations will soon be behind us so make the most of the winding season and enjoy yourselves with some new music. Until next time, crank up the tunes!

Stories from Dead Scribes

Greetings! I’ve long wanted to do readings of either my stories or of authors who’ve inspired me. I’ve always procrastinated because I never felt like learning and acquiring the software to edit audio and look into how to assemble a finished, professional sound file that would be worthy of being called an audiobook or even be sold on Audible. And, you know what, I’ve decided that it would take all the fun away from doing a reading for me. That’s one of the things that I never looked forward to after being done writing a book or story: formatting the manuscript into a finished print book or ebook, then finding a way to reach the readers through ads, promotion, social media, and all that. I want to have fun with this and I want it to be something creative devoid of all the hassles that could turn this into a chore. So, I’ll be doing something I love to do: live readings, warts and all, of stories from my favourite dead writers. Not to toot my own horn, but I’m pretty good at reading through a 40-minute tale in one sitting without screwing up more than once or twice. All it takes is a little practice beforehand for the different accents and distinct voices required for a story. My goal is to read a cool tale as if an audience were gathered around a campfire hanging on my every word.

I’ll be calling this Stories from Dead Scribes and it’ll feature mostly stories in the public domain from the late 1800s to the 1980s. You’ll be able to listen to them on my YouTube channel. I plan on doing a reading on average every three weeks. Here are some of the writers whose stories I’ll be diving into: Robert E. Howard, Ian Fleming, M.R. James, H.P. Lovecraft, Frank Herbert, H.G. Wells, Bram Stoker, Robert Bloch, Philip K. Dick, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Robert Louis Stevenson, Agatha Christie, and Daphne Du Maurier among many others. The genres will range from horror to sci-fi to thrillers and more. You’ll be able to find each new reading in the Stories from Dead Scribes playlist I’ve just created. I’ve recorded this little announcement to launch the series and it’s labelled “Episode 0”. You can check it out and save the playlist for future episodes right here.

And that’s it for me today! I look forward to doing my first reading very soon. It’ll be Robert E. Howard’s first Dark Agnes de Chastillon tale, “Sword Woman”. So, if you’re into Sword & Sorcery and haven’t heard of this lesser known creation of his, you’re in for a treat. This is a new era for me and I hope you’ll come along for the ride. Until next time, stay safe and keep reading! 

John Carpenter's Cathedral

Greetings! From time to time, I like to write special articles when something interesting and unique comes along. Such is the case this week with John Carpenter, one of my favourite directors and musicians of all-time, who saw his debut full-length graphic novel be published on Tuesday, August 4^th as well as its accompanying album released yesterday on Friday, August 7^th. I’m talking about John Carpenter’s Cathedral.

The 128-page graphic novel is published via Storm King Comics, founded by his wife Sandy King, who also co-wrote the book with John and Sean Sobczak. The gorgeous art is courtesy of Federico De Luca and Luis Guaragna. Cathedral unfolds like a nightmarish lucid dream from the Master of Horror. Inspired by a dream John had in 2024, it tells the story of Lieutenant Christine Marks who investigates her father’s gruesome and mysterious death within an abandoned church. With the help of detectives Paul Hernandez and Steve Mayfield, they’ll make their way deep down into the bowels of the cathedral and encounter a plethora of perils leading to a demon named Tezcatlipoca who reigns over the underworld, more than 1,000 feet below the church. As a long-time comic book fan/collector, this graphic novel really hit the spot for me. It’s fast-paced, has a resilient protagonist, features stunning art throughout and as horror comics go, it delivers the goods in spades with creative obstacles and doesn’t give us a happy ending. John said in an interview that back in the days when he was directing, this would’ve been a storyboard to a movie and it feels like it could easily have been turned into a terrific horror film, especially with the accompanying soundtrack.

Cathedral, the album, is the fifth original LP of non-movie music John has done with his son Cody Carpenter on synths and godson Daniel Davies on guitars. It’s released through Sacred Bones Records, the same label that put out Carpenter’s Lost Themes Vol. 1 through 4 as well as the new Halloween trilogy scores. I’ve been a huge fan of Carpenter’s music from the get-go; his score to Halloween (1978) is a soundtrack that I play every year around the spooky season—Halloween is actually my favourite movie of all time—and it never gets old. His scores for Escape from New York, The Fog, and Halloween III (which he did with Alan Howarth) are some of my most cherished soundtracks. I’ve greatly enjoyed his Lost Themes series over the last decade and was eager to hear the soundtrack to the Cathedral graphic novel. It was recorded before the book was fully written/illustrated but it serves as a perfect score to it. It’s highly atmospheric, it’s got more of a metal edge than the Lost Themes albums, gets much darker at times (and rightfully so as the Cathedral story is quite gloomy) while still maintaining that vintage John Carpenter synth sound we all love so much. The three singles released thus far (“Lord of the Underground”, “The Ferryman”, and “Revenge”) are great snapshots of what the full score has to offer. Even if you’re not into comic books/graphic novels, the album still stands on its own as a superb record of instrumental electronic and metal music.

John Carpenter’s Cathedral is the audio-visual event of the summer. This is the closest we’ll get to seeing a new John Carpenter film and the combination of a lengthy comic book along with an album of music to play while you read goes hand in hand. Cathedral is an immersive, fully-realized project of sound and vision depicting an eerie and otherworldly foray into a location grounded in reality. I’m eager to see and hear what John does next in both these mediums; this is the best of both worlds for me and I have a feeling his fans and horror aficionados in general will have a blast with the book and the album.

Official Website for John Carpenter’s Cathedral

John Carpenter’s Cathedral on Bandcamp 

Harbinger’s Killer Picks – July 2026

Greetings metalheads! I skipped the month of June to take a vacation but it’s time for another edition of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks. So, without further ado, here are my five killer picks for the month of July.

First, French metal veterans Stonecast returned with their fourth LP, Expand Crimson Chaos, on June 26^th via Pitch Black Records. It’s been seven years since the release of their previous opus, the critically-acclaimed I Earther, and the quartet shows no signs of slowing down, some twenty plus years into their career. At its heart, it’s a concept album of sorts with songs about resistance, fortitude, and the quest for redemption. It’s got uplifting and rallying themes that metal fans can get behind. From the opening track, “Death”, with its sense of grandeur setting the tone for the sonic excursion that follows to the ripping closer, “Nuclear Winter”, this kick-ass collection of songs takes the listener through an extensive gamut of emotions. Some highlights for me include “A ce lieu”—the only song sung in French and my very favourite; “Against the Tide”, the catchiest track of the LP; “King of Hell”, a noisier, thrashier tune with a terrific guitar solo; as well as the title track and first single, “Expand Crimson Chaos”. Vocalist Frank Ghirardi has many opportunities to showcase his singing chops and he reaches some pretty high notes at times. Stonecast sounds tight and melodic like a well-oiled machine and Expand Crimson Chaos is a solid meat and potatoes metal record. Fans of Judas Priest and Iced Earth will dig it a lot. As much as I enjoy Expand Crimson Chaos, I can’t help but wonder what an entire album sung in French would sound like. I think it might be a fun challenge for them to do in the near future. Until then, lend Stonecast’s latest oeuvre your ears, it’s well worth your time.

Stonecast on Bandcamp

Second, long-time psychedelic rock purveyors Dead Meadow will release a 7-track collection of mostly unreleased gems with Foundlings on July 31^st via boutique label Heavy Psych Sounds Records. The Washington D.C. trio has been around since 1998 and has more than left its mark on the music scene. It’s always interesting when a band that’s been around for nearly three decades decides to unearth rare material to assemble a collection. It reminded me of Megadeth’s 1995 EP Hidden Treasures which was a collection of songs that originally appeared on movie soundtracks and tribute albums. Foundlings features four unreleased tracks as well as three covers. The EP opens with the single “Lost to Light”, a head-bobbin’ tune from their 2023 Voyager to Voyager sessions. “Nobody Home” follows, a catchy heavy psych song from the 2022 EarthQuaker Devices sessions. Next, we have “Kingdom of Heaven”, a Powell St. John cover from the 2010 The Psychedelic Sounds of the Sonic Cathedral tribute album to Roky Erickson and the 13^th Floor Elevators. Onto their quite faithful Beatles cover of “Tomorrow Never Knows”—I really like their take on it but to me, the best rendition ever of that song belongs to Our Lady Peace who covered it in 1996 for The Craft soundtrack. Then we get a song from The Committee to Keep Music Evil sessions back in 2002 titled “Everything’s Goin’ On”; both mysterious and hypnotic, it’s my favourite of the original tunes on here. Their phenomenal cover of Led Zep’s “No Quarter” follows, taken from the 2017 Cleopatra Records’ Tribute to Led Zeppelin, and this one is my fave of the covers. To close out the set, a warm and calming instrumental titled “From the Children of Planet Earth”, recorded in 2024 during the Voyager to Voyager sessions. To be honest, I was expecting more out of this collection but I still dug it. In the end, Foundlings is a great entry point for newcomers to Dead Meadow and an excellent addition to any of the band’s countless devotees.

Heavy Psych Sounds’ Bandcamp page for Dead Meadow

Third, German hard rock/metal pioneers Sinner will release their final album, Boom Bang Goodbye, on July 31^st via powerhouse metal label Reigning Phoenix Music. Full disclosure: I’d only heard in passing of this band and its singer/bassist Mat Sinner but had never actually listened to a song of theirs (to my knowledge anyway). Some bands from Europe don’t have the same exposure to North American listeners and vice versa. And I find out they’ve been around since 1982? Sorry, my bad. Granted, the Internet has long shattered those frontiers, but nevertheless, I wasn’t familiar with Sinner. For the uninitiated, they remind me of RATT, Warrant, and to some extent even Def Leppard. A perfect blend of classic hard rock and melodic metal, Boom Bang Goodbye is an absolute blast from beginning to end. It features a slew of guests such as Renan Zonta, Michael Bormann, Ronnie Romero, Björn “Speed” Strid, Erik Mårtensson, Michael Sadler, Sascha Krebs, and Magnus Karlsson. Some highlights for me include the nostalgia-infused opener, “Dreams Can Come True”; the earworm first single “Wait”; the lovely ballad and second single “Leave It All Behind” where Ronnie Romero shines vocally; the sing-along “Are You Ready”; the tuneful “Turn the Page”, sounding like it could’ve been a Cheap Trick track; and “Under the Moonlight”, the catchiest song on here in my opinion with a wistful guitar solo. The 11 songs feel like a Greatest Hits package—not a dud for the duration. I caught Sinner just in time as they’re saying goodbye but I’m glad I did at least. Boom Bang Goodbye has a magical quality to it. It instantly puts a smile on your face as soon as you hear the first riffs and lyrics. It’s a feel-good record in every respect, chock-full of splendid guitar hooks & solos and infectious choruses throughout, making for a collection of memorable, fun ‘80s-inspired arena anthems. A sure-fire contender for the Top Ten Albums of the Year list down the road.

Reigning Phoenix Music’s page for Sinner

Fourth, Hartlepool, UK’s dark electro trio Machiner will give birth to their debut album, Motion Waves, on August 7^th via North East of England label Butterfly Effect. A concoction of distorted guitars, deft rhythm programming, and exquisite orchestration, the entire record has a dreamy quality to it. From the first notes of the first single and opener, “Silent Running”, my curiosity was instantly piqued. It’s a warm, gentle, and melodic song that reminded me of the atmosphere found on Pink Floyd’s 1994 masterpiece, The Division Bell, an album that is very dear to me. Other highlights for me include “The Between”, a gem of a song which echoes U2 at times; “Dark Age”, a mysterious cinematic track that might just be my favourite of the bunch; “Cast Me in Amber”, the longest cut of the LP has a very catchy melody; and last but not least, the delightful closer, “Ever Over”, an absolutely perfect tune for stargazing. With Motion Waves, Machiner delivers a unique blend of polished alt rock and dark wave to create an immersive cinematic soundscape for the listener. Band leader/frontman Paul McCarte’s soothing voice is easy on the ears and fits Machiner’s sonic mood to a T. Channelling Depeche Mode and New Order with Floydesque vibes on occasion, it’s part throwback to the music of the ‘90s, part window to the sounds of the future to form a fully realized aural vision. Motion Waves is a superb contemplative record from beginning to end. Don’t sleep on it and give it a listen at your earliest convenience!

Butterfly Effect’s Bandcamp page for Machiner

Fifth, legendary German metal sextet Mob Rules will release a new 5-track EP titled Stories from the Verdant Vale on August 21^st via ROAR, a division of Reigning Phoenix Music. A direct follow-up to their fantastic tenth album last year, Rise of the Ruler, this EP stems from songs written during the final stages of the Rise sessions, now presented as a special standalone release. I’d heard various songs from Mob Rules over the years but upon Stories from the Verdant Vale landing in my inbox, I decided to take their Rise of the Ruler record for a spin to get a better picture of where these latest songs came from. What a great band this is! I’d recommend doing the same to better appreciate the new material. Stories showcases a softer side of the band and each song has a distinctive feel to it. The two singles, the old school metal tune “Master of the Black Crow” and the catchy ballad “Above the Maelstrom”, are outstanding, but my favourite of the bunch is the melodic synth-driven “Masquerade Ball” with its marvellous guitar solo. This is definitely a band I’ll have on my radar going forward. They’ve been around for thirty years but have aged like the finest of wines. Stories from the Verdant Vale is an awesome sampler of what Mob Rules has to offer. It’ll pique new listeners’ curiosity and make them track down their previous LPs. Long-time fans will savour this new crop of songs and remain eager for the band’s next full-length release. Highly recommended!    

Reigning Phoenix Music’s page for Mob Rules

There you have it! Some hot music to cool you off during the scorching days of summer. Have fun this summer season while it’s here as it’s rapidly slipping away from us. Until next time, enjoy the warm weather, the cold drinks, and crank up the tunes! 

Madonna’s Confessions II

And now for something completely different! I usually refrain from discussing albums that don’t fall under the large umbrella of rock/metal on the blog such as, say, a pop or classical record. They don’t really fit the template of the Harbinger of D.O.O.M. blog and its readers, but as is the case with anything in life, there are always exceptions. Such an exception can certainly be made for the Queen of Pop, the iconic Madonna and her latest release, Confessions II, which dropped yesterday, just in time for the 4^th of July. I figure there are most likely many of you who are still fans of her music or that’d be interested in reading about/listening to this particular album.

It’s the spiritual sequel to her now classic Confessions on a Dance Floor, released twenty-one years ago and which also happens to be one of my favourite albums of hers. When I heard a while back that Madonna would be doing Confessions II, I immediately took notice and made it a point to start following her again. To give you an idea of where I come from, I’ve been a Madonna fan since I the very beginning of her career in 1983, at the tender age of 9. Like a Virgin (1984) is one of the very first tapes my parents ever bought me. My three favourite LPs of hers are I’m Breathless - Music from/Inspired by the Film Dick Tracy (1990), Like a Prayer (1989) and Erotica (1992). I got off the Madonna train and stopped buying her CDs in 2012 with the release of her MDNA album. That album just didn’t do anything for me. I also found her follow-up, Rebel Heart (2015), quite forgettable and didn’t get past the first single from Madame X (2019).

But I digress. Back to Confessions II. It’s been seven years since her last album and from the get-go, I really enjoyed the three singles (“I Feel So Free”, “Bring Your Love”, and “Love Sensation”) and decided to pre-order Confessions II on iTunes. I’ve only had time to listen to it three times since yesterday as it’s a longer LP—16 songs running at 64 minutes—but so far, I really like it and believe it’s her best album since Hard Candy (2008) which I absolutely love. So, here are my first impressions. As was the case with Confessions on a Dance Floor, each song flows into the next one seamlessly and we get a good balance of dance tunes as well as softer songs. Aside from the three singles which I feel are all highlights of the LP, I really dig “Danceteria”, vintage-sounding Madonna and should be the next single; “Everything”, one of the catchiest tracks on here; “Bizarre” featuring Martin Garrix, reminds me of something from Hard Candy; “Fragile”, a softer song reminiscent of the ambiance from her Ray of Light era; “My Sins Are My Savior” with Belgian sensation Stromae where Madonna speaks in French; and “L.E.S. Girl” (stands for Lower East Side Girl) gives us a beautiful stripped-down version of Madonna. The worst track for me is “School”, an experimental song of sorts which I still dislike after three spins. Some songs I found average at best were “Love Without Words” and “The Test”, her duet with her daughter Lola Leon.

In the end, I think Confessions II is a solid Madonna album and a great pop record. Only time will tell if it will become as beloved as its 2005 predecessor, but I believe Madonna fans will love it. If you haven’t listened to/enjoyed Madonna’s last couple of LPs, I think her latest opus will give you something to cheer about. Highly recommended to Madonna and pop music fans as well as old farts like me who used to listen to her tapes and CDs religiously back in the ‘80s and ‘90s. See you in three weeks for the next issue of the Harbinger’s Killer Picks on July 25^th. Till then, enjoy the summer heat and the cool music!