Musings: KISS - Off the Soundboard: Poughkeepsie, NY 1984

KISS returns with the 5^th entry in their fantastic Off the Soundboard series, this time Live in Poughkeepsie, NY 1984 for the Animalize Tour. What’s special about this show is that it’s the only known soundboard recording featuring guitarist Mark St. John who only played with the band on one album, Animalize, and only played a handful of shows with them. The rest of the lineup comprises Paul Stanley on vocals/guitar, Gene Simmons on bass/vocals, and the late, great Eric Carr on drums/vocals—who also happens to be my favourite KISS drummer. The show runs an hour and twenty minutes and features 18 songs.

Here is the setlist:

1. Detroit Rock City

2. Cold Gin

3. Creatures of the Night

4. Fits Like a Glove

5. Heaven's on Fire

6. Guitar Solo

7. Under the Gun

8. War Machine

9. Drum Solo

10. Young and Wasted (Incomplete)

11. Bass Solo

12. I Love It Loud

13. I Still Love You

14. Love Gun

15. Black Diamond

16. Oh! Susanna

17. Lick It Up

18. Rock and Roll All Nite (Incomplete)

As readers of this blog know by now, KISS is my favourite band of all-time. Nevertheless, to me this is the release we didn’t ask for. Of all the shows they’ve done over the past five decades, surely, Gene and Paul could’ve picked something fans wanted more. Maybe it’s because it’s from a tour for one of the albums I like the least in KISS’s catalogue, but I really didn’t care to have a show featuring Mark St. John on guitar. If you were gonna put out a performance from the Animalize tour, at least give us one with the great Bruce Kulick on guitar! The good thing is we finally get a live release with Eric Carr on drums. Anyway, it’s KISS and I needed to add this volume of the Off the Soundboard series to my collection, so I picked it up. I put on my headphones, hit the play button, and I was still very excited to listen to it, having just gotten back from the mall to purchase the CD in a record store, something I only do about a couple of times a year—whenever KISS releases a new OTS record actually. Colour me surprised, it exceeded my expectations and I had a real good time with it.

KISS in the mid-eighties played their songs live much faster, so it’s interesting to have these versions of classics from the makeup era. Highlights of the record for me include an energetic version of “Detroit Rock City”, a stellar rendition of “Cold Gin”, the headbanger “Fits Like a Glove”, a solid performance of “I Love It Loud”, the superb “I Still Love You”, a kick-ass “Love Gun”, and a phenomenal interpretation of “Black Diamond” with Carr on vocals. As noted above, two tracks are incomplete: “Young and Wasted”, unfortunately, with Carr on vocals, cutting off at the beginning and resuming just before the guitar solo, and “Rock and Roll All Nite” which fades out, missing only about its last minute or so, and truth be told, we’ve all heard that song a zillion times, so it’s really no biggie. All in all, it’s a good set and I was a little surprised that they decided to play more songs from their previous album, Lick it Up (“Fits Like a Glove”, “Young and Wasted, “Lick it Up”) than their current touring album, Animalize (“Heaven’s on Fire”, “Under the Gun”). Maybe they knew from the get-go that it wasn’t as strong an album as Lick it Up. In any case, we get four songs from Creatures of the Night and five tracks from the makeup era, which is easily their most beloved period. It makes for a diverse setlist spanning their first decade. It’s crazy to look back on it now and realize that KISS was still very much only at the beginning of the road back in 1984.

Eric Carr, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Mark St. John

Off the Soundboard: Live in Poughkeepsie, NY 1984 has a clear sound overall, feels raw as a soundboard release should, and delivers what a fan of that era of KISS would want. I’m happier about owning it than I initially thought I would be. In spite of that, for the casual KISS fan, I’d recommend any of the other four OTS releases over this one. If I were to rank them, I’d put Des Moines 1977 at the top of the list, followed by Tokyo 2001, Donington 1996, and Virginia Beach 2004. I’m afraid this one is for completists only. I look forward to the next one; I’d love an official release of the final night from their New Zealand 1980 Unmasked Tour with Ace on guitar and Carr on drums.

KISS Online: https://www.kissonline.com/welcome 

Musings: Trading Aces - Rock 'N' Roll Homicide

On April 21^st, the mighty Ripple Music will unleash the debut album from supergroup Trading Aces: Rock ‘N’ Roll Homicide. Featuring members of Warrior Soul, Streetwalkin’ Cheetahs, and The City Kids, the group comprises Frank Meyer on lead vocals/guitar, Dennis Post on guitar/vocals, Bjarne Paamand Olsen on bass, and Iván Tambac on drums. Rock ‘N’ Roll Homicide is an album with an attitude that blends the best elements of hard rock, punk, and old school metal. It reminds me a bit of Slash’s Snakepit first outing, 1995’s underrated It’s Five O’clock Somewhere, which I have very fond memories of.

The LP opens with a bang with the title track; it’s got an early Motley Crüe vibe which I really dig. “Destination Insane” follows, a catchy tune with echoes of G ‘N’ R. “Ain’t It a Bitch”, the first single, is a fun party tune, and you should check out its video on YouTube. “Beautiful Sunday” has pop hooks for days, while “Hello Hangover” is a killer track reminiscent of early Alice Cooper with a fiery guitar solo. “F.A.B.” is garage rock at its finest, cowbell and all; a cool headbanging song. “California Schemin’” is an earworm with its catchy melody and is one of my absolute fave tracks. Next up, “Hey Geraldine, You Can’t Stop Me Now” is a solid tune from top to bottom, and “Napalm Bombs”, which channels AC/DC, is a highlight of the record, and possibly my favourite song. “Dirty Love” is a Frank Zappa cover that I wasn’t familiar with, but it’s a terrific song. The penultimate track, “Social Disease”, has got a Rolling Stones feel to it and I love it! The final track is a superb rendition of a Van Halen deep cut from their 1980 Women and Children First album, “In a Simple Rhyme.” It’s important to note that this song is responsible for getting the band together in the first place, after Eddie Van Halen passed away in 2020, to record a VH cover song as a homage to raise money for the charity Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Homicide features 12 brilliant rock tunes chock-full of big riffs, huge guitar solos, thumping basslines, and pulse-pounding drum patterns. Trading Aces wear their influences on their sleeves and make no apologies for it. It’s a slightly different offering from what we’re used to getting from Ripple Music, and I think we should get more of this kind of old school rock ‘n’ roll/metal from them. It’s an eclectic record that will amply satisfy listeners who long for the sound of the ‘70s and ‘80s rock. I for one, have nothing but praise for it, and I can tell you that it’s gonna be a lock for my Top Albums of the Year come December.

Ripple Music’s Bandcamp page for Trading Aces: https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/rock-n-roll-homicide 

April Showers Ring in Bandcamp Friday

It’s back! Bandcamp Friday is here just in time for Easter weekend! 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. This is a special edition of my BC Friday picks as I’ve got eight picks instead of five this time around. There’s simply too much good music to recommend, so let’s dig in, shall we?

First off, Titanosaur returns with a powerful and deeply personal statement with the epic, sludgy single “I’m Still Here.” It’s good to have you back, my friend! Show him some love by picking it up right here.

Second, Italian-based traditional heavy metal quartet Tytus unleashed a stellar EP titled Roaming in Despair a couple of weeks ago. You can read my thoughts on it here and grab that bad boy over here.

Third, Detroit-based Deathgaze duo VAZUM released last week a greatest hits LP titled V- which consists of re-recorded versions of their best songs with the punk rock ethos of their live shows. It’s a fantastic record and you can read my musings about it here and support them over here.

Fourth, earlier this week, the mighty Ripple Music released Nebula Ripples: A Benefit Compilation for Tom Davies of Nebula. Tom Davies of Stoner Rock stalwarts Nebula was diagnosed with Leukemia. All proceeds from sales of this album will go directly to Tom and that means even more on Bandcamp Friday. For $5, you get a lot of bang for your buck in the process, so show Tom some love right this way.

Fifth, The Golden Grass’s Life Is Much Stranger just saw the light of day via Heavy Psych Sounds and it’s a banger of a record. The boys do classic rock with a modern edge and you can read my musings column about it here and pick it up here.

Sixth, another Ripple Music release, with supergroup Trading Aces’s first LP, Rock ‘n’ Roll Homicide, a garage rock/hard rock/’80s metal masterpiece comes out on April 21^st. I’ll have a musings column about it this weekend, but take my word for it, this one’s gonna wind up on my Top Albums of the Year list at the end of 2023. Pre-order it over here.

Seventh, Heavy Psych Sounds’ Margarita Witch Cult drops their first self-titled LP on April 21^st and it’s a heavy rock/heavy psych occult/horror ride that is worth your hard-earned money. You can read my musings on it here and get your ticket to ride over here.

And last but certainly not least, this one is my favourite LP of the first quarter of 2023 and will be a strong contender for AOTY. I’m talking about Swedish rockers Grand Design who have concocted the perfect hard rock/metal album with RAWK. It’s got infinite replay value and fans of Def Leppard will be all over it. It’ll be coming your way on April 21^st as well. Read my thoughts on it here and pre-order it here.

Bandcamp Friday is a celebration of our love for music and appreciation of the bands and labels who bring so much joy into our lives, who help us get through the bad times and provide us with a soundtrack for the good times. This is a great opportunity to thank them for all their hard work, so join in and spread the love by picking up a couple of albums or a bunch of songs today. Have a great Easter filled with good tunes. 

Musings: VAZUM – V-

Deathgaze/Shoegaze duo VAZUM returns with a greatest hits LP titled V-. The album consists of songs from 2020 to 2022 re-recorded with the punk rock ethos of VAZUM's live performances. What a great idea this is! It gives us listeners who haven’t seen them live yet a taste of what these songs would sound live. All that’s missing is the roar of the crowd. Frequent visitors of this blog know how much I love this band. Their album V+ landed at number 3 on my Albums of the Year list back in 2021. Let’s look at what’s included, shall we?

Here is the breakdown of which album/release the reworked tracks come from:

1. “Angel” single release

2. “Thief” single release

3. “Embers” taken from Vampyre Villa

4. “Loved 2 Death” taken from V+

5. “Werewolf” taken from Rated V

6. “Gallows” single release

7. “Eats Away” taken from V+

8. “Unspoken” taken from V+

9. “Razor Smile” taken from V+

10. “Haunted House” taken from V+

11. “The Familiar” taken from V+

The duo of Zach Pliska on vocals, guitars and drums, and Emily Sturm on vocals and bass share singing duties on all songs, but usually one of them will lead while the other joins in for the chorus and such. As is often the case with live shows, songs are sometimes played faster and we get a bit of that on this album as well as variations on certain passages in the songs. “Angel”, sung by Zach, feels more energetic here, more in your face. This version of “Thief”, sung by Emily, surpasses the original in my opinion. It’s got an entrancing Joy Division vibe. “Embers” is a song I wasn’t familiar with, but that I loved from the get-go. It’s sung by Zach and has a relentless attitude. “Loved 2 Death”, sung by Emily, is a classic by now in the duo’s repertoire. A very catchy tune that’ll stay stuck in your head. “Werewolf”, sung by Emily, is a terrific slower-paced track about, well, a werewolf. “Gallows”, sung by Emily, is a third variation of the song, having already had two different renditions on the single release. This one is equally great. Next up is a trio of solid tracks: “Eats Away”, sung by Zach, “Unspoken”, sung by Emily—two slower tunes—followed by “Razor Smile”, sung by Zach, which is an earworm. Next up is “Haunted House”, a personal fave of mine, sung by Emily, filled with atmospheric rhythms and guitars. It’s an addictive tune with a catchy chorus. The final song is “The Familiar”, a familiar song indeed if you’re a fan of the band, sung pretty much equally by Emily and Zach. It’s one of their best tunes and this version is just as memorable.

VAZUM’s V- continues the tradition in the prolific duo’s excellent output. If you’re already a fan of the band, this is a must have. If you’re new to VAZUM or have never heard of them, then this is the perfect starting point before you go down the rabbit hole and seek out their other releases. For fans of Joy Division, The Cure, Sisters of Mercy, with a nod to Marilyn Manson.

VAZUM’s Bandcamp page: https://vazum.bandcamp.com/album/v-2 

Audiobook Showcase: Raknar - The Northman

Back in February, in my first ever Sword & Sorcery Roundup, I had said I’d be showcasing an upcoming S&S novel titled Raknar: The Northman penned by Ryan W. Aslesen. Well, the time has come to talk about Raknar’s first outing in audiobook format. Do the contents of the promising cover art deliver the goods? You bet they do, and then some! Raknar was released on Audible on March 21^st, 2023 but the paperback/kindle versions of the novel were published on July 23^rd, 2022. The audiobook is narrated by Michael Kramer.

Here is the book’s official synopsis: “The heart of a Northman beats only for more blood.

Heir to the Bear Clan of Valheim, young Raknar anticipates the day he will become chief and lead his clan across the sea to pillage foreign shores. When his village is sacked, his clan put to the sword, Raknar must forge a new destiny, alone.

Captured during a raid on the Kingdom of Acheron, Raknar is enslaved by the diabolical Queen Zakara. She forces him to fight as a gladiator in the pits, but her true interest in Raknar lies in the fulfillment of a dark prophecy that will provide her an heir and unlock unworldly power.

Escaping to the exotic land of Byzantia, Raknar steals to survive, captures the heart of Princess Yabala, and is banished by the emperor for his impudence. Unable to win Yabala’s hand, he becomes a raider on the steppes, certain he will never see her again. But the gods have other plans for him. When Raknar learns that Queen Zakara has kidnapped Princess Yabala, Raknar must return to the dungeons of Acheron to face the queen and her fell sorceries once and for all.

Raknar: The Northman is the first stand-alone novel set in the gritty Hystoria fantasy world.”

Ryan Aslesen is a bestselling author who’s written over a dozen military sci-fi novels in the Crucible and War's Edge series. To my knowledge, this is his first venture into fantasy/Sword & Sorcery. He’s no doubt a seasoned writer, and it shows because this is a hell of a fun book! Fans of Robert E. Howard’s Conan will especially get a kick out of Aslesen’s Raknar character. He’s a barbarian cut from the same cloth as Howard’s Cimmerian. It feels like this could easily have been a young Conan story. It’s different enough not to call it a Conan pastiche, but it retains the essence and the ingredients that make a great Conan tale. In fact, I enjoyed Raknar: The Northman more than I did last year’s new Conan novel, Conan: Blood of the Serpent.

There’s an awful lot going on in this story and it moves at a fast and furious pace. The book is filled with a ton of action (at times quite brutal), lots of sex, and a colourful cast of characters that populate Raknar’s world. Aslesen uses modern vocabulary in his dialogue to depict these characters from a bygone era and it makes the story more exciting. We get to see Raknar’s evolution from a teenager to a young man and witness him having to navigate obstacles that will contribute to make him a strong warrior and eventual leader of men. He plows through many battles, gets intimate with a plethora of women, and triumphs over adversity whether it be in gladiator matches or against fantasy creatures. There’s a bit of sorcery/fantasy, but overall, the sword portion is more predominant than the sorcery part of the book. Michael Kramer gives a fantastic performance narrating the nine plus hours worth of storytelling. From his delivery to voicing the different characters involved, he keeps the flow of the book going and maintains our attention for the duration.

If you’re looking for your next fantasy or Sword & Sorcery listen/read, then look no more—Raknar: The Northman is bound to satisfy your cravings. It’s a standalone story and I find that refreshing when it seems nowadays that almost every new fantasy book that comes out is part of a trilogy or ongoing series. Here’s hoping we get another volume of Raknar’s adventures soon with a simultaneous print/audiobook release next time.   

Rating: Five stars out of five

Get your copy on Audible 

Musings: Grand Design - RAWK

The ‘80s are definitely back! Grand Design, the Swedish melodic rock/hair metal quintet, return with their sixth album, RAWK, set to be released on April 21^st via GMR Music. I was so happy to discover this band, they have an awesome sound! Why haven’t I heard of them until now? We need more music like this—it’s uplifting and unadulterated fun.

Grand Design has a similar sound to Def Leppard’s with vocals in a higher register. The album cover art with the band logo reminded me a bit of Tesla’s (the band, not the car). What’s inside said album is a polished collection of eleven superb hard rock tracks. The first track and first single, “Tuff It Out”, is old school rock at its finest, with vocal harmonies and a catchy chorus. “God Bless Rawk ‘n’ Roll”, the second single, is a monster of a song! It’s impossible not to sing along and it’ll stay with you long after the LP’s over. We get a fair share of ballads, from the energetic “Love or a Fantasy” to “Your Luv Is Drivin’ Me Crazy”, and the slower, ‘80s style “Desperate Hearts” which is one of the highlights of the album. There are also plenty of rockers on here as well, starting with “Dangerous Attraction”, an infectious rock tune and one of my top three faves, to “We Were Born to Rawk ‘n’ Roll”, a song that’ll make you wanna crank up the volume to 11. The penultimate track, “Get Out”, has classic, early Bon Jovi-type lyrics and vibe with a terrific guitar solo. My favourite song though, has to be the final track, “In the H.E.A.T. of the Nite”, which has a smoky, late night feel to it reminiscent of those classic ‘80s Whitesnake tunes.

Grand Design do arena rock anthems like the best rock bands of the ‘80s did. Chock-full of splendid guitar solos and weeping guitars, catchy choruses and harmonies galore, with high production values, this is a phenomenal album from beginning to end. Not a single dud here, folks. After half a dozen spins already, I’m gonna go so far as to give it my stamp for Best Album of the First Quarter of 2023. I kid you not, it’s that great. If you’re into Def Leppard, Motley Crue, and/or Poison, then I’m sure you’ll have a grand ole time with RAWK.

Grand Design’s Bandcamp page: https://granddesign.bandcamp.com/album/rawk 

Musings: Tytus - Roaming in Despair

Tytus have been around for about a decade and this is the first I hear of them, and shame on me as they are an excellent traditional heavy metal band. The quartet from Trieste, Italy have just released a new EP, Roaming in Despair, and to my knowledge, they also have two LPs to their name. This EP is released via Canadian, Toronto-based, metal and hard rock label Boonsdale Records.

Tytus’s music harkens back to NWOBHM’s heyday with a dash of speed and thrash metal thrown in for good measure. Roaming in Despair features remastered old singles as well as new tracks. “The March of the Unwilling”, a one-minute instrumental, opens the festivities and gets us in the mood for “Fistful of Sand”, a classic metal tune that sets the tone for the EP. It was initially released as a single in early 2021. “Gotta Keep Movin’”, a MC5 cover, was first released in the spring of 2022. It’s got a Sebastian Bach/Skid Row vibe going for it and is a solid track from top to bottom. It also features terrific guitar work. “Motori” which means “engine” in English, is sung in Italian. It first appeared in the fall of 2021 on the Rock 'n' Roll Summer Camp Vol​. ​2 compilation alongside nine other metals bands. Its infectious melody and one-word chorus will have you singing along and pumping your fist. “Out in the Fields” is one of the new tracks and happens to be my favourite on this set. A vintage ‘80s hair metal song with synths to boot featuring catchy hooks and vocal harmonies. The final song and the other new one is the title track. It has a Maidenesque quality to it and an epic feel with hints of sadness and desperation as the guitars take us out.

Tytus is a band that I’ve now added to my metal radar. Whatever they do next, I wanna hear it. Roaming in Despair is a superb sample of what this band has to offer and I’m sure old school metal fans will eat it up. This 24-minute, 6-track EP goes down easy and will have you hit the repeat button as soon as you’re done your first spin.

Tytus’s Bandcamp page: https://tytusband.bandcamp.com/album/roaming-in-despair 

Musings: Margarita Witch Cult – Self-Titled

Hailing from Sabbath City, Birmingham, UK, Margarita Witch Cult are set to unleash their self-titled debut on April 21^st via Italian label Heavy Psych Sounds Records. The trio offers us an eclectic LP that fuses heavy rock, metal, stoner, and heavy psych while dabbling in the occult and horror themes.

The super cool album cover got my attention and, in all honesty, it’s what got me curious to stay past the first track, “Diabolical Influence”, which I found sounded generic (and still does after three spins of the entire record). Everything that follows though, is much better thankfully. “Death Lurks at Every Turn” firmly establishes frontman/guitarist Scott Vincent’s sleazy Rob Zombie-type vocals and I dig that a lot. It’s a high-energy tune, the kind of kick-ass doomy metal I enjoy. “The Witchfinder Comes” follows with its menacing sound, a definite highlight of the album. The lyrics make it easy to picture it in your mind and would make for a very atmospheric videoclip. “Be My Witch” is my favourite song on the LP; a catchy tune with a great melody and an old school vibe all around. “Annihilation” is a fast, groovy track that flies by at just under two minutes in length. “Theme from Cyclops” is the obligatory short instrumental as seems to be the case with every band that puts out an LP these days. It’s good, but not indispensable. “Lord of the Flies” is a terrific doomy and devilish tune with a Sabbathian riff. The fuzz is strong with this one. “Aradia” is a lengthier instrumental, an interlude of sorts before the final track. I always expected vocals to kick in at any given moment, but alas, they never came. “Sacrifice”, the heaviest song of the album, closes us out. Its occult imagery makes it a very visual tune that’s a solid way to exit.  

Margarita Witch Cult’s eponymous first LP is a strong debut that does leave room for improvement. It got better on subsequent spins and I believe it will continue to improve as time goes by. It’s almost a concept album with its recurring occult themes and storytelling. There’s a sense of foreboding pervading throughout the duration which makes for a spooky listening experience. One thing is for sure, it’s certainly an ambitious album. The wide-ranging genres of music and influences make this a record that will appeal to a broad spectrum of listeners. Give it a spin; chances are you’ll have a blast with it!

Heavy Psych Sounds’ Margarita Witch Cult Bandcamp page: https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/margarita-witch-cult-margarita-witch-cult 

Movie Musings: Dungeons & Dragons - Honor Among Thieves

I caught a sneak preview showing of the new Dungeons & Dragons movie this afternoon and it was everything I was hoping it would be … and more! As I stated two weeks ago in my Audiobook Showcase of the movie’s prequel, The Road to Neverwinter, I’m a newbie to the world of D&D. Having been introduced to the film’s characters via the prequel audiobook, I went into the screening with a certain familiarity, but also some expectations as I had enjoyed the book a lot.

D&D: Honor Among Thieves is directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley from a screenplay by Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, and Michael Gilio. It stars Chris Pine as Edgin, Michelle Rodriguez as Holga, Justice Smith as Simon, Sophia Lillis as Doric, Hugh Grant as Forge, Daisy Head as Sofina, Regé-Jean Page as Xenk, and Chloe Coleman as Kira. Here is the film’s official synopsis: “A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure.”

The cast was perfect in their respective roles and delivered great performances all around. The movie moves at a fast pace and is both hilarious and action-packed. A chase sequence early on involving Doric who’s a shapeshifter was intense and riveting. Chris Pine’s knack and timing at serving us with one-liners brought the house down multiple times. Hugh Grant was the perfect villain, the kind you love to hate. Pine and Rodriguez had great on-screen chemistry, and the rest of the cast portrayed colourful and memorable characters. This felt like an old school ‘80s action/fantasy flick in the best of ways. Why did it take so long to get a proper D&D film? It’s well-written and shot, clever, and simply magical, no pun intended.

D&D: Honor Among Thieves lives up to the hype and then some! With a runtime of 2 hours and 14 minutes, you’d think it’d drag in places, but it doesn’t! Fans of the roleplaying game and fantasy/Sword & Sorcery aficionados are gonna have a blast with this film. I for one would love to see more quests with this crew of characters. The film opens wide on Friday, March 31^st. It’s the type of movie that the whole family can enjoy and that must be seen on a big screen in a packed theater. Make sure to stay through the end credits for a fun Easter egg. 

Audiobook Showcase: Savage Realms Monthly #6

Savage Realms Monthly returns with a new audiobook for Book 6! Readers of this blog know my love for this awesome Sword & Sorcery magazine. I’ve covered the five previous issues here and there. This month’s offering features three new authors delivering fast-paced tales fraught with peril.

This is the first issue not to star Willard Black’s popular Redgar character and he was dearly missed. For me, it had become the story I looked forward to the most each month. Anyhow, I get it: there are only three spots open per book, so you have to give other authors a chance. So, does issue 6 manage to fill the void left by Redgar’s absence? For the most part, the answer is yes. The book opens with W.E. Wertenberger’s “Veil of Black Fire”, a tale featuring a hero named Kol the Saxon, a jade monolith, a portal, and a sorcerer. All the ingredients are there for a good time and I enjoyed this one quite a bit. “Shadows of the Silent Sorcerer” by John R. Lehman follows.  Another fun tale about a rogue trying to rob a sorcerer with a neat plot twist. The third and final tale, “Melkart and the Mithras Miracle” by Mark Mellon, is my favourite of the lot. This one’s about a hero battling an evil bull and it has a lighter tone, which I dug.

Author interviews had seemingly vanished in issue 5 and I’m happy to report that they’re back with this tome. I always enjoy hearing about a writer’s influences, his creative process and such. I’ve noticed that about four out of five writers since issue 1 have stated Robert E. Howard and Conan as their biggest influence and favourite character in the Sword & Sorcery genre (my picks as well). It just goes to show how much of an impact Howard and his legendary barbarian have had—90 years later, we’re all still reading Conan and we continue to enjoy Howard’s writings immensely.

SRM Book 6 continues to treat us to fresh voices in the S&S genre and brings us a good dose of literary mayhem and magic. A shorter book this time around, running at about an hour and forty-something minutes as opposed to the two-hour plus length of the previous volumes. Moose Matson keeps getting better and better at narrating these yarns, even adding some cool sound effects in the last tale. His performance really enhances the product. As usual, if you’re just hearing about SRM for the first time, this issue is as good a place as any to start reading/listening and no prior books are required reading to join in on the fun. However, I highly recommend picking up the first five issues as they’re all amazing!

Rating: Four stars out of five

Get your copy on Audible