New Metal Review - "Rituals of Shame" by Warning

Album Name - Rituals of Shame 

Band Name - Warning 

Genre - Doom Metal

Label - Relapse Records 

Release Date - June 19, 2026

Line Up -

  Andy  Prestidge - drums

  Patrick Walker - vocals, guiars

  Wayne Taylor - guitars

  Marcus Hatfield - bass

It has been 20 years since 'Watching from a distance' was released. No one, not even any ardent fans of Warning, thought they would come back and release another album after so long, let alone that would even be on par to be compared to that masterpiece. But Warning has done impossible it seems, creating another flawless album, incorporating the depressive traditional doom they are known for with modern production and matured sensibilities resulting from accrued experience of the past 20 years.

'Watching from a distance' was a depressive slab of utterly crushing doom metal, creating a sense of foreboding in its listener for years to come. Everyone who had heard the album became impressed almost universally, and it has also created a cult following in the underground scene.

To try to release a follow-up after such a long time was truly a daunting task, which I never thought the band would undertake. Even after learning about this album, unlike many, I was also sceptical. Wondering whether Warning might fail like so many had before, returning after a long time and being unable to recreate the magic. But upon starting to listen I was pulled in from the opening song, and upon reaching the phenomenal 'Stations' I was pulled in remorselessly and decided to get buried in this new monument of fathomless introspection and depression.

Only Patrick Walker and Marcus Hatfield remain from the members who put out the last album. A new drummer Andrew Prestidge is introduced and Wayne Taylor, who played bass with the band for a brief period during its early years, returns this time as the second guitar player. 

Walker has improved much since his days and changed his style a bit, while he focused more on agonized emotional delivery last time; this time he creates a sense of operatic cadence and his vocals have aged beautifully to create a captivating landscape of emotions. The overall song structures once again focuses on creating a doom-infused backdrop with their crushing melancholic riffs and raw yet immersive heaviness. The introduction of the second guitar adds a new layer, often freeing Walker to focus more on his vocal duties. Hatfield does a commendable job in the bass paying, but it occasionally do get buried under everything else. While the drumming sacrifices tightness and rigidity to create an immersive atmosphere of devastating emotions.

If we talk briefly about the songs, the opener does the perfect beginning for listeners with its careful use of the strengths to showcase what's on offer. But the real journey starts from 'Stations', certainly one of the best songs so far, starting with a perfectly weighted intro, blending into some beautiful vocals, utterly soul melting riffs and powerful instrumental part to end. 'Night Comes Down' pick up exactly on the same emotional vein, delivering an even more emotionally destructive doom experience, with tortured vocals and evocative riffs galore. The next track is a showcase of Walker's vocal prowess mostly. Then comes the finale, another amalgamation of what the band has to offer, ending in a deeply emotional vocals performance and atmospheric instrumentation.

I feel like a few words need to be said about the lyrics and production. Warning has the special trait of writing lyrics that are poetic, thought-provoking and with huge emotional  depth. There are lines that stay in your mind a long time after you have finished due to their melancholic poignancy. The production of this album is very clean, which might sound like a bad thing to some, but it makes the vocal shine and the riffs clearer, although it did sacrifice the bass a bit.

If I had to find a negative angle, I have to say that this album should have come with a warning, due to how depressed and suicidal it might feel, due to its heavy themes.

Overall Score -

                         9.5 out of 10.

For more info check out the bands official website and their metal-archives page -

https://www.warningband.com/

https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Warning/10936   

New Book Review - A Plagued Sea by Kim Bo-young

Name - A Plagued Sea

Written by - Kim Bo-young 

Translated by - Sophie Bowman 

Series - Lovecraft Reanimated 

Published by - Honford Star  

First things first, I got this book from NetGalley, so thank you NetGalley and Honford Star for this opportunity.

This one started so well, had so much potential, the main character was portrayed with such finesse, yet somehow did not achieve what it promised. The Lovecraftian atmosphere was created with perfect nuances, racial angles were explored a bit, and the twists were also utilized quite well. Yet it could have been so much more poignant with a bit more work.

Kim Bo-young is one of the most famous science fiction writers in South Korea, has received various awards in his country, and one of the few writers from Korea to be translated into English. As far as I am aware, she had two collections published in English prior to this; 'A Plagued Sea' is her first novella published by Honford Star.

This novella is part of The Lovecraft Reanimated project by Honford Star, which translates Korean speculative fiction writers reimagining the works of horror master H.P. Lovecraft, giving them their own unique signature updating these stories for modern sensibilities.

The author manages to capture the true atmospheric charisma of the Cthulhu mythos in her attempt at recreating a modern version of 'The Shadow over Innsmouth'. Her interpretation incorporates the truly horrifying existential dread of Lovecraft, with even modern technological forms of communication unable to alleviate the despair of being locked in isolation, abuse, and racism in the form of social media posts and the characters using internet forums to create awareness and propaganda regarding the mysterious incidence of Haewon village.

The character of Moyoung was a fine creation, with her desperation and anguish over not being able to save her niece, her almost illogical yet understandable hatred towards the infected, her inner struggle of not being able to become a member of the villagers nor being able to be a member of normal society, and her manic paranoia in trying to deal with the source of her calamities. But sadly the other characters didn't get as much attention and felt rather like placeholders compared to her.

The author touched on the sense of racism, social stigma, and uncalled for abuse towards the unfortunate infected, but didn't really elaborate on this aspect of the story much, which in my opinion could have elevated this retelling to a whole new level. Rather she focused on the grotesque and monstrous horror angles of the story, which resulted in a fun reading experience nevertheless.

The prose was quite a delightful read; I simply loved the first chapter that introduced us to Muyoung and her niece, and also the chapter which revealed the new species. Sophie Bowman did a brilliant job with the translation, as I never really felt like I wasn't reading the book in its native form.

This was a fun read, made me interested in the Lovecraft Reanimated series as well as other stories from Kim Bo-young, but it also felt like a missed opportunity at creating the perfect Lovecraftian horror for the modern age due to its shortcomings.

3.5 out of 5 stars from me.

New Manga Review - The Marshal King, Vol. 1 by Boichi

Manga Name - The Marshal King (Vol. 1)

Author - Boichi (Story & Art)

Original Serialization: Shounen Jump+

English Publisher : Viz Media LLC

Genres: Action, Western, Shounen

First things first, I got this book from Edelweiss as an ARC, so thank you Edelweiss and Viz Media LLC for this opportunity.

Almost on a whim I decided to request this first volume of the newest manga by Boichi. I had read about him and liked the samples of his artwork that I had seen on the internet, and was meaning to check out what the fuss was about for some time now. This one was enjoyable while it lasted, has some room to evolve in the future, had great art, but wasn't anything out of the ordinary or much memorable upon reflection.

The story follows Jimmu on his quest to become the Marshal King, for which he joins the Marshal Academy in this first volume, acquiring a few friends and fighting some outlaws along the way. This is Boichi's attempt at creating a spaghetti western mixed with Japanese manga style humor and style. But sadly so far it reads like something that has been done before in various settings and nothing makes it stand out as unique.

Characters are quite generic as to be expected, but as this is just the beginning there certainly is some room for improvement in the future in this department.

The art is the strongest point so far; the background is crisply detailed, the action bits are exquisitely drawn, with some stylistic character facial work to create a sense of spectacle that made me return to various panels quite often.

Hopefully, Bochi improves upon the story and characters in the future to create something unique in the following volumes as this definitely has beautiful artwork to keep things interesting.

Overall Score -

                            7 out of 10.

New Book Review - Abyss by Nicholas Binge

Name - Abyss

Written by - Nicholas Binge 

Narrated by - John Lee 

Published by - Tor Publishing Group

Audiobook by - Dreamscape Lore

Well, this one is almost like how it was pitched on the cover. A work inspired by Lovecraftian horror mixed with bits from the show Severance. I enjoyed my audiobook listen of this, while also wishing it had a bit more bulk and some well-developed characters.

Binge knows how to tell a fast-paced thriller with twists, which is quite apparent from the beginning of his newest novella. The protagonist gets suddenly thrown into this mysterious job and meets some unorthodox co-workers and slowly unravels the truth about his sinister employers.

The real world relevance of the main characters' predicament as well as his inability to have social interactions was quite relatable. Adding a mixture of cosmic horror bits into the setting was another fun element, but once again the author kept things a bit unexplained at times regarding the side characters.

And a special shout out to the narration by John Lee, which was quite soothing with his delivery and pacing and probably made me enjoy the book much more than I would have liked if I had read it.

As a matter of fact, the novella felt like the story really could have benefited from a longer length in explaining stuff and dealing with the side characters. And that's my main complaint with the otherwise enjoyable read.

I will give this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

New Book Review - The Bone Door by Frances White

Name - The Bone Door 

Written by - Frances White 

Narrated by - Honi Cooke 

Published by - Hanover Square Press 

Audiobook by - Harlequin Audio 

This one was quite a journey to listen to, emotionally draining at times, dealing with some hard and brutal stuff, quite a lot of twists and skillful unraveling of plot, but also a bit too long or over explaining at times. But overall, certainly one of the surprises of the year so far.

The story details the journey of Hop and the strange companions he picks up along a mysterious labyrinth while being chased by a dark being. The kids have all seemingly lost their memories, and throughout their journey they slowly regain knowledge of what they are and how they came to be trapped in the maze.

The characters are portrayed brilliantly and their emotional journey is sure to resonate with readers. But despite their age, this one is definitely a book for adults with its serious subject matter and depiction of mutilation and death all throughout. Yet, it is also a book of hope, of second chances and the fact that even the most hopelessly damnable character has some inner goodness.

Another strong point is the mesmerizing world building, keeping me guessing what might be in store in the next chapter. The heavy themes are present dispersed between detailed and deliberately slow reveals as the author attempted to continue enchanting.

Honi Cooke did a masterful job of narrating, creating distinct voices for each of the characters, giving them unique personalities, and also conveying the emotional content quite brilliantly.

My only real complaint is that some of the dialogues and interactions just seemed to drag a bit too much, unnecessarily lengthening the prose. About 100 pages could have been cut off, making the book a tighter and compacter experience; then again, maybe the author was trying to emphasize the emotional depth even further somewhat.

Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this one and will give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Promising Books being published on August 2026

It's been a long time since I did a post like this. But as I seem to have a bit more free time nowadays, let's try to revive the tradition, even if, for a little while.

"A Drop of Blood (Shadow of the Leviathan #3)" by Robert Jackson Bennett Barker from Del Rey

An Ana and Din Mystery

Brilliant detective Ana Dolabra must prove a man's innocence to stop a civil war in the third book of the series that began with The Tainted Cup, named an Edgar, Hugo, and World Fantasy Award Finalist and one of the best books of the year (New York Times Book Review, NPR, Elle)—from the bestselling author of The Founders Trilogy.

In the canton of Sapirdad, two of the Empire’s most powerful families are moments away from going to war with each other, their hundreds of retainers gathered with swords drawn. If blood is spilt, the whole of the empire may be plunged into starvation and chaos.

To de-escalate matters, someone must do the impossible: prove that one family’s eldest son is innocent of a gruesome and unforgivable murder, despite the incontrovertible evidence against him.

It is with this undertaking that the great detective Ana Dolabra is tasked, her assistant Din at her side—and the two find themselves racing with great speed and little dignity to the scene.

As ever, the impossible proves little obstacle for the deadly combination of Ana’s intellect and Din’s keen eye, and mere hours after riding into the dusty town, Ana glimpses the greater pattern behind the crime. A deeper, subtler web of death is being woven in plain sight, by a mastermind with an ancient magical technology at his disposal.

But even Ana's uncanny insight is of little use when each new suspect she uncovers ends up dead--with each new killing calculated to bring tensions between the two rival clans past the boiling point. And as Din pursues their adversary through the canton's wild ranges, sprawling ranches, and reeking slaughterhouses, he finds his loyalties divided in unexpected ways.

[ I have been a fan of Bennett since 'City of Stairs" and have also read and loved the first book in the series a lot. Can't wait to finish the second and dive into this. Should be a blast. ]

"The Unknown" by Riley Sager from Dutton

In 1926, five women disappeared from a remote island in Vermont. Now, one hundred years later, it’s happening again.

Struggling actress Marin Keane is shocked when she lands a role in a major motion picture about the unsolved mystery of New Avalon, an island on sprawling Lake Faraday in Vermont. She’s even more surprised when she learns that the role requires a weeklong research trip to that very spot.

Because New Avalon isn’t your ordinary island. A century ago, it was a commune for spiritual mediums—until they all vanished in 1926. The only trace of them was five dresses hanging from the branches of an old oak tree in the middle of the island, one for each missing woman. Some locals say they simply left. Others think they were murdered. But the prevailing opinion, thanks to a diary left behind by one of the vanished, a young woman named Daisy Rue, is that a séance gone wrong conjured something supernatural that took them all one by one.

Not long after arriving, Marin and her castmates, including legendary actress Violet Wright and white-hot director Ronan Peters, begin to realize all is not right with New Avalon. They hear strange noises in the night and notice mysterious symbols left behind by the island's previous occupants. And after a sudden health emergency leaves Marin, Ronan, and the other actors stranded on the island, the disappearances begin again.

Is it the work of someone trying to derail the movie? Or is the island’s alleged supernatural past catching up with the present? As fear and suspicion mount, Marin turns to Daisy’s diary, hoping it holds the key to figuring out what really happened to the women of New Avalon—and how to keep the island’s terrible history from repeating itself.

[ Heard a lot of good things about this author, maybe it's finally time to check out what the fuss is all about. ]

"Upon the Forge of Battle (Age of Wrath #3)" by Anthony Ryan from Orbit

As the Age of Wrath reaches its bloody conclusion, the world will be reforged in steel and fire . . .

Thera Blackspear was once champion to the Sister Queens. Now she's a queen herself, with Elvine as her spear maiden, wielding a weapon forged by the gods. But while the traitorous Sister Lore plots in the shadows, Ascarlia will never be safe.

Felnir has won a crown of his own and forged a kingdom at the tip of his divine blade. Yet his dreams are troubled by visions of the brother he thought long dead. A brother who needs his help, and whom Felnir would give anything to save - even his hard-won kingship.  

Ruhlin's many victories have made him a hero to the Morvek, who believe he is the prophesied saviour who will overthrow their Nihlvarian enemies. But now he finds himself a prisoner of the Vortigurn, the King of Nihlvar, who has secrets and schemes of his own.

Secrets that could unmake the world.

Upon the Forge of Battle is the epic conclusion to Anthony Ryan's Age of Wrath trilogy, a gripping fantasy saga of bloody retribution, deadly intrigue, and soaring heroism.

[ Despite yet to read anything by him, Anthony Ryan is one of my to list everything into TBR pile authors. Hoping to binge him one of these days. ]

"The Dungeon Book" by Gareth Hanrahan from Orbit

Enter a world of dungeons and dragons, magic and manticores, goblins and gargoyles in this captivating standalone fantasy from the author of The Gutter Prayer

Bait doesn't remember a time before the dungeon. Before the dragon stole her from her cot. She doesn't know what her name was before she was handed over to the monstrous denizens of the dungeon beneath the sorcerer's tower. Luckily for Bait, they decided not to eat her. And so, she grew up in the dark - the goblins her adopted family, a vengeful minotaur her protector, a sentient skull her tutor and a faithful blob of corridor slime her main source of nutrition.

But the labyrinthine dungeon, with its haunted halls, buried temples and forgotten magics, draws treasure hunters like moths to flame. And as the outside world starts to intrude, Bait will learn what it means to be monstrous, and she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

[ This looks really promising somehow, everyone needs a bit of humor in their reading once in a while, and the cover just entices me more. ]

"Preaching to the Choir (Terrible Worlds: Transformations #3) by Adrian Tchaikovsky from Solaris

Elena Mendes thought she understood what “old money” was.

She knew her boyfriend Ross Enderbough was rich. Like, “old money” rich. She knew he was the scion of some eccentric British line that predates the whole United States. She knew he didn’t really get on with his family, and that he fled to America to study free of their influence.

Ross has been summoned to Enderby, the family mansion built as a monastery centuries ago, for an exclusive, mysterious family gathering that happens only once a generation. Spouses and partners aren’t invited, but Ross has asked Elena to come anyway for moral support.

But there are secrets in the mouldering old pile, and terrors in the unkempt woods on the estate. And Elena slowly comes to realise that “old money” means so much more than she’d ever imagined… 

[ Those who follow my reviews know that I am a huge fan of Tchaikovsky, I already read and reviewed this here as an ARC and loved him trying even yet another genre in delving into gothic horror. ] 

"Them" by W.H. Chizmar from Gallery Books

A top-secret government project hits upon a revolutionary idea for transporting matter across the vast reaches of the universe, and they succeed in bringing something back. Something alive. Something alien. They bring back THEM.

Mankind’s reign atop the food chain comes to an abrupt halt when a tractor trailer hauling a mustard-yellow shipping container mysteriously overturns and rolls off the highway, unleashing THEM upon an unsuspecting New England countryside. America soon falls, and the world follows.

Years later, one man emerges from the rubble of humanity, seeking other survivors and a shred of hope amidst an eerie and lonely landscape. He travels by night up the rural East Coast, discovering Americana ruins and encountering monsters the likes of which no human has survived before. Scarred and molded by the horrors of the new natural order, the man must face his own dwindling humanity, and pray that any other survivors have not become monsters themselves.

THEM is the spectacular debut novel by W.H. Chizmar, an exciting new voice in dark fiction. This story of survival and responsibility presents sobering questions about what it means to be human and will stick with you long after the final page.

[ This one seems like my kind of post-apocalyptic horror, should be a fun read I think. ]

"A Plagued Sea" by Kim Bo-young, Sophie Bowman (Translator) from Tor Nightfire

First the flood

Next the sickness

Last the change

Visionary Korean author Kim Bo-young unleashes a Lovecraftian nightmare of infection, transformation, and abomination.

While waiting for a train to Haewon, an isolated Korean seaside village, bodyguard Mu-young gets a disaster alert on her phone. TVs throughout the station report breaking news of a massive earthquake on the eastern coast. Despite the danger, Mu-young boards the train with her niece: she’d rather face the earthquake than leave the girl in her mother’s care. That choice haunts her for the rest of her life.

Three years later, Haewon Village is home to horrors. The earthquake unleashed an ancient plague that transforms its victims into fishy monsters, and the government’s lockdown has cut off any hope for help. Mu-young’s niece is dead, and all that’s left for her is to hunt villagers who break isolation. When an officious bureaucrat from Seoul arrives in the village, he stirs up even deeper trouble. Will Mu-young survive? Does she even deserve to?

[ I have been interested in this for a long time, since I read about it in Grimdark Magazine in their anticipated stuff for 2026. A short little translated horror novella, Lovecraftian vibes, from Tor, count me in already. ]

Weekend Shorts - Alien Boy by Fawaz Al-Matrouk

Name - Alien Boy 

Written by - Fawaz Al-Matrouk 

Ilustrated by - Aude Abou Nasr

Edited by - Ann Vandermeer

Published by - Tor Books / reactormag.com

Our world is always full of horrors, and war is certainly one of the most dreadful precursors and instigators of horror. One of the most negative impacts war has on children is how it makes them forced to displace and makes their families broken.

This story deals with such a child, displaced from his homeland to a foreign country with rules and customs unfamiliar to him, estranged from his mother, never really accepted in this new environment. And how this fear of displacement never really leaves him.

The story is very simplistic and not very original, yet it is also poignant due to the time we currently live in. Everyone deserves their story to be told and everyone deserves second chances.

I will give this 3 out of 5 stars, simply because I expected more.

New Book Review - Preaching to the Choir by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Name - Preaching to the Choir

Written by - Adrian Tchaikovsky

Series - Terrible Worlds: Transformations 

Published by - Rebellion Publishing Ltd. / Solaris Books

First things first, I got this book from NetGalley, so thank you NetGalley and Solaris Books for this opportunity.

It seems Tchaikovsky can write in any genre, as this time he tries his hand in writing horror and provides yet another short yet impactful and enjoyable novella. This one has touches of fantasy, gothic and body horror immersed in a fast paced story with bits of real world tidbits to keep the readers googling stuff.

The story follows our protagonist Elena Mendes as she travels with her boyfriend Ross Enderbough to his family mansion Enderby for a rather very special occasion, where she meets with the suspicious and mysterious family members, soon discovers their creepy traditions and witnesses some horrific family secrets.

Compared to other books by the author this one is quite lacking in humor, much more descriptive and atmospheric and there is also rather a distinct lack of plot twists. But despite being predictable at times, it's the prose and execution that made this one such an enjoyable read.

Like most of Tchaikovsky's work, the pages seem to file away, as I kept thinking of just another chapter before other stuff and found out that I'm almost. In these day and age of everyone being so damn busy, and huge and daunting books flooding the market, short and precise reads like this continue to deliver a short breather.

This one gets a spooky 4 out of 5 stars from me.

Weekend Shorts - Let's Go to the Zoo by Louis Evans review

Name - Let's Go to the Zoo

Written by - Louis Evans 

Ilustrated by - Scott Bakal

Edited by - Mal Frazier

Published by - Tor.com 

It's been a while since I read a short story, so I wanted to get restarted through something short, weird, and thought-provoking. This one fits the bill quite nicely with an added dose of psychological nuance thrown in deepening the atmosphere.

The story is told in first person, detailing a couples visit to the Zoo, without spoiling anything further I can just add that actually they are visiting to see something specific, which on the surface level might seem simple yet through small and thoughtful expositions turn out to be not so ordinary.

The prose is a bit unorthodox and gives the short story an extra edge at times, making me re-read sentences just to glimpse into any hidden bits on offer.

Despite being so minimal, this was quite refreshing, 4 out of 5 stars from me.