« The Four Who are One », 1978

By Wendy Pini (American artist, b. 1951)
Original illustration of #Corum, #Hawkmoon, #Elric, and #Erekosë, for an aborted #Stormbringer Animated Series

#vintagefantasyart #fantasyart #fantasyillustration #WendyPini #MichaelMoorcock #EternalChampion #ElfQuest

Michael Moorcock's 'Earl Aubec' is a bulky grab-bag of his short fiction, written over several decades, and although the standard is patchy, it contains some real gems.

https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/182533fc-bf47-4b76-8690-e6858ceaaa5d

#eternalchampion #michaelmoorcock #earlaubec #fantasy #sf #sff #books #bookstodon

« The Princess Cymoril », 1970

by Philippe Druillet (French comics artist and painter, born 1944)
Illustration for "La saga d'Elric le nécromancien", French comics from Michael Moorcock Elric saga, Éditions Pellucidar, 1971

#vintagefantasyart #fantasyart #fantasyillustration #darkFantasy #PhilippeDruillet #MichaelMoorcock #ElricOfMelnibone #Cymoril #EternalChampion

Bergfried – Romantik III Review

By Grin Reaper

After dropping debut EP Romantik I in 2022 and follow-up Romantic II in 2023,1 Austrian-Hungarian duo Bergfried rides in on a wave of 80s nostalgia to deliver debut full-length Romantik III. The conclusion of a trilogy, main character Anna (voiced by Anna de Savoy2) tirelessly roams hell in pursuit of her lost lover. During the search, Anna clashes with God and Devil3 in her quest for love reunited. Bergfried and the Romantik series are the creations of Erech von Lothringen, guitarist on Romantik III and mastermind of Narzissus and Ancient Mastery, among others. While his other projects lean toward black metal, Bergfried forges something entirely different—a rock opera. Does Bergfried’s take on the style breathe new life into a tale as old as time, or would it have been kinder to leave it in the past?

If The Dark Crystal and Star Wars-inspired album art doesn’t clue you in, 80s vibes radiate throughout Romantik III, but not in the way I initially expected. Advance single “Queen of the Dead” sizzles with its Smouldering good hooks. Upon hearing it the first time, the promise of polished steel, bulging breastplates, and synth-laden heavy metal really rattled my saber. Listening through the entire album, however, reveals an altogether different beast. Lead track “Dark Wings” takes off with a riff that could easily nestle into The Cult’s Love, and it doesn’t take long to realize that Romantik III doesn’t follow the boot-trodden, retro heavy metal path of Eternal Champion or Blood Star. Instead, Bergfried’s platter favors an intersection of Meatloaf (“Dark Wings”) and Pat Benatar (“Fallen from Grace”).

Romantik III’s success hinges on Anna de Savoy’s performance, and she mostly triumphs alongside von Lothringen and various guests.4 Never satisfied to linger on one sound for too long, Bergfried bears a handful of ballads (“For the Cursed,” “Star-Crossed Love”), 80s pop rock anthems (“Dark Wings,” “Tears of a Thousand Years”), and a touch of pop punk à la Blink-182 (“Serenades,” after the unadorned piano-ballad intro). Throughout the album, Anna de Savoy brandishes her voice to carry the story forward, harnessing an earnest, commanding presence. Unfortunately, her voice falters on a few occasions (the pre-chorus of “Tears of a Thousand Years,” for example), undermining an otherwise tremendous display of heartfelt conviction. The music supports her effectively, with rollicking guitar, synth, and bass undergirding the tale Anna spins without ever pulling attention away from her for too long. The guitar solos warrant praise as well,5 expanding Romantik III’s sonic range with snappy licks and quicker paces to keep things moving.

An organic mix and slick diversity pervade Romantik III’s nine tracks, preventing Bergfried from getting too mired in morose exposition. That said, some of the slower moments undercut the momentum built by preceding ones. In particular, the transition from “Gates of Fate” to “Serenades” dampens impact. The former is a rousing track that yields to a minute-long piano and vocal passage. “Serenades” eventually picks up, but by then the energy has stalled and requires a jump-start. The same issue recurs between “Tears of a Thousand Years” and “Star-Crossed Love.” Ballads can offer moments to expound on important story elements without distraction, and can also be an effective mechanism to control pace. What works against Bergfried in Romantik III, though, is that the best moments are the upbeat ones. Still, the individual track lengths are concise, and an easy-to-digest, forty-four-minute runtime makes replays easy. The mix and master are also perfectly suited to the 80s atmosphere, with bouncy bass and natural drums recalling production predating loudness wars and digitally-enhanced perfection.

Bergfried’s Romantik III does something many bands struggle with by creating a unique vision and sound that leans heavily on influences without aping them. With further refinement, their next project could be something fabulous, but for the time being Bergfried has bestowed listeners with an intriguing and offbeat album. I enjoyed my time with it, yet I’m not sure I’ll return to the Romatik series often. Given the talent and care that went into crafting it, though, I’ll be acutely attuned to whatever adventure these romantiks embark on next.

Rating: Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: High Roller Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: October 24th, 2025

#1980s #2025 #30 #80sMetal #AncientMastery #Annihilator #AustralianMetal #AustrianMetal #Bergfried #Blink182 #BloodStar #Dragony #Elvenking #Enforcer #EternalChampion #HardRock #HeavyMetal #HighRollerRecords #Meatloaf #Narzissus #Oct25 #PatBenatar #PopRock #RedEyeTemple #Review #Reviews #RomantikIII #Smoulder #TheCult

« Stealer of Souls », 1979

by Frank Brunner (American artist, born 1949)
Illustration for his "Elric Portfolio", plate #5, Looking Glass Productions, 1979
Features as illustration cover for "Stormbringer" RPG 1st Ed., Chaosium Inc., 1981
Pen and ink, 18" x 24"

#vintagefantasyart #fantasyart #fantasyillustration #FrankBrunner #MichaelMoorcock #Stormbringer #Mournblade #elricofmelnibone #EternalChampion #FRPG #TTRPG #Chaosium

« Elric of Melniboné », 1979

by Frank Brunner (American comics artist, born 1949)
Illustration for his "Elric Portfolio", plate #7, Looking Glass Productions, 1979
pen and ink, 18" x 24"

#vintagefantasyart #fantasyart #fantasyillustration #FrankBrunner #MichaelMoorcock #Stormbringer #Mournblade #elricofmelnibone #EternalChampion

« Elric of Melniboné », 1982 (left) and 2021 (right)

by Mike Mignola (American comics artist, born 1960)

#vintagefantasyart #fantasyart #fantasyillustration #MikeMignola #MichaelMoorcock #ElricOfMelnibone #Stormbringer #EternalChampion

Black Soul Horde – Symphony of Chaos Review

By Steel Druhm

Has it really been 4 years since Horrors from the Void dropped? The third full-length from Greek trve metal/power unit Black Soul Horde was a rollicking, rowdy mash-up of 80s traditional metal, power, and all things trve. Old-timey Manilla Road influences coexisted alongside Agent Steel and Jag Panzer idioms, and newer retro acts like Visigoth and Eternal Champion. This was more than an olde head like Yours Steely could resist, and the fun factor and broad sword quotient got it stamped with a fat 4.0. Now we get the follow-up, which has some mighty big war booties to fill. The Horde haven’t changed their approach for Symphony of Chaos, so all the same elements are in place and ready to rake for our hearts, minds, and black souls. Will the siege equipment be as stout and formidable this time? Let’s kick those wooden tires and see what we’re dealing with here.

Things kick off to a gloriously 80s start with “Lady of Shadows,” which at once reminds me of Crimson Glory and Trial (Sweden), with a spicy coating of Eternal Champion’s loincloth. It’s instantly catchy and enjoyable, fusing the best bits of classic 80s metal and Euro-power for a sound that’s tougher and sturdier than you’d expect. Jim Kotsis tops it all with his odd, high-register, nasal-as-fook vocals. “What the Night Invokes” keeps that good times rolling with hints of Sanctuary and a bigger dose of Eternal Champion. I’m not sure what Kotsis is singing about, but it sounds like he keeps hailing Mole Man or Moth Man, and either way, I support it. When “A Scream in the Snow” hits, things reach the next level. This is such a classic throwback metal tune that it shakes my primate brain into fatty mush and makes me want to throw ape cake at friends and foes alike. If you aren’t sharpening your raiding axe by the halfway point, I don’t want your weak ass on my Viking Cruise. The riffs have teeth, and Kotsis provides just the right blend of machismo and gloss as he takes the chorus to the house.

I’ll say this about Symphony of Chaos: the hits just keep on coming. “The Creatures of the Night” is another stellar slab of classic metal with a power metal infusion. The badass and bitey guitar work reminds me of Wolf, and there’s just the right punch and hook factor to sell it like cheese-coated bacon. “Wrath of the Pharaohs” is an absolute snobberknocker of trve metal wonder merging early Annihilator vibes with Steel Prophet dramatic bombast. “Death’s Parade” is another headbanger’s delight where Kotsis uncorks death vocals at key moments, and the chorus is grand and mighty. The album is pretty damn consistent, with only “Julian Graves” and closer “Dance of the Eternal Shadows” sinking below the high level of their peers slightly. At a tight 43-plus minutes and with all songs in the 3-5 minute window, things move and groove with urgency and pop.

Costas P. and John T. bring a lively and potent guitar magic to the material, tossing out beefy 80s riffs and seasoning them with power frills and trve grit as needed. There are plenty of inspired moments that greatly elevate songs, and they have a knack for bringing the right amount of heavy metal thunder at key junctures. Jim Kotsis continues to impress with his odd but versatile vocals. Sometimes a dead ringer for Lance King (ex-Pyramaze, ex-Balance of Power), other times quite like Jason Tarpey (Eternal Champion), with Warrel Dane-isms popping up too, he’s got the kind of voice that’s perfectly suited to what Black Soul Horde are doing. As with Horrors from the Void, it’s the slick songcraft that wins the day and takes this from a cute retro rocker to that next level of essential metal.

Symphony of Chaos is one of the most consistently entertaining “heavy metal” albums of 2025, and were it not for a few minor step-downs in writing, this would be another 4.0. Honestly, it almost got there anyway. There are great cuts here, and enough pure metal glory to fill the hearts of the faithful. Black Soul Horde have that “it” factor and know how to deliver the retro metal goods better than most, and Symphony of Chaos is another testament to their mastery of the olden ways. Get this shaggy altered beast in your ears and run with the pack.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Vinyl Store
Websites: blacksoulhorde.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blacksoulhorde | instagram.com/blacksoulhorde
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2025

#35 #BlackSoulHorde #CrimsonGlory #EpicHeavyMetal #EternalChampion #GreekMetal #HeavyMetal #HorrorsFromTheVoid #Oct25 #PowerMetal #Review #Reviews #SymphonyOfChaos #Trial #VinylStore

« The Sword and The Stallion », 1974

by David McCall Johnston (American artist, born 1940)
Cover illustration for "The Chronicles of Corum #6", by Michael Moorcock, Berkeley Medallion, 1974

#vintagefantasyart #fantasyart #fantasyillustration #DavidMcCallJohnston #psychedelicFantasy #MichaelMoorcock #ChroniclesOfCorum #Corum #EternalChampion