“With Polyphemus, Ashford taps into horror and heavy-metal, two great tastes that go great together, with a Faustian tale of wicked obsession.”
After Polyphemus’ lead vocalist Stephen Oaks nearly dies on-stage from an overdose, the rest of the band is feeling the pressure. The label wants the band to find a new singer, pick up where they left off, and push on without Oaks.
Unfortunately, Oaks is now fresh out of rehab. Desperate to reunite with the band, Oaks is willing to make a bargain with dark forces and sacrifice everything—and anyone—to get back in the limelight.
And when the final encore is done, and the house lights come down, no one knows who will remain or who’s side they’ll be on. For Polyphemus, obsession costs far more than mere murder.
Why we’re excited about this book:
Zachary Ashford is quickly becoming one of the most reliable names when it comes to hard-hitting horror fiction. The author of Autonomy Cocktail, The Encampment by the Gorge & Blood Memory, Sole Survivor, Sole Survivor II, When the Cicadas Stop Singing, and The Morass: Servant of the Fly God, Ashford’s short-fiction can be found in such anthologies and publications as Among the Headstones: Creepy Tales from the Graveyard: Gothic Ghost and Horror Stories, and Cauldron of Chaos: Issue Four. With Polyphemus, Ashford taps into horror and heavy-metal, two great tastes that go great together, with a Faustian tale of wicked obsession. Ross Jeffery (I Died Too, But They Haven’t Buried Me Yet, The Devil’s Pocketbook) says: “The book is a metal song, full of crashing symbols and face melting guitar riffs, with lyrical prose that pierce the heart as well as shred the brain … Polyphemus at times is an uncomfortable and disturbing read, but that’s why we read horror right?”
Unleashing from Darklit Press 19 November 2023, Polyphemus by Zachary Ashford is available for pre-order now.
BOB PASTORELLA
