What do you think?
Rate this book
Music to Sacrifice Virgins To
Down on his luck and moving back in with his mother, Asher Benton receives a death bed letter from an estranged relative. Uncle Rex is leaving his most prized possessions to his nephew—a collection of heavy metal records and a vintage stereo. In need of money, Asher plans to sell them, but is quickly drawn in by a mysterious album named Music to Sacrifice Virgins To.
The album is forged of black magic, and the more Asher listens to it, the closer he comes to being a Satanic warlock. By embracing the evil, he gains all that he desires—money, women, influence, and power. He forms a death cult to do The Devil’s bidding and soon starts to wonder if Uncle Rex truly is dead. Perhaps he is closer than Asher ever imagined.
From Kristopher Triana, author of Gone to See the River Man and Full Brutal, comes his most diabolical work yet. Filled with demons, sorcery, and murder, Music to Sacrifice Virgins To is a vicious, merciless horror novel that will devour your soul.
“Like the bastard son of Faulkner and Barker, Triana trudges a literary lane all his own.” - Nick Roberts, author of The Exorcist’s House
The album is forged of black magic, and the more Asher listens to it, the closer he comes to being a Satanic warlock. By embracing the evil, he gains all that he desires—money, women, influence, and power. He forms a death cult to do The Devil’s bidding and soon starts to wonder if Uncle Rex truly is dead. Perhaps he is closer than Asher ever imagined.
From Kristopher Triana, author of Gone to See the River Man and Full Brutal, comes his most diabolical work yet. Filled with demons, sorcery, and murder, Music to Sacrifice Virgins To is a vicious, merciless horror novel that will devour your soul.
“Like the bastard son of Faulkner and Barker, Triana trudges a literary lane all his own.” - Nick Roberts, author of The Exorcist’s House
- GenresHorror
566 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2025
42 people are currently reading
301 people want to read
About the author
Kristopher Triana
68 books2,171 followersKristopher Triana is the author of Gone to See the River Man, Full Brutal, They All Died Screaming, Shepherd of the Black Sheep, Toxic Love, and more.
His fiction has appeared in countless magazines and anthologies and has been translated into multiple languages, drawing praise from Publisher's Weekly, Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Scream, The Ginger Nuts of Horror and others.
Full Brutal won the Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel of 2019, and Triana won the award again in 2022 for The Night Stockers, which he cowrote with Ryan Harding.
He lives in Connecticut.
His fiction has appeared in countless magazines and anthologies and has been translated into multiple languages, drawing praise from Publisher's Weekly, Cemetery Dance, Rue Morgue, Scream, The Ginger Nuts of Horror and others.
Full Brutal won the Splatterpunk Award for Best Horror Novel of 2019, and Triana won the award again in 2022 for The Night Stockers, which he cowrote with Ryan Harding.
He lives in Connecticut.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 28, 2025
As much as I love Triana's work, this one just did not do it for me, but YMMV. Our lead, Asher Benton, starts the tale driving to his mother's house in his old Honda. Asher does not have much going for him at this point in his life; he just lost his job, his girlfriend kicked him out and just about broke, he is moving back home at age 25. After dropping out of college, Asher worked a series of low-end retail jobs and to say the future looks dim would be an understatement. Shortly thereafter, a letter arrives addressed to him from his uncle Rex, someone Asher barely remembers. His mother, Rex's brother, however, remembers Rex all too well, and when the deathbed letter tells Asher he left him his most prized possessions, his mother wants him to just ignore it.
Well, Asher after a struggle with his mom goes and collects the stuff from a storage unit and finds an old, killer stereo and 666 heavy metal albums (along with some horror DVDs and such). Asher, not much of a metal head, at first decides to sell the stuff (he is broke after all), but listens to them on and off. Taking out the trash, he meets his neighbor, a 19 yo goth gal and immediately falls in lust. She (Violet) is a metal head and heard the music from his open window. Most of the albums are classics from the 70s-90s, but one stands out; no label, but the titular Music to Sacrifice Virgins To on the spine. This is mildly spoilery, but the album is really from Hell, and listening to it starts to transform Asher...
Even in Triana's nastiest novels, I always felt some sympathy for the villains. Full Brutal, for example, starred a sociopathic teen cheerleader who wrecked havoc on the lives of people she knew, just because she liked the feeling of causing others pain. Asher, however, I felt nothing for-- the guy starts off as an asshole and just gets worse and worse. Misogynistic would be an understatement and as he starts changing, becoming a warlock/demon, it just gets worse. We are treated to lengthy pronouncements by Asher on women repeatedly, how they should know their place (e.g., be sex slaves and always look sexy for their men). Asher tells us, for example, that all men just want three things: power, money and pussy, and the first two simply serve as a means to the third. I am not sure if Triana presented this as a critique of men like this, but it did not warm me to Asher at all.
Next, Music to Sacrifice Virgins To oozes violence and depravity almost from the first page. I am no stranger to splatterpunk, but Triana turns it up to eleven here. Asher's violence and sadism would make Marque de Sade blush! After an intriguing start, this turns into a splatterfest as Asher and his growing harem of sex-slaves go on a killing spree for the ages. The body count is not that high, but every one death is brutal, nasty and depraved, and they just get progressively worse.
The only three redeeming features I found here concerned the playlist, the critique of those in power, and the critique of organized religion. I saw my first concert in 1982, headlined by Judas Priest with Iron Maiden opening (awesome show!) and loved metal (still do!) and the bands/songs mentioned throughout the novel rang lots of bells for me. Secondly, this book is about evil, and Asher really is evil. Yet, he consistently reflects how those in power are evil; have to be! Politicians with scruples never get anywhere, nor to business types. Triana also provides a ruthless critique of the church here, with Asher (and various demons) noting how many have died over the years to/for their various gods. While not exactly novel, this third, barbed thread cut deep.
Overall, I just did not feel this one. Asher, already and asshole, just gets worse and worse as his evil grows. The dark humor that rests in his other works only pops up occasionally here. This was like 10 miles of bad, bloody highway and the the denouement, while fitting, did not change much for me. YMMV! 3 depraved stars.
Well, Asher after a struggle with his mom goes and collects the stuff from a storage unit and finds an old, killer stereo and 666 heavy metal albums (along with some horror DVDs and such). Asher, not much of a metal head, at first decides to sell the stuff (he is broke after all), but listens to them on and off. Taking out the trash, he meets his neighbor, a 19 yo goth gal and immediately falls in lust. She (Violet) is a metal head and heard the music from his open window. Most of the albums are classics from the 70s-90s, but one stands out; no label, but the titular Music to Sacrifice Virgins To on the spine. This is mildly spoilery, but the album is really from Hell, and listening to it starts to transform Asher...
Even in Triana's nastiest novels, I always felt some sympathy for the villains. Full Brutal, for example, starred a sociopathic teen cheerleader who wrecked havoc on the lives of people she knew, just because she liked the feeling of causing others pain. Asher, however, I felt nothing for-- the guy starts off as an asshole and just gets worse and worse. Misogynistic would be an understatement and as he starts changing, becoming a warlock/demon, it just gets worse. We are treated to lengthy pronouncements by Asher on women repeatedly, how they should know their place (e.g., be sex slaves and always look sexy for their men). Asher tells us, for example, that all men just want three things: power, money and pussy, and the first two simply serve as a means to the third. I am not sure if Triana presented this as a critique of men like this, but it did not warm me to Asher at all.
Next, Music to Sacrifice Virgins To oozes violence and depravity almost from the first page. I am no stranger to splatterpunk, but Triana turns it up to eleven here. Asher's violence and sadism would make Marque de Sade blush! After an intriguing start, this turns into a splatterfest as Asher and his growing harem of sex-slaves go on a killing spree for the ages. The body count is not that high, but every one death is brutal, nasty and depraved, and they just get progressively worse.
The only three redeeming features I found here concerned the playlist, the critique of those in power, and the critique of organized religion. I saw my first concert in 1982, headlined by Judas Priest with Iron Maiden opening (awesome show!) and loved metal (still do!) and the bands/songs mentioned throughout the novel rang lots of bells for me. Secondly, this book is about evil, and Asher really is evil. Yet, he consistently reflects how those in power are evil; have to be! Politicians with scruples never get anywhere, nor to business types. Triana also provides a ruthless critique of the church here, with Asher (and various demons) noting how many have died over the years to/for their various gods. While not exactly novel, this third, barbed thread cut deep.
Overall, I just did not feel this one. Asher, already and asshole, just gets worse and worse as his evil grows. The dark humor that rests in his other works only pops up occasionally here. This was like 10 miles of bad, bloody highway and the the denouement, while fitting, did not change much for me. YMMV! 3 depraved stars.
November 21, 2025
I’ve been going back and forth trying to figure out exactly how I feel about this one. I usually love Triana’s work, but Music to Sacrifice Virgins To lands squarely in the middle for me for a few reasons.
The story follows Asher, who moves back in with his mother after a breakup. When his estranged uncle dies, Asher inherits his old metal vinyl collection from the ’70s–’90s. Hidden among the records is an obscure album called Music to Sacrifice Virgins To. Once he plays it, the music unlocks his darkest impulses and grants him powers that help him rise as a warlock in Satan’s army. The more horrific acts he commits, the more favor and power he gains...
I’m no stranger to splatterpunk or extreme horror; I can handle films like Guinea Pig Experiments or A Serbian Film (though that’s a one-and-done for me). But movies only consume a couple of hours of your life. A book traps you in its world for days or weeks, and with this nearly 400-page novel, Triana really pushed my limits. It’s an unceasing wave of depravity, so intense that I often felt like I couldn’t catch my breath. I stayed in this world too long. A few taboo scenes involving a family were almost unbearable for me as a parent - so fair warning to any parents out there, it gets really gross 🤮. Nearly every chapter contains some kind of sexual act, and when the sexual violence becomes this constant, it starts feeling repetitive and a little numbing.
Another issue is that there’s no one to root for. Triana often writes vile characters, but they usually have some twisted charm or depth that keeps me invested. Asher, though, is simply awful. He’s misogynistic, cruel, and entirely devoid of redeeming qualities, and no one ever challenges him. We just follow him deeper and deeper into darkness, and I found myself wondering why I’d want to spend my free time with someone I couldn’t stand. Had we seen more of his human side before the record transforms him, the later depravity might have hit harder instead of feeling like a constant onslaught.
However, there were things I genuinely enjoyed. The music playlist was great, and the novel’s commentary on Christianity, morality, and power was compelling, especially the idea that society often rewards ruthlessness while goodness goes unnoticed. I also loved the demon descriptions; Triana excels at monstrous imagery. Beelzebub’s design with flies, maggots, and teeth in eye sockets, was fantastic! And a birthing scene near the end actually made my jaw drop 😱
This one isn’t a new favorite for me, but I know it will absolutely appeal to readers who want extreme, shock-heavy horror. I did love Full Brutal, and maybe that’s because I resonate more with female POVs. But if you’re into stories driven by sexual violence, blood-soaked filth, and satanic, taboo mayhem, then this might be exactly what you’re looking for!
The story follows Asher, who moves back in with his mother after a breakup. When his estranged uncle dies, Asher inherits his old metal vinyl collection from the ’70s–’90s. Hidden among the records is an obscure album called Music to Sacrifice Virgins To. Once he plays it, the music unlocks his darkest impulses and grants him powers that help him rise as a warlock in Satan’s army. The more horrific acts he commits, the more favor and power he gains...
I’m no stranger to splatterpunk or extreme horror; I can handle films like Guinea Pig Experiments or A Serbian Film (though that’s a one-and-done for me). But movies only consume a couple of hours of your life. A book traps you in its world for days or weeks, and with this nearly 400-page novel, Triana really pushed my limits. It’s an unceasing wave of depravity, so intense that I often felt like I couldn’t catch my breath. I stayed in this world too long. A few taboo scenes involving a family were almost unbearable for me as a parent - so fair warning to any parents out there, it gets really gross 🤮. Nearly every chapter contains some kind of sexual act, and when the sexual violence becomes this constant, it starts feeling repetitive and a little numbing.
Another issue is that there’s no one to root for. Triana often writes vile characters, but they usually have some twisted charm or depth that keeps me invested. Asher, though, is simply awful. He’s misogynistic, cruel, and entirely devoid of redeeming qualities, and no one ever challenges him. We just follow him deeper and deeper into darkness, and I found myself wondering why I’d want to spend my free time with someone I couldn’t stand. Had we seen more of his human side before the record transforms him, the later depravity might have hit harder instead of feeling like a constant onslaught.
However, there were things I genuinely enjoyed. The music playlist was great, and the novel’s commentary on Christianity, morality, and power was compelling, especially the idea that society often rewards ruthlessness while goodness goes unnoticed. I also loved the demon descriptions; Triana excels at monstrous imagery. Beelzebub’s design with flies, maggots, and teeth in eye sockets, was fantastic! And a birthing scene near the end actually made my jaw drop 😱
This one isn’t a new favorite for me, but I know it will absolutely appeal to readers who want extreme, shock-heavy horror. I did love Full Brutal, and maybe that’s because I resonate more with female POVs. But if you’re into stories driven by sexual violence, blood-soaked filth, and satanic, taboo mayhem, then this might be exactly what you’re looking for!
November 10, 2025
I'm a Triana fangirl and have read almost everything he's put out. This is one of his largest books but I burned through it like it was a magazine... It was terrifying and revolting and sexually charged in the most evil way, which makes sense with the incubus angle. A great tribute to the devil rock glory days of heavy metal, and a story that takes the "deal with the devil" trope to disturbing extremes. I loved how Asher got worse as the satanic influence took over, making him increasingly more hateful to everyone and everything. It was a scary progression and made for some of Triana's bleakest writing.
I love this author's work because he can give you a dark drama like "I Don't Recognize This World Anymore" and then follow it with "Music", one of the most insane and brutal splatterpunk novels I've ever read. This one might be too intense even for fans of his "River Man" books, but obviously those of us who loved "Full Brutal' and "Toxic Love" are the intended audience. This is NOT for lightweight horror fans! But if you're brave enough, this is one of the best new horror novels you could ask for.
One last thing added post script: What I love most about Triana's stuff is that it is true splatterpunk, meaning there's a message behind the carnage. To me this book is about the danger of power being put into the wrong hands, the hypocrisy of organized religion, and most chilling of all, the belief that most people will choose evil if it gives them better results, and perhaps that's why the world is in state of moral decay. Like I said, it is bleak.
I love this author's work because he can give you a dark drama like "I Don't Recognize This World Anymore" and then follow it with "Music", one of the most insane and brutal splatterpunk novels I've ever read. This one might be too intense even for fans of his "River Man" books, but obviously those of us who loved "Full Brutal' and "Toxic Love" are the intended audience. This is NOT for lightweight horror fans! But if you're brave enough, this is one of the best new horror novels you could ask for.
One last thing added post script: What I love most about Triana's stuff is that it is true splatterpunk, meaning there's a message behind the carnage. To me this book is about the danger of power being put into the wrong hands, the hypocrisy of organized religion, and most chilling of all, the belief that most people will choose evil if it gives them better results, and perhaps that's why the world is in state of moral decay. Like I said, it is bleak.
December 26, 2025
I’m a huge fan of Triana but this one just wasn’t for me. It felt “extreme” just to be extreme. I saw a Facebook post from him trying to promote the book and it came across a bit fake, just trying to appeal to the masses.
I’ve read many of his books and this was the first one I lost interest in about halfway through. Give it a go and decide for yourself but it’s my least favorite Triana book I gave read.
I’ve read many of his books and this was the first one I lost interest in about halfway through. Give it a go and decide for yourself but it’s my least favorite Triana book I gave read.
January 11, 2026
I wanna preface this by saying that I adore Trianna's work and what he does for the horror space...however, this one wasn't my favourite.
I really didn't feel like I had anyone to cheer on, and there's some really chewy scenes to get through.
I think of this had been 100/150 pages shorter I'd have had more enjoyment from it than I did.
What I will say is that Trianna continues to write gore with finesse and this book was no exception.
I really didn't feel like I had anyone to cheer on, and there's some really chewy scenes to get through.
I think of this had been 100/150 pages shorter I'd have had more enjoyment from it than I did.
What I will say is that Trianna continues to write gore with finesse and this book was no exception.
January 31, 2026
3.5⭐️ - Kristopher Triana is one of my favourite authors, and while this wasn’t my favourite of his, it’s still very recognisably Triana.
The story follows Asher, who after a breakup, moves back in with his mum and into his childhood bedroom. He inherits his estranged uncle’s massive heavy metal vinyl collection, and buried among the records is a mysterious album titled Music to Sacrifice Virgins to. When Asher plays it, the music awakens something dark inside him and pulls him into a satanic hierarchy where violence, devotion, and depravity are rewarded with power.
This book lives firmly in the extreme horror space, and Triana does not ease you into it. The violence and sexual brutality start early and grow progressively more intense. While I’m no stranger to splatterpunk, the sheer consistency of it here became a tad exhausting, and with such relentless escalation, the shock eventually flattens into repetition.
The biggest issue for me was Asher himself. Triana often writes deeply flawed characters, but they usually have some spark of complexity or charisma that makes you want to root for them. Asher never quite gets there. He starts off deeply misogynistic and cruel, and his descent into evil feels less like a fall and more like a slide he was already enjoying. Because he’s never meaningfully challenged, there’s no real tension in his rise, just a steady accumulation of power and excess. I found myself wishing we’d spent more time with a recognisably human version of him before everything went fully feral.
That said, there are things I genuinely loved. The metal playlist is fantastic and clearly written with affection, and I enjoyed the commentary on religion, morality, and power. The idea that cruelty is often rewarded while goodness goes unnoticed lands hard. Triana’s descriptions of monsters and gore are top-tier, and some of the imagery is unforgettable, especially near the end.
Overall, it’s definitely well written and confidently extreme, but I felt it was a little too long and too unrelenting for its own good. Fans of shock-heavy, satanic horror will probably have a great time. For me, it didn’t quite hit the heights of his strongest work, but I still appreciate the craft behind it and will continue to read everything the man writes!
The story follows Asher, who after a breakup, moves back in with his mum and into his childhood bedroom. He inherits his estranged uncle’s massive heavy metal vinyl collection, and buried among the records is a mysterious album titled Music to Sacrifice Virgins to. When Asher plays it, the music awakens something dark inside him and pulls him into a satanic hierarchy where violence, devotion, and depravity are rewarded with power.
This book lives firmly in the extreme horror space, and Triana does not ease you into it. The violence and sexual brutality start early and grow progressively more intense. While I’m no stranger to splatterpunk, the sheer consistency of it here became a tad exhausting, and with such relentless escalation, the shock eventually flattens into repetition.
The biggest issue for me was Asher himself. Triana often writes deeply flawed characters, but they usually have some spark of complexity or charisma that makes you want to root for them. Asher never quite gets there. He starts off deeply misogynistic and cruel, and his descent into evil feels less like a fall and more like a slide he was already enjoying. Because he’s never meaningfully challenged, there’s no real tension in his rise, just a steady accumulation of power and excess. I found myself wishing we’d spent more time with a recognisably human version of him before everything went fully feral.
That said, there are things I genuinely loved. The metal playlist is fantastic and clearly written with affection, and I enjoyed the commentary on religion, morality, and power. The idea that cruelty is often rewarded while goodness goes unnoticed lands hard. Triana’s descriptions of monsters and gore are top-tier, and some of the imagery is unforgettable, especially near the end.
Overall, it’s definitely well written and confidently extreme, but I felt it was a little too long and too unrelenting for its own good. Fans of shock-heavy, satanic horror will probably have a great time. For me, it didn’t quite hit the heights of his strongest work, but I still appreciate the craft behind it and will continue to read everything the man writes!
October 30, 2025
Music to Sacrifice Virgins To by Kristopher Triana is a story of music, demons, death, and a brutal, obscene descent into evil. It will unapologetically cross every boundary might have, and maybe a few you didn’t know you had.
This is a masterpiece of demonic horror for hardcore extreme horror aficionados. Triana’s writing is provocative, visual, and ruthless. And so is this story.
This is a masterpiece of demonic horror for hardcore extreme horror aficionados. Triana’s writing is provocative, visual, and ruthless. And so is this story.
December 1, 2025
"For the lords of hell, we come bearing the wrath of Satan."
This book was badass. If you are a fan of extreme metal and love the Devil, this book is for you.
This book was badass. If you are a fan of extreme metal and love the Devil, this book is for you.
December 25, 2025
Oh man, this one hurts.
Although I've only read a handful of Triana's books, he's consistently managed to impress me with his range and ability to write stories that are just as captivating to read as they are filthy, vile and vulgar. 'Music To Sacrifice Virgins to' is his latest book, and the premise is one that was immediately compelling to me.
You see, I love demonic/satanic horror, and it's rare that an author as willing to get down and dirty as Triana comes along and writes one. Yes, I was very much looking forward to this one, which is why it's such a goddamn bummer that I really didn't like it.
Before I turn into a total Negative Nancy about it though, there are some things that I did really enjoy about this story. For one, as is usually the case with Triana, the descriptions and prose, specifically when it comes to the nasty bits, are disgustingly vivid. His writing is a total assault on the senses, and the depravity he is willing to depict reaches new levels.
I particularly loved how this applied to the demons in the story. These mofos are NASTY. Every vile, sloppy, fecal detail is depicted in loving detail here, with some absolutely foul scenes that had my guts doing twisting like a bop-it for how wretched they were.
Unfortunately, despite having the ingredients for a story I should love, the narrative is really where this falls apart for me, or more precise, the lack of a narrative. The premise is incredibly simple: Asher, the protagonist, is the an ordinary 20-something who finds himself down on his luck after a bad break-up and a dismal financial state that sees him moving back home with his mom. He soon receives a letter from his recently deceased and estranged uncle, who has left Asher his entire record collection, with one particular record leading Asher into a satanic pact that sees him falling deeper and deeper into pits of depravity.
Its a simple idea, and my issue is that its really pretty much what it says on the tin. You're looking at about 500 pages or so that contain an endless slog of shocking atrocities that involve murder, torture, murder sex, SA, infanticide, more SA, incestuous SA, and so on and so forth. If you're at all familiar with the Extreme Horror genre, than you probably know what expect, and you'll guess where things are going in this book almost immediately.
It really is just 500 pages of the worst stuff you can imagine. It's honestly the exact thing that People stigmatize the genre for. The characters are one dimensional, dull, and exist only to be used and abused. The protagonist is never challenged. There is nothing that every stands as an obstacle for him, he simply gets his way, and all contrivances and egregious conveniences are hand-waved away as the power of Satan looking out for him.
I expected the story to be about Ashers moral downfall. There's a tried and true idea here of someone getting pulled down into the darkness, but in this book it never really happens. Asher, who as far as we know, is a totally normal person, jumps into evil way too quickly with almost no hesitation or consideration. Yes, there is technically a plot point that could partially explain it, It just feels super contrived and unsatisfying.
At the end of the day, there could have been a good tale here, but unfortunately I found the book to focus purely on the shock-slop typical of the genre, and it goes on far longer than is merciful given the lack of depth.
Rather than being shocking, it quickly becomes monotonous. I'm sorry to say, but I expect a lot more from Triana when it comes to character and depth. He's written a lot of stuff I love, but sadly, this one ain't it for me.
Although I've only read a handful of Triana's books, he's consistently managed to impress me with his range and ability to write stories that are just as captivating to read as they are filthy, vile and vulgar. 'Music To Sacrifice Virgins to' is his latest book, and the premise is one that was immediately compelling to me.
You see, I love demonic/satanic horror, and it's rare that an author as willing to get down and dirty as Triana comes along and writes one. Yes, I was very much looking forward to this one, which is why it's such a goddamn bummer that I really didn't like it.
Before I turn into a total Negative Nancy about it though, there are some things that I did really enjoy about this story. For one, as is usually the case with Triana, the descriptions and prose, specifically when it comes to the nasty bits, are disgustingly vivid. His writing is a total assault on the senses, and the depravity he is willing to depict reaches new levels.
I particularly loved how this applied to the demons in the story. These mofos are NASTY. Every vile, sloppy, fecal detail is depicted in loving detail here, with some absolutely foul scenes that had my guts doing twisting like a bop-it for how wretched they were.
Unfortunately, despite having the ingredients for a story I should love, the narrative is really where this falls apart for me, or more precise, the lack of a narrative. The premise is incredibly simple: Asher, the protagonist, is the an ordinary 20-something who finds himself down on his luck after a bad break-up and a dismal financial state that sees him moving back home with his mom. He soon receives a letter from his recently deceased and estranged uncle, who has left Asher his entire record collection, with one particular record leading Asher into a satanic pact that sees him falling deeper and deeper into pits of depravity.
Its a simple idea, and my issue is that its really pretty much what it says on the tin. You're looking at about 500 pages or so that contain an endless slog of shocking atrocities that involve murder, torture, murder sex, SA, infanticide, more SA, incestuous SA, and so on and so forth. If you're at all familiar with the Extreme Horror genre, than you probably know what expect, and you'll guess where things are going in this book almost immediately.
It really is just 500 pages of the worst stuff you can imagine. It's honestly the exact thing that People stigmatize the genre for. The characters are one dimensional, dull, and exist only to be used and abused. The protagonist is never challenged. There is nothing that every stands as an obstacle for him, he simply gets his way, and all contrivances and egregious conveniences are hand-waved away as the power of Satan looking out for him.
I expected the story to be about Ashers moral downfall. There's a tried and true idea here of someone getting pulled down into the darkness, but in this book it never really happens. Asher, who as far as we know, is a totally normal person, jumps into evil way too quickly with almost no hesitation or consideration. Yes, there is technically a plot point that could partially explain it, It just feels super contrived and unsatisfying.
At the end of the day, there could have been a good tale here, but unfortunately I found the book to focus purely on the shock-slop typical of the genre, and it goes on far longer than is merciful given the lack of depth.
Rather than being shocking, it quickly becomes monotonous. I'm sorry to say, but I expect a lot more from Triana when it comes to character and depth. He's written a lot of stuff I love, but sadly, this one ain't it for me.
February 3, 2026
I had (probably too) high hopes for this book based on the premise. The only other Triana books I've read were Gone to See the River Man and the sequel, and I thought those were both great. I'm totally fine with extreme horror scenes when they actually fit the story. However, this book feels like ten steps backward for Triana - who obviously can write a solid intriguing story. This story even had the potential to be solid. The first fifty or so pages were so good, and then from there it just turned into porno garbage. Part of the problem is that the "extreme" scenes are just so repetitive and often have no bearing on moving the story forward. I'll admit I did fully expect the sacrificing a virgin scene with the title of the book, but it came after probably 100 other repetitive over the top extreme sex-murder scenes that I just wanted the book over with. Even Satan himself would be bored with the amount of try-hard to impress the extreme sickos crowd.
December 19, 2025
I was lucky to have beta read this one long before the release and while it's a chonker, it keeps you absolutely glued to the pages. Now, this is absolutely going to be a divisive book as it is VERY extreme. Triana dives back into the extreme horror/splatterpunk novel he's very well known for.
Asher is a character you can never root for. He's awful and becomes decidedly more so after becoming an incubus and doing the demons work. As such, there's an onslaught of sexual depravity and bloodshed that never lets up. The devil works hard, but Asher works harder to get his just rewards.
I can see why some readers would think this book can be a little too much. For this reader, it felt like it was needed to show the various steps of Asher's progression. In true Triana form, the descriptions of the.. well everything.. gives you such great visuals and lends to the harrowing nature of this read. He holds nothing back. The story is dark and brooding without a glimmer of light or hope for redemption. And that ending.... uff. Personally, I thought it was a happy ending when it was all said and done. But that's just me ;). And the social commentary is right ON POINT.
This isn't a read for the squeamish or those who won't want to be barraged with infinite evil debauchery. Even the most seasoned extreme horror reader will find themselves with their jaws dropped and their hands over their eyes.. parted slightly to continue reading. All the trigger warnings.
Now excuse me while I pick up the bong I made out of the skull of an enemy and rip one.
Asher is a character you can never root for. He's awful and becomes decidedly more so after becoming an incubus and doing the demons work. As such, there's an onslaught of sexual depravity and bloodshed that never lets up. The devil works hard, but Asher works harder to get his just rewards.
I can see why some readers would think this book can be a little too much. For this reader, it felt like it was needed to show the various steps of Asher's progression. In true Triana form, the descriptions of the.. well everything.. gives you such great visuals and lends to the harrowing nature of this read. He holds nothing back. The story is dark and brooding without a glimmer of light or hope for redemption. And that ending.... uff. Personally, I thought it was a happy ending when it was all said and done. But that's just me ;). And the social commentary is right ON POINT.
This isn't a read for the squeamish or those who won't want to be barraged with infinite evil debauchery. Even the most seasoned extreme horror reader will find themselves with their jaws dropped and their hands over their eyes.. parted slightly to continue reading. All the trigger warnings.
Now excuse me while I pick up the bong I made out of the skull of an enemy and rip one.
January 18, 2026
Whelp…….what could possibly be said about this book.
It was absolutely the most horrendous piece of fiction I have ever read. I don’t mean horrendous in the sense of being bad, but in the sense of its content.
I’m very glad I read this on my kindle, as I don’t think I could bear to have a physical copy in my home where someone could open and read it.
Let’s put aside the extreme content (and I can’t emphasis “extreme” enough), and look at the book as a piece of fiction.
Well written character transformation- Check
Compelling story that makes you not want to stop reading - Check
Moments that illicit not only emotional but physical reactions from the reader - Check
There is a hint that we might get a sequel to this book.
My thoughts to continuing this story are “please god, no” and “haven’t we said everything that ABSOLUTELY DID NOT NEED TO BE SAID ALREADY???”
But just as we grab an electric fence only to shake off the shock and think “I wonder if it’s still on” and reach for it again……I know I’ll read it.
It was absolutely the most horrendous piece of fiction I have ever read. I don’t mean horrendous in the sense of being bad, but in the sense of its content.
I’m very glad I read this on my kindle, as I don’t think I could bear to have a physical copy in my home where someone could open and read it.
Let’s put aside the extreme content (and I can’t emphasis “extreme” enough), and look at the book as a piece of fiction.
Well written character transformation- Check
Compelling story that makes you not want to stop reading - Check
Moments that illicit not only emotional but physical reactions from the reader - Check
There is a hint that we might get a sequel to this book.
My thoughts to continuing this story are “please god, no” and “haven’t we said everything that ABSOLUTELY DID NOT NEED TO BE SAID ALREADY???”
But just as we grab an electric fence only to shake off the shock and think “I wonder if it’s still on” and reach for it again……I know I’ll read it.
January 9, 2026
Sex, Drugs, and Black Fucking Metal. This book is one Hell of a ride, I think I converted to Satanism about halfway through. Asher Benton inherits a slew of heavy metal records after the death of his estranged uncle and is quickly possessed by the influence of the evil music and perhaps something even more sinister.... Asher quickly spirals into a sadistic pit of unholy debauchery as he devotes himself to the demonic forces of Hell and the Devil, Himself. I could not put this book down, I nearly felt possessed myself as I fell deeper and deeper into the clutches of this satanic tale. It is clear Triana is well versed in the world of metal and that is something I really appreciate in an author, I will be immediately purchasing everything i can find from him. HAIL SATAN.
January 14, 2026
As much as I wanted to love it, it was not my favorite Triana book. There is really no one to root for; the main character is a total asshole to start off with and just gets worse the further you get into the storyline. Im used to his books having despicable people in them but Asher is just annoying. The book is very brutal but starts to become monotonous. maybe because its so long? Appreciated that not every book has to have a happy ending tho. 3 stars 🙂 I feel bad for leaving a poor review as im a huge fan of this author.
November 7, 2025
This was a wid ride, for sure. Kristopher has a way of keeping you engaged with the reading, even if nothing of note is happening. Asher may be sipping a beer and simply planning his next course of action, but I found myself utterly entranced.
The ending was pretty predictable, but didnt change my enjoyment of the story. The bands mentioned run the gamut, which I was happy to see. Overall, an entertaining read and well worth the money for 450 pages of Satanic awesomeness.
The ending was pretty predictable, but didnt change my enjoyment of the story. The bands mentioned run the gamut, which I was happy to see. Overall, an entertaining read and well worth the money for 450 pages of Satanic awesomeness.
November 16, 2025
Highly recommended for anyone who is always a fan of the spatterpunk/Extreme Horror Genre. Triana holds no bars in this one. As a person who has a interest to the positive side of satanism, it's always blows me away how the darker side of it really shows how much the boundaries can be pushed without rasing any red flags and this book executed it perfectly. Became one of my top favorite Triana reads and looking forward to see what in store for future works.
January 12, 2026
This is Triana's best work yet. When he says splatterpunk he means splatterpunk! It splays violence and gore almost from page one and just gets darker from there. I have loved everything I've read by Triana and this was no exception. It was much darker than I anticipated but that's what made it so good. The cherry on top was I love anything that critiques organized religion and those in power and this does just that.
January 19, 2026
What a fun, grotesque, wild ride! Satanic music takes on a whole new level in this tale of demonic transformation.
Asher Benton becomes a mother's worst nightmare when his Uncle Rex leaves him his satanic record collection. Rife with possession, heavy metal and cult murder, this book pools together every terrible thing imagined in the age of Satanic Panic. You will gag, you will cringe, you will want to read it again.
Asher Benton becomes a mother's worst nightmare when his Uncle Rex leaves him his satanic record collection. Rife with possession, heavy metal and cult murder, this book pools together every terrible thing imagined in the age of Satanic Panic. You will gag, you will cringe, you will want to read it again.
January 22, 2026
I think if you read multiple books by an author, at some stage you'll read one you don't like. This was my 17th Triana book, and unfortunately it's the first one I didn't like at all.
There are a couple positives here: in particular the heavy metal references and the descriptions of the demons. But this book is extreme horror, with chapter after chapter of SA, and it very quickly stopped being an enjoyable read.
There are a couple positives here: in particular the heavy metal references and the descriptions of the demons. But this book is extreme horror, with chapter after chapter of SA, and it very quickly stopped being an enjoyable read.
October 29, 2025
Corniest BS I’ve ever read. Hard to be “scared to death” when it’s just a cornball of a book. You can tell the author just likes writing about smut getting off to it with horrible plot lines and characters that make 0 sense. 0/10
November 17, 2025
A book like no other. I've never read a book of this kind, it was kind of mesmerizing. A book that goes zero to sixty in no time. There is no God in this book, there is no happy ending. There is nothing but madness and evil!
December 31, 2025
Damn! What a disturbing and vile ride this was. Gory novel that show us how easily power can corrupt someone and that evil is not that unreachable. Maybe a bit long, but mostly very entertaining and messed up.
November 9, 2025
Metal metal land
Well that was fucked up. I loved it. If you like gore and metal then you should read this book.
Well that was fucked up. I loved it. If you like gore and metal then you should read this book.
November 18, 2025
Without a doubt the most evil media I have ever consumed!
It was already cemented before this magnum opus, but for the ones in the back, KRISTOPHER TRIANA my favorite author!
It was already cemented before this magnum opus, but for the ones in the back, KRISTOPHER TRIANA my favorite author!
December 1, 2025
Evil Defined
The only thing that you will find more horrific than this book is that now someone else will set this as the benchmark that they hope to some day overtake.
The only thing that you will find more horrific than this book is that now someone else will set this as the benchmark that they hope to some day overtake.
January 22, 2026
this story was filled with all the sins you could think of..some scenes left me gagging. loved how Asher evolved from meek, depressed young man to evil demon warlock.
January 30, 2026
Love Triana’s books but over 500 pages with a character that has zero redeeming qualities was a bit rough.
February 1, 2026
Witchcraft, horror, and heavy metal. A good splatterpunk if that is what you are in the mood for!
December 30, 2025
1.5 stars. Worst book I’ve read by Triana.
January 23, 2026
So Metal! You might want to skip this one if you’re the type of person who gets offended by…anything…ever. Also, really long. HAIL SATIN!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews