Music to Sacrifice Virgins To

by Kristopher Triana

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

Genres: Horror

566 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2025

About the author

Kristopher 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.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Nicole S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[RoseDevoursBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Steph's_Creepy _Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Matty · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Lisa Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Shae Bentley · Rating 3 out of 5]

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 tiny bit 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 as always and some of the imagery is unforgettable, especially near the end.

Overall, it’s definitely well written 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!

[Nik Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another masterpiece from Triana! This was a depraved and disgusting read in the best possible way. As always Triana's writting is fantastic!

[Federica Lup · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alla fine è successo. Ecco un romanzo di Triana che non mi è piaciuto per niente. Le premesse erano davvero intriganti e l'idea di un disco infernale che con la sua musica è in grado di evocare i demoni e di dare potere assoluto a chi lo ascolta poteva essere vincente. Ma si è rivelato un totale fallimento. La scrittura di Triana è sempre molto trascinante e impeccabile ma non basta questo elemento per salvare una storia. Tutto il resto è da dimenticare, a partire dalla mancanza totale di spessore dei personaggi. In tutti e sette i libri dell'autore che ho letto il punto forte era proprio la caratterizzazione dei personaggi. Persone orribili, che compivano azioni indicibili ma che erano approfondite e studiate, con motivazioni aberranti ma solide. Qui abbiamo invece un protagonista totalmente malvagio e meschino, che non ha la benché minima sfaccettatura, in cui non riesci a immedesimarti nemmeno per sbaglio. È un uomo deprecabile e insulso e lo odi dall'inizio alla fine. Gli altri personaggi sono messi lì solo per essere abusati, uccisi e torturati.
E poi la nota più dolente di tutte: la lunghezza esasperante del romanzo.
Un extreme horror deve essere breve e incisivo. Queste 450 pagine non sono assolutamente giustificate per tutti i motivi che ho detto prima. Non solo sono inutili perché non hanno lo scopo di approfondire i personaggi e portare avanti una trama complessa, ma sono un susseguirsi insopportabile di schifezze, azioni immonde una dietro l'altra che diventano sempre peggio. Monotone, ripetitive e spesso cringe. Ho adorato tutti i suoi libri, a partire da Full Brutal, ma con questo Triana ha davvero fatto un buco nell'acqua.

[Jada Reads Horror]

Oh boy, here we go.

I want to start off by saying I am a big fan of other Triana novels such as “I don’t recognize this world anymore” and “full brutal”
This story just didn’t do it for me….
I think it had so much potential to follow the main characters downfall as he was sucked into this evilness. (Like in the titles I mentioned above!!)

But instead, this particular story came off as more of a weird sexual fantasy the author has.
The sexualization and stereotypical depiction of the “goth/alternative” woman character in the beginning of the book was really weird to me. The way the main character talked about women in general was super gross. Particularly, about young women and fetishizing them in super gross (lowkey predatory ways…)
Some scenes were so sexual and gruesome I literally could not read.

Some of the scenes are quite laughable and cringe, like, when our main character has suddenly turns evil he orders black coffee and wears only black clothing now…

This is definitely a shock novel lol.
So, if you do want to read, make sure you check triggers warnings if that kinda stuff bothers you!

[Evillllllyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"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.

[Zachary Weir · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Adam · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[Pisces51 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Music to Sacrifice Virgins To by Kristopher Triana
My Review 5 Stars

For those who crave the most hardcore content Splatterpunk has to offer you need look no further than this satanic horror novel. ---Kristopher Triana January 11, 2026 “Evil is Real”

I finished this latest work of Triana’s the 12th of this month and although I am an enthusiastic fan of the author, I was thoroughly impressed by the scope of this introspective on evil and its sheer visceral impact. The novel was a designated Group Book Read on Splatterpunk Horror Book Club for the month of March 2026.

This is a relatively new endeavor by Triana, published by (Do you love it?) Bad Dream Works and released on (Do you believe it?) Halloween October 31, 2025. The beautiful Cover Art is by Tery Ramdhany. I just finished reading his first Splatterpunk winning Novel ( Full Brutal ) last month. I really dragged my feet reading it but I loved it. I did not let any grass grow picking up his newest release. It is interesting to me that Triana stated that the former was one of the two “cruelest” books he had ever written. His latest winning novel of the year was The Old Lady and I loved it so much I would like to read it again when time permits. I was fascinated that Triana is a survivalist. I shouldn’t have been since most successful authors write about what they know. But I am digressing big time here. I was going about comparing the “cruelty” of Full Brutal and Music to Sacrifice Virgins To . Readers may enjoy Triana’s Interview the month of the book’s release on Substack. The author talks about his inspiration for the novel (“this no holds barred in its unrelenting evil, violence, and depravity”). It’s possibly the most grim and heartless thing I’ve ever written, and that’s really saying something. Triana goes on to say “And if you think Kim in Full Brutal and Jackie in And the Devil Cried were unrelentingly sadistic, just wait until you meet this book’s baddie. He has the same dark heart as those characters with the bonus of a supernatural evil to assist him in his deadly sins.”

In this same interview, and I believe it is pertinent to include this insight into the review, Triana explains his goal in writing this “true behemoth” of a book. He was interested in guiding the reader through the daily life of a Ted Bundy or Charles Manson type with the addition of supernatural horror. (Ramirez) was a satanic serial killer who believed he had ties to The Devil. Triana points out that his novel imagines what it would be like if he really did. He proffered that was the reason why the book was so merciless and divisive among readers. In my opinion that insight has a lot of traction. This saga of a Satanic cult led by a stand-in for a real-life Ramirez (“…Asher Benton may be my most evil character to date.”) is absolutely as disturbing as any extreme horror novel I have ever read. The descriptive prose is out of this world, the plot well-developed with a dramatic plot twist, the character development impressive, and the ending explosive. The storyline is absolutely riveting and relentless with a propulsive pace. Perhaps the best novel from Triana to date.

I have always loved the Devil as a horror icon, just like I like Freddy Krueger, Dracula, or Leatherface. ---Kristopher Triana

NOMINEE FOR SPLATTERPUNK 2026 BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD AND TERRIFIC NOVEL FROM TRIANA

[Mike Kazmierczak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. I have so much to say about this book. Let's start with this book falls into Triana's extreme and graphic category. Similar to TOXIC LOVE and THE NIGHT STOCKERS, this book is not for everybody. I'd even say that it's not for most.

The second thing I want to mention, I kept thinking of the joke "The Aristocrats" while reading this book. I would highly recommend the documentary by Penn Jillete which is on Amazon Prime: "The Aristocrats". In short, the joke is all about making the grossest, most obscene and outrageous joke possible. While most people would be disgusted, I found and still find it hysterical. Triana's MUSIC TO SACRIFICE VIRGINS TO very much follows in that same vein. The protagonist is a despicable, vile person who does incredibly awful things. And yet, I couldn't stop myself from continuing and enjoying. Kind of like doom scrolling through reels of traffic collisions caught on camera. They are horrible and scary and people have had their lives changed forever, and yet I keep scrolling. One more, just one more, for another 10 minutes.

Next thing, I listend to the audiobook and within the first couple of seconds, I mentally screamed "Oh my God. It's Chuck Brugee. Now THIS is going to be a Triana book!" Take that as all positive! I love Chuck Brugee's voice. He always does a great job.

Now as for the story, after moving back home with his mother after a breakup, Asher Benton inherits a record collection from his uncle that changes his life completely. I'm going to leave it there. I'm not sure if there was a deeper story to it than I thought or if there was just enough story to hold the gruesome scenes together. Events did progress in a logical and demented way. However, I will say that I stayed with the book to the end and I absolutely enjoyed it. I'm still keeping Triana in the top range of my favorite authors list. I continue to be pulled into the stories and worlds that he has built to tell them.

[Chandra Claypool (WhereTheHorrorsGrow) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Kenneth Enser II · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay. I’ll admit - I had to take little breaks from this one time and again. As I read it, I desperately wanted comic relief or a redeeming character to almost rescue me from riding along passively to hell with each character.

The unrelenting brutality and non-stop carnage begins to wear on you as you read this story. In my opinion, Triana does a masterful job of planting hopes of the possibility of redemption or positive outcomes to give you a glimmer of humanity while he depraves and exploits almost any taboo you could consider. These small little possibilities of a redemption, or possible “future” provided the underlying current driving the story. Then, by time you finish the final chapter, you too realize the hopes for anything positive were as foolish as the characters in the story.

Don’t misunderstand me. I knew exactly what I was getting into with this one. Not only is the title blunt, I’m a fan of the Splatterspunk genre. This story however is a lot longer than most, demanding more of an investment from the reader. A sacrifice if you will, and by time you finish you have an understanding of the horrors yet to come.

I’m often asked why I read books in this genre. My typical response is because I see horror as social commentaries ; and Splatterspunk doesn’t stray away from topics often seen as too taboo for mainstream horror.

As I read the final chapters, realizing the gravity of the ending and the bleak outlook for anything good to come of this story - I am left wondering if this is in fact a social commentary, then Triana says we’re fucked.

[Dave Lizotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Music to Sacrifice Virgins To might possibly be the most boundary-pushing, taboo, extreme book I have read to date. Each scenario as the novel goes on seems to go one step further in pushing the levels of discomfort and towards the later half of the novel takes one monster sized step past that line with some of the most vile and heinous acts imaginable. Reading this novel was more an experience which left me feeling like I was tapping into something evil or illegal, which made me want to dig in even more each time I had to put it down.

The novel starts off very tame, which doesn't last long, but quickly takes a major turn as Asher inherits his uncle's metal collection and transforms into evil personified. As his persona transforms, he becomes one of the most unlikable individuals but somehow you find yourself actually rooting for him, potentially even tapping into some of the twisted, pushed down perversions of the reader themselves.

Kristopher Triana is clearly a talented writer which this novel highlights, developing characters, creating interesting storyline and development, however, this may get overshadowed in this novel with shocking this story becomes, which is safe to say the desired effect. Triana clearly knew he wanted to make the reader question how far he would go...the answer to that being as far as he could possibly think of.

[M's ☆~HEA~☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

🎧19.25 hours long.... I'm sort of proud of myself for finishing.

I'm not sure I liked it but I didn't not like it. it reminded me of my high school years in a weird way. we were all heavily into death metal and serial killers. I lived in Chatsworth, Ca and would drive past Spahn Ranch (Manson) and other famous killer locations. I survived on reading true crime and hanging out with "heshers". so yeah, this was kinda fun in that regard.

I felt like a lot of the nasty scenes could have been nastier. I don't want you to tell me you assaulted someone; I want details. yes, the gore was present but for some reason it didn't quite hit right. maybe it was the narrator idk.

I liked the ending. I don't want an HEA in horror or a character to root for. if they are evil I prefer they stay evil. I'll root for the bad guy.

[Faynzeh · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[hunter · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. not as boring as the thirteenth koyote but it was getting there. i don’t think triana’s longer works are for me; i feel like there’s only so much you can do with the plot that it really didn’t need to be 400+ pages. asher was insufferable but he was supposed to be. i always love reading triana’s works because he writes his villains so well but there was something about asher that i just could not stand. i think it had to do with how quickly he succumbed to the vinyl; i felt like his sudden shift into a satanist was sudden with little room to grow (it gets explained later why that was the case but still). also, i wasn’t a huge fan of the inclusion of a 16 year old girl in his harem but it was to be expected with asher’s character ig. i’m just glad her rape wasn’t super graphic compared to the others.

[Fiona McDonald]

I’m a BIG fan of Triana and this one wasn’t hitting for me. The main character Asher started out as an annoying, pathetic asshole and then one play of the record from Hell and he’s suddenly this depraved lunatic preying on a 19 year old and commenting over and over again how she is so small she looks like a kid. I’m no stranger to splatterpunk and generally love Triana’s commentary, but I couldn’t imagine hanging out with Asher for so many pages. Maybe if it was a novella I could have stuck it out. Not having a character to root for (even if they’re a monster like Kim from Full Brutal) just makes the whole experience a chore.

[Reyna Chavez · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[SeveredTherapy · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Rem · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Rose Craft · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Justin De Moulin · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[DH_reads_horror · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Will Cantrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one lost me maybe halfway through. There is no one to route for in this book lol. If you enjoy pure evil then this might be for you but I didn’t care for it. Def my least fav of all this authors works. No good vs evil here. Nothing scary. Just pure evil getting away with anything and everything.