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Choke Chain
A woman obsessed with a dead black-metal musician joins an underground forum dedicated to his memory. Inside, anonymous “Keepers” offer relics and answers but only to those who prove their devotion through increasingly gruesome trials, tightening the collar between grief and control.
57 pages, ebook
Published January 4, 2026
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
January 27, 2026
Lilly is a young woman utterly and completely fixated upon Livløs, the deceased frontman of black metal band Choke Chain. When she begins frequenting an online forum dedicated to the late vocalist, she's contacted by another fan claiming to have access to precious relics that once belonged to him, such as his battle jacket—but for a price. What follows is a dizzying chain of events through which Lilly attempts to prove her complete and total devotion.
Choke Chain was a real whammy of a short story. Morgraves' writing is poetic, contrasting with the grimy feel of the narrative itself. The whole thing feels filthy, but it's a compelling read that grabbed ahold of me and demanded to be read in a single sitting. If you already like black metal (like I do), you'll be a fan of this one, but I think lovers of weird fiction centering on themes of obsession will likewise find something to chew on here. Thoroughly recommended.
(Choke Chain is currently free to download on the author's website, so what reason do you have to not pick this up?)
Choke Chain was a real whammy of a short story. Morgraves' writing is poetic, contrasting with the grimy feel of the narrative itself. The whole thing feels filthy, but it's a compelling read that grabbed ahold of me and demanded to be read in a single sitting. If you already like black metal (like I do), you'll be a fan of this one, but I think lovers of weird fiction centering on themes of obsession will likewise find something to chew on here. Thoroughly recommended.
(Choke Chain is currently free to download on the author's website, so what reason do you have to not pick this up?)
January 21, 2026
CHOKE CHAIN is an intense novelette of obsession, desire, decay, and heavy metal. Dizzy’s writing is mesmerising, with a lethal immediacy that demands attention.
You’ve heard of “flowery” prose…well this is prose with bloody thorns and a rot that will devour you.
You’ve heard of “flowery” prose…well this is prose with bloody thorns and a rot that will devour you.
January 21, 2026
Choke Chain is a short story filled with Black Metal, gore, and obsession. I completely devoured it from start to finish. If you are a lover of extreme metal and horror, this one is for you!
February 1, 2026
She searches for him everywhere in the filthy recesses of the internet looking for the man that infected her grey matter because nothing else mattered.
The body horror an obsession, an unseen devotion. This story waxes lyrical, smooth as supple skin. I loved this short novelette! Stunningly written and everything I wanted.
The body horror an obsession, an unseen devotion. This story waxes lyrical, smooth as supple skin. I loved this short novelette! Stunningly written and everything I wanted.
March 6, 2026
just mad corny.
at the end of the day, parasocialism kills and there’s no greater sin than being the performative lead singer in one of your local underground scene’s bands... #agreed
at the end of the day, parasocialism kills and there’s no greater sin than being the performative lead singer in one of your local underground scene’s bands... #agreed
January 29, 2026
Why should you read this? Because JRo says so!!
Also, ever want to look into through the eyes of a fanatic? Feel what someone who is so obsessed with an artist or figure and what they will do to be a part of that person.
Dizzy hits it with this novella.
I love books where you can see this happening in real life.
Just an absolute beauty!
Also, ever want to look into through the eyes of a fanatic? Feel what someone who is so obsessed with an artist or figure and what they will do to be a part of that person.
Dizzy hits it with this novella.
I love books where you can see this happening in real life.
Just an absolute beauty!
February 5, 2026
This was fine?? I wouldn’t consider this splatter punk tbh. It was free and short and the imagery was cool.
January 26, 2026
At this stage in my reading career, it’s hard to really impress me and leave me with a really long, lasting impression. That’s not to say I’m a cynic, which takes too much energy, but instead, I try to find the good in every piece of art I engage with. Everyone is coming from somewhere, right?
Choke Chain is VERY clear about its influences in the deep web, snuff films, and black metal. The premise is familiar here. A lead singer of a band before the events of the story kills himself in a high profile act of violence.( think Mayhem/ Eurononymous / Lords Of Chaos) . Our main character is a super fan and finds a forum dedicated to the lead singer/band, which embarks them on a weird, cult-like journey of violence.
Without spoiling anything, the story feels like an old cassette you’d find in an abandoned house. Rusty, grungy, but desperate to be listened to . Same energy as Dragged Into Sunlight or the bleached sounds of Bad Witch by Nine inch Nails. It has mass appeal, sure, but you’ll really like it even more if you enjoy black metal and/or extreme metal of any flavor. It’s a short read and fairly digestible. The writing style is really poetic and imagery heavy as well. Long story short, I was very impressed
Choke Chain is VERY clear about its influences in the deep web, snuff films, and black metal. The premise is familiar here. A lead singer of a band before the events of the story kills himself in a high profile act of violence.( think Mayhem/ Eurononymous / Lords Of Chaos) . Our main character is a super fan and finds a forum dedicated to the lead singer/band, which embarks them on a weird, cult-like journey of violence.
Without spoiling anything, the story feels like an old cassette you’d find in an abandoned house. Rusty, grungy, but desperate to be listened to . Same energy as Dragged Into Sunlight or the bleached sounds of Bad Witch by Nine inch Nails. It has mass appeal, sure, but you’ll really like it even more if you enjoy black metal and/or extreme metal of any flavor. It’s a short read and fairly digestible. The writing style is really poetic and imagery heavy as well. Long story short, I was very impressed
January 31, 2026
How far would you take your devotion to a deceased black metal icon?
This goes far into how far devotion among fans truly runs, combined with black metal lore. I mostly imagined this to be Mayhem's Dead and loved every moment of this descent.
This goes far into how far devotion among fans truly runs, combined with black metal lore. I mostly imagined this to be Mayhem's Dead and loved every moment of this descent.
January 28, 2026
A really entertaining splatterpunk story! It has the perfect amount of intrigue and gore. The descriptions are poetically morbid. We love an author who knows how to venerate rot! 🖤
January 22, 2026
Choke Chain by Dizzy V.Morgraves is steeped in the reeking depths of DSBM—that’s black metal to the rest of you. A fan girl will do anything to obtain the last remaining remnant of the singer Livøs’ battle jacket. Her obsession leads her deep into the band’s online forum, where she encounters a user known as Blackend_soul344256, who subjects her to a series of tests to determine if she’s worthy of it presence.
Grotesque, putrid filth and death trail her every step as her fixation consumes her completely. Will she give it her all… or just a piece of herself?
5/5
Grotesque, putrid filth and death trail her every step as her fixation consumes her completely. Will she give it her all… or just a piece of herself?
5/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2026
"Hush, little maggot, silence your breath,
The cradle will rock you straight into death."
It's in death that Livøs now resides, trapped eternally but radiating a grim, nihilistic presence - the very presence that Lilly adores and has become wholeheartedly infatuated with. Her desire to have Livøs is all-consuming; every piece of him is a treasure, a souvenir of the troubled lead singer of Choke Chain who now rots in the grave. When searching an online forum dedicated to those of a similarly devout mind, Lilly is contacted by a mysterious stranger, offering her a chance to attain one of the greatest artefacts of Livøs - his life-stained, suicide-worn jacket. It's an offer that's just too intoxicating to refuse, and Lilly is all but willing to do whatever it takes to get a hold of the unique item. Thoughts of the jacket infect her mind like a drug, and, through the coercion and direction of the mysterious stranger, her dedication to receiving the blood-soiled clothing is pushed to the fullest extremes one can imagine. Through toil, sweat, and blood, will she manage to fulfil the stranger's requests and be wholly united with the morbid frontman of Choke Chain?
This was a really great little read, clocking in at just over 30 pages, but managing to detail an engaging and darkly poetic Black Metal romance combined with a scavenger hunt. The way the story plays out keeps the reader hooked, with every new message and pause between messages heightening the tension to a great degree, before plunging Lilly into one crazed act of dedication after another. Including sections of the CC lyrics was a brilliant idea, and as someone who has played in BM bands before, I can say they are truly dark and well-written! All the visual description and sensory building, especially with the spoiled meat scene, is done very well, creating a sickening air to Lilly's room that really hums! POSSIBLE SPOILERS: There were a couple aspects of the book that I thought could maybe do with further explanation or working into a sequel? The identity of the stranger messaging, for instance, a part of me hoped this was somehow Livøs, and he had faked his own death! Another detail would be the addition of 'patches' to the jacket, including who these previous owners were and why they ultimately desire to pass the jacket on rather than keep it, as it is so sought after!
All in all, this is a great little Black Metal Novella, and one that can be read in an afternoon! The connection between Lilly and Livøs is very much felt, written with a deep and dark romanticism. Brilliant stuff!
The cradle will rock you straight into death."
It's in death that Livøs now resides, trapped eternally but radiating a grim, nihilistic presence - the very presence that Lilly adores and has become wholeheartedly infatuated with. Her desire to have Livøs is all-consuming; every piece of him is a treasure, a souvenir of the troubled lead singer of Choke Chain who now rots in the grave. When searching an online forum dedicated to those of a similarly devout mind, Lilly is contacted by a mysterious stranger, offering her a chance to attain one of the greatest artefacts of Livøs - his life-stained, suicide-worn jacket. It's an offer that's just too intoxicating to refuse, and Lilly is all but willing to do whatever it takes to get a hold of the unique item. Thoughts of the jacket infect her mind like a drug, and, through the coercion and direction of the mysterious stranger, her dedication to receiving the blood-soiled clothing is pushed to the fullest extremes one can imagine. Through toil, sweat, and blood, will she manage to fulfil the stranger's requests and be wholly united with the morbid frontman of Choke Chain?
This was a really great little read, clocking in at just over 30 pages, but managing to detail an engaging and darkly poetic Black Metal romance combined with a scavenger hunt. The way the story plays out keeps the reader hooked, with every new message and pause between messages heightening the tension to a great degree, before plunging Lilly into one crazed act of dedication after another. Including sections of the CC lyrics was a brilliant idea, and as someone who has played in BM bands before, I can say they are truly dark and well-written! All the visual description and sensory building, especially with the spoiled meat scene, is done very well, creating a sickening air to Lilly's room that really hums! POSSIBLE SPOILERS: There were a couple aspects of the book that I thought could maybe do with further explanation or working into a sequel? The identity of the stranger messaging, for instance, a part of me hoped this was somehow Livøs, and he had faked his own death! Another detail would be the addition of 'patches' to the jacket, including who these previous owners were and why they ultimately desire to pass the jacket on rather than keep it, as it is so sought after!
All in all, this is a great little Black Metal Novella, and one that can be read in an afternoon! The connection between Lilly and Livøs is very much felt, written with a deep and dark romanticism. Brilliant stuff!
February 24, 2026
Everyone who is a horror fan needs to read this novella! It's powerful. I can't quite describe the writing style, only to say that this text breathes. It is a dark, feral thing. I can feel the humidity and stench of raw meat radiating off of it.
Sharp, minimalist prose. Each sentence is a poem. Reminds me of Palahniuk's Dangerous Writing style.
A disturbing tale about obsession. A girl yearning to become one with the lead from a group called Choke Chain; one with his inner darkness. She wants to be enveloped in the gaping hole in his throat, swallowed by his death and decay.
I remember the author saying that she has OCD. Her prose is so perfect you can tell each sentence is meticulously crafted. I can imagine sweat and blood dripping from the author's pores as she struggles to create the perfect sentence.
OCD is very difficult to live with.
Intrusive Thought
Ritual
Relief
Doubt
Repeat
Welcome to Hell
I've never read a story that quite captures the suffering that obsession causes like Choke Chain. Dizzy V. Morgaves is brilliant.
Sharp, minimalist prose. Each sentence is a poem. Reminds me of Palahniuk's Dangerous Writing style.
A disturbing tale about obsession. A girl yearning to become one with the lead from a group called Choke Chain; one with his inner darkness. She wants to be enveloped in the gaping hole in his throat, swallowed by his death and decay.
I remember the author saying that she has OCD. Her prose is so perfect you can tell each sentence is meticulously crafted. I can imagine sweat and blood dripping from the author's pores as she struggles to create the perfect sentence.
OCD is very difficult to live with.
Intrusive Thought
Ritual
Relief
Doubt
Repeat
Welcome to Hell
I've never read a story that quite captures the suffering that obsession causes like Choke Chain. Dizzy V. Morgaves is brilliant.
February 4, 2026
Okay, but why is this free?
I saw a post about a free black metal novelette and I immediately downloaded it.
I have only read one other Black Metal horror story before and I feel like there should be way more. As a fan of the genre, this hit in so many ways.
The story follows a nameless woman obsessed with the lead singer of her favourite band who killed himself, Livøs.
What follows is a short, page Turner examining themes like idol devotion, the dark corners of the internet and the lengths we'll go to prove our fandom.
I loved the prose and the metaphors ("The ceiling was lower ought to potentially scalp taller men" was Hella relatable).
Written by a sad girl (with the utmost respect) expertly exorcising her demons on the page, I could feel the emotions oozing through every line.
I will be eagerly awaiting for what Dizzy pumps out next.
I saw a post about a free black metal novelette and I immediately downloaded it.
I have only read one other Black Metal horror story before and I feel like there should be way more. As a fan of the genre, this hit in so many ways.
The story follows a nameless woman obsessed with the lead singer of her favourite band who killed himself, Livøs.
What follows is a short, page Turner examining themes like idol devotion, the dark corners of the internet and the lengths we'll go to prove our fandom.
I loved the prose and the metaphors ("The ceiling was lower ought to potentially scalp taller men" was Hella relatable).
Written by a sad girl (with the utmost respect) expertly exorcising her demons on the page, I could feel the emotions oozing through every line.
I will be eagerly awaiting for what Dizzy pumps out next.
February 4, 2026
Holy sh!t!
A poetic obsession driven tale with bits of longing and gore. How far will your obsession drive you?
Lilly is overly obsessed with the deceased lead singer of a band named Choke Chain. She fantasizes about his death and has gone over his death scene photos so many times she can count the specks of blood on his jacket….mmm yes that jacket. What she wouldn’t do to get her hands on that jacket.
Well it just so happens a stranger reaches out to her after deeming her worthy and dangles the hope of one day being able to hold…to smell… to wear THAT jacket….but will she join the lining?
This was a killer read! From start to finish, the writing alone had me wrapped around Dizzys finger. An amazing debut and way to kick the door in and make an entrance.
A poetic obsession driven tale with bits of longing and gore. How far will your obsession drive you?
Lilly is overly obsessed with the deceased lead singer of a band named Choke Chain. She fantasizes about his death and has gone over his death scene photos so many times she can count the specks of blood on his jacket….mmm yes that jacket. What she wouldn’t do to get her hands on that jacket.
Well it just so happens a stranger reaches out to her after deeming her worthy and dangles the hope of one day being able to hold…to smell… to wear THAT jacket….but will she join the lining?
This was a killer read! From start to finish, the writing alone had me wrapped around Dizzys finger. An amazing debut and way to kick the door in and make an entrance.
January 27, 2026
A dark, metallic masterpiece. Dizzy Moregraves’ Choke Chain is a visceral experience that pulls no punches. The writing is sleek and atmospheric, peeling back the layers of a gritty underground world you’ll want to look away from but can’t.
As an '80s metal kid, I loved the authentic feel of the culture—specifically the focus on the lead singer’s denim jacket, which felt like a grimy, blood-soaked tribute to the patches I used to wear. It’s immersive, raw, and highly recommended for fans of dark fiction.
*This review will be posted @ www.timeaglefiction.com/blog
As an '80s metal kid, I loved the authentic feel of the culture—specifically the focus on the lead singer’s denim jacket, which felt like a grimy, blood-soaked tribute to the patches I used to wear. It’s immersive, raw, and highly recommended for fans of dark fiction.
*This review will be posted @ www.timeaglefiction.com/blog
January 22, 2026
A razor-sharp short story that dives headfirst into obsession, devotion, and the dark edges of desire. Lilly’s fixation on Livøs—her favorite Black Metal singer that is now dead by his own hands—is intense, unsettling, and utterly gripping. What unfolds is a haunting exploration of how far someone will go to prove their loyalty, and I was completely consumed by every moment. This story sinks its teeth in and refuses to let go. I’m beyond eager to see what this author delivers next.
January 26, 2026
Choke Chain is a very cool and classily written novellette which focuses on a fan who is obsessed with a long dead black-metal musician. With a dream like logic, we follow her in her one purpose - to get closer to her idol and understand what he was like in the flesh - and experience the lengths she will go to in order to achieve this. It’s immersive and anxiety inducing and I read it through in one shot. Recommended!
February 8, 2026
Extremely short, one sitting read, yet it’s packed with a woman’s obsession with a singer. Her obsession has no end and she proves just that.
Went into this not sure how I was going to feel about it, but it was pretty good!
Went into this not sure how I was going to feel about it, but it was pretty good!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews