Performances of a Death Metal Bard by Rob Leigh - ARC Review

Kings of the Wyld meets Scott Pilgrim meets Ghylspwr from the Palace Job in this fast-paced fun and brutal revenge novella which is metal all the way

“He will pay. And it will be metal”

I am thankful to the author for providing me with an ARC of this fun novella. An enchanted lute that dreams and screams of vengeance pairs up with a death metal artist of an elf to compose a revenge saga. After all, Revenge is a note best-delivered death metal style (Also, wattay cover - incredible)

“Metal is soulful, unfiltered and unquestionably bold”

Rob Leigh’s premise is earth-droppingly obvious in retrospect. I mean what other genre of music suits the themes of revenge best? Brutal, dark, foreboding, and nihilistic, Performances of a Death Metal Bard packs all of this in a snappy 4 chapter story that is so deft and light despite the dark thematic nature at play. Ozymandias aka Mandy is an elf whose soul resonates with death metal but is unable to find the instrument to craft that. Enter the enchanted lute that demands vengeance and finds Mandy the suitable recipient able to conjure the dark magic necessary to build that music. The novella is structured in an almost traditional manner that starts with the initial meeting and getting to know each other, the development of the death metal and the power, the gathering of allies, and the seeking of revenge. The traditional beats of the novella’s structure facilitate an unyielding momentum while providing space for character-building and lots of situational fun.

“Whomever this elf claims to be, he seems touched in the head or influenced by some sinister being. Just look at him – the very image of a demon looking to terrorize a peaceful kingdom.

Metal, What a compliment”

Make no mistake, this is an incredibly fun novella. The relationship between Mandy and his lute is the key driver and it works pretty well. As their relationship evolves and grows, so do the stakes as well as the characters they find on the way. While the magic of the death metal is something that isn’t explained as much, its impact is significant and the lengths Mandy has to go to tap into this music and magic makes for compelling reading. Couple it with the nihilistic, violent and visceral lyrics as befitting death metal, you have the perfect recipe to tap into the darker side. There is this Scott Pilgrim-ish element to it wherein the musical notes battle each other – Mandy & the Lute create something similar as they go on their revenge tour. This is where the author treads the thin line balancing the grim darkness with the fun and humor element wonderfully well. I am not a fan of this genre and yet the book makes death metal as the tool of vengeance compelling and believable enough for you to go along this journey

“Death Metal is about lonely, different, nonconforming, fucked-up souls coming together to share something new, brutal and beautiful”

Performances of a Death Metal Bard is easily one of the best novellas I have read. It is fun, raw, brutal, visceral, and inventive while sticking to standard tropes to make the most of its limited page count. While the magical element may lack depth, the impact of it is what matters and the revenge element is decidedly, Metal as the enchanted Lute would rasp.

4.5 Enchanted Instruments of Metal on 5