Wytch Pycknyck and D&D-Inspired Artist Skinner
Plus Black Blade of the Demon King & Grendel's Sÿster
I have been digging the new debut album by the “lo-fi stoner, psychedelic, garage rock” band Wytch Pycknyck. Their music is diverse and hard to categorize, but I can’t argue with the following description from this review of the album from The Arts Desk.
“Guitars swing off on tuneful if pedal-twitched solos, analogue synth squiggles add psychedelic interest, choruses happen, but then the whole will plummet into a brilliant mess of freaked-out noisiness. Wytch Pycknyck’s debut is the hard rock album of the year so far.”
If song titles like “Magikal Revenge,” “Frostbite,” and “Fire Breathin’ Dragon” don’t provide enough inspiration for gonzo roleplaying game sessions, check out the album cover artwork by the incredible artist Skinner:
Skinner described his music and RPG influences in an interview with Redefine magazine:
‘As a self-professed life-long nerd, Skinner now proudly details his love for everything from Dungeons & Dragons and fantasy to Beastmaster and Ravenloft — the Gothic version of Dungeons & Dragons. But these interests weren’t always so acceptable, and there was a portion of his life where he was alienated for them. “I grew up and was hella depressed; I listened to The Smiths and Camouflage and Depeche Mode, and stuff like that…”’
Skinner has done covers for D&D products…
..as well as album covers, including this magnificent foldout cover for the incomparable Mastodon’s Once More ‘Round the Sun:
Skinner goes deeper into his influences in this Spray Planet interview:
‘I’d say that my music videos and art is probably more informed by the 80’s than I’d like to admit. I’m always trying to separate myself from the obvious source material but I’m just fooling myself. Everybody can see what I’m doing and be like,” that’s just one part Dungeons and Dragons, two parts Beastmaster, three parts EC comics, and 4 parts trying not to suck!”’
Skinner fully leans into the D&D influence on the cover for the comedy album 20-Sided Guy by Andrés du Bouchet:
You can preview and purchase the Wytch Pycknyck album from their Bandcamp page:
Black Blade of the Demon King
Old school gamers and metal fans might be interested in the tabletop RPG adventure called Black Blade of the Demon King from Knight Owl Publishing. It is “a metal-and-Moorcock inspired sword and sorcery saga replete with fell blades, sad vikings, obsidian gnomes, and the end of the world!”
H/T to Ben Milton’s The Glatisant newsletter for covering how the adventure recently received a “The Best” rating from Ten Foot Pole. And to enhance playing a Black Blade-themed adventure, be sure to listen to the obvious choice for the soundtrack:
Grendel's Sÿster
If after listening to Wytch Pycknyck, your taste for Y’s is left unsated, check out Grendel's Sÿster.1 The German folk metal band has announced they will be releasing a new album called Katabasis into the Abaton on the 30th of August. A good description of the band’s sound is provided in this Flying Fiddlesticks Music Blog article about their previously released EP Myrtle Wreath:
“They are very much on the Folk side of Folk Metal. Plainly, it is like listening to folk songs that employ (fuzzy) electric guitars for instruments. The vocals are beautifully melodic and clear. Beyond traditional Folk constructions, many of the songs have the epic and march urgency heard in music from bands like Falconer, but not as loud.”
You can preview the new song “Boar’s Tusk Helmet” and pre-order Katabasis into the Abaton from the Grendel's Sÿster Bandcamp page.
If you still need more Y’s, listen to Wytch Hazel, who I have covered in previous Critical Hit Parader newsletters and who had one of my favorite albums of 2023. If that doesn’t provide satisfaction, you’re just going to have to throw on some Skynyrd.