The Dark Volumes Podcast: Recent Episodes
Russell Archey
Like horror stories? Like audio books? Like to be read to by a voice as soft as black velvet and as sinister as a phantom?
The Dark Volumes podcast brings you monthly stories from the greats such as H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Shelley, Robert Chambers, and others. There's some commentary, sure, but it's all about the stories, here.
Turn off the lights, pour some wine, and (maybe) get under the covers. The Dark Volumes are here to remind you why you should be afraid of the dark.
The Dark Volumes are back from a long hiatus (things can twisty in the spaces between time and reality, where we drink with abominations and party with eldritch beings).
But, this new episode returns with a story from author Aaron Ballard, from his book, "All the Monsters are Here: Thirteen Spooky Tales."
Enjoy this brand new story complete with a more engaging, audio-oriented twist from our good fiend--or friend, or both--John Auerbach.
Narrator: Russell Archey
Music/Effects: John Auerbach
H.P. Lovecraft, horror master and creator of the Cthulhu mythos, wrote this story when he was only 14 years old. It's simple, some may call predictable, but sometimes it's nice to sit back and return to the basics.
A late 19th Century seminal work of horror. Just one more example of why the woods are so damned terrifying.
Playing with dark, unforbidden things has never boded well for anyone, no matter the intent or purpose. One has to wonder if it will work out for the narrator of this story from author Alisha Galvan..."The Vessel" is a part of her collection, "A Path Through the Forest." If you enjoyed this story, check out her book and listen to her discuss the story and her thoughts on writing and horror in her author interview available now as a bonus episode!
A tale as old as time...no, not that one. A curious man investigates a curious mystery and finds more than he could imagined. Enjoy this story set in 19th century Sweden and published in 1904 in James' Ghost Stories of the Antiquary.
The chilling tale of love, death, hauntings, and the secrets of the Ockram family concludes in this episode. Vile old patriarch Sir Hugh Ockram's secret is finally revealed. But, what does it hold in store for son and his betrothed?
F. Marion Crawford is considered a master of ghost stories. This particular tale was published in 1911 and features a macabre mix of family drama, secrets, and haunting imagery.
Lovecraft, well, loved writing about secrets of the old world that modern (for his day) gentlemenly types just couldn't stay away from...even if it was for their own good.
A lot of Greek gods and mythology in this story about a mysterious swamp and local beliefs tread on by yet another wannabe aristrocrat in the early 20th century.
Music is powerful in many ways. It can have psychological, emotional, and even physical effects. Apparently, in some cases, even supernatural...
The grand finale: Cthulhu himself makes his appearance and the final findings of our narrator are revealed.
The description of R'lyeh itself does a great job of making you "see" non-euclidean ruins and how a place somehow outside of space and time would feel like trying to traverse on our physical plane.
Enjoy the finale of the "The Call of Cthulhu"
The continuation of one of the most classic works of horror.
Delve deeper into the mystery of the entity known as Cthulhu and the dread sway that the timeless legends hold on the minds of men.
This is the piece of work Lovecraft is perhaps most famous for. Games, Movies, Comics, Plushies, and authors worldwide have been inspired by this story. Even the author's legacy, "The Cthulhu Mythos," is named after this story.
Fun fact, though: Lovecraft himself referred to his connected writings (as a sort of jest) as "Yog Sothothery" after another of his entities.
The first part introduces us to our narrator and his initial discoveries of strange dreams, widespread pockets of madness, and a strange bas-relief that will lead him down a rabbit-hole of non-Euclidean structures, cults, and living nightmares.
Stories about science meddling in things it shouldn't are a staple in horror. Seeing things no living person is meant to see is a staple of Lovecraft. This story brings the best of both of worlds.
Wine, revenge, and murder. Some say Poe was letting out some of his own frustrations with this story. That's a scary thought. Maybe enjoy a strong rose with this one?
We're inundated these days with horrific and scary art and images. But what if our favorite horror memes, creepypastas, and DeviantArt images held some truly sinister origins?
Maybe we could sympathize with the narrator of this story, who's love of art was truly put to the test.
Haunted houses are a beloved staple of horror and this one is no different.
Hear about a man who's curiosity got the better of him in this brief but harrowing encounter with otherworldly forces.
Dark forests, rumors, educated skepticism, and a place called Dark Mountain.
This novella is a keystone story in Lovecraft's mythos and combines cosmic horror with science fiction. H.P. even works in the recent (at the time) discovery of Pluto as a something less awe-inspiring and potentially more horrific.
They say crime doesn't pay...but have they ever mentioned the cost?
Enjoy this short story!
A bonus story to share on Tell A Story Day!
This is a brief flash fiction horror story I've written that I've yet to submit for publishing, so I figured it's a good one to give out to you all.
Drinking Game Idea: Take a drink of wine for every Edgar Allan Poe reference you hear.
Some family secrets are darker than others. Is that scratching coming from the wall? Or just your imagination?
A story about two boating friends in turn-of-the-century Europe who stumble upon a beautiful, isolated piece of nature where they definitely don't belong, "The Willows" is a haunting tale with vivid imagery that will stay with you long after the story ends.
Music by Lucas King: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq52MbjRULLbjRPvxM7FwZg
Karma. Poetic Justice. What goes around comes around. This story reminds us that our secrets will only continue to eat away at us until nothing is left of our conscience but frayed, screaming nerves.
Music by Lucas King: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq52MbjRULLbjRPvxM7FwZg
Nobody expects the Inquisition. A macabre joke in this case.
A classic tale by Poe without his usual supernatural flair. In this case, humanity is the nightmare.
Music by Lucas King: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq52MbjRULLbjRPvxM7FwZg
We're all familiar with dealing with a world-changing disease at this point.
Edgar Allan Poe wrote about one, too. Seems this is a tale as old as time (no, not that one.) Although, a disease called "The Red Death" does have a particularly gruesome ring to it.
Come check out this next entry in the "Old Records Series."
Music by Lucas King: Music by Lucas King: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq52MbjRULLbjRPvxM7FwZg
Introducing a series of recordings with the audio style of classic vinyl records--for that old-school creepy factor.
This story is the classic "be careful what you wish for" tale coupled with family heartbreak.
Music by Lucas King: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq52MbjRULLbjRPvxM7FwZg
Edgar Allan Poe and black cats...sounds like a match made in hell. Which, once you hear this story, might be pretty accurate.
One of Lovecraft's most iconic stories and a key part of the Cthulhu mythos.
One of the best for The Dark Volume's first episode.
Music by: Lucas King https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq52MbjRULLbjRPvxM7FwZg
Allow me to introduce myself as the curator of this grisly collection.
Besides my little introduction, I've included a short story here for you from Lord Dunsany: "The Ghosts."
Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany, is one of the earliest and most influential examples of fantasy and dark fiction writers. His works are notable and many, but some of the most popular include “The King of Elfland’s Daughter” (1924), “The Gods of Pegana” (1905), and “The Sword of Welleran” (1908). In this story, Lord Dunsany uses the typical human tendency to question the hereafter and what it entails – specifically its inhabitants. With a simple short story, he probes the human condition, our frailties, and our fears.
Narrator: Russell Archey https://www.ravonmedia.com/
Music By: Lucas King https://www.youtube.com/c/LucasKingPianoMusic/featured