Scary’s Voices – Sound Bites
Week Ending 6th November 2020
Sometimes, when shadows stretch and the house is quiet, I hear voices. They tell me about ghosts and creatures of the night. They whisper sinister tales making my skin crawl. Sometimes they even tell me to do things, like watch certain movies or read specific books. Where do these strange voices come from? Podcasters, of course. But I like to call them Scary’s Voices.
Welcome to Sound Bites, where I highlight the best podcasts I’ve heard through the week. Here’s a quick breakdown of my rating system:
Scream of the Week – only one podcast can take this spot each week, and it represents the best of what’s haunted my earbuds, like a 5-Star rating.
Shivers – these shows are great, and not only do I recommend you give them a listen, but I’ve marked them down to listen to again in the future.
Goosebumps – podcasts I liked and will probably try again, but they didn’t quite knock my socks off.
If I listen to something that didn’t make me scream, give me shivers or even goosebumps, they won’t be listed here.
Now let’s get to it!
My Scream of the Week goes to:
Zobo with a Shotgun
Fans of extreme horror cinema, Zobo with a Shotgun is podcast made for you! Host Zoë Rose Smith digs deep into why extreme horror is appealing to some people, as well as issues surrounding censorship and film distribution. This week I listened to Season 2, Episode “Extreme Horror Essentials Pt 10: Guinea Pig Series & American Guinea Pig” which features an interview with guest Stephen Biro, the founder and owner of Unearthed Films. Together they discuss the 6 Japanese films in the original Guinea Pig series, as well as the 4 American films. Having never seen either series of movies, I found the episode interesting and engaging, giving just the right amount of information on the films without treading into spoiler territory.
Most episodes run about an hour in length and are available in video format on YouTube as well as on several podcasting platforms. Zobo with a Shotgun also has a fantastic website filled with editorials and articles exploring the world of extreme cinema, so be sure to check it out: www.zobowithashotgun.com
Now for the Shivers!
New to the podcasting scene is The Hauntings of Elgin Barrett, which knocked it out of the park with their premiere horror fiction episode “Annie’s Oak.” The story centres on property developers who go back on their word, destroying a tree on their Sheffield building site and unleashing a powerful entity. Not only was this a fantastically creepy tale, but the audio production was top-notch. From now until Christmas The Hauntings of Elgin Barrett will have a new episode posted every week, ranging from 30 minutes to an hour, featuring horror fiction written by Elgin Barrett and narrated by professional actors. Links to all episodes, as well as blog posts discussing the inspirations behind the stories can be found on their website: www.thehauntingsofelginbarrett.com
As a long-time horror fan, I’m fascinated to hear thoughts and impressions from genre newcomers, and that’s the exact premises of the podcast Scaring Sam! The hosts review horror movies together, with James Rees acting as a guide to horror newbie Sam Difford. I listened to the episode “Ghostwatch,” which discussed the 1992 film, the controversy it caused upon initial airing on the BBC, as well as some personal paranormal experiences. Sam brings terrific insights to the genre, pairing nicely with James’ recollections and comparisons between watching the movie for the first time and revisiting it years later. Scaring Sam! episodes typically run about 30 minutes long, and you can find links to all their podcast platforms via Linktree: www.linktr.ee/ScaringSam
This week I also had a blast listening to hosts Jon Richter and Liam Martin on Dark Natter. Each episode begins with one host nominating a horror creation for possible admittance to their Hall of Pain. Nominees include movies, books, video games, and anything else that fits into the genre of horror. I was only planning to catch a single episode “Dark Natter returns with…Dracula” but these hosts were so entertaining that I also listened to “Return to Oz.” In the Dracula episode, Jon and Liam discuss the many forms of vampires in pop culture, from the frightening side in Salem’s Lot to the adorable rendition as Count Duckula. For Return to Oz, the duo dissects the good, the bad, and the outright bizarre of this 1985 Disney movie. Dark Natter is the perfect podcast if you’re in the mood for mix of horror and comedy. Runtimes vary from 1 to 1.5 hours, and you can find links to your favourite listening platform by visiting www.buzzsprout.com/498160
Everything I listened to this week was terrific, so there’s no Goosebumps rated podcasts this week and that’s a wrap for Sound Bites!
Thanks so much to the awesome podcast listeners and creators who have been sending me terrific recommendations. Keep them coming via the comments section below, or direct messaging on Twitter or Instagram (links below). I can’t promise I’ll enjoy every podcast you throw my way, but I’ll give everyone a fair shot.
Remember, I’m all about scary things and spooky podcasts are what I’m after. Content focused on reviewing horror movies and horror books, true paranormal encounters, facts about cryptids, true crimes, and original scary stories are exactly what I want to hear.
Can’t wait to listen to all the dark podcasts you fine fiends suggest, and I’m looking forward to presenting you with even more Scary’s Voices next Friday.
J.A. Sullivan
J. A. Sullivan is a horror writer and paranormal enthusiast, based in Brantford, ON, Canada. Attracted to everything non-horror folks consider strange, she’s spent years as a paranormal investigator, has an insatiable appetite for serial killer information, and would live inside a library if she could.
Her latest short story can be found in Don’t Open the Door: A Horror Anthology (out July 26, 2019), and other spooky tales can be found on her blog. She’s currently writing more short stories, a novel, and reading as many dark works as she can find.
You can follow J. A. on Twitter @ScaryJASullivan
Check out her blog https://writingscaredblog.wordpress.com
Find her on Instagram www.instagram.com/j.a_sullivan
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