Tales from the Ashen Woods Vol. 1 – Grimm Spoken Word Vinyl LP

IMPORTANT PRE-ORDER UPDATE

Pre-orders for this release have been pushed back to late January at this time.
We appreciate your patience as we ensure this release meets the quality and presentation standards expected from The Raven’s Crypt.

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Tales from the Ashen Woods: Volume One

The Brothers Grimm — Spoken Word Vinyl LP

Step beyond the familiar glow of childhood fairy tales and into the shadowed forest where the Brothers Grimm originally meant these stories to dwell.

Tales from the Ashen Woods: Volume One marks the beginning of a new spoken-word anthology from The Raven’s Crypt, dedicated to presenting classic folklore in its most haunting and unvarnished form. This limited-edition vinyl LP explores the darker, more brutal heart of the Grimm canon—where innocence is devoured, justice is earned through blood, and the forest itself watches silently as fate unfolds.

This first volume features two of the Brothers Grimm’s most chilling and uncompromising tales:

The Juniper Tree
The Robber Bridegroom

Far removed from sanitized retellings, these stories remain intact in their original menace and moral gravity, delivered as immersive spoken-word performances that transform the listener into a witness rather than a spectator.

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A Return to the Grim Origins of Fairy Tales

Before fairy tales were softened for nurseries and picture books, they were warnings—stories told aloud by firelight to prepare listeners for the cruelty of the world beyond the village edge. The Grimm brothers collected these tales not as fantasies, but as cultural artifacts, preserving the fears, taboos, and truths of rural European life.

Tales from the Ashen Woods honors that tradition.

There are no heroes without consequence here. No neat endings without scars. These are stories where death is intimate, betrayal is personal, and justice is often as cruel as the crimes that demand it. By presenting these works in spoken-word format on vinyl, this release restores the oral storytelling experience—meant to be heard, absorbed, and felt rather than skimmed or sanitized.

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The Juniper Tree

Death, Rebirth, and the Song of Vengeance

Among the most disturbing and poetic stories in the Grimm collection, The Juniper Tree unfolds as a slow descent into familial horror. A child is murdered, dismembered, and unknowingly served as a meal—yet from this atrocity rises a supernatural reckoning that is as beautiful as it is brutal.

This tale explores themes of jealousy, guilt, transformation, and rebirth, culminating in a haunting act of justice delivered through song. It is a story that lingers long after the final words are spoken, its imagery etched deeply into the imagination.

On vinyl, the cadence and rhythm of the narration heighten the ritualistic quality of the tale, allowing the listener to experience the story as it was once told—measured, deliberate, and heavy with consequence.

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The Robber Bridegroom

Betrayal Hidden Beneath Politeness

Where The Juniper Tree is mythic and supernatural, The Robber Bridegroom is terrifyingly human.

A young woman betrothed to a seemingly respectable suitor uncovers a horrifying truth hidden behind courtesy and charm. Deep in the forest, she discovers a house of slaughter and a band of murderers who prey upon the unsuspecting.

This tale confronts deception, survival, and the dangers that lurk beneath social masks. It is a story of awareness and testimony—of seeing evil clearly and refusing to be silenced by it.

In spoken-word form, the tension builds relentlessly, transforming the listener into a silent observer of unfolding horror. Every pause, every inflection, draws the audience deeper into the woods where escape is never guaranteed.

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Narration That Commands the Dark

Both tales are narrated with unsettling precision by Stephen Mashalidis, whose delivery balances restraint and intensity. Rather than theatrical excess, the narration relies on controlled pacing and atmosphere, allowing the stories themselves to carry the weight.

His voice does not sensationalize the horror—it reveals it.

This approach preserves the authenticity of the Grimm tradition while creating an immersive listening experience suited to vinyl’s natural intimacy. Played at night, on a quiet turntable, the effect is deeply immersive and unsettling in the best possible way.

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Pressed by Waxwork Records

A Vinyl Presentation Worthy of the Stories

This release is pressed by Waxwork Records on heavyweight 180-gram vinyl, ensuring both durability and audio depth. The vinyl variant, titled “Blood in the Ashes,” features a bone-colored base with crimson and black splatter—each copy visually unique, echoing the violence and beauty woven through the tales.

The pressing quality supports the spoken-word format perfectly, delivering clarity and warmth without distraction, allowing every word to land with intent.

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Gothic Woodcut Artwork

A Visual Extension of the Folklore

The artwork for Tales from the Ashen Woods: Volume One is rendered in a vintage woodcut style inspired by early folklore illustrations. Stark contrasts of black, bone, and crimson create a visual language rooted in tradition, evoking old broadsheets, carved blocks, and inked warnings passed from hand to hand.

Twisting branches, looming forests, and symbolic imagery reinforce the themes of fate, death, and transformation. The result is a record that functions as both an audio experience and a physical art object—meant to be held, studied, and displayed.

The full-color gatefold jacket expands this artwork, making the packaging as intentional and immersive as the stories themselves.

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A Foundational Volume in a New Anthology

Tales from the Ashen Woods is designed as an ongoing series—each volume exploring different corners of folklore’s darker lineage. Volume One establishes the tone: uncompromising, atmospheric, and faithful to the original spirit of the tales.

For collectors of gothic literature, spoken-word vinyl, and dark folklore, this release serves as both a standalone experience and the beginning of a larger narrative archive.

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Product Details

• Spoken-word vinyl featuring two Brothers Grimm tales
  The Juniper Tree and The Robber Bridegroom
• Format: 12” Vinyl Record, Single LP
• Weight: 180-gram pressing
• Vinyl Variant: “Blood in the Ashes”
  Bone base with crimson and black splatter
• Genre: Spoken Word / Horror / Folklore
• Edition: Limited pre-order
• Estimated Shipping: Late January (current estimate)
• Packaging: Full-color gatefold jacket with gothic woodcut-style artwork
• Label: The Raven’s Crypt
• Pressed by: Waxwork Records

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Explore More Dark Folk Narratives & Collector Pressings

If the haunting storytelling and mythic atmosphere of this Tales From the Ashen Woods — Volume One (Brothers Grimm spoken-word LP) captured your imagination, check out the Raven’s Crypt Collector’s Edition Archive. The Archive brings together other limited-edition horror, folklore-inspired, and narrative-driven releases — everything from atmospheric spoken word to rare vinyl and classic horror formats — so you can continue uncovering the stories that lurk beneath the surface.
Explore the full Collector’s Edition Archive here:
https://theravenscrypt.com/blogs/news/the-raven-s-crypt-collector-s-edition-archive-horror-vinyl-vhs-and-spoken-word-classics

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is this a music record or spoken-word audio?

This is a spoken-word vinyl release featuring narrated performances of classic Brothers Grimm fairy tales. There is no music album format—this is storytelling designed for immersive listening.

2. Which stories are included on this vinyl?

This volume includes two complete tales by the Brothers Grimm: The Juniper Tree and The Robber Bridegroom.

3. Is this suitable for children?

No. These are dark, original Grimm fairy tales presented without sanitization. Themes include violence, death, and betrayal. This release is intended for adult listeners.

4. What does “Blood in the Ashes” vinyl look like?

The vinyl features a bone-colored base with crimson and black splatter throughout. Each pressing is visually unique, with no two copies exactly alike.

5. Is this a limited edition?

Yes. This is a limited-edition pressing and will not be available indefinitely. Once the pressing run sells out, no additional copies are guaranteed.

6. When will pre-orders ship?

Pre-orders are currently estimated to ship late January. This timeline may adjust slightly depending on production, but updates will be provided as needed.

7. Who narrates the stories?

Both tales are narrated by Stephen Mashalidis, whose performance emphasizes atmosphere, pacing, and fidelity to the original texts.

8. What kind of packaging does it come in?

The record is housed in a full-color gatefold jacket featuring gothic woodcut-style artwork inspired by early folklore illustration.

9. Is this part of a larger series?

Yes. Tales from the Ashen Woods is an ongoing anthology series. Future volumes will explore additional dark folklore and literary traditions.

10. Is this a good collector’s piece?

Absolutely. Between the limited pressing, heavyweight vinyl, detailed artwork, and spoken-word format, this release is designed with collectors of gothic literature and vinyl in mind.