Horror anthologies are seldom made any more. Well, seldom made WELL! I had to rephrase that. Remember CREEPSHOW? BODY BAGS? Even TWILIGHT ZONE the MOVIE was a fun ride through some insanity of the subconscious. And not since TRICK ‘R TREAT (2009) have I enjoyed a montage of nastiness.

VOLUMES OF BLOOD: HORROR STORIES begins in a typical urban legend/slasher flick fashion, introducing us to a wickedly vicious killer – Aticus Crow.

And just when you think Aticus is going to take us on a journey through his sickening world of repulsion, bam! We are watching a movie within a movie. Nicely done!

VOLUMES OF BLOOD is really a tour through the past unpleasantness of a “haunted house” if you will. The haunt includes scenes from the murders that have occurred in this home, currently on the market. Mr. Stine (the slimy real estate agent, played by Bower) leads a young couple into a normal looking abode with a bloody timeline of events that go unmentioned. Try and imagine IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK, but with, well…volumes and buckets of blood. Each feature has fallen upon a holiday: Christmas, Halloween, Father’s Day…you name it. And so, it begins – with each area of the house, we are treated to a gory short of pure dread.

“Trick or Treat” is a fun little Halloween story, involving a young woman, a creepy, older trick ‘r treater and…a consequence based on an on-the-spot decision. It opens the doors to a nice little twist. But there are no spoilers here.

We get the clichéd monster in the closet story, “Feeding Time” involving a very uncomfortable situation. An insurance salesman being propositioned by provocative teen, Mallory. If he kills the monster, she will reward him. In every way possible. Icky, or inviting – it is most intriguing.

“Fear, for Sinners Are Here” is probably the best creation in VOLUMES. A sad and lonely young woman is wrapping toys for her son, Joey. Her beautiful house is decorated tastefully for Christmas, as she sips her wine and pauses in between her gift wrapping. Crying. All is subdued with an eerie bleakness in the air. Is Joey….dead? Is she alone for the holidays? And then, carolers appear at her door with renewed hope and the mother brings you into her apparent heartache. So, what could be so bloody awful in this segment? Of course I’m going to tell you! As I said – no spoilers here.

My favorite tale is “Blood Bath”. Nothing says fear like a killer bathtub! A young couple having a deep conversation about their marriage, emotional state, and prescriptions in the master bathroom, suddenly becomes a horrendous nightmare as the wife is well…sucked in to the drain. And that’s all you’re going to get out of me, here.

I must make a mention of the “Death Day Party”. An older couple have a depraved lifestyle. They enjoy kidnapping, torturing and killing people for pure pleasure. Of all 7-terror tales, this is probably the most humorous, with the best kill scene: In 3 words: Knife and hemorrhoids. Wincing yet? Get ready to cringe, but with tons of enjoyment.