SEEN AND HEARD ON A SATURDAY: BESNA, RHINE, RAT KING, CONAN, RED FANG, 40 WATT SUN

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  2 Responses »
Oct 302021
 

I know I sound like a broken record, but this past week was a crazy one on all fronts for me, and so I did a piss-poor job keeping up with new metal, largely neglecting the NCS in-box and failing to make the usual list of candidates for round-ups. I did make that list this morning, but it took a ton of time, and I didn’t have much room left to dig very deep into it.

However, I dug deep enough to feel some inspiration about what to include in this compilation. I chose music from two Seattle bands that I happened to see in early live performance by both of them at the same show more than four years ago. I picked two more songs that came with Halloween-themed videos, because of course Halloween is tomorrow. And I chose a curveball to throw at the end.

I had a difficult time figuring out what to use as the opening song for the collection, but eventually settled on the one you’re about to witness, in part because of the video’s setting.

BESNA (Slovakia)

I guess Besna couldn’t find a barren warehouse for their live video for “Fúga“, so they had to make do with the ramparts of an ancient castle called Strečno in northern Slovakia, perched atop a 103-metre-high calcite cliff (it was also the location of a World War II battle between the German army and the Czechoslovak resistance). Continue reading »

OVERFLOWING STREAMS (SATURDAY): VALLENFYRE, DECREPIT BIRTH, FATHER BEFOULED, IMPETUOUS RITUAL, DYING FETUS, WRECHE, THE FATHER OF SERPENTS, RED FANG

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  10 Responses »
May 202017
 


Vallenfyre

 

I’m in Austin, Texas, this weekend. I didn’t think I would have time to do any NCS stuff, but did find myself with some time this morning — though not enough time to do much writing. What I’ve done instead is just collect a bunch of new song streams and videos and some basic info about each one.

I might be able to do the same thing tomorrow, but probably not more than that. Hope you find some things to like in the following eclectic collection. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: RED FANG, CARCASS, CHROME DIVISION, COLISEUM, AWAKENING SUN, ACHERON

 Exceptions to the Rule, Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  3 Responses »
Dec 162013
 

For various reasons, including a long vacation, a buttload of work and work-related travel that confronted me in my day job upon returning from said vacation, and the dedication of space to our ongoing year-end LISTMANIA series, I’ve not been doing a very good job of spreading the word about new music and videos. Much new music and videos of interest have been accumulating. I’m collecting five of the recent videos and one new song in this post. Many of them lean more toward hard rocking that the kind of extreme metaling I usually feature in these round-ups, but it’s all good stuff.

RED FANG

Red Fang have consistently produced videos that are sure-fire chuckle fests. Their new one is no exception. Directed by Whitey McConnaughy, it’s for “Blood Like Cream”, one of the songs on the band’s latest album Whales and Leeches. It’s a twist on the zombie theme. These undead monsters want PBR instead of brains — but it is fuckin’ Portland, so that’s not a total shock.

Yeah, there’s clean singing in the song, but it’s crunchy, it rocks out, and it gets its hooks in your brain meat. Chug-a-lug, chug-a-lug. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: MAN MUST DIE, VASAELETH, DEFEATER, RED FANG

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  2 Responses »
Jul 262013
 

Here are a few choice items from my recent ramblings around the interhole.

MAN MUST DIE

Some bands die who shouldn’t, some bands who should die seem to live forever, and some bands resurrect themselves against punishing odds. Man Must Die must not die, and in fact it looks like they’ve been resurrected after parting company with their big-label support following 2009′s No Tolerance For Imperfection.

When last we checked in with these Scots in April, they were nearing success on their revised crowd-funding goal at Pledge Music to help them self-finance a new recording. And today brought the cheery news that they’ve found label support once again after a long dry spell. Here’s the announcement from Lifeforce Records:

“We are very proud to announce the signing of Scottish extreme metal maniacs MAN MUST DIE for a world wide release (outside the UK) of their next album in late October via Lifeforce Records. The band is currently at Valvetone studios putting the final touches on the new effort.”

In addition, the band announced that Grindscene Records will be releasing the new album in the UK and Ireland.

Nice work lads! I’ll be ready to get brutalized in October. Continue reading »

LIVE REPORT: CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SKELETONWITCH, RED FANG, BLACK TUSK, AND HAVOK (The Magic Stick, Detroit MI, 11-16-12)

 Concert Reviews  3 Responses »
Dec 172012
 

(BadWolf and friends took in the show at Detroit’s Magic Stick co-headlined by Corrosion of Conformity and Skeletonwitch on November 16 and provides this review, with pics by Nick Vechery.)

I go to so many concerts that I forget live music is a celebration. When a band plays, the audience takes on a responsibility to express great feeling—vocally, physically, and of course through liver deterioration. It is easier to have a good time at a show not only when the bands are good, but when there is an occasion to celebrate. In the case of Corrosion of Conformity and Skeletonwitch’s co-headlining show, my wolf pack and I had much to celebrate.

My longstanding photographer and concert partner, Sir Nick Vechery, just celebrated his one year anniversary with his wonderful Significant Other, Whitney. [HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, GUYS!] Her gift to him? Skeletonwitch tickets. At the same time, we celebrated our first year of reporting for No Clean Singing. We loaded my car up with some Pabst and Toledo arts reporter Ian Hubbard, and trekked to The Magic Stick.

The Magic Stick boasts a fine bar, plenty of room, a loud stereo, and a huge second-story smoking patio with a gorgeous view of metro Detroit. The venue sits on top of a bowling alley, another bar, and a snack shoppe (the pizza was quite delicious, if a bit greasy). It stands as one of the finest venues I’ve ever visited, and I highly recommend that any NCS readers with the opportunity to spend money there do so. In the past two months I’ve seen four concerts there and cannot wait to return. Continue reading »

VIDEOGRAPHY: ANTROPOMORPHIA, RED FANG, AND MONSTER ROLL

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  12 Responses »
Oct 252012
 

Would you like some quality video entertainment? You would? Well, then, you’ve come to the right place, because I happen to have three clips right here that I think you’ll enjoy.

ANTROPOMORPHIA

Antropomorphia are a Dutch band whose new Metal Blade release, Evangelivm Nekromantia, really snuck up on me. The clues were there, as was a promo sitting in my in-box, and I just missed all of it until last night, when I watched the band’s recent official video for a track from the album named “Psuchagogia”.

The song burrowed under my skin immediately. It’s an occult-flavored form of death metal, reminiscent at times of Behemoth, with heavy use of tremolo guitar, demonic vocals, and a thundering beat. Halfway through, there’s a slow, very cool instrumental break with the bass taking the lead, and in the video, a ritual then reaches its defining moment in the drinking of blood from a skull, with relish.

Though “psuchagogia” doesn’t appear to be a word found in the dictionary, “psychogogia” is a Greek word meaning the leading of the soul and was used in its original context to describe a ritual of raising souls from the dead. Just so you know.

One word about the album art before we turn to the killer video itself: If those three skeletons in red and the shrouded figure in purple ring any bells, it’s because the band wanted to pay homage to the cover of Death’s Scream Bloody Gore. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: RED FANG, POSTHUM, DISSIPATE, REANIMA, AND NEUROGENIC

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  3 Responses »
Sep 272012
 

This may be the last, in addition to being the first, post of this Thursday. Long airplane trip ahead, followed by driving, followed by work. If there’s wi-fi on the airplane or I get a break tonight, you may hear from me again. Otherwise, happy trails until tomorrow.

In this post, I’ve once again collected some recent discoveries, and because this may be today’s only post, I’ve really loaded it up with new metal. Musically, the shit is all over the map.

ITEM ONE: RED FANG

I do love me some Red Fang, even when the music isn’t accompanied by one of this Portland’s band’s hilarious videos. Yesterday they released a new single — “Crows In Swine” — which is available on iTunes. I thought maybe the song was about a ground-breaking new recipe, and I probably would eat crow if it was wrapped in bacon.

It turned out not to be a recipe, but another heavy-riffing, skull-banging, full-throated, doom-shrouded piece of stoner goodness. My only problem with the song is that it ends too soon. Continue reading »

RED FANG: THE “HANK IS DEAD” VIDEO

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  18 Responses »
Jan 262012
 

I happen to like Red Fang’s music, but when it comes to Red Fang’s videos, it really doesn’t matter what you think of the music. They could be playing “Achy Breaky Heart” on a butt trumpet and the videos would still be funny as shit to watch. And now, hot from the cutting room, we have yet another addition to the Red Fang cinematic library: The “Hank Is Dead” video.

People who’ve been following the advance hype already know that the video involves an air guitar competition, but there’s more: awkwardly unclothed dudes who should never be seen without clothes, aerodynamically magnificent paper airplanes, an awesome wristwatch, plenty of beer, and plenty of beer. Also, there is a lot of beer.

If you don’t have some fun with this song set to this film footage, then, as much as I love you for reading NCS, I have to conclude that you have a case of tight-sphincter syndrome and you need a good loosening up.

Speaking of which, no, I don’t know what a butt trumpet is. It just seemed to fit the sentence. Watch the video after the jump. Continue reading »

NEW FALL TOURS

 Metal News  6 Responses »
Sep 172011
 

As a public service, I thought I’d let you know about two North American tours I just noticed yesterday, plus two others announced earlier but not previously mentioned at NCS. The first of the newer ones is advertised by the poster above. What caught my eye, in addition to the name Korpiklaani, was the fact that Russia’s Arkona is on this tour. Arkona is a recent discovery for us here at NCS, thanks to our friend Trollfiend, who provided a guest review of the band’s new album Slovo. Also included on the tour are Polkadot Cadaver and Forged in Flame. I don’t yet know anything about those two bands, but I’m very tempted to see this show simply because of Arkona (though I like Korpiklaani, too), especially because the Seattle stop will be at a relatively small club.

The second tour is the 2011 edition of Thrash and Burn. This has been a summer tour since its inception, but it was a no-show in the summer just past and now appears to have emerged as a re-branding of Winds of Plague’s fall headlining tour. Following in the footsteps of Summer Slaughter, Winds of Plague and the promoters of this tour nominated a group of bands to fill the last tour slot and let fans vote for a winner. A couple days ago, the winner was announced, and it’s Volumes. Interestingly, Volumes was also one of the nominated bands on the Summer Slaughter ballot, but didn’t make the cut that time and instead were included on the Slaughter Survivors Tour. Volumes has a new album called Via that’s getting some buzz, though I haven’t heard it yet.

The rest of the bands on this version of Thrash and Burn are Chelsea Grin, As Blood Runs Black, For the Fallen Dreams, Upon A Burning Body, In the Midst of Lions, and Like Moths to Flames. In other words, the tour should be renamed Deathcore and Burn. No tour schedule has yet been announced.

I must admit that among the fall tours we haven’t yet mentioned at this site, I’m personally more interested in the Mastodon/Dillinger Escape Plan/Red Fang tour and the Mayhem/Keep Of Kalessin/Hate/Abigail Williams tour (which will be joined by Woe on 13 dates not yet specified). The schedules for the Korpiklaani tour and those others I just mentioned are after the jump. Continue reading »

THE BEST METAL VIDEO OF THE YEAR (AND SECOND PLACE IS SO FAR BACK YOU CAN’T SEE IT)

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  14 Responses »
May 132011
 

I had plans for today’s posts. Really, I did. And then a few things happened last night that just blew them right outta my head. This happens often, so I’m not beating myself up about it. It’s just part of the price you pay when you have an impulsively enthusiastic personality — planning just becomes a fucking waste of time.

So, one of the things that happened was catching a blurb about Red Fang‘s new video on Blabbermouth. I skim through lots of shit on Blabbermouth without ever pausing, but Red Fang is a name I’d heard enough that I decided this would be a good chance to hear their music, along with moving pictures. I like moving pictures. And oh, I’m SOOOO fuckin’ glad I checked this out! Really and truly.

See, Red Fang is from fuckin’ Portland, which is just spitting distance away from The Emerald City, where our metallic island is located. They came out with an album this year on Relapse called Murder the Mountains. I haven’t heard all of it. In fact, I’ve only heard just the one song in the video. It’s called “Wires”. It’s not as extreme as most of the music we play here at NCS, and it involves, y’know, clean singing. But it’s just a fuckin’ good-time song with some monstrous discordant riffage, some thunderous drumming, and a few massive hooks.

And the video for the song is the shit. It’s like a real-life documentary of what happens when you give a bunch of fun-loving stoner band dudes a $5,000 check (drawn on the “Maidoff Bank”, no less) to make a music video. Now, $5,000 sounds like a lot of money, but you’d be amazed how fast you can spend it when you decide to buy an old station wagon, weld some armor on the front, and start driving through barricades of random shit set up on an aircraft runway.

But it wasn’t the station wagon that put the dent in the video trust fund (that old beater only cost the dudes $685). It was the crash helmets, the stockpile of milk, the mannequins, the pickles, the watermelons, the china cabinets, the Wurlitzer organ, the 15 cases of PBR, the bank of TVs, and lots more. You’ll see. The money goes fast when you get creative about destruction. (the video is after the jump, along with another gut-busting video from RF) Continue reading »