THE TOP 10 ALBUMS OF Q2 2011

 Listmania  32 Responses »
Jul 012011
 

(NCS writer Israel Flanders bravely sticks his neck out with his list of the best albums released during the second quarter of 2011 — April, May, and June.)

So I’m back. Been out of it for the last week or so and just decided it was time to take some lazy days, but it’s time to get back to the fuckin’ metal and the fuckin’ headbanging action. It’s now the end of the second quarter of 2011 and I figured I would continue my top ten of every quarter series, which I started at The Metal Register. So, just for refreshers sake, let’s take a look at what I picked for Q1. In no particular order I had…

Sylosis – Edge Of The Earth
Eradication – Dreams Of Reality
TesseracT – One
Born Of Osiris – The Discovery
Rotten Sound – Cursed
Amon Amarth – Surtur Rising
Crowbar – Sever The Wicked Hand
Paul Wardingham – Assimilate/Regenerate
Times Of Grace – Hymn Of A Broken Man
Deicide – To Hell With God

So now we move on to the list for Q2. I know people are going to complain, bitch, moan, and otherwise cry at me through the comments on how often I didn’t pick your favorite tech-death band that sounds like rejected Psycroptic demos, but if I haven’t heard it, I’m not gonna pick it. Now let’s get to the albums shall we?  (after the jump . . .) Continue reading »

AN NCS EP BUNDLE: THE APOCRYPHAL ORDER, SHATTERED SKIES, AND ROOKS

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC, SHORT BUT SWEET  19 Responses »
Jun 062011
 

(Intrepid NCS writer Israel Flanders has single-handedly convinced three excellent and musically diverse bands — The Apocryphal Order (The Faroe Islands), Shattered Skies (Ireland), and Rooks (Illinois) — to let us offer you their recent EP’s for free download, and we’re bundling them together for you in a package. But first, Israel has a few words of introduction . . .)

Guess what, I have a special treat for you today. Three bands agreed to let me post their EP’s today, so what I got for you is a music bundle! I’m gonna do brief summaries of these for you guys and let you be on your way =)

Go read my review of The Apocryphal Order’s self-titled EP here (“this album is full of furious thrash and death metal riffing, every drum beat you could possibly imagine, tempo changes, brutal hoarse vocals . . . . imagine a love child of Death, Testament, Forbidden, and Deicide“). (more after the jump . . .) Continue reading »

THE APOCRYPHAL ORDER

 Album Reviews  12 Responses »
May 142011
 


NCS contributor Israel Flanders is back with another review — a new EP from a band of islanders (I like them already).

Ever heard of the Faroe Islands?  Neither had I, but now I want to know what they’re all about.  The band in question is a Death/Thrash band from these Faroe Islands called The Apocryphal Order and I’m reviewing their debut self-titled EP.

These guys have been eating their meat and potatoes because this album is full of furious thrash and death metal riffing, every drum beat you could possibly imagine, tempo changes, brutal hoarse vocals, but the thing that stands out about this band is their songwriting prowess.  The song structures are very progressive in nature, yet never feel like they are being forced or done for the sake of doing so.  I can’t compare these guys to anything because I honestly think they have their own sound working in their favor, though if I had to try: imagine a love child of Death, Testament, Forbidden, and Deicide.  Crazy combo right?

The highlight of this album for sure is the riffing.  The guitar work is just all over the place, stylistically speaking, as well as never short-handed on the technical end.  Every single one of these songs is full of riffs that induce headbanging fury, not only because of the technical intricacies at work here, but also because these dudes play their music with the kind of utterly indisputable conviction that beats you into submission repeatedly. (more after the jump, including some songs to hear . . . ) Continue reading »