ANNOUNCEMENTS

Normally this would be the time for a new SHADES OF BLACK collection, but instead I’m alerting you to the likelihood of a 10-day diminution of NCS content beginning today, because today I’m leaving for Iceland and won’t be back home for 10 days. The main purpose of the trip will be to attend Ascension Festival MMXXI, and to get reacquainted with the country’s many other attractions (this will be my third trip overall).

I don’t know if I will make posts about the festival. I’m going to try to just enjoy it, but I don’t think I’ve attended any metal music event in the last decade when I haven’t inserted some words and photos about the experiences at NCS. We’ll see.

I did agree to continue writing premieres during the weekdays while I’m gone, but not as many as usual. I also have a big backlog of interviews sitting in draft, and I’ll probably do what I usually do to get those ready for publication (or at least some of them). I think one or two of my NCS comrades will make a few posts while I’m gone as well. Still, if you’re a frequent visitor you’ll probably notice a change. (more after the jump)

By the time I get back to Seattle we’ll be just a little more than a week away from Thanksgiving, and damn, time flies. I have on my calendar to invite our readers on November 18th to share their nominations for our list of 2021’s Most Infectious Extreme Metal Songs. On November 21 we’ll do our annual birthday celebration (on that day NCS will be 12 years old!). And then on December 1st we will invite our readers to share their year-end lists of 2021’s best releases.

Somewhere in that time frame we’ll dive into our annual LISTMANIA series, which as usual will include sharing lists from selected zines and “big platform” music sites, as well as year-end lists by our staff members and invited guests.

So the usual year-end froth isn’t very far away at all. Probably a good time for me to have a vacation now, so I can keep my head above water later. And probably a good time for you folks to start thinking about infectious songs and what you’ll rank as 2021’s best releases.

Adios for now….

Islander