Andy Synn, Author at NO CLEAN SINGING

Andy Synn

ÆTHĔRĬA CONSCĬENTĬA – THE BLOSSOMING

Jun 052024

(Andy Synn continues to enjoy the blooming of Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa‘s sound on their new album)

If there’s one thing I can say about NCS, it’s that we are loyal to the bands we choose to cover (sometimes to a fault) and… wait, that’s how I started my last review for this band.

Let’s try this again.

If there’s one thing we love here at NCS it’s discovering new, underground bands and then following them as they grow and change and evolve over the years.

And considering this is the third time I’m going to be writing about French Progronauts Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa I think it’s safe to say that we’re in this for the long haul.

So let’s see what strange delights they have for us this time, shall we?

THINGS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED (BUT SHOULDN’T)

Album Reviews No Responses »

Jun 042024

(Andy Synn catches up with four albums from a mammoth May that you might have overlooked)

It was my immense good fortune to spend a good chunk of May travelling and seeing bands, first with a trip to Seattle for another excellent edition of North West Terrorfest, and then a jaunt to Baltimore to sample the delights of another Maryland Deathfest.

And since my travels gave me an opportunity to read and listen to music, I decided to make the most of it by re-immersing myself in a few of my favourite albums from the last few decades, with the result being that I probably ended up listening to fewer new releases last month than you might have come to expect.

That doesn’t mean I’ve been completely out of the loop, by any means (just give that handy “Andy Synn” tag a quick click and you’ll see that I still wrote a bunch of reviews, including several designed to cover our down-time during both the above festivals), it’s just that there’s probably going to be a few more “catching up” pieces to come after this one as well (most notably a review of the new Árstíðir Lífsins, whenever I get around to it).

As always, however, I’d like to begin a new month with four favourites from last month which I think deserve a bit more attention and acclaim, so let’s not waste any more time and just get right down to it, shall we?

THE SYNN REPORT (PART 171): DEMANDE À LA POUSSIÈRE

THE SYNN REPORT No Responses »

Jun 012024

Recommended for fans of: LLNN, Amenra, Regarde Les Hommes Tomber

French quartet Demande à la poussière, having formed in 2017 and released their first album in 2018, have spent the last several years defining and refining a sound for themselves which combines the doom-laden density of Sludge and the haunting atmospheric heaviness of Post-Metal with a substantial Black Metal edge.

And with the recent release of their third album, Kintsugi, at the beginning of last month, now felt like the perfect time to take a comprehensive look at their already impressive back-catalogue.

VÁSTÍGR – THE PATH OF PERDITION

Album Reviews 1 Response »

May 302024

(Andy Synn walks the path of perdition with Vástígr, whose new album is out now)

Let me begin things today with a short aside, if I may?

The subject of this particular review is one of several excellent bands playing Ascension Festival in Iceland in July, which various members of the NCS extended family will be attending again this year.

Unfortunately, the festival is currently struggling with higher-than-usual costs and lower-than-average ticket sales, the combination of which have put the future of the event in serious doubt.

So if you’re still going back-and-forth about whether to pick up a ticket this year, now is the time to do so… and, to help encourage you even more, here’s some fantastic music you can expect to hear from Vástígr at this year’s festival.

COBRA THE IMPALER – KARMA COLLISION

Album Reviews No Responses »

May 282024

(Andy Synn collides with the new album from Cobra the Impaler, out Friday on Listenable Records)

Greetings all!

Today I’m writing to you from the airport lounge at the Baltimore/Washington International airport, having just spent the last few days enjoying the sights and sounds (well, mostly the sounds) of another fantastic edition of Maryland Deathfest.

This has nothing to do with the subject of today’s review, however, it just felt like something worth mentioning as I/we get back into the regular swing of things here at NCS this week.

Anyway… last time we checked in with Belgian Prog-Metal types Cobra the Impaler I was lavishing praise upon their debut album, Colossal Gods, and describing it as a strikingly melodic, multifaceted mix of Mastodon, Alice in Chains, and Byzantine.

But, as DGR recently pointed out to me – and which their upcoming new album, Karma Collision, has only reinforced – it turns out I was ever so slightly off-base with one of those comparisons.

ASEITAS – EDEN TROUGH

Album Reviews 1 Response »

May 232024

(Andy Synn provides a preview, and a pre-review, of the new album from Aseitas, out May 30)

Let’s get one thing straight – I happen to think that Aseitas‘s second album, False Peace is… well, I’m not going to use the word “masterpiece”, because that word has been so over-used and bastardised it’s basically become worthless and/or meaningless these days (though I am still a fan of, very occasionally, using it in its original meaning)… but it’s definitely what I would call an unsung and underrated underground gem.

With a sound that runs the gamut from Artifical Brain to Zao (taking in influences from everyone from Gorguts to Godflesh, Car Bomb to Cattle Decapitation to Krallice along the way) it’s the sort of album which doesn’t fit neatly into any one box – being part Death, part ‘core, part Sludge, part Tech, and more besides – and established Aseitas as a band with the potential to find fans all over the musical map.

And now, after lying dormant for four long years, they’ve emerged from hibernation with a brand new album (set for release next week via Total Dissonance Worship), and a new mutation of their sound – but is their latest evolution full of hybrid vigour, or a genetic dead-end?

BLASTEROID – CRYPTS OF MIND

Album Reviews 1 Response »

May 222024

(Andy Synn goes crypt-diving and tomb-raiding with Greek Prog-Tech shredders Blasteroid)

With so many releases coming out each and every month, it can be easy to lose track of bands you’ve previously enjoyed, especially when – as is the case here – we haven’t heard from them in almost seven years.

But ~~Pepperidge Farm~~ NoCleanSinging remembers.

NoCleanSinging does not forget.

GATECREEPER – DARK SUPERSTITION

Album Reviews 6 Responses »

May 202024

(Is the new Gatecreeper a trendkiller, or just a trend-follower? Andy Synn sets out to find out)

Let me ask you a question – how important is originality to you?

No, it’s not a trick question. After all, I’ve stated before that making a good (or great) album doesn’t necessarily require you to be particularly original – let’s face it, the Metal scene does tend to love a good throwback (sometimes too much) – as long as the execution and (more importantly) the songwriting are good enough.

Case in point – Gatecreeper‘s third album is basically a Dismember record in all but name.

But while Dark Superstition has definitely gained an advantage by standing on the shoulders of giants, it remains to be seen whether it has the songs to properly stand on its own two (or ten) feet.

BEST OF BRITISH (AND IRISH): TEN TON SLUG / URZAH / VULGARIS

Album Reviews No Responses »

May 152024

(Andy Synn has three more artists/albums from his neck of the woods for you to check out)

Depending on when you read these words – as well as when I get it finished, and when we have space to post it – I’ll either be on my way home from Northwest Terror Fest, or have just about made it back and collapsed on my couch.

And what better way to celebrate my return than with another triptych of terrific recent and upcoming releases from my particular corner of the globe courtesy of Ten Ton Slug (Galway), Urzah (Bristol), and Vulgaris (London)?

SHORT BUT SWEET: AGRICULTURE / ARTIFICIAL LANGUAGE / BA’AL / MALEVICH / REJECTER / VOGEL

Exceptions to the Rule, SHORT BUT SWEET 1 Response »

May 142024

(In this column Andy Synn focuses on short-form releases that emerged in recent months.)

It seems like every year I make a promise – to myself, if no-one else – to stay more on top of covering all the various EPs and short-form releases that come out… and every year I fail miserably.

Well, here’s my chance to make up for that by digging back into the last six months and selecting a handful of heavy/harsh/heartfelt releases for you all to check out.

Older Entries Newer Entries