Islander

LISTMANIA: THE POPMATTERS LIST OF THE BEST METAL OF 2014

 LISTMANIA 2014  32 Responses »
Dec 052014
 

 

PopMatters is a popular culture web site with broad coverage of music, film, television, books, comics, software and video games — you name it. Its articles get picked up regularly by the mainstream media, and it claims a readership of more than 1 million unique visitors per month. In other words, it fits the profile of “big platform” web sites whose lists of 2014′s best metal we usually re-post here at NCS as part of our own LISTMANIA series.

Today, PopMatters published its list of “The Best Metal of 2014″, ranking the chosen albums from #15 to #1. The list was compiled by Adrien Begrand, Dean Brown, Brice Ezell, and Benjamin Hedge Olson. Like all of these metal lists from big sites whose content isn’t limited to metal, it’s a real mixed bag of picks, and of course the reason we post them here is to generate some discussion/controversy.Also, don’t be fooled — that graphic up there that I lifted from PopMatters is a head-fake. Continue reading »

LISTMANIA 2014: A LIST FROM GRANT SKELTON

 LISTMANIA 2014  19 Responses »
Dec 052014
 

 

(Grant Skelton, a recent contributor to our site, presents this list of his favorite albums of 2014.)

Below – Across The Dark River

This band are one of my first forays into doom metal. Like any metalhead, I always appreciate some Sabbath. But on the whole I’ve only recently begun to venture into doom. In all honesty, it’s been refreshing considering that doom seems to be one of the only genres in which the bands aren’t trying to out brutalize one another. If anything, doom bands seem to try to play slower than many of their counterparts (Sunn O)) for example).

“Portal” was the first song I heard from this album, and is definitely one of the standout tracks from the record. Even though it was released back in the spring, it is very appropriate for winter. Every track on this album is dark, dreary, head-nodding doomy deliciousness. If drummer Doc (Jens Vestergren) is using trigger pads for his bass kicks, then they are subtle and devoid of any “clicky” sound. The bass coats the guitars like varnish. Continue reading »

VIDEOGRAPHY: BEHEMOTH, LORD MANTIS, THE CROWN, BAPTISTS, FINSTERFORST, HONGO

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  6 Responses »
Dec 052014
 

 

I’m still on the east coast of the US working day and night for the old fucking day job and have had almost no time to search out new new music and write about it — until last night, when I did have enough time to round up this big collection of recommended new videos. Some of these you may have seen already since I wasn’t able to pounce on them with my usual alacrity and grace, but I’m willing to bet big money you haven’t seen all of them.

P.S.  The end is near — I’ll be back in Seattle by Sunday, and things should get a little closer to normal around here after that.  (Thank you, please hold your applause so that others may enjoy the videos.)

BEHEMOTH

You’d think the mighty Behemoth would have done a live video before now, but this new one for “Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer” off The Satanist turns out to be their first ever. The video, which was filmed by Grupa 13, is really, really well done. Of course, the song is a blasphemous killer. Continue reading »

LISTMANIA: A BEST OF 2014 LIST FROM NEILL JAMESON (KRIEG)

 LISTMANIA 2014  10 Responses »
Dec 042014
 


Photo by Hillarie Jason

 

(We invited Neill Jameson (Imperial) of Krieg — whose Transient album is one of our 2014 favorites — to share with us and you his thoughts about some of the best releases he’s heard this year, and he agreed.)

 

2014 has been one of those years that honestly didn’t leave much of an immediate impression when I glance back at it, but I’m positive it’s more of a slow burner. At least I’d like to think so, rather than the first real signs I’ve become old mentally which means I probably should look into an IRA or what flavor bullet to eat, either sounds about as appealing as the other.

I think I listened to a lot more non-metal music this year in terms of new releases, but rather than spend 500 words telling you why I think Bob Mould’s new record wins the year, I’ll go over the metal & metal-related pieces that I’ll probably continue to listen to past January. Continue reading »

DOWNFALL OF GAIA: “AEON UNVEILS THE THRONES OF DECAY”

 Album Reviews  6 Responses »
Dec 042014
 

 

(Austin Weber reviews the new album by Downfall of Gaia, out now on the Metal Blade label.)

While my metal tastes are not as honed in on the ongoing post-metal wave as on other genres, I can always respect and love a band of any stripe who go beyond the tropes and usual containments of a style to find their own identities, alone in a place none have gone before. Bands like that are worth the investment of time in what they have to say about the world and themselves.

That’s precisely how I feel about the new Downfall Of Gaia album, Aeon Unveils the Thrones of Decay. The only other reference that might give you a ballpark idea of their territory is Agrimonia — both have perfected a blend of post-metal and crust-punk woven into a swirling, multi-genre template that retains an aggression lost in most post-metal, although Downfall Of Gaia thread in a lot of menacing black metal, full of killer riffs, into their tapestry, with many more aggressive moments than in Agrimonia’s music. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: ADVERSARIAL AND PAROXSIHZEM — NEW MUSIC FROM “WARPIT OF COILING ATROCITIES”

 Album Reviews, Premieres, SHORT BUT SWEET  4 Responses »
Dec 042014
 

 

When I first learned that Vault of Dried Bones would be releasing an album-length split by Adversarial and Paroxsihzem, entitled Warpit of Coiling Atrocities, I simultaneously experienced both a thrill and a chilling sensation, like a burst of adrenaline as the blood started freezing in my veins. I haven’t yet heard the complete results of this destructive alliance, but I have heard two of the songs on Warpit, and I got the thrill/chill all over again, big time. Now you’ll get a chance to hear them, too, as we  bring you the premiere of one song by each band from the split.

Both of these Toronto bands’ last releases came out in 2012 — Adversarial’s split with Antediluvian (reviewed here) and Paroxsihzem’s self-titled debut album. Both of them were hellholes of violence and depravity, which is to say they were excellent. So are these two songs. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: ESOTERIC’S GREG CHANDLER

 Interviews  5 Responses »
Dec 032014
 

 

There are some bands for whom you need no long introduction. British extreme death/doom metal band Esoteric is one of those. In this interview, which was kindly offered to us by Evita Hofmane and Haralds Strapans of the Latvian P3lican e-zine, Esoteric’s guitarist and vocalist Greg Chandler speaks about life and music being two inseparable things.

 

In the beginning there was Word, and the Word was Esoteric. Your band has existed for more than 20 years now. Maybe let’s start with a short overview – what is Esoteric?

Esoteric formed in July 1992.  We released our first demo in the summer of 1993, which led to a recording deal with Aesthetic Death records.  Our first album was released in autumn 1994 and the band has remained active to this day.  Now in our 22nd year, we have released 6 albums (4 of which are double albums).  Our music has progressed and evolved over time, but the main essence and direction has remained the same.  To create, dark, unique music and soundscapes without any limitations in mind. Continue reading »

LISTMANIA 2014: A YEAR-END LIST FROM AYLOSS (SPECTRAL LORE)

 LISTMANIA 2014  16 Responses »
Dec 032014
 

 

(Near the end of every year your humble editor humbly invites selected musicians to contribute lists of their favorite releases as part of our year-end Listmania series. This year I asked Ayloss, the man behind Spectral Lore from Greece and the creator of one of my favorite releases of 2014 (reviewed here), to share his recommendations — because I had a strong feeling it would be very interesting, and so it is.)

*****

I don’t usually listen to a lot of music in the year it comes out, as not having the free time I used to have, I prefer to wait until the mediocre stuff gets weeded out and the good remains. When Islander asked me to compile a 2014 list, I realized that my selection was without much character, most likely the exact same stuff you’ll see in many other lists for this year. So I took this as an opportunity to dive back into the underground and do some research.

Yet, I still feel like I haven’t listened to enough music for this year, so this is absolutely not a “best of” list, just some albums that I can certainly attest to being great. In the spirit of discovery, I will mention the “top” stuff below (absolutely check them out if you haven’t already) and then proceed to talk about the stuff that deserves more exposure. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: SHED THE SKIN — “THE SKAPHE OF CHRIST / REBIRTH THROUGH BRIMSTONE”

 Album Reviews, Premieres, SHORT BUT SWEET  3 Responses »
Dec 032014
 

 

You may not be familiar with the name Shed the Skin, but chances are you’ll recognize the names of some of its members.  This Ohio-based band is new, but the line-up includes drummer Kyle Severn (Incantation), guitarist Matt Sorg (Ringworm), vocalist/guitarist Ash Thomas (Vladimirs, Faithxtractor), bassist Ed Stephens (Ringworm), and Brian Boston (ex-From the Depths) on keyboards. Hells Headbangers will soon be releasing their debut two-song EP and today we’re bringing you a stream of the first track:  “The Skaphe of Christ / Rebirth Through Brimstone”.

Shed the Skin took shape when Sorg and Severn played together in a tribute to Cleveland’s Blood of Christ at a memorial show for their friend Tom Rojack (Blood of Christ’s 1993 promo EP included the song “Shed the Skin”), and then decided to forge ahead by recruiting the rest of the band’s impressive line-up. Continue reading »

VORDE: “VORDE”

 Album Reviews  2 Responses »
Dec 022014
 

 

(Wil Cifer reviews the debit album by New York City’s Vorde, released last month by Fallen Empire.)

Fallen Empire Records keeps their streak of great black metal alive with Vorde. Vorde are not strangers to the scene, with members in Fell Voices and Ruin Lust. The album opens with  the kind of dark ambience  commonly found with projects on the label’s roster. When the metal erupts it’s fairly straightforward black metal, until the vocals come in.

The vocals are a distant, gurgled moan that hovers over the faster riffs. It sometimes rises into something closer to singing, accented with a punchy rasp. The use of clean vocals set against the dissonance and airy bleakness called forth is similar to Urfaust. At times the singer’s delivery is not unlike Attila’s, as opposed to the singer from Urfaust who has slightly more command to his vocal tone. Continue reading »

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