Islander

SHOW REVIEW (REYKJAVIK EDITION): SKINLESS, MUNNRIÐUR, SEVERED

 Concert Reviews  No Responses »
Mar 052018
 

 

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I’m in Reykjavik, Iceland. I say that not to rub your nose in a fact
that seems to have provoked jealousy in a few friends, but only because it’s obvious from what you’re about to read. Of course, it would be understandable if you were jealous, because it is pretty fucking wonderful to be here.

The primary purpose for the trip was to attend the last edition of Oration Fest later this week, but I had an unexpectedly outstanding way to spend our first night in the country, because it turned out that last night was the date scheduled for the Reykjavik Deathfest Warmup show, featuring performances by Skinless, Munnriður, and Severed. (The third edition of Reykjavik Deathfest will take place in May — and Skinless and Severed will be playing again then — and you can details about that here.)

I wasn’t aware of this until a couple of Icelandic Facebook friends told me yesterday afternoon, and one of them took the added step of putting me on the guest list, which removed all doubt about whether to surrender to jet lag or venture forth for a night of headbanging. Continue reading »

OCEANS OF SLUMBER: “THE BANISHED HEART”

 Album Reviews  4 Responses »
Mar 052018
 

 

(Here’s Andy Synn’s review of the new album by Houston-based Oceans of Slumber, which has just been released by Century Media Records.)

If there’s one thing that’s immediately obvious about Oceans of Slumber, it’s that they’re an easy band to love.

The band’s intricate but engrossing song-writing style, topped off with the truly awe-inspiring vocals of Cammie Gilbert, and fuelled by the prodigious drumming talents of Dobber Beverley, makes for a formidable formula for success, and the general response to both their previous album, Winter, and their newest release, has been one of almost unmitigated praise.

But while the band’s potent blend of ability, ambition, and peerless passion, certainly makes it difficult to criticise them… it doesn’t make it impossible.

Because, as great as it is, The Banished Heart isn’t flawless. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD BY DGR (PART 3 OF 3): VENOM PRISON, RIVERS OF NIHIL, WILD HUNT, PESTILENT REIGN

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  1 Response »
Mar 052018
 

 

(This is the third and final part of DGR’s round-up of selected new songs and videos that appeared over the last couple of weeks. You can find Part 1 here, and Part 2 here.)

 

Venom Prison – Devoid (Live)

The last time we checked in with Venom Prison was in late January, to spread the news of the February 23rd Prosthetic Records re-release of their 2016 album, Animus, and the group’s music video for the song “Immanetize Eschaton”. That deluxe edition of Animus is now out with five live songs added to it as a bonus disc, and the group unveiled a live-shot video for one of those songs, “Devoid“, right around that time. Continue reading »

AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): AFSKY — “SORG”

 Album Reviews, Premieres  5 Responses »
Mar 052018
 

 

Sorg is the debut album of the Danish black metal band Afsky, and it is a penetrating and devastating exploration of varying shades of sorrow. It will be released on CD and digitally by Vendetta Records on March 9, with a vinyl edition scheduled for April 7 — but we have a full stream of the album for you now.

For those who may be new to Afsky, it is the solo project of Ole Luk, who is also a member of the Danish black metal band Solbrud. Fittingly, the name he chose for this project means “disgust” or “detest” in Danish, though as you’ll discover, the emotional resonance of the music embraces other powerful feelings as well. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD BY DGR (PART 2 OF 3): INFERI, ALKALOID, VALE OF PNATH, IHSAHN

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  6 Responses »
Mar 052018
 

 

(This is the second part of DGR’s round-up of selected new songs and videos that appeared over the last couple of weeks. You can find Part 1 here.)

 

Inferi – Behold The Bearer Of Light

Right now, the hyperspeed tech-death, melodic-death, black-death, everything-kitchen-sink-and-broken-down-freezer-in-the-backyard metal crew of Inferi are out on the road, touring with Aethere, Alterbeast, and Grindmother as part of Alterbeast’s Feast album release tour. It’s been four years since the group’s last incredibly packed album The Path Of Apotheosis, but those moments of silence shall soon wane as the group have an upcoming April 21st release in the form of Revenant. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD BY DGR (PART 1 OF 3): AT THE GATES, DEMONICAL, DE PROFUNDIS, BELPHEGOR

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  No Responses »
Mar 052018
 


At the Gates

 

(DGR has prepared a collection of new songs and videos that appeared over the last couple of weeks, which we’ve divided into three parts, this one being the first.)

By the time you are all reading this it is highly likely that a small collective of the NCS editor (not me) and NCS cohorts (which also doesn’t include me) will have arrived in Iceland, traveling there to attend some bullshit with an excellent lineup known as Oration Festival and generally to have a good time in a foreign country — which I will not be doing, instead being overjoyed that there has been rain the past few days so my car has been getting a decent wash.

Of course, this has in no way left me saltier than the Dead Sea, nor have I turned into the living embodiment of this article at all. I am, instead wishing my compatriots an excellent time in a country (that I haven’t been to) where the weather changes on a dime and will only be slightly amused if they get caught up in a small rainstorm whilst standing outside; they should be used to that anyway.

Since this is happening, I will more than happily bear the yoke of having to deliver the much needed metal news to the world that we might’ve missed, given my general job title of news pelican here, in between whatever else the rest of us who couldn’t go to Iceland have on the docket – which is looking mighty packed – and the general scribblings of the crew in attendance at the show. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: ENGEL, LYCHGATE, SINIESTRO, ENDROT, EAGLE TWIN

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  4 Responses »
Mar 042018
 

 

I would have started this post with the new At the Gates song, but DGR is including that in a big round-up for Monday, and I don’t want to steal his thunder because I’m too interested in reading his take (I know he likes the song, as do I). But I am beginning with another melodeath band for whom I also have a soft spot, so it’s all good.

By the way, by the time you read this I’ll be in Iceland, with a bunch of friends from Seattle. The main object of the trip is the third and final edition of Oration Fest in Reykjavik this week, but because we have days on either side of that, I assume we’ll also explore the environs beyond the capital city.

Because of this metal-filled vacation, I think it’s likely that the volume of posts at our site will decline this coming week. I have agreed to write one (but only one) premiere each day, and my NCS comrades have some things in the works, plus I’ve learned not to underestimate the strength of my blog addiction. For example, unless jet lag completely short-circuits my own biological batteries, I do have some ideas for a SHADES OF BLACK post in the near future. Continue reading »

WAXING LYRICAL: A HILL TO DIE UPON

 Interviews, WAXING LYRICAL  2 Responses »
Mar 032018
 

 

(This post marks the beginning of what we expect will become a regular Saturday column at NCS, penned by Andy Synn.)

Today sees the debut of a brand new column here at NCS, one which I hope will end up being an ongoing feature, designed to bring some attention to one of the most underappreciated aspects of the metallic arts… the lyrics.

Every Saturday from now until… well, until I run out of options (or impetus)… I plan to publish a new entry of this column, which will provide a different band/writer a chance to talk about the inspirations and process behind their lyrics, as well as some insight into selected songs of their choosing.

So, without further ado, I present the very first edition of Waxing Lyrical, featuring Michael Cook of A Hill To Die Upon! Continue reading »

SHORT BUT SWEET: BLACK MARE AND OFFRET — “ALONE AMONG MIRRORS”

 Album Reviews, Exceptions to the Rule, SHORT BUT SWEET  No Responses »
Mar 032018
 

 

If the two songs on this new split aren’t a perfect match, I don’t know what is. It’s not that they’re twins, not even fraternal twins. It’s that they complement each other so beautifully. I don’t know to what extent the artists shared their ideas before completing the compositions, but the experience of listening to the two songs together is so enthralling that you might think they were working together through a Vulcan mind meld.

Entitled Alone Among Mirrors, the split consists of one song by Black Mare, the solo project of L.A. musician Sera Timms (Ides of Gemini, Black Math Horseman), and one song by Offret, the solo project of Russian musician Andrey Prokofiev. It was released just yesterday on 7″ vinyl and digitally by Dark Operative. Continue reading »

THE SYNN REPORT (PART 94): RITES OF THY DEGRINGOLADE

 Album Reviews, THE SYNN REPORT  No Responses »
Mar 022018
 

 

(In this edition of THE SYNN REPORT, Andy Synn reviews all the albums released by Rites of Thy Degringolade, including their newest record slated for release on March 15th, as well as the band’s part of their 2004 split with Portal.)

 

Recommended for fans of: Immolation, Incantation, Deathspell Omega

 

One of the Extreme scene’s most undeservedly underappreciated acts, Canadian three-piece Rites of Thy Degringolade are one of the few bands who I can honestly say have the potential to appeal just as much to fans of hideously under-produced “War Metal” as they do to those who like their Black/Death Metal just that little bit more bold, bombastic, and… let’s be honest here… actually listenable.

The reason for this is the group’s surprisingly careful balancing – whether calculated or instinctive… and most likely a little of both – of filth and fury, chaos and confusion, with a plethora of savage (though rarely straightforward) hooks and cunningly crafted riffs which demand to be heard not just once, but multiple times, over multiple sessions.

A word of warning, however – this is some seriously nasty stuff, and once it gets embedded in your brain nothing less than a full frontal lobotomy is going to get it out again. Continue reading »

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