AN NCS INTERVIEW: AURA NOIR (APOLLYON)

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Mar 152018
 

 

(Our Norway-based correspondent Karina Noctum brings us this interview of Apollyon from the Norwegian black/thrash band Aura Noir, whose new album Aura Noire will be released on April 27th through Indie Recordings.)

 

How do you innovate and keep your sound current while dealing with an old-school sound?

We are just doing what feels natural to us. Also we are mixing ourselves this time to be sure it doesn’t sound too flashy.

 

I attended the Party.San gig last year and there were some sound problems. Besides technical problems, how do those kind of incidents affect the mood while you’re playing live? Do you need to be in a particular mindset to perform your best?

We have a different sound on stage than the sound you hear in the crowd. So it can sound shit to us but good to you or the other way around. For us it is more inspiring to have a good sound on stage obviously. If we cannot hear what we are playing it will of course affect our performance and maybe we will look less confident/inspired. It’s a never-ending worry of course, and can become less worrying by bringing your own soundguy/stage monitor guy… loads of crew. But of course all this costs money so mostly we just use the local crew/sound people. Some of them are good.. .some are not. And some misunderstand how we want to sound. The dream would be to be able to be your own sound technician every night, but that is physically difficult. Continue reading »

WAXING LYRICAL: IN VAIN

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Mar 102018
 


Photo by Jørn Veberg

 

(Andy Synn continues our new regular Saturday series in which he discusses metal lyrics with bands whose music you should also get to know if you don’t already.)

 

For the second edition of “Waxing Lyrical” (and with a quick aside to say thank you to everyone who said kind things about the inaugural column last weekend) I’m speaking to Johnar Håland from Norwegian Prog-Metal sensations In Vain, whose new album was released at the end of January. 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 »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: UNCOFFINED (KAT SHEVIL)

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Feb 202018
 

 

(In this new interview Comrade Aleks brings us an extensive discussion with Kat Shevil (ex-Blessed Realm), the vocalist/drummer of the British death-doom band Uncoffined.)

 

Uncoffined was raised on the ruins of the traditional doom metal outfit Blessed Realm in 2011. Blessed Realm existed as Tears from 1993 ’til 1994 and then the band acted under its blessed name ’til 2002. It was split without even a full-length album in its discography, but in July 2017 At War With False Noise released Doomography 1993-2002, a collection of demos and unreleased tracks.

Besides that, three ex-Blessed Realm members — Kat Shevil (drums, vocals), Gory Sugden (bass), and Jonny Rot (guitars) created the horror-movie-influenced satanic death-doom metal outfit Uncoffined together with guitarist G.Hall. Well, how much of death is in their doom? Do they still hold on to the traditions? Kat knows better, let’s give her the floor. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: SAR ISATUM

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Feb 142018
 

 

(Last November the Colorado black metal band Sar Isatum released their excellent debut album Shurpu, an album from which we premiered a song that shares the name of the band, with an introduction to the premiere by our Norwegian ally Gorger. Today we have an interview of the band by another Norway-based ally, Karina Noctum.)

 

First things first, the band’s name. The only fact I retrieved when I searched for Sar Isatum was some connection to a Babylonian incantation. So what’s behind the name?

The name was taken from Sumerian dialect and it means Lord of fire. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: DAMNATION’S HAMMER (TIM PRESTON)

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Jan 152018
 

 

(Comrade Aleks brings u this interview of Tim Preston, guitarist/vocalist of the UK band Damnation’s Hammer.)

 

Damnation’s Hammer is a strange beast. They’re usually tagged as “death doom”, but despite this label this UK project is strongly influenced by the late Celtic Frost sound. As the band’s founder Tim explains, “The vision of the band has always been to create dark, doom-laden metal incorporating surreal atmospherics”.

Tim Preston (guitars, vocals) has been in the underground scene since the early ’90s, so he knows for sure a few things about how to play dark and heavy, and the band’s second album Unseen Planets, Deadly Spheres was recorded with a new, though experienced, lineup.

And yet despite the new blood in the veins of Damnation’s Hammer, the sound of this album is very close to the debut record, Disciples Of The Hex. What new things did Tim and his crew incorporate into the band’s sound? Let’s ask Tim. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: SHADOWMASTER

 Interviews  1 Response »
Jan 092018
 

 

(Here’s Comrade Aleks’ interview with guitarist Micke of the Swedish sludge/doom band Shadowmaster, whose debut album was released last year.)

 

Shadowmaster is a Swedish power-trio: Cedermark (bass, vocals), Jumbo (drums), and Micke (guitars). All three played under the title Desert Crone since 2014, but a year ago they changed the name and soon released a self-titled full-length. The dudes perform cogent, forceful, and damned fierce and gloomy sludge-doom.

The material has a really strong delivery, and it’s absolutely heavy and well-produced. Heavy as hell, if you wish! Seeing Red Records gave the album the shape of a CD on December 22nd, 2017, so we had a talk about Shadowmaster and its stuff with Micke. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: NORTT

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Jan 052018
 

 

(Comrade Aleks secured the opportunity to interview Nortt, the influential Danish black/funeral-doom band, whose new album was released near the last day of 2017 after a 10-year absence.)

 

Nortt is a semi-legendary project that first appeared in the European underground about 22 years ago. Tagged as “pure depressive black funeral doom metal”, this one-man band held its position as the genre’s pioneer ’til 2007. Nortt’s cold and nihilistic sound inspired his followers, and after a collection of well-received records (including three full-length albums) the project simply disappeared.

The news of Nortt’s fourth coming on December 29, 2017 become a kind of event for those who remember the dark and ominous records Gudsforladt, Ligfaerd, and Galdenfrist. So now, as the new full-length Endeligt (and the first one in ten years) is appearing on the famous Italian label Avantgarde Music, it’s a damn right time to ask some questions to Nortt himself! Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: MICHAEL ERDODY (ACID WITCH / TEMPLE OF VOID)

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Dec 212017
 

 

(Comrade Aleks brings us one more interview for 2017, and it’s a big one — an extensive discussion with Detroit-based vocalist/guitarist Michael Erdody, who is a key part of two distincive bands who released excellent albums this year — Acid Witch and Temple of Void.)

 

Michael Erdody is a perfect interlocutor. He plays in a bunch of bands, including two outfits which represent the stronger side of US extreme doom bands and has a lot to tell.

In 2010 he joined a lunatic psychedelic death doom carnival known as Acid Witch; he plays guitar with these monsters, and the release of the band’s third full-length Evil Sound Screamers on October 31st was a big event in the underground metal scene. Besides that, since 2013 he has run the bloodthirsty Temple Of Void, who are well-known for their uncompromising and aggressive death doom works; Michael is responsible for growls in the Temple, and their sophomore album appeared a few months ago on Shadow Kingdom Records.

I’ve tried to shoot two hares with one round and asked Michael about both bands. It took some time but I’m glad to say that he provided answers patiently and in detail. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: ORDOG

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Dec 182017
 

 

(Comrade Aleks conducted the following interview with the two founding members of the Finnish death-doom band Ordog, who are at work on a new album.)

 

There are five bands in the metal scene who work under the name Ordog (which means “devil” in Hungarian), and there’s one death doom band against four others who play (or played) black metal stuff. This Ordog was born in Tornio, a Finnish town placed not far from the Swedish border. The band has been active for 12 years and it has grown from a duo to a five-man-strong crew. Despite anything they have continued to develop, to change, to move further.

Although I at first missed Ordog’s latest effort, The Grand Wall, (it was released almost a year ago), I made the decision to get in touch with the guys and learn how soon they plan to return with new stuff. Aleksi Martikainen (vocals, keyboards) and Valtteri Isometsä (guitars, bass, drums, vocals) were bloody swift and provided me answers in a few days. Hah, The Grand Wall is their fastest album, and not without reason… Continue reading »

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