SEEN AND HEARD ON A SATURDAY: BEHEMOTH, RUSSIAN CIRCLES, FUMING MOUTH, SÉPULCRE, LUMINOUS VEIL, JØTNARR, THOLN, MAUNAH

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Jun 272026
 

(written by Islander)

Sometimes we lead off these roundups with shiny lures (bands whose names are well known) to attract hungry fish (you), in the hope that the fish will get hooked by something sharp hanging below in darker waters. That’s what I’ve done today, though to be clear, I was also attracted by the lures.

(Note to self: don’t use the fishing analogy again since you haven’t gone fishing in decades and the only lures you used were worms.)

The lures are themselves quite different from each other, and so are the lesser-known hooks, and altogether they provide a lot of listening (and viewing) pleasure. Be forewarned: there’s a bit of singing in the mix until you get to the end — when there’s a lot of it (and extraordinary singing it is). Continue reading »

OVERFLOWING STREAMS: AZIMUT, ONUS VITAE, HAINTGROVE, FLEHMEN POSITION, APHONIC THRENODY, CABINET, STAIN, MAGEFA

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Jun 202026
 

(written by Islander)

Just like this same time last week, I’m feeling overwhelmed by the volume of new music I want to recommend, and just like last week I’m resorting to some shortcuts so as to pack more into this column. It’s usually called SEEN AND HEARD, but you’ll probably understand why I change the title on Saturdays like this one.

I suppose it’s up for debate whether I’m really doing a favor to bands when the collection is this large. Maybe if I just focused on the usual four or six selections, more people would listen to all of it. Maybe most listeners won’t make it to the end or will skip over some of the music. But if I leave out something, it’s guaranteed that no one will find their way to it through their visits here. (Of course, I’m not vain enough to believe that coming here is the only way anyone discovers music.)

There’s probably no right answer, only doing what feels right in the moment. So, off we go…. Continue reading »

OVERFLOWING STREAMS: GOROD, CULT OF LUNA, ALLEGAEON, BLACK SPIKE, SNAG, UNTU, MOLOKEN, WITCHSORROW, SWARN

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Jun 132026
 

(written by Islander)

I went whole-hog with my listening hours yesterday. Like a pig in a trough, I gobbled up so many good songs that I picked 9 of them for today’s roundup. As gluttonous as that was, I easily could have added a lot more, even after pushing a lot of the black metal to tomorrow’s column. And then this morning DGR alerted me to another one that would make 10. But something has to give, because I didn’t start writing yesterday.

Instead of starting to write, I went to see “Disclosure Day” in its first screening at our local theater. Afterward, my head was disturbed by conflicting thoughts about the movie, so to settle down I went to our local sports bar (by myself, because my spouse is out of town). It was packed with howling soccer fans watching the U.S. team. Not being a soccer fan I only watched bits and pieces of that, but mainly tried to focus on the Seattle Mariners’ drubbing of the Washington Nationals.

My focus was frequently interrupted not only by the explosive howls around me but also by a lot of fun conversations (and one very serious one) with people on either side of me at the bar. I stayed way too long, had one too many cocktails, and am paying the price this morning.

I can’t spend any time agonizing over what to do with these 10 song picks or I’ll never finish this thing, and what a tragedy that would be! So I’m just going to start and see what happens. In an effort to cram as much in here as I can before I give up, I’m resorting to the kind of time-saving shortcuts I’ve used in similar situations before. I hope you’ll find time to check out everything. Continue reading »

THE UNDERGROUND IN CHINA: 10 UNDERGROUND EXTREMITIES

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  1 Response »
Jun 092026
 

(In 2021 Ryan Dyer made his NCS debut touting the insanity of one-man bands in China, followed that by trumpeting the destructiveness of Calgary’s Whorrify, and then returned to the Chinese scene with a review of an EP by Horror of Pestilence. After an extended absence he’s back, and again focused on the Chinese underground.)

The Underground in China: Metal, Punk, Hardcore and Noise (2013-2021) showcases bands across the spectrum of genres in China. I have handpicked ten of the more extreme bands found within the book to showcase here. To learn about 90+ more, pick up The Underground in China, releasing on June 12 via Earth Island Books (see the link at the end of this feature). Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD ON A SATURDAY: MASTODON, FUMING MOUTH, SOOTHSAYER, 85 SEGUNDOS

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Jun 062026
 

(written by Islander)

I am lucky, because every day brings me some new surprise. Most often it’s a musical surprise, because I spend so much of my days listening to music. Even when I’m listening to a song that’s built with familiar ingredients, I sometimes get surprised by how much I like it when it’s essentially no different than something I’ve heard many times before.

Beyond that, I find surprises in conversations with my wife or friends, or in watching our brother cats, or in a movement in my peripheral vision while sitting on our deck outside — a squirrel or a bird or a deer or a raccoon clawing its way up a tree before sunrise.

A couple of mornings ago I found some very small paper-thin objects in a corner of that deck I don’t remember seeing before. Here they are: Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD ON A SATURDAY: THE OCEAN COLLECTIVE, RIPPER, HIPPOTRAKTOR, ABSOLUTISM, DEAD SLEEP, PYLAR

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May 302026
 

(written by Islander)

Here we are again, another day of difficult decisions. Even after the modest head-start I got a couple of days ago, I still found myself staring at dozens of links on my list of new songs and videos.

DGR compounded the problem by popping up two days ago with another half-dozen I hadn’t yet noticed. My fellow writers around here don’t often suggest things for this roundup (maybe they take pity on me), so when they do, I try to pay attention. Hence, half the songs in today’s collection were among DGR’s suggestions.

Two of the songs he proposed include (gasp) singing, but I knew from past experience with the bands that it would be good, even if I didn’t foresee that it would vary from what I thought I’d be hearing.

As a counterweight, I’ve filled out the post with sounds from beastly and blowtorch throats. I also made the usual effort to include a genre-variety of songs (though I pushed off a lot of the black metal to tomorrow’s column), because no one but me likes everything, do they? Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: PSYCROPTIC, FEN, CONDUIT, SUFFERING QUOTA, SKELETAL SERPENT, THEURGIA

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May 282026
 

(written by Islander)

We had an 11th-hour cancellation of a premiere I had committed to write for today. With the unexpected free time dropping in my lap like that, I thought I ought to get a head-start on the coming weekend roundups.

A head-start is sorely needed because the backlog of new music I haven’t had a chance to include here has swelled to humongous proportions, thanks to me shirking my duties while at Maryland Deathfest last weekend. The swell has become even more swollen in light of all the new songs that have surfaced just since last Sunday.

To reduce the swelling, we’ll lance the infection and let the following new songs and videos spurt out. (Yeah, that was a gross analogy, but the music isn’t gross, although a lot of it is indeed infectious.) Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD ON A SATURDAY: EMPTINESS, IMPURE WILHELMINA, LECHEROUS NOCTURNE, MOON REAPER, VRYXOR, ESCAPING AGHARTHA

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May 162026
 

(written by Islander)

As you may remember, I spent last weekend working on (and enjoying the performances at) Northwest Terror Fest in Seattle. It was a tremendous three-day event that formed many indelible memories, but it did mean that I had no time for the usual NCS weekend roundups. Because of that, I now find myself with twice the usual number of new songs and videos to consider for this roundup and for the SHADES OF BLACK collection for tomorrow.

I jumped around among many different possibilities, enjoying a lot of what I heard and saw and also (therefore) agonizing over what to choose. I also had to force myself to stop listening with dozens of tabs still open, or else this column would never be written.

But while the agony remains, I’m happy with these selections and hope you will be too. I’m beginning with three bands whose previous music was familiar to me and following with three that were brand new discoveries. Continue reading »

FORTRESS FESTIVAL 2026 PREVIEW

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May 062026
 

(Our writer Daniel Barkasi prepared the following preview of the 2026 edition of Fortress Festival set to take place in Scarborough, UK, on May 30-31.)

Deja vu is a hell of a thing. Just like this point last year, we were preparing for experiences familiar and new – we’ll be in attendance for the annual tradition known as Maryland Deathfest in a few weeks, and the celebration of all we love at NCS in Northwest Terror Fest looms even sooner still this coming weekend. I swear, I’m going to make it out to NWTF one of these years.

What’s also similar, but a little different this time for yours truly, is the subject of the buzzing Fortress Festival. Last year was our first foray to this destination weekend of black metal powerhouses, and we were nervously scrambling to make sure everything was in order. It was my first visit to the UK, after all, so paths unseen can be a tad stress-inducing. That said, deep in my gut, it felt like a festival that we just had to attend.

The experience we had was far beyond what could have been realistically expected. The lineup was absolutely packed, the organization was excellent from all angles, the locale was picture-perfect, and the crowd was an eclectic bunch of amazing folks clad in black t-shirts. What’s not to love? If you don’t believe me, read up on my memorable experience in 2025.

Naturally, considering all of the above, the opportunity to come back to the shores of Scarborough again in 2026 was simply too good to pass up, and you’re all welcome to come along for the ride (virtually speaking) on May 30 – 31, coming from the wonderful seaside locale of Scarborough. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD ON A SATURDAY: INFERNO, SCARAB, A BAND OF ORCS, EX CINERE, IEROFANIA, [4672], BEWARE OF GODS, THE DEVIL AND THE ALMIGHTY BLUES, STYGIAN BOUGH

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May 022026
 

(written by Islander)

My selections today were guided by strong memories, many of them quite distant and others more recent. And the music below is strong enough to make new memories. I’ll explain as we go along.

P.S. Be forewarned: There’s more than a little singing in this Saturday’s collection, especially in the closing segments, and it’s all very good! Continue reading »

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