R.I.P. DEATH GRIPS (AND SOMETHING TO CHEER US UP TOO)

 Metal News  5 Responses »
Jul 032014
 

We were early supporters of Death Grips, and have written about them repeatedly since the beginning. They were “metal”, even though they weren’t metal. They’ve always gone their own way, not only in their unusual approach to making music but also in refusing to conform to expected behavior in the music industry (remember when they gave a big FUCK YOU to the Epic/Columbia label by releasing No Love Deep Web for free download in advance of the label’s official release?). And now they’ve done it again — disbanding at the height of their popularity, with an announcement late yesterday that was just as unexpected as the timing of their album releases.

Above is a photo of a farewell note that they posted on their FB page. It promises one last double-album later this year. Many bands have announced their break-ups only to resurrect themselves later. I don’t think this band will do that. Here’s the text of the hand-scrawled note:

“we are now at our best and so Death Grips is over. we have officially stopped. all currently scheduled live dates are canceled. our upcoming double album “the powers that b” will still be delivered worldwide later this year via Harvest/Third Worlds Records. Death Grips was and always has been a conceptual art exhibition anchored by sound and vision. above and beyond a “band”. to our truest fans, please stay legend.”  Continue reading »

SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES: NEW ALBUMS FROM CANNIBAL CORPSE AND ELECTRIC WIZARD

 Metal News  3 Responses »
Jul 012014
 

Details about the release of two albums I’m looking forward to were revealed over the last 24 hours…

CANNIBAL CORPSE

Since Cannabis Corpse released a new album this year, it seems only fitting that Cannibal Corpse will, too. Word emerged yesterday that its name will be A Skeletal Domain and that its release is expected in mid-September via Metal Blade. As you can see, the album art also surfaced. I haven’t yet seen the name of the artist since I haven’t yet seen an official press release, but it sure is an eye-catcher.  Update: thanks to a comment below, we’ve learned that the album cover was painted by Vince Locke.

And finally, we have the track list, which of course is half the fun of a new Cannibal Corpse album.  UPDATE: Plus, we now have the stream of a brand new song Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK (Part 2): INTO DARKNESS, SABBATIC GOAT, SERPENTRANCE, TREPANATION

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC, SHADES OF BLACK  8 Responses »
Jun 292014
 

This is Part 2 of a round-up I began earlier today (here). The new songs collected in both parts of this post are the result of my recent submergence in the deepest, dankest pits of black, death, and doom, from which I’ve surfaced with some kind of necrotizing disease that I feel the need to communicate to my fellow lepers. Enjoy!

INTO DARKNESS

After only one listen, I proclaimed the debut demo by Italy’s Into Darkness “one of the best death/doom releases of 2012″. After a line-up change, they then followed that auspicious start with a 7″ EP entitled Transmigration of Cosmic Creatures Into the Unknown (reviewed here), which proved that the 2012 demo was no fluke.

In between those two releases the band produced another demo named Cosmic Chaos (2013) (discussed here and available on Bandcamp), which included a rough mix of a song entitled “Shifted To the Red End of the Spectrum”. Finally, that song is going to be released on a vinyl split with San Diego’s Ghoulgotha, and today it became available inn revised form on Bandcamp. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK (Part 1): DEATH VOMIT, EASTERN FRONT, FŌR, FÓRN

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC, SHADES OF BLACK  2 Responses »
Jun 292014
 

This is another weekend round-up of recommended new music. A particular kind of new music. The kind that will wreck your head on the shoals of savagery and cast your soul into outer darkness. This collection turned out to be so large that I divided it into two parts; the second part will appear soon. The bands are presented in alphabetical order, which is about the only kind of order you’ll find here.

DEATH VOMIT

NCS supporter Utmu pointed me to the first song presented here. It comes from Gutted By Horrors, the debut album of a Chilean band named Death Vomit that’s due for release on July 1, 2014, by the Spanish label Xtreem Music. The song is “Indestructible Abominations”. It’s a noxious cloud of utterly destructive black/death war metal, whose gargantuan grinding riffs spread a morbid melody like the plague while the vocalist renders inhuman echoing howls and soul-devouring roars. Attractively obliterating music.

I’m including a stream of the song in two different players. The album will be available for order on CD at the Xtreem Music site. Based on past experience, I’m guessing Xtreem will eventually put the album on their Bandcamp page (here) as well. Continue reading »

NEW MUSIC FROM XERATH, KING OF ASGARD, AMIENSUS, COLUMNS, AND IKHON

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  13 Responses »
Jun 282014
 

Happy Saturday to one and all, and if you happen not to be happy on this Saturday, we offer our condolences. Perhaps some of the new sounds in the following collection will cheer you up. They sure as hell put a smile on my face.

XERATH

A couple days ago Candlelight Records announced that it will release the third album by UK-based Xerath on September 16 in North American (September 15 for Europe). The title is III, and it was produced by Jacob Hansen (Volbeat, Epica). The album is a mammoth one, with 14 songs and a run time of almost 70 minutes, and the cover art was again created by Colin Marks. The album also marks the appearance of new guitarist Conor McGouran, who has replaced the formidable Owain Williams. Also appearing on the album will be a live string quartet and classically trained alto and soprano vocalists.

I really enjoyed this band’s first two albums and have had high hopes for the new one. We got a first taste of the album in late April when Candlelight released a sampler that I wrote about here. The sampler included a previously unreleased Xerath song named “Sentinels”, and although I didn’t know it at the time, that turns out to be the seventh track on III. And then two days ago, a teaser of additional new music appeared on YouTube. Continue reading »

YOU WON’T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT! SCIENTISTS SAID IT COULDN’T BE DONE!

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  10 Responses »
Jun 272014
 

Okay, maybe you’ll believe that Darkest Hour and Abigail Williams are making new albums. And I don’t actually know of any scientists who said they couldn’t do it. I mean, it’s not as if these new albums are going to open wormholes that tunnel to distant galaxies — but it could happen! They could also include 5 weight loss tricks guaranteed to give you six-pack abs while you sleep!

I hate click bait with a fury hotter than the flames of hell, but I’m getting kind of bored with those “Seen and Heard” headlines. Anyway, here’s the news and snippets of music.

DARKEST HOUR

Yes, Darkest Hour have indeed finished recording a new album, just in time for them to hit the road on the Mayhem Festival tour, where they will be joining Cannibal Corpse, Wretched, Erimha, Body Count, and some other bands (and in what world do Emmure and Korn get higher billing than Darkest Hour and Wretched?).

Yesterday DH posted a snippet of music on a site called FuckWaitingAroundToDie. It’s all of 18 seconds long. It sounds scorching. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: DARK FORTRESS, NE OBLIVISCARIS, BASTARD FEAST, THOSE WHO BRING THE TORTURE, GORGASM

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  9 Responses »
Jun 262014
 

Yesterday was an eventful one in the realms of metal, with enticing new-album announcements and new songs. I’ve collected a few of the most interesting items here. I stayed up late at a metal show last night and am now rushing to get my ass out of the house and onward to my fucking day job, so I’m presenting the new songs without my usual commentary (which I may add later).

DARK FORTRESS

More than four years have passed since Germany’s Dark Fortress released the fantastic Ylem. Finally, after a few postponements, a new album is ready. Entitled Venereal Dawn, it’s scheduled for release by Century Media on September 2 in North America (and September 1 everywhere else) and yesterday its cover art was revealed. The cover is a painting by a Netherlands-based artist named Nespress Danielewski and it appears he has created other art for the album as well. I really, really like this cover and am interested to see what else he’s done for Venereal Dawn.

Of course, I’m really interested in the music, too. The press release says: “Expect epic song structures, mighty sonic cathedrals, virulent and sinister magic and lots of unexpected twists and turns as the bands drags you screaming and headbanging through the abysmal roller coaster of their universe once more.” Oh yes…

https://www.facebook.com/officialdarkfortress Continue reading »

FESTIVENESS: THE HOUSECORE HORROR FILM FESTIVAL 2014

 Metal News  7 Responses »
Jun 242014
 

Well, that flyer up there made my eyes pop open big time. It lists the first round of bands confirmed to perform at the second installment of Philip Anselmo’s Housecore Horror Film Festival in Austin, Texas, on October 23-26, 2014. As the name suggests, there will be horror movies, too, but they could be looping My Little Pony cartoons all weekend and I wouldn’t much care. Because look at that line-up of bands!

Satyricon playing with SubRosa!

Eyehategod playing with Portal!

Cattle Decap performing with Author & Punisher!

Acid Witch on the same line-up as Archspire!

Ringworm with UnEarth!

What strange and wonderful partnerships. And this is just the first round of bands, with more to come. And if you’re wondering about the appearance of Randy Blythe’s name, here’s what the organizers said on their Facebook page:   Continue reading »

TOURISM: KING DIAMOND CONFIRMS A 2014 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

 Metal News  7 Responses »
Jun 232014
 

I’m posting this news as a public service, because… see the name of this site. Though I may not be a diehard King Diamond fan, I know many of you are, and so here’s today’s big announcement:

“King Diamond has confirmed what has been rumored for several weeks: the band will return to North America for a full tour this Fall! The tour will wrap up with the previously announced performance at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, TX, and begins on October 11 in Atlanta, GA. A limited edition King Diamond jacket will be available through the SHOWstubs.com fan club presale, which begins tomorrow, June 24th. Tickets will be on sale online and at box offices nationwide on Friday, June 27th.

“King Diamond will be joined on stage, of course, by long time band members Andy LaRocque, Mike Weed, Hal Pacino, and Matt Thompson. Additionally, North American fans will be bearing witness to the band’s full European festival stage show. These will be the most ambitious and largest productions in North America in the band’s entire history. A special guest supporting act for the tour will be announced at a later date.”

Here’s the full listing of dates and places: Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: EMPEROR, PTAHIL, EXECRATION

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  6 Responses »
Jun 232014
 

As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve been fucking off in Texas since last Thursday. Finally got back to Seattle last night after a thoroughly enjoyable four days in Austin. I didn’t listen to much metal while I was away, but I did make lists of things I wanted to check out after I got home. And so I did, and so here are a few of those discoveries.

EMPEROR

The 2014 edition of HELLFEST in Clisson, France, ended last night, and most (if not all) of the performances are available for viewing at the French site Arte.tv (collected here). Yesterday I embedded streams of the sets by Sólstafir and Watain, and I thought I’d include one more this morning. This one is the full set by Norway’s Emperor, who have been celebrating the 20th anniversary of In the Nightside Eclipse with a series of festival performances (they will also be performing at Wacken Open Air in Germany and headlining the 2014 installment of Bloodstock Open Air in the UK).

A person could spend days watching the HELLFEST videos, which of course you won’t do because that would divert your attention from reading every word of every post at NCS. But you might at least make time for this one.

(thanks BadWolf) Continue reading »

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