AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): WOLFKHAN — “CYBER NECRO SPIRITUALS”

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Apr 172017
 

 

Even the most serious of musicians, across all genres of music, have been known to take whimsical digressions from their main lines of pursuit. Sometimes the results sound like a joke, and sometimes the result is less whimsical, more accomplished, and more fun than we might expect at first blush. Which brings us to the very strange but very addictive first full album by Wolfkhan, Cyber Necro Spirituals.

Wolfkhan is the side-project of Marcin Gąsiorowski, who is the male vocalist and one of the guitarists for the folk/metal band Thy Worshiper (whose most recent album, Klechdy, came out last year). Cyber Necro Spirituals will be released on April 25th by Arachnophobia Records. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: PURE — “LE JOUR OÙ JE SUIS MORT”

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Apr 162017
 

 

Earlier this month I wrote (here) about the two songs that were then available for streaming from J’aurais Dû, the new fourth album by the Swiss black metal project Pure, which will be released on May 13 by Symbol of Domination (Belarus) and Obscure Abhorrence(Germany). And now we bring you the opportunity to experience a third track in addition to those two: “Le jour où je suis mort” (the day I died).

Pure is a solo project founded by Bornyhake, from such bands as Borgne, Enoid, Deathrow, and Darvaza, and also a former member of Kawir. Continue reading »

AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): ULVEGR — “TITAHION: KAOS MANIFEST”

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Apr 142017
 

 

The new album by the Ukrainian heathen black metal band Ulvegr is multifaceted, but in all its dimensions it comes across as a deeply personal work, crafted and presented with utter conviction and unrelenting intensity, even in its least incendiary passages. The name of the album is Titahion: Kaos Manifest, and today we present its North American premiere in advance of its April 17th release through Ashen Dominion.

This is Ulvegr‘s fourth album since 2011, created by the band’s two steadfast members Helg (songwriting, vocals, guitar, bass) and Odalv (drums), with significant guest contributions by Astargh (lead and rhythm guitars and vocals), Hyozt (keys and samples), and Zhoth (vocals and voices on three tracks, and lyrics on two). For those new to Ulvegr, both Helg and Odalv are members of Kzohh, Ygg, and Runes of Dianceht, and Helg is also a member of Khors while Odalv also contributes his talents to Twilightfall and Elderblood. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: DRAGUNOV — “KOSMONAVT”

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Apr 142017
 

 

After a two-year absence on our site, the Parisian Soviet post-metal combine Dragunov return to us with a new release. Two years ago we were lauding their debut EP 637, and this time we have a song from their first full-length record, Korolev, which will be released on April 17th. The name of the track is “Kosmonavt“.

I think most of us can acknowledge the challenges confronting metal bands who choose (as Dragunov have) to do their work without a vocalist, and in this case the band’s line-up is even more spare since it consists of only two men — a guitarist (Seb) and a drummer (Tristan). Yet these two have developed a vision for their music that works extremely well despite their lean and mean configuration, one that combines a dark and distinctive atmosphere with the kind of punch that has a near-physical effect on the head. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: FREIHEIT — “ТЕХНОКРАТИЯ” (TECHNOCRACY)

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Apr 142017
 

 

Although Freiheit have taken the German word for “freedom” as their name (and you can understand why when you hear their music), they come from Arkhangelsk in far northwestern Russia on the shores of the cold White Sea. Their fascinating debut album “Безумие. Ненависть. Смерть” (which means “Madness. Hatred. Death” in English) will be released by GrimmDistribution on May 5th. Two songs have been released for listening so far, and today we bring you a third one: “Технократия” (Technocracy).

Consistent with their name, rather than stick closely to specific genre conventions Freiheit have created a kaleidoscopic sound in this new song, with different stylistic influences in motion, creating vibrant sensations as the pieces change and fall into place. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: NEPHILIM’S HOWL — “HATE REVELATIONS”

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Apr 132017
 

 

A seething, vicious darkness cloaks this song “Hate Revelations” like a poisonous miasma, while the music also spawns imaginings of a brooding, malignant presence looming over you, as if a spectral giant has risen from the bowels of the earth to cast its long shadow once again. But while the atmospheric elements of the song send the imagination spiraling into a dark and demented descent, it’s also massively head-moving, and powerfully addictive.

“Hate Revelations” is the work of a Finnish trio who have taken the name Nephilim’s Howl, and whose music could be characterized as a heavy hybrid of black metal and doom (though in truth, it’s not easy to pick a genre label). It comes from their debut album Through The Marrow Of Human Suffering, which the always interesting I, Voidhanger Records will be releasing on May 19th. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: OPUS DIABOLI — “GLORY IN STEEL”

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Apr 132017
 

 

One thing leads to another. Last month we came across a track named “Luciferian Black Light” from Black Light of Destruction, the new album by a black metal band originally from Uruguay named Opus Diaboli, and praised it in one of our collections of new black metal. And now we bring you another new song, “Glory In Steel“, in advance of the album’s May 10 release by Satanath Records and The Ritual Productions.

We’re told that Opus Diaboli was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 2005 as the brainchild of guitarist L.W. Alexander. Although a full band participated in the early recordings, Opus Diaboli has now become LWA’s solo project. The songs on Black Light of Destruction were written across the 12-year history of the project. Continue reading »

AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: BRAIN DRILL — “INFINITE OBLIVION”

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Apr 122017
 

 

(Austin Weber introduces our premiere of a video by the electrifying Brain Drill from California.)

At this point, most people know Brain Drill and have long since formed an opinion either for or against the band and their frenetic and over-the-top style of technical brutal death metal. As such, I’m not here to preach at length to the unconverted, but I will say this: I think last year’s comeback album from the group, Boundless Obscenity, was by far their strongest effort to date.

In particular, I felt the band really stepped up their game, both rhythm-guitar-wise, with tastier, more complex riffs, and also in the songwriting department. Since it was the band’s first release as an independent band since parting ways with Metal Blade Records, it didn’t get as much press as it should have, though we certainly covered it here at NCS more than once! So we’re here today to premiere a new music video for their song “Infinite Oblivion” to give the band another boost and spread the word about music that deserves more attention. Continue reading »

AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): NAUDIZ — “WULFASA KUNJA”

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Apr 122017
 

 

Black metal has morphed into so many different shapes and been subjected to so much cross-breeding with other genres that it has become refreshing to hear a band who hew to old ways, and do it as masterfully as Naudiz. But even that observation begs the question: what old ways? Because second-wave black metal itself expanded and twisted into different thorn-covered branchings.

While I’m usually reluctant to mention the names of other bands in describing a new release, for fear that I’ll either hear an influence no one else hears or imply a lack of originality in the release at hand, I’ll say that while Naudiz‘s new album Wulfasa Kunja pulls from different black well-springs, I thought most often of Darkthrone‘s stylistic shift on The Cult Is Alive, and the venomous, swaggering riffs of Taake.

But you’ll be able to judge for yourselves, because in advance of the album’s release this Friday (April 14th) by Iron Bonehead Productions, we’re presenting a full stream of the album today. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: MEATWOUND — “SÉANCE”

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Apr 122017
 

 

You can’t accuse Tampa’s Meatwound of picking a misleading name for themselves. But this song “Séance“? That title might be a bit of a misdirection… unless you contemplate a Lovecraftian seance, one that brings some nightmarish horror into the haunted house and you have to run for your life.

“Séance” is the name of the song we’re premiering. It comes from Meatwound‘s new album Largo, which Magic Bullet Records plans to release on May 12, I guess because they think you’d look better breathing heavy, with black eyes and fewer teeth. Continue reading »

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