AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: COUNTESS ERZSEBET — “IN THE BLOOD OF VIRGINS”

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Jul 132023
 

In this feature today we’re sort of premiering a video for a song from the forthcoming self-titled mini-album by the artist Countess Erzsebet. “Sort of” because the video is age-restricted, and therefore we’re only able to give you a link to YouTube where you can verify that you are a mature adult, or at least an adult.

The name of the song is “In the Blood of Virgins“, and it’s age-restricted because (as the Countess explains) it includes “abstract erotic horror elements”, though the scenes of her bathing in blood obviously weren’t abstract enough to satisfy YouTube and its algorithms.

Before we get to some further details about the video, and most especially about the music you’ll hear, we might need to introduce some of you to Countess Erzsebet (previously known as Erzsebet when she released the nearly-album-length Black Spell in 2017). She is also known as Rachel Bloodspell Moongoddess, who has previously played bass for a number of bands but more recently Xasthur, where she did three tours playing acoustic bass and was on the Aestas Pretium MMXVIII EP.

But her background also includes other interesting details. Continue reading »

NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS: THE VIDEO PREMIERE OF “CRYPT OF THE GORILLA GOD” (AND A REVIEW OF “SILVER BULLET”)

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Jul 122023
 

“What you’re about to experience is likely to be the most electrifying 18 minutes of your day, unless you lose control of your car, the brakes fail, and you’re surging toward a concrete pylon at Formula One speed.”

Almost four months ago that’s how we began our review and premiere of a self-titled EP by the Chicago-based horror-loving quintet Necronomicon Ex Mortis. We also wrote this: “Their brand of death metal is so fast, so technically head-spinning, and so devilishly inventive that it allows no room for any calm contemplation. All you can do is hang on for dear life and enjoy the flame-throwing madhouse thrills while they last — and then yield to the impulse to throw yourself back in right away”.

No wonder then that we jumped at the chance to host another Necronomicon Ex Mortis premiere today, and we’re doing that because they already have another EP headed for release in August. It’s named Silver Bullet, so if you’re a werewolf you’d better run. You might want to run even if you’re not a lycanthrope. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: CHAOS ALTAR — “FURNACE”

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Jul 112023
 

In the case of many of our premieres we have a great volume of information available for sharing — abundant details about a band’s origins, histories, and inspirations; conceptual and lyrical insights; commentary about the songs from the people who made it; and more. In other instances we have very little to share other than the music, perhaps because of the musicians’ adherence to the idea that only the music matters, or an embrace of the perceived purity of obscurity, or maybe just simple shyness.

Whatever the reason, today is one of those days when the music must mainly speak for itself. We know that Chaos Altar is a one-person black metal project from France, that person going by the name Executor, and that nine years ago the project released its debut EP, And Then You Die — and nothing since then (that we know of). We also have this one short but evocative statement about a new Chaos Altar record entitled Where the Ashes Now Reign, which will be released on July 28th by Void Wanderer Productions:

Let yourself be invaded by the atmosphere of death, destruction, and nothingness.
Welcome to our chaos!

Beyond that we don’t have much more info, but of course we do have the music… a song from the new record named “Furnace” that we’re presenting today. And it’s a hell of a good song. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: CYSTIC — “PESTILENTIAL THRONE”

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Jul 112023
 

It’s not as if Seattle-based Cystic are complete unknowns. Anyone who’s heard the progression from their 2018 demo The Last Days through their two 2020 EPs Sworn Enemy of Life and Incineration Rites will remember their name. But their forthcoming debut album Palace of Shadows is still a big step forward, and the fact that the respected Mexican label Chaos Records is releasing it is a big flashing sign of that, before you even hear a note.

It’s no wonder they attracted that alliance. Cystic have tapped into old black veins of particularly grisly and gruesome death metal, but the blood they’ve drawn feels bursting with (horrid) life. They’ve proven a precocious and monstrous mastery of the kind of death metal that’s hideous and horrific, dank and dismal, and altogether thrilling. In listening you can almost imagine the stench of gangrene and rot, and also envision the rapid scything of illness through swaths of helpless humans and the ravenous ripping and tearing of demon hordes — and who doesn’t want that?

We’re sure happy to have it, and also happy that you don’t have to take our word for why the record is so strong — because we now have a second single to bring you today, the fitting name of which is “Pestilential Throne“. But for those who might have missed it, let’s begin with the first single from the album, “Core of the Maelström“. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: ARBORESCENCE OF WRATH — “REPENTANCE”

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Jul 102023
 

On October 13th Transcending Obscurity Records will release the debut album from Arborescence of Wrath, a vicious death metal entity that comprises current or former members of Origin, Marduk, and Benighted. The album could hardly be better-named: Inferno.

Up ’til today interested listeners have had two tracks from the album to consume (or more accurately to be consumed by), and today we’re bringing you a third one. Its name is “Repentance“, but the signs of remorse in the music are bleak, and ultimately overpowered by the extremity of the music’s madness and violence. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: BOLT GUN — “THE WARREN”

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Jul 102023
 

Bolt Gun is a damn cool name for a metal band even if you don’t comprehend the specific reference. If you do know what an actual bolt gun is, that puts a meaner edge on the linguistic knife, and might even make the reference revolting to some, yet even the idea of being stunned prior to being slaughtered (at least musically) is a concept that for a metal listener can be very enticing.

Whether these Australians who chose the name for themselves pull off that feat in their music is a question they’ve had the chance to answer through several long-form releases. We will have another fulsome opportunity to make that decision when Avantgarde Music releases their third album The Tower in September of this year.

But we have an excellent opportunity today through our premiere of an EP named The Warren, which features the legend Iggor Cavalera on drums, that the same label will release this coming Friday, July 14th, as a precursor to the new album. Continue reading »

AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: BLACK PESTILENCE–“THE DEVIL’S CONNECTION”

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Jul 072023
 


Photo Credit – Wikked Twist Media

Let’s cut to the chase and then go back and fill in how we got here.

The video you’re about to see for the new Black Pestilence song “The Devil’s Connection” uses the kind of long tracking shot that has fascinated fans of such works as the 1917 movie and “The Bear” streaming series, even if not nearly as long as those. Bassist/vocalist Valax starts swaggering toward us as the song begins, later slinging his bass over the shoulder just in time to execute his solo in the song, eventually joined by drummer Davey Hellfire and then guitarist Daniel Toews, also just in time for his own fret-melter of a solo.

Like his bandmates, Valax is masked, but you can imagine the vicious rage on his face just from listening to the gritty snarling intensity of his voice. As for the music around that, it’s… crushing. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: FOSSILIZATION — “ONCE WAS GOD”

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Jul 072023
 

Conquered at the gateways of light
Enslaved in the heavens
Shadows taking over the skies
With infinite malevolence
Feathers of the glorious days are scorched
His kingdom is gone
The sun that once protected now hides
The moon that was the beacon now starves

…Our hunt shall be glorious….

Those are among the lyrics to be found in the song from Fossilization‘s debut album that you’re about to experience. It’s called “Once Was God“, phrased in the past sense because it narrates the vengeful execution of the almighty and all his heavenly minions. As you’ll see, the music is every bit as malevolent and murderous as the lyrical theme, and it revels in its slaughtering, but it also draws us into lightless pits of degradation and death. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: TACOS! — “CHIN UP, TITS OUT”

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Jul 062023
 

“Wisconsin probes how 8 roller-coaster riders became trapped upside down for hours.” That’s the headline of a news article that surfaced this morning, just before we put the finishing touches on this article. Using ladder trucks to reach them, it took firefighters more than three hours to get all the passengers down.

To experience getting stuck upside-down on a roller coaster ride, it would have been easier for all concerned (though only slightly less scary) if they’d just listened to the new Tacos! song you’re about to hear.

You might get some sense of that just from gazing at the cover art for this Seattle band’s new album 3, which is headed for release in August via Portland’s Nadine Records. Seeing those three children dressed from an older era skipping through a field of skulls beneath interested vultures suggests a strange trip is at hand, and so it is. You’ll also get a good sense of that in listening to this new song, “Chin Up, Tits Out“. Continue reading »

AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): GUTSLIT — “CARNAL”

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Jul 062023
 

Almost six years ago the Indian extreme metal band Gutslit released their eye-opening second album Amputheatre, and now we’re on the eve of release of their third album Carnal. As we did roughly six years ago for Amputheatre, today we’re hosting a premiere for the new album by these brutal death/grind marauders, but this time it’s the whole record you’ll have a chance to hear, all eight neck-wrecking and eviscerating tracks —

Carnal is the name of the new full-length, and as the band explain, it “explores the intricate struggles of the human psyche and the conflict between good and evil,” and features tracks that draw inspiration from infamous serial killers, offering a unique perspective on the human experience”. Carnal also marks the return of Aditya Barve (Skewered in the Sewer) on vocals and features guest vocals by Benighted‘s Julien Truchan on the track “Bind Torture Kill.” Continue reading »

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