SEEN AND HEARD (PART 4): VAMPIRE, KROSSFYRE, GURTHANG, PHRENELITH, APOSENTO

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  1 Response »
Apr 082017
 

 

I started what was supposed to be a two-part SEEN AND HEARD round-up last Wednesday. I couldn’t finish it as fast as I  planned, and as time passed I continued discovering new music and videos worth recommending. What was supposed to be two parts became four. So, here it ends… but only for now, because I’m sure I’ll start all over again early next week.

There are four individuals songs or videos in this collection, each from a forthcoming or recent album, plus one full album stream. As in Part 3, I’ll keep my verbiage brief.

VAMPIRE

The new album by the Swedish band Vampire is With Primeval Force. It will be released by Century Media on April 21st. Yesterday the label debuted a video for a song from the album named “He Who Speaks“, which I believe is the fourth track from the album to be previewed so far. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD (PART 3): VALLENFYRE, HIDEOUS DIVINITY, NOVEMBERS DOOM, ADRIFT FOR DAYS, DIREWOLVES

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  6 Responses »
Apr 082017
 

 

I had planned to conclude an ever-expanding round-up of new music and videos yesterday, but missed my target. Based on the gagging and gurgling sounds, I think my arrow hit someone in the throat.

So here we are, a day late, and late in the day also. Plus, it’s a Saturday, which means damn few people will even discover this post, and to exacerbate the problems I’ve thrown in music from ten bands, which is probably more than most people have patience for. Oh, but it could have been so much longer! I still have much more music to recommend, some of which will be in tomorrow’s SHADES OF BLACK feature.

Because this third part of the week-long round-up has metastasized to such a great extent, I’m dividing the tumor evenly into two parts, which means there will be a Part 4 a bit later today — and I’ll also be brief with my own words. Enjoy the music… and do share your own reactions in the Comment section if you’re so inclined.

VALLENFYRE

Vallenfyre‘s new album is Fear Those Who Fear Him, set for release by Century Media on June 2nd. This is an eagerly awaited return from one of our favorite bands, and the video below is for the album’s first single, “Kill All Your Masters”. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD (PART 2): GOD DETHRONED, AUROCH AND ÆVANGELIST, PESTIFERE, MICO

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  1 Response »
Apr 062017
 

 

As explained yesterday, since writing the first part of this SEEN AND HEARD collection I’ve discovered more news and more new music that I want to share with you. Rather than try to cram all of it into a single Part 2, I’ve divided it again, sort of like an amoeba. It may continue to divide, the cells combining to form something horrid and parasitic. Or not… but there will at least be a Part 3 (which I plan to finish in time for posting tomorrow).

GOD DETHRONED

In January 2012, God Dethroned played a farewell performance at the 70000 Tons of Metal cruise. That farewell was a sad development for me and many others. But then, in July 2014 frontman Henri Sattler announced that the band would be returning to the stage. At that time only Sattler and drummer Michiel van der Plicht remained from the band’s last line-up, to be joined by guest musicians whose identities weren’t then revealed. In writing about that news almost three years ago I noted that although Sattler’s statement hadn’t explicitly addressed whether the reunion would consist of more than new live shows, “we can only hope that a new album will be coming, too.” That wish has been granted. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD (PART 1): BRÉAG NAOFA, HIGHLAND, FELO DE SE, CADAVER DISPOSAL, MASTEMA

 Album Reviews, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC, SHORT BUT SWEET  1 Response »
Apr 052017
 

 

I wrote this post yesterday afternoon. At that point it included two new EPs, two tracks from recently released albums, and one song from a forthcoming release. I picked those items in part because the collection provides diversity of extremity, and also (of course) because I really like all of it.

However, since I finished writing this I discovered more music I thought was worth your time. So there will be a Part 2 tomorrow.

BRÉAG NAOFA

Seattle’s Bréag Naofa (pronounced Bray-G Nay-Fuh) explain that they took their name from an old Irish Gaelic phrase that means “holy lie”, reflecting the members’ shared conviction that “religion still poisons every aspect of the human experience”. They haven’t been prolific, until now releasing only one album (self-titled, in 2012) and two splits (in 2013 and 2014), but they’re in the process of expanding their recorded output significantly. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: WORMWITCH, FIN, PURE, KOLLAPSE, MOTHER MOON, FUNERAL BAPTISM

 Album Reviews, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC, SHADES OF BLACK, SHORT BUT SWEET  1 Response »
Apr 022017
 

 

I didn’t damage myself too badly last night, only moderately, and so I was able to prepare this selection of music that I thought was worth recommending. I’m beginning with songs from forthcoming albums by four bands and concluding with two recent EPs.

Much of the music in this collection isn’t strictly black metal, but has enough kinship to the genre that I can justify including it. Hope you find some things to like.

WORMWITCH

In another one of these SHADES OF BLACK posts last month I reported that Prosthetic Records would be releasing the debut album Strike Mortal Soil by Vancouver, BC’s Wormwitch on May 12. At that point I didn’t have any music to share with you, but now I do. Continue reading »

DEATH RITUALS: UNAUSSPRECHLICHEN KULTEN, CASKET HUFFER, MARTHYRIUM

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  4 Responses »
Apr 012017
 

 

My day job, which usually takes me to places I’m not anxious to visit, took me to my old hometown in central Texas on Thursday, where I’ve had time to commune with family and old friends and inflict severe punishment on my liver. More communing and punishment are on tap for this afternoon and tonight. I’m unable to foresee whether I’ll be able to curate a SHADES OF BLACK collection tomorrow; I’m hopeful, but also realistic.

I could have included all three of the following new tracks in tomorrow’s collection, as all of them do display varying degrees of “blackening”, but the power of death (metal) is also manifested. And I’m so overwhelmed with enthusiasm for all of them that I decided not to delay, given that my mind may be a void on Sunday morning.

UNAUSSPRECHLICHEN KULTEN

Unaussprechlichen Kulten’s new album is one I’ve been eagerly awaiting, given the excellence of this Chilean band’s previous releases, and especially their last album Baphomet Pan Shub-Niggurath. Yesterday Iron Bonehead Productions announced details about the new full-length (including the creepy-as-shit cover art) and also launched the track stream that leads off this collection. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD ON A SUNDAY: LOSS, KAMPFAR, KING APATHY, WEEPING SORES, SKELETHAL, MICO, UMBRAL, GRIND OF THE DEAD, HARVESTMAN

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  No Responses »
Mar 262017
 

 

The weekends at NCS are usually all mine. No one else’s compositions to ready for posting, no premieres to write, no day job to fuck around with my own desires (usually), and this weekend my spouse has also been away having fun without me (or at least I hope she is). With all the cats away, this mouse has plenty of time to play (metal).

And so, in addition to all of the reviews and streams I tossed your way yesterday, I have a torrent of more metal to share on this Sunday, beginning with this collection of singles, advance tracks, and one full release selected from a massive list of things I heard over the past week. I’m not including streams and new videos from better-known bands, such as the ones that appeared from Solstafir and Heaven Shall Burn, but you can view them through those links.

LOSS

As previously reported, Nashville’s Loss have a new album named Horizonless, which is due for release by Profound Lore on May 19. We finally got a taste of the new music last week through the premiere of a track named “All Grows on Tears“. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: VALLENFYRE, DEUS OTIOSUS, LOATHFINDER, MOURNERS LAMENT, MARTYRDOOM, ABDUCTION, HALF BLOOD, MAGNACULT, ANNTHENNATH

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  2 Responses »
Mar 232017
 

 

As you can see, I have been a busy blogger — but a tardy one. On Monday night I moved through a lot of news and new music, all of which I came across solely from the Monday arrivals in our in-box and my own surveillance of Facebook. I selected these items to recommend, intending to post this on Tuesday, but my fucking day job prevented me from finishing it in time and since then other things have gotten in the way.

At least I resisted the temptation to make this longer by including more things I’ve discovered since Monday night. I’ll pull together some of those for another round-up as soon as I can.

After the first two bands in this collection (who are among my favorites), all the rest are new discoveries for me, making their first appearance at NCS.

VALLENFYRE

On Monday, Century Media announced that it will release a new album by Vallenfyre on June 2nd. The name of the album is Fear Those Who Fear Him. Continue reading »

HIDEOUS DIVINITY: “ANGEL OF REVOLUTION”

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  1 Response »
Mar 232017
 

 

I have a much-delayed round-up of new music to post later today. I resisted the desire to make it even longer by including still more new music that surfaced since I first began putting it together three days ago. But I don’t want to overlook this new song by the Italian band Hideous Divinity that premiered yesterday at two European sites. The song is “Angel of Revolution“, and it’s from the band’s new album Adveniens, which will be released on April 28 by Unique Leader in the U.S. and Everlasting Spew in Europe.

This new track follows another one named “Ages Die” that debuted earlier this month, and in case you missed that one, I’ve included it below as well. I’ll also share a comment about the newest song by guitarist Enrico Schettino: Continue reading »

DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY (OR ELSE)

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  3 Responses »
Mar 202017
 


Photo by Stig Persson

(Andy Synn presents a collection of songs to celebrate the International Day of Happiness, which the UN has established as March 20th — today!)

How are we all doing today? Good?

I only ask because today is apparently International Day of Happiness, so we should all be feeling that little bit brighter and sprightlier as a result.

Today is also the day when the UN releases their annual World Happiness Report and, wouldn’t you know it, but our Norwegian brethren (and lady-brethren) have only gone and dethroned the Danish as the world’s happiest nation!

So, in tribute to this momentous occasion, here are five bands who help make Norway the happiest place on earth. Continue reading »

 Older Entries  Newer Entries