SEEN AND HEARD: MORS PRINCIPIUM EST, NECROWRETCH, EXIVIOUS, AND BODY COUNT

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  9 Responses »
Dec 102012
 

Metal does not honor your putrid rules.

Okay, I’m not talking about YOUR rules, especially if they include visiting this site like your life depends on it. I’m talking about the rules of all those other people, like the rule that says Mondays must suck. Because metal hath brought these gems to your Monday.

MORS PRINCIPIUM EST

I think this is my fourth post about the new album from Finland’s Mors Principium Est (pictured above) since I found out about it in July. Entitled …And Death Said Live, it has already been released in Japan, it’s due for release in Europe and Australia on December 14, and North Americans will be able to get it on January 15.

As you can tell, this is an album I’ve been eagerly anticipating. Over the weekend I discovered that it’s now streaming in full at the Finnish Inferno web site. At that same location, you will find a track-by-track commentary by the band’s vocalist Ville Viljanen, and that of course will give you English-only speakers the always-hilarious opportunity to let Google Translate work its magic on the Finnish language. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: SKELETAL SPECTRE, DARKTHRONE, KAOTOXIN, AND OBLIVION (the movie)

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  2 Responses »
Dec 092012
 

In no particular order, here are things I saw and heard this morning that I thought were worth tossing your way.

SKELETAL SPECTRE

I really fuckin’ enjoyed this multi-national band’s last album, 2011’s Occult Spawned Premonitions (reviewed here). The band includes an extraordinary extreme vocalist named Vanessa Nocera as well as Roger “Rogga” Johansson of Ribspreader and Bonegnawer fame. I’ve been watching Skeletal Spectre pretty closely as they move forward toward the release of their next album, Voodoo Dawn. This morning I saw the unveiling of the finished cover artwork by Adam Geyer, which is up above. Very nice.

I’m still blasting “Bone Dust”, the one song from Voodoo Dawn that has surfaced to date. In case you missed it the first time it was featured at NCS, here it is again; the album is due out in early 2013 from Pulverised Records.


Continue reading »

BANDCAMP UPDATE: EARACHE AND DEBEMOR MORTI

 Free Shit, Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  11 Responses »
Dec 072012
 

Not long ago we reported the awesome news that pioneering metal label Earache Records had established a Bandcamp site, launching it with an interesting mix of both new and older releases from their formidable catalogue. Just days after that, they increased the awesomeness by adding Bolt Thrower’s legendary 1991 album War Master to the site.

That was one of 8 albums we suggested that Earache add to Bandcamp, and guess what? Yesterday they added another album from our list:

Entombed: Left Hand Path (1990)

We pushed for the addition of that album because . . . well hell, if you don’t know why, I don’t know how to begin to explain. It is one of your humble editor’s favorite metal albums of all time, world without end, amen.

And holy shit, that’s not all. When I wasn’t paying attention Earache also added two more albums from the NCS list: Altars of Madness (1989) and Blessed Are the Sick (1991) by Morbid Angel!!!

And that’s STILL not all . . . Continue reading »

HAPPY SUOMEN ITSENÄISYYSPÄIVÄ!

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  7 Responses »
Dec 062012
 

Today, December 6, is Finland Independence Day (“Suomen Itsenäisyyspäivä”). It’s a national holiday in that most metal of nations (judging by the number of metal bands per capita of population). It commemorates the day in 1917 when Finland declared its independence from the Russian Empire.

To help celebrate Finland Independence Day, my home state of Washington decided, beginning today, to let same-sex couples get married and people over 21 legally smoke weed. How’s that for being a good neighbor!

It’s true.  At midnight last night, two initiatives passed by Washington voters on November 6 became effective. Same-sex couple can now legally marry under state law, and it’s now legal for adults to possess limited quantities of marijuana. People who obtain state licenses will also be able to grow and sell marijuana in Washington (and pay taxes on the sales), though that part of the new law won’t go into effect until the State develops rules and regulations for how the new system will work.

Of course, growing, selling, and possessing marijuana is still illegal under federal law, and it’s not quite clear how this conflict between state and U.S. law is going to work out. Federal law (the “Defense of Marriage Act”) also refuses to recognize same-sex marriages for any federal purposes, including insurance benefits for government employees, Social Security survivors’ benefits, and the filing of joint tax returns.  But hey, at least my state wants to help Finland celebrate their independence, even if the Feds don’t.

NCS would also like to celebrate Finland independence day with some Finnish metal. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: MAGOA, MAVETH, BATILLUS, AND HACKTIVIST

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  20 Responses »
Dec 042012
 

This morning I found three new videos and a new full-album stream that I want to send your way. Sending now:

MAGOA

Magoa’s new EP Animals is finally out, and as of this morning so is yet another Magoa music video. Since we’ve already featured the first two videos for this French band’s EP, why stop now?

The new one for the song “A Thousand Lives” was directed by the same man who was responsible for the first two: Benjamin Cappelletti. The first two were so good that I had high hopes for the new one, too, and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s just as much fun to watch as the first two. Mr. Capelletti cannot fail.

I also now have a new appreciation for the seriousness with which Magoa approach their craft. A lot of bands performing in a bedroom would stop what they were doing if hot chicks in their underwear invitingly climbed into bed and started caressing the band members, but Magoa soldiers on with their song. Impressive display of willpower. I also didn’t see the underwater shots coming, but it was a really nice surprise — which I’ve now sort of spoiled for you. I’m such a dick sometimes. Continue reading »

WATCH DECAPITATED’S NEW “VIEW FROM A HOLE” VIDEO

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  3 Responses »
Dec 032012
 


Scion A/V continues to deliver the metal goods. They’ve just released a new music video for “View From A Hole”, a song that appeared on the stupendous Carnival Is Forever album by Poland’s Decapitated.

The video is a live performance professionally shot from different camera angles. It’s after the jump. I can’t think of anything more to say. Continue reading »

NEW TRACKS FROM ARSIS AND CULT OF LUNA!

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  2 Responses »
Dec 032012
 

This morning brought us two noteworthy new songs.

The first is “Six Coffins Wide”, which will appear on the new Arsis EP Lepers Caress that Scion A/V will be releasing for free download tomorrow.

The second is “I: The Weapon”, which will appear on Cult of Luna’s new album Vertikal, which will be available in January via Indie Recordings. (Thanks to Karl-Göran for the tip on this one).

Of course, the songs are very different from each other. The Arsis is a blistering, groovy torrent, and of course it includes a sweet James Malone guitar solo. The Cult of Luna is more complex, more atmospheric, more mesmerizing. But I’ve been rocking out hard to both tracks and recommend that you do the same . . . right after the jump. Leave comments, too, with your reactions. Please. Continue reading »

I WANT TO GIVE TROLLFEST A BAD REVIEW AND HALF A POINT

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  7 Responses »
Dec 032012
 

We’ve clearly been doing it all wrong.

NRK is the Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company, and the largest media organization in Norway. Apparently, NRK reviewed Brumlebassen, the latest offering of Trve Norwegian Balkan Metal by our beloved TrollfesT. Apparently, it was a bad review. Apparently, NRK gave the album one point. Only one point!!

Now, your average metal band when confronted with a bad review and one point would either (a) ignore it and keep quiet about it, or (b) lash out in a vulgar display of hurt feelings and hostility, perhaps involving use of the word “motherfuckers”.

But TrollfesT are not your average metal band and they did neither of these things. Instead, they recorded a song about NRK’s bad review, entitled “NRK, vårt barndomshjem”, which apparently means “NRK, our childhood home”. It’s kind of a melancholy, soulful tune, not at all like TrollfesT’s usual carousing. But if you’ve listened to Brumlebassen, then you know TrollfesT is musically capable of doing just about anything they put their minds to.

I would like TrollfesT to write a song dedicated to NCS. I now think I know how to make this happen. We need to abandon our policy against writing bad reviews about music we don’t like. We need to stop devoting our space solely to music we want to recommend. We need to slag TrollfesT. And, at least for now, we need to jettison our policy against giving numerical ratings in our reviews. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: THE RESISTANCE, ENDEZZMA, RAINBOWDRAGONEYES, AND MEDICATED

 Free Shit, Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  1 Response »
Dec 022012
 

Here’s a daily round-up of new metal I discovered today that I decided was worth your time. And, of course, who better than I to determine what is and isn’t worth your time? Such important decisions can’t be left up to you, because you would fritter away the hours doing ridiculous things like eating, sleeping, playing with your nether bits, and bathing your hedgehog.

What I have for you in this post: The Resistance (Sweden), Endezzma (Norway), Rainbowdragoneyes (U.S.), and Medicated (Finland).

THE RESISTANCE

If you wondered what had become of founding In Flames guitarist Jesper Strömblad after he left that band in 2010, The Resistance is what happened to him. Along with Jesper, the band also includes guitarist Glenn Ljungström (another In Flames alum), vocalist Marco Aro (ex-The Haunted, Facedown), and drummer Chris Barkensjö (ex-Kaamos, ex-Grave). [At one time, the band also included bass-player Alex Losbäck Holstad (ex-Despite), but he was ejected a few months ago.]

So yes, you could call this a super-group, but The Resistance insist that they are an on-going band and not a one-off project. Their debut EP, Rise From Treason, is now scheduled for release by EarMusic on January 25, with a full-length album projected for next April. Continue reading »

THIS AND THAT: SOILWORK, TOMAHAWK, BYZANTINE, SOM PLUIJMERS, AND FREDRIK WIDIGS

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  5 Responses »
Dec 012012
 

In here: A few things I noticed this morning.

SOILWORK

Soilwork’s ninth studio album The Living Infinite, which will be a two-disc release, is now scheduled for release by Nuclear Blast on March 1 in Europe, and March 5 in North America. Late yesterday, the cover art was unveiled. The artist is Mnemic’s Mircea Eftemie Gabriel. He also created the artwork for Soilwork’s Stabbing The Drama album seven years ago. It’s a change from the style of the band’s last few covers, and I’m liking it. It seems to have a nautical theme; I don’t know how that connects to the music, but we’ll find out.

Nuclear Blast also released the album’s track list: There are a total of 20 songs. I’m sure there will be some catchy melodic ones in there, but I’m hoping for some old-school Soilwork head-wreckers, too.

TOMAHAWK

This morning I also saw four new music videos. The first one isn’t metal. It’s for a song named “Stone Letter” by Tomahawk, who we last featured here. Tomahawk consists of Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle) plus a bunch of other interesting musicians: Duane Denison (The Jesus Lizard, Unsemble), Trevor Dunn (Fantomas, Melvins Lite), and John Stanier (Battles, Helmet). Five years have passed since their last release, but they’ve got a new album coming in January called Oddfellows. Continue reading »

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