AN NCS PREMIERE: WHORID — “HARBINGER OF FALSE PROMISES”

 Premieres  6 Responses »
Jan 212016
 

WHORID_BPCIASW_WEB

 

For the second day in a row, we’re bringing you a premiere that’s well off our usual beaten paths. This time the artist is Whorid, the solo project of Philadelphia’s Daniel Suffering (who is also a member of Theologian, a band we’ve mentioned here before in the distant past and who just released a new album called Dregs late last year). The track is named “Harbinger of False Promises” and it appears on Whorid’s new album, Bloated Pig Carcasses In A Shallow Wake.

Perhaps you are now guessing that the music isn’t friendly, and if so, give yourself a pat on the head. We are told that the concept of the album is based on “obsession turned to reality, then demise, with themes of stalking, BDSM, social anxiety, substance abuse, and eventually murder, where no one wins.” Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: WIDOWER — “THE UNHOLY OATH”

 Premieres  5 Responses »
Jan 212016
 

Widower-The Unholy Oath

 

There’s not much left of the mangled carcasses on the cover of Widower’s new EP, The Unholy Oath, and it looks like what’s left is about to be trampled again by those demonic steeds and their spiky driver. Having heard the EP, I’d say that’s fair warning of what you’re in for as a listener.

The Unholy Oath is the second EP by this foursome from my old hometown of Austin, Texas, and we’ve got a full stream of it for you down below — one day before its official release. Although the cover itself foretells the carnage that awaits you, I’ll add a few more words of introduction. Continue reading »

AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE: TRUE CROSS — “PURE DIVORCE”

 Exceptions to the Rule, Premieres  No Responses »
Jan 202016
 

True Cross cover

 

Pure Divorce is the name of the new album by the multi-state band True Cross, set for release on January 22 by Seeing Red Records. In some striking ways, it’s quite different from much of the music to which we devote attention at this site. But we’re featuring a full stream of the album here for good reasons, despite the fact that it’s off our usual beaten paths.

The music on Pure Divorce is difficult to sum up in simple terms, which is precisely part of its attraction. It’s heavy and hammering, it’s moody and mystical, it’s drenched in grief and it’s exultant. There are mesmerizing passages of great beauty, where chiming guitars and reverberating clean vocals cascade like a sonic aurora borealis, with flowing melodies that are moving and memorable. And there are places — often within the same song — where huge riffs hit with staggering force. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: ALMYRKVI — “SHROUDED IN BLINDING LIGHT”

 Premieres  10 Responses »
Jan 202016
 

Almyrkvi

 

Almyrkvi ­is the name of a new Icelandic black metal project — the solo work of musician Garðar S Jónsson, who is also a member of the great Icelandic band Sinmara. The debut EP of this new project is entitled Pupil Of The Searing Maelstrom and it will be released in February on CD and 12″ vinyl by Ván Records. Today we bring you the premiere of a song from the EP named “Shrouded In Blinding Light“.

Despite its relatively small population, Iceland is already home to many excellent black metal bands, and this song proves that we must now add one more to that already impressive list. In Icelandic, “Almyrkvi” refers to a solar eclipse, but can also be understood as referring to utter darkness.  The title of “Shrouded In Blinding Light” might seem to foreshadow a divergence from the concept embodied in Almyrkvi’s name, and it is indeed a multi-textured song, one that seems to hint at shining alien vistas lying in wait beyond the crushing darkness of a black hole. Continue reading »

THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER / BENIGHTED – LIVE AT THE RESCUE ROOMS, NOTTINGHAM (JAN. 17, 2016)

 Concert Reviews  2 Responses »
Jan 202016
 

Black Dahlia Murder European Tour 2016

 

(Andy Synn reviews the performances of The Black Dahlia Murder and Benighted in Nottingham, England, on January 17, 2016.)

Sunday night did not quite go as planned for me this week. As I’m still a bit under the weather after my recent travels and travails in Central America, my original intention was just to have a quiet night in to rest and recharge my batteries. However, out of the blue I received an invite from my good friend Gary (of Bite Radius Designs fame) to come out and see his boys in Benighted supporting The Black Dahlia Murder. Originally I was going to demur, but after I received a message saying “you’re on the guest list”… well, it would have been rude not to go!

To be fair, although I’m a bigger fan of TBDM than I am of Benighted, I definitely enjoy both bands a hell of a lot and, in hindsight, I would probably have severely regretted not going if I’d wussed out and stayed home.

So this review goes out to Gary and Julien for getting me off my ass and out to the show. Much appreciated guys! Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: URGEHAL (WITH DARKTHRONE’S NOCTURNO CULTO) — “THE IRON CHILDREN”

 Premieres  3 Responses »
Jan 202016
 

Urgehal-Aeons In Sodom

 

The Norwegian black metal institution Urgehal came into existence in the early ’90s, formed by vocalist/guitarist Trondr Nefas and guitarist Enzifer. Beginning in 1997 Urgehal released six full-length albums as well as assorted shorter releases and compilations. But in May 2012, Trondr Nefas passed away at the age of 34. To honor his memory, Urgehal have prepared one final, remarkable album — Aeons In Sodom.

This new work assembles Trondr Nefas’ final material — a collection of 12 songs that include his performances as lead guitarist and soloist, with Enzifer on rhythm guitar and bass and Uruz on drums. In place of Nefas‘ now-missing voice, the band enlisted vocal contributions from an array of notable Scandinavian artists, including Nocturno Culto (Darkthrone), Nattefrost (Carpathian Forest), Nag (Tsjuder), Niklas Kvarforth (Shining), Hoest (Taake), and Mannevond (Koldbrann).

We are honored to bring you today the premiere of the new album’s first advance track, a song called “The Iron Children” — which features the unique vocals of Nocturne Culto. Continue reading »

AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE: FALL — “THE INSATIABLE WEAKNESS”

 Album Reviews, Premieres  6 Responses »
Jan 192016
 

Fall-Insatiable Weakness

 

(TheMadIsraeli introduces our premiere of the new album by Fall from Corpus Christi, Texas.)

So here we are. We debuted a song from Fall a couple weeks back. I really like these guys, and this record, and there’s a stream at the bottom of the post so let’s get to the nitty gritty here.

Fall play a brand of pretty modern-minded, slightly progressive melodic death metal that invokes the best aspects of Soilwork, with ambience and syncopated grooves that call Textures to mind. It’s a cool sound, especially for a first full-length effort by a young band. And given the excellence of The Insatiable Weakness, this band deserves the exposure and recognition. Continue reading »

SHOW REVIEW: “CHAOS RAIDS” IN ATLANTA (JAN 11, 2016)

 Concert Reviews  3 Responses »
Jan 192016
 

1349-live-shot

 

(Wil Cifer reviews the Atlanta stop of the “Chaos Raids Tour”, featuring performances by 1349 and Tombs.)

Cvlt Nation’s “Chaos Raids” tour is the darkest metal line-up on the road so far this year. Featuring two bands I have wanted to see for some time, Tombs and 1349, served as enough of a motivating factor to force me out of the house, since this fell on the day David Bowie died. It served as catharsis, as all good metal shows should.

We got to the Basement in the hipster-infested East Atlanta Village a little late, so we missed the local opener, blackened death metallers Vimur, and Full of Hell, who I had already seen with Mutilation Rites. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): PRIMEVAL MASS — “TO EMPYREAN THRONES”

 Album Reviews, Premieres  4 Responses »
Jan 192016
 

Primeval Mass-To Empyrean Thrones

 

Tomorrow (January 20) is the release date for To Empyrean Thrones, the remarkable new album by the Greek black metal band Primeval Mass. This is the band’s third full-length and the first on which the musician known as Orth handles all instruments and vocals.

The first song I heard from the album, “For Astral Triumphs”, was released for listening well in advance of the album last spring. It made an immediate and powerful impact; if it weren’t attached to a 2016 album, it would easily have made my list of 2015’s “Most Infectious Extreme Metal Songs”. And it turns out that the song has strong competition from seven other excellent tracks. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: BLACK MEDICINE

 Interviews  4 Responses »
Jan 192016
 

Black Medicine - 4

 

(Comrade Aleks rejoins us with this interview of the vocalist and guitarist of Black Medicine.)

You maybe asked yourself: Where has Comrade Aleks been? Where has he been since New Year’s coming? Was he lost, drunk, and miserable on Red Square in Moscow? Did he freeze to death in snow-covered Saint-Petersburg? There’s no reason for worries dear comrades! I was searching something new for you, something besides new Italian doom metal bands… And you know… I’ve found it.

Welcome Black Medicine! A damned heavy and sludgy doom band from South Korea! They done their dirty deeds since 2005, but their first full-length album Irreversible was released less than a year ago. What’s the hell?!! How did it happen?!! Let’s ask it Lee Myeong-Hee (guitars) and Kim Chang-Yu (vocals). Continue reading »

 Older Entries  Newer Entries