Nov 102015
 

Vorna-Ei Valo Minua Seuraa

 

You’re about to hear and see something that I think you will find beautiful, moving, dark, and heavy — the kind of audiovisual experience that’s capable of carrying you away from wherever your head happens to be before you press “play”, even though the experience lasts less than seven minutes.

The music is a song called “Yksin” by a six-man band from Tampere, Finland, named Vorna. It will appear on the band’s second album Ei valo minus seuraa (No Light Follows Me), which will be released on December 4 by Inverse Records — and we are privileged to premiere the song and the striking video that accompanies it for North American audiences. Continue reading »

Nov 092015
 

Wildernessking-Mystical Future Cover

 

(Andy Synn reviews the new album by South Africa’s Wildernessking.)

South Africa’s Wildernessking are a band we’ve been following closely here at NCS ever since we discovered them way back in the hallowed year two thousand and twelve, monitoring their steady growth and development with the ever-watchful eye of a proud father (or, at least, a creepy uncle).

From their humble beginnings (though I still contend that The Writing of Gods in the Sand is one of the finest debut albums I’ve heard in the last ten years or so) the quartet have demonstrated a frankly fearless and irresistible urge to progress, continually expanding their creative palette, whilst also showcasing an impressive ability to write songs that are as effortlessly memorable as they are cleverly unpredictable.

And although there will be those who refer to Mystical Future (the band’s second full-length following a series of intriguing, invigorating EPs and split-releases) as a “Post Black Metal” album – with all the associated baggage and braggadocio that entails – the idea of attributing this term to the band seems, to me at least, to be less about them adhering to the vague tenets of this still somewhat ill-defined sub-genre, and more of an acknowledgement that the band are entering a new phase of existence… their “Post” Black Metal years, if you will.
Continue reading »

Nov 082015
 

Confessional

 

(After a two-month break, Father Synn returns to NCS, ready to cleanse you of your manifold metal sins. Prepare to share your putrid failings in the Comments and accept the penance.)

Repent!!! Repent all ye sinners and sodomites!!! Repent and confess, for Father Synn has returned from his long pilgrimage in the vast and godless wilderness, eager to hear your tales of woe and transgression once more.

As always, let mine own flaws and failings be a lantern, leading you along the path of redemption! Continue reading »

Nov 082015
 

Rearview Mirror

 

For this Sunday’s look back at metal bands of yesteryear, we’re featuring Norway’s Zyklon.

In addition to the quality of their music, Zyklon are notable because the band’s line-up included guitarist Samoth and drummer Trym Torson from Emperor.

In a way, the band could also be thought of as a continuation of the project called Myrkskog, since Zyklon also included Myrkskog members Destructhor (guitar) and Sechthdamon (bass, vocals). (The discography of Myrkskog, by the way, was the subject of Andy Synn’s seventh SYNN REPORT back in May 2011 — here.) Continue reading »

Nov 072015
 

Archivist-ST

 

Greetings from Anchorage, Alaska, where I’m still mired in a day-and-night project for my day job that has pared my blog time to the bone. Because my free time is so limited, I’m doing something we almost never do around here: Just throwing some recommended music streams your way without writing much at all about the music.

ARCHIVIST

The first recommendation is a self-titled album released through Bandcamp in June by a multinational group called Archivist. Continue reading »

Nov 062015
 

Print

 

One of the best split releases of 2015 is an album entitled Moerae (reviewed here) that was released last spring by three Greek black metal bands — Vacantfield, End, and AWE. It’s a concept album taking as its inspiration the three Fates of Greek mythology (the Moerae), with each band contributing a song about one of the Fates. Apart from a short song on the compilation album Mono Maniac vol.4 released by Blast Beat Mail Murder in 2014, Moerae marked AWE’s recording debut.

AWE have now recorded a debut album, Providentia, that’s set for release on November 13 by Pulverised Records. It’s a hugely ambitious, visionary album, and a brilliantly successful one. And we’re giving you the chance to hear all of it today. Continue reading »

Nov 052015
 

Enslaved-TIDAL video

 

It’s cold, gray, and depressing here in Anchorage, Alaska, where I’m toiling away for my fucking day job. I worry what the loris horde are doing to the NCS compound in my absence. I miss my daily swoop through the interhole in search of new music. I’m going to be even more ridiculously late writing reviews. I’m basically just a miserable shit.

In an effort to cheer myself up, I did pull my nose from the grindstone long enough to check out a trio of new things that I spied on Facebook. All three were winners. Here they are.

ENSLAVED

Norway’s mighty Enslaved released a new music video a couple of days ago. It’s for the song “Convoys To Nothingness” from 2001’s Monumension. It was recorded live earlier this year in a mobile studio provided by the music streaming service TIDAL at the Øya Festival in Oslo. Continue reading »

Nov 052015
 

 

The Osedax-Titans Lament

 

(Grant Skelton steps in for round-up duty with this feature on two new albums. We’ll have a second round-up later today.)

THE OSEDAX

The Osedax (Latin for “bone devourer”) take their name from sea-dwelling worms who feast on the bones of dead whales. Yes. Enjoy that with your meal. Get more info here if you’re curious.

Islander reviewed the band’s first album Delayed Response way back in 2011. At the beginning of this month, the band released a follow-up called Titans Lament. For those who’ve been underwhelmed by doom this year, I submit this album for your consideration. Continue reading »

Nov 052015
 

Vaee SolisPsychophobia
 

Vorage coverHellion cover

(We welcome back Norwegian guest contributor Gorger, who has provided us with another feature on bands we seem to have overlooked at NCS. For readers of Norwegian, please check out Gorger’s Metal.)

Thirteen months ago I did a short series of reviews (here and here) under the moniker “Metal Not Previously Featured On NCS”. Now that Islander is busy gazing into the sky I thought I’d chip in a contribution once again. (What? He’s working? Well, that’s what you get for only looking at the pictures).

There are more creative serpentine forces lurking and dwelling in the underground than ever. With all new creeping and crawling releases that are spewed forth, no one can keep track of everything. Thus, good stuff flies under the radar, undetected or forgotten and lost in the pandemonium (along with you-know-who). Continue reading »

Nov 052015
 

Stellar Master Elite

 

(Andy Synn interviews D.F., master of guitars and synthesizers for Germany’s Stellar Master Elite. To read Andy’s reviews of all the band’s albums, including their new 2015 release, go here.)

So let’s start this interview off with a simple question… how are you, and what are you up to at this precise moment?

DF: Writing this interview with the damn flu while listening to Boards of Canada. Could be worse! Continue reading »