NO CLEAN SINGING

FIVE [SIX] OF MY FAVOURITE… CHIMAIRA SONGS

Apr 262016

(Every now and then Andy Synn shares with us lists of favorite things that come in fives, and this is another one, though he stretched the number a bit this time.)

You may have noticed that my usual output has decreased somewhat over the last week or so. There’s no need to worry, it’s just been a combination of work/band/personal commitments all coming at the same time, requiring me to shift my priorities around a bit, meaning that NCS has had to take a bit of a backseat for a moment.

That should be coming to an end very soon, however, and I have a bunch of different reviews and columns lined up for May that I think you’ll all really enjoy.

In the meantime, however, since I’m still a little pushed for time and opportunity to write, I’ve dashed off this little piece in tribute to a band I’ll always have a soft spot for. Continue reading »

BLOG BREAK (PART 2)

Uncategorized 12 Responses »

Apr 262016

“Cloud in the dark night 8” by Pracha

When I wrote the last post with the title of “Blog Break”, I was off in a magnificent part of Montana partaking in a boondoggle for my day job. The explanation for this one is a tragedy.

On my last night in Montana I found out that one of my closest friends had been broadsided in her car by a Seattle emergency vehicle flying through a red light at a downtown intersection. She was uninjured — except for head trauma that required emergency brain surgery on Sunday night.

I flew home Monday morning and spent most of yesterday at a hospital ICU, watching her lie there on a respirator and feeding tube in a coma, trying to be supportive of her husband and parents. I felt sick beyond repair inside, and still do. She gave birth to her third child last fall. I guess he’s about eight months old now. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: FISTER AND TEETH — A SPLIT

Album Reviews, Premieres, SHORT BUT SWEET 1 Response »

Apr 252016

On April 29, the New York label Broken Limbs will release a 7″ vinyl split by two stunningly powerful bands — Fister from St. Louis, Missouri, and California’s TEETH — and at the bottom of this post you’ll have a chance to stream all of it.

I wouldn’t blame you if you just skip to the end and start listening, but in case you want some idea about what you’re in for, continue reading. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: ENTHEAN — “BEFORE YOU, I AM”

Premieres 3 Responses »

Apr 252016

(Austin Weber brings us the premiere of a song from the forthcoming debut album by Enthean.)

While, until now, I’ve yet to cover South Carolina progressive black metal/technical death metal horde Enthean here at NCS, I’ve been torturously waiting for these guys to release something ever since hearing their 2013 demo, Tones Of Desecration.

Well, it looks like 2016 is finally the year of Enthean, since their debut full-length, Priests Of Annihilation, finally drops on May 20th. In advance of its release, we’ve got a skull-shattering new jam from the band to premiere for you today called “Before You, I Am”. Continue reading »

NEW MUSIC FROM AKERCOCKE: “INNER SANCTUM”

RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC 16 Responses »

Apr 252016

When I woke up at an ungodly hour this morning and then woke up my computer, my bleary eyes were immediately greeted by a bombardment of links from friends to the song stream you’re about to hear (or re-hear): The first new song from Akercocke since the band’s dissolution in 2012, with their last album being 2007’s Antichrist.

The song was broadcast on the Radio 1 Rock Show on April 24, and some enterprising soul recorded the radio stream and uploaded it to YouTube. The uploader made this comment: “The intro sounds like it’s slightly cut off but unfortunately the radio station played right into it, so although it sounds like the intro is cut off, it isn’t, the song just starts that way.” Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: UNDER THE CHURCH — “CONFER THE VILE”

Premieres 6 Responses »

Apr 242016

We’ve been closely following the unholy machinations of Under the Church since they released their first demo in 2013 (reviewed here), at first because the band included two members of the legendary Swedish death metal band Nirvana 2002 (drummer/guitarist Erik Qvick and bassist Lars Henriksson) and then because the music turned out to be so consistently good.

Last year brought the release of the band’s lethal debut album Rabid Armageddon, and now they are at work on a follow-up. But while that next release is being worked over, Under the Church are releasing a two-song single featuring the tracks “Wake the Dead” and “Confer the Vile” via Bandcamp. Today it’s our pleasure to deliver the premiere of “Confer the Vile“. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: QUERCUS — “ILLEGIBLE TREE NAME”

Premieres 1 Response »

Apr 242016

Heart With Bread is the third album of the Czech avant grade funeral doom band Quercus. It will be released tomorrow (April 25) by Solitude Productions and Moscow Funeral League. What we have for you today is the premiere of a song called “Illegible Tree Name”.

The song is an unpredictable intertwining of contrasts, from the slow, reverberating strumming of a guitar to massive, earth-shattering chords, from shimmering evanescent sounds to unnerving drum blasts that explode like cannon shots. Muted, jagged, jabbing riffs appear, as does the rhythmic plucking of a single string. The music is both haunting and harrowing, hypnotic and hammering. Continue reading »

BLOG BREAK

RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC 31 Responses »

Apr 232016

Late yesterday afternoon I arrived at a secret location near Bonner, Montana, where I am spending the weekend at the behest of my fucking day job (except at times like this my day job is very fucking good to me). I can’t tell you what I am doing or I would have to kill you.

One thing I am not doing: listening to metal. I haven’t had much time to myself, and the people I am with probably wouldn’t understand if I jammed earbuds in my ears and started ignoring them. So, the round-up I had planned for today ain’t going to happen. I do have a premiere planned for tomorrow, but beyond that, I may not get anything else done for NCS.

However, because I hate to post anything that doesn’t include music, please enjoy an advance track from the forthcoming debut album by Eximperituserqethhzebibšiptugakkathšulweliarzaxułum from Minsk, Belarus. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: POLYPTYCH — “DEFYING THE METASTASIS”

Premieres 3 Responses »

Apr 222016

Polyptych come our way from Chicago, Illinois. They are planning to release their third album, Defying the Metastasis, on May 13 and today we have for you the premiere of the title track.

We host many music premieres at this site, and in almost every instance we have been asked to do that (and we agree only when we like what we hear). But this is a rare occasion when, after hearing this album, I asked the band if I could help them spread the word about the music. Obviously, it made quite an impact on me, and I think it will on you, too. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD: TERRA TENEBROSA, GERM, VIRUS, DARKEND, SVARTTJERN, PLAGUE PHALANX

Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC 11 Responses »

Apr 222016

Well, this has been another one of those weeks when I was so busy with premieres and assorted personal nuisances that I wasn’t able to compile as many round-ups of new songs as I would have liked. As usual, that means I’m now drowning in things that I think are worth recommending — too many to fit into one post.

So, I’ve done what I usually do in such situations: made the selections on a pretty random basis and tried to restrict my own verbosity and let the music speak for itself. I’ll compile some more discoveries for a post this weekend.

Before getting into the music, I’ll start with one news item that peaked my interest.

TERRA TENEBROSA

Yesterday Debemur Morti Productions announced the projected release of a new album by the unorthodox and fascinating Swedish entity known as Terra Tenebrosa. The new album is named The Reverses and it includes the participation of some impressive guests: Jonas A Holmberg (This Gift Is A Curse), Alex Stjernfeldt (The Moth Gatherer), MkM (Antaeus), and Vindsval (Blut Aus Nord). Continue reading »

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