NO CLEAN SINGING

DECAPITATED GIVES THE VIDEO TREATMENT TO “404”

Jul 052013

Well, finally. Of all the songs on Decapitated’s superb 2011 album Carnival Is Forever, “404” was the one your humble editor picked for Our List of 2011’s Most Infectious Extreme Metal Songs (though it was a close call between that one and “United”). And although Decapitated have produced multiple music videos for Carnival, “404” was overlooked for video treatment — until about an hour ago.

Now we’ve got it — a montage of clips from live performances set to the studio track of the song. It’s a reminder of both what a fuckin’ awesome song this is and what a killer live show Decapitated deliver.

As a trained medical professional, I also want to remind you about the importance of doing your neck-loosening exercises before watching this, so you don’t pull a muscle when your head starts bouncing to and fro and every which way. Here it is: Continue reading »

FIVE OF MY FAVOURITE . . . METAL BALLADS

Jul 052013

(Andy Synn delivers yet another list of favorite things that come in five’s. And to quote one of the most memorable comments we’ve ever received, almost everything in this list “runs totally contrary to NCS statement”.)

So today’s post was originally going to be a review of an awesome black metal album I’ve had on the backburner for a few months now… but instead I did this. So sue me. I like singing.

Ballad need not be a dirty word in metal. Although I share with you a general distaste for the way in which most mainstream rock/metal bands defecate a steaming pile of melodramatic emotion onto a disc just to prove how “sensitive” they are, I’d say that by now we can spot these sort of box-ticking attempts at cross-over appeal a mile away. You can tell when a band is trying too hard, or when it’s done just because of the “hit factor”.

But what I’m talking about here are the sort of metal ballads that are both organic to their creator’s sound (as opposed to say, how every other tough-guy groove metal band has a generic ballad-y love song “for the ladies” to show that although they’re ‘dangerous tough guys’, they’ve really got a heart of gold…) and also still maintain that sense of power and depth, and often complexity, that has become synonymous with the metal genre.

So, anyway, here’s five of my favourite, artistically rewarding, emotionally affecting, metal ballads. You’ll find that they’re mostly (say 75-85%) clean sung, but I don’t think that should be a bar to the appreciation of a quality song. What’s more each and every one just fits with the sound and identity of the band as a whole. Continue reading »

FREE SHIT: AN APATHIA RECORDS COMPENDIUM

Free Shit, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC 7 Responses »

Jul 052013

Apathia Records is an independent French record label founded in 2009. They say they have only one rule: “We sign what we like.” The truth of this statement is demonstrated by a digital compilation of music entitled Compendium: Year I – III that Apathia has just released for free download.

The compilation consists of 11 tracks by 11 different bands, and stylistically the music is all over the place (and includes bands that are outside the realm of what we usually cover at NCS). It includes groove/thrash from Heart Attack; death metal from Genital Grinder and Como Muertos; gothic avant garde by Wormfood; ambient rock/metal from Përl, Lyan, and Blien Vesne; post-rock by What Mad Universe; and mind-fucking music that there’s simply no easy way to describe from Pryapisme, ÖXXÖ XÖÖX, Abstrusa Unde.

I managed to track down embeddable streams of all the songs on the comp except the one by Heart Attack and I’m including them after the jump (for Heart Attack, I’ve got a different song from the same album that includes guest vocals by Shawter of Dagoba).

To get the compilation, go to THIS PAGE. When you get there you will have to like Apathia on Facebook, tweet them, or give them a +1 on Google Plus to unlock the download. The digital file includes a digital booklet. Check out the song streams next. Continue reading »

A JULY 4 ROUND-UP: KONTINUUM, DEAFHEAVEN, MAJESTIC DOWNFALL, GALVANO, AND GOG

RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC 2 Responses »

Jul 042013

Happy Fourth of July to all you U.S. denizens. I don’t really go in for flag-waving hoo-hah, but this will nevertheless be the only NCS post for Independence Day (so it will be a jumbo round-up). My wife and I will be entertaining some special visitors from the other side of our Great Land this afternoon, and then tonight we’ll be mourning one of the members of the intrepid NCS aeronaut pigeon squadron, who deliver most of our metal news to us.

They got confused and delivered some of the items you’ll be hearing today to one of our neighbors, and after he heard what it was, he opened fire, mortally wounding one of those brave flyers. She will live in our hearts forever. We’re planning a simple grave-side ceremony, followed by ritual execution of one of the neighbor’s kids. I suggested we just put out an eye, but half measures weren’t acceptable to the other aeronauts. And really, who can blame them?

It’s a stirring sight to witness a small screaming child dropped into a pit of spikes from 100 feet by pigeons flying in the Missing Man formation, and painted in the death markings of their race with a mixture of pigeon shit and ditch water. Better than fireworks.

KONTINUUM

What better way to begin celebrating the Birth Of Our Nation than with some Icelandic metal? Yes, I know it’s a cliched thing to do on the 4th, but I’m old-fashioned at heart. Continue reading »

A.M.S.G.: “ANTI-COSMIC TYRANNY”

Album Reviews 17 Responses »

Jul 032013

(A review of Anti-Cosmic Tyranny, the debut album by A.S.M.G. from Edmonton, Canada, scheduled for release by Profound Lore on August 20, 2013.)

A dark aura surrounds A.M.S.G. even before you make your way into the band’s music. “A.M.S.G.” stands for Ad Majorem Satanae Gloriam, which means “for the greater glory of Satan”. The band calls its music “Holocaustik Canadian Terrorist Black Metal” and “Black Magik Terrorism”. The striking artwork (or at least part of it) for the band’s forthcoming album Anti-Cosmic Tyranny resembles (and perhaps it is) the Qliphoth, alternately known in the Hermetic Qabalah and Kabbalistic mysticism as the Tree of Knowledge or the Tree of Death.

And then there’s AngelFukk Witchhammer, formerly of Canadian black metal bands Ouroboros and Rites Of Thy Degringolade, as well as a member of Gloria Diaboli. He does everything for A.M.S.G. except play drums. He wrote Anti-Cosmic Tyranny while serving a term in prison (not his first) for charges related to possession and sale of guns and drugs, an enterprise used to finance band activities. In his words, “We were building black metal on crime.” He is out of prison now, but no less serious about his dedication to Luciferian philosophies and steadfast opposition to the “cosmic tyranny” of religion in all of its forms.

Anti-Cosmic Tyranny is uncompromising, too, but maybe not in the way you would assume from what I’ve just written. For a genre of music born in an ethos of rebellion and resistance, black metal in the hands of many bands ironically has become calcified and orthodox. But Anti-Cosmic Tyranny lives and breathes the principle of “Do what thou wilt”. It follows its own unique path, and musically, it’s a thoroughly unpredictable mind-fuck. Continue reading »

GHOST’S NEW VIDEO FOR “MONSTRANCE CLOCK”

Exceptions to the Rule, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC 1 Response »

Jul 032013

To the sound of the monstrance clock
Air is cleansed, assembled flock
Black candles burn all night tonight

As the parish sighs in smoke
Enters lady revealed of cloak
To the haunting sound of the monstrance clock
Singing:

Come together, together as a one
Come together for Lucifer’s son

The music of “Monstrance Clock” sounds so sweet, but really, it isn’t. It isn’t my favorite track on Ghost’s latest album Infestissumam — that would have to be “Year Zero” — but it’s my second favorite, and so I’m quite happy to report that Ghost have released a new video for it. Directed by Rob Semmer, it sets the magnetic music to scenes of the band’s performances at the El Rey in Los Angeles and Webster Hall in New York City. Watch it next… Continue reading »

DAN SWANÖ’s WITHERSCAPE PROJECT RELEASES A NEW LYRIC VIDEO: “DEAD FOR A DAY”

Exceptions to the Rule 4 Responses »

Jul 032013

Back in May we helped spread the word that one of metal’s Renaissance men, Dan Swanö, had created a new project with multi-instrumentalist Ragnar Widerberg named Witherscape and had released a debut single named “Astrid Falls”. Since then we’ve seen the cover art for Witherscape’s first album, The Inheritance, created by the talented Travis Smith, and we’ve learned that the release will be a concept album, telling a story that takes place in a remote village in northern Sweden in the late 1800’s. According to Swanö, “The central character lives in Stockholm and comes from wealth, and upon the death of his family he’s informed by the family lawyer that he has inherited a large estate up north. Having been oblivious to the estate’s existence, he decides to investigate, and once he’s there ‘all kinds of weird shit happens.'”

And now today, via a DECIBEL premiere, Witherscape has brought us a new lyric video for a second track from the album, “Dead For A Day”. Rather than make my usual effort to describe the music, I’ll just let Mr. Swanö do it himself:

“‘Dead For A Day’ is one of those songs that just wrote itself. I was strumming on the acoustic guitar one morning and it just poured out of my fingers. At first, I had no idea what to do with the song since I felt it was perhaps a bit too commercial for Witherscape, but after I played the demo to Ragnar he insisted that it must be on the album! I love how the song moves between the mellow verses à la Crimson I and II to the more brutal, yet melodic chorus, in the tradition of ‘Uncreation’ and ‘Twilight’ through the groovy but ‘undanceable’ 9/8 section that leads to one of Ragnar’s best guitar leads of the album.”

Yes, it has clean singing, but it also includes Swanö’s awesome growls, as well as some wonderful lead and solo guitar work and a hooky melody. Holy hell, I’m really digging this. Listen to it next. The Inheritance will be released by Century Media on August 6 and can be ordered HERE with a t-shirt or HERE without one.

SVART CROWN: “PROFANE”

Album Reviews 6 Responses »

Jul 032013

(Andy Synn reviews the latest album by French metal band Svart Crown, which is out now via Listenable Records.)

“Heavy” is one of those recurring words we all like to use when talking about metal. It brings with it connotations of thunderous power and crushing force. Beyond this it can be used to suggest the sheer density of an album’s ominous atmosphere, or the bruising emotional weight it carries.

Sometimes it’s misused. Something simply being loud or well-produced is not the same as being really heavy – or at least, it’s nowhere near the same realms I’m talking about here. I can’t help but smile when I see others refer to certain albums as “really heavy” – whether they’re talking about the current big thing in metal, or even waxing lyrical on the supposed substance of the latest indie darlings – because I sometimes think we’re not even using the same yardstick to measure by.

Let me tell you one thing though, Profane, Svart Crown’s third album, is heavy. Very fucking heavy. Continue reading »

WATCH ABYSMAL DAWN’S “IN SERVICE OF TIME” VIDEO

RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC 6 Responses »

Jul 022013

It’s been a long time coming, but California’s Abysmal Dawn have just premiered their official video for “In Service of Time”, a track from their very strong 2011 album Leveling the Plane of Existence. The video was self-financed, and the production apparently encountered a variety of hurdles, with the final creation taking more than a year to complete. But everyone involved should be proud, because it’s very cool to watch.

Set in a dystopian urban future that’s intentionally reminiscent of the classic German silent film Metropolis, the video tells a tale of dehumanization and ultimately rebellion (and it may remind other viewers unfamiliar with Metropolis of an updated Bride of Frankenstein story, too). Kudos to director Robert Mestas for creating such an eye-catching work, and to the band for their perseverance.

With about two years having passed since the album’s release, you’re probably already familiar with the song, but if you’re not, that’s an added treat that lies in store for you. Check out the music and the visuals next…. Continue reading »

BLACK TUSK: “INTERNAL/ETERNAL”

RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC 7 Responses »

Jul 022013

Savannah, Georgia’s Black Tusk are staring into the teeth of a July 23 release date for their new EP Tend No Wounds via Relapse Records. I’ve already got the hots for the cover artwork, which was created by Brian Mercer (Eyehategod, Lamb of God, Zoroaster). I’m getting pretty steamy over the music, too. First, there was the band’s official video for “In Days of Woe” (which debuted about two weeks ago), and then today we got another new track — “Internal/Eternal” — via Crave Online.

The new song is a crusty bucket of Southern fried riffs, alcohol-ruined vocals, and cannonball drum hits. It’s primo headbang material, but there’s something ominous about the smoke-filled air in this room, like you better finish your shot in a hurry because you’re about to get knifed.

Listen to this song after the jump (and watch the previous video, too). I’m really diggin’ it, and looking forward to listening to all 6 tracks on the EP. Continue reading »

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