NO CLEAN SINGING

READ THIS PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE MONOLITH DEATHCULT

Dec 122013

The Monolith Deathcult, with whom all loyal NCS readers are amply familiar because we talk about them so much our lips are chapped, are offering a limited-edition box set that isn’t really a box set because it has no box, but does contain these items: Tetragrammaton (2013) 2-LP in 180 grams clear vinyl in gatefold design; Trivmvirate (2008) 2-LP in 180 grams clear vinyl in gatefold design; Obliteration of the Despised Promo (2002 – sold out!) LP in 180 grams clear vinyl; a heavy duty carrying bag for carrying items that need carrying; and a limited “crest” design T-shirt.

But lest you think we’ve become shills for band mercy, the real reason I’m posting about this isn’t the merch (though I’m sure TMDC would appreciate your buying all this shit here), it’s the TMDC product announcement. It’s good. It’s funny. So I thought I’d share it. Because I can:

Hand-pressed in a sweat shop by forced child labour. Purchasing this item ensures that one community in an emerging economy will live in a pit of toxic sludge and abject poverty for at least 15 years. Made from 100% unrecycled material from unrenewable sources. Only slighly lethal to aquatic mammals. Do not use as a toy. Observe proper safety instructions when handling. Keep out of reach of children. Use only in a well-ventilated area. Exposure to this box-but-hey-it’s-not-a-box-box set may cause joint pain, nausea, head-ache, or shortness of breath. You may also experience muscle aches, rapid heartbeat, and ringing in the cars. If you feel faint, call your doctor. Continue reading »

OVID’S WITHERING: “SCRYERS OF THE IBIS”

Album Reviews 8 Responses »

Dec 122013

(In this post DGR reviews the new album by Tampa-based Ovid’s Withering.)

As we sprint toward the back half of the year, there are still albums out there that I feel need to be reviewed by the site. Though new releases have lightened up as the year draws to a close, the occasional one still comes through that needs to be talked about because they are heavy contenders to appear on a lot of year-end lists, and these bands will have seemingly come out of nowhere for some people.

Ovid’s Withering is one such band, a group from Tampa, Florida who have been pounding the ground for some time now, putting out a couple of EPs (Cloud Gatherer was reviewed here by TheMadIsraeli) and demos for people to check out – music of such good quality that the group had a tremendous amount of steam behind them by the time they released their debut album Scryers Of The Ibis in November of this year.

Ovid’s Withering combine many of the genre strands that have gained traction in death metal and deathcore as of late, infusing the aforementioned two with elements pulled from progressive, djent (their definition on Bandcamp, I’m trying to avoid the phrase), groove, blackened, and even symphonic metal. Many bands who do this tend to be overwhelmed by their own ambition, but Ovid’s Withering manage to take music from genres whose labels tend to make the eyes of the closeted metal elitist in all of us roll backwards into our skulls and make it work — becoming an amalgamation of all of those things, pulling the best from each and making it their own sound. Continue reading »

METAL AND MATURITY

Mosh Pit 37 Responses »

Dec 122013

(In this post Andy Synn expresses some opinions that I suspect will not be universally shared. Sound off in the comments… )

Metal and the concept of maturity, if you believe all that you’re told, don’t exactly make for the most common of bedfellows.

Even the kindest of mainstream media outlets still have a tendency to treat the genre as one solely of interest to angsty teens, disaffected Gen-X types, and adults stuck in a perpetual state of arrested development.

I can’t entirely blame them. After all, the majority of metal that hits the mainstream does dwell on the same sort of vapid and generic themes that most narcissistic pop/rap music features as well (raising the question, of course, as to why these genres aren’t also singled out as “just for kids”… liking something “ironically” is no excuse, nor is it believable to be honest).

Still, it’s even more galling when the same sort of questions and vague insults come from inside the scene. Continue reading »

A YEAR-END LIST FROM SÓLSTAFIR’S GUÐMUNDUR ÓLI PÁLMASON

LISTMANIA 2013 2 Responses »

Dec 122013

(Almost exactly one year ago we published Gemma Alexander’s great interview of Guðmundur Óli Pálmason, the drummer of what is today probably Iceland’s best known metal band, and a huge NCS favorite: Sólstafir. And today we present his list of favorite releases from 2013, with our thanks for participating in this year’s Listmania series.)

When the awesomely named I.S.Lander (Íslendingur) asked us Sólstafir boys to write a short best of 2013 list there was no way I could say no, even though I should have. I suck at making lists, and I suck even more at making year-end lists. I really can’t decide what’s my most favourite and what’s my second favourite, and third and so on. So the albums I’m writing about here are in alphabetical order, and this year the alphabet only contains 3 letters. Good for me. Also, in later years I have become a lazy consumer, I should be making a best of 2009 list, and the first album on my list will tell you why:

Alice in Chains – The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here

A month or so ago I decided that maybe it was time to check out the new Alice in Chains albums, and by new I mean 2009’s Black Gives Way to Blue, and this year’s The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here. It took a few listens to get into both albums, and I must say there aren’t as many instant hits here as on Dirt, but both albums contain a great “wholeness” and are great for old fashioned isteners like me who listen to an album as a whole. Continue reading »

2013 LISTMANIA CONTINUES: ROLLING STONE’S LIST OF THE 20 BEST METAL ALBUMS OF 2013

LISTMANIA 2013 39 Responses »

Dec 122013

As part of our year-end Listmania series, we re-publish “best metal album” lists compiled by certain “big platform” web sites and selected print zines. Today, we bring you what Rolling Stone magazine thinks are the 20 best metal albums of 2013.

Rolling Stone states that it has a total circulation of almost 1.5 million, and per this source, its web site receives about a half a million unique visitors every day. Its music coverage does include metal, but it focuses much more on rock. Or at least that was my impression back when I was a subscriber.

Rolling Stone introduced its 2013 list this way:

“Are these the most extremely extreme albums of the year? No, they’re more interesting and exciting than that. If there’s a thread running through these records, it is a lack of purity, a willingness to mess with metal’s structures and strictures. Here are Rolling Stone’s 20 favorite metal albums of 2013.”

CATCHING UP (PART 2): SOREPTION, VADER, WATAIN

RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC 6 Responses »

Dec 112013

Continuing my effort to catch up on news and new music I missed while on vacation the last two weeks, here are three more items of interest, again presented in alphabetical order.

SOREPTION

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve seen the phrase “long-awaited and highly anticipated” in a press release about a new album, I could buy a nice new car, or maybe two. But it’s a phrase that absolutely fits this Swedish band’s second album, Engineering the Void. More than three years have passed since the release of their excellent debut album Deterioration of Minds. Even when the band finally released an exciting teaser of new music last June, there was no release date.

Finally, while I was away, the band announced that the album would be released by Unique Leader Records on February 18, and then just two days ago we got a lyric video for the first full advance track from the album, “Breaking the Great Narcissist”, and goddamn, is it good. Continue reading »

EYE OF SOLITUDE: “CANTO III”

Album Reviews 9 Responses »

Dec 112013

(Andy Synn reviews the new album by UK-based Eye of Solitude)

Some albums are a real slog. They drag, they stagger, they pull you down. They’re like a car crash in slow motion (and not in the good way). You simply can’t turn away from them. You get through them only by virtue of sheer will-power and bloody-minded perseverance.

Those are the bad albums.

Others are an epic journey. Physically and emotionally draining, yet cathartic and captivating. They hook their fingers into your soul and simply refuse to let go until the last dying note. Every step along the way reveals something new, something memorable and magical, making every aching mile worth the effort and toll.

This is one of those albums. Continue reading »

TOP 25 OF 2013: ÜBER-ELITIST EDITION

LISTMANIA 2013 13 Responses »

Dec 112013

photo by Eija Makivuoti

(As our 2013 Listmania series continues on its first day, occasional NCS contributor and hard man to please KevinP offers up this year-end list of his top 25 albums of the year, with notes on the top 10.)

I made a big stink about only doing a Top 10 last year and that was my plan again. But I found it nearly impossible with the sheer amount of quality releases. I went to 15, then 20, and finally settled on 25. Heck, I could have easily done 40, but I had to draw the line somewhere.

25. Majestic Downfall – Three

https://www.facebook.com/majestic.downfall
http://chaos-records.bandcamp.com/album/three

24. Attacker – Giants of Cannan

https://www.facebook.com/AttackerBand

A YEAR-END LIST FROM CHRIS OJEDA (BYZANTINE)

LISTMANIA 2013 12 Responses »

Dec 112013

(Today we begin our 2013 Listmania series, in which the NCS staff and a variety of esteemed guests name their favorite albums of the year. And to kick things off, we’re stoked to present this piece by Chris Ojeda, the main man of two bands who are big favorites around here — Byzantine and Black Cap Miner.)

Hello, my name is Chris. My music friends call me OJ. I front the heavy metal band Byzantine. Been doing that since 2000. I’ve been a die-hard metal fan since 1989. I have been asked by the fine people at No Clean Singing if I would give my $0.02 on my favorite musical releases of 2013. With that offer, I have compiled for you a very short list of fantastic albums that came out this year. I have limited it to metal and/or heavy music since that’s what we dig here.

I must preface this piece by mentioning a few things. 1. I am not a music reviewer and have no prior experience writing such pieces. I am just a music lover who happens to have the opportunity to write a piece such as this. Any typos or musical poor judgments can be filed in the “fuck you” file. 2. Even though I operate in the metal community, my band is on the fringes of said community, and therefore I can freely speak my mind about what sucks and who sucks, in my opinion. I won’t be getting a nasty call from our booking agent, manager, or record label, since I have none of these.

So… Here we go! My faves of 2013. Continue reading »

CROWDSOURCING: THE FUTURE OF MUSIC?

Mosh Pit 21 Responses »

Dec 102013

(Alain Mower returns with another guest post designed to stir up some discussion.)

Who’s up for a debate?

While the countless broken bodies of ‘could-have-beens’ and ‘never-weres’ lay strewn under their feet, the creators of successfully crowdsourced albums have sent out ripples that have quickly become tidal waves, and – at least for this moment in time – it seems as though crowdsourcing is here to stay.

$375 poorly hand-stenciled “metal” jackets from Urban Outfitters, also here to stay?

But is it the future? Continue reading »

Older Entries Newer Entries