A BUNCH OF SHIT THAT PHRO LIKED FROM 2012

 Listmania, LISTMANIA 2012, Phro's Posts  18 Responses »
Dec 182012
 

(The title of Phro’s year-end list was “A Bunch of Shit Phro Liked from 2010 2012″, but your humble editor couldn’t figure out how to make a strike-through work in the WordPress post title box. So just imagine that it’s there.)

 Oh, man, I can’t believe how quickly the first decade of the 21st millennium has gone! And just think, the world will only exist for another two years and then BLAMO! Mayan zombie pandas with laser claws and giant fire-ball shooting testicles will take over the world and sell us all to bug-eyed aliens for a few pounds of bamboo and a rocket ship. So, I guess what I’m saying is, make the next two years cou–

Wait, what? It’s 2012? Did…did I just miss the last two years? Oh, fuck, hold on, lemme do some quick research and get back to you with all the awesome stuff that happened this year. Ummm…here, watch this cow and I’ll be right back.

 

http://youtu.be/hNz1CgVa46E

Continue reading »

2012 — A YEAR IN REVIEW(S): THE GOOD ALBUMS

 Listmania, LISTMANIA 2012  13 Responses »
Dec 182012
 

(This is the second in NCS writer Andy Synn’s week-long series of posts looking back at albums released in 2012.) 

Ok, so there’s a variety of releases on this list. And not just in terms of genre. The albums featured here range from ‘Good’ to ‘Very Good’, some of which teeter on the edge of greatness but which, for reasons I might just explain if you’re all on your best behaviour, didn’t quite make the cut for the list of the year’s Great albums.

Try not to blow a gasket if your favourite album is on the ‘Good’ list, rather than the ‘Great’ list – I’ve simply tried to be as objective and impartial as possible. The albums on this list (to paint a broad picture) simply had a few too many flaws, or were perhaps a tad lacking in ambition, to really reach the pinnacle of greatness.

Similarly don’t worry if there’s an album you don’t see on either of the two lists. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to be on the ‘Disappointing’ list (though try and forgive me if they are). There’s only so much time in the day/week/month/year, so certain albums I either simply haven’t heard yet (Nachtmystium, Antestor, for example) or haven’t listened to enough to form a reasonable opinion.

After the jump… all the ‘Good’ albums from this year of manic metal. Continue reading »

SOILWORK DEBUT A BLISTERING NEW SONG: “SPECTRUM OF ETERNITY”

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  7 Responses »
Dec 172012
 

Sweden’s Soilwork will be releasing their ninth studio album, a double CD entitled The Living Infinite, on February 27 in Asia (via license to Marquee Records), in Europe on March 1, and in North America on March 5 through Nuclear Blast Records. Tonight, the band debuted the first new song from the album, “Spectrum of Eternity”.

Every time I’ve reported news about The Living Infinite, I’ve tempered my interest with some kind of comment to the effect that although hope springs eternal, my expectations aren’t high. I do love this band, and I’ve loved at least one song on every album they’ve released, but the percentage of songs I’ve loved has declined over time.

But holy shit, “Spectrum of Eternity” has caused my expectations to soar. After a brief head-fake of an intro, it turns out to be absolutely blistering — a real high-energy powerhouse of a song. Speed Strid’s harsh vocals have never sounded more vicious and his clean vocals have never been more powerful; he hits some high notes I had no idea he was capable of reaching. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: SKÁLMÖLD

 Interviews  1 Response »
Dec 172012
 

(photo by Matthieu Fabert)

EDITOR’S PREFACE: Gemma Alexander is a Seattle writer and NCS fan who visited Iceland this fall, timing her visit to coincide with the Iceland Airwaves festival. While in Iceland, Gemma generously arranged to conduct interviews of some Icelandic bands for NCS. So far, we’ve posted her interviews of Angist, Beneath, Kontinuum, Sólstafir., and Gone Postal.

Today we give you Gemma’s interview of Skálmöld’s Snæbjörn Ragnarssonin. Gemma wasn’t able to catch up with the band in Iceland, and we thank them for agreeing to do this one by e-mail. Except for the photo above, Gemma also took all the pics that accompanying her interview.

********

Throughout the ages, the greatest minds in metal have sought a satisfactory definition for the term “Viking metal.” It seemed that their best efforts were doomed to be fruitless when Amon Amarth, the one band universally agreed to belong to the genre, went on record with this statement:

“We play death metal. We write about Vikings so, therefore, some refer us to Viking metal, but I have no idea what that is. I can’t imagine the Vikings were into metal at all except on the swords and stuff. And musically, I guess they only played these strange lip instruments and some bongos or whatever.”

—The Metal Web’s interview with Johan Hegg Continue reading »

THE ONLY TOP 10 LIST YOU NEED TO READ THIS YEAR

 Listmania, LISTMANIA 2012  13 Responses »
Dec 172012
 


(Today we’re beginning begin our series of year-end album lists from NCS staff and guest writers. This guest post is from occasional NCS contributor and hard man to please KevinP. The understated title to this post was his idea.)

Like most people I could compile a list of 20 albums that are worthy of praise this year, but I won’t.  This is a Top 10 List and the inclusion of 12 or 15 would just cheapen the rest.  If you don’t make the Top 10, you simply don’t get mentioned.  Heck, I’m listening to an album that just missed the cut, but I won’t even give it the “Honorable Mention” tag, since I’m only giving you 10.  So without further ado, and with massive drumrolls……

 

10. Master’s Hammer – Vracejte konve na místo

I like my black metal weird.  Ever since 1992 I’ve had a soft spot for Necrocock & Mr. Storm.  Their brand of oddness just resonates with me.  Wasn’t even aware this album was coming until it was (self) released.  Even the term “experimental black metal” doesn’t do justice for those of you who have not experienced this band before. Continue reading »

INFANT ANNIHILATOR: “THE PALPABLE LEPROSY OF POLLUTION”

 Album Reviews  25 Responses »
Dec 172012
 

(Here, TheMadIsraeli reviews the debut album by Infant Annihilator.)

If there is a band who are showing us that deathcore isn’t down and out for the count yet, it’s Infant Annihilator.  Many of us metal heads make endless fun of this style, but a few bands out there are the reason this style became a thing: Despised Icon, The Red Chord (who by the way are releasing a new album sometime in 2013), Animosity — bands who mixed the technicality and brutality of death metal yet also brought the grit and beatdown groove of hardcore into it.

On paper this is a style that should have been more consistently badass than it has been. Unfortunately, it has become a cesspool of inept musicians who are more consumed by the laughable bro-centric culture the style has produced than anything.

But Infant Annihilator are no bros.  Infant Annihilator are a Vatican-atomizing weapon of immense weight, power, and devastation that leaves no stone unturned in their first official dosage of sonic retribution, The Palpable Leprosy Of Pollution.  Not many bands are able to put out an explosive cask of pure badassery this concise, this jarring, and this fury-born.  Continue reading »

LIVE REPORT: CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SKELETONWITCH, RED FANG, BLACK TUSK, AND HAVOK (The Magic Stick, Detroit MI, 11-16-12)

 Concert Reviews  3 Responses »
Dec 172012
 

(BadWolf and friends took in the show at Detroit’s Magic Stick co-headlined by Corrosion of Conformity and Skeletonwitch on November 16 and provides this review, with pics by Nick Vechery.)

I go to so many concerts that I forget live music is a celebration. When a band plays, the audience takes on a responsibility to express great feeling—vocally, physically, and of course through liver deterioration. It is easier to have a good time at a show not only when the bands are good, but when there is an occasion to celebrate. In the case of Corrosion of Conformity and Skeletonwitch’s co-headlining show, my wolf pack and I had much to celebrate.

My longstanding photographer and concert partner, Sir Nick Vechery, just celebrated his one year anniversary with his wonderful Significant Other, Whitney. [HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, GUYS!] Her gift to him? Skeletonwitch tickets. At the same time, we celebrated our first year of reporting for No Clean Singing. We loaded my car up with some Pabst and Toledo arts reporter Ian Hubbard, and trekked to The Magic Stick.

The Magic Stick boasts a fine bar, plenty of room, a loud stereo, and a huge second-story smoking patio with a gorgeous view of metro Detroit. The venue sits on top of a bowling alley, another bar, and a snack shoppe (the pizza was quite delicious, if a bit greasy). It stands as one of the finest venues I’ve ever visited, and I highly recommend that any NCS readers with the opportunity to spend money there do so. In the past two months I’ve seen four concerts there and cannot wait to return. Continue reading »

2012 – A YEAR IN REVIEW(S): THE GREAT ALBUMS

 Listmania, LISTMANIA 2012  39 Responses »
Dec 172012
 

(This is the first in NCS writer Andy Synn’s week-long series of posts looking back at albums released in 2012.) 

Ok, you should know how this works by now, but for those of you who are new and/or of a forgetful nature, here goes:

Over the course of this week I’ll be producing a series of columns rounding up the year. The first deals with the objectively ‘Great’ albums, the next will feature those of a ‘Good’ (or ‘Very Good’) nature that don’t quite manage to reach the high peaks of greatness, and finally you’ll be getting a flame-retardant piece featuring the most ‘Disappointing’ records released this year. Here’s a quick warning though – there are some BIG albums on there. Apologies in advance for any offence caused.

The last two columns will finalise my ‘Critical Top 10’ and ‘Personal Top 10’ albums of the year – the first will be the 10 albums I think are objectively ‘the best’ of the year, the ones I would put in a time capsule and preserve as a perfect representation of the year in metal. The second is, as you might have gathered, going to be a far more personal list, the ten albums I’ve listened to the most and keep going back to, time and time again, because they simply ‘click’ with where and who I am at the moment.

So here we go, here are the ‘Greatest’ albums of the year! Continue reading »

SUNDAY SEEN AND HEARD: GHOST, HOWLING, AND ARKONA

 Exceptions to the Rule, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  4 Responses »
Dec 162012
 

From me to you, new things discovered today . . .

GHOST

I became an acolyte of Ghost after witnessing their live ritual twice in the last year. The music was already growing on me before those shows, but they sealed the deal.

Now we have a new Ghost song and a new live video performance of the song to go with it. Ghost began rolling out the song on-line, one recording track after another, and now the entire song is available for listening — and it’s also a free download.

“Secular Haze” has the rhythm of a waltz and fancifully begins and ends with the sound of a calliope. Like so many of the band’s songs, it’s poppy and catchy, and yet moments of ominous tension find their way into the melody. The song didn’t grab me as fast as some of the tracks on Opus Eponymous, but by the third listen I was hooked.

To hear the song and get it for free, go to this location and enter your e-mail address. You’ll then receive a download link by e-mail. To watch the new video, continue on past the jump. Continue reading »

WHAT LIES AHEAD

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  4 Responses »
Dec 162012
 

I thought I’d give you a preview of what’s coming at NCS in the weeks ahead.

LISTMANIA

This week we’re expecting two more year-end lists from what I’ve been calling “big platform” web sites — NPR and Pitchfork. And unless we see something else that’s unexpectedly interesting, those two will finish off our series on 2012 lists from other publications and web sites with big-scale audiences.

Beginning tomorrow, we’ll also start rolling out year-end lists from the NCS staff as well as guest writers. We’ve got 9 guest posts in hand and ready to go right now, and we’re expecting at least one or two more to come in. These lists reflect considerable diversity of tastes and should provide some new discoveries for everyone.

We also want to remind everyone about the Readers’ List resource. This is a post where we encouraged all of our readers to leave the names of their own favorite 2012 albums in the Comment section for others to see. There are a lot of great lists in the Comments to that post already, but we can use more. Go HERE to leave the names of your favorites and to see what other people are talking about. Continue reading »

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