NO CLEAN SINGING

BLACK RABBIT: “HYPNOSOMNIA”

Jul 132023

(The Dutch band Black Rabbit released their debut album in March, and given our past attentions it would be a surprise if we didn’t say something about it. Finally we have, thanks to the following extensive commentary by DGR.)

You’ll have noticed over the years that one of the ongoing threads we like to pluck at around this site is the idea that there are certain albums we just can’t let go by, even though we’re long after release and the sort of ‘cultural moment’ that a disc may have had has passed – whether measured in nanoseconds or months. There are always albums that seem to steadily hover around the surface of the great musical scrying pool that we often pull our review subjects from, and at a certain point it just doesn’t seem to matter anymore the reason why we’re writing about them, just that we must, because at some point we’re completing some imaginary story arc that has drilled itself into our skulls.

Black Rabbit’s debut album Hypnosomnia is one of those. Honestly, it has been surprising that we’ve never really closed out the initial thread we started with our coverage of these death metal groove monsters ages ago by covering their first-full length. Its equally surprising that it seems that this one has been stealth-flying on a lot of people’s musical radars, given the metal public’s current seemingly insatiable appetite for big, meaty riffs and thudding rotating snare drum/bass drum one-two rhythms that bore their way under your skin until they become part of you.

If nothing else, we can close our own personal musical arc with the band, rectifying at least one of those two situations, by checking in with Hypnosomnia now. Continue reading »

NECRONOMICON EX MORTIS: THE VIDEO PREMIERE OF “CRYPT OF THE GORILLA GOD” (AND A REVIEW OF “SILVER BULLET”)

Album Reviews, Premieres, SHORT BUT SWEET No Responses »

Jul 122023

“What you’re about to experience is likely to be the most electrifying 18 minutes of your day, unless you lose control of your car, the brakes fail, and you’re surging toward a concrete pylon at Formula One speed.”

Almost four months ago that’s how we began our review and premiere of a self-titled EP by the Chicago-based horror-loving quintet Necronomicon Ex Mortis. We also wrote this: “Their brand of death metal is so fast, so technically head-spinning, and so devilishly inventive that it allows no room for any calm contemplation. All you can do is hang on for dear life and enjoy the flame-throwing madhouse thrills while they last — and then yield to the impulse to throw yourself back in right away”.

No wonder then that we jumped at the chance to host another Necronomicon Ex Mortis premiere today, and we’re doing that because they already have another EP headed for release in August. It’s named Silver Bullet, so if you’re a werewolf you’d better run. You might want to run even if you’re not a lycanthrope. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: THE GRIFTED

Interviews No Responses »

Jul 122023

(If you’re a death metal fan and you haven’t yet heard The Grifted‘s new album, released in April by Personal Records, you have some excellent listening ahead of you, and you’ll probably be even more interested after you read Comrade Aleks‘ excellent interview with guitarist Stefan Lagergren.)

NCS’ constant followers will remember The Grifted‘s track premiere in March (here). This absolutely classic sounding death metal band from Stockholm drew our attention not only with the killer single “The Maggots Feast” and their debut album Doomsday & Salvation itself, but also with heir shockingly civilized image, very organic and impressive.

The Grifted was founded in 2020 technically, but it’s the renamed version of the Mr. Death collective which used to record two proper full-lengths works and two EPs in a period from 2007 to 2020. Moreover, Juck Thullberg (bass) and Stefan Lagergren (guitars) were founders of the pre-Tiamat band Treblinka and took part in recording of Tiamat’s debut Sumerian Cry (1990).

And it’s right to note what their colleagues Jonas Ohlsson (drums), Jocke Lindström (vocals), and Staffan Skoglund (guitars) certainly know a few things about how to turn everything upside down and unleash the sheer death metal madness upon our doomed world.

This interview should have been done earlier, and I kept it on my mind for almost four months, so I invite you to join our conversation with Stefan Lagergren with a sense of relief and the feeling that the right thing is done. (And thanks to Nathan Birk, Suspicious Activities PR, for organizing this interview.) Continue reading »

RANNOCH – CONFLAGRATIONS

Album Reviews No Responses »

Jul 122023

(Andy Synn continues his impromptu “Best of British” week with his thoughts on the upcoming new album from Rannoch)

The word “masterpiece” has been roundly, and soundly, (over) used and abused so much over the years that it’s almost lost all meaning.

But, originally, a “masterpiece” wasn’t just something of exceptional quality – it specifically referred to that piece of work which first demonstrated an artist’s mastery of their craft and, in doing so, signified their acceptance into (or, at least, their eligibility for) the highest echelons of the artistic community.

Strictly speaking, then, no band should ever have more than one “masterpiece” to their name.

So if Rannoch‘s previous album, the masterful Reflections Upon Darkness, represented the moment when they stepped into the big leagues – in terms of both talent and ambition, at least, if not fame – then what does this mean for Conflagrations?

AN NCS PREMIERE: CHAOS ALTAR — “FURNACE”

Premieres No Responses »

Jul 112023

In the case of many of our premieres we have a great volume of information available for sharing — abundant details about a band’s origins, histories, and inspirations; conceptual and lyrical insights; commentary about the songs from the people who made it; and more. In other instances we have very little to share other than the music, perhaps because of the musicians’ adherence to the idea that only the music matters, or an embrace of the perceived purity of obscurity, or maybe just simple shyness.

Whatever the reason, today is one of those days when the music must mainly speak for itself. We know that Chaos Altar is a one-person black metal project from France, that person going by the name Executor, and that nine years ago the project released its debut EP, And Then You Die — and nothing since then (that we know of). We also have this one short but evocative statement about a new Chaos Altar record entitled Where the Ashes Now Reign, which will be released on July 28th by Void Wanderer Productions:

Let yourself be invaded by the atmosphere of death, destruction, and nothingness.
Welcome to our chaos!

Beyond that we don’t have much more info, but of course we do have the music… a song from the new record named “Furnace” that we’re presenting today. And it’s a hell of a good song. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: CYSTIC — “PESTILENTIAL THRONE”

Premieres No Responses »

Jul 112023

It’s not as if Seattle-based Cystic are complete unknowns. Anyone who’s heard the progression from their 2018 demo The Last Days through their two 2020 EPs Sworn Enemy of Life and Incineration Rites will remember their name. But their forthcoming debut album Palace of Shadows is still a big step forward, and the fact that the respected Mexican label Chaos Records is releasing it is a big flashing sign of that, before you even hear a note.

It’s no wonder they attracted that alliance. Cystic have tapped into old black veins of particularly grisly and gruesome death metal, but the blood they’ve drawn feels bursting with (horrid) life. They’ve proven a precocious and monstrous mastery of the kind of death metal that’s hideous and horrific, dank and dismal, and altogether thrilling. In listening you can almost imagine the stench of gangrene and rot, and also envision the rapid scything of illness through swaths of helpless humans and the ravenous ripping and tearing of demon hordes — and who doesn’t want that?

We’re sure happy to have it, and also happy that you don’t have to take our word for why the record is so strong — because we now have a second single to bring you today, the fitting name of which is “Pestilential Throne“. But for those who might have missed it, let’s begin with the first single from the album, “Core of the Maelström“. Continue reading »

SCAR SYMMETRY: “THE SINGULARITY (PHASE II — XENOTAPH)”

Album Reviews No Responses »

Jul 112023

(In June Nuclear Blast released Scar Symmetry‘s first studio album in nine years. DGR was in no great hurry to review it. And you’d better be in no great hurry to read the review, because he has a lot of thoughts about it.)

Ever since its early June release, I’ve thought a lot about Scar Symmetry‘s newest album The Singulary (Phase II – Xenotaph) and what it means for the band, the limits of artist freedom, the effect of a long wait between albums, Scar Symmetry‘s place within the overall heavy metal world, and just how much the naming of an album really matters in relation to the music within.

Long story short, for an album that is recognizably one of the most Scar Symmetry albums that could’ve feasibly been conceived, it sure has set the old brain muscles aflame, and for better or for worse not all of that relates to the quality of music contained within Xenotaph‘s near hour of run time. Because what does it mean for a band like Scar Symmetry to essentially vanish, go dormant for nine-plus years and then reappear with an album that sounds like it too was placed within stasis itself and basically continues right where the band left off from their previous adventures – though it takes a few songs to get there? Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: ARBORESCENCE OF WRATH — “REPENTANCE”

Premieres 1 Response »

Jul 102023

On October 13th Transcending Obscurity Records will release the debut album from Arborescence of Wrath, a vicious death metal entity that comprises current or former members of Origin, Marduk, and Benighted. The album could hardly be better-named: Inferno.

Up ’til today interested listeners have had two tracks from the album to consume (or more accurately to be consumed by), and today we’re bringing you a third one. Its name is “Repentance“, but the signs of remorse in the music are bleak, and ultimately overpowered by the extremity of the music’s madness and violence. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: BOLT GUN — “THE WARREN”

Premieres No Responses »

Jul 102023

Bolt Gun is a damn cool name for a metal band even if you don’t comprehend the specific reference. If you do know what an actual bolt gun is, that puts a meaner edge on the linguistic knife, and might even make the reference revolting to some, yet even the idea of being stunned prior to being slaughtered (at least musically) is a concept that for a metal listener can be very enticing.

Whether these Australians who chose the name for themselves pull off that feat in their music is a question they’ve had the chance to answer through several long-form releases. We will have another fulsome opportunity to make that decision when Avantgarde Music releases their third album The Tower in September of this year.

But we have an excellent opportunity today through our premiere of an EP named The Warren, which features the legend Iggor Cavalera on drums, that the same label will release this coming Friday, July 14th, as a precursor to the new album. Continue reading »

BEST OF BRITISH: BURNER / CALLIGRAM / COFFIN MULCH

Album Reviews No Responses »

Jul 102023

(Andy Synn is back with three recent examples of “the best of British” for you to enjoy)

Despite my ongoing efforts to expose and highlight some of the “best” and/or up-and-coming examples of British Metal over the years, there’s still a fair few people who seem to think I don’t do enough to “support the scene”.

Of course, digging into this a little deeper, it inevitably transpires that this accusation stems either from the fact that I don’t cover everything that the UK scene has to offer – both because I simply don’t have the time to cover it all and because, to be honest, it’s not all worth covering – or is a consequence of my attempts to offer a more measured and balanced critique, which sometimes involves providing some constructive criticism, rather than just flying the hype flag simply because something is “home grown”.

The consequence of this is – or should be – that you know that when I write about something I do so because I think it stands out from the crowd a little (or a lot). And while I’ve definitely been guilty of underrating/overrating a few things here and there before now, I don’t think I’ve ever written about anything that isn’t at least interesting. And the three albums you’re about to read about are definitely that (and much more besides).

Older Entries Newer Entries