AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: GLOSON — “CRINGE”

 Premieres  2 Responses »
Apr 102017
 


Photo by Jari Välitalo

 

We loved Grimen, the debut album by the Swedish sludge/post-metal titans who call themselves Gloson, released earlier this year by Art of Propaganda. To borrow a few words from Andy Synn’s review at our site, “Grimen is an album with, for want of a better word, real presence. Something which makes it impossible to ignore, and impossible to forget…. There’s just something about this music, something so uniquely dynamic and utterly overpowering, that I find myself irresistibly drawn to it again and again, as if it has its own inescapable gravity…. [A]lthough it’s only February, I think I’ve already found one of my albums of the year.”

Early last fall, five months before the album’s release, Gloson delivered its first single, a stunning song called “Cringe“. And now we have the good fortune to be the bearers of an amazing new live video for that very song. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: CONDOR (MAGNUS GARATHUN)

 Interviews  2 Responses »
Apr 102017
 

 

(Argentinian writer Matías Gallardo rejoins us with this interview of guitarist Magnus “Magressor” Garathun of the Norwegian band Condor, whose blistering new album (and probably their last one) Unstoppable Power will be released on April 28th.)

 

You might have noticed Condor the first time they flew over our heads in 2011 with the release of the Speedwagon EP. Championed by none other than Fenriz from Darkthrone, that material secured the thrash/black Norwegian trio a cult following that embraced with joy their self-titled debut released two years later.

Fast forward four years and Condor is back with a great new LP, entitled Unstoppable Power. The successor of 2014’s split with Töxic Death, Victims of Burning Death, feels like the guys left the darker influences aside and chose to go with a full old-skull German-influenced thrash metal sound instead, which is – obviously – awesome news. Following, guitarist Magnus ‘Magressor’ Garathun tells NCS how unstoppable is the new menace that dwells in the skies. Continue reading »

ULVER: “THE ASSASSINATION OF JULIUS CAESAR”

 Album Reviews  2 Responses »
Apr 102017
 

 

(Andy Synn prepared this review of the new album by Ulver, which is released today.)

Have you ever wondered if Ulver’s career thus far might in fact be some elaborate joke that none of the rest of us understands? That the band have been engaged in one grand, meta-musical experiment for the last 15-20 years, seeing just how far they can take things, and how far they can push their audience outside of their usual comfort zone?

After all, frontman Kristoffer Rygg has been known to go by the pseudonym “Trickster G”, and the band even had their own label called “Jester Records” at one point, so it’s not like they haven’t given us more than a few hints along the way.

So what if it really is all just a game, a long-con, and we’re just not able to see it?

Would it really matter? Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: EVOKE THY LORDS — “HEAVY WEATHER”

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Apr 102017
 

 

One of the best things you can say about a song that’s nearly 12 minutes long is that it ends too soon. “Heavy Weather” is so tremendously good that even at that length, you lose a sense of time passing until the song reaches its conclusion. If you’re like me, your first thought after this long, transfixing trip is over will be that it’s still not enough.

“Heavy Weather” is a new single by the Siberian doom band Evoke Thy Lords. We’ve paid attention to the band before, publishing not one but three different interviews of their vocalist/bassist Alexey Kozlov conducted by Comrade Aleks over the space of several years (collected here). But this is my own first occasion to lavish praise on their talents. Continue reading »

AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: COLDBLOOD — “SULPHUR”

 Premieres  4 Responses »
Apr 102017
 

 

Ten months ago we had the pleasure of premiering a full stream of Indescribable Physiognomy Of The Devil, the most recent album by the Brazilian death metal band Coldblood. And today we get to bring you a video for the seventh track from that album, a chilling blast of hellfire appropriately named “Sulphur“.

The release of  a video like this one serves several purposes, one of which is to turn people on to an album they might have missed — and Indescribable Physiognomy is one that shouldn’t be missed if you’re a fan of barbaric, pulse-pounding death metal. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: HAVUKRUUNU, TIME LURKER, KAOSOPHIA, ENISUM, SANCTUS HEXE, OPHIUCHI

 Album Reviews, Metal News, SHADES OF BLACK  10 Responses »
Apr 092017
 

 

Greetings again from Seattle, where the sun has chosen to shine on this Sunday. Nevertheless, I will again try to help darken the sabbath with a selection of new black metal that I hope you will find pleasing. All of this has certainly pleased me.

HAVUKRUUNU

I hadn’t been awake for long this morning when I learned (thank you Conor!) that Naturmacht Productions had revealed the first taste of music from the new album by Finland’s Havukruunu — an album I have been very eagerly awaiting.

The song is brilliant, and so at the last minute I’ve added it to this post in a prominent position. I’m now especially anxious to explore the rest of the album, which it seems I now have in my clutches. Something will have to yield to it today… perhaps food, bathroom breaks, interaction with my spouse… one must establish the correct priorities. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: AMENTIA — “SENTENCE EXECUTIONER”

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Apr 092017
 

 

On May 8, Satanath Records (Russia) and Amputated Vein Records (Japan) will release Scourge, the new third album by Amentia from Belarus. We’re fortunate to bring you the premiere of one of the new songs, “Sentence Executioner“, along with a previously released track named “Slow Decay“.

Amentia began as a studio project more than a dozen years ago and the veteran line-up includes members of Deathbringer, Thy Disease, and Disloyal, and former members of Posthumous Blasphemer. The labels recommend the album to fans of Blotted Science, Suffocation, Decrepit Birth, Misery Index, and The Faceless, among others. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD (PART 4): VAMPIRE, KROSSFYRE, GURTHANG, PHRENELITH, APOSENTO

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  1 Response »
Apr 082017
 

 

I started what was supposed to be a two-part SEEN AND HEARD round-up last Wednesday. I couldn’t finish it as fast as I  planned, and as time passed I continued discovering new music and videos worth recommending. What was supposed to be two parts became four. So, here it ends… but only for now, because I’m sure I’ll start all over again early next week.

There are four individuals songs or videos in this collection, each from a forthcoming or recent album, plus one full album stream. As in Part 3, I’ll keep my verbiage brief.

VAMPIRE

The new album by the Swedish band Vampire is With Primeval Force. It will be released by Century Media on April 21st. Yesterday the label debuted a video for a song from the album named “He Who Speaks“, which I believe is the fourth track from the album to be previewed so far. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD (PART 3): VALLENFYRE, HIDEOUS DIVINITY, NOVEMBERS DOOM, ADRIFT FOR DAYS, DIREWOLVES

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  6 Responses »
Apr 082017
 

 

I had planned to conclude an ever-expanding round-up of new music and videos yesterday, but missed my target. Based on the gagging and gurgling sounds, I think my arrow hit someone in the throat.

So here we are, a day late, and late in the day also. Plus, it’s a Saturday, which means damn few people will even discover this post, and to exacerbate the problems I’ve thrown in music from ten bands, which is probably more than most people have patience for. Oh, but it could have been so much longer! I still have much more music to recommend, some of which will be in tomorrow’s SHADES OF BLACK feature.

Because this third part of the week-long round-up has metastasized to such a great extent, I’m dividing the tumor evenly into two parts, which means there will be a Part 4 a bit later today — and I’ll also be brief with my own words. Enjoy the music… and do share your own reactions in the Comment section if you’re so inclined.

VALLENFYRE

Vallenfyre‘s new album is Fear Those Who Fear Him, set for release by Century Media on June 2nd. This is an eagerly awaited return from one of our favorite bands, and the video below is for the album’s first single, “Kill All Your Masters”. Continue reading »

AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): CONNOISEUR — “OVER THE EDGE”

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Apr 072017
 

 

Based on past experience with Connoisseur, I had an inkling of what was coming when I first listened to their new album, Over the Edge, but you may not. I’ll tell you up-front that Connoisseur are one of the biggest musical head-fakes on the planet. There’s so much weed in their song titles that you can get a contact high just from reading them; along with the cover art, they all just giggle “droopy-lidded stoner metal” at you. But if you’re expecting music to get hazy with, you’re in for a big surprise.

Over the Edge is being released today by Tankcrimes, and we’ve got a full stream of the album for you… along with a few words of preparation for the unsuspecting listener. Continue reading »

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