NO CLEAN SINGING

THE SYNN REPORT, PART 77: SHATTER MESSIAH

Sep 302016

(In this September edition of THE SYNN REPORT, Andy reviews the discography of Ohio’s Shatter Messiah.)

Recommended for fans of: Nevermore, Exodus, Arch Enemy

I want to start off this edition of The Synn Report with a quick history lesson, if I may? You see, back when Islander first started this site with his two cantankerous compatriots, the name “NoCleanSinging” was chosen as a response to the horrible proliferation of bands roughly shoehorning a sickeningly saccharine clean-sung chorus into every song in a vain attempt to appear more artificially “emotional” or to improve their commercial viability.

However, you may have observed that, in the past few years at least, we’ve not stuck quite as closely to that “no clean singing” ethos as Islander and co. did in those early days… which is why today I have no hesitation in bringing you an overview of the four album catalogue of Akron, Ohio Power-Thrash quintet Shatter Messiah.

Of course it’s impossible to ignore how much the band have in common with the much-missed, much-mourned Nevermore… not least a certain guitarist (and main songwriter) by the name of Curran Murphy. In addition the raw, gritty melodies of singer Greg Wagner (and, later, his replacement Michael Duncan) carry the same sense of spite and venom as Warrell Dane at his most vehement, as well as sharing a similarly indignant anti-religious, anti-authoritarian lyrical stance.

And then there’s the guitar work, Murphy and his chums delivering a plethora of massive, Loomis-esque seven-string tech-thrash riffs and soaring, fleet-fingered lead-lines (that would make the Amott brothers nod their head in serious appreciation) which mix proggy intricacy and dark melody with a brand of heaviness that occasionally borders on Death Metal levels. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: FETID ZOMBIE — “IF THE DEAD COULD SPEAK”

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Sep 292016

A few people reading these words might not recognize the name Mark Riddick, but I’m guessing it’s a small percentage. Since 1991 he has been creating gruesome artwork for a countless number of album covers, posters, shirts, and more… and although he has been often copied, his style is so distinctive that you know a Riddick piece when you see it.

But I would guess that a larger percentage of readers don’t know that Riddick is also a vocalist and musician who has been involved in both bands and solo projects for about as long as he’s been making visual art. One of his solo projects is Fetid Zombie, and the new album Epicedia will be the sixth full-length created since 2008 (along with an EP and a large number of splits).

Epicedia is set for release on November 25 by Transcending Obscurity Records. So far, one song from the album (“Devour the Virtuous”) has premiered at DECIBEL along with an interview, and today we’ve got another one for you — “If the Dead Could Speak“. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: PROFANAL — “ETERNAL CURSE OF BLOOD”

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Sep 292016

Profanal come our way from Italy with their second album, Supreme Fire. It will be released by Iron Tyrant Records on October 31. As you can see, it includes colorful, abominable cover art — which is what first induced me to explore the music. Having done that, I am enthusiastically bringing you a track from the new album named “Eternal Curse of Blood“.

Profanal have a thirst for Swedish death metal… but if you’re expecting a simple re-tread of that classic sound, think again. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD (PART 1): DARK TRANQUILLITY, KVELERTAK, NO FUNERAL, NARCOSATANICOS

Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC 1 Response »

Sep 292016

Photo by Dirk Behlau

I intended to prepare a round-up much earlier this week than I have, but commitments to write premieres plus interferences from my fucking day job screwed those plans. So, I’m behind once again. Catching up isn’t realistic, but I’m going to make a stab at it anyway by doing a two-part Seen and Heard.

In this first installment I’m giving a tip of the hat to two widely popular bands — and no, Metallica isn’t one of them, though if you want to talk about the new Metallica track in the Comments, feel free. Then we’ll dive deeper into the underground with the final two bands in this group (with help from our contributor Grant Skelton).

The second installment, at least as I’ve planned it (because it’s not written yet), will be devoted to perhaps even more obscure and ferocious new music. But I do also have a couple of premieres to prepare for today, plus my day job isn’t leaving me alone… so there’s a chance Part 2 will slip.

DARK TRANQUILLITY

Earlier this week Century Media announced a new Dark Tranquillity album, their 11th. Named Atoma, and again featuring cover art by the band’s guitarist Niklas Sundin, it will be released on November 4, 2016. Coincident with that announcement, DT released the video that’s the first item in this round-up, for an Atoma track called “The Pitiless”. The video was filmed during the band’s appearance at the Turock Open Air Festival 2016 in Essen, Germany, by director Dirk Behlau. Continue reading »

A NCS PREMIERE: BURIAL IN THE SKY — “GALAXY OF GHOSTS”

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Sep 282016

(Austin Weber brings us this premiere of a new song by the Pennsylvania band Burial In the Sky.)

In the least few years, the technical death metal scene has undergone some very interesting mutations that have helped push the genre forward. Within this field of growth there seem to be two camps, one moving toward more atonal, skronky tech-death inspired by groups like Gorguts, Ulcerate, and Deathspell Omega, and another propagating a more atmospheric and proggy sound inspired by groups like Fallujah and Rivers Of Nihil. While I’m a fan of both takes on the sound, the group I’m covering today falls into the latter category.

While I can honestly say that Burial In The Sky are doing their own thing, influences from both Rivers Of Nihil and Fallujah can be heard at times, though the music is less imitative per se than in the way it’s been done recently by a few other groups. Having heard all of their new album early, I can also state with certainty that their form of atmospheric tech-death often encompasses a near-ambient psychedelic feeling that is uniquely their own. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: AUROCH — “SAY NOTHING”

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Sep 282016

On October 21, Profound Lore will release the third album by Vancouver’s Auroch, which is named Mute Books. The album will be released in different formats, with each of them featuring differing artwork by Cold Poison connected to the different aspects of the album. On one of them, these words are visible: “Silentium est aureum” — the Latin source of the phrase “silence is golden”. And if there is a “title track” to the album, it is probably the one you are about to hear:”Say Nothing“.

These related phrases have meaning yet to be revealed, but the music itself is anything but quiet.

As the album’s title may correctly suggest to you, however, the songs are organized into “chapters”. Because this is music, you could also think of them as movements in an interconnected compositional narrative. The title of the first chapter is “Trefoil Is the Grail of Perdition“. It consists of three songs, all of which are connected to each other thematically and musically. Last month, DECIBEL premiered the second song in this first movement of the album, a track named “He Wreathes the Cross“, and “Say Nothing” is the third of those. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: VORNA — “AALLOISTA”

Premieres 1 Response »

Sep 282016

Last fall we had the pleasure of premiering a full stream of an album called Ei valo minus seuraa (No Light Follows Me) by the six-man Finnish band Vorna. There was considerable diversity on that album, ranging from hard-charging gallops to solemn, atmospheric sagas, each one filled with drama and passion, each one a powerhouse of sound. Since then, Vorna have not been idle — and today we’re helping bring you a brand new Vorna song called “Aalloista“.

If you are familiar with that fine 2015 album by this band, you will notice a few changes of direction on the new single. Vorna’s lead vocalist Vesa Salovaara shared these thoughts about “Aaloista” and Vorna’s future endeavors: Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: MONOLITH WIELDER

Interviews No Responses »

Sep 282016

(Comrade Aleks conducted the following interview with Monolith Wielder, whose debut album will be released by Argonauta Records on October 17, 2016.)

Tight and powerful, Monolith Wielder breaks into the American doom stoner scene with their loud and savage debut full-length. Their riffs are overflowing with energy and fuzz, and they have enough enthusiasm to perform their songs at full capacity. Monolith Wielder was built on the stones of the Maryland doom scene and fed with Pittsburgh’s very soil; they know how to play it heavy and straightforward.

Break the Chains! Lift Your Eyes! And reach Illumination! Continue reading »

LITMUS TEST

Mosh Pit 26 Responses »

Sep 282016

I haven’t written about this subject in a while, but a recent private exchange of messages on Facebook got me thinking about it again. The subject concerns music created by bands (or at least parts of bands) who embrace Nazi ideology or other similar racist ideologies and beliefs.

These thoughts are my own, not necessarily those of anyone else associated with our site. The issue may come closer to my consciousness than other writers here because I tend to write more about underground black metal and certain offshoots of it, which have tended to be a more fertile breeding ground for this kind of thing than other metal genres. Continue reading »

“INTO THE DARKNESS”: A 2016 SAMPLER FROM REDEFINING DARKNESS AND SEEING RED

Free Shit 1 Response »

Sep 272016

Your humble editor hasn’t had time to assemble a round-up of new music since the weekend, but I thought I would at least alert you to this new sampler — because it’s FREE (though contributions are welcome), and because it includes some very good bands, many of whom we’ve posted about here at our putrid site.

The sampler’s name is Into The Darkness, and it was released yesterday by the sibling labels Redfining Darkness Records and Seeing Red Records, with artwork by Stephen Kasner. It includes a whopping 22 tracks. Most of those are extracted from albums that have already been released, but five come from forthcoming releases by Sentient Horror, Interitus , Ûngrûn, Curse of Denial, and old-school legends Decrepit, and there’s one by Maggot Twat that will be included in a reissue later this year.

Here’s the full line-up of bands: Continue reading »

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