(We present another monthly collection of reviews by Daniel Barkasi, who focuses his attention this time on albums released during April 2026.)

Spring – that lovely time when the cold goes away and I don’t need thermal undergarments to go outside. Alas, Mother Nature can’t seem to make up her mind – freezing one day, gorgeous the next. One day, we experienced the conditions of all four seasons in a single day. Those kinds of swings have been common all over – ask the poor iguanas in Florida – so we just have to push through it.

When titling this edition, yes, of course we’re parodying the A Song of Ice and Fire book series that’ll seemingly never finish, so with a lack of judgement in the humor department, this is where we landed. At least this column will be done before the next book comes out.

Also, totally unrelated – the horses are finally home! It’s good to have them back, and by the time we’re writing about May releases, we’ll hopefully be able to announce the arrival of our girl Naru’s foal.

The beginning of festival season is of course upon us, and NCS’s very own Northwest Terror Fest is literally days away as I write this. To all attending, have the absolute best time, and thanks for making it and this lovely place what it is. I’ll join the group someday. Maryland Deathfest follows, of course, with a lineup that’s difficult to imagine being real. For me, Fortress Festival immediately follows, so stay tuned for a documentation of my adventures in the town of Scarborough. Continue reading »