OBSCURITIES – VOLUME XXX: VIVA ESPAÑA

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Aug 042026
 

(Below you will find Daniel Barkasi’s latest monthly collection of reviews for NCS. This one includes enthusiastic recommendations for six albums released in July 2026.)

No, we’re not going to make a bunch of Vin Diesel references, and this month won’t be filled with so-called “dirty words” – though George Carlin is by far my favorite comedian of all-time, but a small milestone of this being the 30th edition of this column is a small thing that makes me smile a bit. It’s been fun sharing all kinds of music in these exalted halls, and we won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

The World Cup wrapped up, with good ole FIFA making an absolute ass of themselves – what else is new? It’s wild when the previous FIFA president (who was as corrupt as can be) looks trustworthy in comparison to the current one, and with the recent developments of trying to sell off stakes in the tournament to “investors” who have no interest in the game, the man who already had gone too far has managed to overstep even further.

However, despite the seediness of the organizing body, the football itself for the most part was edge-of-your-seat stuff. I enjoyed the games thoroughly, and congrats to Spain, who were unbreakable throughout the entire tournament and absolutely earned their victory. Cabo Verde’s unbelievable performance was also something that sticks out as special – seeing such a small nation push the eventual champions and runners-up Argentina to the edge was a great story. It would have been cool to have gone to a game, but there wasn’t a chance that we were going to plunk down over $1k per ticket. Hopefully the pricing out of a lot of people gets fixed one of these years, but we’re not counting on it. Continue reading »

INFERNO: “THE ANTHROPIC SOPHISMS (ON THE HEIGHTS OF DESPAIR)”

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Jul 092026
 

(We present Daniel Barkasi’s evocative review of a new album by the Czech band Inferno, which will be released on July 17th by Debemur Morti Productions.)

If you search for a band named Inferno on Encyclopedia Metallum, you’ll unsurprisingly get a lot of results. All of these are not created equal, of course. When we think of a band of that name, there’s only one that comes straight to mind – the gnostic black metal Inferno hailing from Czechia.

Having been in existence for over three decades, their works speak for themselves, though they’ve experienced quite a musical metamorphosis over those years. Earlier releases were much more straightforward second-wave black metal with a certain rawness and regional authenticity that added to their proverbial charm. A hint of a more expansive direction could be sniffed out on Black Devotion in certain aspects, but that change truly came to fruition on the nightmarish Omniabsence Filled by His Greatness in 2013, a record filled with dreary, unpredictable atmospheres resembling a thick fog that gives no chance of seeing anything but nothingness.

From that release, Inferno have been wildly experimental, carving out a truly singular sound and presence, not unlike contemporaries Blut Aus Nord, Cult of Fire, and a select few others. They also don’t tinker for the sake of it – the upper crust quality of each release exemplifies creative zeal to a level that few achieve. Continue reading »

OBSCURITIES – VOLUME XXIX: SUMMER SOLSTICE

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Jul 062026
 

(We welcome back Daniel Barkasi with another collection of reviews and recommendations of albums released in the month just ended, this time June 2026.)

The summer solstice came on June 21, and it’s been a wild ride so far in 2026. New house in a new state, new baby horse (Ezri is doing awesome). What’s also new – for me, anyway – is not being cooked alive by the temperature at this point in the year. It has been a comforting 70 – 75°F (around 21– 24°C) for a lot of the time here in the WV mountains. Then there’s Florida, where the real feel temperature has been as high as a sweat-farming 110°F (a hair over 43°C).

I used a past tense in describing the amazing weather we were having, but alas, a taste of Florida has arrived, with those same boiling conditions. Talk about perspiration soup. I miss some things about the home of the infamous Florida man, but not that.  With that, it’s been a regular refreshing of cold water for all of the outdoor animals, as well as shearing the sheep – which was quite the ordeal, but absolutely necessary to prepare.

At the beginning of June, we also got to attend an event a little different from music, but with a connection for many who enjoy this sort of music – a horror convention. Continue reading »

FORSMÁN: “BRENNDAR RÚSTIR & FUÐRANDI FJÖRUR”

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Jun 252026
 

(Here is Daniel Barkasi’s review of a new album by the Icelandic black metal band Forsmán that will be released on June 26th via Vesperian through Metal Blade Records worldwide.)

To any black metal connoisseur not living in a cave – if you are, we get it, the aesthetic makes sense – the Icelandic scene is a treasure trove. Yes, that’s an unsurprising statement coming from this fellow, and to be frank, it’s difficult to not indulge. With that said, we’ve always got a critical eye, so there’s no geographical bias – great stuff is just that, and there’s a common thread from much of the music coming from this locale being unmistakingly inimitable.

We won’t provide a dissertation into every aspect of why this scene speaks to me – an idea for the future, perhaps – so let’s get to the subject of Forsmán. If that’s not a familiar name, that’s about to change. Their debut EP Dönsum í logans ljóma was released in 2021, and is a fine entry to show what they’re about – an expressive, immense style of black metal, with sharp melodies woven in and a crafty yet aggressive, forthright attack. As with many acts from this isle, there’s involvement in other notable projects, and it’s a fine list – Múr, Mannveira, Angrenost, Misþyrming, among others, so a high level of pedigree is present.

The real question, of course, is what they do with said tools at their disposal on their new album. Titled Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur – roughly translating via Google to “Burnt Ruins & Flowing Shores” – the answer is as layered as the compositions. Continue reading »

OBSCURITIES – VOLUME XXVIII: FLYING HIGH

 Album Reviews  1 Response »
Jun 172026
 

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

I began writing this reflecting on what was another incredible edition of Maryland Deathfest and preparing for my flight over the pond to attend and cover the mighty Fortress Festival. Well, with the time needed to complete my extensive overview, we’re finally getting back to this column. Apologies for the delay, but between that and getting my general existence sorted post-Fortress mayhem, this unfortunately got pushed to the back burner. But hey, better late than never, and we’ve got some records you won’t want to sleep on.

I also have to give a shout out to the wife, as Monday, May 25th, was our tenth wedding anniversary. Thanks for being the best and dealing with my oddball self. Time flies far too quickly, and each moment is a cherished one.

To add to personal instances, we mentioned our pregnant horse Naru was due any day. Well, during the Maryland Deathfest weekend, she gave birth to her first foal, a wonderful grulla filly who we just named Ezri. Mom and the little one are healthy as can be, doing great, and thriving at home. Life can be pretty awe-inspiring sometimes, and this is one of those moments. Excited to see this little one grow up. Continue reading »

FORTRESS FESTIVAL 2026 – MAY 30-31, SCARBOROUGH, NORTH YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND – DAY 2

 Concert Reviews  2 Responses »
Jun 122026
 

(Here is Daniel Barkasi’s extensive report on the second day of Fortress Festival 2026 in England, accompanied by his great own photos. Go here to see his article on Day One of the festival.)

Sunday, Day 2

Intro

Survive the first day, we did. To say that we were raring to go for day two, at least on first waking up, would be an outright fallacy. Four days of Maryland Deathfest, all of the travel, and the long first day had somewhat caught up to me. The initial plan was to grab breakfast from somewhere – there were a few places nearby that looked solid – but that would require me to move more than a couple of feet, so a couple of protein bars and some Tim Tams that I picked up at the local Tesco would have to suffice. Don’t get me started on my adoration for Aussie snack foods, but yes, I indeed did make some tea and did a proper Tim Tam slam. You’re not looking at some novice.

Once our faculties were in order, it was about time to stroll over to the old Spa for a second and final day that was to give very little mercy in terms of downtime. The proof of a killer lineup – we’ll take it, but the feet protest. Continue reading »

FORTRESS FESTIVAL 2026 – MAY 30-MAY 31, SCARBOROUGH, NORTH YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND – DAY 1

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Jun 102026
 

(Below you’ll find Daniel Barkasi’s extensive report on the first day of Fortress Festival 2026 in England, accompanied by his great own photos. His report on Day Two lies ahead.)

Intro:

When one has an incredible experience, it’s only natural to chase that down to re-experience it again. My experience at Fortress Festival last year without doubt qualifies – a festival that was built from the ground up to provide something unique, and now in its fourth iteration, Fortress has become a destination for many that they simply can’t miss. Yours truly obviously can be tossed into that categorization, as here we are, ready for our second helping of black metal insanity.

With this mind-boggling lineup, how could we not come back? Continue reading »

AVERSIO HUMANITATIS: “TO BECOME THE ENDLESS STATIC”

 Album Reviews  1 Response »
May 132026
 

(We present Daniel Barkasi’s review of a new album by the Spanish black metal band Aversio Humanitatis, which is out now on Debemur Morti Productions.)

The question of why we dedicate so much time and energy to this music isn’t one that pops up into this writer’s brain often; to the initiated, there’s a plethora of reasons, of course. Once in a great while, a band or an album does serve as a stark reminder of what makes this boiling underbelly of audible chaos so very special.

Enter Spain’s Aversio Humanitatis, a band who have regularly been a part of my admittedly expansive rotation. Most notably with the release of 2020’s Behold the Silent Dwellers – an album that made these ears perk up immediately, like our dog Jericho when we’re making salads (yes, our good boy loves romaine lettuce). There’s a discordance woven into that album that keeps it off-kilter enough to satiate my hunger for music that doesn’t stick to pre-defined genre guardrails. Moreover, the innate skill to compose truly intriguing black metal that’s equally enraged and impetuous is a combination that’s irresistible.

Six years have passed, and Aversio Humanitatis finally returned with To Become the Endless Static in tow, their third full-length effort via the always reliable Debemur Morti Productions, who are on a hot streak unlike any other label in 2026 for this fellow’s money. What was in store was beyond whatever one’s imagination could devise. Continue reading »

OBSCURITIES — VOLUME XXVII: A DREAM OF SPRING

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May 112026
 

(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 »

FORTRESS FESTIVAL 2026 PREVIEW

 Metal News  No Responses »
May 062026
 

(Our writer Daniel Barkasi prepared the following preview of the 2026 edition of Fortress Festival set to take place in Scarborough, UK, on May 30-31.)

Deja vu is a hell of a thing. Just like this point last year, we were preparing for experiences familiar and new – we’ll be in attendance for the annual tradition known as Maryland Deathfest in a few weeks, and the celebration of all we love at NCS in Northwest Terror Fest looms even sooner still this coming weekend. I swear, I’m going to make it out to NWTF one of these years.

What’s also similar, but a little different this time for yours truly, is the subject of the buzzing Fortress Festival. Last year was our first foray to this destination weekend of black metal powerhouses, and we were nervously scrambling to make sure everything was in order. It was my first visit to the UK, after all, so paths unseen can be a tad stress-inducing. That said, deep in my gut, it felt like a festival that we just had to attend.

The experience we had was far beyond what could have been realistically expected. The lineup was absolutely packed, the organization was excellent from all angles, the locale was picture-perfect, and the crowd was an eclectic bunch of amazing folks clad in black t-shirts. What’s not to love? If you don’t believe me, read up on my memorable experience in 2025.

Naturally, considering all of the above, the opportunity to come back to the shores of Scarborough again in 2026 was simply too good to pass up, and you’re all welcome to come along for the ride (virtually speaking) on May 30 – 31, coming from the wonderful seaside locale of Scarborough. Continue reading »

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