AN NCS PREMIERE: EXCUSE

 Premieres  2 Responses »
Aug 162016
 

Excuse-Goddess Injustice

 

Exactly two months ago I came across the first advance track from a four-song EP entitled Goddess Injustice by some Finnish newcomers named Excuse, and it made such an immediately favorable impression that I frothed at the mouth about it in one of our new-music round-ups. Since then I’ve had the chance to listen to the other three tracks on the EP, and I’m still frothing, especially because I now get to bring you the premiere of another song. The name of this one is “Baphomet“.

Goddess Injustice is the band’s second release overall, following a 2013 demo, and the EP will be released jointly on 12″ vinyl by Hells Headbangers and Shadow Kingdom Records. The first song released for streaming from the EP — “Obsessed… With the Collapse of Civilization” — was a ripping burst of speed metal with a very unexpected and very cool two-part intro that proved Excuse have more tricks up their sleeves than the ability to make your brain mosh with your skull. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD (PART 2): OPETH, INSOMNIUM, EXCUSE, SLAGMAUR, SKANDAL, REVENGE, HAIL OF BULLETS

 RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  13 Responses »
Jun 152016
 

Opeth 2016-photo by Stuart Wood
Photo by Stuart Wood

This is Part 2 of a round-up of newly discovered things that I began earlier today (here). As expected, between posting Part 1 and getting ready to post Part 2, I spied more developments that happened this morning and have added them (the first two items are in that category, as is the last).

I nearly didn’t add the first two news items because I thought that, by now, everyone who had any interest in the bands — Opeth and Insomnium — would have learned about the news already. Those names are so big that there was probably even a news flash in The Wall Street Journal. And then I thought that adding the announcements might help ease the day for those people who are afraid that metal will run out of things to argue about before the year ends. To them I say, don’t worry, Opeth and Insomnium are releasing new albums.

OPETH

Yes, Opeth will be releasing a new album late this year (named Sorceress) on a new label, Nuclear Blast Entertainment. Actually, it seems to be a partnership between Nuclear Blast and Opeth’s own imprint, Moderbolaget Records, which I believe is Swedish for “your arguing sounds like a motorboat”.

The press release we received characterized Opeth as “always an unstoppable force for uniqueness amid a sea of generic swill”. Beyond that, it provided no real clues about the musical direction of the new album or how it will distinguish itself from all the generic swill with which the rest of us are forced to feed ourselves in between Opeth releases. Continue reading »