AN NCS PREMIERE: FIDES INVERSA — “I AM THE ICONOCLASM”

 Premieres  2 Responses »
Jun 222020
 

 

Six years have passed, with one tremendously good EP to bisect the timeline, since the Italian black metal band Fides Inversa released their last album. Now they are returning, finished at last with years of work that have culminated in a new full-length. The new album, Historia Nocturna, has been set for release on July 22nd by W.T.C. Productions. It’s no exaggeration to say that the album is stupendous — larger than life in its sound and profoundly unearthly and diabolic in its atmosphere.

In the intervening years the core of the band –drummer/vocalist Omega and guitarist/bassist Void — have remained intact, joined here by vocalist Wraath (from Behexen, Dark Sonority, and Darvaza, among other groups). In Historia Nocturna they have created a dynamic listening experience, one in which the songs channel ravaging chaos and terrifying, awe-inspiring grandeur but also seem to pass through dimensional veils to join in a communion with spirits of the damned. The song we’re premiering today, “I Am the Iconoclasm“, is a stunning example of all those qualities. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK (PART 2): ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS, SIELUNVIHOLLINEN, KANGEHEET, PROSANCTUS INFERI, FIDES INVERSA

 SHADES OF BLACK  5 Responses »
May 242020
 

 

As you can see, I’ve managed to complete the second Part of today’s column in time to post it in its usual Sunday space. I hope you’ll find everything here as exciting as I have.

ÁRSTÍÐIR LÍFSINS

2020 has been a miserable year in most respects, but a great year for the Icelandic/German band Árstíðir lífsins. They contributed a tremendous song to Aldrnari, the tremendous album-length split with Carpe Noctem (reviewed here) that was released in April, and on Friday they digitally released their new album Saga á tveim tungum II: Eigi fjǫll né firðir (physical editions will follow from Ván Records). It is (you guessed it) tremendous. Continue reading »

BENEATH THE NCS RADAR (PART 20): IN AETERNUM, ACOD, FIDES INVERSA, NASTY SURGEONS

 Album Reviews  No Responses »
Mar 282017
 

 

(We welcome the return of our Norwegian friend Gorger with the first 2017 installment of his ongoing series embarrassing us about releases we’ve overlooked.  To find more of his discoveries, type “Gorger” in our search bar or visit Gorger’s Metal.)

Ah, finally back in the NCS saddle. This is my first post on this putrid site in 2017. About fucking time.

I decided to get off to a soft start; EPs. I wrote down a dozen candidates, but when finished removing those that had been covered here, I was left with only three. Although a small number of items suits me just fine, I’ve added a short review of an album to make the equation true. I’ve sorted them by release date, not that it matters. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: FIDES INVERSA — “VI”

 Premieres  8 Responses »
Oct 062014
 

 

The two-headed Italian entity known as Fides Inversa released their debut album, Hanc Aciem Sola Retundit Virtus (The Algolagnia Divine), in 2009. At last, they have readied their second full-length assault. Bearing the title Mysterium Tremendum et Fascinans, it will be released by W.T.C. Productions on October 31, 2014. Included within are seven songs identified only by Roman numerals, of which we bring you the premiere of “VI“.

“VI” burns like a bonfire blazing under a black sky, riffs flickering and roaring, with crackling drumbeats and zealous infernal incantations rising over the conflagration. It’s a monument to the cleansing light of chaos that explodes from the void, fueled by an infectious guitar melody that peals with the sound of ritual bells.

Or, to put it in more prosaic terms, this is hot-blooded black metal that’s both scathing and charismatic. Continue reading »