AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: LEADBELCHER — “OFFALATED YESHUA”

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Aug 042026
 

(written by Islander)

Using Juliet as his voice, Shakespeare asked us to ponder “What’s in a name?” But while roses would indeed smell as sweet (or as foul, depending on your tastes) if given some other name, names do matter, especially when a band chooses one that tells you what they’re up to like a hammer landing on your forehead.

The Irish members and former members of Sermon Of Flames, Mortichnia, and Coscradh chose Leadbelcher as the name of the new band they formed in 2024. Now that’s a name! A no-bullshit name that seems to promise unpretentious ugliness and might also make you smile at its cleverness. But Leadbelcher aren’t pandering for smiles with the music on their debut album Heaven’s Bloated Corpse. They’re using it as an outlet for their fury and disgust.

Here’s how Leadbelcher vocalist Matthew Simpson describes what fueled the record’s music and words: Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: DÈTRESSE — “VERROTTET”

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Aug 042026
 

(written by Islander)

Is it possible for a single phenomenon to both freeze someone’s blood and heat it to a destroying boil? Physiologists would say no, but they probably haven’t heard the music of Dètresse, which is often an experience that drives us to imagine such a thing.

This trio of talents from Austria and Quebec introduced themselves just last year through a startling debut album named Pessimismes, released by Vendetta Records. We described its music as “emotionally raw, explosively cathartic, and unrelenting in its intensity”, but also as “saturated in agony and hopelessness”, “ruined as well as raging”, and wholly “engulfing” in its varying emotional torrents.

Pessimismes was an eye-popping, heart-stirring, and soul-sinking debut, so much so that it landed Dètresse at Julfest in Austria earlier this year, followed by a two-week European tour alongside Miserere Luminis in April, and will put them on stages in another tour alongside Darvaza, Merrimack, and Helleruin in December 2026, which will include appearances at Eindhoven Metal Meeting (Netherlands) and De Mortem et Diabolum (Germany).

The December touring activity is prompted in part by Vendetta Records’ forthcoming October release of a second Dètresse album — Misères. We are helping to announce that event today through our premiere of a song from the new album named “Verrottet“. Continue reading »

OBSCURITIES – VOLUME XXX: VIVA ESPAÑA

 Album Reviews  1 Response »
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 »

AN NCS PREMIERE: DEMONIC MANIFESTATION — “HOST”

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Aug 032026
 

(written by Islander)

As you can see, the cover art created by Brvja XIII for Demonic Manifestation’s new album Grimshrine is a cornucopia of horrors. It seizes attention and maintains it as the viewer more carefully inspects each of its hideous visions.

The album is also a musical cornucopia of horrors that turns out to be just as absorbing as the cover art. The music is massive, mauling, and maniacal, but the band’s impressively dynamic songwriting leads them to reveal other ghastly (and haunting dimensions) — as you will vividly experience for yourselves through our premiere of the album’s second advance track, “Host“. Continue reading »

THINGS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED (BUT SHOULDN’T)

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Aug 032026
 

(Andy Synn has four more recommendations from last month that you may not have checked out yet)

They say one of the most important thing an artist has to learn is not just what it put in to their work… but what to leave out.

And, let me tell you… I am no artist, so having to leave so many artists/albums out each month is more something I’ve learned to accept begrudgingly rather than making it a part of my process.

Still, as disappointing as it may have been to have to leave so many potential reviews on the cutting room floor, I can’t help but be excited to (hopefully) introduce you all to these four records from July which may have flown under your radar.

Continue reading »

DEATHGRAVE: “HELL IS EVIL”

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Aug 032026
 

(This is Wil Cifer’s review of a new album by Bay Area grindcore fanatics Deathgrave. It’s set for release on August 21st via Tankcrimes.)

2023’s It’s Only Midnight was pretty decent, but Deathgrave have perfected the kind of thrashing chaos they kick up with Hell Is Evil.

The title track that opens the album finds their songwriting falling into place with an organic yet polished sound that emerged from their most recent trip into the studio, having expanded into writing three-minute songs that give them more time here to develop the song rather than just dealing in angry bursts. “Hard to Swallow” has a dark, deliberate, doomy riff arising to lumber over things, due in part to the fact this band features ex-members of Graves at Sea . At times the vocals sound like they could be from a Carnivore album thanks to the way they are shouted. “I Am Here” runs death metal fury through a grindcore filter, while solidifying the punk attitude.

It only takes the first three songs to convince you that they have made songwriting more of a priority. Continue reading »

THE SYNN REPORT (PART 197): OSTRACA

 THE SYNN REPORT  No Responses »
Aug 012026
 

Recommended for fans of: Orchid, Envy, (early) Deafheaven

What’s in a (genre) name?

Well, quite a lot – to some people, anyway – it seems, as picking the wrong genre tag for a band will mean some potential listeners might choose not to check out their music, under the wrong impression that it’s “not for them”.

Which is why I have to be careful when talking about Virginia’s Ostraca and their chaotic, cathartic, blast-driven, discordantly-heavy (yet also bleakly melodic) brand of Screamo/Hardcore/Crust.

If you’re not familiar with those terms, or if you think you’re familiar with them but not sure if this article is worth checking out, then allow me to assure you that the records highlighted here today – five albums (including the recently-released Thread) plus one EP (that I’ve already written about, as it happens) – are each, in their own way, as vicious and as visceral, as venomous and as violent, as anything else from the more “metallic” side of the scene, and all more than worthy of your time.

Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: MINDVILE — “BITE BY BITE”

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Jul 312026
 

(written by Islander)

Today we’re helping announce that the black/death metal band Mindvile (Spain/U.S.) have signed with Satanath Records (Georgia) and Paragon Records (U.S.)  for the release of their debut album, Old Continent, scheduled for September 25th.

The album is described as “the first chapter of “Stories No Tongue Should Tell“, a planned five-album conceptual series exploring real cases of human cruelty and depravity from different regions of the world,” with each release focusing on a specific continent and presenting “stories inspired by real individuals whose actions have left a lasting mark on society.”

In other words, rather than root their narratives in fantasies, Mindvile’s depiction of horror focuses “on real people, real crimes, and the psychological corruption that transforms human beings into monsters.”

As for the music, we have a first taste today in our premiere of a song off the debut album called “Bite for Bite“. Here’s the band’s comment about this song: Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: VEILCASTE — “CHAINS”

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Jul 312026
 

(written by Islander)

The Indianapolis doom/sludge band Veilcaste took shape in 2010 under the name Conjurer, adopted their current name in 2020, and continued surging forward on their mission to crush the life out of listeners. With two albums released as Conjurer and three more as Veilcaste, they’ve assembled a very impressive (and very heavy) discography.

Now the band are moving toward the discharge of their fourth album as Veilcaste. The name of the new one is Hellward, and it’s set for release on September 4th. What we have for you today is the premiere of “Chains“, the third single from the album to emerge so far. It follows “Embedded“, which we premiered last April, and “Altar of Ecstasy“, which came out on July 10th. Continue reading »

FILLER

 Off Topic  2 Responses »
Jul 312026
 


artwork by Albin Brunovsky

(written by Islander)

I don’t exactly remember when or why we fell into the pattern we have here for how the posting day goes, but the pattern is that we try to post a first thing at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (where I am) and follow that with two more posts, or sometimes three, an hour apart. The 7 a.m. posts tend to be written by other folks around here. On days when we have two premieres (like today), I try to get those up at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., which seems to work well because about half our audience is in North America and about half in the UK and Europe.

Today I didn’t have anything in hand for the 7 a.m. slot, hence this “filler” post. We will have those two premieres coming up, and of course I think both the songs are very good or we wouldn’t be messing with them.

And since I’m here and not writing about music, I might as well let you know that this weekend at NCS will likely be different from most weekends. Continue reading »

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