NO CLEAN SINGING

AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: ASGRAUW — “CONFABULATIE”

Sep 282026

(written by Islander)

Today we are most happy to renew your acquaintance with the Dutch black metal band Asgrauw, a member of the Zwotte Kring circle whose music we’ve enthusiastically covered since the fall of 2017. Although their recording history precedes our discovery of them back then, we’ve been playing close attention ever since.

Following relatively soon on the heels of their sixth album Oorsprong, which was discharged in 2024, Asgrauw have a new album for us this year. Its name is Solips, and it will be released by a collective of labels on different formats (we have details at the end of this feature).

The music of Asgrauw has always been lyrically thought-provoking, and their changing lyrical interests haven’t been predictable. One of their labels sums up the subject matter of the new album this way:

Seven albums in, and Asgrauw still doesn’t give a damn about your expectations. Solips is a reckoning, a brutal, unflinching dive into the abyss of perception. You want answers? You’ll get questions. You want comfort? You’ll get the cold, unyielding truth: reality is yours alone to define…. Doubt everything. Question everything. Solips is here.

As an example of what Solips delivers, today we’re premiering a video for a song called “Confabulatie“. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: ARMORY — “PILLARS OF FIRE”

Exceptions to the Rule, Premieres No Responses »

Sep 282026

(written by Islander)

“Can you take some clean singing with some sci-fi shred?” That’s the quick pitch I received for this premiere from the publicist for Dying Victims Productions. Prudence would have dictated that I listen before responding, but Dying Victims hasn’t steered me wrong, even if the steering (stylistically speaking) is kind of like what’s required for Formula 1 drivers racing through metropolises, so I immediately said yes, with fingers crossed that it wouldn’t be a mistake.

The reference to “sci-fi shred” was appealing, and so was the branding of Armory’s new album Echoes of the Astrolith as a “speed metal U.F.O.”. But while the name of our site is a bit tongue-in-cheek, not all the tongue is in the cheek. At least in the case of this writer, it’s more serious than joking. So, what had I gotten myself into? What are you about to get yourself into? Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: IRREVERSIBLE MECHANISM

SHADES OF BLACK No Responses »

Sep 272026

(written by Islander)

As you can see, I have the music of only one band for you today, and only one of their songs rather than a complete release. This is because I have to leave my home and the virtual world (two different places, it may surprise you to know) very early today and didn’t have time to make a head-start yesterday.

I’m again venturing across Puget Sound to join friends for the viewing of a football game featuring our beloved home team. Due to time zone differences the game has an early start, which means I’ll have to decide what kind of alcohol would go best with breakfast, to calm the nerves, which will get jangly even though our team is heavily favored to win the game.

I thought about not posting even this very brief piece, but concluded that I had (barely) enough time for what you’re now about to hear (and perhaps read). The thought of leaving a void for even one day around here bothers me, as does the void that the future will leave as its final gift. Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD ON A SATURDAY: SERPENT SKIES, DREAM UNENDING, SHEVILS, FIMIR, APOTHECARY, HAGEL, SQUAMATA, MAGEC

Album Reviews, Exceptions to the Rule, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC No Responses »

Sep 262026

(written by Islander)

As you can see, I had time to beef up this roundup. Though why we talk about enlarging things as beefing them up, I don’t know. Photos of gigantic pumpkins are circulating this time of year, and to get sea-borne we could also suggest that you’ll have a whale of a time, just like Jonah did. Or like the black mold that rapidly covers your bathroom crevices, we can say that we’ve broken the mold of the usual 4-6 songs today.

Anyway, there’s a lot here, seven songs from forthcoming albums and one complete release that will knock you down, burn you down, and leave whatever’s left moaning for help.

I also arranged these things, as I often enjoy doing, to prevent you from getting settled into any kind of comfortable flow, but instead to experience a loss of balance and perhaps even a jolt of whiplash. I’m just trying to model modern life. Continue reading »

AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): METALADIAN — “DEADITATION”

Album Reviews, Premieres No Responses »

Sep 252026

(written by Islander)

The premiere we’re about to present is an unusual one in several respects. For one thing, the music isn’t brand new — it is an album named Deaditation that was released by the Canadian band Metaladian this past July — but the video is new, and it is a rare lyric video that takes listeners through the entire record. That makes sense, because the album itself presents a complete narrative arc — “an immersive descent into pain, revenge, and ultimately redemption….”

The premiere is unusual in other respects, mainly because of interesting details about the band’s lineup and history. Continue reading »

AN NCS INTERVIEW: FLESHCRAWL

Interviews No Responses »

Sep 252026

Photo Credit: Christian Sobeck

(The lineage of the German death metal band Fleshcrawl is a long one, with its founding dating back to 1987, but the band persists — their new album Epitome of Carnage was released last June. Our Comrade Aleks interviewed Fleshcrawl guitarist Apu Justin Reisch close to that release date for another publication, and we present it here for the first time in English.)

In 2027, the ferocious Bavarian death metal outfit Fleshcrawl will turn 40! Naturally, the lineup has undergone numerous changes over the years; and only the drummer (and backing vocalist) Bastian Herzog represents nowadays the band’s original lineup, which makes the situation surrounding their new release, Epitome of Carnage, all the more intriguing.

Vocalist Sven Gross had been a long-standing member of the band as well, but he lost his battle with cancer tragically in 2021. Since that year Boris “The Savage” Sharafudinov performs vocals, while guitarists Christian Kalbrecht and Apu Justin Reisch joined Fleshcrawl one year earlier in 2020. And it’s good to mention bassist Manuel Markowski, who has been on board already for 15 years.

So given such turnover, it is remarkable that the group has managed to revive and faithfully capture the spirit of the original Fleshcrawl—complete with its old-school charm, massive, churning power, and infernal delivery. Continue reading »

ASTRAL ALCHEMY — WEAVING CHILLING MAGICAL DREAMWORLDS

Album Reviews 1 Response »

Sep 252026

(After a hiatus since last spring our South African contributor Vizzah Harri has returned with his review of a debut album by the New York band Astral Alchemy, which was released this past June by Naturmacht Productions. As is often the case, the music prompted thoughts that led him off in many unpredictable directions, in addition to noting just how many happy boxes it checks.)

You click on the cover that has the purple on it.

This is a clear sign that it will be a certain form of black metal par excellence … Continue reading »

AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: OBBROBRIUS — “LEVIATHAN’S CAGE”

Premieres No Responses »

Sep 242026

(written by Islander)

Obbrobrius is an Italian death metal band founded in 2023 who made made their recording debut with a 2024 album named Daisy Creepy Tales. Following that independent release they signed with Over the Border Records for the release of their sophomore album Usurped, which is now due for discharge on November 6th. As a preview of what lies ahead, we’ll share this precis from the press materials that are circulating:

Far from seeking to convey moral or ideological messages, the band focuses on pure, old-school sonic violence, drawing inspiration from historic pillars such as Benediction, Bolt Thrower, and Malevolent Creation. Their lyrics delve unfiltered into dark and brutal themes: death, destruction, social violence, internal crises, and esotericism.

As a further sign of what lies ahead, today we bring you an eye-catching video for a diabolically savage but highly infectious song off Usurped called “Leviathan’s Cage“. Continue reading »

AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: CHANTS — “ECHOES”

Premieres 1 Response »

Sep 242026

(written by Islander)

Everlasting Spew Records has made yet another astounding discovery, which it will share with listeners who are eager for music that’s off the usual beaten paths and capable of making deep emotional impressions.

This time the discovery concerns a Portuguese black metal trio who call themselves Chants, and their debut album Echoes, which the label will release on November 20th. The band is a new one, having formed only last year, but Chants is led by someone with a long history in the metal underground, and he uses it as a very personal outlet “for emotional catharsis and artistic introspection”.

Today we’re delighted to help spread the news of Chants, and especially excited to premiere a lyric video for the first song to be revealed from the album — which is its title track. Continue reading »

BEST OF BRITISH: JØTNARR / KULK / REMOTE VIEWING

Album Reviews No Responses »

Sep 242026

(Andy Synn once more serves as our in-house ambassador for the UK Metal scene)

Like I’ve said before, many times, it’s impossible for any of us here at NCS to cover all the artists/albums we really want to, which means some hard choices have to be made each month.

This extends, obviously, to these irregular “Best of British” columns, as while I’d love to highlight each and every band from here that I think would be worthy of your time… I just don’t have the time myself to do so.

Case in point, I’m probably not going to be writing anything about the new albums from Green Lung (which is a good album, no doubt, but they already receive enough praise and attention elsewhere), Noctule (simply because I haven’t heard it), or Burner (which, to be totally honest, I thought was a massive disappointment, though I’m sure lots of people are going to love it), so you’ll just have to form your own opinions on those without my penetrating insights (I know, I’m so sorry).

The three bands I’ve chosen to cover here today, however, all have much less exposure, and all skew much more towards the harsher side of the sonic spectrum, which is why I thought it was more important to feature them than some of the more hyped-up members of the scene… a decision which, hopefully, you’ll all agree was the right one after checking them out.

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