I’m afraid I haven’t had much time to round up new music for today. My fucking day job has again carried me across the continent to the east coast where I’ll be working days and nights from now through February 8. As a result, there will be many days between now and then when there will be less content on the site than usual.
I would also like to mention that as I write this it is 13°F where I am, with a winter storm warning in effect and blizzard conditions predicted beginning this afternoon. I know this will not impress many of our readers who are used to this kind of thing, but for me I would like to say FUCK THIS SHIT.
KATAVASIA
Although I’ve had little time to myself this past weekend, I did listen to a couple of new things, beginning with a fantastic discovery named Katavasia.
NCS contributor KevinP alerted me to the existence of this new Greek band yesterday. There’s not much publicly available information about the band — the line-up hasn’t been announced, only the statement that it includes “members of well known black metal acts”. It does appear that they have recorded a debut album named Sacrilegious Testament, with a release date of March 31 via the Greek label Floga Records.
One song is up on the web, a riveting track named “Visions of the Misty Night”. It’s a blood-pumping song to say the least, driven hard by drum rhythms that alternate between rocking back-beats and blasts, and by urgent bass notes and gripping riffs. There are also some gripping melodic hooks in the song, the kind of rippling guitar leads that get stuck in your head very fast. And man, the vocals are amazing — an array of truly lycanthropic growls and howls that have range as well as bestial passion.
In a nutshell, this is an extremely tasty appetizer for the album. I have little doubt we’ll be writing more about this band as more information and music become available.
https://www.facebook.com/katavasiaofficial/
http://flogarecords.com
NAPALM DEATH
Last Friday Napalm Death released a video for a song from their new album. The song is “Smash A Single Digit” and the album is Apex Predator – Easy Meat. The song is a goddamned fury, and the video leaves no doubt about the band’s intent, for anyone who may be new to their philosophies.
The video was directed by Michael Panduro and the animation (which I think is awesome) was drawn by Lisbet Fredslund. Watch and listen:
https://www.facebook.com/officialnapalmdeath
ABSTRACTER
Abstracter are an Oakland-based band whose second album Wound Empire is set for release on February 10 by Sentient Ruin Laboratories. I’ve got the whole album, but so far have only listened to the one long song that has publicly premiered — and I’m really digging it.
The song’s title is “Lightless”. As the title suggests, it does indeed build a grim and oppressive atmosphere, but while the indigo melody is dragging your spirits into a downward spiral the song also has some all-beef juggernaut riffs in it that will get your head moving.
The PR stuff about the album makes references to “crushing blackened sludge infiltrated with elements of noise, black metal and psychedelic wrath” and claims that it’s “a must for fans of Altar of Plagues, Inter Arma, Thou, Samothrace, Amenra, Tragedy, Indian, Wolvhammer, Unearthly Trance and such”. And just based on this one song, I’d say that’s all pretty accurate.
“Lightless” is excellent. Listen below.
http://abstracter.bandcamp.com/album/wound-empire
https://www.facebook.com/ABSTRACTER
9 Responses to “SEEN AND HEARD: KATAVASIA, NAPALM DEATH, ABSTRACTER”
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The new Napalm Death album is pretty good – not as weird as Utilitarian, but still really quite miffed. It’s essentially forty minutes of a cross Aston Villa fan shouting about rent controls. Then it all goes a bit Killing Joke. Lovely stuff.
Nice description!
thank you for saying Killing Joke, sir.
an exceptional long running band, one of all time favorites.
As someone who quite often has to deal with frigid temperatures and copious amounts of snow, all I can say is whiskey and Agalloch are your friends, and spending as much time with them as possible helps to alleviate the cold.
“Lightless” is terrific!
Amazingly, it’s a good 20 degrees warmer than that here. After a -30 windchill week a few weeks back, it’s been 30s for a while, and amazing. I send my regards, as a recent transplant who still knows how awesome left coast weather is.
Katavasia and Abstracter sound killer! 🙂
be safe and watch out for that storm, it sounds like it’s going to be really bad!
Thank you. Fortunately, I’m walking distance between my hotel and where I’m working, so as rough as it gets, I should be fine.
The Katavasia rules pretty hard. Napalm Death is Napalm Death. Sounds consistently like them, but then grind has never really been my thing. The Abstracter though…wow. Perfect soundtrack to the menacing icy wrath you’re about to be trapped in. This might be a given, but stay indoors and keep plenty of dry food on hand!