AN NCS PREMIERE: CROWN OF MADNESS — “ASHES OF MINE”

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Dec 262024
 

(written by Islander)

In our previous writings about the first two recordings from British Columbia’s Crown of Madness (both of them EPs), we’ve highlighted the band’s talent for crafting death metal that’s both dissonant and melodic, both technically impressive and intriguing in its prog-minded permutations, both intensely harrowing and atmospherically chilling, yet cohesive despite how many different influences and inspirations they weave together.

In light of how eye-opening and often jaw-dropping those EPs were, it’s not a great surprise that this husband-and-wife duo of Sunshine Schneider (Guitar, Bass, Vocals) and Connor Gordon (drums) caught the attention of a label such as Transcending Obscurity Records, which will release their debut album Memories Fragmented on February 28th.

And it’s not a great surprise that in light of our previous enthusiastic experiences with the music of this band, we jumped at the chance to host the premiere of an emotionally mutilating song from the new album, and its name is “Ashes of Mine.” Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: OBSCUREVIOLENCE — “REFUTING THE FLESH”

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Dec 232024
 

The people behind Obscureviolence, two of whom are also members of the death metal band Horror God, lit upon a very good name for their new entity, given the obscure and violent nature of the music they’ve made for their debut album Refuting the Flesh, which will be released by Transcending Obscurity Records on February 7th.

Two songs from the album have previously surfaced, and today we’re presenting a third one, which is the record’s macabre title track. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: NECROMANIAC — “CALLING FORTH THE SHADE”

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Dec 232024
 

(written by Islander)

Just in time to fiendishly defile Christmas, today we’re premiering the second advance track from the debut album of Necromaniac, which bears the title Sciomancy, Malediction & Rites Abominable. Invictus Productions will handle the album’s release for Europe while The Ajna Offensive will offer it in North America.

Some of you have previously encountered Necromaniac through their 2015 debut demo (Morbid Metal), their 2018 EP (Subterranean Death Rising), and/or their second demo last year. For newcomers, the band is London-based but formed by Swedish, Spanish, Greek, and Polish musicians.

On the new album, they’re also joined by some notable guest performers: A.A. Nemtheanga of Primordial, Negative Plane’s Nameless Void, and one A Corpse Without a Soul, “whose signature throat should not be unknown to astute underground dwellers.” Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: MANIFESTUM DARKNESS — “HOSSANA IN THE ABYSS”

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Dec 202024
 

(written by Islander)

For the first time we introduce our visitors to the soul-slaughtering Mexican death metal band Manifestum Darkness. Founded in 2016 in the city of León, Guanajuato, they released a first demo named Initiation at the end of 2018, which was later re-released on cassette tape by the Dark Recollections label. And now they’re primed for the release of their debut album Desecration Rotten Corpse in February of the New Year via the Death in Pieces Records label.

Manifestum Darkness have dedicated their album “to blasphemy, dark and rotten sound towards the abysses.” As a sign of what this means, today we’re premiering a foul and ferocious song from the album named “Hossana In the Abyss.” Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: NONRESTRAINT — “BROKEN SMILE”

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Dec 202024
 

(written by Islander)

“Broken Smile“, the name of the Danish band Nonrestraint‘s new single, has a dual meaning, at least as I interpret it. Lyrically, it refers to its narrator emotionally and mentally falling apart — “dead inside,” hating “everything inside,” dwelling in “thoughts of malice.” He says, “All I’m left with is a broken smile.”

But then there’s the other meaning: The song itself will knock your teeth out, leaving you with a different kind of broken smile. Continue reading »

AN NCS EP PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): HORSE BUTCHER — “HORSE BUTCHER”

 Album Reviews, Premieres, SHORT BUT SWEET  1 Response »
Dec 192024
 

(written by Islander)

It’s not enough that a particularly dismal and disgusting year on Earth will soon gasp its last rotten and rattling breath — Horse Butcher have arisen to murder it with one of the most vicious and mind-mauling releases of the last 12 months. It’s as if they decided this bastard year didn’t deserve to live even another two weeks.

Given how often our putrid glorious site throws emotionally and aurally assaulting sounds at visitors, it may seem like an exaggeration to say that about Horse Butcher‘s self-titled EP. Trust me, it’s no exaggeration.

Sentient Ruin Laboratories, which will release the EP on December 20th, also isn’t exaggerating when they call the record “a disfigured onslaught of gore-fucked bestial deathgrind worshipping directly at the altar of Carcass, Archgoat, Disgorge, Impetigo and Pissgrave” — “six tracks and twenty minutes of neanderthalian carnage and slaughterhouse madness.”

But you’ll see this for yourselves right quick because today we’re hosting the EP’s premiere. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: SHRIEKING DEMONS — “PERENNIAL DIRGE”

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Dec 192024
 

Throughout the history of death metal some bands have been very successful in choosing names for themselves which tell you what they’re up to with a bullhorn. Bands like Autopsy, Death, and Possessed. Of course, we’d still have forgotten about names such as those if their music hadn’t taken deep root in the harrowed and fertilized fields of our minds.

Shrieking Demons is another name that uses a bullhorn to tell you what’s coming. Not coincidentally, we chose those other reference points above not just because they help make the point about evocative band-name choices, but also because they’ve influenced the music of Shrieking Demons.

But if you think about those other, now-legendary names, you’ll also guess that these Italian demons do more than shriek, and a further clue to what else they do can be found in the name of their forthcoming debut album: The Festering Dwellers. Or even more vividly, from the name of the album track we’re about to premiere: “Perennial Dirge.” Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: ONIROPHAGUS — “BLACK BREW”

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Dec 182024
 

(written by Islander)

First impressions of just about anything can often be lasting impressions, not necessarily indelible, because further experience can result in reevaluations, but still significant. Which is why parents the world over try to teach their kids the importance of making good first impressions when meeting people for the first time.

For many of you, the first impression of Onirophagus might be Paolo Girardi‘s ghastly eyeball-filled cover art for their new album Revelations From the Void. Odds are, it will be a lasting impression, even though it isn’t the kind of impression that doting parents have in mind when trying to school their children. They don’t tell them to be as hideous as possible. Continue reading »

AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): MOONDARK — “THE ABYSMAL WOMB”

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Dec 182024
 

(NCS contributor Zoltar wrote the following introduction to our full streaming premiere of the long-awaited debut album by Sweden’s Moondark, which will be released on Friday by Pulverised Records.)

Her name might not matter that much anymore but boy oh boy did she have the look. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about don’t you? That one gorgeous looking girl, for whom you had a not-so-secret crush all high-school years long. She filled your dreams and even to this day, although three decades have passed and you’ve moved to greener pastures with a ring on your finger, three kids, a mortgage, and a beer belly, you can’t seem to be able to get rid of, you can’t help but think of her from time of time, like a lost relic of bygone times when things seemed simpler and funnier.

And then, totally by random, you bump into her on your way to the supermarket. And boom, without warning, all your teenagers’ fantasies are ruined in a nano-second as this once seemingly goddess-like figure turns out to now be ugly, fat, ridden with bad skin problems, and utterly obnoxious.

So yeah, I so wanted Moondark not to be that girl geddit? Continue reading »

AN NCS EP PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): DREAMING DEATH — “SINISTER MINISTER”

 Album Reviews, Premieres, SHORT BUT SWEET  No Responses »
Dec 172024
 

(written by Islander)

Band name: Dreaming Death. Record title: Sinister Minister. That lovely queasy-green cover art festooned with tentacles and claws. That should be enough to lure you into the music on the debut EP we’re streaming in this post. If it isn’t, you’ll soon see a photo of the band ready and eager to beat you to death with a shovel. That ought to seal the deal.

But just in case, we’ll add that Dreaming Death‘s lineup incudes Pahl Hodgson (guitars, vocals) and Ross Duncan (bass, vocals), known for their work with Beyond Mortal Dreams and Oath Of Damnation, plus drummer Matt “Skitz” Sanders, and further add that their EP lured Lavadome Productions into releasing it this coming Friday — the label’s only release in 2024.

You need any more reasons to listen? Nah, you probably don’t, but providing reasons is the reason for my existence, so you’re going to get some more whether you need it or not. Continue reading »

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