Mar 052025
 

(Andy Synn highlights four albums from a very busy February which you may have overlooked)

I don’t mind admitting that, due to a lot of different factors – being busy at work, having to spend time prepping and then playing with the band, and then finally succumbing to this really shitty flu (to the point where I’m still not back to 100%, to be honest) – I missed a lot of stuff I originally intended to write about last month.

To exacerbate this, there’s only a limited amount of space (and time) I have here to catch up on what I/we missed, which means the likes of Grima (really good, but perhaps not quite as good as its predecessor), Havukruunu (bombastic blood and fire heroics at their best), and Mantar (a punkier, more stripped-down album than their last one, albeit with a few tracks/riffs that sound a little too familiar in places), probably aren’t going to get the full write-ups that they deserve.

But, you know, those are pretty big names – or, at least, pretty notorious in our little scene – and if there’s one thing we’re known for here at NCS it’s focussing on less (in)famous bands wherever possible, so hopefully you won’t begrudge me my choices for this month’s column!
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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 »

Feb 272023
 

(Andy Synn presents three bite-sized morsels of brutality that you may have missed this month)

After my spectacular failure at keeping up with the various short-form releases which came out last year (ultimately having to relegate my coverage to most of the EPs, splits, etc, from 2022 to the end of year round-up instead) I made a vow to myself to stay more on top of things this year.

Obviously this hasn’t happened but… here’s three you may have missed from February that I didn’t want to wait until December to write about!

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Feb 212022
 

The origin story of British Columbia’s Crown of Madness is an interesting one, and we will eventually get to that, but we’ll begin by putting the focus where it most belongs today — on the song we’re premiering through a lyric video from this husband-and-wife duo’s debut EP, The Void.

In that song, “The Manipulated“, turbulence and discord reign supreme, from the booming and battering drumwork and jolting bass-lines to the head-bashing chords and the dissonant, maniacally skittering leads. The feverish, violent derangement in the anti-harmonious but technically proficient music is matched by the rabid ferocity of the growled and screamed vocals. But other unnerving sensations flow through the musical maelstrom as well. Continue reading »