SHADES OF BLACK (PART 1): KATAVASIA, FLESIA, KORGONTHURUS, REMAH, SÔLT

 Album Reviews, SHADES OF BLACK, SHORT BUT SWEET  2 Responses »
Aug 082021
 

 

After spending a ton of time listening to new songs and writing about many of them in the two enormous roundups I posted on Friday and Saturday I despaired of being able to do very much with this week’s SHADES OF BLACK column. But I got a second wind and became inspired by the varying sounds you’re about to discover.

In this two-part edition the bands whose music I chose include some old personal favorites and some very promising newcomers.  My second wind is dying, so you’ll most likely have to look for Part 2 on Monday.

KATAVASIA (Greece)

These Greek black metal luminaries, whose lineup includes members drawn from Varathron, Hail Spirit Noir, Aenaon, Melan Selas, and Agnes Vein, have a new two-track EP headed our way, and the first of the two songs — “Descending to Acheron” — has now surfaced. Continue reading »

OVERFLOWING STREAMS: AMENRA, ANCIENT WISDOM, COFFIN LURKER, DEFLESHED, ENSLAVED, HANGING GARDEN, HELL STRIKE, IDOLOS, KILLING ADDICTION, KORGONTHURUS, OPHIDIAN I, PERILAXE OCCLUSION, SVARTA SANNINGAR

 Exceptions to the Rule, Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  No Responses »
May 072021
 

 

The usual insanity of our in-box reached a fever pitch overnight, because it’s another Bandcamp Friday. That fever has been building all week in anticipation of the day, with the typical flood of new music reaching typhoon proportions. I’ve diverted some of that flood into this collection, a baker’s dozen of new songs and videos that range from the dreamy to the decimating, and includes both the re-surfacing of old gods and the emergence of promising new names – but without the usual artwork or my usual wordy reflections. Not everything is available on Bandcamp, but where it is available there, I’ve included links.

Mother’s Day is also on Sunday, but thankfully that doesn’t seem to have added to the torrent of releases. In catch-up mode, I’ll continue recommending more new music that day and on Saturday (if you don’t keep swimming, you drown). By the way, for those of you who don’t live in the U.S., “Mother’s Day” does not stand for Motherfucker’s Day, so most of you won’t have any reason to celebrate.

Continue reading »

SEEN AND HEARD (PART 1): DESTROYED IN SECONDS, HEAD OF THE DEMON, KORGONTHURUS

 Metal News, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC  3 Responses »
Feb 202020
 

 

Imagine that you like chocolates (might not take any imagination). Imagine finding yourself in a giant chocolate store that’s offering free samples of hundreds of confections. No way you can try everything, and your stomach would explode even if you could. And then some friends walk in who’ve already tried a lot of what’s on offer and point out the really good stuff. Problem solved!

That’s kind of how today’s two-part round-up came together. Enjoy all the chocolates!

DESTROYED IN SECONDS

Here’s a band that most of the core group of hooligans at NCS really like, I think due in part to the band’s performance at Maryland Deathfest 2018, which most of us got to see. I received or saw messages from a lot of them soon after Destroyed In Seconds previewed the title track from their new album Divide and Devour, which they’re releasing on April 24th. It kicks a lot of ass. Continue reading »