(Andy Synn takes a breath before diving in to the new album from Terzij de Horde) There’s a certain sense of satisfaction to be had from knowing just how long we’ve been writing about the work of Dutch Black Meta/Hardcore crew Terzij de Horde. As a matter of fact, their debut album, Self (which turns ten [...]

(Andy Synn takes a breath before diving in to the new album from Terzij de Horde) There’s a certain sense of satisfaction to be had from knowing just how long we’ve been writing about the work of Dutch Black Meta/Hardcore crew Terzij de Horde. As a matter of fact, their debut album, Self (which turns ten [...]

It might be best to consider this record as a sort of soft-reboot and an opportunity to experience the real "spiritual sound" of the band.. because it feels like Agriculture, flawed as they may be, ha...

(Andy Synn returns to regular posting today with an apology and an attempt to atone for his absence) As you may have noticed, I missed a lot of stuff last month… mostly because I was very busy, first ...

(written by Islander) The lineup of Dwelling Below — drummer/vocalist Jared Moran, bassist Anthony Wheeler, and guitarist Nicolas Turner — overlaps significantly with those of the bands Hierarchies an...

(Andy Synn gazes deep into the Guilded Abyss in advance of its release tomorrow) I’ve spoken before, both briefly and at length, about how thankful I am that NCS is a wholly incompetent independent en...

Portland, Oregon trio Tithe first caught my attention with the release of 2023's 'Inverse Rapture', and with the group having just released their third album a few weeks ago now seemed like the perfec...

For all that 'Flesh Stays Together' positions Dying Wish as the next big mainstream Metalcore success story (if they aren't already) the execution throughout is simply so good that you can't help but ...

(written by Islander) Portland, Oregon-based Dispossessed made their hulking and haunting presence known with a harrowing first full-length, Exanimate, in 2019, and followed that with the “Makhnovshch...

Both stronger and stranger 'La Grand Bouffe' is an altogether more bizarre - not to mention more dystopian - beast than its predecessor.

Both stronger and stranger 'La Grand Bouffe' is an altogether more bizarre - not to mention more dystopian - beast than its predecessor.

(Andy Synn offers some advance thoughts on the new album from long-time NCS favourites Revocation) Seriously though, stop me if you’ve heard this before, but… sometimes it seems like we spend a lot, i...

It might not change the world or reinvent the wheel, but when the clouds begin to gather and the lightning starts to strike it's difficult, if not impossible, to resist the call of this particular sto...

(Andy Synn travels deep into The Great White Nothing… and likes what he finds there) Sometimes it seems like we spend most of our time here at NCS playing catch-up. And the reason for this is… well, w...

(written by Islander) Personal Records has already conclusively demonstrated its taste for a range of extreme metal genres, with a roster of releases that appeals to a variety of tastes. But the releases might show a special affinity for doom/death (or death/doom) metal, and we have a prime example of that today. What we’re about [...]

(written by Islander) Thaumaturgy: the working of miracles, magic, or supernatural feats, whether genuine or illusory. The term originates from Greek, meaning “miracle working,” and is associated with...

The band's best album since 2015's 'Stellar', it suggests that maybe, just maybe, Der Weg Einer Freiheit might be primed for a step beyond the boundaries of Black Metal sooner, rather than later.

(written by Islander) Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? Let’s immediately address what you’re about to hear and then come back and fill in some details about who’s doing it. Figuratively speaking at l...

(Andy Synn has three more slabs of home-grown heaviness to recommend today) If you’ve been keeping track recently you may have noticed a slight dip in my output frequency, mostly because I’m having to...

(Andy Synn has four suggestions, taken from a long list, of stuff to check out from August) August was a busy month for me, for a lot of different reasons, which is why it feels like I missed out on covering a lot of artists/albums I normally would have made/found more time for. Those artists include – [...]

(written by Islander) Even after the enthusiasm that greeted I, Voidhanger Records‘ release of Unsouling‘s 2024 debut album Vampiric Spiritual Drain, it’s likely that the band’s Minneapolis-based crea...