Blog
-
Exclusive Track-By-Track: ForeignWolf – Merely Mortal
Belfast’s own heavy rock outfit ForeignWolf are back with a brand new EP, Merely Mortal, which is set to drop on Friday 3rd April. We had a chat with the rising quartet to get the lowdown on the themes and stories behind the tracks on this latest release. Resolve “Resolve” is about re-living the feeling … Continue reading Exclusive Track-By-Track: ForeignWolf – Merely Mortal -
Robber Robber – “New Year’s Eve”
We are so stoked for this Friday’s release of Two Wheels Move The Soul, the new album from the electronics-infused Burlington indie band Robber Robber. They’ve released a whole slew of singles already, but who are we to reject one more when the tracks are this good? “New Year’s Eve” sets Nina Cates’ breathy wail…
The post Robber Robber – “New Year’s Eve” appeared first on Stereogum.
-
AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): MALAURIU — “THE THIRD NAIL”
(written by Islander) On April 3rd Adirondack Black Mass will release the third album by Malauriu, fittingly named The Third Nail (though we suspect that name has other meanings besides the fact that it’s the band’s third full-length). We’re giving it a big showcase, not only providing listeners a full stream today but also publishing […]
The post AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): MALAURIU — “THE THIRD NAIL” appeared first on NO CLEAN SINGING.
-
Live Review: Emperor + Blood Incantation @ The Concert Hall, Toronto – 3/27/26
I’m going to imagine that when the members of Blood Incantation were knee-high to various grasshoppers, back when they were discovering and devouring the sounds and stories of Norwegian black metal, listening to In the Nightside Eclipse and Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk, getting Emperor tattoos and asking “What if…?”, that particular “What if…?” didn’t realistically include ever getting to tour North America with their early heroes. And if that “What if…?” did, then no one really believed it would even really come to pass. Well, truth, as truth has so often demonstrated, is stranger than fiction. And here we are: the opening night of one of the most anticipated and salivated-over tours of the the first quarter of 2026, simply for the fact that one of metal’s most talked about bands — a band people are packing houses to see — is manning the lone support slot for one of metal’s most beloved veterans — a band packing houses because of their importance, legacy and how rare sightings are on these shores — to pack this particular house.
Behind the scenes information informs that the size of the venue is not reflective to the size of the stage at the Concert Hall. My way of pointing out that spatial restrictions forced a drastic paring down of the production aspect of the show: no backdrop, no obelisks, a noticeable absence of laser light shows. This, in turn, made it all about the music and Blood Incantation demonstrating their ability to persevere and triumph under roadblock conditions. That, ultimately, you can subtract the bells and whistles and BI still deliver superior sounds. The peaks, valleys, genre defying and boundary smearing acumen of the two tracks comprising Absolute Elsewhere kept all locked in and engaged, everyone from those experiencing the band live for the first time to those of us who have witnessed its ambient/space/prog/death metal majesty on upwards of 50 occasions. Swirling light cadences, personable rabble rousing, communal crowd exhortation and the deeper integration of keyboardist John Gamiño into the lineup make this more than a band putting their heads down in the name of soulless reproduction. Further to that point: their swinging for the fence by airing Starspawn centrepiece “Vitrifcation of Blood” complete with integrated keys providing shimmery psychedelia and an undercurrent of menace. It’s a rare band that can have an hour-long set comprised of three songs and be fielding calls for one more.
Some dude took to the centre stage spotlight to introduce Emperor, asking if the assembled throng was “ready to be transported back to 1990’s Telemark?!” Now, I’ve never been to Telemark, but I don’t think it’d be going out on a limb to say that the drum set Trym Torson was plunked behind could probably put Telemark on any map being drawn from space and his collection of cymbals might actually reflect any and all sunshine from the southern Norwegian county. But I digress..My favourite aspect of Emperor has always been how they exemplify black metal without being a cliched example of black metal. And how witnessing them live has consistently, in my mind anyway, been a much more intense and interesting experience. Ihsahn conducts the sway and mood of the crowd with fireside chat introductions while continuing to look like the world’s most thoughtful humanities professor. Samoth broods with instrumental precision and expressive lack. Keyboardist Jørgen Munkeby acts, looks and sounds somewhere between demonic executioner and Julliard graduate. Again, without the crutch of production elaboration, Emperor were left to their devices and bare-boned it through an immaculate career-spanning greatest hits set that went all the way back to their demo/self-titled EP with “Wrath of the Tyrant” and was inclusive of “In the Wordless Chamber” from the criminally unheralded Prometheus record. Big fans bigly loved “Thus Spake the Nightspirit,” “Curse You All Men!,” “Inno a Satana” and “Ye Entrancemperium” as a couple thousand people ticked one more box off their black metal bucket lists.
Photos by: Rae Chatten @raerocknroam
The post Live Review: Emperor + Blood Incantation @ The Concert Hall, Toronto – 3/27/26 appeared first on Decibel Magazine.
-
Bells Beneath the Earth: The Terrifying Victorian Safeguard Against Premature Burial
Victorian Coffin Bells: The Terrifying Fear of Being Buried Alive
Imagine waking up in darkened earth, muffled cries swallowed by soil. In the Victorian era, this haunting fear was all too real, sparking the bizarre invention of safety coffins with bells.
Inventors created Victorian coffin bells to prevent people from being buried alive
During the Victorian era, people feared being buried alive, and they called this fear taphephobia. Medical knowledge lagged behind. Doctors often mistook comas for death. The consequences were terrifying. In this world of uncertainty, horrified families occasionally found themselves interring what they believed to be lifeless bodies, only to hear unsettling tales of survival beneath the grave.
Amidst this chilling backdrop, the notion of safety coffins emerged. Invented in response to public panic, these innovative graves featured bells connected to a string tied to the hands of the deceased. The idea was simple yet spine-chilling: should a person awaken trapped in their coffin, their movements would sound an alarm above ground, alerting passersby to their plight.
Are ghosts real, or are we just afraid to see the truth?
Enter the darkness and read our full ghost investigation.A Fear That Refused to Die
Victorian inventors transformed their dread of a premature burial into some of history’s strangest inventions.
As a result became eerie landscapes, where guards listened intently for the faint tolling of a bell. Some of these sentinel figures braved the night, their eyes fixed on the silent earth, ever-watchful for signs of life beneath. This bizarre duty revealed the extent to which fear gripped the Victorian society, transforming burial sites into places of both reverence and terror.
As grave bells echoed through the night, the question lingered: what drove this relentless pursuit of peace amidst death? Unreliable medical practices defined the era, and doctors often mistook a faint pulse for the absence of life. The echoes of despair resonated through families, sparking morbid fascination with the possibility of revival.
Why This Still Haunts Us Today
This complex dance between life and death permeated literature and art, influencing notable figures such as Edgar Allan Poe. His relentless exploration of mortality and entrapment reflects society’s anxiety, weaving themes of resurrection and fear within his narratives. The specter of the safety coffin is an ever-present reminder that the boundary between life and death was, and often still is, a fragile line.
People did not create grave bell coffins as mere inventions; they used them as symbols—a desperate reconciliation with mortality. In this era, people feared being buried alive, and they built safety coffins to confront their deepest anxieties. Were these lifelines or remnants of delusion?
The Truth Behind This Dark Practice
Still, the safety coffin was at odds with the somber finality of burial. Many people feared awakening in the darkness, entombed yet alive. For some, it ignited a morbid curiosity, driving them to explore the very depths of existence from beyond a wooden box.
As time wore on and medical practices improved, medical progress reduced the need for such graves. Yet, the stories linger. The haunting bells remind us that our relationship with death can be fraught with both terror and fascination. We continue to grapple with the shadows of our mortality, made darker by the ghosts of a past laden with fear.
If you are fascinated by dark Victorian fears and gothic identity, explore your own shadow with our Edgar Allan Poe name generator.
Some fears were never buried.
The post Bells Beneath the Earth: The Terrifying Victorian Safeguard Against Premature Burial appeared first on Edgar Allan Poets – Noir Rock Band.
-
Neurosis Thank Fans For The Warm Welcome Back: “By Referring To Our New Music As A Gift, You Have Given Us A Gift”
“Never in our wildest imagination could we have foreseen that our return and new album would have such a deep resonance and emotional impact.”
The post Neurosis Thank Fans For The Warm Welcome Back: “By Referring To Our New Music As A Gift, You Have Given Us A Gift” appeared first on Theprp.com.
-
Goatroach – Bassist Died
Finnish sludge metal collective Goatroach announced that their bassist Iikka “Iippo” Korhonen has passed away. Consequently, the band has decided to go on hiatus for some time to think about the future of the band.
Read more… -
Commitment – “Fear Of”
If you Google the phrase “commitment fear of,” you will probably have to scroll down a very long way before you encounter the Philadelphia hardcore punk band Commitment or their upcoming debut album Fear Of. Maybe that’s on purpose. Maybe the entire enterprise flies in the very face of search engine optimization. Nevertheless, Stereogum is…
The post Commitment – “Fear Of” appeared first on Stereogum.
-
WATCH: Bring Me The Horizon Performing ‘Doomed’ live in São Paulo
Bring Me The Horizon have shared another piece of their sensational concert film ‘L.I.V.E. In São Paulo, and it’s going to give you goosebumps.
Beginning with a check-in with E.V.E., one of the many elements that make the show such an immersive and intense experience, the evening then bleeds into a beautiful look back at the band’s journey.
From their scrappy beginnings playing in whatever venue would have them to taking on the world, it’s an emotional watch, to say the least. A reminder of what sticking to your guns, living life how you see fit, and not letting anyone tell you what you can and can’t do can reward you with.
It’s the perfect introduction for ‘Doomed’, the opening track from the band’s 2015 album ‘That’s The Spirit’. Spending the last decade becoming a firm fan favourite, the reaction to it is deafening. Matched with spectacular lasers and Oli Sykes pushing his vocal talents to their limits, it’s a spine-tingling affair that sums up everything that is so special about BMTH in one anthemic burst.
After spending two nights in cinemas worldwide, L.I.V.E. in Sao Paulo is now available for a special streaming event on April 10. You can pick up your pass right here now.The post WATCH: Bring Me The Horizon Performing ‘Doomed’ live in São Paulo appeared first on Rock Sound.
-
SAĦĦAR – Maltese black metal entity signs to Time To Kill Records
Maltese black metal enyity SAĦĦAR has officially joined the roster of Time To Kill Records, marking a new chapter in its ever-evolving path. Emerging from a scene far removed from the genre’s more saturated circuits, SAĦĦAR brings with it a distinct identity shaped by isolation, heritage, and a deeply personal artistic vision. The upcoming full-length album promises a refined take […]