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Full text of "Thrashing Rage zine Issue XIII (1999)
"
See other formats
, Ie ing ™ ge
Litterae XHHH
Anno 1999
ABIGOR
MORTIIS
SUMMONING
ENTHRONED
UNHOLY
NOKTURNAL
KEEP > OF KALESSIN
TAAKE
EWIGKEIT
EMPYRIUM
_ DARK SANCTUARY
Hntroduction Contents
She found me roots of relish sweet,
And honey wild, and manna dew ;
And sure in language strange she si
T love thee true!'
La Belle ¢
Jame Sans Merci
at-drins,
The sedge is wit
5 Shetook me to her elfin grot,
And no; -
And there she gazed and sigh'd full sore,
Aid there I shut her wild wild eyes
Vith Risses four.
O what can ail t
So haggard and s
The squirrel's
‘And the her there she lulled me asleep,
And there - ah ! woe betide !
The latest dream I ever dream’d
On the cold fill side.
I saw pale kings and princes,too,
le warriors, death-pale were they all;
‘They cred -'La Belle Dame sans merci
Thee hath in thrall’
Full beautiful a fae hee hath in thrai
Her hair as tong, fo
: I saw their stary'd lips in the gloam,
And her eyes were : ”
With horrid warning gaped wide,
And I awoke, and found me here,
On the cold hill side.
I made a garland for her head,
And bracelets too, and fragrant zone ;
She look'd at me as she did love,
3 And this ts why I sojourn here,
And made sweet moan. ~
Alone and palely loitering,
Though the sedge is wither'd
Srom the lake,
And no birds sing.
I set her on my pacing steed,
And nothing else saw all day long,
For sideways would she lean, and sing
A faery's song. John Keats
“Les seuls vivants méritant le nom d'Artistes sont les
créateurs, ceux, qui éveillent des impressions intenses,
inconnues et sublimes, Les autres ?... Quiimporte!“
Vilhers De L'Isle-Adam
THRASHING RAGE pages ine
B.P. 934
73009 CHAMBERY CEDEX
FRANCE 4
TEL/FAX : +33 4 79 69 38 74
E-mail : trage @wanadoo.fr
Publisher, Editor, Writer :
Laurent MICHELLAND
Assistants :
Florence POPOVICS
Frédéric DESCHAMPS ©
biqor is a Demon of war, a commander of the leqions of Satan.
He possesses the knowledge of all wars - past, present and futu-
re. Che music of the Austrian trio ts extreme and technical, com-
bintng traditional black metal with experimental elements. Those musi-
cians are not of this earth, but rather from the end and the beqinning of all
time. A place of motionless storms where stars ave plentiful and bright.
Dialogue with P.K. (guitars)
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
Silenius left ABIGOR during the recording of "Channeling The Quintessence
Of Satan". Could you tell us more about the exact reasons that led to his
departure ?
Silenius told us that he could no longer identify himself with black metal and ABI-
GOR, because he hadn't been listening to this musical style for more than two years.
According to him, "Channeling The Quintessence Of Satan" was a too complex and
technical album to find suitable vocal lines. But we expected such a step anyway,
because the same kind of thing had already happened in 1998, during the recording
sessions of "Supreme Immortal Art". He had also cancelled a studio date, so we
knew that something would happen with him sooner or later. It is.a pity that he didn't
inform us earlier about his will to part with the band. Anyhow, we accept his deci-
sion : Silenius is still a friend of us, but he chose another way...
The band's new vocalist and bass player, Thurisaz, was also involved in
AMESTIGON and HEIDENREICH in the past...
In our opinion, Thurisaz is a very good musician, with the right mental philosophy
and a voice that fits perfectly to our art, so it was the one and only solution for ABI-
GOR. Thurisaz' voice sounds far more aggressive than Silenius' ever was. He wor-
ked out all his vocal lines, while Silenius just improvised a main part of the songs,
which was sometimes great but sometimes not that good. So Thurisaz worked in a
more professional, and even better way.
Silenius left the band, it's a fact, but it won't cause any decrease of our musical stan-
dard because he never wrote lyrics
of composed a single note for an
ABIGOR song.
"Channeling The Quintessence Of
Satan" offers very technical black
metal with a transparent and
powerful production that creates
sonorous soundscapes played in
the pure ABIGOR style, but relea-
sed in a more untypical way than
before...
| agree that we developed into a
more powerful and complex direc-
tion, even if it wasn't a goal we strove
for, it just happened, and we are very
satisfied with the final result. The
main difference compared to our pre-
vious releases is that we worked with
three guitar lines throughout
: “Channeling The Quintessence Of
Satan’. on "Supreme Immortal Art", we used the keyboards as a kind of additional
istrument whil e there are no synth parts on the new album because this instrument
the forces of darkness...
re the experience of life with all those topics you refer to because
REICH a different band with different influences and ways
topics form our lyrical influences is that ABIGOR stands as a black Metal
unites music with extreme mental values. There is a kind of war within
those who try to find an individual way of life, the war of being able t
ve, to free the mind of all boundaries, or being trapped in this three di
world. It is the mental struggle for individuality and the a» &
nation. :
Satan is all and nothing, the changing and the oe
behind the shadows, the subconscious power within yoursel
you call your Lord...
Satanist is a suitable, but unfortunately also a very definite form of fese ‘
dogma | believe in. | do see myself as a Satanist, because a lot of people wouldn
understand my real goals and philosophies, maybe “magician” would be very, Oty -
even more suitable as well. The problem is that occultism contents a :
source of wisdom and information and too many persons wouldn't be able to hai
le and to understand that at all. It doesn't consist of ve belief prUsed C)
and Satan. : -
There must be a balance within the universe, which means nee cant be only posi- _
tive or negative energies. One can't exist without the other, and that's my personal
difference from most of the so called Satanists because they have been corrupted
by the pestilence that infected the heart of Europe, that is to say Christianity. This
religion states that there is a battle between what is good and evil, which is simply
wrong. You have to accept both forces within yourself, both the pa and oe
ve aspects, and to think with whom you shall work.
If you were king for a day, what would be your first and final act ?
| found and chose my very personal way of life several years ago, and today | live in
a kind of inner harmony :! am one with the cosmic powers, with myself and with the
might of Satan. | really don't care about today's mass consumer society, with its
morals, and idiotic views on religion, pity, and all the other we
important for them. | would really enjoy to see the end of mankin that!
and final act would be to reduce the world population to 20% of it's daily volume.
DENREICH offers a more experimental state of music than
more untypical riffs and song structures in the compositions.
grammed drums, samples, strange synths and effect:
2 about live concerts in general, | dont ket
are just a waste of work and energy for noth
shed and Besed all the work | had done on ‘The Stargate" so far. So
| had to begin all over again.
Awhile later, | decided that | wanted to look for
‘was a bit of debating with Cold Meat Industr
months of negotiations with Earache Records
of 1998 had arrived, and the actual release
September 1999. "The Stargate” was actually r
May 1998, though. Lately, | decided to quit my o
FATA MORGANA and CINTECELE DIAVOULI i in
order to spend more time with MORTIIS and
try to make that as good as possible.
Why did you decide to quit Dark
é ortits, the concept born of dissatisfaction, Desire and Demen- Pyngeon Music and to sign with
Bl tia is a being like no other, with a story to tell that knows no ~=Nottingham based label Earache
end. Neither in this world or the next, the space in time that Records ?
he occupies ig one there the imagination is Ring, and the farthest reaches First, | saw my music turning to nothing
of the mind is God. Mortis is a concept that allows anvthing to become a because | didn't have enough time on my
possibility, where the onlp restraint ts the limits the creator imposes on hands to really sit down and work on It.
| ' : gs a. Then, | got really bored to deal with disho-
himself. Whe ultimate example of creation replacing creator. nest distributors who didn't pay their bills.
Basically, the whole business around the label
Dialogue with Mortiis really disgusted me.
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND So | sent out promos to a lot of labels, and Earache Records was ‘the
most interesting record company that responded in a positive way.
Debuting with the monotone "Fodt Til A Herske", Earache Records has been a personal favourite label of mine fora
the whole shadowy concept of MORTIIS took fur- ong time. | looked forward to working with a label that understood -
ther shape with the second chapter "Anden Som and was enthusiastic about my music. | then signed a four album
Gjorde Oppror"... deal with the English label, the first release being the long awaited
Slowly a new world was taking form, one in which the "The Stargate", quickly to be followed by the reissue of “Crypt Of The
only God was the mind and its ultimate expansion. Wizard" on Halloween. The reissue will feature completely new art-
The archaic ambient nature of the music shrouded work. To me, "The Stargate" is my personal soundtrack to a journey
the world of ——— — — between worlds different
MORTIIS in more obscuti- 5 paws BESS, 8S EG ies than this. "Crypt Of The
ty, and the outrageous ae, he Se SC as Wizard" is a document of
persona | had adopted still Bi 6 4 nee my past, the way MOR-
seemed at odds with the a TIIS used to be.
music. ee .
My third exploration, From a fusical and lyri-
"Keiser Av En Dimensjion " cal point of view, “The
Ukjent", showed greater oo, ¥ Stargate” brings us to
signs of progression, but age > the most varied view of
ultimately still left people Si your other world... —
confused. What was es ; “The Stargate" is easily
| ee aa ie | Cm my most ambitious oe
u ? = to date, this album andits
| think that my ambition x vivid live translation is the
ee hs with the be — continuation of the MOR- —
se of five separate 12" mS Oe ae TIIS chronicles, set in a
singles, ultimately collec- Roe _ dimension where imagina-
ted under the title "Crypt ae tion is King and the mind
Of The Wizard", works q Ree -
: i is God.
that finally developed the : iain J | think that the songs and ~
ies, oo x structures are a lot more
world, ruled by imagina- ; mature than before.
tion and vision, a place Obviously, the added
where the human is repla- we * vocals give the whole pro-
ced by the alter-ego. : duction a totally new
dimension. Except for the
After the "Crypt Of The backing vocals, this time
Wizard" album, some the vocals are not perfor-
time was actually spent og : med by myself but | by a
on trying to figure out
the first few MORTIS
shows that you ever
did...
female and a male voca- —
list because | didn't consi-
der my voice good enough
to do that sort of thing. —
After that, | started wor- Sarah Jezebel also sings
king on material for “The — for CRADLE OF FILTH
gate", and also did and THERION, and has
f work for my now defunct label Dark Dungeon Music. | spent been doing stuff for COVENANT while Kalle Metz plays in TENEBRE
ight to twelve hours of work on it every day. | also recorded and a couple of other bands.
ed Demon" with VOND and the “Space Race" 7" with FATA _ | think that the integration of female vocals has brought many varia-
habit : a time of lone- :
ess, grim contempla-
on and endless jour- —
inding answers to it
all...
“The Stargate" relates
tales of grim journeys,
hard fought battles and
grim contemplation, cloa-
ked with a mythological
backdrop of pseudo-reali-
ty. For the world we are
allowed to see is one that
we can never inhabit,
being exclusively the
domain of MORTIIS him-
self, a world where my
fantasies are given wings.
As| listeners all you can do is wonder at what takes place in my
head, what made me this way :
the answers are not easily
found. Reconciling the sounds | experience through “The
_ Stargate" with the shocking image that | portray in not easy
either. Only by surrendering to your own mind-god, and
maybe creating your own nether-world, can you come close to
_ appreciating the experiences that | convey through my schizoid
existence.
Shall we see the new
album as the first part
of a complete saga ?
Yes, you are right. | plan
to record at least one
sequel to "The Stargate’.
In a nutshell, the album is
about the journey to a
gate made of stars, in
der to travel between
existence so
rom those with
book "Secrets Of My
Kingdom", you say that
"MORTIIS is your alter
ego, he is your essence
and in so being you are
inseparable”.
Could you develop this
statement ?
After seven years of sear-
ching for the answer to
who or what or why MOR-
TIS is, | just realized that
MORTIIS . has’ always
been me and | have
always been him, we were
one and the same.
| started and headed to who knows where 2 -
eG
Ree
ollowing thetr own instincts, Silenius and Protector create a
whole world where music flows and dreams. Summoning's
artistic expression knows no bounds, no obstacles : this ts the
crown of their creation. Through a climax of musical independence and
freedom, their majestic, epte and medieval compositions are bound to
triumph. Off the qround and far away... Forever...
Dialogue with Silenius (bass, keyboards, vocals)
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
After the release of "Dol Guldur", you decided to get away from the musical
scene for a while...
| fell into a kind of looking for creativity and inspiration, and so | decided to relax.
Of course, | was not totally away from the music world : I tried to work for the dark
wave ritual project MIRKWOOD, but | had too many troubles, so | stopped it again
later on that year. | also did the vocal lines for the new ABIGOR release "Supreme
Immortal Art", and since it was done very quickly, it didn't bring me too much work.
Meanwhile, Protector was working with his own bands ICE AGES and DIE VER-
BANNTEN KINDER EVAS. All in all, | didn't have many contacts with him during
that period. Most of the songs on "Stronghold" were composed during a very short
time at the end of 1998. Since then, | was motivated again, full of ideas and ins-
piration.
On "Stronghold", you paid more attention to the guitar work, the whole
album sounding heavier than "Minas Morgul" and "Dol Guidur”...
As the guitar took over the leading r
they fit better with the keyboard sounds.
hypnotic a monotonous but neverth
lyrical concept is again bast
and doesn't deal with con
SUMMONING's music s
realms of Tolkien’ Ss worl
tener...
tasy cartoon Fire and bs and of course: Lord
ly inspired by them.
When listening to "Stronghold", one has the feeling
of a mountain with a blood sword i in one's byaen: )
scapes...
If you have seen such images, SUMMONING's music | as the
and you are welcomed on our path towards eternity. | think that to get the
ce out of our music, you have to listen to our songs on a wal
on a mountain trip. The combination of musical stimulation a
tion of wide open untouched landscapes is the perfect conbination: to get
special ancient feeling and to drown into a daydream. This combination betw
wanderlust and dark emotions of high adventure also plays a dominant role whi :
reading Tolkien's books. After all, our music was made for the. individual, S0 thatit
doesn't fit with parties at all.
The lyrical concept of "Stronghold" should have been based on the
Nibelungen concept...
The problem was that the concept was already used by a German band. We c came
off the idea because we didn't want to get compared with them. So the lyrical
concept is again based on Tolkien's Middle Earth saga, only in a more global way.
Most of the new lyrics are directly taken from old poems and refer to the pre- ver
sions of thésSilmarillion.
In former times} whenlhadymore time to be on my own and when | still lived far —
away from Vienna, | often took some Tolkien books with me when | was out for a
walk through the Surrounding landscapes of my old small home town. Then | sat
under a tree reading this or that book, not only Tolkien's, but always mythological
or fantasy like b6oKs OF old German "Heldensagen". | thought that to read a book
with special sufroundings around could be more impressive and force deeper
impressions within your own mind. And | was right since | got very inspired by
those experiences. Today, | somehow miss those times...
When you were a child, your father took you to visit each castle around
Austria...
| Was always fascinated by these things and in what my father could tell me about
all the castles and ruins. That was so because he was a professor of history.
Nowadays, | don't really have time anymore to go on such excursions, and my
interests also float towards other directions. | also collected a lot of medieval wea-
pons during the former years, but now again, | have nearly no time for them, as
well as my interests change. But of course, | will keep them to hold up high my
memory.
Now, | would like you to take the role of story teller and relate
SUMMONING's past and present adventures...
Looking back at the beginning, | can say that the debut album "Lugburz" was pri-
mitive, rough and chaotic and doesn't fit at all with our other releases. We had not
found our identity yet but there were already some elements that would become
typical for what SUMMONING would stand for in the future. Then came "Minas
Morgul", and this piece of art was for sure our masterwork. There will neverbea _
better SUMMONING release than this one. "Dol Guldur" was in a similar
maybe a bit too similar, but after all, it allowed us to strengthen Ol :
the underground, and all in all, it was our best selling album. With the follow
mini CD “Nightshade Forests", there was a little breakdown whe poor and
guitar sound destroyed a lot and people started to say t
ning of the end. But after two — of silence
-rom an aesthetic point of view, could you explain t
haracters | who are illustrated inside the bookie °
ng was done by Lode Claes and shows Nazgul.
2 contrast of black and white. The black ring gho
] ered ee Ss is of course 7 y
hirsty of blood and violence, of Domination and invasion, the
Blackened horde of Enthroned murder the holy ones. Their pre -
ponderant fast and malicious black metal attacks are fierce wea -
pons unleashed upon the tqnorant, weak human vace. "Che Apocalypse
flanifesto" gives an tmmortal lust for the eternal abyss, through bellish
thundering hymns of tar.
Dialogue with Nornagest (lead guitar, backing vocals)
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
With the release of "The Apocalypse Manifesto", ENTHRONED has
stayed true to its style and has become different from other bands.
caine
Is it the way you perceive the sense of musical evolution ?
Yes, you are right. We have been practising the latest tracks since the
"Towards The Skullthrone Of Satan" period along with the tracks from the mini
album. We worked very hard on this album. Tracks like "The Apocalypse
Manifesto" or "Volkermord" were written one year and half ago and we just
worked and worked until the songs sounded perfect to us. The same goes for
the rest of the album except for the hidden track, “Anal Lust", which was writ-
ten during the recording sessions. | honestly think that we chose the right
We push the limits to the maximum but still
Today, | think it's hard to find a band that sound
ve parts but also on the slower ones...
Speed doesn't necessarily equal ie brutality. |
not brutal enough for my taste. We just let ~ fa f
ENTHRONED's music is the result. We play what we fe
impact comes from. We don't play to earn money, just f
play for ourselves and that's the most important og
After the release of "Prophecies Of Pagan Fire", you have decreased the
use of keyboards in your compositions. Could you explain why ?
Because our songs no longer need synth passages. We tried this instrument 7
on the "Prophecies Of Pagan Fire” album as the songs were darker than bru-
tal then. It sounded quite good and really dark but now the keyboards don't fit”
anymore to ENTHRONED's music. | actually doubt if we will use it again,
except for an intro or something like this. —
Dedicated to the deceased Cernunnos, do you see the "Regie Sathanas"
mini CD as a distinct release in ENTHRONED's collection ? :
Yes, definitely. It's a tribute to our brother who left this world to find another
one. Cernunnos was so dedicated to the scene and to Satan that we had to
do this homage. Even the music is different, it's more melancholic although its
still very aggressive. Pure black metal but with a special touch.
The songs of "The Apocalypse Manifesto" forge an epic concept album
which deals with the biblical concept of Apocalypse reinterpreted
through strictly satanic views... :
The whole thing deals with the Apocalypse, with the views and visions that |
experienced through rituals and which showed me the other sides of the
Apocalypse. The song "Death Faceless Chaos" is about a vision | had while |
was "there". | saw a big faceless shadow, screaming so much that my ears
were hurt. The presence was so mighty and dark that | couldn't express my
joy and the shadow continually screamed "Hastur !", “Hastur!". | understood it
was the name of the shadow which enveloped me and then woke up inside
my pentagram. The only track that doesn't speak about the theme of the
Apocalypse is "The Scourge Of God", a true story about Attila the Hun, one
of the most cruel beings ever. So you see that each song of ENTHRONED
has its own story of dark and unknown reality.
You are a complete nihilist person, who expresses his hatred towards
humanity and every weak religion, to which adhere the weak them-
selves...
My only wish is to see all those weak worms die in another Hiroshima. Then,
I'll program a bomb to be dropped on my town. Gehenna is so much better...
ENTHRONED is composed of Satanists who are also musicians. | will always.
support my father now and forever. My beliefs, thoughts and hatred are truly
serious and dark. The devil | know can't be compared to other forces in the
universe, he is not something you can reach out and touch...
Ruins and graveyards are the only places where you feel serene...
| like to walk through ruins, especially old castles in England and Scotland.
Bamburgh castle is a wonderful place to visit... What huge pain those people
must have lived when building such marvellous monuments. | wish we could
see architecture like in Rome in other places such as” a York or Pers
in twenty years. :
You are also deeply interested in the realm of ancient toy with ‘its
artistic, mystic and occult dimensions... :
The way that Imhotep built the pyramids, the colossal Ramses II statues and
the mysticism behind Egyptian art are so exciting. | also appreciate the works -
from Memling, Dore, Baudelaire, Zuber, Levi and a few: others. | enjoy the way
these artists managed to capture the sense of the black the mixture of —
beauty and darkness, disease and desire. | am also
leave something behind that will reflect such impressio
| designed the cover for "The Apocalypse Manif
personal vision of this theme. If | were a paint
probably been like this.
matter is over now.
NHOL
omposed of sombre characters, Gnholy unites its musical past
and present with an impressive collection of weird, Dramatic and
refined dark doom metal compositions. for those secret indivi -
Duals, the cultural element is something that is alreadp there and which
Doesn't need to be emphasized. "A thought unchained, unpredictably drif-
ting in wider spaces, beyond the limitations of the spirit of time..."
Dialogue with Jan Kuhanen (drums)
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
Many things have changed during the turbulent times between "The
Second Ring Of Power" and "Rapture"...
We had some personal and musical troubles which eventually put the whole
band on ice. We just got fed up with each other, there were two different lines
of thought within the band and neither view overcame. Or you could say that
mine and |smo's views won in the end, for we now do what we wanted to do all
the time. Regarding the line-up, female vocalist Veera Muhli has now become a
steady member of the band, though she already appeared on "Rapture" She is
young and very talented musically, especially with the piano. She's not a singer,
but her fragile voice seems to fit our music quite well.
UNHOLY's new release, "Gracefallen", doesn't sound so extreme as
"Rapture". Nevertheless, the feeling of agony is still there...
All our music is motivated by personal experiences, views and feelings. It comes
from dark emotions, bright emotions, out of sorrow, as well as out of joy. Mainly
the songs have a sombre tune, but just because life is often quite raw and mer-
ciless. UNHOLY's music is somehow the cross cut picture of our souls, or spiri-
tual sides, or about us as individuals. It is our way of seeing things. Maybe the
proper term to describe our music would be the following one : highly indivi-
dually reserved manifestations of personal anxiety and pain expressed through
the art of music, stretching beyond the limitations of the spirit of time.
From depressive harmonies to hypnotic moods, your fourth album is pla-
ced under the sign of a rich diversity...
UNHOLY's richness comes from the contradictions and differences that are pre-
sent in the band. It's the mixture of our separate personalities. We are not homo-
genous when it comes to personalities, world views, beliefs, morals...
In fact, we only have two things in common : we are all part of the human race
and we are in the same band. In everything else, we are like day and night. So
when everybody tries to do his own thing, it all develops through chaos to orga-
nised entity.
Some of your lyrics are very closely derived from your personal life...
So closely that I'm afraid to listen to the lyrics, or even play the songs to anyo-
ne, fearing that someone will find out what I'm chasing. But you have to confront
your demons if you want to get rid of them, and this is my way of doing it. Pasi
writes with totally different method, but | like his lyrics very much. The title of the
album is not directly related to the lyrics. "Gracefallen" describes the state of the
band more than the lyrics or the music. We feel that as a band we are doomed
to be forever failure, thrown into the abyss of oblivion, or something like that.
Therefore... "Gracefallen".
Do you sometimes get ideas from some writers and develop them further
or put them into a text ?
Only very rarely | can produce a text around some piece of writing. | just usual-
ly steal a line or two, or a though from here and there. Mainly | got my ideas
from personal experiences. If we produce some piece of music, | may listen to
it for hours and hours, and eventually | get into it. Then, | produce a text on the
basis of the emotions which that certain piece of music provoked in me. | could
say that UNHOLY's own music is a big source of inspiration, at least for myself.
On "Gracefallen", there are a few songs that develop further the ideas which
were already present on “Rapture”. Otherwise, | must admit that | read a lot
because of my off-band activities, but also in leisure time, | like to grab a book.
| especially enjoy the works of Nietzsche and Sartre, as well as some Finnish
writers, thinkers, and poets such as Linna, Leino, Linkola, Tabermann, and
Tynni.
Finnish people don't portray romanticism through painting, poetry or
music but rather live it in their existence...
We are in the romantic scenery itself, the wild men of the periphery. The Finns
are one of the last people living at the edge of the nature, and it won't be long
until the last one of us has shook the wolf off him. As for myself, | don't think I'm
much of a romantic. None of us is, except for Veera Muhli. | see life as absurd,
especially modern life, with all its extremes. An individual may seek harmony,
and if he finds it, he may consider himself a lucky man. But everyday's tragedy
of other people, or fiction on the other hand, help us to deal with our own detri-
ments. Catharsis...
To a certain degree, you are reserved individuals by nature...
We don't have many friends among the other bands, partly because we don't
want them, and partly because people who think like we do, or who are on the
same frequency, are quite rare. | don't want to sound elitist, but we have our own
way of doing things and it isn't easy for an outsider to come into terms with
UNHOLY members. We don't spit to people's faces even though some would
deserve it, but | think the spirit and the attitude in the band is quite unique, so
that everybody coming from outside would suffer serious mental damages befo-
re adapting to our systems.
Would you say that UNHOLY's art symbolises your testament, your last
will ?
There is some point in your life when you start to realize that you won't last fore-
ver, and that some things you have done or made will last longer than you. They
will keep on living after you life departure. | guess everyone would like to leave
behind something to be remembered of, and that is one reason for composing
music. :
urrounded by luxury, lost in a mystifying temple, Charmand
Grimloch is the creative qhost behind Cartavos. This artist
spends his inner life on an extremely different level than the
outer matertal existence. He has eveated a grand, immense castle filled
with his intense thoughts. His own visual realm, with pure aesthetics,
where he uses and works with the qreat spiritual faculties.
Dialogue with Charmand Grimloch
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
Based on visions, thoughts and inner feelings, “The Red Jewel”
sounds more aggressive than "The Grand Psychotic Castle", expres-
sing another form of strength...
This release features a lot of layers in the mix of both symphonic key-
boards and powerful guitars while it still brings the horrified sound. It is
surprising in the transcendental way. The composition is based on varia-
tion, which means that it takes more of your psyche to understand the wis-
dom behind it. In a few words, it's faster and more metal. There are for sure
many different ways to create:musie : some like to be the innovators and
some prefer to be the imitators. In a certain way, | respect both of them.
The innovators are those who build and create a major "geometrical" form
in the cosmos whereas the imitators are those who only pick and use all
the different created forms. For sure, both of these ways of making music
are made from inspiration factors. It is just a question of how personal the
inspiration factor is. Very often the music brings the answer to this...
Talking about the inspiration matters, on can feel some aspects from
old classical music on TARTAROS debut full length album...
in some parts and highlights, | express my personal experiences through
the theory of classical composers such as Bernard Herrmann, Hans
Eisler, Lizt, the requiem of Mozart, Henryk Gurecki, Mussorsky... They
really interest me with their strength and feelings of the past. | always let
my mind reach another level when composing, but not by any artificial
stuff such as drugs. | prefer the more spiritual way. The music of "The Red
Jewel'..also.brings a lot of energy, one can say that a huge quantity of
bizarre experience is translated into music, intense music. The horror
aspect brings a strength from the past times, the psychedelic changes is
more a state of mind thing, and the multiple moods give a taste from dif-
_ ferent experiences. All this is twisted into a “geometrical” form.
Your debut mini CD had been engineered by Pytten at Grieghallen
Studio while you entirely produced "The Red Jewel" on your own.
How did you live such an experience ?
- “The Red Jewel was recorded at S.M.I studios on my own simply becau-
se | wanted to create a charming horrified sound picture, which the music
surely deserves. | think it was perfect to work with this in my own studio.
___ Since there is a kind of pressure when a studio is booked, | could fully
“create all songs the way | wanted, with no hasty. Of course, | explored
ome things that | will do different on TARTAROS' next release, such as
e objective judgement in the mixing process or equipment refresh-
ments. _
| soncept album, "The Red Jewel" betrays deep reflec-
resort, the place where all your thoughts are gained...
ints the story of old spectrals from a jewel pendant, which
to a metaphysical world. A labyrinth to the red glow of pure
} h is of terrifying beauty. It might be banishing or demo-
| you the craft of terror and foolishness of the universe,
s to grasp you sometimes.
as supposed to be called "Weaving The Green
d you later change the title to "The Red Jewel” ?
| Light" was a description of the loom which creates
and forms in the underworld. Filling creatures with a lust of transc
ce, a green coloured lust of being controlled in an empire. This son
too individual for the actually concept of "The Red Jewel’, so wed
to delay it fo the next album. Also it requires a different sound. |
huge and exceedingly powerful.
Charmand, you create music with a strong connection to the world
of horror, psychedelic and elegance. _
What is your own definition of those three words ? :
Horror : A theatrical way to release dreads and fears.
Psychedelic : A mental statement compressed and created in a manife
tation. ss
Elegance : A grand solemnity in some way connected to the fin :
TARTAROS' personal verses basically describe the same mood, but
with the use of different modes of expression... _. _
The lyrical concept of "The Red Jewel’. differs a lot from song to song. :
Some of the lyrics are created from philosophizing, some summarize
strange happenings, others describe wisdom and sometimes fantasy. You
can say that there is a close connection between the musical dimension
and the words in every song. :
Besides music, | know that you also deal with antiques for a safety
income... .
Yes, | am very attracted to the world of antiques. It can for sure be a good
investment to set your money in old things which give increase in value
every year. | have a lot of old furniture, tables, chairs, glasses, mirrors...
Together with TARTAROS, you also run a synth project named THE
THRILL...
THE THRILL is a pure classical project based on mystical aspects from
the old Tivoli festivals and opera performances. You will hear all from pom-
pous orchestral composition to kind of slow dreadfully jukebox playing.
Some of the tracks will also bring lyrics.
It's a very exciting project to work with because every track brings an indi-
vidual feeling. | compose the songs with many different instruments,
orchestral acoustic instruments mixed together with synthetic sounds. |
experiment a lot to let the project sound like a kind of black and white
soundtrack for a film performed on the stage of a large theatre. The album
will be released sometime in the period of late 1999 or in the beginning of
the year 2000.
his time, the saviour comes from the world where landscapes are
stunning and Gods are almighty. s2okturnal Mortum hails
from the woods of the ancient land Oriana (now Kharkov,
Ukraine). They are the embodiment of the power of the qreat culture, crea-
ting their own domain and rules there. The black and white visions of a
warlike horde feasting upon the weak. You will fear them...
Dialogue with Knjaz Varggoth (spells, full moon mysticism,
black emotions & six-roaring prophetic of devil's eminence)
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
NOKTURNAL MORTUM's strength lies in your ability to integrate
aggressive fast-paced black metal attack with a plethora of key-
board orchestrations interlaced with a swarm of complex musical
structures...
The main idea behind "To The Gates Of Blasphemous
Fire" was to create a third album with more apocalyp-
tic moods than on "Goat Horns" and “Lunar Poetry’.
We wanted to bring it closely to the essence of the
black metal style. In order to reach that goal, we had to
make it more extreme and aggressive. In a fierce fer-
vour of moonlight metal with speeds that touch chaos,
epic notes, pagan rituals and spectacular instrumenta-
tion, the whole album is on fire from start to finish. The
mastery of this album runs deep and dark accenting for
a new revelation every time. With this supreme effort, |
think NOKTURNAL MORTUM have just delivered the
epitome of black metal...
The two keyboards furiously weave majestic
atmospheres in the background and accompany
the sheer intensity of the vocal eruptions...
Traditional folk elements were very difficult to convey through the use
of only one keyboard, so we decided to elaborate on that process. In
the new album, we will use real folk instruments plus keyboards. This
way, we will be able to open the gates of Noctikula for some of you.
The throne will belong to you, and
Carpathian lakes will embrace your
faces with their coldness.
Your compositions mix grandio-
se walls of orchestrated mad-
ness with fast black metal art.
The added plus is your great ear
_ for the folk melodies of your
homeland, Ukraine...
From Western black metal bands,
_we have a huge distinction : we still
_have spirit whereas most of them
don't. From Eastern European
bands, it is not that distinct, but |
would say that to live in Ukraine
i S a unique energy, a pure
om the centre of Slav culture.
~ NOKTURNAL MORTUM's music is
_ based on the culture of our nation,
_ including a lot of traditional folk elements. Also it is very warlike, cal-
__ling for real action and it comes from our every day life. The black metal
style is really popular here and gets a lot of recognition among the
_fans. There are a number of very talented bands in Ukraine as well.
- Sometimes, we get in trouble with our government and recently, a
_ number of the "Goat Horns" tapes were seized from the store.
10
Nicely arranged and put ‘enathers: the
Eastern European flavour which pa ee
enigmatic darkness oozing from your region... : :
As for the folk elements, we get inspiration from our nation, the natu-
re of our area and from what our ancestors achieved centuries ago.
We don't like many things in today's society, that's why our music isa
call to take weapons and to fight. One of the most unforgettable things.
for the person who listens to NOKTURNAL MORTUM for the first time
is the nationalistic spirit embracing our music and lyrics. We are. really
proud to perform some of the old Ukrainian folk so and it really
turns people on. : :
"Goat Horns" and "To The Gates Of Blasphemous” are written
like perfect odes to the pagan kingdom of Veles...
The general direction for our lyrics isthe Slav theme. We use a lot of
folk motives that come from the history of our nation. We follow our
ancestors without any compromise. “Goat Horns" incorporated pagan
ideas and myths whereas "To the Gates Of Blasphemous Fire" points
our enemy and our fight against him.. The kingdom of hate, anger and
darkness has risen and the clock is striking the last strokes. The last
minutes of liars are flowing away with the rivers of NOKTURNAL
MORTUM's kingdom.
With the deep will to revive the old traditions of your ancestors,
you follow the nationalistic direction...
The government doesn't have a lot of authority nowadays. People
might achieve everything. We lose our original values and we have to
protect them by all means. Our music is some kind of call to that pre-
servation. NOKTURNAL MORTUM supported the pagan
ideas before, however now we are closer to reality.
Perun and Veles, the Ukrainian pagan gods, have exis-
ted and still exist in our hearts. We see them as war-
riors and hopefully, people will think of us in the same
way.
When a person is weak, he is unable to find any
answer for himself, therefore he is seeking help.
And that is what religion offers,a sanctuary for all
the weak...
| have got a message to address to all those who real-
ly believe that Christianity must destroyed, who want to
live without false and hypocrisy, who are eager to learn
the eternity and who want to turn their souls to the
belief of our father-gods. We want to see the sky colou-
red in red by total purifying fire. Millions of stupid idiots
swallow the maggots of the crucified one. Stinking water
run through their veins. Their ears can hear only the sound of the weak
prays. They've got to know that every lamb has to be eaten or sacrifi-
ced. These poor creatures of their own imagination speak about eter-
nal soul but don't realize that their souls are already dead. We're
unable to count the victims of
Christianity. Our hearts cry with
blood when we remember the
heroes who were killed. The
Christians try to establish their new
order and enslave many people.
Wolves ! Your destiny is in your
hands. This age must be burnt on a
sepulchral bonfire.
Taking in consideration af abi-
lity to create quite : an atmosphere
an epic fourth r
NOKTURNAL
_ Russian and >
again point our enemy. As for the music, | can tell y
compositions sound even more aggressive, but at the sa
melodic. To end, | bless you, by the name of our ancient
rits of nature and mystic eternity. Where dreams are cros
lity, where rivers flow into the seas, under the black
ee reign is there.
n enigma which will unravel and unvetl its secrets only to the
patient listener. This could be the definition of Keep OF
Ralessin's second album, "Aanen - A Fourney Chrough Che
Dark". So manp of the melodies are here hidden, until pou make a disco -
very and then wonder how you missed them in the first place. Through
moments of aveat magnificence, the mighty dragon triumphs and expresses
his war crp with grandeur and decadence.
Dialogue with Vyl (drums),
Ghash (vocals) & Obsidian C. (guitars, synth)
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
KEEP OF KALESSIN started as a two member project with Ghash and Obsidian C.
under the dark monicker of ILDSKJAER back in the year 1993. Why did you later
change the band's name ?
Vyl :We needed an English name because ILDSKJAER didn't make sense to most
people | think. KEEP OF KALESSIN is the stronghold of the eldest, evil is he, the migh-
tiest of the dragons. He is the one who sings his songs of wrath. "Through Times Of War"
and "Agnen" translate into music the endless adventures of this character.
Why did Warach (bass) leave the band after the recording of "Agnen - A Jouney
Through The Dark" ?
Vyl : Warach claimed to be stuck with his job and other obscure reasons. But in my opi-
nion, he parted ways with KEEP OF KALESSIN because black metal wasn't really the
type of music he cherished in his heart. He also told us that he was tired of playing bass,
since he is originally a guitarist. The one who replaces him is called Kesh, hut he is not
a permanent member of the band. He is just a session bassist. This skilled musician has
played bass for some years, even with me a while ago, and he seems to handle the musi-
cal side of the band very well.
Do you agree if | tell you that KEEP OF KALESSIN's compositions sound like a
result of sorrow, sadness, hate and anger...
Vyl : Yes, sorrow and sadness can be ecstatic if they come in the right shape and cir-
cumstances, especially in music. Hate and anger are very underestimated emotions and
fits great in the black metal style. These feelings contain a force which enables you to
achieve things you never thought you could do. And that's positive as long as it doesn't
backfire.
__ Starting from October 26, 1998, you spent fourteen days at Brygga Studio to give
_ shape to "Agnen - A Journey Through The Dark".
uo
Were you more critical towards your compositions than | aut the recording ses-
sions of your debut album ?
Yes, definitely. We entered the studio again during the month of December to finish the
mixing. We wanted to separate the recording sessions from the mixing work because it's
important to have fresh and clear ideas when giving the final sound to the album. This
time, | would say that the riffs are better, the song-structure is more professional and
most of all, our individual skills have increased a lot since "Through Times Of War’. We
feel that the music reflects the lyrics in a much better way.
Both fury and melody play an important role in the expression of "Through Times
Of War" and "Agnen - A Journey Through The Dark’...
Vyl : Fury does indeed play an important role in both music and lyrics. If it wasn't for
vehemence and astonishment, our music would be boring. | think the outcome of the
music depends on the mood you're in that particular day, so it seems that anger and frus-
tration are our daily melodies here beneath the spires of Trondheim...
Could you explain the odyssey that guides the compositions of your second
album ?
Ghash : "Agnen - a journey through the dark" is a long and intense voyage through dif-
ferent landscapes and worlds. They are infested with darkness and death and it gets dar-
ker and darker all the way until the end, which is what "Agnen” means. The title-track is
a long composition that lasts over 11 minutes and which closes the album. Divided into
two parts, It's a kind of epilogue that sumps up the concept of this musical pilgrimage.
You write most of KEEP OF KALESSIN’s lyrics, taking a lot of your inspiration from
Ursula Le Guin's "The Earthsea Quartet" and from your personal thoughts and
moods...
Ghash : | use that setting to explain emotions in real life. I'm still influenced by Ursula Le
Guin and four of the tracks on “Agnen - A Journey Through The Dark" are linked with a
story about a wizard and his fatal journey trough the dark. The other songs are very
much about the themes mentioned above including pain and suffering. | cherish many of
the themes concerning dark nature, occultism, mysticism, science fiction, fantasy, folk-
lore mythology. The reason why | enjoy each of these themes ? Let's say there's either
something wrong with me or with the rest of the world.
As for the religious matters, | wish that religion someday will be nothing but history. It is
incredible that people can be so pathetic that they dedicate their lives such a liar.
Religions should be fascinating tales from the past, not something to follow in a modern
society.
As great tales from the past, | know that you are keen on Norse history and mytho-
logy...
Ghash : | think that bands like ENSLAVED, BATHORY or EINHERJER proved that black
metal and Norse mythology can match good together but many people think this musi-
cal style should be a pure satanic thing. | guess you can find lots of elements which fit
good into the black metal concept in our ancestors. We don't base our lyrics on Norse
mythology. We respect it but it's not something we stand for.
KEEP OF KALESSIN will be part of the MAYHEM tribute soon to be released by
Avantgarde Music...
Obsidian C. : | am the one who performed the vocals on the MAYHEM cover song. For
me, this band represents murder, suicide, a hell of a hammer, unforgettable black meal
compositions and most of all, they were the pioneers of the genre. We wanted to choo-
se the song "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" but it was already taken, so we picked “Buried
By Time And dust" because the fast riffs fit well to KEEP OF KALESSIN. Our desire was
to select a track to which we could add something special, and we agreed it was the right
one. We are very proud to be featured on this compilation, together with such respected
bands as EMPEROR, LIMBONIC ART, ANCIENT, GORGOROTH, D \
MARDUK, ENSLAVED, TORMENTOR, BEHEMOTH and CARPATH
deepest hail the true MAYHEM horde.
AL
rue to the roots and essence of the s2orweaian black metal style,
Taake is an unforgettable demonstration of pure and grim sound-
scapes. Its talented and impressive creator, G. Hoest, succeeds tn
Dominating his compositions with personal musical statements and a deep
feeling of individuality. His very own world is the one of the night, beyond
earthly failure...
Dialogue with U. Hoest
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
Through your compositions, you want to recreate the old Norwegian sunless
atmospheres, expressing national feelings and personal philosophy...
To produce TAAKE's essential soundscape, | have a certain range of necessary ele-
ments to feature. | have always been a fan of my country's folk tones and | think that
to include such means in Norwegian black metal really gives the musical style a lot
more dynamics as well as a very distinct Norwegian stamp that can't be ripped off
by other nationalities. And | can already tell you that traditional acoustic folk instru-
ments are very likely to be featured on the future material. To procure the feeling of
__ our wonderful storms up is a wanted effect and to express raw, wild energy and
‘intensity through the choice of rhythm variations, climaxes is something | see as
necessary In my music.
Meaning “fog’, the epithet TAAKE refers to a mysterious representation...
TAAKE shall be connected to the fog which my hometown, Bergen, is widely known
for, cloaking the seven surrounding mountains. Apart from this patriotic aspect, the
band name also suits my lyrical concepts which are to a large extent based upon
spectral phenomena in the wildemess. | want TAAKE to be a strong Norwegian
expression, so the lyrical influences of our earlier eras are essential to my writing
style. | feel linked with the Norwegian wilderness and hate to return to civilization
again. To express my fascination is something | often do for an atmospheric focus. |
also tend to include ideological views and own statements for the desired effect.
12
Having always been the unique writer of TAAKE'’s music and lyrics, yo!
naturally regarded as the only permanent member as well... _
It is important for me to create an expression as personal as possible,’so | would
never let another individual collaborate in the songwriting process. With my approa-
ch towards music, it would only be a confuse element for me. | doubt that | will ever
find a musician with whom | could develop such a co-frequency and | am not inter- _
ested in this. As this part of my life has become quite important to me,.| prefer to stay
in total control on my own and get everything done by myself. TAAKE's releases are
but small glances into my world, the music and the lyrics being the best guides.
About the creative process, it is hardly based on musical rules and certain patterns.
| can only work when | am truly inspired, which of course is the case with most
artists.
As a musician, as an artist, you are very receptive to impressions, impulses
and you react according to the nature of those feelings...
Some events mark or even scare me every now and then, and the urge to express
that particular feeling through music and lyrics does report itself. My inspirations
range from aggression, melancholy, yearning, frustration, to fascination, pride, domi-
nation and triumph. | want to express the emotions that come from within and that
are indescribable with words. | think that Victor Hugo said it best : "Music expresses
what not be said, yet which it is impossible to keep quiet about". So from there, | add
necessary the musical elements to express such atmospheres in the most effective
and honest way.
With not too much catching my interest or enthusiasm by modern human control or
direction, it is of great satisfaction to be able to create something of my very own to
concentrate on. Musically speaking, | am a very sensitive young man and to create
my own entertainment is a comfortable relief. My involvement in TAAKE is also a
great way of adapt myself to certain events and to a sort of "let off steam". As it might
happen, my band activities bring me in touch with people my work appeals to as well.
Lyrically speaking, “Nattestid..." is a concept album, a kind of personal sound-
track to Norwegian autumn and winter nights - the album title meaning
"Nighttime" -, with all the moods and phenomena combined with your own
night thoughts...
My starting point is what goes on in my innerself, expressed metaphorically through
Norwegian atmospheric scenery. My releases shall be of sovereign Norwegian qua-
lity with a distinct nationalistic stamp, yet being more timeless than old-Norwegian.
My lyrical expression on this album is based upon many of my nocturnal expeditions
where my mind plays tricks on me and the feeling of being alone fades. The full
album title was originally “Nattestid ser porten vid", which could be translated into
something like "Nighttime sees the gate wide". A reference to the music which sym-
bolizes the negative energy strengthened at night. Then you have the supposed
seven gates of Hell, the cold absence of the sun, the influence on people, animals,
nature... lt is hard to give an impression of the lyrics, as the TAAKE experience is all
about atmosphere and moods which can really only be obtained by reading and
interpreting them on your own. But | had to swindle the whole world by writing in a
frigid language with an illegible writing system. The elements featured in my texts are
themes like oppositions, male/female, sun/moon, silver/gold, obsession, nationalism,
references to folklore and mythology and a small doze of blasphemy. A topic that has
interested me for long is life after death, and the communication on this new fre-
quency. | have already written an entirely new concept album about this, which will
probably be featured on my next recording.
Your lyrics are formulated in old Norwegian verse pattern. How did you get this
knowledge ?
My most favourable reading is the great lyrical works of Norway's true cultural heri-
tage, thus influences are the likely result. Literature by Aasen and Garborg holds
such immense quality, always refined with rhymes and rhythms, excellent dynamics,
and the topics mostly deal with typical purely Norwegian topics. | truly feel close to
everything concerning this writing style and would gladly contribute that the tradition
lives on.
The name of the band as well as the lyrics are written in the old runic alpha-
bet. What do the runes represent for you ?
The runic writing forms were used in our booklet mainly to strengthen the Norse
essence of TAAKE's art. As | chose to exclusively express myself lyrically through my
mother tongue, to write and present the lyrics in their very own writing form became
natural. There are also references to the concept of Odin and his links with the runes.
All in all, this is a release in which Latin doesn't have much place
Which rune in particular would you choose as a symbol for TAAKE and your-
self ?
To depict personal qualities is just one of the several runie functions : magic activity,
future predictions, talismans, and written messages. Personally, Ansuz/Os (compa-
rable to the Latin A) wouldn't be bad as a charm around my neck, representing along
with The Messenger, signals, gaining knowledge and passing tests. The old Norse
Loke/Loki, whose way of life one might feel identifiable with. Another candidate could
be Jera (J), simply meaning Autumn, which is my artist name, Host in English. For
the band, Teiwaz (T) might be as interesting as the first letter, representing martial
warrior energy, as well as Tiw, god of the sky. _
The photo on the cover expresses a deep feeling of serenity, an atmosphere of
wisdom.... /
The key word here is control. The figure on the photography was taken during the
creative process of most of the album material. During those periods dominated by
restlessness and impatience, there was a lot to lock up inside for a while. | have
always been of the opinion that the visual element strengthens the atmosphere if it
is used properly. Representing my music and lyrics, such photos will always be an
important part of the band’s products. The TAAKE experience is based on n ife,
which is meant to shine through most parts of "Nattestid...”.
he star emissary has composed a genuine astral odpssep guided
bp countless spaceships, the kevboards, which open pour astoun-
Ded epes to boundless and unknown landscapes. From the
numerous melodic variations to the evocative powers of the vocals,
Cwigkeit succeeds in translating the style of a science fiction nobel into
music. How can pou resist in front of so manp talented sparks ?
Dialogue with James Fogarty (all music and vocalisations)
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
The amount and technicality of the keyboards has greatly increa-
sed on "Starscape"...
| think that my musical vision has intensified since my debut album
"Battle Furies". Now when | know what | want, | can normally get it. It’s
a step that few bands make, and it is a necessary step towards musical
progression. Basically, it was at that time that | was writing all the songs
starting with the keyboards. | think that | needed to get it out of my sys-
tem, or something. The songwriting took a long time for each part, espe-
cially the keyboards. Maybe now, | would arrange the parts differently, or
mix it differently, but that was what EWIGKEIT was about at that time. I
try to think of music as a collection of tones, pulses and rhythms. | think
that for "Starscape", the keyboards were the centre of mostly every-
thing. Now, the music that I’m writing, is almost all written with guitar. The
songs are far more progressive than anything previous, and it's more
laid back.
Your vocals were supposed to be thought of as broadcasts over
the radio from out there, in deep space...
Because all long-distance contact until recently was through sound. It's
a bit like me trying to speak to the listener with music as well, all the
atmospheres and feelings. It was a good idea for that album, but it won't
always be that way with EWIGKEIT. I’ve done this or that with ‘Battle
- Furies’, and now it's time to move on. By the time you read this, I'm far
away again. Like when we see stars, they are not there when we are loo-
___ king at them. They have moved on somewhere else, or from another
oe of view, we have moved away from them.
You also play the drums by the way, but never for EWIGKEIT...
When people hear how accomplished | am, they always ask why | use
_take a scientific view, EWIG-
programmed drums, and it's because it ma
own, and also cheaper to record. Moreo
well, then you've got to do it yourself. Then
only yourself to blame. Another part of my. ong
the lyrics. This is something I’m exploring fur
The concept developed throughout “Starscape
lution of the soul to the next plane of existen
It is philosophic, and like the music, it is
"Starscape" is an album from within the coc
through that, it has taken me to the next level. All
| have, which is my music. Without this mouth-r
ther frustrated person, just another brick in this
dark grey wall of a world. My interests are
my own explorative philosophy on life
and the questions that no one can
answer.
While other extreme. metal
bands with a space interest #
KEIT has a more spiritual
approach towards the stars...
We're always told things by
scientists in the media, about
the origin of life and other rela-
ted matters. What people have to
remember is that these people are
own making a_semi-educated
guess. | personally think that science
can take us no further than where we
are. As human beings, we need to now
advance our spiritual sides. Stop seeing everything as good or evil, or
black or white. All religions fall at this first of many hurdles. —
ae
| think that in the true sense of the word, you are a godless per:
son..
It's hard to define oneself but | guess the easiest label for my personal
beliefs is that | am a free-thinking pagan. Although | read a lot of text, |
see this only as a guideline. Everyone must have his own path in life, if
that path is not true in that person's mind, then that individual is weak
and their own worst enemy. :
According to you, how does the concept of paganism differ font
Satanism ? :
| am not a Satanist, although Satanism has taken and corrupted alc
the concepts of the old religions. The philosophical points cit
Satanism hold some value but they have been taken to such
that Satanism has been made as laughable as Catholicism.
As for Satanists claiming superiority over paganism, not only is this chil-
dish attitude but it is also pathetic for a pupil to claim gene: intellige
ce than the tutor.
You understand magic as the abili-
ty to shape one’s own situation in
this life, by the power and will of
one's own mind...
| am a spiritual person, but he
who walks alone always has
less a fall. It's never good or
progressive to emulate the
crowds and their ways. | think —
that metaphysics is quite true.
Magic is a way in which we can
better lead our lives. It is as true
as the light of day, but is surely
misunderstood by many.
British heritage has always played
an important role in your perso
life...
As my father has been a heraldic artist fo
up with that stuff all around the house.
| suppose that it's in my music somewhe
more ancient history, in times before
recent happenings in the 20th century.
he name Empprium is a word that has its roots tn Greece. The
toics (some Greek philosophers) used this word to explain
‘themselves the phenomena of the stars. hep thought that
epond the skp that we see is another skp which is burning, hence the stars
‘according to them just holes in the horison.
mpprium ts that burning skp, symbolising a strong nature mpstical
aspect as well ag great deal of esoteric.
Dialogue with Markus Stock
(all strings, all vocals and percussions)
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
What were your motivations to record an entirely acoustic album after
‘Songs Of Moor And Misty Fields" ?
lt was my deep fascinations for nature mystics and the tales and sagas of folk-
lore, and since | view acoustic instruments as the only genuine way to express
the pure, romantic mood of folklore, the arrangement of the album has been
clear ever since. | sincerely adore tragic folklore, be it Eastern European or
Scandinavian folk. | don't like Irish folk
and the faster, happier folk music
at all. As for the composers |
admire and that really inspi-
red me, | think in the clas-
sical field Grieg, Sibelius
and at times Smetana
made the biggest
impression on me.
For the folk part, |
must say that | real-
ly adore ULVER’s
"Kveldssanger"
and LANDBERK's
work, which is not
pure folklore but
does keep its
mood alive. But |
was definitely even
more inspired by
4 the tales and the
atmosphere of folklo-
re itself than by com-
posers who express
folkloric moods.
It was very important to
capture the right feeling and
atmosphere during the song-
writing and also whilst performing
in the studio. But | think | caught the
tragic and dark spirit of folklore very much
“Where At Night The Wood Grouse Plays".
ntiments in art and life...
oure emotional affair, thus we
are just a part of nature for
when you are hopeless depressive, then this will ruin yourself ai
or later end with suicide. But | am not that kind of man as | al
solutions (like music, my love to nature and my woman). At
its creator, and the creator couldn't live without art. You gr
iu as well as your art grows with you : it's a divine syrr
Do you feel a great deal of beauty in the deepest sorrow ?
Yes, | admit that | am a pessimist at heart but of course, that doesn't me:
| can't feel love or any other emotion known as positive. | feel lost of love, belie
ve me, but as much grief and sorrow sometimes. Positivism and negativity _
belong very much together. And as we want to express our emotions with
EMPYRIUM's music, it is just natural that there's lots of love and grief featured.
The variation between the screamy and the melodic vocals is something
that happened naturally ...
At the very beginning of the band, at the time of our demo, | just had this screa-
ming type of voice but sometime | caught myself at the rehearsal singing with
normal voice. | worked a bit at home on that voice and suddenly it became a
part of our music. Maybe you can look upon this duet again as a proof that
EMPYRIUM refers to both light and darkness, bitterness and sweetness.
Anyway, | have always found screaming vocals very fascinating as | think that
screaming expresses really deep feelings. With my normal vocals, | can
express different feelings and | find it absolutely great to use both types of
vocals for EMPYRIUM. With our third album, | think | have deve oped into the
right direction, but | have still a lot to learn when it comes to pe
But | am still pretty young, so | hope | can manage to ecm
future.
In the past, at the time of "A Wintersunset...'
William Shakespeare : "There are more things ir
dreamt in our philosophy"... :
This sentence Jee our fascination for nature mystic and the spirits and
‘cha
Shelley or Keats. Edgar Allan Poe wrote some of the di |
poetry | have ever read. But there are also a lot of German ' ;
adore, such as the great Goethe, Droste-H, Ishoff, Novalli:
natural beauty, | can't get
weather is right, | take p
influential sou 6. The V
ettoeeit fantasp and reality, Bark Sanctuary's purpose ts to
explore the furthest reaches of our unconsciousness and the rea-
lisation of the innerself. Chrough dark, atmospheric and spm-
phonic compositions, the band inbites vou to a special journey into the mind
and spitit of their creators. When musicians become aware that the female
hotee tg a wonderful and sensual instrument...
Dialogue with Hylgaryss (keyboards)
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
How did DARK SANCTUARY originate as a musical entity ?
DARK SANCTUARY originated as a solo project under the unique will
of Arkdae in early 1996. The first release was the "Bruises" demo in
February, followed one year later by the “Funeral Cry" mini CD. In
September 1997, we became a real band thanks to the integration of
Marquise Ermia as a permanent vocalist and of two new members, a
second keyboard player and a percussionist. We then worked altogether
to realize our debut full length album "Royaume Melancolique", which
was recorded in summer 1998. As a real unit, we were able to rehearse
and perform gigs without the use of computers or samplers. | think it is
a very important thing for us and for the audience. The new members
have brought a new dark soul as well as different emotions and feelings
to the compositions. We didn't change the line-up drastically, we just rea-
ched the final shape we needed.
Compared with "Funeral Cry", "Royaume Meélancolique” displays a
wider range of emotions gathered under the banner of atmosphe-
ric medieval music...
DARK SANCTUARY's current line-up offers more energy and feelings
than a simple one man band. The diversity of the members brings some
new musical horizons, without losing the dark, melodic and bewitched
side that has characterized the band since its inception. Our music
becomes more varied, more emotional, and we always try to increase
the band's strength by introducing new instruments (a violinist joined us
in July 1998) in order to form a richer musical ensemble. "Royaume
Mélancolique" shows the true face of the band, it's a very eclectic album
betraying our source of inspiration, which comes from personal happe-
nings. Each of us has a kind of frustration in this world, and DARK
SANCTUARY helps us to express these feelings through music. Our
style can be related to powerful classical music because it is the kind of
emotions we would like to create : sometimes impressive and some-
times s slow and pure, but always dark and sad.
joods and atmospheres brought on by DARK SANCTUARY
2 most calm and serene, then transform into the sinister and
r but | don't see itasa Gontradicuon: Rather than
mpound or fusion between these serene/calm and
nts. I can see one Seperation ae ye! is the case.
iS : demmetie aly fluid, eahereal and
¢ nthe marriage of grace and despair...
rmia is now more implicated in DARK SANC-
er reeling | is more Preset than before. She wrote her own
_ parts on "Royaume Mélancolique", which wasn't
__ CD. Her voice is deeply beautiful, some said be
Eve Gabrielle Siskind of ELEND, which is a v
ment for her. The vocal passages she performe
__are very sad, suave and take me away from Le w
dies the purest music we have ever composed. —
What kind of relation do you share with the various s language
use in the lyrics : French, English and Latin ?
French is our native tongue, | think it is the most beautiful lang
the world because of its poetic dimension. The art of poetry be
our cultural heritage, it has something superior than normal lyri :
more-natural and makes the whole thing more complete to use pi ems
in our songs. The English language has no real meaning for us, we just
like the way it sounds. As for Latin, it is the perfect kind of prose to
express a religious atmosphere. It is natural for us to mix different lan-
guages altogether because we want to bring variations both in the music
and the lyrics.
Evoking dark and melancholic imagery of spectral forms, did you
have a theme in mind when writing the lyrics of your debut full
length album ?
There is no real lyrical concept behind “Royaume Mélancolique” becau-
se all of our texts sound different. They are sometimes romantic and
pure, sometimes very dark and oppressing like a slow and infinite fune-
ral march. A song is based on a prayer too, but there is no religious mes-
sage on this album. We have our own convictions and don't want to
translate them through DARK SANCTUARY, we run other musical pro-
jects to express them. | think we try to understand our soul : | don't belie-
ve in the word "soul" in its religious meaning, we are our soul and
nothing is beyond it.
As a mental companion, each of the track on "Royaume
Mélancolique" enables the listener to explore his subconscious
and realize the capacity of the mind and innerself.
How has this role fit into the creation of your music ?
This is an important part of our quest because to explore subscons-
ciousness and the realization of the innerself is exactly what DARK
SANCTUARY is about. | assert that the emotional atmospheres within
our music and the procedure when.creating the music originate from our
unconsciousness. Our musi¢ and lyrics come from the dark side of our
souls, translating our emotions and bringing a personal touch from the
abyss of our lives.
i
‘ resented through a melancholic and nostalgic dark metal reper -
‘toire which finds its foundations in refined and elegant roman -
tte atmospheres, sforbidden Site's unforgettable art is dedica-
our land, to our identity and to the one of our ancestors. The poetic
es, the decadent melodies of "Astralgeist" echo like an endless night,
just as if light had faded forever.
€ passionate and frenetic assault in which romanticism becomes an hymn:
"Beauty is truth" (Beats).
logue with Arnault De Stael
uthor, drums & artworks)
talized by Laurent MICHELLAND
Stralgeist” sounds like a personal hymn, an aspiration, a
*Astralgeist" is not so evident at the first listening and seems to
cant ear. Each song is an indispensable stone for the build of the
it. Our debut album "Sturm Und Drang" was really romantic in its
f enthusiasm through melancholy. A scream cast towards the
ind frantic.
ates a more intimate feeling. A personal contact between the
sky. A link between man and the infinite, more solemn in its way. A
en man and the angels as a symbolic link for a passage through
9sed by extreme human situations.
an "Apothéose" ? 2
: FORBIDDEN: SITE's debut album hadi t
be compared with a cathedral, with its rules, foundati
tions, symbols and sacred aura.
"Dies Irae" announces an Apocalypse, the day of
for those who are subjects to feel it. The end of a wo =
is ours.
world : the poet, the spider and the priest and to a Char
one who sings, the one who sacrifices and is sacrificed he the one
of the ancient world as the last lie and the las
lization.
The apotheosis signifies the coming of a new age after the
return of the three entities in one. A kind of mystic trinity.
Why did you choose a Franco-German word, ee ae to entitle FOR-
BIDDEN SITE's second album... /
"Astral" is French and “geist” means spirit. This is a spe
esoteric languages. The part of the angel that can travel beyon
rise after death. A way to reach other dimensions and to consider the world and our
human condition from above : Ex-Cathedra...
This new piece of art drags the listener off an abyss of lind) ag towards a
romantic reflection upon history, civilization and man...
History, the respect of our past is for me a duty. A duty to have and to feel mighty
roots in order to grow. This is more than important for us to understand ourselves
and also to understand the others, the differences. "Astralgeist" seems to be a wit-
ness of the end of an age and a consecration, an exorcism of this long and painful
laceration. A way to transcend our decay, an overture towards a new horizon in the
knowledge of some microcosmic correspondences of our past. Annotation of the
end, our suicide through heroic and desperate struggles like the French
Chouannerie. The denial to crawl with the mass, to follow the herd and to accept
mediocrity. A symbol of resistance even if the battle seems to be already lost.
Maybe a proof that, whatever it may happen, ancestral values shall forever reign.
How do you personally perceive the realms of monarchy and democracy ?
Monarchy is a natural perception for us, not a concept or a style. There are not so
many foundations for a great civilization. | don't spit childishly on democracy.
Democracy could be interesting for a small domain, with few people and above all,
intelligent and wise people with transcendental notions. At the end, it leads to an
aristocracy... Democracy is a joke nowadays, the consecration of hypocrisy.
Hierarchy is more evident for man than a total elevation. And to. say all the finical
clichés about monarchy, | admit monarchy can have some defects since perfection
is not of this word. We can just compare the result after 1300 years of monarchy
and after maybe 100 years of democracy. The one who could say that the current
situation in Europe is fair, great, intelligent, wise or beautiful must be the king of stu-
pidity or hypocrisy. Of course, | am proud of the French cultural heritage as every
French should be. The shame dwells in the current face of the European nation.
Internationalization, mass culture thus under-culture, ambient mediocrity, the loss
of values, the agony of art, the general vulgarity to entertain the herd and the cult
of money to entertain the pseudo-might... Worthless and plain...
Do you think that dissatisfaction in art stirs the thirst and the desires to fol-
low the endless quest ?
A certain bliss can appear when | succeed in a kind of exorcism through my lyrics.
When | succeed in representing my feelings with truth, | can have a fleeting impres-
sion to transcend something, but the operation is really rare and this alchemy has
to gather a lot of factors hard to control. | believe in inspiration and | never force
myself, that is why my periods of writing are rather rare. | have to take a lot of recoil
to write, a recoil about the subject | want to exorcise. | think that | could never write
anything | could bear when | am desperate, drunk or if | consider the writing pro-
cess as a work. | need serenity and it is really difficult for me to find it. At the end, |
can't be completely satisfied : perfection is divine... Here lies the truth | think.
You had personally dedicated "Sturm Und Drang" to Gérard De Nerval. His
masterpiece "Aurélia" relates the story of a mental disease that gives life to
dementia. Do you see a link between this book and your spiritual approach ?
For me, Nerval embodies French romanticism, a transfiguration of art. His life and
his art were one, until the end. | won't write about his "mental disease". In my opi-
nion, he just had another perception of the universe, maybe a superior vision of the
world. | don't feel concrete link with Nerval, he was in his own world, maybe far from
everybody, but he is a man | truly admire for what he was, true with himself.
"Aurélia" could be seen as the legacy of art, his suicide could be the final point.
Isle-Adam. Are
On your second assault, you wrote an homage fo Villiers De
you fascinated by the quest for immortality, that is oe
pages of "L'Eve Future" ?
Villiers was a revelation lost in a world about to darken in a total \
re deeply with his perception of life, his aristocratic vision of € :
had to endure in order to assume his ideal. | admire his co
dence full of mysticism, his endless quest for beauty. W
world is perfectly close to his thought 100 years before
consider such a visionary soul : the feeling that everyth
ean (vocals, bass, keyboards)
ose MICHELLAND
musically very far removed from this tape...
ost diverse material, including influences from black,
avy metal along with gothic dark and traditional music.
, rm of six years filled with line-up and style changes. |
ink that our compositions contain a lot of highs and lows. This is basically
et when you mix deep feelings of anger and sadness, of love
: Also oe fon these themes, GEASA's music is written in such a way
that every single person in the band ends up having just as much musical
_ input as the others. And when you think that we all have varying tastes in
__ music, the end result is something that | hope defies rigid genres.
Musically and lyrically however, | must be influenced by bands | listen to,
_ like BATHORY, FiELDS OF THE NEPHILIM, SAMAEL or DEAD CAN
DANCE. Yet for mood and feeling, all that influences me are my feelings.
This chapter in the band's history is wholly a journey in your mind,
the deepest, darkest reaches of your consciousness...
_ GEASA brings me pride, an outlet of aggression, sorrow and hate. If it
wasn't i this outlet, | think | would be in a totally different life now. Any
as it usually has no absolute translation, only what people will take out of
_it themselves. | guarantee that whatever they do think GEASA's lyrics
_ mean, it won't be what | see in them. | have to say that my main sources
_of inspiration are my thoughts with a few fantasy, philosophy, horror writers
i uel. | do enjoy reading books written by such
talented authors as J.R.R. Tolkien, Fiest, John Fowles and a few others.
‘The name GEASA is taken froma an sd Gaelic word which would be
- Geis or some such derivative.
In fact, it comes from a Celtic tradit
or curse upon them to either commi
_ Anyway, when he left to join the new Irish technical m
mysticism in anything | do is very oe and shouldn't be taken literally
mainly on clean vocals while Dialltach had more e ag
band KINGDOM just before the recording sessions, | was kind of thrown
in at the deep end. So most of the vocals on “Angels Cry” were improvi-
sed and had not been rehearsed at all. To experiment my vocals is some-
thing that is very important for me because if you don't seek new ways of
expressing yourself, how are you ever going to be any different to any
other black, death or heavy metal band ? And that goes for all es of our
music.
The album ends with “Spansill Hill", a track that has a strong Irish
feeling and which sounds like a passionate tribute to the heritage of
your native land...
"Spansill Hill" is a very sad and melancholic @rosdnere | $0 it fitted well
into the rest of the album. This special track was sung by our drummer
Simon O'Leary because he really wanted to express his vocal duties
through a traditional Irish song. And since | haven't seen that much pas-
sion about Irish heritage in any metal band, we thought it would be a good
idea if we kept the song close to its original sound and not to turn it into
some sort of metal traditional song.
Shall we see this particular song as a way to express your love for all
the old Irish folk tales and myths ?
In a way, yes. | love the thought of ancient times but once you get to maybe
the 18th century, it doesn't hold my interest any more. Still | can think of
worse places to live. | must admit that sometimes, | feel like a warrior and
sometimes, I'm too introspective.
From a general point of view, I'm quite proud of Irish heritage but not of
Ireland. My land is as full of pathetic vermin as anywhere else in the world.
_ Yet | think I'll always stay in this country anyway. It's somehow my home
and | haven't visited anywhere | would rather be, except my own realm...
The lyrics you wrote on "Angels Cry" reflect your abstract soul, a
land where your every desire is broached...
| Suppose the lyrical concept would be the most personal for me. The main
theme behind GEASA's debut full length album is loneliness : | don't feel
sorry for myself, but | do feel that everyone is the centre of their own uni-
verse.
Some time ago, | realised that everything | did in the past was for myself.
This — mea lot to know that however much | loved someone, ag
N... forever.
she knew a strange couple that were probably exactly what | was
n its about the difficulties in finding the right musicians for my pro-
DAME. ‘Thad already thought up the name and written a few songs at that time.
/ And on top. of that, the Bros had a great last name, De Sade, almost too good to be true. As
far as | know, Jean-Pierre and Mannequin had their own band called THE BLOOD GROUP,
$0 obscure and extreme underground that it never got to see the light of day, because of the
tragic death of their third member Frangois who died in a car accident in Paris a few years
_ ago. The band instantly died with him. The two also toured with some kind of burlesque freak
: W circus as background musicians, the guitarist/bassist Jean-Pierre handled the “Orgue
_ de Barbarie". The other half Manuel nicknamed Mannequin is a lot easier though. | knew he
would be a perfect member of the band in all ways except for one : he couldn't play any other
__ instrument than drums, and being a drummer myself, that wasn't obviously what | was looking
__ for. So | had to make a choice, in order to make the band possible : | stepped aside and let
_ him do the drumming.
S with France since she moved to
fofessional dancer...
er jo) and was Totally fed up with her
| hange and try some different direction.
ind has no musical education nor 6
tracted your soul for some str. nge reasons..
id from the events
nding time with
he stereotype promoted by the movi
hat | have a more insight view of i
fe Sadistic twins, it has changed a bit :
Of the French name NOTRE DAME,
n't listen to music at all, almo
ourse, | have my own favourite all time heroes
_fajor impact on me. I've worked had trying to invent my own language in mus
ought to be an extension of his or her personality. In the best cases it is, as |
and | iry to stay true to myself and my deals. | don't do it for anyone els
Own, and if people like it though, no one is happier than me.
Your compositions combine different styles and influences which r
of their own...
| can't believe some people who get totally engulfed by a certain s'
or self-esteem simply go on ripping off the whole concept, copyi
Style : lyrics, imagery, music, sound, everything. That's why | don't
gorized in this or that style. | mix all kinds of stuff from everything t
the late 60's to the 90's. | have always had a tendency for moving towards pic
and | want NOTRE DAME's music to be like a great movie. Doing your own thi
of guts, when you refuse to place yourself into a kind of "safe zone", doing what everyb
expects from you.
The title of NOTRE DAME's debut full length album comes from the movie "An
With The Vampire"...
The eerie vibe from the scenes in the bizarre theatre and especially underneath was some-
thing | Had in mind when | wrote the music for this album. For other songs, | was inspired by
feelings lve been carrying with me through the years. There is for instance the v
Many years ago of some people who tried to escape from the castle u
down the snowelad hills in a coffin. Coppola's excellent "Dracula" in 4
with its thundering onward underneath a blue sky on narrow winding trails
unto his castle... It was incredible. All that makes me realize that | mostly
DAME's music upon sights and not upon sounds
one of the Be rcliersa
Usually, when | write a song, | come up with a title or a few words and t
music and the lyrics simultaneously, because | want them to make a pe! ec
write short stories where |'m sort of painting a picture with the colours that It
with the mood of the song, describing the atmosphere, the surroundings :
hard time making it short stories, so sometimes, | have to make prologues o1
the whole story there. | plan to change a bit this method in the future, so that i
without these tiring compromises. | spend many sleepless nights writing NO
lyrics but | discovered that | see lyrics for songs from a different anc le than
On the first hand, | want the lyrics to suit the mood of the song and to fit w
So you rather see yourself as a songwriter
| know that my biggest resources is my nev
zed songwriters, not musicians. It is everythit
CANDLEMASS is one of the best writers ever.
bass playing, but that's nothing thatbothe:
just so that | can remember it. Then | mig
stage. These tapes are just for myself
in order to get the right
3
ae:
ae —
eee? zeae
la
agick. Sfreedom. Art. : this is the whole tdea behind Lux
Occulta's creation. A notion of correspondence between diffe -
tent elements, various levels of communication such as the
music, the lyrics and the visual expresston. This Polish band links the
sounds, words and pictures to create a deeply multidimensional work of
art. This balance reflects the absolute harmony between the steps of the
astral world: the harmony of spheres...
Dialogue with Jaro. Slav.
(guttural violence & ominous incantations)
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
With "My Guardian Anger", it seems that you wanted to change
your music, to evolve, but to remain LUX OCCULTA with this mys-
terious, occult metal atmosphere.
Do you think you have moved one step further on your road to
artistic sovereignty ?
In fact, the band's evolution was enormous this time. With "Dionysos", we
kind of finished this radical black metal period in our music. We realized
that there were some other dimensions in extreme metal music that we
hadn't explored yet. Besides, we changed our line-up and this transfor-
mation was very important. Guitarist G'’Ames and bass player Jack were
kicked out of LUX OCCULTA and we invited two young but very talented
musicians to play with us. Both Vogg (lead guitar) and Martin (bass)
brought some fresh air to our music and some technical abilities as they
are much better musicians that the previous ones. All these mental and
physical changes strongly influenced our new material and one can
expect something very diverse and original but still brutal and dark. LUX
OCCULTA did not abandon the extreme metal area, we rather tried to
push its border a bit further. One of the very first reviews of the new
album said that we now sound like ARCTURUS, but still metal. | see this
as a great compliment...
This new release proves that the huge difference between "Forever
Alone. Immortal" and "Dionysos" wasn't incidental...
Yes, this is where we always wanted to go with our music . LUX
OCCULTA's new repertoire is even faster and much more complex. The
truth is that we love both brutal, aggressive music as well as intelligent
melodies, with complicated structures and ambitious arrangements.
That's why we want to combine both distinct styles.
The most important thing in music is feeling, some kind of atmosphere
that is impossible to name, but you know it exists. | hope we again mana-
ged to capture this atmosphere and that we will never lose this gift from
gods. Everything that we've ever experienced so far influences our art in
a way or another. Of course, it's always easier to trace these influences
in my lyrics, even if they are not written in a straight manner, but also the
sounds themselves are mirrors of our souls. And LUX OCCULTA
changes as we change, as time passes by. It's natural...
Far more diverse than before, the music and the vocals might be a
bit complicated and ambitious for some listeners...
We included some complex, multidimensional arrangements here and
there, some strange, psychotic rhythms, which makes "My Guardian
Anger’ a bit hard to swallow when you listen to it for the first time. The
new compositions feature some different styles of metal, with black and
death metal passages as well as some elements of doom, thrash and
traditional heavy metal. | am sure this is also our most metal album up to
date. As for the vocals, there are now more low, guttural chants than
__ high-pitched screams. | also included some strange whispers and some
_ surprises.
_ This time, the lyrics don't deal with one special story like on
"Forever Alone. immortal." or "Dionysos"...
_ "My Guardian Anger" is a collection of poetic occult impressions, inspi-
_ fed mostly by Christian Bible (Old Testament), Jewish Quabbalah, Tarot
"as well as my own sick dreams and ideas. The sub-title of this album is
Construction Of One Pocket-Size Universe With The Patchwork
. hod" and it is basically what | sing about. About burning my boats to
this lousy world and its rules and creating my own realm. It's a pretty
colpeeticg album, a bit bitter than a but definitely not nihilistic.
movie is a specific interpretation of the lyrics, whic
190
On “Dyonisos", your verses were based on a famous myth of the
ancient Greek God of paradox, sexual ecstasy, insanity bloodshed
and wine. Could you explain the bizarre concept behind "My
Guardian Anger" ?
It deals with my desires to destroy all my links with the outer universe
and to build a different one from its ashes. Maybe the new world is not
that big nor glorious, maybe even crippled, but it's mine and that is the
point.
"My Guardian Anger" is a kind of goodbye kiss to Christianity and
Satanism. | was raised as a Christian, then | used to call myself a
Satanist. Today | don't see any difference between them. They are like
two sides of one card and | realized that | don't need this card to win the
game. This is the last LUX OCCULTA album connected with Christian
beliefs and Satanic values : I'm free. Or at least | hope | am...
All of your concepts are deeply rooted into the worlds of literature
and inspired by the realm of the magic words...
| have to say that | read quite a lot because | study Polish literature at the
University of Cracow. | especially adore romantic and decadent poetry,
with the names like Micinski, Baudelaire, Goethe, Byron, but also some
other writers like Shakespeare (especially "Macbeth"), Hesse, Cortazar,
P.K. Dick, Poe...
| also read some books on philosophy, history of religion, occult books
as well as popular literature like Stephen King or Clive Barker. But my all
time favourite writer is Polish romantic poet Juilusz Slowacki. His great
poem “Samuel Zborowski" was a huge influence for the lyrics of "Forever
Alone. Immortal." as well as for my whole life.
S zr
be
What did you learn from the art of reading ?
The most important thing that | learnt from the books is that they are not
that important as they pretend to be. You can learn much more from real
life, if you know how to see and interpret the things that surround you.
You can't live only with or within books. They are sometimes very. wise, ~~
very important, but they are all dead. The books don't have heart : they _
don't breathe, suffer, love or hate... To be addicted to the false wor
literature is even worse than not reading at all. The same goes
fake world of computer games or internet. Be alive and experience
Taken from "My Guardian Anger”, the violent and Jat track " Kiss
My Sword” was recently put into images... : i
The character of this video clip is a bit militaristic since we eliaea some
black and white documents from World War II, some explosions of hydro-
gen bombs as well as some pictures from the Middle Ag
gnostic theory according to which the most extre!
planet, the murderers and the tyrants, were in fact its saviour.
: DornenRei
ith sincere emotion, individual devotion and gathered intenst -
tp, Dornenreich's musical art bursts with surprises, variety
and bounbdlessness. Those talented artists are deeply linked
between them by characteristic qualities which butld the fundaments of this
dark trio : each of them is sensitive, Dreamy and idealistic. The story of
pessimism put into music and poems as some kind of indispensable and
tragic virtue for the failing mankind. "It's music and it's more than life".
Dialogue with Eviga
(voice, acoustic guitars, lead guitars, bass guitar & poems)
immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
"Nicht Um Zu Sterben" and "Bitter Ist's Dem Tod Zu Dienen" reveal a
particular emotional aspect that is proper to DORNENREICH...
Our musical skills and our view on music improved and changed, but
above all we dared everything with the second album that seemed to be
suitable in order to get across varied intensity. Starting off with the indivi-
dual structure, progressing to the unique vocal appearance and resulting
in the surprising instrumentation, we really tried to release an album full of
emotional intensity. By the way, I'm quite sure that DORNENREICH's fast
development won't cease ...
Since the band's inception, you have never set any limits to your
creativity : you adore variety and surprise...
We want our listeners to get involved with intense emotions. Further we -
are in the search of moments of emotional awareness, thus we are keen
on breaks and complex rhythms : to build up an atmosphere, to tear it
down, to rebuild a further one and to do justice to the single moments.
Besides, we are able to live up to our imagina-
tion due to our musical skills. To listen to our
albums is definitely an adventure as for
those countless (hidden) details and emo-
tional ideas. Although the production is
great, there are many things left to be dis-
covered here and_ there since
DORNENREICH's music breathes your
soul...
On DORNENREICH's second album, the
vocals succeed in reaching an intense
level of interpersonal exchange and
confrontation between Valnes and your-
self...
We talk many times about our general
musical understanding, about all the details
in accentuation and about inter instrumen-
tal dynamics. All the clean vocals have to
be attributed to Valnes. Nevertheless, | feel
that | progressed a lot too. With our voices,
we give everything we can give, because
our vocals are the most personal intense
and individual means of expression.
Therefore, to work on the vocals is of final
supreme importance for us. | really take
advantage of my vocal chords in sheer
extremes and during every rehearsal, |
improve vocal courage and individuality.
The lyrical concept behind “Bitter Ist's
Dem Tod Zu Dienen” refers back to your
own character and deals with your per-
sonal perception, which is quite an unu-
sual and sensitive one...
It means that | try to approach the way |
receive the stimuli of this world and the way |
react to them.
- "Nachtlich Liebend" ("Nocturnal Adoring") deals with dream and reality,
the creative possibilities to combine them and their obvious limits concer-
ning each other. - :
- "Wundenkissen" ("Kissing Wounds") is based on a dialogue, a struggle
between Winzarten, who is sensuous, emotional and introverted, and
Kargaist, a dominant, proud and extremely distrustful charachter. The
question is whether you should trust your intuition or your five senses. |
don't side with one attitude because it depends on every single situation,
on your own personality and level of development.
- "Reime Faucht Der Marchensarg" ("Rhymes Hisses The Coffin Of All
Fairy Tales") is a blast against dimensional thoughts and rationalism. | try
to revive this world of strength and the importance of its imagination.
- "Federstrich In Grabesnahe" stresses the sudden desperation of a per-
son being surprised and shocked by the pitiless arrival of this earthly
death: he dies lonely and unprepared ("Memento Mori’).
- "Leben Lechzend Herzgefltister" ("Life Yearning Heartwhispers") focuses
on man's ability to think, to remember, to plan, to foreshadow. Man reflects
his continuous fading and is aware of it.
- "Woran Erkennt Mich Deine Sehnsucht Morgen ?" ("Tomorrow Your
Longing Recognizes Me By What?") is a poem dedicated to immortal love.
Emotional honesty and devotion is its actual charm : it's churning, deep,
and simply beautiful.
Your lyrics can be labelled as poems due to the fact that they are
ambiguous and that they rely on your very own construction of gram-
mar and syllables...
They are rich in metaphors, symbols, alliterations and other stylistic
means. Moreover, my lyrics consist of strophes, they are rhymed and
reveal a continuous verse. Thus, with poetry | love the possibility to
approach my innerself in an individual and artistic way.
In my mother tongue | dare everything in order to get my inner emotions
and thoughts across to other beings : German is the only way to reach this
target. With this language, | know how to create puns, to express myself in
an ambiguous way. therefore | reached a level, which | will never reach in
a foreign language such as French or English. Besides we consider the
German language to be suitable for our vocals as for its harsh and embit-
tered sound. But, with our third album we will certainly start to establish an
English and maybe a French translation. By using our mother tongue, we
try to get across the emotional impression that the musicians of DOR-
NENREICH really identify themselves with the themes they go public with.
As a fervent literary admirer, you are very
familiar with the romantic movement and
the current wave of expressionism...
I'm fascinated by Novalis’ attempts to crea-
te a poetical universe in which everything is
related with one another in a mystic way.
Besides, | think highly of these romantic
nature bonds and the way romantic poets
mix (up) the different genres (poem, fairy
tale, novel, song...).
Regarding the expressionist movement, |
adore the attempt to recreate and to disco-
| ver every single word and the entire gram-
mar. | love the unique and personal access
to language that poets such as Benn and
Trakl gained for themselves. | also admire
Oscar Wilde because of his sarcasm and
witty sayings. Referring back to inspiration, |
os have to mention additionally J.R.R. Tolkien,
who really challenges my imagination and
ws provides my soul with everlasting atmos-
pheres.
Of utter importance is that you attempt
to include and extend your innerselves
within DORNENREICH's music and
poems...
We consist of nothing but overwhelming
thoughts, emotions, rhythms and melodies,
which become one gathered expression
known as DORNENREICH. | feel that our
music sounds honestly and it means that
one can feel our personal dedication and
emotional devotion to the band. Each of us
has a different background : Gilvan (once
: Dragomir) was an orchestra musician, Valnes
(once Dunkelkind) is into gothic music now and as for myself, I'm quite
familiar with the world of theatre since my father was a stage designer and
painter. Thus, we stress visual and acoustic aesthetics as well as the unity
of word, tune and picture. :
Judas Agcariot
ubdas Jscariot's music ts in ever changing development. Beqardless
gif how one interprets its musical Development , each album ts another
fierce attack on the Christian disease. Each is a testament to the spirit of
nibilism and a glorification of the extreme metal underaround.
Mastermind Akhenaten never tried to imitate anpone or anything with his
music, which comes from the deepest secrets within himself.
ses "warrior", the name Windir is the brainchild of a single
soul, Valfar, who runs his project completely on bis own. With Dialogue with Akhenaten
everlasting passion and faith, his second album "Arntor™ draws parallels immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND
| to atmospheric and majestic black metal art while leaning towards
SP orweat: . ‘ cases I . “ r lost in tl "Of Great Eternity" was written in the city of Nuremburg, Germany and not in the USA. Why ?
e Paorwegian folk nes for rsplLa es and bo MATE: Foreve lost in the Germany is the land of my ancestors. Although | was born in the feeble shores of the USA, | am
wildest landscapes of the orthern kingdom... Volksdeutscher. Germany is a land that speaks to my blood and my spirit. | have an eternal tie with my father-
land and because of that creating music within the spirits of my ancestors is quite natural. | also wrote most of
‘ E = the material for the upcoming CD "Heaven In Flames" in Germany.
Dialogue with Valfar (screams, guitars, bass, synth & accordion)
ge immortalized by Laurent MICHELLAND Your abstract lyrics are often poetic philosophical flights into the realms of nihilism and the beauty of
the dark...
My personality is often cold and rebinding. | feel, as a nihilist, that as | am alive | am also dead. | am beyond
time and space within this absurd world, Therefore | have no fear of death and it doesn't matter when or how
| die. | exist on this mundane world with one purpose and that is to spread nihilistic propaganda. | care nothing
for materialism and other mundane trifles. Nihilistic philosophy is transcendent. As nihilists, we have conque-
ted death and fear, envy, greed and materialism. As nihilists, we strive for a climax of existence. Our power
manifests in an overpowering spirit of mundanity. Death is not our enemy. We worship death as a natural end.
Your thoughts belong to the concept of the overman developed by German philosopher Nietzsche...
Nietzsche was one of the first to announce the philosophical death of God and to charge mortals to cast away
the subhuman emotional weaknesses propagated by Christianity. As long as there is Christianity, there will
exist the conterproductive emotions of fear, cowardess, envy and compassion. Nietzsche charged us all to
empower ourselves by casting away such emotions and through a spirit of power and hatred to rise above the
encroaching chains of Christian morality. Morality as expressed by judeo-Christianity is the ultimate perversion
of the human spirit.
Out the musical context, you are also doing a thesis project on the Transylvanian Saxons of Romania...
This why | am required to travel to this ancient land for three weeks in order to accomplish this task. Romania
has to be on of the most ancient and unspoiled lands in Europe. The land has a sense of mysticism which |
cannot put to words. One day | would like to spend a lot more time there, and perhaps someday this will come
to pass.
Two long years of silence and serenity have passed since the release of WINDIR's
debut album "Soknardalr”...
In fact, | had enough material for the recording of "Arntor" but | always found a song which
wasn't good enough, so | dumped it. This situation continued for almost two years, when |
| realized that | had composed an album that really suited WINDIR's concept. Besides this
| will of perfection, there were some external reasons for this delay : | spent some time in jail
and thus couldn't record anything for the band. | also had troubles with the police because
of my music and particular way of life.
Musically speaking, | would say that the compositions on “Arntor" have the same basic
_ lines as before, the Northern black metal roots are still there. But the arrangements have
__ been better than before. | also think that my music has developed a lot, reflecting my gro-
i wing maturity. The debut album dated back from the period of 1993-97, so some of the
| __ material now sound very old.
Some songs on "Arntor" are taken from Norwegian folk music...
| think this source of inspiration comes from my inner nationalistic thoughts. | only use the
folklore which is from my own village and | try to build special atmospheres with the melo-
dy lines. | do see myself as a local patriot as | only take interest in local folklore. | live iso-
lated in the Sognefjord, which is situated in the western part of Norway and there is nobo-
dy else than myself who is involved in this type of music here. Besides folk music, | also
__ listen to black metal, music from the sixties and seventies as well as classical composers.
Darkness can be found in many different Wee) styles...
_ With fierce screams on top, your lyrics only a with the old beliefs and supersti-
ions that are found in your home place, Sogndal...
__ My message is to tell people about Sogndal and the mighty gods which | believe in. My
lyrics are sung in Sognamal, : which is my native tongue. The erigin of this language is
_ Norse, and those words sound very original to your ears. This isn't a knowledge, it is how
we talk in our daily life. | have read as much as | could about my own accent. It is a very
interesting cultural heritage use our dialect has survived the period of industrialisa-
tion. ‘Bul the constant resents a threat to the preservation of our dia-
now. The recor-
ire to preserve a
fe-recording of “From the Ruin Of Paradise" from the second album
cult PUISSANCE special for this release.
Your own label Breath Of Night Records was created only to release underground cults you are per-
sonaily a fan of...
| have no regard for album sales or big marketing schemes. | dont want to deal with the music industry andas —
of yet you will only find my albums where they belong, deep in the underground. | will never allow my albums
to be accessible in supermarkets . | have no desire to destroy the integrity of my releases. Coming soon on
Breath Of Night Records will be the second album from Czechia's AVENGER, called "Fall of Devotion, Wrath
and Blasphemy”. | have also just signed PROPHECY from France, and | will be releasing their latest demo
“Jadis" as a mini CD, with killer packaging as this unbelievable recording deserves. :
n unexpected musical direc-
ial black metal genre that
have already passed Since the release of
the time needed for Fenriz and Nocturno |
RAVES ‘ —
4 SRIMNESS
n "Ravishing Grimness” melt violent and convulsive pas-
sages ("To The Death", “The Beast’), together with more melan-
cholic and nostalgic atmospheres (‘The Claws Of Time"). Bruised
with hatred, fed with disgust for humanity, the vocals evoke strong
images that will haunt your sleep with their taste of cold and eter-
nal forests. Being the essence of what is not in your head but in
your soul, this album is definitely what you could expect from one
of the most influential bands in the field of Nordic black metal.
jot Found / Voices Of Wonder
NOTRE DAME
“Coming Soon To A Theatre Near You"
Sweden / 25'38 / Horror gothic/black metal / + + + +b
oughout this debut mini CD, Notre Dame alternates feel with
heaviness, witnessed by the presence of double bass driven
modes.and all out gothic black metal next to an ample piano
Usage, emotive laden workouts and sensitive intros that mostly
"develop into.heavier mould songs. Technique is controlled and
_ highlighted in the mid-sections and transitions. The vocals are
screamy with a Considerable coverage and the instrumentation
_ has a classical backbone complimented by the use of keyboards
and female whispers. "Coming Soon To A Theatre, Near You"
proudly shows Notre Dame's)songwriting abilities anda large
flexibility which is a definite plus.
GRIEVANCE "The Phantom Novels”
Norway /37'51 / Dark progressive metal / + + + +
Grievance has opted for a sound that is contemporary and has
body all along the line. The dark metal element is intact and put
up front since songs are fairly souped up by a mixture of Swedish
death metal passages with black metal ones. As for the song
structures, most of its essence lies within this catchy drive of
thythmic riffage, that is cleverly coupled with powerful keyboard
parts and some clean vocals. A promising Norwegian duo that
holds a special place in the dark metal genre.
CYBELE "Songs Of Soil"
Norway / 25'49 / Gothie/melancholic rock / + + +
Fusing both raw and fragile melancholic moods, Cybele bring a
faithful follow up to their debut "Brightly Blackhearted’. This alt
female five piece band from Oslo has again composed a fine
blend of Swans, Dead Can Dance and Type O Negative, with an
emphasis on the atmospheric and beautiful melodies. Featuring
anew and stronger vocalist, "Songs Of Soil" is a field for delica-
te emotions.
: ~ WINDIR.'Arntor"
way / 46'14 / Symphonic blaek metal / oh hob ob +
fo years have already passed sinee the release of the first and
excellent WINDIR's album, "Soknardal™. Two years during which
the soul of Valfar has gained the emotive power necessary to
surpass itself and to perfect a weighty work in the black metal art.
-of Arcturus, especially regarding
the compositions of “Arntor" mix
rulsive parts with symphonic and
anned in a Norwegian dialect,
deep pictures that will charm your
frozen and eternal snow. This album is
in terms of pure Northern biack metal.
Musically close to
the so majestic ol
conspicuously vi
Sognamal, th
soul with their ¢
incontestably
Album RWebtews
n by Laurent MICHELLAND
Guidelines
Country
Running time
Musical style
Comment
HELLSTORM “Fucking Bleed”
Nomay / 39'05 / Blackened death/thrash / 4
Aftera7" EP with a harsh and primitive sound, Helistorm is back
with its debutaloum. While not black metal by any stretch of the
imagination, this band chums out an aggressive blend of death
and thrash metal that is quite infectious, Placed in competition
with the releases of Aura Noir and Nocturnal Breed, “Fucking
Bleed" brings another tribute to the metal spirit of the eighties with
a brutally powerful in your face delivery.
Aftermath Music
NOCTURNAL WINDS "Everlasting Fall”
Finland / 45°06 # Melodic death/black metal / ++ dae
As a clever mixing Ofatmospheric black metal with refined death
metal, “Everlasting Fallis a well-doné melting pot with an
emphasis on the technical side and dominated by powerful
vocals. The skilled musicians of Nocturnal Winds have composed
a complex album whose charisma equals their technical level.
Enriched with dark arrangements and gathering ability with ambi-
tion, this promising debut plunges your soul in a dark musical
season
Cold Meat Industry
MZ. 412 "Nordik Battle Signs”
Sweden / 47'03 / Sataitic black indusifial / + + + + +
“Nordik Battle Signs* firsticame out as vinyl at the end of 1998,
here is now the CD version with 1 additional track. The follow up
to "Burning The Temple Of God", the ultimate crossover between
dark ambience and the metal genre, features an abundance of
samples which is threaded through the frozen, ritualistic percus-
sion thawed by crispy, soulfrying distortion music. The samples
are of the expected hellish nature, as wellas some that carry a
thick, German vibe, Amidst an array of exploding, percussive
bombs, Satan's favourite son arises...
SEPHIROTH “Cathedron"
44'50 / Dark tribal etno ambient / + hk
Sephiroth was created by Ulf Séderberg through a burning inter-
est for myths, rituals as well as enigmatic monuments and places
erected by mankind itself. Influence by Graeme Revell, Lustmord
and Nurse With Wound, "Cathedron" relates stories about the
inexorable and destructive power of time, mankind's futile
attempts of resistance, the sunken cities, fallen towers and over=
grown ruins that this has resulted in. Dark eerie soundscapes and
ritualistic drums are here combined with own field recordings
from places like Cairo, Iceland and gloomy Nordic forests.
Sephiroth's music whispers about the Gods we are desperately
trying to appease, only for then finding ourselves dying before the
monuments we spent our lives building.
ATARAXIA “Lost Atlantis”
Italy / 51'54 / Sunken ethereal music / 4 +b bh bb
Allantis is an atavic heritage in all of us, wherever we come from,
whoever we are, Two civilizations fought a terrible war that led
them to disappear. Before being engulfed by the oceans, they left
signs to possible future inhabitants of the earth so that they
wouldn't repeat the same mistakes.
Ataraxia
For three years, Ataraxia has been working with the translation
into musi of the ancestral myth of the sunken land present in all
the ancient scriptures of every faith, philosophy and country.
With “Lost Atlantis", the Italian band describes the origin of man-
kind through the left symbols and create a pagan opera that owns
a deep sacral flavour.
" ESTHETICKS OF CRUELTY "Various Artists"
@ afi unequalled docu-
fish bands. The music
ial, Musique concrete and
“ground for the past 8 years, Oppressor have ou
th ch ch oh oe he A masterpiece
th hb oh he Excellent
th he be > Good
tet Average
+ + Could be better
+ Boring
Near Dark Productions
BLOTMINE “Porphyrogenesis”
Sweden / 37°42 / Swedish black metal /+ ++
Formed by ex-members of Setherial, Blotmine develops a very
fast and aggressive black metal style, played in the pure Swedish
technical vein. "Porphyrogenesis' is nothing but an unholy, violent
and devilish musical tale in which the spirit of the goat is the mas-
ter. Born of hatred and damnation, this blasphemous plague
évokes the ghost of a war to come. Yet it has already begun...
{NTO THE SUNLESS MERIDIAN
“into The Sunless Meridian"
USA / 67'51 / black/speed metal / + ++
Into The Sunless Meridian was formed in 1994 by Mike Bayusik
of Night Conquers Day and he is still the only member. His debut
full length album could be described as a mix of power, atmos-
pheric, black, speed and old school death metal from a musician
who has truly lived for this music since 1985. No more has to be
said concerning this release, its not retro-trendy, but a musical
piece composed by a man who has been into it since the dawn
of metal.
Spikefarm Records
SILENTIUM “Infinita Plango Vulnera"
Finland / 47'30 / Gothic doom metal / +4 yaa
Melodic, depressive and beautiful, “Infinita Plango Vuinera” conti-
nues the tragic musical story that My Dying Bride once started
with the "Turn Loose The Swans” album. Silentium has a deep
taste for romantic gothic/doom melodies expressing sorrow, grief
and the feeling that you are doomed for eternity. The dismal light
Of despair and musical refinement runs throughout this very sen-
sitive release. A nostalgic debut album,evoking the perfume of a
talented, yet promising band,
ENTWINE “The Treasures Within Hearts"
Finland £ 36'52 / Romantic gothic metal / + + + +
"The Treasures Within Hearts” features gothic atmospheres that
aré here mixed with heavy riffs. This doesn't sound disturbing but
father reinforces the mournful mood of Entwine's debut album.
The band succeeds in building an intimate ambience that leads
you towards dreamy horizons, towards the nightsky and its char-
ming countless stars. Nothing but the process of seduction
through romantic words and elegant sounds.
Black Sun Records/ Focusion
EBONY TEARS “A Handful Of Nothing"
Sweden / 30'37 / Progressive death metal / #4
From a general point of view, "A Handful Of Nothing” sounds
more aggressive, brutal and thrashy than their debut album
*Tortura Insomniae*. Ebony Tears still incorporates elements of
German speed metal, New Wave Of British Heavy Metal and
even dark gothic metal to enrich their death metal repertoire
played in the pure Swedish tradition. A musical variety that is also
strengthened by the use of violin, keyboards and female vocals.
Serious Entertainment
GORGUTS “Obscura”
Canada /61'01 / Death metal / t-b + +
From the frozen tundra comes the return of Gorguts... Their third
offering, the concept album “Obscura”, combines the trademarlk
style of “Erosion Of Sanity" and “Considered Dead" with over 60
minutes of extreme music : the abject terror of being confronted
with something very powerful and barbarian. Reaching new
levels of intensity, this new opus gives a new life to.a band that
was already formed back in 1989.
WITHOUT GRIEF "Absorbing The Ashes"
Sweden / 3729 / Death metal / +++
“Absorbing The Ashes* shows Without Grief froma slightly chan-
ged angie. The songs and the overall sound have become hea-
vier and more straight forward than on the meiodic and instru-
mentally complex debut albuny *Deflower". The outcome is short,
catchy death metal songs blasting out your speakers and haun-
ting your mind,
AUTUMN LEAVES "As Night Conquers Day"
Denmark / 52'21/ Death metal / ++ ++
It's been more:than 2 years since the release of the debut CD
"Embraced By The Absolute". The new material on "As Night
ConquersDay" differs in various points from the debut album.
This time, all the members have contributed with their own mate-
tial, forming both the musical and lyrical direction for the new
album, which has been a positive experience. Autumn Leaves
skilfully blends the brutality of U.S. death metal with raw and
~ melodic elements of the Swedish style and the result is fast, tech-
fe. melodic and brutal death metal.
OPPRESSOR "Elements or Corrasion
$2'08 / Death metal /++ + a
ig built a name for themselves in the death
efforts with their newest release "Elements Of
third album shows that the band stays true to
the time pushing the envelope of musi
that those veterans still have
extreme death metal songs. _
Becee decided to form a pact,
: for and appreciation of the
movement of the eigthies and the melan-
USA /51'07 / Black/death metal / + ' Lo
Arising from the ashes of Demonic Christ, Darkmoon spawns
musical chaos and fury but still broods with melodic atmospheres
ies that have plundered in this world, the sense-
less killings of their people, the raping of their land and of their
women. With hate and rage, “Seas Of Unrest’ testifies that Christ
has been @ cancer of our society and nature, coupled with his vile
ways shall be banished and his light dimmed for eternity. Only
then, will our minds, bodies and spirits be free from oppression
and our ancestors avenged.
Earache Records
MORTIIS "The Stargate"
Sweden /59'50 / Dark dungeon music / +b + ae ob +b ob
This concept album based on the realm of the stars has more to
offer than the usual atmospheric releases. The wait was long but
it was worth because "The Stargate” features noting but only
strong moments of musical substance.
This time Mortis has cleverly included fe
long compositions, giving a new dimension to this soundtrack
which could be used {0 illlistrate a space movie. His fourth full
length albumisounds like an amalgam of medieval atmospheric
melodies, industrial sounds and cold emotions. While listening to
this subtle and eerie piece of art, you'll see the shades of a ghost,
walking all alone in the deep silence of his creative castle, Enter
the secrets of Mortiis' kingdom... You'll never be the same after
this experience.
i Gerephonaus
ABYSSOS "Shinsthanian Nightbreed"
‘Sweden / Black/death metal / 61'11/+ 4+ -
Still evolving in a typically Swedish and very. well play
black/death repertoire, ABYSSOS seems however ni
prone to vary its musical expression. Though the band |
time integrated more melodic, theatrical and clear chant pas-
Sages, one must just acknowledge that the sound remains expli-
of this lack of ardour, daring and
Fhinstanian Nightbreed” becomes tr
adventurous. By favouring the et
ABYSSOS remains at the moment
DAWN OF RELIC
Finland / 44'48 / Dark metal / +
Alternating between calm acoustic pi
sections, Dawn Of Relic prefer to retain an air of mystery and
anonymity about them which serves their unusual style of dark
metal, “One Night In Carcosa” explores mythical tales of cosmic
worlds that use Lovecraft as a blueprint and focal poin
musical and lyrical. variety that surrounds them. The
mythology of the Ancients, the star or moon Of Al
doomed me ‘of Samath and the dreamlands of
of the bat d's Subject matter, this release is an
“enough subtlety
| erest from beginning
__ USA/34'30/ Brutal death metal / +++
a brutal extreme
ake. you see the
The highly Satanic horde shows no merey for the false souls and
hammers your brain with endless tales of damnation and an ove-
all barbarian approach. Sounding like a call from the goat, this
album is a persuasive testimony of hateful and warlike spirits.
AMSVARTNER "Dreams"
Sweden / 47'35 / Progressive death metal / ++
Second release and debut full length album from Amsvartner,
which have developed incredibly since the mini CD, Impossible to
pigeon hole, "Dreams" combines classic Carcass, Dark
Tranquillity, early Gorefest style riffs with Dream Theater like pre-
cision to give birth to an original sound. The band now also uses
a combination of clear melodic vocals on some tracks and an
aggressive style on others, whilst one song even has a funked up
bass line that rips. An unexpected musical evolution to say the
least
Qsmose Productions
MARDUK "Panzer Division Marduk"
Sweden / 30'04 / Extreme black metal / + +b +
The war continues with a new battle and sure that the blood will
flow in an endless rivet of hatred. “Panzer Division Marduk" is
undoubtedly the band's most outrageous and destructive sonic
effort. There is absolutely no time to breath, the canons of death
are ready to attack and proudly lead this march towards the final
_ holocaust.
Marduk members really master their own brutal style and suc-
ceed in giving a new dimension to their raw and incredibly speed
_ sharp toned compositions. Experience the most blasphemous
and harshest music ever created by mankind.
ANOREXIA NERVOSA "Sodomizing The Archedangel"
France / 17'13 / Vampyric black metal / ded sk ob 4
Far away from the experimental debut album “Exile”,
"Sodomizing The Archedangel" shows a new musical identity that
takes its roots in the fast symphonic black metal style. This
new mini CD is the symbol of a new birth for Anorexia Nervosa
They have indeed come back to the hateful black metal sounds
while developing a déeply orchestral approach and impressive
vocals, This picture is really appealing and one can definitely
expect the best fror | their upgoming second full length album
"Drudenhaus" :
Holland./ 42'17 /
Following the "M
Australia / 64'12 / Noisy deat
Seen as one of the most extre
Sadistik Exekution is back wi
noisy, brutal and fast, "K.a.o.s.’
field of aggression and violence. Si
be connected to pure energy rath
king. As time passes by, this b:
shouldn't change much in the near futui
properly spea-
the same and
mpromise.
ANGELCORPSE "The h
~ Angelcorpse’s third album is again characterized by an extreme
Formed back in 1986, Mer
death/thrash bands to emerge from the Swedish land. Their cult
status is mainly due to the
e-teleased and it's a good way to rediscover
a musical aggression inspired by
inactivity, this underground
Bewitched are already back with their haunting message
“Christianity must end. No mercy, simply deal with it...". The ban-
's musical hasn't changed as well, they still try to revive the spi-
rit of the 80's with a hellish speed metal repertoire. "At The Gates
Of Heil" also features a cover version of Thor's “Let The Biood
Run" (1985) and Thor himself did most of the vocals on
Bewitched's version. Despite Blackheim (guitar) and Reapers
(drums) recent departure, the Swedish band is still here for the
glory of the previous decade.
DEMONIAC “The Fire And The Wind”
New Zealand / 42'52 / Heavy power metal / +
With three new musicians, Demoniac is now a totally new band
with a new sound, Exit the black metal sounds of their past, the
horde now plays an epic form of power metal, supported by a
solid energy and a good production. Recorded at the famous
Academy Studio, “The Fire And The Wind" shows an unexpected
musical turn, that will remind you of the old heavy metal days.
Holy Records
SEPTIC FLESH "Revolution DNA"
Greece / 59'50/ Sick metal {+ +
“Revolution DNA" marks the beginning of a new era for SEPTIC
FLESH. This time, they have abandoned the epic passages as
well as the beautiful female vocals to put an emphasis efficacy
and power. Sounding definitelywmore metal than their previous
releases, the new, compositions are filled with intense guitar
melodies, a sharp mhythmesection, an ocean Ofvexperimental
samples as well’@S @ duel Of malewvocals. A turning-point in
Septic Flesh’s career
SOULGRIND "Kalma”
Finland / 45'52 / Criminal heavy black / +b 44+
Previous known for their avant garde works, Soulgrind is back
with a rather straight forward metal approach. Between melodies,
harmonies, hateful creams, aggressive guitars and depressive
keyboards, "Kalma" is presented as a symbol of pagan pride.
Mastermind Lord Heikkinen has always been fascinated by the
past of his native land and this album is a way for him to express
his love for Nordic power. Featuring all Gloomy Grim members,
the new face of Soulgrind evokes the melting of cultures, of black
metal voices and voluptuous female vocals, sung both in Finnish
and English.
SUP "Chronophobia"
France / 48'21 / Freezing metal /+-+ + +
On each album, Sup—presents—a new concept, this time
“Chronophobia’ relates a story based on twins brothers separa-
ted at birth through space and time. An unexpected countdown
will eventually bring them together again into death, somewhere
in the North pole. This amazing story is musically illustrated by an
avant garde style, between death metal and cold wave. An ofigi-
nal and interesting story across an oppressive musical style.
NATRON "Negative Prevails"
Italy / 4002 / Brutal death metal /# + +
"Negative Prevails* features brutal death metal in the Morbid
Angel! / Cannibal Corpse tradition, with powerful vocals and rip-
ping guitars. Inspired by horror movies and serial killers, Natron's
second album is a disturbing exploration of brutality. A ferocious
and hard-driving style of death metal with a powerful in-your-face
delivery.
NIGHTFALL "Diva Futura”
Greece / 49'20/ Metal / + + +
With two new members, Nightfall has opted for a more accessible
Sound, that finds its roots in the basic metal style. "Diva Futura" is
an eclectic collection of sounds showing a new face of Efthimis
compositions. They used to be called the chosen ones at the time
of the epic war metal hymns ("Macabre Sunsets"), now they are
the metal ones. This release will divide the listeners into two
camps, the nostalgic of the epic era and those who are more into
the current heavy metal revival. Choose your side.
Season Of Mist / Rape Of Mind
.-AND OCEANS "The Symmetry Of I, The Circle Of O”
Finland / 40'54/ Atmospheric metal fob + +
Played in the vein of their excelient debut album, “The Symmetry
Of |, The Circle Of O" still bo tween an atmospheric and
fast form of intense black metal
Armed with a deep Finnish feel, the versatile repertoire here pro-
posed combines enchanting keyboards passages a la Dimmu
Borgir or Limbonic Art with aggressive riffs and accelerations
close to Marduk and Dark Funeral's. With a lot twists and techni-
cal turns, ... And Oceans signs here a more than convincing fol-
low up to the acclaimed "The Dynamic Gallery Of Thoughts”.
THE BLEEDING LIGHT “The Bleeding Light"
France / 55'49 / Dark industrial metal / ++
Recorded at famous Tico-Tico studio in Finland, The Bleeding
album could be described as a mix of in Slaughter
rong dose of The Fields Of The Nephilim for the
Wumpscut when it comes to the samples and
Was one of the very first
that their debut album "The
commandment sometime —
fer two full length - albums, a mini CD and a five album, 3
bbe
, this second opus
monious scream of distress “Onwards Into Battle" could be des-
cribed as a wide mosaic of mixed feelings, in which each piece
‘Succeeds in bringing a particular element to produce a charmin
'g ensemble. Half angel, half demon, the music. displayed by this
Norwegian band runs through a personal style that can't be easi-
ly compared te any other band of today’s scene.
ABADDON INCARNATE “The Last Supper"
lreland/ 36°02 / Extreme death metal / 4 ++
Abaddon Incarnate establishes themselves as one of the most
violent bands to emerge from the quite unknown Irish death
metal underground. “The Last Supper” starts the band's saga
with a repertoire of isolation and carnage. These blistering musi-
cal tales are highlighted by flesh-ripping low-tuned guitars and
harsh vocals. Sure this band belongs to the current revival of the
uncompromisingly brutal death metal genre:
Kron-H
DELLAMORTE "Home Sweet Hell"
Sweden / 3816 / Swedish death metal / + -h
Recorded at famous Abyss Studio, Dellamorte’s second album
marks a revival of the Swedish death metal genre of the early
ninetiess-lf, you're nostalgic of the early works of bands like
Entombed, Dismember or Edge Of Sanity, then "Home Sweet
Hell" may interest your hears. With a focus on brutal, fast and cru-
shing death metal compositions, this band brings back to the gol-
den days of the Scandinavian death metal scene. A ticket to the
past.
Drakkar Productions
CELESTIA “A Cave Full Of Bats”
France / 18'57 / Black metal / + + ++
By way of initiation to Celestia’s musical world, this mini CD mixes
the feelings of hate and blackness to illustrate the picture of a
duet fallen into the night power. Because, like the name suggests
it, “A Cave Full Of Bats’ is place without light, a cursed land. The
four compositions open, same as coffins, to illustrate in the guise
of a black metal bringing together the keyboard harmony to the
terrific chaos of the roaring, the riff coherence to the diversity of
the atmospheres. The rhythm is fast, fiercely avenging and
expresses well this desire of terror. The evil journey of Celestia
has yet begun, by waiting the first album of its next adventures in
the infernal regions.
WARLOGHE "The First Possession"
Finland / 34'13/ Biack metal / + +h
Through a deluge of agression and hate, "The First Possession"
redefines the true black metal essence. Primitive and raw, the
compositions featured on Warloghe's debut album form a chalice
Of cold blood, in which blasphemous riffs dance with incantatory
vocals while haunting atmospheres rise from the realm of Hades.
These lords of supreme evil have droppedia bomb of chaotic and
unholy black metal.
Deadsun Records
GODLESS TRUTH "Burning Existence”
Czech Republic / 41'53 / Brutal death metal / + a
Hailing from the Olomouc area in the Eastern front, this under-
ground band has been playing together for already.5 years. 1998
saw the re-release on CD format of the “Desperation” demo and:
now, it's time for another sick album. “Burning Existence* consists
of technical brutal death metal compositions mixed with aggres-
sive tiffs, fast precise drums and heavy vocals. All in al, another
piece of sheer, intense and uncompromising death metal brutali-
ty from the Slav shores.
MENTAL ABERRATION "Victim Of Its Own Sort"
Germany / 26'34 / Grind Death Metal / ++ +
Suffocatingly violent grinding death metal from this teutonic
horde. Mental Aberration mixes low-tuned guitars with guttural
vocals to create a claustrophobic atmosphere that is shattered by
frequent high-pitched guitar breaks and unearthly screams.
Chilling background sounds effects of human mutilation are fea-
tured in "Victim Of Its Own Sort’, thus adding to the mood of this
aggressive recording.
Austria / 64°27 /
The epic and adventur
us finds all its i
bewitching of beau
From vaults spurts out an a
‘fepertoire, which carries the rening r mover
structure. Intentionally refined, the
0 into service here with a rich orchestration 2
that recites a chant punctuated by th
Each com
will tead
dreams and im
Silenius and Prox
painful, naked
ABIGOR "CI
Austria / 41'22 / Maj
This very productive banc
a rather straight forward
any keyboards in order to
ce of their compositions.
Filled with a mystic black mi
Quintessence Of Satan" shows ar
| with the aggres-
ing and with a total
fe. After numerous releases of high quality, the
by PK. has succeeded in remaining faithful to
band pi
plays the secrets of their soul.
Without shyness , Tristania take their fe i
hing female singing of ©
ting melodies reveal at
din a most delightful-
“Vibeke Stene and the depth o'
every moment an unknown fo!
ly inspired gothic black met
ny of a band who gave bi
OTYG "Sagovindars Br
Sweden / 51'07 / Folk metal / ++ +
This new album is a worthy continu;
on their debut effort “Alvefard" as |
late their Scandinavian roots
should be gauged as folkloric
magnificent vocals performed
flavours here, in combinati
Vocalage is supported by
Phetrvindars Boning
which violin, mouth-harp, willow flute and keyed fidal
seduce your longing forthe ancient times. The bat
pay a tribute to,Ronnie James Dio by covering the
Diver in a sensational version, reinforeing Vintersor sim
talent.
One can expect a really/bright future for Otyg and the vee
project. All inal, a highly recommended affair.
ANGIZIA "Das Schachbrett Des Trommelbuben Zacharias”.
Austria / 51'51 / Theatrical baroque music / + + + +
Artistic, full of,aesthetics.and classical. atmospheres,."D;
Second part of Angizia's Russian trilogy. The music
amodern opera, with theatrical voices, the use of inst
accordion, violoncello, classical and electric guitars
as the basic instrument of this work.
The story behind this release is mainly sung in Ge
aim to express the atmospheres that embrace
1904 to 1941. This fiction will end with the next c
present us the concept of a Russian circus in t
the moment, enjoy this original piece of decad
HOLLENTHON "Domus Mu
Austria /45'19/ Dark metal /+eb
Do you remember Punget Stench, th
of the early nineties ? After the b.
rist and vocalist Martin Schirene
named Hollenthon,
This transitional 1
that combines
beginning marks an innovative approach
lack and heavy metal with classical as well
adding a distinctive twist to the com-
positions. As @ blend of intriguing melody lines, effective rhythms
@nd vivid lyrical contents, "Domus Mundi" leads you towards a
web of mysticism, dynamism and intensity. A varied and forceful
album f,epic proportions,
CCP Records
DORNENREICH "Bitter Ist's Dem Tod Zu Dienen"
Austria / 58°03 / Poetic black metal / ++) & +b +
Second album from this band whose name can only be connec-
ted to words of praise. What makes Dornenreich stand apart from
variable, story like vocalage and background usage of keyboards.
The strong vocais of Eviga are sung spoken in German and nice-
ly adapt to the tortured mood: nuSi :
Austria / 49'37 / Gothic doom / + + + +
After nearly three years and separation
s, Kogler Matthias recorded Estatic Feat
his of the songwriter, following his
music and lyrics.
combine classical melodies and tradit
@n instrumental mixture of lute, fl
in former times, full of myste-
sd with bombastic fear.
ric and raging black
original. The vocalist
erman sextet, growling
ievable aggressiveness. with
Grabak are indeed presen-
DAYLIGHT TORN "Death Alone Fro
/ 45'11 / Melancholic gothic doom /«
ing depressive, gothic’ “melodies with
jes, "Death Alone FromsLife Can
field for eternal sorrow, fear, desperé
» Daylight Torn's bleak melancholic r
music / ob
m and a recognizable
n't sound like a collection of tranquil
lat come by and fade away. The
Trisona" is entirely based on the
iolic moods that provide this
. The compositions sound
music and become one
their previous efforts, this
minds who look for refi-
ich several choirs were involved
chestra. Over a period of 14
ans worked on the creation of
Spectrum of musical diver-
, Lacrimosa’s sixth album
ful expression of its story
the unique and passionately
. This release is dedicated to
Sreek mythology, who has been a
nily since their "Inferno" album, As the
ath, she now tells the tale of a love that
doomed to fall, culminating in the question of whether love in
excess can become a force that ultimately has the power to des-
troy itself, whether too much love will. Embrace the world of
" and you'll hear the whispered answers...
Shiver Records.
FAERGHAIL "Horizon's Fall”
t/ Melodic black metal / d+ + +
ns.of the Finnish black metal scene, Faerghail
$ that combine the strength of raw black metal
'Horizon's Fall". As a bonus, this release also\features 4 addlitio-
racks which in fact formed their debut demo "Dark Oceans
EARTHCORPSE "The Taste Of Sin"
{ K 7 47'55 / Melodic Doom Metal / + ++ + +
Hailing from the small island of Guernesey, Earthcorpse revives
the tradition of British doom metal. While bands such as Paradise
Lost and My Dying Bride have abandoned this genre, this five
piece act continues to bring a rich mixture of melodic and brutal
riffing. Their second album "The Taste Of Sin" succeeds in brin-
ging forth an emotional style of doom and death metal without the
addition of female vocals, choirs, violins or any other non-metal
elements. A work filled with both pure and raw doom metal as
well as fragile and melancholic moods.
RHYMES OF DESTRUCTION "A Sun Revolution"
Belgium / 66'31 / Symphonic pagan metal / + + +
The music on "A Sun Revolution” is the right continuation of
where they left off on their debut album "Requiem / In
Remembrance Of Your Gods", released back in 1996, The band
and better skilled in terms of songwri-
you of the band's early days,
is again mixes black/death
lassical parts. Such an
gan feelings that are
athen beliefs of our
i ancestors life in
mes Of Destruction's sec
etal passages with doomy, mek
image is enriched with symphon
expressed through lyrics dealing with
forefathers and other mse sides of
ancient times.
As a follow up to "Overshine’, thi
Sarnath to reach the audien
efinitely a way for
nced and late
fal influenced by
h_ sound. Those
ixing aggression
Ognition to Sarnath.
ANCIENT "The Hails
Norway / 61'32 / Black metal /
"Mad Grandiose Bloodfiend:
to ANCIENT, but its success
tives. Being the sign of t
Eternity" is the witness
of black metal. Hate |
aggressive and i
album still remains
a too chaotic mus!
release will be al
the mighty "S'
azel's moves, "The Halls Of
, the songs become more
More direct approach. But this
main weaknesses being due to
is hope that the next ANCIENT
K the brilliance once reached with
ORPSE “Bloodthirst"
L/h he
thirst", Cannibal Corpse recruited pro-
the man responsible for the recordings of
USA / 34'37 /
I to come back to the roots —
Carcass, Napalm Death and Fi
5 SIX FEET UNDER "M;
USA/ 37°27 / Death metal / +
Formed as a side=project by,
Allen West in 1993, Six Feet U
| athe oke death metal roots while Bames.
is again back with his trademark gory lyrics and his former vocal
style. Undoubtedly, Six Feet Under's most brutal effort.
IMMOLATION “Failures For Gods*
USA / 40217 Death metal / + 4 ae
After two solid full length releases, "Dawn Of Possession and
“Here in After", ag well as extensive touring in both the US and
Europe, Immolation is poised to bring forth their anticipated third
album. Unexpected twists and turns, bizarre time signatures, chil-
ling leads, sombre fiffs and heart felt vocals make up “Failures
For Gods" : an unholy death metal style that has been built slow-
ly over many years. With this powerful and heavy release,
Immolation has paid their dues to their thirteen year existence.
Serenades Records
GRAVEWORM "As The Angels Reach The Beauty”
Germany / 42'19 / Atmospheric blaek metal / + + + +
With a definite taste for fast rhythms and nostalgic atmospheres,
“As The Angels Reach The Beauty" not only has the quality of
gold but also some unexpected chill. In a refined and atmesphe-
tic black metal manner, Graveworm definitely gained sincerity,
emotions and brightness in comparison with their previous
releases. The title and the cover of this third portrait are already
beautiful and contemplative, as this album that is no other than
that of a passion for adventure and conquest. From there comes
a seductive grab sent on the listener by appealing and brilliantly
orchestrated compositions. They are as many ed meetings
with ephemeral beauty.
PENUMBRA “Emanate"
France / 48'38 / Classical — = -*
Following Haggard's footsteps, Penumbra is an astonishing thea-
trical troupe gathering no less than 12 musicians. The band’s
musical influence mainly comes from the realm of classical music
but also from bands such as Theatre Of Tragedy, Therion and
Nightwish. One might easily described “Emanate” as an album
that unites classical music with black, death and gothic metal .
They have managed to create their own distinct style, which will
hopefully grant them a promising future.
Last Episode Productions
MYSTIC CIRCLE "Infernal Satanic Verses"
Germany / 48'59 / Melodic black metal / + + & +
Mystic Circle's aim is to make anti-Christian music in honour of
their two gods, Satan and Wotan. Since "Drachenblut", their
music has developed further again, the songs are varied and got
a lot of power, aggression and dark energy. "Infernal Satanic
Verses" is a blasphemous work full of great morbid melodies and
with Sarah Jezebel Deva who casts a spell on everyone with her
voice. The songs tell about the fight of the fallen angels’ legions
of Satan against the legions of Heaven. A struggle that lasted for
thousands of years and still makes Heaven and Hell rumbie with
anger.
, "Lays From Afar" is an old
s the entrance of a hero through
sed on mythological facts and
into another
ny / 48'46 / Melodic black metal / ++ + +
i archdemons of hell conjure us with their second album,
presents a more ver: sca he jepertotte
yn "Im Schattenreich".
ged sound, “Flammeni
ek metal tracks with dark,
ve aggression. An overall anti-
re lies above the songs, whi
through the changing vocals fro
NEBULAR MOON "
Germany / 39'53 / Gothic black
There are bands which invent, fe
imagination, others which,
the past of their work, to put
in their previous creations. Fe
“songs are gathered around four different parts. From "Steeple Of
~ Forgotten Knowledge" to “Dark Dormant Desires*, these young
_ Musicians Originating from Colognes relate us an imaginary story
which alternately presents the storm and blood Sumerian God,
Ninurta, the sorrow of the dethroned angel and his freedom wish,
as the painful experience of amorous feelings. An ambitious
album which should nevertheless require more mastery to com-
plete its interpretation.
DUNKELGRAFEN “Baphomet's Aeon"
Germany / 46'31 / Black metal / + + + +
Hear them calling... Open the eyes of your immortal soul and fol-
low their appearance. They embrace the world which lies in deep
pains. The shadows of eternity embrace the throne of the dark in
the shady kingdom of Dunkeigrafen. Become one with them, one
withia second album that clears up the mistakes of past times.
“Baphomet's Aeon" presents a varied black metal that makes you
forget the tentative steps of "Schatten Der Ewigkeit”.
ANDRAS "Sword Of Revenge”
Germany / 59'16 / Black/death metal / +
Hailing from East Germany, Andras made a name for.themselves
through the underground black metal scene with’the release of
their debut album "Die Riickkehr Den Dunklen Krieger". Armed
with a new line-up, the band'has recorded an effort that distin-
guishes itself by more dynamics and more power because of new
__ influences from the traditional metal sector with some loans from
the thrash and death metal styles. “Sword Of Revenge" definite-
ly rests upon a raw and cruel black metal repertoire, thus reflec-
ting some lyrics that are deeply rooted into the fields of occultism,
warfare and legends of their Teutonic ancestors.
Sofistitium Records
CRYOGENIC “Celephais"
Germany / 49'59 / Atmospheric black metal / ++ ++
Having an excellent reputation on their home underground scene
that is Germany, Cryogenic are giving us an album full of pro-
mises, announcing a real desire for a personal interpretation. Melt
with keyboards, trapped in the slow rhythms of dusk, “Celephais”
songs act on us like a whirl teasing your senses and finds the
right way to express the intimate chaos of its fathers. Sometimes
heavy, lascive or atmospheric, these uniform, obsessing lines
create more than a deadly atmosphere : the very image of a
burial.
GORBALROG “Untergang"
Germany / 48'20 / Black metal / 4 +
Starting out under the form of a raw and brutal black metal band,
Gorbalrog has gradually evolved towards more melodic and epic
musical horizons. Zargonath {all guitars, vocals) and Mortynoth
(drums, keyboards, vocals) have composed a new material that
is based upon hymnic structures, but without losing the sense of
strength and brutality. "Untergang" can still be labelled as a black
metal piece but not in the usual sense. There is here a deeper
approach when listening to the music and reading the lyrical
contents created by this original duet.
Prophecy Productions
EMPYRIUM "Where At Night The Wood Grouse Plays"
Germany /32'29 / Dark and tragic folkloric music / + + + *
Very long-awaited, thisnew album of Empyriumis@
se, of an astounding beauty. Entirely realised with
truments, "Where At Night The Weed Grouse Piays” suggests
that the Germanic duet isn’t required to decide, in a draconian
way, on the behaviour oftheir compositions. They accompany
them, guide them, butet them a liberty margin. Following the
example of the second album of Ulver, “Kveldsfanger’, the
access tovthis bewitthed garden go through our mother Nature,
where the tragi¢'choirs, the pastoral melodies and the folkloric
ambiences aré as much flours of the imagination. Scattered by
the great wind, their pollen hasn't finished to come down in bies-
sed shower on our heads, in this intimate work where coexist the
contemplation, the knowledge and the imagination.
TENHI “Kauan"
Norway / 52'24 / Dark folkloric music / +d bee
The majestic journey which Started with the “Hallavedet* mini CD
close your eyes and you are one with the 1
it so that it may never end... Deeply bea’
minds...
Germany / 6194 /
s ucceeded in recording
ce vel diversified
Combining element:
metal to ambient mi
er, the guitarist of . cin The ‘Woods, "A
re for the conform and close-minded
itional session vocals performed by Jan-
Perverted Taste
BERGTHRON "Uralte Gedanken"
Germany / 19'34 / Symphonic black metal / + + +
The follow up to the already promising "Verborgen In den Tiefen
Der Walder" asserts Bergthron's talent to compose an epic black
metal sound filled with dark heroic emotions and great sympho-
nic passages. "Uralte Gedanken' is stuffed with a sombre
sity, offering a wide array of appearances that mo
inspired, atmospheric songs and agility sections.
The structures carry multiple r
with tightness and punetuall
i jewed out clichés. A
9 those who are into
fever Dead, Coercion has opted
barbarian death metal approach
1994, which is is now appearing und
pack. Musically speaking, "As Ths
into’ realm of depressive Nonwes
ced by unforgettable Burzu
chants of the marty
reduced to ashes.
Germany / 12'33 / Majestic black metal / 4 ob 4 +h +
This German newcomer is really full of hopes regarding the futu-
re. Their debut mini CD displays three tracks of symphonic an
atmospheric black metal in the pure hateful vein.
Suffering Souls have a deep taste for orchestration,
their compositions with appealing epic keyboard
"Cries Of Silence" is ; definitely a promising releas
“split CD. shared
. Since then, nume
lorwegian band Mock (now
tip changes have happened
ir new face. Combining
s, this long awaited mi
heir native tongue, thus
id aggressive mixture of
ne vein of Merciless "The
it is the sign of Had
Kettenhund Record.
LUNAR AURORA "Of Stargates
‘And Bloodstained Celestial Sphi
Germany / 54'25 / Black metal / + &
Since its creation in 1994, LUNAR AURORA has experienced
lots of storms, avoided lots of wrecks, But constantly redoubling
its efforts, the quartet signed here a third album which confers
them the hopeful status. For if "Of Stargates And Bloodstained
Celestial Spheres" is influenced by the foundations of the
Norwegian black metal scene, one can see the scraps of an inter-
esting personality, which requires only to dawn. Now that this
band has gathered a solid content of erudition, it remains to wait
patiently the release of the next opus , which would Unveil an
identity, a complete maturity, in the course of construction at the
moment.
NAGELFAR "Srontgorrth"
Germany / 70'02 / Black metal / ob ob
Armed with a strong debut album and reputation within the
“underground black metal scene, Nagelfar follows its unholy
juest, this time with an entirely concept album. The verses rela-
te the fictive story of a warrior named "Srontgorrth", who strives
for the freedom of the unéonscious. The lyrical contents is trans-
lated into music through various Chapters, reflecting the mental
changes of the individual. Musically speaking, the repertoire is
contemporary black metal, the moods being largely set on the
vocals and the sound of the guitars. The story of a band who
fights for the freedom of its dark art.
Dark Vinyl Records
PENITENT "Roses By Chaos Spawned"
Norway / 50'19 / Neo-classical art / eh oh ae
Penitent's fourth release displays beautiful and mournful music,
that prevails by the variety of orchestral samples, though the
piano and organ take the leading roles in several compositions,
just like on the album "The Beauty Of Pain". On "Roses By Chaos
Spawned", the vocal parts aren't performed by mastermind
Karsten Hamre, the author of the poems, but by Mark Andrew
Goldfine of Amidst The Leaves and Alone With Blades, whose
expressive manner of performance fits the musie very well.
Besides him, there is a quest vocal appearance of Ellen White on
"A Bleeding Heart Of Desire’. Once again, Karsten Hamre
proves that he is a talented composer, who transforms his emo-
tions into an everlasting vision of musical melancholy, reflecting
the true feelings of himself and of his very own personality.
Morbid Records
OBSCENITY "Demo-Niac"
Germany / 50'17 / Brutal death metal / + &
+ In order to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this well-known
German act in the field of brutal death metal, here comes the
release on CD format of the band's first demos, “Age Of Brutality
and “Amputated Souls". This new remastefed version,|eads you
to the early days of Obscenity, yet revealing their true personality
with ol school riffs, deep growls and barbarian almospheres. A
deadly birthday.
: Hammerheart Records
HADES ALMIGHTY "Millenium Nocturne"
Norway / 58'47 / Majestic black metal / +h + oh +
Previously known under the monicker of Hades, the Norwegian
mories of old lands’ and folklore
ique black metal style. Filled with
tales of singular le
reach the kingdom
TRELLDOM "Til Et Annet..."
way / 44'49 / Symphonic black metal / + ++ +b ++
irrored Hate Painti
metal / ob ob +
Australia to the realm of Norway.
_tojoin the band Dimmu Borgi
in Abyss studio. "Mirrored
and sophisticated black met
tyle, which is higI
~ Seen as the first sign
There are a few
this release, but the whol
Norway / 3703/1
riod of two silent years, the
"Norse" mini CD already @ very promising second full
pheres brought in by “Fra Underverdenen®, you easily unders-
tand why Kampfar is rightly considered as one the highlights th
the field of the Viking black metal genre.
Kampfar
This talented and inspired duet succeeds in combining black
metal passages with folk parts, giving birth to a personal sound,
which may somehow remind you of Satyricon and Storm.
Kampfar has been in existence ever since the very beginning of
the Norwegian black metal scene, and believe me, this is not a
coincidence;
DIMMU BORGIR / OLD MAN'S CHILD
"Devil's Path / In The Shades Of Life”
Norway / 45'50 / Symphonic black metal - Atmospheric black
metal / oh oh hee
* "Devil's Path* and "In The Shades.Of Life" were originally relea-
sed in limited edition as mini CD's in 1996. Now they are gathe-
red under the banner of this pure Norwegian black metal orien-
ted split CD. With a crue! and murderous,sound, Dimmu Borgir
shows its diabolical black metal face through symphonic, hateful
and aesthetic compositions. As for Old Man's Child, their epic and
pagan black metal repertoire sounds more atmospheric than
their latest work, with more atmospheric and Northern atmos-
pheres.
TULUS "Evil 1999"
Norway / 35'00 / Black metal / d+ 4
Released in 1998 and introducing Sarah Jezebel Deva of Cradie
Of Filth, Covenant and now Mortiis, Tulus second album entitled
"Mysterion" stuck to their style of intense and energetic black
metal, which you either love or hate. Their third chapter is unlea-
shed upon the masses, with this time an overall improvement in
terms of production, songwriting and aestheticism. Featuring Old
Man's Child's live members, this skilled horde displays a great
dese of Norwegian black metal power with an uncompromising
and original spirit.
OLD FUNERAL "The Older Ones"
Norway / 48'23 7 Death metal / + + ++
Abbath (Immortal), Varg Vikernes (Burzum), Jorn Tonsberg
(Hades Almighty)... All these names are linked to the short career
of one band, Old Funeral, which started out at the end of the 80's
and found its end in 1992. itis now possible for you to rediscover
the band's harsh, brutal and original death metal repertoire
influenced by Carcass and Morbid Angel and gathered on a
single album. We will never know what OLD FUNERAL would
sound if they still existed by now, but "The Older Ones" is here to
bring you an answer from the past,
Displeased Records / Rape Of Mind
VESPERIAN SORROW “Beyond The Cursed Eclipse"
USA/57'24 / Melodic black metal / 4
Within the sombre hills of central Texas, a new era had arrived to
transform the stagnant and rekindled music scene of North
America. Brought together from this realization, was the forma-
tion of Vesperian Sorrow. They produce melodic black metal, with
Oréhestrated atmospheres, combining many musical influences
in their Compositions. Inspired by several oftheir counterparts,
they have achieved a complex songwriting, with intricate arran-
gements, and featuring moments of aggression and power, to be
entranced into realms of dark beauty.
THE KUNTAUTCULT "From The Pits..."
Holland / 34'08 / Brutal death grind / + +
Each on The Kuntaucult (ex-Bodybag)'s debutalbum cranks from
start to finish drawing on influences ranging from Necrosanct to
Napalm Death, yet creating a hyper blasting sound. This infa-
mous trio plays an intense and uncompromising grind/death
metal repertoire, "From The Pits..." being the mirror ripping gui-
tars, over-the-top drums and hellish vocal bellowings.
Fadetess Records
VOMITORY "Redemption"
Sweden / 33'147 Death metal / ++ ++
Played in the vein of their previous effort “Raped In Their Own
Biood" but with a noticeable improvement in terms of songwriting
and performance, Vomitory's second album See fast and
now re-released on CD luding two bonus tracks,
“Inbor® and “Encarta®. Strc lamic _afrangements,
screaming guitars, vocals that range from demonic lows to soul-
ripping highs and chaotic yet om hell describe
the Diabolic assault upon the starving Z :
five-song demonstration of blistering violence
the previous albums, the musical’
esterday"
etal / bebe
fepertoire with a good sound. A\
“Subsconscious" reflects the band's loyalty t
Iron Palm Produxions
OLETHRIO RIGMA “Fight For The Innocent"
Greece / 66'04 / Hardcore metal /-++b +
This is Olethrio Rigma's second album, a band seen as the vete-
fans Of the Greek hard core scene. The music now ineludes more
metal elements, even though the band still shares the typical
hardcore attitude and way of thinking. Harsh, extreme and realis-
fic, “Fight For The Innocent" is a form of aggression sung in
Greek, English and German with a no compromise approach.
Bestial Records
NEGURA BUNGET “Sala Molksa"
Romania / 27°08 / Transyivanian black metal / + + ++ +
Beyond times, beyond immortal mountains and endless forests,
Negura Bunget revives the Transylvanian spirit. After the brilliant
*Zimnindu-Sa" debut album, "Sala Molksa" appears as another
beautiful vestige of the overwhelming Dacic spirituality.
Nequra
Bunget :
The Romanian band cultivates black metal essence by mixing
complex and enigmatic atmospheres with talent and inspiration.
Haunting majestic keyboards counterbalance with grim vocals
and fighting riffs. More than an odyssey towards primordial,
ancestral and transcendent black metal, “Sala Molksa" is a step
further into the world and spirituality of the ancients...
Metal Age Productions
LUNATIC GODS “Sitting By The Fire”
Slovakia / 49'02 / Progressive techno thrash metal / 4 ++
Mixing a lot of different styles altogether, Lunatic Gods displays
original metal music that has been bursting eardrums in the
underground since the release of “Inhuman And Insensible”. With
“Sitting By The Fire", the Eastern band combines elements of
speed, thrash, death and atmospheric, melodic metal with a both
brutal and refined delivery. Between light and darkness, the story
of a band who likes to deal with the musical opposites and plays
with fire and water.
Avantgarde Music
UNHOLY "Gracefalien™
Finland / 62'54 / Weird dark doom metal / + + b+
Undoubtedly, the musicians of Unholy are made for the tortured
and hypnotic styles, to which they come back by greeting again
the worlds of sadness and pain. To the thread of this fourth sen-
timental ruination, these schizophrenics surprise the doubts of
"Rapture", take away the pomp and lay out the strange secrets of
their souls. Without modesty, Unholy undresses its feelings to
make them painful statues, central and naked. Between the
astounding female vocal of Vera Muhli and the deepness of the
slow meiodies, there is here an unknown force which reveals
itself to each instant and is exalted to the sound of a dark doom
metal of the most inspired kind. The blasted fate of this band
Which has given birth, not without pain, to the album of the
consecration.
KEEP OF KALESSIN
“Agnen - A Journey Through The Dark”
Nomway / 50'55 / Powerful black metal / bb +
After the highly acclaimed "Through Times Of War", Keep Of :
Kalessin introduces your soul inte another form of strong and fi
_ €e black metal style that blows out everything with a great dose
impartiality. Faster
The dragon has finally awakens
ce, Pazuzu can be heard ag
Eridu. "Ili : The End Of Ages" is the
darkness, atmospheres and ambiences.
defined. Combini
avant garde music:
Mastermind relates us $}
the Devil, of dreams and
that renewal is at hand.
ing the unforgettable listening experience brought by their
album “The Linear Scaffold", Solefaid has composed an
ristic and retrospective elements, the ava
ed back to their older influences such
lus listeners.
BEHEMOTH "Satanic
Poland / 43'24 / Slav black metal / + +
hemoth's fourth assault is the
io work led by mastermind New
infamous Polish horde again
ding raw black metal sount
ristic vibe. Still influence
this Eastern release shi
f a long and fruitful st
self as a producer. The
is hateful talent, by blen-
technology and a futu-
and old Celtic Frost,
id diversity of songs
with an extremely devilish power.
From the beginning to the end, there is no time to breath, the
aggression and speed are endless to provoke your bestial
thoughts. Lyrically speaking, the concept of "Satanica" is most
courageous, bringing forth Kaosmagick theories inspired by such
famous writers as Aleister Crowley and Austin Osman Spare,
wrapped in a rather sophisticated vocabulary. There is no resi
the strong !
OCTOBER TIDE "Grey Dawn"
Sweden / 40°02 / Atmospheric doom death / a
Jonas Renske,.the skilled drummer and Vocalist
Katatonia, decided to express his talenteven further, giv
this project, with the collaboration of Fredrik Normar
acoustic and bass guitars. While his main band tuned towards
more gothic soufds, Jonas felt the need to capture again the
dark and heavy atmospheres once created at the time of "Dance
Of December Souls". "Grey Dawn" is a cold, dissonant opus that
will lead you straight into the grievous mental soundscapes of its
creators. Featuring vocals performed by Marten Hansen of A
Canorous Quintet, this personal interpretation of the sad
doom/gothic style will undoubtedly charm the souls of those who
are into early Katatonia as well as those who look for new way of
expressing the endless feelings of melancholia
Wounded Love Records
POTENTIAM "Balsyn"
ieeland / 52'02 / Atmospheric dark black metal / + + +
Emerging from the Icelandic distant soil, Potentiam offers a dark
and deep black metal debut album that comes with a wrapping,
obscure sound and a refined production. There is no place here
for fast or extreme parts, the band indeed prefer to put an
emphasis on slow melodies and desperate moods to achieve its
final goal. Enriched with an elusive musical expression, "Balsyn*
Will intrude beneath your skin and chill your soul, haunting end-
lessly your mind with its lugubrious, frightening landscapes.
Scarlet / Luna P
CON ANIMA "The Book Of Riddles"
Norway / 43'53 / Gothic metal /+ + +
Hailing from Sarpsborg,,Con Anima features the vocal perfor-
mance of Stian Culto- , already known for his appearance in
Mayhem and The Sh Dancers. The debut album “The Book
Of Riddles" introduces t musical influences : drama-
tic, emotional and metal with a gothic venue. An
unconventional rel fo heavy metal fans looking for
horrific scenarios, aths and spectral interludes.
Mi
Sweden / 39'03 / Mi
Influenced by the
Moonstruck debut al
piration from the classic heavy
‘sonal and melancholic approach
nospheres.
France / 48'02 / Progressive
Using keyboards, flute and oth
has developed the dreamy side of
puts an emphasis on the atmosp!
while the lyrics are deeply rooted in
merge the music and the lyrics, this
Norbert Tassi, a French writer influ
Lovecraft. Each song should be seen a:
of dreams and lore. "Save me from thi
winds don't blow".
compared to t
ply revives the
Pentagram !
Repulse Records.
CENTINEX "Bloodhun
blistering: guitar riffs of Kenneth
“Bloodhunt® pounds through. its $i
c Ings at a mind-splattering pace. Another addi
metal collection.
pain / 21'17 / Melodic flat
ight To Die presents its deb
elodic death metal with
co music. Each of the
emphasis on weird m
| Evil Crying" puts an
ind on the will to crea-
‘ort of music you would
rat an insane asylum.
Of Blasphemy"
| / ote oe oh oe
0 ways to kill the Christian
musical approach, This
recorded material in
st and brutal death metal
ios by Fredrik Norstrém,
ual death metal tracks with
@ guitar harmonies and skilled
dueling rhythmic section.
Ins are highlighted by slaying vocal
‘macabre and bizarre keyboard ele-
a ctushing edge prd
solos are here. 6G
The band has. ) the second chapter of an adorned
‘onslaught, filled with diabolical musical passages and machiavel-
jan litterature. For those who break the rules of morality,
Evil Horde Records
POSTHUMOUS "My Eyes, They Bleed"
§7'24 / Evil necro black metal / hh sh
is was created with the intents to make a violent, fast,
Savage kind of musical art. "My Eyes, They Bleed”
lat the band preaches, sounding like a mixture of raw
_and uncompromising black metal. Allround brutality and tech-
_nigue are also pretty much in the likes of thevaforementioned
"genre. Songs are busy ahd:rather extreme with changeable pat-
terns. Vocalizing is gaspy and grunted in order toaccomplish the
desirable black-edged mood that is surrounded by a razor-edged
sound. Together with bands like Murder Rape, Senge. D'Enfer or
Posthumous, Brazil now presents a persuasive black metal
scene.
Hammer Mizik
i CENOTAPH "Puked Genital Purulency"
Turkey / 36'03 / Gore grind / +++
Cenotaph debut album "Voluptuously Minced" featured a reper-
toire of brutal and sick gore death/grind. This new episode of sick-
ness presents some compositions that sound even more grind,
more brutal and sicker than ever. Intense’as fuck, crazy as hell,
"Puked Genital Purulency" is a fast, technical and blasting relea-
se only destined to the goriest addicts.
Sepulchral Productions
FROZEN SHADOWS "Dans Les Bras Des Immortels"
Canada / 47'27 / Majestic black metal / + -& + +
There is no inner or outer peace within the pact signed by the
members of Frozen Shadows. The only salvation for them is in
the practice of satanic art. The follow up to the “Empires De
Glace" demo. shows a symphonic and nostalgic black metal
anthology, that ‘crowned by dark and elegant atmospheres.
Dedicated to their land, their
ancestors, the poetic lyn i
nite night, as if there
Les Bras Des Imm
where the call from |
scattered by a lone
empire gets bon
ly and to the one of their
Myrkhaal sound like an infi-
be a day. The dazzling “Dans
sionate and frenetic release,
langes into a hymn to darkness.
In the depths of darkness, a new
EPTICISM “Aes”
doom / hb ob oh ob
arted melodies not heard in previous
Finland / 27°
"Aes" tea
Skepticism recordings. "Stormorowieet’ and "
trial terrain of horror filled fr
celestial encounters. T!
repackaged additional rare recordings. The ceremonial,
ritualised nature of these recordings are nowhere better illustra-
ted than on “Dreams Of Dark Waters"=Large sections of this
album took place in real time, live in the studio Onrecorded to digi-
tal audio tape during visits to local sites of power. This music acts
as a key for the Opening of doors to the within and the without,
speaks of that which is forbidden and forgotten. The form of the
music mirrors the subject, slithering through the eracks in our
psychic defences, impregnating us with alien thoughts and
impulses contrary to the laws of man.For those whose dreams
have the power to manifest in the minds of the few, summoning,
guiding us to a new consciousness.
Moribund Records
WIND OF THE BLACK MOUNTAINS
“Sing Thou Unholy Servants"
USA / 40°01 / Atmospheric black metai/ + + + +
Summoned out of wicked forest, Wind Of The Black Mountains is
a one man band led by the evil spawn of Tchort, who was also
the vocalist/guitarist for Black metal act Masochist. After the pro-
mising "Forcefed Into Blasphemy” 7" EP, this debut album results
in a long demonic fitual illustrated by a massive, dark, almos-
pheric yet grim black metal holocaust. Supported by great fema-
le vocals, violins amd acoustic guitars, "Sing Thou Unholy
Servants" sounds like a milestone in US black metal.
This long time underground band brings you back to the days of
early 1992, when the black metal scene was still true and uncom-
promising. With Judas Iscariot and Wind Of The Black
Mountains, Northern America introduces you a black metal elite.
Necropolis Records / Focusion
WITCHERY "Dead, Hot And Ready"
Sweden / 33'35 / Heavy black/death metal / + + dob
Witchery's second full length album again captures the violent
energy that this nightmarish quintet had created for "Restless &
Dead". Band leader Patrick Jensen (ex-Seance, now in The
Haunted) has again loaded with heavy fast riffs, masterful song-
writing and the metal feeling of the 80's. "Dead, Hot And Ready"
provides a thundering bottom end that rumbles ominously benea-
th the razor-edged axework of the guitars while the virulent vocals
equal the hellish drums,
TARTAROS “The Red Jewel”
Norway / 40°37 / Psychedelic black metal / +b -b + +
For six fertile years, Charmand Grimloch, the bizarre master-
mind behind Tartaros, has achieved a reputation as one of black
metal's most talented and visionary leaders. Released in 1996,
“The Grand Psychotic Castle" proved to be a musical labyrinth of
eerie soundscapes that conjured images of terrifying beauty and
chilling atmospheres.
CHARMAND GRIMLOCHS
a | “| SF
&xXR | HE RED JEWE| sone
{t was during this time that Emperor recognized the brilliance in
Charmand's music and recruited him as their touring keyboardist.
Charmand then entered his own studio for the recording of "The
Red Jewel", which is a powerful continuation-of his creative
brilliance. This album showcases even more of Grimioch’s pro-
wess on the keyboards all the while layered with his trademark
psychedelic horror that accents his work.
pioneer in the field of atmospheric psychedelic black met
taros has fearlessly avelled deep into previously
_ Mortician eradicates existing
“slabs of shocking, decapitating de metal. Morose passages. of
_ Surfounded by a new line-up, tortur
_has recorded a fifth album ab:
is metal one step further ick,
felenting dementia and homicidal drum programming combine
fo blur the lines of metal's past with that of its future. An insane,
hortible and gory release.
TODAY IS THE Di
USA /50'51 / Sculptural metal /
bh bt
ting it back to the listener's face
This sick band abuses typical mi
God" features mind-controlling §
cussive manipulation, combined with maniac personal frustra-
tion, forming the basis of the most Peel and ad complet ey
ae Day album to that point.
Dwell Records
GATEWAY TO HELL "A Tribute To Slayer”
Dark Funeral, Monstrosity, Aurora Borealis, Sadistie Intent, From
The Depths, Infamy, Diabolic, Coffin Texts, Draconis, Evil
incamate, Thy Darkest Empire, Imprecation, Somnus / 55°26 /
heb
This compilation is the grand prize winner in the “Tribute To
Slayer” contest. Slayer's powerful blend of speed and thrash
metal has been bursting eardrums since the release of their
legendary “Show No Mercy" and their highly praised "Reign In
Blood". The angels of death have given birth to heirs of misfortu-
ne, who manage to capture the band's essence on this brutal
homage. Special bonus is given to Dark Funeral and Sadistic
Intent, whose killer cover versions highlight the infamous
Slaytanic horde.
Elegy Records / Obsidian Press
JUDAS ISCARIOT “Of Great Eternity"
USA / 40'31 / Nihilist black metal /+ + + yee
There is not that many bands that practice what they preach, but
this one does. Judas Iscariot sounds like @ mixage of true and
misanthropic black metal and not only because it has the same
tonations and feedbacks. Allround nihilism featured on "is also
much in the likes of the aforementioned genres. Songs are
Straight forward, desperately unholy and with changeable pat-
terns. Vocalizing is screamy and harsh in order to aceomplish the
desirable devilish mood that is surrounded:by a raw sound. A
strong and persuasive effort intheiname of German philosopher
Nietzsche.
EVOKEN “Embrace The Emptiness"
USA/70'36 / Ultimate doom/death / + ae
Three years after the release of "Shades Of Night Descending’,
Evoken is finally back with six new songs of soul-crushing doom.
Tragic, yet beautiful and dramatic, “Embrace The Emptiness"
envelops the senses and establishes the band as a serious force
in the doom/death genre today. in order to come up to the emoti-
ve and doomy atmosphere, one has stuffed the music with a
good lot of slow paced melodies, death grunts and acoustics.
Heartfelt and emotional, Evoken stand tall in the scene alongside
the likes of Monumentum and Beyond Dawn
INCANTATION “Tribute To The Goat"
USA / 40'17 / Satanic death metal / ++ -b +
Incantation have always been at the forefront of the American
death metal scene and this new album again proves their worth.
Brutal and uncompromising, "Tribute Te The Goat" is best descri-
bed as classic death metal with a touch of grind and doom. They
combine intense heavy parts with fast catchy riffs and interject
unyielding brutality to form their unique sound. Recorded live in
the studio with original vocalist Craig Pillard, the band spewed
forth this dynamic testament to their art : pure, depraved, twisted
and sick death metal.
The End Records
AGALLOCH "Pale Folklore”
62'10 / Dark metal / de ah
The music and concept of Agalioch is a combination of cold, dark
sorrow and natural oaken beauty. “Pale Folklore" features 8 dark
metal tracks that sound very elaborate, diverse and with an epic
edge. Surrounded by the majesty of nature and the burden of
human existence, the band's debut album bursts with melodies
with a basis of dark emotional concepts. Creating auras of sym
phonic melancholiaythis release turns out be a tragic,«mourntul
yet expressive listening experience.
NOKTURNAL MORTUM
"To The Gates Of Blasphemous Fire”
Ukraine / Pagan black metal / + +b ++
Eastern Europe has increasingly been a mysterious place for
extreme metal acts and, more and more, the quality of those
bands is quite exeeptional.
To The Gates Of Blasphemous Fire
pagan nations by the supre-
ss Siav knights of Nokturnal
fo The Gates Of Blasphemous Fire’.
sorcery, this album is a collection of nocturnal
tions and spells worked through sounds : an expe-
APOLLYON "Diaboli Gratia"
Denmark / 19'17/ Black metal / + + +
The demonic cult which was given the name Apollyon was sum-
moned to the world in the autumn of 1992. After the release of
two demos and an appearance on the "A Tribute To Hell" compi-
lation CD, the Scandinavian trio finally unleashes their dark spi-
its on the "Diaboli Gratia" mini CD. This fast and aggressive piece
of violent black metal is adorned with dark and melodic elements
that paint a frightening portrait of the strange beauty in evil, death,
darkness and damnation :
Wild Rags Records —
OF THE FALLEN "Of The Fallen"
USA / 28'13 / Black metal / + dere i
Seen as the latest addition to the American black metal scene, Of
The Fallen has composed a collection of songs dedicated to the
burning infernal one. Stories of angels and demons at play on the
battlefields of hell. This Texas band incorporates both aggressive
and atmospheric melodies to their compositions, thus bringing a
darken, quite promising debut mini CD.
RITUAL “Soldiers Under Satan's Command"
USA / 30'31 / Black metal / 4 oh
Hailing from the city of Los Angeles, Ritual is back with their
already third epic release. This time, they have used no key-
boards, no ambient or atmospheric p. "Soldiers Under
Satan's Command” could be described 4
demonic winter metal with an emphasi
influences. Plans are already underway
fourth album, as of yet untitled, whic!
"Soldiers Under Satan's Command"
of their metal roots.
ABHORRENCE “Ascen
Brazil / 10'16 / Death metal / + + +
With ideal, attitude and a powerful ideology surrounded of hate
and pure abhorrently against the false and the weak, the release
on CD format of Abhorrence’s debut demo displays intense death
metal, with speed metal riffs, extreme blast beats and blasphe-
mous voeals, Since then, the band has signed a deal with a label
of its native land in order to record its brutal debut full length
alburn.
ABOMINANT "The Way After"
USA/ 46'357 Death metal / + + ++
"The Way/After® showcases multi-layered, multi-influenced death
metal with a strong sense of classic eighties metal blendi
a modern influence. The band's third opus mixes hea’
and black metal influences to produce a dark, brutal and melodic
death metal repertoire. Having improved since “In Dark
Embrace", Abominant has released an accessible piece of musi-
¢al brutality.
SUBVERTOR "Transgreso-Evolucion’
Bolivia / 36'43 / Grind core /-+4
Subvertor's previous demo “
tunes with death metal influer
focused on socially bs
another expression
heavy raw power with grind core:
screams and an everlasting feeling Of
chaos. :
ved furious
vocals and
nigth album is
ten songs of
hed cavernous
Pavement Music
PROPHECY "Contagion"
USA / 41'47 / Modern death metal / +++
With strong influences by bands such as Brutal Th
Factory and Napalm Death, Prophecy could definite!
fied as brutal death metal in their beginning. "Cor
n To Conquer’
tion gives new
king work e
mative
Demo reviews
th deh ch he ob A
Format : CD / tape
Number of tracks
Sound quality
Musical style
Comment
th bb Good
++ Could be
+ Boring
th cb bb & Excellent
hb Average
Sound quality
Professional
Good
Average
Rehearsal
Poor
masterpiece
better
taste for dark dean moods, combining mid-paced
and accelerated parts with the inclusion of harmonious solos and
it has received so far.
‘| 25.00 FF / $6.00 (ppd) - Belenos,
Raoul Briquet, 62217 Beaurains, France.
Loic Cellier, 31 Rue
MUSTAN KUUN LAPSET "Profogi*
CD/5 tracks / Good sound / Dark metal/toe-
Having played with such bands as Gloomy Grim, Enochian
Crescent or Barathrum, Mustan Kuun Lapset is a well-known
name in the Finnish underground and in some central European
_ countries. Technical and powerful, the songs featured on the
"Prologi" mini CD don't have a vast pattern, but sound more like a
series of timings and melodies with a significant use of well-consi-
dered breaks and transitions. This collection of tracks is a leap for-
ward for the band and Italian label Nocturnal Music recently relea-
$e "Prologi" in a limited edition of 1000 copies.
‘| $8.00 (ppd) - Mustaan Kuun Lapset, C/O Lehtinen,
Koroistentie 7 a 3, 00280 Helsinki, Finland.
SIRIUS "... The Eclipse"
Tape / 4 tracks / Good sound / Symphonic black metal /
ahhh
Here is a demo of a rare mastery, of an amazing penetration
which takes you towards the mazes of a Northern inspired black
metal repertoire and towards labyrinths of symphonic atmos-
pheres. Sirius mixes inexorably passages filled with nostalgia for
a distant time, to which is added the abyssal keyboards grandilo-
quence, which covers compositions of legends and dreams. Close
the passionate deluge catried by Limbonie Art, *./. The Eclipse
will charm your soul with its subtle and perceptive 6pic emotions.
Watch. out for their debut album to be released on Nocturnal Art
_ Productions in early 2000. |< $6.00 (ppd) - Andromeda Creations,
_ C/O Constance B., Box 366, 2775 Carcavelos, Portugal.
THE OLD DEAD TREE "The Blossom"
icks / Good sound / Atmospheric dark metal / + + +
close to the early sounds of Paradisé Lost and My
Dying Bride, The Old Dead Tree's compositions marks a willito
combing dark metal and gothic music with guttural vocals and
clear male chants, with the support of great musicianship. “The
Blossom" is based on mid-paced tempos, with harmoniously del
cate and depressive melodies and an overall dark melancholi¢
atmosphere, Between serenity and torment, this debut release
gather the toftured aspect that lays in the band's musical expres-
sion. ‘ |h
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