My post and ''review'' on the new 2021 Funeral Mist album Deiform

The best album of the year is going to be real easy to pick out in 2021. Deiform by Funeral Mist released on the 17th of December 2021 by Norma Evangelium Diabolical of course. The perfect ending to another crap year (due to Covid, Corona and now this Omicron shit) anyway...

The LP release looks amazing and comes on 2 vinyls included inside a gatefold is a 12-page A4 booklet. While the CD release has a 20-page booklet.

Couldn’t wait until the LP, CD & t-shirt of my favorite bands new album to arrive in a proper way and not to stream it (my order has been posted but it could take to the 28th of January to arrive...). All pictures are taken from the Funeral Mist bandcamp. Support them, Holy Poison Design and Funeral Mist!

Btw. longtime no see my friends! Both here on the blog or Instagram almost a year. Am I back for good? I'll get to that in the end of the post... Let for now focus on Funeral Mist. 

The most important happening of 2021. As always hated to say I'm doing reviews but maybe they are? 

Took me a couple of listens to realize that the opening Twilight Of The Flesh is for now my favorite song of the album or at least 1 of 3. The slow start with choir chants, the fast middle and slow ending creates a perfect harmony and start.

The following fast paced shorter Apokalyptikon has great vocals by "D.Rostén". So far an amazing 9:38 + 4:26 start! Could already tell I prefer this album more than Hekatomb (2018).

Amazing drumming by former Marduk drummer (2006-13) Lars B aka. Lars Broddesson during the entire album.

The 8:56 In Here shows that the short songs of the previous album Hekatomb (a averaged of 5:20) is a thing of the past. On Deiform its an average about 6:45 and that's very welcome.

I sound like a broken record already but the In Here (8:56) is another favorite of mine that appears on Deiform. Clearly among my top-3 songs.

Children Of The Urn (7:45) caught my ears directly with its Swedish children’s choir. Fucking brilliant! Even if a Funeral Mist album it's a cohesive experience I would place it as my 4th or 5th favorite song either this one or Apokalyptikon.

Hooks Of Hunger 4:54 was another song that I liked immediately during my first play through of the album. I wouldn't put it as high up as I did back of the initial listening.

Another top-3 song on the album is the title track Deiform 9:09 it's slow & heavy with Rostén’s vocals one of the most interesting songs. Deiform unlikely for a Funeral Mist song to use melodic Heavy Metal like guitars during a song. But take these "top songs" with a grain of salt it could change.

The ending Into Ashes 9:10 probably is in my opinion the weakest song on Deiform. Still an amazing song but wrong placed though it would been better placed next to last.

The slow opener (half through) Twilight Of The Flesh choir and all could’ve been an excellent ending or also Deiform; In Here or Children of the Urn.

To rate Deiform among other Funeral Mist albums is very early. But it would be boring if I did not! 

It’s not near the masterpieces Salvation (2003) or my favorite Maranatha (2009). But better than both Hekatomb and Devilry (1998).

The long songs feels welcome back and the 54 min album goes by very fast. 3 songs over 9 min: Twilight Of The Flesh; Deiform & Into Ashes and just 4 seconds short of 9 min In Here. Then also Children of the Urn almost 8 min just 2 songs under 5 min. 

Clearly my favorite album in years! Since 2018 Hekatomb actually. Maybe even back to the 2012 album Serpent Sermon by Marduk. However I haven't looked deep into it and Deiform is a new album.

My only little complaint is that I would've wanted one more song so it could've broken the 1 hour barrier. But of course rather have a 54 min superb than 1 hour subpar experience.

As the world is for artists nowadays with Rostén releasing the ambient DomJord project with 2 excellent albums last year. The t-shirt productivity with Funeral Mist, Marduk, DomJord etc (amazing quality shirts NOT cheap shit) at Holy Poison. I was almost awaiting him announcing a new Funeral Mist album earlier when Marduk wasn't on tour. Sadly the January tour with Vader got cancelled due to fucking Covid restrictions...

Should have bought tickets to the December Darkness where I heard that they played the entire Dark Endless (1992) album on one of their two sets. Cannot confirm that though and with bands like Djevel, Voodus, Grá, Valkyrja it would've been amazing. 

If the Gefle Metal Festival (Marduk; Emperor; Entombed; Mayhem; Meshuggah; Deicide; At The Gates; Uleashed; Mgla;  Exodus etc.) gets cancelled for a 3rd summer I'll probably kill myself...

Didn't get as surprised as with Hekatomb when Deiform was announced just a week before its release. With Hekatomb it felt like the biggest bomb of 2018. However back then it had been 9 years since Maranatha and I wasn't sure if Funeral Mist was finished. Even if it felt like Rostén wasn't as involved on the Viktoria (2018) album by Marduk as before.

Might do a review when I get my LP, CD & t-shirt order from NoEvDia because 3 days of listening isn’t enough to have a fair opinion. I mean it took me many years to prefer Maranatha over Salvation. But for now I'll say that this was a brilliant album because my expectations are high as fuck whenever Funeral Mist release an album.

Now will I keep on posting? Don’t know! Still collecting of course have bought a lot of records this year not that many new ones though.

I own an even sicker fucking Marduk collection nowadays and really would like to do posts them. Some dates back 3 years or more.

And my collection of Funeral Mist official t-shirts, longsleeves plus a hoodie (now at 21 different designs).

Got to mention I bought the 6 LP + 7 CD Arcturus set Stars And Oblivion (The Complete Works 1991 to 2002).  This is how a box set is suppose to be done. That means I finally got my most wanted vinyl The Sham Mirrors (2002), not the first print, but still a LP copy to spin. Included with great poster and other things I would love to do a post of it.

Have bought a bunch of other albums of course I would like to write about also. However I'll be posting a best of 2021 list that much is certain.

Already have a finished the writing vinyl of posts like Marduk - World Funeral: Jaws Of Hell MMIII (2020); Deathmarch Tour EP (2004); Souls For Belial (2013);  Darkthrone - Eternal Hails......; the oldest is one of the 3 Marduk DVD's from 2018. And a bunch more that never got posted.

A thing that's been holding me back posting is ever since I moved to a new apartment (it was boring at the old place too). Is all the fucking pictures I'll take for just one post.

Might have to rethink how I do those and restrict myself to maybe 1 or 2 picture per post for the sake of my own sanity. But it wouldn't feel like my style also REFUSE to use stock photos that's fucking cheating. We'll just have to wait and see. 

Until then Funeral Mist are still the FUCKING BEST!! 

DomJord - Sporer (2020)

1st print vinyl release by Vidfare Productions/The Ajna Offensive.

Plus my Sporer t-shirt limited to 50 copies from Holy Poison Design (hope I don't have to mention what that is!).

Whenever I have bought a t-shirt by Funeral Mist; Marduk; Triumphator etc. from their official Holy Poison webstore I have only gotten the best Metal t-shirt quality (now from Carton Merchandising).

In my opinion the much more common and what seems cheaper, Gildan shirts and especially their crap hoodies can fuck off!

Just got another t-shirt the DomJord logo one, also limited to 50 copies, from Holy Poison (see that one further down the post).

Also decided to get yet another Marduk t-shirt from there as well, cannot understand now why there were an inch hesitation from me to buy the Rom 5:12 one. Maybe because I already own a shit ton of Marduk shirts...

Well I have wanted it since the release a few weeks back. The Rom 5:12 is also limited to just 145 copies and looks fucking stunning.

But now on to the matter at hand so to speak.

I heard the DomJord project first in early 2020 and didn't know what to expect. If my terrible memory servers me correct there was a few songs on the NoEvDia Bancamp from Sporer. Or just one (?) but I was instantly hooked.

However already when I got my vinyl release this year. When I first could listen to it for the first time "properly" my opinion was that Daniel 'Arioch/Mortuus' Rostén had made the best album of 2020.

Daniel Rostén being best known as Arioch and Mortuus from Funeral Mist and Marduk. Had released what I consider to be my favorite album of 2020, thus far. But 6 months later that is still my number 1 choice of this infernal year.

Don’t remember if I ever have had any ambient album at the very top as the best record any year. Remember that I'm an old fuck nowadays also, well to those who I couldn't bother to give a fuck about anyway.

With the music "visualized and conceived" between 2012-19 by Rostén. He have with DomJord made the best Swedish Ambient Black Metal album ever with Sporer.

Also don't compare this to the classics from the 90's. This's something new, more fitting for the year 2020 and should appeal to older Ambient BM fans (maybe younger also).

Personally I think it's hard to define what's considered as pure Ambient BM. Trying to recall favorites from my past being a young adult during the 90's.

The two absolute classic albums at the time growing up was for me: The Mortiis (ex. Emperor) Vond - Selvmord and Satyr of Satyricon's own project Wongraven - Fjelltronen. Probably forgetting a bunch of records while writing this.

Can bands like Wardruna, Summoning, Hugsjá etc. be called Ambient Black Metal? For my own personal criteria, both yes and no. For Summoning or Skuggsjá/Hugsjá they use way too much guitar for me to consider them apart of these kind of records.

And if I included those bands mentioned and a bunch more ones like that then I have to mention a bunch more records.

Burzum; Isengard certainly have released albums with a bunch of Ambient songs. Burzum have also released some pure fantastic albums that I can certainly would label Ambient Black Metal albums especially towards "the end" of Varg Vikernes magnificent career.

Not gonna to be mentioning the Fenriz's Neptune Towers albums or Jon Nödtveidt's project De Infernali (although I kinda like those some reason, sometimes...) but they were never at any high point of this genre. 

Will DomJord be at the top in December? It could be the new Dawn of the Damned by Necrophobic that will be released in less then 2 weeks.

Maybe the Isengard lost/recording that will be released in less than a week with songs from 1989-93 Vårjevndøgn. Will be so good I'll have to change my rules for the 2020 album list? However rules are rules!

Other I have very soon in my possession like the only physical release of Lyfjaberg the 12'' white vinyl single by Wardruna. With just its one song won't change any rules. Although it's an excellent song both the video was released on streaming apps in early June it can't qualify for best album. I might have a Wardruna tatto on my forearm but it's not DomJord quality.

Anyway enough of my ramblings In the meantime buy the brilliant Sporer album and support the scene!

Praise And Hails to Daniel 'Arioch/Mortuus' Rostén along with his other work he does, whatever he does graphic design or his contributions with DOMJORD; FUNERAL MIST and MARDUK!!

MARDUK LP COVER ARTWORK VARIATIONS part II

Nightwing 2010

Like the title suggests today we will check out 4 other Marduk cover art variants. If you are interested check out part 1.

• Nightwing (1998) reissued by Blooddawn Productions 2010
• Dark Endless (1992) reissued by Black Lodge Records 2018
• Germania (1997) reissued by Blooddawn Productions 2008
• Germania (1997) 2xLP reissued by Osmose Productions 2020

All of them except for Dark Endless, that was released by No Fashion Records, were originally released by Osmose Productions. During the Legion era of the band.

Don't know why they changed the title from Live In Germania? Either way it's a suitable title anyway for that record and I like even a big change like that because Germania sounds more uncertain rather than a "Live In" before.

This could be a long series because of my quite substantial Marduk collection. Will eventually do this with CD’s also.

Posted this over at my Instagram account @herr_perdition. This a post might rather be more suiting for my @herr_marduk account that's obvious. But I a had question for my followers so of course I'm gonna take advantage of the one who is about "10 times as big". Selfish excuse of course but I'm a selfish bastard anyway.

My question was:

"Can someone answer how one release music online nowadays? Especially you youngsters! Is it Bandcamp, Spotify etc. even for a non-pro like myself? I never intend to use Google Drive. 

It doesn’t seem like it’s something serious. Although I haven’t made up my mind yet 100% about releasing anything. This isn’t about me trying to get 50 cents in streaming/digital buys, haha. It would just be cool to be able to say I’ve released a 3-track trilogy Black Metal EP.

The best alternative would be a 7” limited to VERY few numbered copies. Hehe nah nor the music or me ain’t good enough for that, yet"

Got a lot of positive response, even if I'm also known as Herr Physical Media, it seem Bandcamp is the way to go online. If I will get around to release my music that is... Anyway let us move on.

A very productive time on Instagram (4 posts in about 7-8 days). Maybe even more impressive 4 songs written and recorded (3 still in demo stage). The 3 of them are pure Black Metal and they are also part a trilogy I'm making.

Nightwing is my least favorite Marduk studio full length record of all time. The original cover artwork is alright. This 2010 gatefold is perfect!

Mortuus isn't just the best Black Metal vocalist ever his brilliant aesthetic eye is perfectly done in my humble opinion.

Inside the Nightwing 2010 gatefold

Excellent cover art, band photos, insert, poster etc. Mortuus/Arioch really did an amazing job here. Get this version of Nightwing both non that goes for both diehards and casual fans of the band.

Sure I know about the cheap and ugly boring versions that Osmose keeps on to pumping out a bunch each year with the original cover art. With some pink, yellow, red splatter bloody puke etc. vinyl. 

Since this is one of the 1st prints I don't own. Have a black or green (?) LP of the 2016 Osmose release with something that is very close to the original cover artwork. There's some other differences in the logo, album title font and the artwork cover color is much darker too.

See the back of the record sleeve further down.

The included poster really wish I had more wallspace.

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This red Dark Endless 2018 release is my latest addition to my Marduk collection and record collection that I bought at Sound Pollution during a Stockholm visit approx 2 weeks ago.

Very simple looking cover art for some reason the red with just their logo makes me think this is some sort of Marduk compilation album.

Dark Endless 2018

Nothing special, nor terrible is all I can say about this variation. However it kind of remind me of some compilation album. Great artwork on the back sleeve though the record insert ain’t nothing too special.

For the non super fans there’s plenty of cheap LP’s with the original cover art that's in my opinion a better buy.

Like the 2012 Century Media one, they really did it very well to replicate the 1st print edition LP design. Which I both like and dislike but that's a topic for another post.

Back of the sleeves Nightwing on the left and Dark Endless to the right.

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The “super glossy/reflecting” version. Can’t almost get a descent photo of the fucker. Altogether great looking design but the sleeve material gives minus points. It bends the sleeve also so someone made a shitty decision somewhere. 

Germania 2008

With all the filters for lightning and so on from Photoshop or iPhone picture editing it isn't as obvious that it's a "super glossy/reflecting" sleeve. But trust me it ain't pretty in reality great that they 12 years later choose a matt carbon sleeve.

Other than that I can't complain about the sleeve artwork I actually think it's really good and it's my kind of design.

The back sleeves Germania 2020 to the left and 2008 to the right.

It was “reinvented and reinforced at Endarker July 2007” to me it doesn’t sound that different. Since I grew up and was 17 years when I got the Live In Germania CD at or close to release at the end of the summer 1997 I will say the Dan Swanö is better. You might think different?

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Germania 2020

Fabulous layout and cover variation on this one. Don’t know if it’s Arioch/Mortuus work because it doesn’t tell who designed it but this version does resemble his kind of style. 

Great insert also I will only share 2 pictures from it here because I think something should be left for those who buy it.

The now ex. Marduk bassist Devo remastered this one in his Endarker Studio November 2019.

Of course a 2xLP is gonna sound better than the 2008 single LP and it does a really good job.

Even if I don't mind the double vinyls the 3 songs per LP side can be a bit frustrating at times.

Especially when a release only got 12-songs and all of them are on the rather short side. 

Actually don’t like it being on a 2xLP album that should have been exclusive to the original 2xLP 1997 vinyl.

The picture to the left here is the gatefold inside. Also 2 pictures from the 4-page insert that is included with this release.

I've actually done 4 posts now in about 7 or 8 days over at my Instagram accounts @Herr_Perdition and @die_wahren_MARDUK/@Herr_Marduk.

I cannot for the life of me remember when I was as creative both on this blog and/or my Instagram. Hope to keep this double creativity up and be inspired musically as I have been.

You know this where coming last! And as always PRAISE HAIL MARDUK!!

GUITARS - MAKING MUSIC - FUNERAL MIST and COLLECTING VINYL

So hello there! It's been quite awhile to say the least. I’m not really into social media or writing at the moment. Well here I am again love or hate it.

Mainly because of the LTD Explorer in this picture (my Jackson & Ibanez before). That means my posts here and on Instagram isn’t happening. Well I've done a few posts now in August I want to share here also.

Decided in January to pick up the guitar again after some 20 years... Much do to the Covid pandemic that lead to me spending so much time at home.

Especially when I was let go from my work in the beginning of April and being paid just sitting at home until June.

Today's standard to play the guitar so much different than back in the late 90's/early 2000. I mean one only has to own a computer to be able to record ones creations. It also sounds amazing! Not like back in the straight to a boombox days and press record unto a cassette-tape.

It’s an such an amazing and rewarding hobby. Just the playing, creating my own riffs/music, adding solos, program drums and work on recorded songs.

It's such a giving experience especially when one feels like one is improving all the time. I don't learn to play a bunch of covers sure some riffs here and there but prefer to do something original.

Play in all sorts of tunings. All the way from E-standard to tuned down to B-standard. Also drop-D and drop-C. But what I've tuned my guitar to most of my recordings is DADFAd.

For some reason I get very inspired playing the strings in that tuning. Don't ask me why though.

This is and will remain a one man project. But I will buy a bass some cheaper 200-300 Euro one someday. Also I really want a cheap keyboard. Nothing fancy though. 

Don’t plan to release any of my music. It’s mainly for my own "self sanity", haha. Like writing was a relaxing thing for me the guitar has become to same thing for me if I ain't sociallycing 

I’m hugely inspired by Death Metal bands but also Black Metal of course. To be specific especially these albums/releases:

• ANGELCORPSE - Hammer of the Gods; Exterminate and The Inexorable

• DEATH - Scream Bloody Gore; Leprosy; Spiritual Healing; Human; Individual Thought Patterns and Symbolic

• FUNERAL MIST - Devilry; Salvation; Maranatha and Hekatomb

• MARDUK - Fuck Me Jesus; Here’s No Peace; Dark Endless; Those of the Unlight and onwards...

• DISSECTION - The Somberlain; Storm of the Light’s Bane and The Past Is Alive

• MORBID ANGEL - Altars Of Madness; Blessed Are The Sick; Abominations of Desolations; Covenant and Domination

• DISMEMBER - Like An Everflowing Stream; Indecent And Obscene and Death Metal

• ENTOMBED - Left Hand Path and Clandestine

• MESHUGGAH - Destroy Erase Improve; Catch Thirtytree and obZen

• KRISIUN - Conquers Of Armageddon; Southern Storm and The Great Execution

• DEATHSPELL OMEGA - Si Monvmentvm Reqvires Circvmspice and Drought 

There’s a lot of other inspirations like:

Albums - De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas; Necroticism Descanting The Insalubrious; Unquestionable Presence; Tales From The Thousand Lakes; Master Of Puppets; Ride The Lightning etc.

Bands - Burzum; Bathory; Darkthrone; Isengard; Kreator; Sepultura; Pantera; Black Sabbath; Atheist and many North American Death Metal bands etc.

Rock guitarists - Jimmy Page; David Gilmour; Jimi Hendrix; Keith Richards; Pete Townsend; Duane Allman and even Eddie Van fucking Halen etc.

Could’ve mention so MANY more. Too many to mention here! These ones are all very inspiring right now. Also take note that all those bands listed aren’t my favorite bands. Some might be!

Obviously a white Explorer with EMG 81/60 pickups is a homage to James Hetfield during the 80’s. Also it sounds and looks amazing. But nah ain’t gonna be putting “EET FUK” on it sometime soon. Am aware he used a ESP and not a LTD for that guitar, but you know who owns LTD.

To describe my sound (dislike the word "tone") Blackened Death and if I have to mention some band Angelcorpse comes closest also more North American Death than Swedish. Btw. finally got a 1st print LP of Angelcorpse - Exterminate masterpiece last year (or early 2020?). Being 40 years fucks with my memory I tell you, haha.

At times Death comes to mind, but far from as technically amazing as Chuck Schuldiner. 

The Krisiun albums listed also resemble my music. Unintentionally! Don't get me wrong they’re a brilliant band. I’m not however even near any such perfection as any of my 5 main influences.

Incorporate early Marduk like Fuck Me Jesus; Those Of The Unlight also Heaven Shall Burn..; the Obedience EP and the early Mortuus albums. Plus Funeral Mist especially Maranatha and Salvation are extremely inspiring.

The solos by Fredrik Thordendal of Meshuggah are also a huge inspiration when I record leads.

Want to share my new Funeral Mist merch in this post also. It's obviously the Hekatomb hoodie at the beginning of the post that was released recently. The white t-shirt is a Maranatha also just released, like all others in the post and is limited to 110 copies at Holy Poison.

During the hellish 2020 Arioch/Holy Poison & NoEvDia has been quite busy releasing a cassette-tape album collection box, a hoodie; the DomJord album Sporer & t-shirts (5 new? In Manus Tuas; Maranatha; Pallor Mortiis; Trisagion; Metamorphosis). Maybe some reissued shirt I already own, also ordered a DomJord). Got to get them all of course!

As far as other music collecting during this year I still got a bunch of new releases on vinyl. Of course my ever growing Marduk collection has gotten a bunch of more. On Wednesday I bought a Dark Endless LP (front cover variation) over at Sound Pollution during a Stockholm visit. The first ever official Funeral Mist hoodie arrived on thursday.

Although I’m just happy for him releasing the DomJord project. Sporer is my favorite record of 2020 thus far. Don’t know if any ambient album has become my favorite of a year?

My hope is that Arioch puts together another Funeral Mist album. Even if Hekatomb still feels fresh. The timing seems very fitting for another one.

Another Marduk release would also be fantastic because I don’t see how any concerts will happening in Sweden until 2022.

So my hope is that the guys creativity is high. But just that Fenriz’s Isengard will release a “new” album Vårjevndøgn (recording from 1989 thought to have been lost forever) is more than satisfying. Really looking forward to the new Necrophobic also what I heard so far sounds amazing.

The only t-shirt to be limited to 50 copies is the Trisagion (the one above). My favorite out of the 4 ones is probably the white Maranatha one. The hoodie is really the best here, a top-3 Funeral Mist in my entire collection of theirs and I got MANY.

As far as I know this hoodie isn’t released in limited quantities. My DomJord t-shirt was another 50 copies one.Thanks for your time and hope it doesn't take me forever to do another post. The ranking of all 14 Marduk studio albums has been finished for 8 months and its been 3 years since my original... 

Anyway as always remember to PRAISE HAIL FUNERAL MIST & MARDUK!!

DJEVEL - ORMER TIL ARMER, MANE TIL HODE (2019)

On a standard black vinyl that was released at the end of October by the Norwegian label Aftermath Music. Where Djevel have released all their albums and EP's since 2011. 

Included one of my new favorite zip-hoodies called Norge I have in my entire collection. That is filled way too much with merch already (don't even know have many zip-hoods I own). Ordered it at the same time as Ormer Til Armer, Maane Til Hode from the Aftermath's webshop.

Although this one really stands out in my collection. It's a white one and it's fabric is much more thin then I'm used to with other regular hoodies. Think the logo/emblem part on the side of the hood is so fucking amazing. It should have been on both sides but ain't gonna be picky.

Also nice with some Fruit Of The Loom merch considering all the Gildan shirts and hoodies that I own. But enough now about fabrics and clothes.

The new Djevel album did not disappoint and definitely a personal favorite of mine during an already amazing year for/from the Black Metal scene. 

Ormer Til Armer, Maane Til Hode sounds as I expected it to sound and that’s not a bad thing.

Here I could name drop a bunch of bands from the early to mid 90’s Norwegian scene. That could’ve sounded similar, had they continued playing as their earlier albums not evolving into Black 'n' Roll or some other crap.

Not saying chance is a bad thing but many of my favorites from that era I don't even care to even playthrough on Spotify even. Choose not too name drop those bands, you should know which ones that I'm referring to. 

Djevel doesn’t need that! Mannevold (bass & vocals), Trond Ciekals (guitar & clean vocals) and the legendary Bård "Faust" Eithun (drums) can stand proudly behind their creations.

Also just describing them as 90’s Black Metal might be a bit too easy just to call their music. 

Experience Djevel for yourself and form your own opinion is my best advise to anyone curious about them.

Is Ormer Til Armer, Maane Til Hode as good (or better) than my 2 favorite albums they released so far Norske Ritualer (2016) and Blandt Svarte Graner (2018)? 

It might be a bit too early to say that but I also don't foresee it being the case. Those 2 are some of my favorite albums of this dying decade.

Should also mention the bands amazing track record so far. The debut Dødssanger (2011); Besatt Av Maane Og Natt (2015) and also what I hold as their 3rd best album ever since I got into them Saa Raa Og Kald (2015).

I do believe that Ormer Til Armer, Maane Til Hode can compete just fine already with Saa Raa Og Kald just after such a short while. It might become my new 3rd favorite Djevel album. Who knows or cares besides me?

It’s definitely better than the EP that they released very late in December of 2018 called Vettehymner.

Where they do 5 acoustic renditions of their own songs mainly from the albums Besatt Av Maane Og Natt  and Saa Raa Og Kald plus a new unreleased song Naar Solen Er Vekk Er Det Dags At Vaakne. Still an amazing release I enjoy very much but that one might not be for everyone.

Anyway Ormer Til Armer, Mane Til Hode belongs in everyone’s collection for people that’s into this excellent scene, music and want some excellent Norsk Svartmetall from 2019.

Also support your favorite bands, buy their music, go to the live shows and only get the official merchandise. Because this kind of art deserves it.

Hails to Djevel and Norway!

The Return...... of Darkness and Die Wahren Marduk or @Herr_Marduk so called rambling post

Well hello there friends! Longtime no see...

Where the hell have I been. The urge to write just disappeared there for awhile also got really sick and tired with Instagram. It wasn't any particular reason or anything like that. I just enjoyed the summer of 2019 and between holidays in the sun worked my ass off at my work. As usual and as I will do tomorrow until Friday afternoon.

During its peak @herr_perdition had MANY followers (and no this ain't an obituary) never thought that would happen. When I first started posting a bunch old Black and Death promo material scanned from my old fanzines, magazines etc. Something that was so very important for me back in the 90's.

Probably for many others as well. I mean that Moonfog ad! If you don't know which one I'm referring to get the fuck out here. Right now! Nah just kidding. 

Already during the 80's this weird Swedish youth magazine Okej impacted me. Remember seeing all these amazing Heavy Metal album cover artworks from Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Ozzy, WASP, Black Sabbath etc. usually on the back page of the magazine.

I got both freaked out but also curious especially for Conspiracy (1989) by King Diamond. although it would take a couple of moons before owning my own CD copy. With Okej being a weird magazine I mean they featured everything from Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer (later even Morbid Angel and Dismember actually have those issues) to Samantha Fox boobs to Mötley Crüe to Duran Duran  to Vanilla Ice and so on. Okej were as 80's as the 80's could ever be.

However returning to my point, it got quite stale to write about albums I owned either on both on LP and/or CD with just ads after awhile. So that was the reason for me sharing my collection rather just scanning a bunch of old zines. Taking photos with my iphone proved to be easier.

But let's move on to the present day November day. Don’t you ever dare to think I have slowed downed on my vinyl, CD etc. collecting or Marduk listening!

Naturally got a much better Marduk collection going nowadays also started a new Instagram account. Search for @herr_marduk or the alternative name 𝓭𝓲𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓷 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐔𝐊.

Only xxx posts so far, some are just reruns from my other account, although the focus will on that band. Perhaps also other ones closely associated with Marduk might appear like Funeral Mist, Abruptum, Overflash, Allegiance, Triumphator etc. Although I got almost too much Marduk stuff to show before all of that... 

Like vinyls, promo-CD’s, t-shirts other merch, tour/concert flyers, albums with alternative covers and soon even a fucking Panzer Division jigsaw puzzle and a ton more. Only a few followers so far but it has only existed since last Sunday even if I don't fucking care if I have followers or not. It's mainly for me and "the true" Marduk fans hehe.

Upcoming posts include the top-14 full length studio albums list, promo-CD collection, a "complete EP vinyl" collection and a bunch more. Everything posted there will appear on the blog also when they have been published over at @herr_marduk / 𝓭𝓲𝓮 𝔀𝓪𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓷 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐔𝐊.

Want to write here and now what I have been listening to also at the moment besides just Marduk. An amazing great year for Black Metal in 2019 I must say, bought so many gems the year. I have started buying them for a long while now preferably on standard black vinyl for some reason kind of feed up with 10+ versions of each new album. What more have I been listening too? Well...

Got really into this little unknown band called fucking Meshuggah. Never thought that would happen in a million years!

The first time I think I even heard of Meshuggah was live in my hometown during the summer of 1994 or it could’ve been 1995?

It was a free show located at a park in my hometown with a terrible sound I remember but me and my 14-15 year old friends were still in the pit and stage dived. Got a hard elbow on right on my teeth, that I do remember.

That show is not listed over at setlist.fm and my only memory it was either in June or July maybe even in August. Soon being a 40 years old man does shit to ones memory I'll tell you. Not living the "clean life" might do stuff too, but who the fuck cares. One got to live life at the fullest!

Hated that Meshuggah shit back then now I love “that Meshuggah shit”. Okay so hate might be a too much harsh of a word but they were just there never really gave them any attention until I saw two things showing up on my YouTube feed. No words just check them out:


I’m enjoying their entire discography. Truly brilliant performances especially by Fredrik Thordendal and Tomas Haake.

Not trying to put down any of the other members. All the guys in that band are all true geniuses! But I do miss Fredrik in the band nowadays. Also hate (permanent?) replacing member Per Nilsson’s ugly fucking guitar, good guitar player though but I'm not into his other bands. Gonna be amazing to see them live in the summer of 2019 at a festival in my hometown.

Actually collecting all their albums mainly on digipack CD seems fitting for that band. However if I stumble across a 1st print vinyl for a great deal there would be no hesitation on my side.

Besides Meshuggah, Marduk and the amazing 2019 albums I'm also totally in a Death Metal phase at the ime. Many North American bands especially Death and Angelcorpse. 

Cannibal Corpse, Deicide and of course some guys called Morbid Angel have been played a whole lot. There are too many more to even mention. My main focus of years are 1991-93 but also 1988-90 with the exception of Angelcorpse and couple of others bands.

Got to give a special mention to Krisiun from Brazil, that's one hell of a band! I just isn't playing my North American records because of course other bands like Dismember, Entombed (1990 to 1993), Carcass, Pestilence, Bolt Thrower, Unleashed + many more.

Anyway have to see which direction my @herr_peredition account Instagram will take. Feel like I want to change things up a bit there. Might just leave most of the writing here at the blog where I can express myself better without being restricted with letters used per post.

However that can also be my downfall not getting posts ready to publish because I tend to write and rewrite things for too long. You haven't seen what happened with my 2 part series of Bathory posts, they were about 95% more or less already finished to be published on the blog. Somehow I thought it were "impossible" to post it for some reason on Instagram.

Will probably mainly focus on the @herr_marduk account for the time being. If Marduk ain't your thing I probably have written 20+ finished or very close to, unpublished posts for other bands albums and lists both for Instagram and the blog.

All quite old by now haven’t been “inspired” enough to write especially long posts but feel the urge returning. Although I’m already rambling on too much here now...

Did you read the entire thing?
Phallelujah!

MARDUK COVER ARTWORK VARIATIONS part I

In my previous post on Instagram I didn't go into why I have 5 different copies (1 picture disc LP and 4 CD) of Obedience (2000). Because I'm fucking crazy... Well maybe? Should do a blog post about those also but managed to fuck up some of the pictures, it's coming some day.

I just want every different cover artwork Marduk have ever released even if it's on LP or CD. Also want to add that these 4 vinyls in this post are all quite cheap. At least when I got most of them about a year ago.

Would be nice to own every LP print someday but with all the Osmose Productions re-releases of many albums that they do every year in every possible color. I don't see that will be possibility for a foreseeable future sadly but I got time and patience.

All these records in this post are as you can see (hopefully) the 4 first Marduk full length albums. Got more cover art variations in my "quite vast"  Marduk collection. Stay tuned for lots of more parts in this series.

As far as the music goes on the records I don't even need to go deep into why all these 4 albums are mandatory for every Black Metal fan out there to have in their collection.

Usually hate whenever a band/label fucks with the cover artwork and these ain't no different. One can just in a millisecond see that's not how it supposed to look like.

However me being very passionate about my Marduk collecting, the band who clearly take up most space in my entire collection. I also don't think its absolutely necessarily to think every item in it must be a perfect 10 out of 10 release.

Being as off as these are I still find them all to be a bit charming. Also the rest of the layout and pictures are amazing so just for that reason it's a great investment for Marduk my collection.

 Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered (1996) already had terrible cover art. But I definitely don't think this 2008 Blooddawn Productions release as an improvement of the original 1996 one.

Also dislike the "glossy sleeves" these are for the most packed in.

The remaster of Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered was done in the Endarker Studio in 2004. It sounds good but has the weakest sound of these 4 remasters. This has actually became my favorite album from the "Legion era" in about a years time but more about that in another post.

It also got some bonus tracks from a demo 4-track recording done in June of 1995. Those songs are not listed anywhere on this release. I do enjoy them very much although I heard and owned them all before for quite some time on their box set and the 2 LP's of Blackcrowned (2002).

Probably the most ugly looking out of these 4 vinyls is the 2008 Regain Records LP of my favorite Marduk album of all time Opus Nocturne (1994). It's just a nightmare and I don't keep it anywhere close to my 1st print black LP version in my Marduk collection.

It got 3 bonus tracks, studio rehearsals of Sulphur Souls; Materialized In Stone and Opus Nocturne (sadly with no vocals) from April 1994.

None of those are rare as they were also included on their Blackcrowned release but there we were treated with Autumnal Reaper as well. They do reappeared somewhere else if my memory serves me right?

The 2008 Opus Nocturne reissue was also remastered in the Endarker Studio in 2004. It sounds very similar to the original recording.

I do think the Those Of The Unlight (1993) artwork from this 2006 Regain Records LP looks more then alright. However what I looked at as a 14 year old in 1994 on the CD booklet is in the back of my mind and is clearly the better of the two.

Its pictures and layout inside the gatefold release is the best out of these 4 in my humble opinion.

This 2006 LP release of course doesn't have the 3 bonus live video songs as the two 2006 CD's had of Darkness Breeds Immortality; A Sculpture Of The Night and The Funeral Seemed To Be Endless. However they are included on the "official bootleg" Strigzscara - Warwolf (2015) recorded in their own hometown Norrköping in December of 1993.

Should mention that the 2006 Regain Records LP and 2 CD releases (European & N. American) have 3 different cover artworks. Insane maybe... Those CD's are green and black instead of red and black as the LP.

As with the others Those Of The Unlight from 2006 was remastered by Devo Andersson in his Endarker Studio. I can hear a distinction from the original release but still very close to that one, it's not like this an entire new record.

Last out their debut album Dark Endless (1992) originally released on the legendary No Fashion Records on vinyl as well. This Blooddawn release is from 2008. Also want to say there are more different cover artworks variants of this album.

Must say although I'm not a fan of the original artwork that this is my 2nd favorite Dark Endless cover after the original 1992 release.

This one has 5 live bonus songs Departure From The Mortals; Within The Abyss; Still Fucking Dead; The Black Goat and Evil Dead recorded live in 1991. Also released as another "official bootleg" EP in 2015 on a 4 song 7" called Ancient Evil.

It not stated where the remastering of Dark Endless took place on the release but I would guess once again by Devo in the Endarker Studio. Repeating myself but it sounds great I do think out of the 4 Dark Endless and Heaven Shall Burn... sounds the weakest of them though.


So do I recommend getting these versions? If you don't have a copy of any of the albums on vinyl I would go with something that looks more like the original releases. If you don't care about that thing I go for it and leave these to us die hard fans.

And as ALWAYS PRAISE HAIL MARDUK!!