TRIUMPHATOR - WINGS OF ANTICHRIST (1999)

On a reissue vinyl that was just released on Shadow Records limited to 500 copies. It comes with a  2 song bonus 7” with material from an unreleased recording done in 2001 and also a huge poster. Also included my old CD that was originally released in October of 1999 by Necropolis Records see picture of that one further down in the post.

I preordered this vinyl for about 1.5 years ago / whenever it was announced. Didn’t mind the wait because I already owned it on CD. Either way I much rather wait for something superb then get something subpar and Shadow Records does deliver the goods on this release. Wings Of Antichrist was recorded in The Abyss Studio with Peter Tägtgren and it was mastered by the former Death, Testament, Obituary etc. guitarist James Murphy and the album sounds fucking amazing.

The lineup on Wings Of Antichrist was Arioch (Funeral Mist) on vocals & guitar, Fredrik Andersson (Marduk) on drums and the Shadow Records owner & boss Marcus Tena on bass.

Daniel "Arioch" Rostén is my favorite vocalist of all time in the scene and his performance on the Funeral Mist albums Salvation (2003) and Maranatha (2009) are out of this world amazing! Only Attila Csihar on De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (1994) is a vocal performance I think is better then those two. But Arioch has also done magical work with Marduk whom he breed new blood into when he joined them as Mortuus in 2004. His performance on Wings Of Antichrist is brilliant as always.

Fredrik Andersson has always been one of my favorite Black Metal drummers, just listen to what he did with Marduk (1993-2002) or Allegiance (1989-1999) and of course this record. The last record he appeared on was La Grande Danse Macabre by Marduk in 2001. His drumming is extremely missed in the scene!

Lots of notable people within the Swedish Black Metal scene contributing lyrics to this album. Like Morgan Håkansson (Marduk), Mika Hakola (Ofermod & Nefandus) and Nattfursth (Sorhin) all wrote one lyric each.

Mörk (Malign) wrote three of them and Arioch wrote two of their lyrics (Redeemer Of Chaos and The Triumph Of Satan). Marcus Tena wrote all of the music except for 2 songs that was written by Arioch (Crushed Revelation and Goathorned Abomination).

If you like your Swedish Black Metal raw, fast and violent then Wings of Antichrist is a great album for you. I highly recommend getting it if you’re into bands like Funeral Mist, Marduk, Sorhin or Malign.

Hell get it anyway! Because it’s a fucking excellent record!

This reissue sounds great and I'm very satisfied to own it on vinyl. Also that it's a Shadow Records release I've been a huge fan of Marcus Tena's record label since 1997 but I could see why Triumphator let Necropolis Records release this album because of their better distribution.

I think that both Triumphator and Wings Of Antichrist went under many peoples radar when it was released in 1999 and not a lot of people talk about it nowadays. Don't remember seeing Necropolis Records doing much promotion for the album when it was released. The only Triumphator interviews I ever read back then were in fanzines.

Sadly this was the only Triumphator album released and it's not likely we'll ever see another one after so many years. But if you want more there's a 2 song 7” released in 1998 called The Ultimate Sacrifice on Mark Of The Devil. They recorded it in the great Necromorbus Studio with Tore Stjerna (ex. Funeral Mist) where many other classics have been recorded. Actually I expected the album to be recorded in his studio. Later The Ultimate Sacrifice was also released on a MCD in 1999 on Holocaust Records.

As far as I know Triumphator only played live once at Waregem, Belgium in 2000. Check out an earlier post I made or YouTube for a song from that gig.

If you read my posts (especially on Instagram) you probably know that I'm a HUGE fan of everything Arioch/Mortuus has ever been involved with.

However Triumphator have their own unique sound and they definitely have a place in the Swedish Black Metal history.

Get yourself a copy over at helterskelterproductions.bandcamp.com while it's still available. Also check out www.shadowrecords.se!

This post is dedicated to the beautiful Melissa Nordell (1979-2001) who was brutally murdered two years after this release. Immortalized in the Necropolis Records release on the CD, inside the booklet and the back sleeve.

VENOM x 4

”Welcome To Hell” (1981); “Black Metal” (1982); ”At War With Satan” (1984) and “Possessed” (1985). This extremely important and amazing band that paved the way for the entire Black Metal scene.

Instead of me going through each album I’ve written down my favorite Venom songs. That also serves as a guide to anyone who might be unfamiliar with these British beasts. Even if I seriously doubt anyone not to like Venom. I could list MANY more then 21 songs, but didn’t want to overdo it. 21 is a good start:
- Countess Bathory
- Warhead
- Live Like An Angel (Die Like A Devil)
- Buried Alive
- Die Hard
- Seven Gates of Hell
- Bloodlust
- Manitou
- Witching Hour
- Black Metal
- Welcome To Hell
- In Nominas Satan
- Bursting Out
- Possessed
- In League With Satan
- Hellchild
- At War With Satan
- Heaven’s On Fire
- Don’t Burn The Witch
- Rip Ride
- Angel Dust

The song Possessed was the very first Venom and Black Metal song I ever heard. It’s played in the documentary/TV-show “Dancing With The Devil” (1991) that I saw in the summer of 1992 when I was 12 years old. My older sister had recorded it on VHS from Swedish TV3. Possessed had lyrics that sounded both evil and cool to the young me:

“Look at me Satan's child
Born of evil thus defiled
Brought to life through Satanic birth
Raised in Hell to live on Earth”

Even if it was just a short clip of the song it still left an impact on me. But I wasn’t ready for Venom yet I still was listening to Thrash Metal and dipping my ears in the Death Metal scene. The early Venom are simply brilliant. A band me and my friends would always play every time we drank beer and booze before going to the only “Metal bar” in our hometown in the 90’s.

MORBID ANGEL - DOMINATION (1995)

Domination by Morbid Angel both the original 1995 CD & 2016 vinyl reissue. The vinyl cover artwork is actually the same as the 1st print vinyl from 1995.

Many don’t seem to know the vinyl had a different cover in 1995, but the only reason I’m showing the CD is that I prefer that artwork.

This was a first day buy for me, it didn’t matter that I was beginning to get more into the Black Metal scene in 1995. The band had an enormous task to followup the Altars of Madness; Blessed Are The Sick & Covenant albums.

I put all those 3 in my top-5 Death Metal albums of all time so I had my expectations set extremely high. After 2-3 listens of Domination in May of 1995 it was apparent they didn’t outdo those 3 records but it was still an excellent album.

1995 was a weird year in the Death Metal genre, the North American scene delivered some great ones though and Morbid Angel showed them all they were still the kings of the genre. Songs like Dawn of the Angry; Nothing But Fear; Caesar’s Palace; This Means War; Dominate; Eyes To See... and all other brilliant songs.

Know that some disliked this album and I can’t understand why? Some criticized the lyrics but I didn’t mind them, the sound or songwriting. Something I still regret to this day was that me and a friend didn’t go to Gothenburg in 1995 and witnessed the Morbid Angel, Dissection and Moonspell gig at Kåren...

But I was 15 years my friend 16 years and we lived far far north of Gothenburg.

Got to see them on the next tour a few years later for Formulas Fatal to the Flesh (1998). But I wasn’t into that album and David Vincent was no longer in the band.

Sure there has been brilliant Death Metal releases after Domination but for me it was almost like an “end of an era” record, the scene lost much of its magic after 1995 in my opinion.

MORBID ANGEL - ABOMINATIONS OF DESOLATION (1991)

The first print vinyl on Earache Records from 1991 and the only official LP of this record. Can’t understand why I didn’t like this brilliant album back in the early days of my fascination for Morbid Angel and Death Metal. Neither the vinyl or CD release tells the very fascinating story behind this album it doesn’t even mention the band members.

This was once supposed to be Morbid Angel’s debut album. Later Trey Azagthoth said it should be considered as a demo. Remember a friend had the CD and I only heard it a couple of times. I didn’t even bothered to borrow it and we weren’t particular impressed by it back then. “Abomination of Desolation” was recorded in 1986 with David Vincent as a producer he wasn’t a member then, the drummer Mike Browning did the vocals.

David Vincent first appearance was on the demo “Thy Kingdom Come” (1987). Earache re-released “Abominations of Desolation” 2 months after “Blessed Are The Sick” (1991) the reason was to prevent bootlegs but since then there been MANY unofficial vinyls. Even if I have this one it deserves to be re-released on a Earache FDR vinyl.

All songs except for Demon Seed was later re-recorded some with different titles 3 on “Altars of Madness”, 3 on “Blessed Are The Sick”, 1 on “Covenant” and even 12 years later 1 on “Formulas Fatal To The Flesh”.

The reason I got interested in buying this record for myself was because of the song Angel of Disease they re-recorded on “Covenant”. It’s my favorite Morbid Angel album and the song was one of my favorites when it was released in 1993 and made me want to hear the original.

Is “Abominations of Desolation” as good as Altars; Blessed; Covenant or Domination? No but if you like Morbid Angel or early Death Metal recordings it’s definitely worth your money and time.

ALLEGIANCE X 3

The first Allegiance song I ever heard was A Dawn For Steel Unsheathed from the demo “Odin Äge Er Alle” (1993). It was on a compilation CD that came with the autumn issue of Close-Up Magazine #12 in 1994 a Swedish Metal magazine that I had just started subscribing to.

The Marduk members Roger “B-War/Bogge” Svensson (lead vocals/guitar, later bass) and Fredrik Andersson (drums) are both original members of Allegiance and appears on all 5 demos and 3 albums. Other notable members in Allegiance during the years are Devo Andersson from Marduk was vocalist/guitarist in Allegiance from 1990 to 1993. Also L-G Petrov aka. Drutten (Entombed, ex Morbid) were their vocalist in 1989 the year they started when they played Death Metal. Later the band changed into play Black Metal with the Pagan/Viking titles and lyrics.

The debut “Hymn Till Hangagud” (1996) was recorded with Dan Swanö in his Unisound Studio during the Julyof 1995 and like always Dan Swanö's studio was the best place to record in Sweden. It was released by No Fashion Records in 1996 and I bought almost every release from that amazing Swedish record label at the time without.

All 3 Allegiance records was released by No Fashion Records during 1996-99. It was the first album by Allegiance I ever bought and it’s still my favorite out of all their 3 albums. Some might think nostalgia plays a huge part in me thinking that it's their best album. But it's that great! It's probably their most known album if someone owns a Allegiance record it's usually “Hymn Till Hangagud” they have in their collection. Before being signed to No Fashion Records the band had released 5 demos. It wasn't until the 4th one the already mentioned “Odin Äge Er Alle” that the band started to play Black Metal and adopt the Viking/Pagan lyrics. Beside Bogge and Fredrik Andersson they have Mikael Almgren on bass, Pär Thornell plays guitar and he also wrote 4 of the lyrics for the album. While Bogge wrote 3 of them and Fredrik wrote 1 of the lyrics. Anyway this is a great album one that have a place in Swedish Black Metal history at least in my book as one says. Or my bookshelf rather where I keep all my CD's.

The follow-up record “Blodörnsoffer” was released just 1 year after the debut in 1997. It's my 2nd favorite Allegiance records and it's criminally underrated. I've heard people not even liking this one and I don't understand why? It's not that far behind “Hymn Till Hangagud” in terms of quality in my opinion.

For this album the band decided to record with Peter Tägtgren in his The Abyss Studio during October and November in 1996. Other bands had started to record in The Abyss Studio like Marduk, Dark Funeral, Setherial and many more abandoned Unisound. Probably 95% of the time I prefer a Dan Swanö recording over a Peter Tägtgren one and while I do prefer “Hymn Till Hangagud” over “Blodörnsoffer” I think it sounds phenomenal. I'm not a knocking Peter he has done a lot of other amazing recordings. Anyway for this album the band had the same lineup as on the debut. The whole band gets credit for the music writing but the lyrics was written by Bogge this time. It's still in the same vein of their debut the band plays furious Black Metal it's nothing like say for instance Enslaved or Borknagar from Norway were the music has a much more Pagan/Norse Metal spirit to it. Sure that Allegiance have some passages/elements in some of the songs that could be labeled that. But it's not something I think you should expect from neither of their 2 first albums.

Their 3rd and last album "Vrede" was released in 1999. I remember being quite disappointed when I listened to it at one of the record stores in my hometown. That's why I only have a promo CD of it that I decided to buy at a record fair I visited for a much lower cost probably in 2000/01(?). But I was clearly wrong about this record because this is a great record. 

They don't play as furiously as on the 2 previous ones sure there's still fast songs on it but they focus more on atmosphere and even include some Progressive elements to the songs. Once again they recorded with Peter in The Abyss studio. For this one they play as a trio since their bassist Mikael Almgren decided to leave the band. Bogge plays bass on the record instead besides singing and Pär Thornell does all the guitars.Even if I rate this as this 3rd best record out of 3, I don't want to say worst, because it's a great album. Definitely a great record for the band to release as their last one. Even if they released a best of compilation in 2002 called “Hymns Of Blood” with songs from all 3 records. I would really like to see Allegiance return but it’s been 19 years since “Vrede” so my hopes aren’t high for that happening.

However it would be great if they decided to released a demo compilation album. Sadly none of Allegiance records have been released on vinyl. I highly recommend all 3 albums and preferably listen to them in chronological order if you’re unfamiliar with the band.

Praise hail Allegiance!

DISSECTION - THE PAST IS ALIVE (THE EARLY MISCHIEF)

This 1997 release on a reissue LP limited to 700 copies that just was released on Hammerheart Records. Can’t tell you enough how absolutely excellent I think this Dissection compilation is. The title is taken from the lyrics in one of my top-3 Mayhem songs ever Pagan Fears, however they should’ve cut out “The Early Mischief” part from the title. The word mischief sounds a bit juvenile in my opinion, but of course it doesn't take away anything from the music.

Still remember buying the original digipack CD on Necropolis Records at its release in 1997 and playing it nonstop for a very long time. Even if it didn’t have any new material it was still great because I hadn't heard these versions of any songs on "The Past Is Alive" before.

Back in 1997 I was really hoping for a new Dissection record that I thought was coming out sometime in 1998 or early 1999. You all know what happened with that... It was quite a shock to find out when Jon Nödtveidt was arrested for murder in December of 1997 just a few months after the release of "The Past Is Alive". It's all in the past now but at the time it felt like fuck there will never be any more Dissection after this because I thought he was going to get a life sentence. And when you're 17 years old and it's one of your favorite bands the feeling was total disaster.

Anyway “The Past Is Alive” consists of a bunch of various old recordings. 3 songs from the 7" EP and demo “Into Infinite Obscurity” (1991); 1 song from “The Grief Prophecy” (1990) demo; 1 song from a 1990 rehearsal tape; 4 from “The Somberlain” 1992 demo but what I probably appreciate most are the 2 Satanized songs.

A band/project Jon Nödtveidt was involved in as a guitarist together with future Dissection members Johan Norman (guitar) and Tobias Kjellgren (drums) back in 1991 as a guitarist. Also on bass Thomas Backelin (Lord Belial etc) and vocalist Per Alexandersson was members of this band. The 2 and only songs from the “Rehearsal ‘91” recording by Satanized that's called Satanized and Born in Fire makes it worth buying "The Past Is Alive" compilation alone because they are absolutely amazing songs. Really wish there was more Satanized songs that was recorded but sadly there isn't.

If one want more "obscure" Jon Nödtveidt recordings I highly recommend checking out Terror. A short lived project with Jon on vocals and the At The Gates members Jonas Bjöler (bass), Anders Bjöler (guitar) and Adrian Erlandsson (drums). The recorded the 3 song "Demo 1994" that was released in April that same year (listen to it last in the post). It was the only thing they ever recorded and would be nice to have on a official CD or LP release.

It’s great that “The Past Is Alive” was released and with the classic Dissection lineup. They were definitely in my top-3 bands during the 90’s, I've written on numerous occasions how the album "The Somberlain" and Dissection really changed my view on extreme Metal music forever.

However I think some of their magic was lost when Tobias Kjellgren took over as their drummer don't get me wrong he's a skilled drummer. But for me Ole Öhman will always be my favorite Dissection drummer of all time, sure Jon Nödtveidt was the reason Dissection were beyond brilliant.

Anyway this is a mandatory record to have in my opinion if you’re at all interested in the scene.
Hail Jon Nödtveidt and Dissection!!

PESTILENCE - TESTIMONY OF THE ANCIENTS 1991

The great 3rd album by Pestilence on a vinyl reissue from last year on the Hammerheart Records. It was originally released on R/C Records an associated label to Roadrunner Records. It also got an amazing cover artwork done by a legend in the Death Metal scene Dan Seagrave, known from his other great works with bands like Dismember, Morbid Angel, Entombed etc. just to name a few. They recorded "Testimony of the Ancients" at the studio Morrisound Recording in Florida with Scott Burns, a studio and producer that doesn't need an introduction if you're into this kind of music.

Pestilence was probably one of the first 5-7 Death Metal bands I ever heard in late 1991 or early 92 together with Morbid Angel, Entombed, Death and Dismember. It could’ve been after Cannibal Corpse and Napalm Death not 100% certain about that. It was of course with the promo video for the song Land of Tears being shown on Headbanger’s Ball that I first got to experienced this great band from the Netherlands. 

It’s still one my favorite Pestilence songs and “Testimony of the Ancients” is in my opinion their best album. It have so many excellent songs on it like: The Secrecies Of Horror; Twisted Truth; Prophetic Revelations; Stigmatized etc.                                    The album has a great production it sounds timeless and very relevant even 27 years after its release. The keyboard parts adds so much to the songs atmosphere and is in no way overdone. Also the excellent band performance is worth mentioning especially those guitars the riffs and solos are very memorable. The only minor gripe I got with the album is the 8 short instrumental songs that are played in between every song. Some are great and but about half of them feel a bit unnecessary and aren't that great.

                                                                                                                              

The two previous albums “Malleus Maleficarum” (1988) and “Consuming Impulse” (1989) are also great especially the 2nd one. But I’ve never been a huge fan of the followup to “Testimony Of The Ancients” their 1993 album “Spheres”. Sure it got its moments and some good songs but if compared “Spheres”  it’s not even close with “Testimony Of The Ancients”.

I really like this reissue since I’m a sucker for old concert flyers and this one have many from 1990-92 on the insert. For instance it's great to see the ones from when Pestilence & Carcass toured together with Death on their tour for the "Spiritual Healing" (1990) album as an opening act both in Europe and North America. 

Anyway “Testimony of the Ancients” is a must own album if you’re into Death Metal at all.

An old Pestilence poster that used to hang in my boyhood room when I was 12-14 years back in the early 90’s. It came with an issue 3/1991 of Metal Hammer Extra Thrash I still got the magazine that have interviews with Pestilence, Dismember, Entombed, Kreator, Tiamat, Grave, Carcass, Slayer, Cannibal Corpse and a "Swedish Death Metal report" with Tomas Skogsberg of Sunlight Studios etc. I've scanned those ones and might publish them on the blog someday. 

RANKING ALL 8 IMMORTAL ALBUMS & THEIR FUTURE

Like the title says I'll be ranking all the 8 albums by Immortal released thus far. After discovering the Norwegian and Swedish Black Metal scene in 1994 they were the 4th band I started to listen to after Dissection (Metal of Death, yeah I know...), Emperor and Marduk. 

Immortal are one of the most important bands in the genre I think. They surely attracted many people to the scene with their own unique Black Metal sound. Enter The Eternal Fire from the timeless classic Under The Sign Of The Black Mark (1987) by Bathory certainly inspired them especially for Battles In The North and the later records.

The new Immortal song was just released, the title track from their new album Northern Chaos Gods. It will mark a new dawn in the Immortal saga. But first let's all remember their glorious past. Black Metal excellence of the finest sort that was crafted by a legendary band.

Note that I don't include the live CD & DVD The Seventh Date of Blashyrkh (2010). Because it doesn't fill my criteria for a list of their full length albums, it's the same reason I would never include a compilation album neither.

All of these records are great I want to state at first. Some amazing, some excellent, some of them are masterpieces. I made this list many months ago and really put much time into it. Didn't slop together something during a coffee break at work.

This is my opinion of what I consider to be the best Immortal albums ranked from "worst" to best:

8. All Shall Fall (2009)

It was pretty easy to pick out my least favorite. This was the first Immortal album in 7 years after the band had its break between 2003-06, they had also recruited Apollyon (Aura Noir etc.) on bass. The album starts of really strong with the best song on this album the title track All Shall Fall.

I really liked that Immortal used this as the live opener on some occasions, it's a very fitting song to start of a concert with, as they did many times on their last tour with Abbath. The band recorded the album in both Greighallen and Abyss Studios. I think they got a good sound it's better then average but for me I would've preferred a more raw and unfiltered sound.

Other outstanding tracks are the last one on the record Unearthly Kingdom and also Norden On Fire the other songs are good, but not on par with Immortal can preform so it's somewhat uneven. Some of the guitar solos by Abbath are not great in my opinion one certainly miss Demonaz on this record...

7. Damned In Black (2000)

I have to admit that when I heard this for the first time I hated it. Just released 13 months after their masterpiece At The Heart of Winter I was so disappointed.

Like we did back in those days I would listen to the album at the record store with headphones before deciding to buy it (at least me I didn't dabble with MP3's). After a couple of songs I had enough and didn't buy it.

The production sounded so weak in my ears and the songs weren't even close to its predecessor. But I gave the album another chance after some time and I discovered that indeed there was some great songs on the record like Triumph; Wrath From Above; Damned In Black etc. and got the album on a digipack CD something I always was a sucker for back in the day. I still think the production sounds weak compared to the rest of their discography.

Also something I think is worth mentioning is that ever since Demonaz had to quit playing guitar in Immortal is that the albums became longer. But out of the 4 with Abbath on guitar this one clocks in at 36 min 43 sec making it the shortest one of those 4.

All the 4 first albums was shorter than Damned In Black while Sons of Northern Darkness is over 50 min making it their longest record and "Blizzard Beasts" the shortest 28 min 56 sec.

6. Sons of Northern Darkness (2002)

For the third time the band worked with Peter Tägtgren. The production between this and it's predecessor is night and day because it sounds great. Also lots of great songs like One By One; Tyrants; Sons of Northern Darkness; Beyond the North Waves and In My Kingdom Cold.

It felt like the Immortal were back in great form and some great Abbath riffs on this one. Even if as a whole the album is a bit uneven in terms of its material.

They toured extensively for this record and in 2003 they decided to quit Immortal due to "personal reasons". However Abbath & Demonaz hooked up with former drummer Armagedda and started the band simply called I and released an album called Between Two Worlds (2006) that had a more Heavy Metal direction. It's a good album but not close to anything Immortal produced.

Just a couple of months after that release Immortal had reformed and played the Inferno Festival in Norway in April of 2007 a bunch of festivals in Europe that summer and some North American dates.

5. Blizzard Beasts (1997)

For this one the band had found a permanent drummer at last with Horgh. The first time I heard anything from this record was the song Mountains of Might and it's still my favorite song on Blizzard Beasts album.

I can't remember if it was on an compilation album that came with a magazine or something a friend had? Know that it appears on the Century Media compilation Feuersturm from 1997 remember borrowing the CD from a friend. It had Darkthrone, Dissection, Arcturus, Emperor, Satyricon, Mayhem etc. just to name a few bands on that double CD with 26 different artists.

Blizzard Beasts took awhile for me to fully appreciate and I hesitated to buy it. Also the fact that I was 17 years old and needed money for beer and other records... The main complaint about the album is usually the production.

It still sounds very much Black Metal but compared to their 2 previous records it has this "muddy sound" (not primitive necro) too it. That's the best way I can explain it but I wouldn't change anything on it. Also you can hear some Morbid Angel "influences" on this one.

They chose not to record in Grieghallen where they had recorded their 3 previous records, but instead worked in the Sigma Recording Studio with producer Henrikke Helland.

The great songs shows what an amazing album this is, Nebular Ravens Winter great title by the way, was the 2nd song I really liked at first I bought the CD. Others are Battlefields: Noctambulant  and Frostdemonstorm but also the rest songs for that matter.

4. Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism (1992)

The great classic debut released in July of 1992 and one of the first official records to be released in the Norwegian Black Metal scene after Deathcruch; A Blaze In The Northern Sky and Burzum.

Just like Varg Vikernes did with Burzum also Immortal chose to record this record with Eirik "Pytten" Hundvin in Grieghallen that many other bands did during those days like Mayhem, Emperor, Enslaved etc. It has this great grim, cold and primitive sound to it and Immortal really had a sound of their own it wasn't perfected on this album yet but they came close. It's also the only full length album with Armagedda as their drummer.

The band had already put out an 7" vinyl simply called "Immortal" in 1991 and 2 tracks from that release is on this record Unholy Forces of Evil and The Cold Winds of Funeral Frost. The band made a video for the song The Call of the Wintermoon. Amazing song but the video is very isn't very good.

I don't remember even seeing that promo video on European MTV Headbanger's Ball at the time and I'm glad that wasn't my first experience with the Black Metal genre. At the time I was into Thrash Metal (Slayer, Kreator, Sepultura etc.) and Death Metal (Entombed, Dismember, Morbid Angel etc.) and would have wondered what the fuck is this what Black Metal is supposed to be like.

Now I'm glad it exists and it's not the worst Black Metal video I've ever seen I just say Lilith's Em.....

Anyway I think that "Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism" should be in every ones collection if you're into Norwegian Black Metal not just because it's one of the first records released in the scene but also the fact it's also an excellent album.

3. At The Heart of Winter (1999)

The first record without Demonaz on guitar due to his illness severe tendinitis in his arms that prevented him to play the guitar. Abbath then singer & bassist took over the role as the guitarist in Immortal, however Demonaz continued with the band to write all the lyrics and occasionally work as the bands manager.

This is also the first time the band worked with Peter Tägtgren in the Abyss Studios. Another first was not to have the band on the front cover art of the album. With all these changes one would probably think Immortal would fail, but they didn't.

Instead they made an amazing album some have it as their favorite Immortal album and when it was released I was also one of those people.

Some might think nostalgia is why this isn't my number 1 Immortal record, but no that's not the case. When it was fresh and new it was amazing it still is, but the other records are better in the long run in my opinion.

2. Battles in the North (1994)

I think everything about this record is excellent from the whole white concept of the albums artwork, production, performance, songs, lyrics. A true masterpiece of Norwegian Black Metal scene.

I never heard Immortal say this is a "concept album" but in my eyes this the "Blashyrkh" peak of the band. It wasn't as present on Pure Holocaust or Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism but here they go all out and one truly believes in this imaginary world.

There's nothing I would change on this record it's pure perfection I could mention songs like my favorite Cursed Realms Of The Winterdemons, the 2 that got promo videos Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms and Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark).

Both were released on the VHS Masters of Nebulah Frost (1995). It has Hellhammer from Mayhem, Arcturus etc on the Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms video, where he looks completly out of place. He was a member in Immortal for a short while in 1995 but it's actually Abbath who plays drums on the whole Battles In The North album.

Oh yes more songs to mention Battles in the North; Circling Above in Time Before Time I could go on but trust me the whole album is meant to be enjoyed from start to finish.

This record is mandatory to have in your collection! Like the next one and the at least the two albums previous on this list.

1. Pure Holocaust (1993)

The first Immortal album I ever got on CD back in the day. If I only got to listen to one Immortal record for the rest of my life it would be this masterpiece I never grow tired of it and still to this day whenever I throw it on it amazes me.

It's very different from their followup album Battles in the North, it's more connected to their debut Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism but still a HUGE progression of their sound.

Although Erik "Grim" Brødreskift (1969-1999) is credited as their drummer, Abbath was the one pounding the skins on Pure Holocaust.

I could go on and on about its excellence but instead of reading this if you haven't heard the record stop reading and get yourself a copy. Preferably on vinyl and enjoy the 8 all brilliant tracks in approx 34 minutes of "Holocaust Metal" as Immortal called their music at the time.


Now for the future. I hadn’t pre-ordered the "Northern Chaos Gods" vinyl or the 7" until I heard the new song. I’ll admit I was very pessimistic about the whole thing, from when I first heard about Horgh and Demonaz continuing on with Immortal after Abbath's depature. Still I was very eager to hear it just because of Demonaz playing guitar once again.

The song blew me fucking away. Fast, aggressive, crushing and those amazing guitars!! It was so rewarding to hear a Demonaz solo on a Immortal song once again after 21 year. But most important they sound hungry and out for bloody vengeance.

However I will say that the vocals isn’t perfect, they are very distorted and way different from the vocals on March of the Norse album by Demonaz but that wouldn't have fit on a Immortal record anyway. That's my main gripe with the song but I'll do with those vocals. I've heard MANY worse vocal performances during my years.

I’m very optimistic about the Northern Chaos Gods album but still keep my expectations low. But if the album sounds anything like this song I’ll be very happy man on the 6th of July. Their future looks very interesting to say the least.


Update May 19th 2019
------------------------------
Well after owning the Northern Chaos Gods album for 10 months now I have to say the result were beyond all expectations. I think that Demonaz vocals fits very fine with the Immortal sound.

I would place this at number 6 just after Blizzard Beasts and definitely before Sons Of Northern Darkness it's that great and a must have in a Black Metal collection.

Just wish Demonaz and Horgh will play live! Would really like to hear both how the old songs would sound with another vocalist and also the new material. Do know that his injury disabled him from live performances and doing vocals at the same time would probably be difficult.

Haven't heard anything about them performing live and I wouldn't like to have another guitarist in Immortal now and Demonaz just doing vocals.

But I don't want him just to play guitar probably sitting down with some hired vocalist. Okay if they got my favorite Black Metal vocalist of all time Mortuus/Arioch from Marduk and Funeral Mist to fill the live role I would for sure watch it!

We will just have to wait and see whatever the future brings but another album I would buy without any hesitation. In the meanwhile Northern Chaos Gods still fills my Immoral needs for now.

DISMEMBER (2008)

What became to be the last album by Dismember, that's probably my favorite Death Metal band of all time, but that's another topic. On a Regain Records picture disc vinyl released on the 18th February of 2008 and also the promo CD for the album.

I've written before about how much I appreciate specifically promo CD's with a different cover artwork from the album release and here’s another one from my collection. Even if it's "just" a cropped part of the album release, it's still different and I do like this promo variant of the album. I might someday do an entire post about the ones I have. But enough collecting jerking off for now and on to the matter at hand so to say.

This was the 8th full length album by Dismember the 2 previous ones “The God That Never Was” (2006) and “Where Ironcrosses Grow” (2004) are both great, but in my opinion “Dismember” is a better record then those two. The album was their first record not to feature longtime original drummer, songwriter and later also producer Fred Estby. He wanted to tour less and focus more on his family as he said in a statement on their official homepage in April 2007.

He was replaced by Thomas Daun the former drummer of Repugnant (among others). On “Dismember” only vocalist Matti Kärki and guitarist David Blomqvist remains out of the 5 membres on their 1991 debut masterpiece “Like An Everflowing Stream” (1991).

“Dismember” starts out strong with Death Conquers All; Europa Burns; Under A Blood Red Sky and those sets the tone for rest of the album. It never slows down or get boring just total Dismember Death Metal madness throughout. They recorded “Dismember” with the Entombed bassist Nico Elgstrand .

On their 4 previous records Fred Estby had not just played drums but also produced, engineered and mixed with great success. I mean just listen to “Death Metal” (1997); “Hate Campain” (2000) or the ones I've mentioned earlier in the post one cannot dispute how important he was for Dismember in many ways. Despite that huge change the band still managed to make an absolutely amazing last album. In my opinion probably their best in 11 years since “Death Metal”.

They toured very extensively for the "Dismember" album 72 gigs according to setlist.fm (probably more because they're not always accurate) around Europe, Australia, New Zealand, North and South America.

On November 22nd of 2008 Dismember played a 20th anniversary gig at Debaser in their hometown Stockholm, Sweden. The idea was to have everyone who once was a member in the band to play but what made it so special was that they used the lineup during different periods of the band.

1988-1990 David Blomqvist, Fred Estby & Robert Sennebäck (original vocalist, later guitar) started the show and played:
- Deathevocation
- Substantially Dead
- Deranged From Blood

Then they were joined by Matti Kärki & Richard Cabeza for the 1991-1997 material:
- Override Of The Overture
- Soon To Be Dead
- Skin Her Alive
- Pieces
- Dreaming In Red
- Collection By Blood
- Stillborn Ways
- Killing Compassion

For the 1998-2002 lineup Magnus Sahlgren & Sharlee D’Angelo replaced Cabeza & Sennebäck:
- Patrol 17
- Hate Campaign

The lineup 2002-2005 Martin Persson & Johan Bergebäck replaced Sahlgren & Sharlee  D’Angelo:
- Where Ironcrosses Grow
- Tragedy of the Faithful

The 2005-2008 lineup when Tobias Cristiansson replaced Johan Bergebäck:
- Time Heals Nothing
- Autopsy

For the 2008 songs Thomas Daun replaced Fred Estby:
- Death Conquers All
- Under A Blood Red Sky
- The Hills Have Eyes

Then everyone joined in for the encore:
- Casket Garden

Dismember played 2 more gigs during 2008. After that they did 2 more festival gigs in Germany 2011 Death Feast Open Air and their very last one at Protzen Open Air 2013.

In October of 2011 the statement came that Dismember had broken up, however there's been rumors about a reunion for their 30th anniversary in 2018. Let us fucking hope so!!

The Dismember saga is over but what a ride it was.







For me the classic lineup will always be from left to right: Robert Sennebäck (guitar), David Blomqvist (guitar), Fred Estby (drums) down from left: Richard Cabeza (bass) & Matti Kärki (vocals) here on a poster that I got in 1994 and used to hang proudly on the wall in my boyhood room when I was 14 years old.

MY MARDUK EP COLLECTION

Have done an update of some of these ones that I've gotten on vinyl. Like the Panzer Division Live (2018) tank shaped EP, Hearse on 7" and Iron Dawn on a single sided 12" vinyl.

Marduk is one of my favorite bands of all time and this’s my Marduk EP collection, by far not the biggest, but I have every release I do believe. But clearly NOT every LP and CD print there’s of each and every one.

Recently Marduk released a digital single and a promo lyrics video for the song Werwolf from their upcoming Viktoria album that will be released on July 22nd. Really wish Werwolf was on any physical format but what can one do in this fucking digital streaming age...

In the order of release:

Fuck Me Jesus MCD 1994 and 12” LP 2017 both Osmose Productions
This is their 1991 demo with the same name that Osmose Productions released on CD in 1994. It's been reissued many times and I hear why. Because it's absolutely amazing! This was the 3rd Marduk release I ever bought after discovering the band in 1994. Although I have a lot of nostalgia for the recording I must say it's my favorite Marduk EP of all time.

Brilliant sounding and recorded with Dan Swanö. If I was to put Fuck Me Jesus among their albums this 12 min 40 sec masterpiece would be number 3 after Opus Nocturne and Those of the Unlight. It's that excellent!

Glorification MCD 1996 Osmose Productions
This basically has another mix of the song Glorification of the Black God from the Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered (1996) album. I don't notice anything mayor change from the album version although it's 10 seconds longer on the EP and 4 cover of Destruction, Bathory and 2 songs by Piledriver. The 1996 vinyl release also has a Venom cover.
It's a good EP even if the songs they chose to cover like The Return of Darkness & Evil and Total Desaster are so much better in their original versions. I don't think Marduk are bad at doing covers and if your a big Marduk fan like me I can recommend it. But for a more casual fan there's better EP's coming up.

Here’s No Peace MCD 1997 Shadow Records
This was recorded in December of 1991 with Dan Swanö. I have heard different reasons why the planned 7" vinyl wasn't released in the early 90's. Anyway this has an intro Here's No Peace and 2 songs Still Fucking Dead and Within The Abyss only 7.5 min but still all so brilliant. I prefer the Fuck Me Jesus release but these early recordings in Unisound Studios (aka. Hellspawn or Gorysound Studios) are so amazing.
Although I really like their great debut album Dark Endless (1992) I think that the 2 recordings before that one really captures Marduk's sound better. They sound much more raw, filthy and nasty in my ears. Needless to say this's a must have EP if you are into Black Metal!

Obedience MCD 2000 Blooddawn Productions
With a silver printed Marduk logo on the front of the jewel case. I have to admit when I got this at some record fair in my hometown 2000/01(?) it didn't blow me away but with time I really appreciate it. Obedience is a great song, but even better is the song Funeral Bitch and it's so much better on this EP then on the album La Grande Danse Macabre (2001). They should consider playing it more often in their live setlist I think, last time was in 2007 according to setlist.fm.
Then a cover Into The Crypts Of Rays by Celtic Frost the original song I think is one the best song ever by Celtic Frost and Marduk does an acceptable version of that classic Black Metal tune.

Slay The Nazarene vinyl 7” 2002 Warlord Records limited to 1500 copies
A sort of oddball release it has 2 live songs both appears on the 1998 album "Nightwing" Slay The Nazarene and Of Hell's Fire. It almost feels like a bootleg even if it sounds great and is listed as an official release at their official homepage, Discogs and at Metal Archives also that it's licensed by Blooddawn Productions (record label founded by Marduk).
Both songs are the best from the then 4 year old Nightwing album it doesn't say when or where they were recorded. I like it but this is only a necessary release for die-hard Marduk fans in my opinion.

Hearse vinyl 7"  Regain Records limited to 500 copies
The title track is a teaser for what became vocalist Legion and bassist B.War last album World Funeral (2003). It's a great song and the band also made a promo video for it. Only one more song on this MCD a cover of Phantasm by Possessed it's good.
Hearse is why I bought the MCD but with only 2 songs it feels kind of hard to recommend it to anyone that's not a huge Marduk fan.

Deathmarch Tour EP MCD 2004 Blooddawn Productions
This was sold exclusively on the Deathmarch tour 04/05. With new vocalist Arioch from Funeral Mist or Mortuus as he's known as in Marduk and returning member Devo Andersson on bass (previously guitar 1992-1994). It has a "alternative version" of the amazing song Steel Inferno that appears on the Plague Angel (2004) album.
An unreleased instrumental song called Tod Und Vernichtung which is German for "death and annihilation" in my opinion it's worth to get the EP just for that song. Also 2 rehearsal songs Throne Of Rats and The Hangman of Prague that I as a huge Marduk fan really like that they included, maybe not for everyone. Still I highly recommend this EP.

Iron Dawn vinyl 12" limited to 300 copies 2011 Blooddawn Productions/Century Media
It took Marduk 7 fucking years to release another EP. But when they finally did it was well worth the wait. I can definitely say that this is a brilliant release! 3 unreleased songs that as far I know only appears on this EP: Warschau 2: Headhunter Halfmoon; Wacht am Rhein: Drumbeats of Death and Prochorovka: Blood and Sunflowers.
All songs are played furiously fast and the war theme is very present on this release. Both songs Warschau 2 and Prochorovka was played on the Hatefest 2011 Tour and the first one of the two songs occasionally on the Serpent Sermon World Tour 2012. This is the best Marduk EP in my opinion since the Here’s No Peace released 14 years earlier. It should appeal to anyone that likes Marduk. 13 minutes well spent listening to this great EP.

Souls For Belial MCD 2012 Century Media/Blooddawn Productions
Released to subscribers of Sweden Rock Magazine #94 in April as a teaser for the then upcoming album Serpent Sermon (2012). The song Souls For Belial is great and there's a cover of Oil On Panel by the alternative country band Woven Hand a rather odd choice but I like it. Might not be for everyone this EP but in my opinion it's worth it just for like I wrote the odd cover.

Coram Satanae 7” vinyl 2012 Century Media/Blooddawn Productions
This singled sided 7 inch vinyl only have the Coram Satanae song but it's still worth every penny. Because it's one of my favorite songs Marduk have done since Mortuus joined and that says a lot because they have released so many great tracks in the last 14 years.
Coram Satanae also appears on one limited red vinyl version of Serpent Sermon (2012) as a red bonus 7" but also on two limited CD releases. Anyway if you don't have it on one of your albums this is the only way to have it and I promise you wont be disappointed.

Ancient Evil 7”vinyl 2015 Blooddawn Productions 500 copies hand numbered
Apart of the 4 "official bootleg series" that was released 2015. This one is a live recording from November of 1991. It has 4 songs Departure from the Mortals; Within The Abyss; Still Fucking Dead and The Black Goat (as it was called back then, later The Black...).
This sound probably amazing to everyone but remember that this's a bootleg recording I'm used to these kind of recordings with VHS trading of Black and Death Metal concerts in the 90's so the sound is far from perfect. I don't mind it but if you're unsure listen to it first. I really like this one!

The Sun Turns Black As Night 7”vinyl 2015 Blooddawn 500 copies hand numbered
Unlike the previous one this is recorded in May of 1992 and only have 2 songs Still Fucking Dead and Within the Abyss. Like I wrote about "Ancient Evil" this appeals to me but maybe not a casual Marduk fans. I'm very happy with it and wish for more releases like this from Marduk especially ones from 1994-95 would be amazing.

Panzer Division Live 7" vinyl 2018 Night Of The Vinyl Dead Records / Blooddawn Productions limited to 500 copies and hand numbered.

Finally got a "deal" on this unique shaped tank EP with the sleeve acting as background. Mostly bought it as a display piece and of course because I consider myself to be a Marduk collector I also wanted to own it for that reason.
The 2 songs Panzer Division Marduk and Baptism By Fire are old live recordings from Germany in 1999. Both have been released as early as 2002 on the Blackcrowned boxset, they appear on both the CD's and the VHS. Also on the standalone Blackcrowned  LP's from 2002 and the DVD from 2005 and the official bootleg live album World Panzer Battle 1999 from 2015. It would've been nice with some more uncommon songs or recording but the value of it is in the design that I proudly display at my home. Only for die hard Marduk fans!


There's a bunch of different versions/prints also reissues of almost all of these releases with all sorts of bonus tracks. For instance Obedience the North American release in 2001 had 3 live bonus songs. The reissues from 2007 and 2008 had a terrible cover of the great Rolling Stones song Paint It Black and a good version of Earth A.D. by Misfits both had terrible redone cover artwork. Not every release is like that but many.

I’ve previously ranked all the Marduk full length albums and live records but I’m not going to rank these EP’s it’s too hard. For casual Marduk fans I will say that the most essential releases of all of them are in my opinion Fuck Me Jesus and Here’s No Peace. If you want more I suggest Iron Dawn and Coram Satanae then probably the Deathmarch Tour EP. I like all the others but especially those with Mortuus and the early 90’s recordings.

As you see I only have 5 (well 7 now) on vinyl might try to get those ones that are available on vinyl someday. Some of them are also very expensive, even if I’m in no hurry. Praise hail Marduk!!