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!! 

MARDUK - HERE'S NO PEACE - SHADOW RECORDS LP (1998) & CD (1997)

One of my favorite releases in my entire Marduk collection is this 12" picture disc vinyl that comes with a poster limited to 500 copies on Shadow Records from 1998. The CD had been released a year earlier by the same label.

It's not one of my most expensive Marduk vinyls. However not saying it's a cheap and easy release to come by especially with the poster. And yes the poster edges are supposed to look like it has been torn/ripped.

The combination of Marduk, being one of my favorite bands ever, on one of the best record labels ever from my country Shadow Records. That makes it such a much more valuable release too me then any monetary aspect.

The history behind the Here's No Peace release is one interesting story. Recorded in December of 1991 with Dan Swanö at his Unisound/Hellspawn/Gorysound Studio. It was the second time ever that Marduk made a recording since their first and only demo Fuck Me Jesus from June 1991.

Over at Metal Archives it says that Here's No Peace supposedly were going to be released as a 7" on the North American label Necropolis Records.

But I'm going with what is being said in the first Marduk interview I ever read. Issue number 5 from November 1992 of the Swedish Close-Up Magazine with the now only remaining original member and founder of Marduk Morgan Håkansson (guitar).

Where he states that it would be to released on a German label called Slaughter Records as a 7" vinyl. Somehow that never happened and Morgan tells what a total fuck-up that guy was. The article says it would be called Here's No Fucking Silence.

Finally in October of 1997 Marcus Tena's Shadow Records released the recording on CD it being the 2nd release ever on that label. Another favorite in my Marduk collection is a picture disc version from 1997 of the Marduk album Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered (1996) it was the first ever release on Shadow Records.

The original Here's No Peace CD has 3 songs:
Here's No Peace (instrumental intro)
Still Fucking Dead
Within The Abyss.

A year later when Shadow Records released this picture disc 12" they added 2 more songs. Both being Bathory covers In Conspiracy With Satan and Woman Of Dark Desire.

Marduk are good at doing covers but Bathory is a hard band to try emulating their own sound too especially those older songs. They were already so perfectly recorded by the legendary Bathory. Not complaining though it's a great addition to the vinyl release.

Both appeared on the compilation In Conspiracy With Satan - A Tribute To Bathory (1998). That David "Blackmoon" Parland (1970 - 2013) ex. guitarist for Dark Funeral, Necrophobic but also the bands Infernal and War released on his Hellspawn Records with bands like Nifelheim, Emperor, Unanimated, Ophthalamia, Satyricon etc.

Marduk had already released a Bathory cover of The Return Of Darkness And Evil in 1996 on their Glorification EP. Out of those 3 covers my favorite one is probably Woman Of Dark Desire.

But about the original Marduk songs here Within The Abyss had already appeared on the Fuck Me Jesus recording which I do think is the best version of that song.

It's also featured on their debut album Dark Endless (1992) in my opinion the Here's No Peace one is better then the record one also.

At the time Marduk had a Death/Black Metal sound until the release of their second album Those Of The Unlight (1993) which is straight forward Black Metal. That is also one of the best records ever from the Swedish scene.

Still Fucking Dead (Here's No Peace) as it called on Dark Endless that No Fashion Records released is another excellent version but I do prefer the recording on the Here's No Peace release.

As much as I do like the debut album the recordings before sounds more raw, unfiltered with a more meaner sound to it is the best way I can describe them.

At the time of the Here's No Peace recording the Marduk line-up consisted of:
- Morgan Håkansson (guitar)
- Joakim Göthberg (drummer 1990-1993 later vocalist from 1993 to 1995)
- Andreas Axelsson (vocals 1990-93)
- Rickard Kalm (bass 1990-92)

The same personal had recorded the Fuck Me Jesus demo but for their debut Dark Endless they had added Devo Andersson (guitar). Who made his first performance with Marduk on a release with that album.

Here's No Peace is definitely a most have for any Marduk fan. I consider it to be the 2nd best EP they have ever made. It was also my gateway into Shadow Records with the 1997 CD release me being a huge fan of Marduk.

For any casual fans of the band I do recommend getting it also. Although you might don't want to try hunt down a copy of the 12" Shadow Records vinyl, the 1997 CD isn't near as expensive as that one.

Believe all the songs also appear on some CD reissues if you want to go down that route instead.

Here's No Peace was reissued on Marduk's own Blooddawn Productions in 2001 on a 10" vinyl that one comes in a sleeve. Have huge buyers remorse for not getting that one at a record fair in my hometown a couple of years ago for what was a great deal then.

Later it was also released on CD by Regain Records in 2007 that has a colored cover artwork. I don't own that particular one yet.

My intention is to own a copy of every different artwork Marduk has used for each album and/or EP and there's a ton of them especially from the Regain Records era.

Usually don't like whenever cover artworks gets altered but Marduk being the band by far taking up most space in my entire collection I want to see that collecting goal through. Have a long way to get to that point especially with the CD's but ain't in any kind of hurry.

Not trying to brag and boast but really got one amazing deal on this Shadow Records LP in the autumn of last year over at a Swedish auction site. Actually one of my top-10 maybe even top-5 finds ever.

Also expect a lot of more Marduk content to be posted. Been really into them for the last couple of months I have been filling "almost all" the gaps I had in my EP/7" vinyl collection. Got a bunch of "new posters" and I want to post my old 90's concert flyers plus the 3 DVD's that I've rewritten so many times for more than a year...

Some may think that Here's No Peace is sparse of content but I don't get that opinion. Not only are the songs amazing but also a very early recording in the Swedish Black Metal scene and for me that makes it even more interesting. Also always interested to hear how Dan Swanö progressed with his Unisound recorded releases.

Anyway that was Here's No Peace a lot of other information but have been on a Instagram and blog hiatus for a couple of weeks due to some health issues.

Forever, eternally and as always PRAISE HAIL MARDUK!!

MARDUK - OPUS NOCTURNE (1994)

1st print black vinyl limited to 700 copies released on Osmose Productions in 1994. Also released on a green vinyl limited to 300 copies that one is expensive as hell these days... Not that anyone could say my version is cheap nowadays exactly...

If I had to pick out a couple of Black Metal albums that were most essential for me getting into the Black Metal genre back in 1994 Opus Nocturne would definitely be one of those records.

Together with the albums The Somberlain by Dissection, Into The Nightside Eclipse by Emperor and Pure Holocaust by Immortal they all meant so much me in 1994.

They were the gateway records that showed me just how much music could have an effect on me and the path my life took.

The progression Marduk made with the Opus Nocturne album from their previous ones Dark Endless (1992) and Those Of The Unlight (1993) is immensely huge.

From the Black/Death Metal feeling in the early days on their only demo Fuck Me Jesus (1991) and the Here's No Peace recording. That were recorded in December of 1991 but not released until 1997.

The debut album Dark Endless also got that Black Death Metal sound. While their 2nd album Those Of The Unlight is pure Black Metal and probably the most unique recording Marduk did in the 90's.

Been many phases during the 29 year old history of Marduk and Opus Nocturne became a end of an era record for them.

It was Joakim Af Gravf (vocalist 1993-95/drummer 1990-93) last album with the band. Also their last release to be recorded with Dan Swanö at his Unisound/Hellspawn/Gorysound Studio.

Swanö whom Marduk had worked with since their first and only demo Fuck Me Jesus (1991).

Have to admit that Opus Nocturne was a bit harder for me to get into then The Somberlain (yeah I know Metal of Death...) and Into The Nightside Eclipse. Remember immediately liking my favorite Marduk songs ever Sulphur Souls and The Sun Has Failed though.

Also Materialized In Stone and the title track Opus Nocturne with vocals and lyrics by Tony "It" Särkkä (1972-2017) from Abruptum, Vondur etc. That one sounds like something Ophthalamia (another band It had formed in 1989) could have recorded it was a very unusual Marduk song.

Just a few listens in I liked From Subterranean Throne Profound; Autumnal Reaper; Wolves (Part 2: Untrodden Paths) and Deme Quaden Thyrane almost as much as my favorites. Opus Nocturne grew into a beast for me.

I could have the CD on repeat for hours and still find new things on each and every song it was truly a magical time in my life.

Opus Nocturne was released late in 1994 and in February of 1995 Marduk together with label mates Enslaved did a tour called the Winter War Tour 95. As they had done on the previous tour with Sons Of Northern Darkness with Immortal a special split shirt was made with the Marduk and Enslaved logos on the longsleeve arms. Those two are my most wanted shirts of all time.

Photos by user "maidenthrone" on tshirtslayer.com.

Marduk basically had the same line-up as the record on the tour: Morgan Håkansson (guitar), B.War (bass), Joakim Af Gravf (vocals), Fredrik Andersson (drums) but added Kim Osara as a session/live  guitarist.

Marduk and Enslaved's Winter War Tour 95 lasted from the 7th of February until the 26th of the same month with no dates off. They played in Austria, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Like mentioned many times before I used to buy/trade live bootleg filmed VHS-cassette tapes in the mid to late 90's. Marduk were one of the bands always had my eye out for.

The first one I got from the Winter War Tour 95 was recorded at Marseille, France on May the 17th. I do remember hating all effects they put on the video but it was still amazing.

It's on YouTube and I'm glad for that because I don't have to mess with my old VHS-cassettes. Even if I got stuff by some bands that's not out on YouTube.

Included the Marseille concert in this post and the setlist Marduk played are:

Sulphur Souls
From Subterranean Throne Profound
Wolves
The Sun Has Failed
A Sculpture Of The Night
Materialized In Stone
Deme Quaden Thyrane
The Black...
Untrodden Paths (Wolves, Part II)
On Darkened Wings
Autumnal Reaper 

Many songs from Opus Nocturne really glad they played A Sculpture Of The Night from Those Of The Unlight but also ones that aren't played now like: From Subterranean Throne Profound, The Sun Has Failed, Deme Quaden Thyrane, Untrodden Paths (Wolves, Part II) & Autumnal Reaper.


Those tour dates became as far as I know the last shows with Joakim Af Gravf as vocalist with the band. Everything he did with Marduk were brilliant in my opinion. Joakim Göthberg which is his real name did a guest appearance on the Rom 5:12 (2007) album.

Joakim was replaced by Erik "Legion" Hagstedt in 1995. Legion was previously in Ophthalamia and were vocalist on their excellent 2nd album Via Dolorosa (1995).

Like many other bands did at the time Marduk started recording at The Abyss Studio for the follow-up Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered (1996) with Peter Tägtgren from Hypocrisy.

At first I hated the production on that album but now I actually regard it as the best album of the "Legion era". I changed my opinion drastically on that record since I ranked all Marduk albums about 2 years ago. Okay it's almost a tie with Panzer Division Marduk (1999) but a topic for a future post.

The legacy that Opus Nocturne left behind 25 years later is as strong as it was back in 1994. At least for me. Whenever I hear Joakim screaming "praise hail Satan" in the beginning of Sulphur Souls I know it's a 43 minutes ride into the BEST SWEDISH BLACK METAL of the 90's.

It's not my nostalgia for this album talking! As always Praise Hail Marduk!

Bonus! The Marduk and Immortal split shirt from the Sons Of Northern Darkness tour. Picture from user "fab cas" on tshirtslayer.com.

INTO THE WOODS... - ISLE OF MEN (1993) and VED BUENS ENDE - THOSE WHO CARESS THE PALE (1994)

These two brilliant demos from the early/mid 90's Norwegian Black Metal scene. A sub goal in my LP and CD collecting is to own as many Kyrck Production releases as possible especially the ones from the Norwegian scene. 

The ones I own by Arcturus, Ulver, Thorns/Stigma Diabolicum; Strid/Malfeitor, Manes etc. are all immaculate vinyl and CD releases. Just like these two of course.

Know I'm repeating myself and praising Kyrck in this one again as done in earlier posts. But Kyrck are so amazing at finding demos, hard to get, expensive releases or just brilliant albums. Especially from the Norwegian scene.

Isle Of Men (1993) by Into The Woods...

This vinyl was released in 2006 and limited to 1000 hand numbered copies, 500 black & 500 white-splatter, mine is number 594/1000 (I actually added the back sleeve from my copy over at Discogs because it was missing there).

It comes with a A3 poster of the original demo cover artwork and if you're familiar with Kyrck Productions LP's a small 12-paged booklet that many other releases also includes.

Those Who Caress The Pale (1994) by Ved Buens Ende

My copy was released in 2015 and is limited to 150 copies, they also reissued the demo on purple and orange/black vinyls also 150 copies each at the same time. All versions comes with a A3 poster and the lyrics printed on a regular A4 regular paper, mine is kind of light blue. But I do believe there's other color variants with each of those releases lyrics sheet.

Let's finally start this post by a very unique Black Metal band with Into The Woods... with the second demo called Isle Of Men released in November 1993.

The booklet states that Isle Of Men were recorded in the summer of 1992 but that's a misprint. Because it was actually recorded in June - September of 1993.

Before this demo Into The Woods... had already released the Rehearsal / Demo 02.93 as its title suggests from February of 1993.

The original release of Isle Of Men consists of 5 songs and the line-up is the same as on their epic debut album Heart Of The Ages (1995) released on Misanthropy Records. You can read my post on that one here.

This 2006 reissue has 1 bonus song the title track from the album Heart Of The Ages. It's just a 4-track recording done in 1994 so it's not as refined as the album one.

Some of the titles on Isle Of Men also ended up on the Heart Of The Ages album Wotan's Return and ...In The Woods. Both are already sounding amazing in the demo versions.

Anyone that's heard Heart Of The Ages knows it's a very unique sounding album at the time of its release in the Norwegian scene. The Isle Of Men demo is also very different from other bands but is more straight forward Black Metal than the album.

Isle Of Men could easily have been an album the quality of the songwriting, sound and production is better then many other contemporary bands debut albums. I highly recommend getting this demo on any format you can find it because it's one of my favorite demos from the 90's.

Speaking about high quality demos from those years. Kyrck Productions really did us all a big favor by reissuing another demo. That also could have been an album Those Who Caress The Pale by Ved Buens Ende.

At the time of its release Carl-Michael Eide (clean vocals/drums), Vicotnik (harsh vocals/guitar) and Skoll (bass) weren't exactly quite known in the scene yet.

Shouldn't have to namedrop their resume but I will name some of my favorite associated bands like Arcturus, Dødheimsgard, Ulver, Strid, Aura Noir, Manes and a ton more.

5 songs on this demo and it gives their debut and only album Written In Waters (1995) a tough match for being my favorite Ved Buens Ende release. Another albums that was released by Misanthropy Records that at the time released classic records with each release.

Both songs The Carrier Of Wounds and You That May Wither appears on both releases. Don't have a definitive answer to which version I prefer the most, it depends on my mood of the day. You really should invest in both releases because they are just like In The Woods... a very unique band from my favorite era of the Norwegian scene.

Actually these 2 are the only releases that Ved Buens Ende has ever released. They started as Manes in 1993-94, not to be confused with another amazing Norwegian band with the same name, changed name to Ved Buens Ende in 1994 and split-up in 1997.

They made a short return in 2006-07 and was working on new material but nothing was officially released.

Just recently they announced that Ved Buens Ende are making a comeback! Hell fucking yes am I psyched about this!

With the same line-up but due to Carl-Michael's accident in 2005 that prevents him from playing drums ever again. They have recruited Øyvind Myrvoll as their live drummer with credentials from Aura Noir, Dødheimsgard, ex. Myrkur).

I have really high faith for this reunion even if it's been 24 years since Ved Buens Ende released any new material.

Anyway that's two other releases in my Kyrck Productions collection. I got more amazing reissues to write about from this excellent company.

DISMEMBER - HATE CAMPAIGN (2000)

One of the coolest looking vinyls in my entire collection is this clear/yellow splatter LP of Hate Campaign from 2006 released by Night Of The Vinyl Dead Records.

Believe me there's a huge difference between a splatter vinyl done correctly compared to so many others I own. It looks even better in real life then on my picture.

Strangely this is the only LP ever released of the Hate Campaign record by Dismember.

This one is a limited release that's numbered to 500 copies it has 2 bonus tracks Live To Hate and Unhealing Scars both great songs and a nice addition to the record.

Included the original Nuclear Blast CD mainly because of the cover artwork differences I do prefer the Night Of The Vinyl Dead Records vinyl cover artwork.

Usually don't like whenever bands/labels messes with the original artwork. But I would never pass on this amazing Dismember LP because of that.

Many changes within the Dismember camp for the bands 5th full length album Hate Campaign.

This does not feature the classic line-up: Matti Kärki, Fred Estby, David Blomqvist, Richard Cabeza and Robert Sennebäck.

This was also the first time the band didn't record in the Sunlight Studios where they had been recording since the Reborn In Blasphemy (1990) demo. If you know your Dismember history another Swedish Death Metal band Carnage should sound familiar. Their debut and only record Dark Recollections (1990) was also recorded there.

Even if the man everyone associate Sunlight Studios with Tomas Skogsberg didn't produce their previous masterpiece Death Metal (1997). It was actually the Dismember drummer Fred Estby who produced that one at Sunlight Studios. Fred also produced Hate Campaign but in the Das Boot Studio that's located in Stockholm, Sweden.

Richard Cabeza left Dismember in 1998 and was replaced by the Swedish bassist Sharlee D'Angelo as a session/live member. He already then had a very impressive resume from working with bands like Mercyful Fate, King Diamond, Witchery etc.

Also no Robert Sennebäck (guitar) on this album that departed ways with Dismember in 1997 and was replaced with Magnus Sahlgren (Lake Of Tears etc.). He was a permanent member from 1998 to 2003. Hate Campaign were the only Dismember album that he and Sharlee played on.

Speaking about Night Of The Vinyl Dead Records they released another favorite vinyl release in my collection last year. That I use as a display piece in my living room Panzer Division Live by Marduk the tank shaped 7" LP.

There's a couple of more releases by Night Of The Vinyl Dead Records I would like to own but they are usually way up there in price also.

Not trying to sound like some elitist asshole collector but I only own 1st print Dismember vinyls. Yeah I’m that guy with some other bands also.

Now is this version of Hate Campaign technically a 1st print vinyl? It wasn’t released until 6 years after the original CD.

It’s definitely the first and only vinyl of Hate Campaign. So I say yes here and don’t consider that I am breaking my own rules.

If they ever decide to reissue the album on LP I might consider picking up a copy. Because even if I play approx 99.5% of all my vinyls, some that are 4 to 5 more expensive also, but with this one I want to keep it as pristine as possible.

Actually I'm only one vinyl away from having my Dismember 1st print LP collection completed are missing Where Ironcrosses Grow (2004). Also my copy of the Dismember (2008) album is just the picture disc vinyl version that I will upgrade someday.

Anyway I highly recommend the Hate Campaign album by the best Death Metal band of all time in my opinion to anyone that’s out for some excellent Swedish Dödsmetall.

You need STRID in your life! And collection...

...here on a compilation vinyl from Kyrck Production released in 2007 numbered to 500 copies, my is number 353.

As always Kyrck does something special with their releases. This one comes with a great poster and an amazing insert with pictures from the old days. The color is "haze" don't know about that? To me it looks kind of grayish/black.

It also available on a standard black vinyl but also on a clear LP that's hand numbered to 50 with a different sleeve. It just have a black cover with only the Strid logo on it. I prefer the artwork my copy has of this compilation even if they used the black logo cover artwork on their only demo.

Side-A has every song Strid has ever released. There is actually only 3 songs in total in approx 25 minutes.

Two from the Strid (1994) 7" EP and the one only song from their demo End Of Life (1993).

That might sound cheap but with what they deliver in 11 minutes on the End Of Life song makes it worth buying the entire compilation for alone in my opinion. Of course for the equally great Strid EP songs also.

Side-B has all 5 songs from their second demo Pandemonium (1992) when the band were called Malfeitor.

Not as refined or with the atmospheric mature sound to it as Strid has. But I recommend getting this compilation for the Malfeitor demo also. 

This rather unknown Norwegian Black Metal band started playing in 1991. In Askim a small town near the Swedish border, as Malfeitor. They changed name to Battle for a short while 1992-93. Battle that meaning strid in English, before finally setting with Strid as their name in 1993.

As Malfeitor they released 2 demos the song 666 Hear My Call is featured on both of them. For the time of its release in 1992 the Pandemonium demo sounds amazing both now and then.

They released their only demo as Strid in 1993 the already mentioned demo End Of Life.

Then in 1994 Strid signed with one of my favorite record labels of all time. The short lived (1994-97) German based company Malicious Records. 

Some others that released their debuts albums or EP's on the same label was Dødheimsgard; Zyklon-B; Borknagar; Vond etc. just to name a couple.

So you can see why I hold Malicious Records in such high regard.

The Strid 7" EP was one of the first releases by the record company. Also the first vinyl release, as far as I know on the label.

Strid was only released on the 7" vinyl format. Maybe not the smartest decision either by Malicious and/or the band? This is one of my more wanted 7" releases but the price is hard to justify with me already owning this compilation.

They re-released the demo End Of Life on a single-sided cassette on Malicious Records in 1994. At the era when CD was already established as the standard format for music it might not benefited the band.

When one looks at Strid over at Metal Archives there's a claim that Strid were "creators of the Depressive Black Metal genre". That might be true? It's not a subgenre within the scene that I got most knowledge about really.

Because this isn't something you play when drinking with friends, singing along headbanging to exactly.

Despite my lack of knowledge Strid are a lot better then other bands associated with that DBM genre or whatever it's called in my opinion. Also isn't all Black Metal supposed to be striving for reaching the darkest and invoke certain moods sides of the human mind? 

But speaking of darkness and depression... The original Strid & Malfeitor vocalist/bassist Storm aka. Rot real name Espen Andersen died by suicide in 2001.

Also the original guitarist for both bands Lars Fredrik Bergstrøm died in 2014 at the age of 39.

The members of Strid weren't known in the scene with a bunch of side projects or participated with a lot of other famous bands.

Strid officially quit in 2001 even if the band hadn't been active as far as I know after the 1994 EP.

However in 2009 the Strid returned once again.

With a very prominent guy in the scene Vicotnik on bass & vocals mainly known from his work in the excellent Dødheimsgard but also many more bands like Ved Buens Ende.

Guitarist Ravn Harjar had joined the band in 1994 and played on the Strid EP. He was also shared the vocal duties with Vicotnik.

Joined by members of Strid/Malfeitor the drummer in both bands Lost/Jardar (not the same guy from Old Man's Child) and also the now deceased Lars Fredrik Bergstrøm, both were members until 2014.

They did some shows together, over at www.setlist.fm one can find 2 gigs in 2010 one at John Dee in Oslo and also a one in Finland. It's not the most accurate or reliable source because they played more then those two gigs.

On YouTube you can also see an amazing performance of the song End Of Life with Vicotnik on vocals. It's from 2011 and recorded at Halle 101 in Speyer, Germany.

There's also a video of Nattvandring from the 1994 Strid 7" from the same concert, with guitarist Ravn Harjar on vocals, it's not as good in quality as the other one. But am including both in the post because they are the only Strid live performances I have ever seen or found.

In 2015 the band dissolved after 6 years due to internal conflict but also due to the fact of the death of Lars Fredrik Bergstrøm. But the band reappeared a couple of years later.

The official lineup Strid as of 2017 consists of the new drummer Svein Egil Hatlevik mostly known from his work in the amazing Fleurety. With Vicotnik (bass/vocals), Ravn Harjar (guitar/vocals) and Sigmund Hansen (guitar).

Official t-shirt were sold over at Morbid Wrath Records in 2018. Strid will play live in September this year at the Prophecy Fest 2019 in Balver Höhle, Germany.

That looks like an amazing place for concerts, do a Google search for more pics. Think that would be a very fitting location for their music. It's basically in a cave. Really wish to attend... Who knows... Maybe...

Anyway the story of this Norwegian band Strid is certainly an interesting one.

Had they continued making music after 1994 when vocalist/bassist Storm (Espen Andersen) was still alive they could have been something other then just a cult band for die hard fans like me of the early to mid 90's Norwegian scene.

If you are into albums like Written In Waters (1995) by Ved Buens Ende or Min Tid Skal Komme (1995) by Fleurety you definitely should look into this compilation.

I'm still hopeful that through all the very hard troubles they endured during their career that Strid will be a force to be recon with once again. Hopefully material that's unreleased or unrecorded will be unleashed for all. The legacy of Espen and Lars Fredrik definitely deserves that!