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.