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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until then Funeral Mist are still the FUCKING BEST!! 

DomJord - Sporer (2020)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF MARANATHA BY FUNERAL MIST

Today on the 23rd of February marks the 10 year anniversary since the release my 3rd favorite album of all time being released.

I own all the vinyl releases of this 2 x LP release. But to get a better picture mainly for my post on Instagram I only picked out 1 LP per release. Forgot to include some t-shirts and stickers on the picture I might fix that. Soon...

Missing some CD releases like The Ajna Offensive and Season Of Mist ones but I'll get those eventually they're not expensive nor hard to come by and I have no hurry.

Here is the 1st print 2009 LP (the one in the middle), the Trisagion 5-LP box 2013 release, the 2017 reissue LP and the original 2009 CD all released on Norma Evangelium Diaboli. It's worth buying that CD alone just for the 28-page booklet that has a lot of additional artwork that appeals to me.

Have mentioned this so many times before... That I don’t like to say any band is my favorite but if I had to pick one Funeral Mist would be my choice. Know that while reading this post.

About 1.5 years ago for my post number 300 on Instagram I listed my top-3 albums. I still stand behind my choices that was made back then.

But I could go into if this is my 3rd favorite record ever or if it’s really The Somberlain (1993) by Dissection. It comes down to how such a list is done but I’m not dedicating this post to that topic.

Will say for sure it’s the best album of this millennium though. Even if the previous Funeral Mist album Salvation (2003) is almost as brilliant.

But to choose between Maranatha or Salvation is also very hard. I mean which is your favorite of these ones?

• Blood Fire Death or Under The Sign Of The Black Mark
• Storm of the Light’s Bane or The Somberlain
• In The Nightside Eclipse or Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk
• Filosofem or Det Som En Gang Var

Can go on with more examples but there’s a very fine line between all those records and I could debate them for days. Also which Funeral Mist release is best.

Have to admit that I didn’t really like Maranatha the first time I heard it. Salvation had set such an extremely high new standard for how Black Metal in the 2000's could sound like. But I also feel that Maranatha isn’t as approachable as Salvation if you ask me.

Not saying Salvation is a commercial Black Metal album because it’s most definitely isn’t.

Think Arioch took a risk with Maranatha I will not go into a song by song review here because I think of it as a whole full experience. He could have failed but he succeeded when some questioned some songs I hail them as brilliancy.

In my opinion Arioch wrote more weirder, twisted & sinister things on Maranatha then on Salvation but we're talking about nitpicking things here. Because both are outstanding masterpieces both albums that bands only could dream about recording once in their entire career.

Know that some don’t like the cover but it’s probably my favorite Funeral Mist artwork. I would at least put it among my top-3 Funeral Mist designs and since their first release Promo 95' there's been so many different artworks inside booklets, on t-shirts, posters and so on.

Anyway the cover art is very fitting for the experience Maranatha gives me. Which with some petty words are very hard to express.

FUNERAL MIST - SALVATION (2003) VINYLS & POSTERS x 3

This crown jewel of an album had its 15th anniversary earlier this year and here's my complete vinyl collection of them all. Included the Salvation from the Trisagion (2013) vinyl boxset that also consists of Devilry and Maranatha.

Have already posted a similar complete vinyl collection of Devilry (1998) earlier this year check it out here if you're interested. Don't own nearly as many CD's of Salvation as Devilry only have the original Norma Evangelium Diaboli CD from 2003. The ones I'm looking out for most are the one on The Ajna Offensive from 2006 & the Season Of Mist from 2012. Will have more with time but I'm not in any hurry.

First out one of my biggest gems in my entire collection and it’s never about fucking monetary value in these cases. Salvation means something for me, something much more then money can buy.

Salvation ‎(2 x LP) 2003 Norma Evangelium Diaboli

The layout of the 2003 release I like the most. Only Arioch (& Dauthus on this release) can create that weird, twisted, sinister, sick & astonishing design. Brilliant poster, the pictures of the “band” & lyrics inlay are amazing.

The marks/branding of the pics might be a bit overkill but I don't like it whenever some shithead at Instagram uses my images from my collection. Which have happened on numerous occasions.

Salvation ‎(2 x LP) from the 2013 Trisagion boxset Norma Evangelium Diaboli

The 5 x LP Trisagion (2013) boxset naturally includes Salvation. Haven’t actually played any of those LP’s because I want to keep them as pristine as possible. Great design once again but the box only comes with 1 poster. However it’s my favorite Funeral Mist poster of the 9 different official ones that I own.

Salvation ‎(2 x LP) reissue 2017 Norma Evangelium Diaboli

In 2017 all 3 releases were reissued, likely to high demand and the expensive prices. The cover artwork has a slightly different color, it looks like the Trisagion one. Almost not notable with my crappy iPhone camera. 

Inside the gatefold there’s a great Arioch picture & the lyrics. Although a great piece of artwork on the poster but I think it has a bit too much dark grey color. As does the 2 other 2017 reissue posters.

Salvation ‎(CD) 2003 Norma Evangelium Diaboli

Chose to include this one also. Because it's worth buying the CD copy just for the 16-page booklet alone. It got even more artwork then the vinyl releases and esthetics that really pleases my eyes.

This is one of my favorite Black Metal albums of all time. If I ever did a list of my best records 2000-18 Salvation would be in 2nd place. Don’t expect such list from me though it's too hard. Actually tried once but gave up. I can say that lots of Funeral Mist, Marduk, Wardruna etc. at the top but also some newer bands. But never say never...

A bit off-topic but I do prefer Maranatha just a little bit more over Salvation but it's like choosing between Storm Of The Light's Bane and The Somberlain by Dissection and that's EXTREMELY difficult.

Any which way you own Salvation is the right way (not a download one or burnt CD-copy though). When you got it in your hands you will feel the magic within this masterpiece.

FUNERAL MIST - DEVILRY (1998)

20 years ago Funeral Mist released their debut MCD Devilry on Shadow Records. A year later in 1999 it was also released on LP by the same record label.

Here’s all the different versions I have of this devilish brilliant release:

1998 CD Shadow Records SHADOW 003
1999 LP Shadow Records Shadow 003 with the poster
2005 LP Norma Evangelium Diaboli NED 009 with the poster
2006 CD The Ajna Offensive FLAME 38
2012 CD Season Of Mist SOM 729
2013 LP gatefold Norma Evangelium Diaboli NED 035 (from the Trisagion box comes with a poster)
2017 LP gatefold Norma Evangelium Diaboli NED 009 with the poster

1998 Shadow Records

Missing 3 CD reissues on Norma Evangelium Diaboli. Will get those eventually, but I’m in no hurry.

In the late 90's I became aware of "newer" bands like Malign, Sorhin, Ofermod, Triumphator and of course Funeral Mist. I owned the MCD Here’s No Peace (1997) by Marduk that Marcus Tena had released on his label Shadow Records.

1999 LP Shadow Records

He frequently posted amazing promo ads in a Swedish Metal magazine (see others I scanned on my Instagram @herr_black_metal) and he had a cool store in Stockholm. You can read about my only visit to that short lived store also over at my Instagram.

1999 LP Shadow Records

I became very intrigued by the new wave of bands through reading about them in fanzines. They were really into the Black Metal scene as a lifestyle, something that many other bands at the time had lost. Remember really wanting to hear Malign but I couldn’t find any of their releases and I didn't know how to neither did I dabble with MP3 bullshit. However the Devilry MCD by Funeral Mist was obtainable.

The 5-song MCD was excellent and one could hear the infernal potential Arioch possessed. And that’s how I discovered Funeral Mist.

2005 Norma Evangelium Diaboli

My absolute favorite out of these versions I own is of course the first print vinyl on Shadow Records from 1999 with the poster, insert and the sticker that was limited to 300 copies. It has a bonus song called Hellspell 2 that one was recorded in November of 1998 in the drummer Necromorbus studio. Where Arioch and him also recorded the entire Devilry CD in October 1997 and January 1998.

2006 The Ajna Offensive and 2012 Season Of Mist

All re-releases on CD and LP since 2005 of Devilry after the Shadow Records vinyl have all included 4 additional songs from their Havoc Demo II 1996 and the Hellspell 2 song. Havoc Demo II 1996 was the first Funeral Mist release to feature Arioch as guitarist, bassist and vocalist. On the former demo Darkness (1995) he was the bass player and also backing vocalist.

2013 Norma Evangelium Diaboli (from the Trisagion vinyl box set)

It’s not many other releases in my entire collection that I value as high as that Devilry on Shadow Records because Funeral Mist is my favorite band and Shadow Records have also meant so much for me. And I’m NOT talking about fucking monetary value!

Just what means most to me personally. Like the first print LP of the Dismember brilliant debut Like An Everflowing Stream (1991) that my older sister gave to me in the 90’s is probably my personally most valued. Also when my great friend for almost 25 years Adde of the amazing band Tyrant Wrath gave me his own personal copy of the excellent Pleasure To Kill (1986) by Kreator the first print German vinyl on Noise Records

2017 Norma Evangelium Diaboli 

There’s other releases that I also regard very high in my collection but that Devilry LP truly has a very special place in my collection.

Shadow Records promo ad scanned from an issue of Close-Up Magazine when Devilry was first released. On top the Marduk EP‎ Here's No Peace (1997) that was released on LP in 1998 one year after Shadow Records released the 3-song MCD.

FUNERAL MIST - HEKATOMB (2018) LP and CD song by song review

Even though I don't like to use the term my favorite band. Yes I do think that Funeral Mist is even better then Marduk, Dissection and Emperor the three bands that got me into this genre back in 1994. Even better then other bands that I also rate very high like Darkthrone, Bathory, Burzum, Arcturus and Wardruna. So one could definitely say Funeral Mist is my favorite band.

Didn't think we would ever see another album by Funeral Mist. It's "only" been 9 years since Arioch released Maranatha in 2009 but I thought Arioch/Mortuus was satisfied with Marduk being his main and only musical outlet.

So it was quite a shock when I got the e-mail on June 9th from the Norma Evangelium Diaboli bandcamp saying that Funeral Mist was releasing a new album that was called Hekatomb. It was also being released just 6 days later. Sadly the wait got longer with shipping then on the 15th.

However the album was available to stream via the Bandcamp phone app since the 13th and on their site if you had bought the album there which I had. Usually I mainly listening to my albums on a stereo and preferable on vinyl.

It was so tempting to stream Hekatomb and I admit that I had to do it because I was going literally batshit crazy waiting for it to hear it. My LP and CD came into my possession on Tuesday and I could finally listen to the damn thing properly. One of the two t-shirts also came in that package the other one has been shipped now and the Hekatomb silkscreen poster. Will do a post when I got both t-shirts I now own 9 Funeral Mist ones so I'm missing a few.

Arioch is of course vocalist and play guitar and bass on the record like he has done since the 2nd Funeral Mist release the Havoc Demo II '96. He has the former Marduk drummer Lars Broddesson (2006-2013) or "Lars B" as the booklet say play drums on Hekatomb. Just like on the previous album Maranatha he once again recorded the album in the Marduk bassist Devo Andersson owned Endarker Studio.

I purposely didn’t read any reviews, opinions, comments or even talked with anyone about the Hekatomb album. Even if I’m not an easily impressionable person I wanted my opinion be free of any other persons opinions about it.

Don't know if the people who read my blog follow me on Instagram @herr_black_metal there many will comment or send messages with "great/nice/awesome review". Now I've never considered myself a reviewer even if some seem to think that I am.

So for this post I will try and act as one. That means I cannot factor in expectations only what’s presented on the album. If that make sense? Anyway here we go:

Once again we're cast into the weird twisted sinister realm only Arioch can create and reign with in Funeral Mist.

I really like the cover artwork to Hekatomb it looks nothing like Salvation (2003) or Devilry (1998) and way different then my favorite cover art of them all Maranatha (2009). The rest of the layout is in the same vein as the ones we're familiar with from the previous albums.

Both the CD and LP comes with a lyrics booklet, the CD one has more pictures then the LP one. A big disappointment is that Hekatomb doesn't come with a poster like Funeral Mist LP's usually do, even the reissued vinyls had that. There's a Hekatomb silkscreen that I ordered via Funeral Mist bandcamp. Anyway on with the song by song review:

In Nomine Domini (4:31) is the opening song which in Latin means "in the name of God". After a short intro the bass starts playing in a slow tempo about 50 seconds into the song it takes off and clearly Funeral Mist are fucking back at full force! The tempo slows down again a sample of some Swedish preacher screaming I can only hear clearly "i Jesu namn" which means as you probably can guess "in the name of Jesus" then it intense once again. Perfect opening of the album that seamlessly transcends into the next song.

Naught But Death (4:42) starts of with a great guitar riff, throughout the song a chanting voice is heard in the mix. They blend very well with Arioch's vocals. It's another amazing song and if Funeral Mist played live I would headbang my longhaired scalp through the entire beast of a song.

Shedding Skin (4:48) takes of from the start and it goes fast as hell. Here you can hear why Arioch is in my opinion the best vocalist in the scene and of all time. His vocal approach to the songs of Funeral Mist is very different from what he does in Marduk it sounds much more possessive and demonic. Something bands should take not of this album more or Funeral Mist in general on how to get the right flow on the record. So far the songs on Hekatomb are placed in the perfect order (and it continues throughout the entire album). Anyway Shedding Skin is another masterpiece of a song.

Cockatrice (7:27) the second longest song on Hekatomb. It starts off fast and with guitar playing twisted leads and shouldn't fit the song but it does it continues in the song on occasion. The keyboard is first heard 1.5 min into the song about halfway in they start again to completely take over the song when the tempo drops. A full minute ambient part add much to the mood of the song. Then the other instruments comes back and we're once again in Funeral Mist frantic madness. A lonely slow drum beat ends the song, the same one that goes into the next song.

Metamorphosis (7:35) the longest song on the album. The B-side of the album like I wrote start with the exact drumbeat as the previous one ended with about 30 seconds in the guitar and a low mixed choir join. The slow tempo continues and about half way in the choir chants now higher in the mix.

I don't have any particular favorite songs on the album because Hekatomb is a full experience. But both Cockatrice and Metamorphosis my suggestion is that if your not already completely lost into the Funeral Mist madness listen carefully to those two.

Within The Without (3:13) is the shortest song on the album but in those 3 minutes Arioch pack so much into the song. It starts of fast and frantic the guitar work by Arioch is amazing and drummer Lars B also should get praise for his great performance on the entire album. A church bell (?) chimes in the slow part of the song. It's another amazing song.

Hosanna (4:29) meaning a cry expressing an appeal for divine help. The song is is furious violent extreme aggression perfectly executed. Arioch  or D. "Arioch" Rostén as he call himself in the booklet once again wrote another already classic song.

Pallor Mortis (6:16) the last one on the album is the perfect ending song. It has moments in it that reminds me of the 2 previous albums songs. A frantic child or woman screams in a strange language (Latin?) during the 2 minutes final moments of the song and album. The last song on every Funeral Mist album has always been something special and on Hekatomb it's also a very special song and I'm very pleased with the final song.

8 songs in 43 minutes goes very fast and I’m left wanting more. It’s NOT a complaint I much rather have a superb 43 min experience then a subpar 74 min one. The album is as long as it needs nothing is left by coincidence the placement and pace of every song is perfectly executed. That's my view on Hekatomb as a whole it sounds excellent both the performance by Arioch and Lars B are phenomenal so is the production in the Endarker Studio once again.

The album sounds like how I imagined or dreamed a followup to Maranatha should sound like. Hekatomb is much closer to that album musically then Salvation.

If I had to give it a review rating score it's 10 of 10. The best Black Metal masterpiece I've heard in many many years.

Now for the final question is this better then their previous albums?

Well certainly better then Devilry but I can't say that Hekatomb is better then neither Salvation or my favorite Funeral Mist release Maranatha but its not far away from those two in my opinion.

Even if favorites can change and great albums tends to grow on you. Take for instance Mayhem's masterpiece De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (1994) when I heard it for the first time in the mid 90's I thought it was a great album. But I didn't know that it would become my all time favorite record until years later. When I summarize the year 2018 or if I even do a a re-review of Hekatomb in 3-6 months who knows what I feel about it then?


Have gotten the 2 t-shirts and the poster so here they are:

FUNERAL MIST new album HEKATOMB announced for June 15th 2018 released!!!!

Yesterday at 15:00 I got a e-mail from the NoEvDia Bandcamp about a new Funeral Mist album called Hekatomb being released. About 2 min later I had pre-ordered it on LP, CD and 2 new t-shirts. Best of all it's going to be released on 15th of June just 5 days away as of me writing this.

I never saw this album ever coming, I thought Arioch was done with Funeral Mist. No one could be happier then me because it's seldom I use a term like my absolute favorite band of all time. But I've been known to utter these words about Funeral Mist on more then a few occasions.

No other band has such a solid discography I mean just listen to Devilry; Salvation or my favorite of their 3 albums Maranatha.

This was to best announcement I've heard for years in the Black Metal scene. I was extremely glad when Unanimated announced being signed to Century Media for a 3 record deal and that the 4-song EP Annihilation will be released on August 10th. But that pales in comparison with a new Funeral Mist full length album.

When I opened the newsletter I'm subscribed to and saw what I first thought to be some kind of compilation album they were releasing. Especially with the new Marduk album Viktoria being released just 1 week after Hekatomb. Anyway when I clicked on the link in the mail app on my phone there it was an album with 8 new songs. The timing seemed odd at first but while Marduk is promoting their new album Funeral Mist is bound to come up in interviews even if Morgan Håkansson usually does them all.

Another theory I have is that the Funeral Mist vinyl reissues that was released on Norma Evangelium Diaboli about a year ago sold really well. Maybe it convinced Arioch there's still a demand for Funeral Mist new records. I could be totally wrong about that and he just wanted to have another creative outlet once again.

I really like the front cover artwork on Hekatomb. It's very different from "Devilry" and completely different from Salvation and nothing at all like the weird, twisted and my favorite Funeral Mist cover artwork Maranatha.

Here's the 2 new t-shirts that's also available for pre-order I bought them both and that now makes my Funeral Mist t-shirt collection 9.

My expectations on Hekatomb is set astronomical high considering what Arioch accomplished with Funeral Mist, still I will try not to think about it too much. Or expect that it will be their best album ever. I should just be glad there's a 4th album coming being released.

Don't expect a review/thoughts/opinions on the album immediately from me. I will take my time with this one. First time I heard Maranatha when that one was released I didn't know it would become my favorite Funeral Mist record. That was something I realized with time just like my absolute favorite album of all time De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (1994) by Mayhem.

Sure both were great from the first time of me hearing them but the albums that grow on you with each listen is always somehow the ones that end up being the absolute best ones.

Update 180613: If you bought it at their Bandcamp Funeral Mist - Hekatomb stream is available down below or on the Bandcamp phone app or visit Funeral Mist - Hekatomb . Actually I was supposed to wait until I had Hekatomb on LP and CD before listening to it. But... My curiosity made me listen to it twice. I'm not going to share any opinion on it before I have it though.

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.