MY FAVORITE RELEASES OF 1998

So last year on my Instagram account I started a new "tradition". Since I'm an old school kind of guy it was interesting to make a top list of the best releases of 1997 which was a brilliant year. Especially in Black Metal the scene.

Also the fact I didn't make a list in 2017 because it wasn't a strong year for Black or Death Metal. Sure there were a couple of amazing and even excellent records but not enough for me to do a list of  9-12 albums.

As a comparison I can say that 2018 is actually even better then 1998 that's hard to imagine but it's true at least in my book.

Many of the photos on each individual release have already been published and I'm too lazy to take new ones so some are quite crappy with my old iPhone 6S camera (a newer is on the way).

There are some rules though. No live, compilation, re-recorded, demo reissues or any other releases with very old material.

It's always hard to number albums in a particular order. But I would probably rank them as following and it's not life of death. Anyway let's move on with my favorites of 1998!

Funeral Mist - Devilry

Their debut was release on a 5 song MCD in 1998. The 12" LP was released in 1999 limited to 300 copies and has the bonus song Hellspell 2. Included both my versions that were released by the legendary Shadow Records.

Nifelheim - Devil's Force

The follow-up to their awesome debut Nifelheim (1995) is almost as amazing that one was. Can't say enough good things about this record. Here on my vinyl reissue by Regain Records from 2010.

Abigor - Supreme Immortal Art

Masterpiece! I never get tired of listening to this album and this isn't even my favorite Abigor album. It reminds me of Emperor at times actually prefer this over their IX Equilibrium (1999) record.

Dawn - Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy)

Probably my favorite Dawn release of all time and that says a lot because their debut and the following EP were excellent. On a red 2 x LP vinyl reissue on Century Media from 2017 limited to 100 copies.

Marduk - Nightwing

My 2nd least favorite Marduk studio album but in Marduk terms that still means it's fucking amazing. On some Osmose Productions LP 2016 reissue. Should have the 1st print release in my Marduk collection and one day I will own it.

Arckanum - Kampen

It might be the weakest of all their 3 albums that were released on Necropolis Records in the 90's. But this 2-CD release has lots of great songs on it and a classic. Should really get a reissue LP of this one some day because Necropolis never made one.

Dødheimsgard - Satanic Art

This was released as a great 5-song MCD on Moonfog Productions that really holds up on its own. It's amazing an teaser for their epic 666 International (1999) album. It was finally released on vinyl in 2018 by Peaceville.

Gehenna - Adimiron Black

Really wished I owned a copy of the Moonfog LP of this very impressive album. Strangely it has never been reissued on vinyl. I do like the previous releases First Spell (1994), Seen Through The Veils Of Darkness (1995) and Malice (1996) more but those are hard to compete with and Gehenna doesn't sound anything like those 3 on Adimiron Black.

Sorhin - Döden MCMXCVIII

Sorhin has always been a personal favorite band from my country of Sweden. Only 3 songs but that’s all what it takes from this amazing Black Metal band. Limited and hand numbered CD release.

Angelcorpse - Exterminate

Another one that I should own a LP copy of is this album. It was actually 1 of 2 albums brought me back to the Death Metal scene in 1999 after being totally lost in Black Metal land for years. Even if Angelcorpse play a very Blackened Death Metal this is a very special record for me. Have to do a post about Exterminate and that other important album one day.

Otyg - Älvefärd

Listen so much too this CD in 1998-99 that I almost got burnt out on it. Lots of nostalgia but still a amazing album especially now in the cold Swedish winter time.

Vintersorg - Till Fjälls

As a huge fan of Otyg at the time I of course had to get this Vintersorg album on CD and it didn't disappoint. Here on the digipack CD version not sure if this or the standard jewel case release was released at different times.

Notably more Swedish releases (8) then Norwegian (2) among these ones. I probably fucked up some release date or forgot someone (probably Napalm or Necropolis...).

Some of these bands were considered for the 12 best releases Death, Cannibal Corpse, Gorgoroth, Limbonic Art, Ulver, Dark Funeral, Trelldom, Enslaved etc. So they weren't forgotten Death were closest I do like The Sound Of Perseverance but it's the record I listened least to in their discography.

And that was 1998 see you in a year for 1999 traditions are to be repeated.

DØDHEIMSGARD x 6

Once upon a Fenriz in the mid 90’s he was the guy in all those great bands (you all know which ones). The sole reason for me getting the Dødheimsgard debut Kronet Til Konge on CD back in the day was because I wanted every CD that Fenriz was playing on. And that’s how I discovered the amazing band Dødheimsgard.

Peaceville Records released an official vinyl for the first time ever of the Dødheimsgard EP Satanic Art (1998) just 2 weeks ago. It was originally released on Moonfog Productions and because of this great occasion I thought of doing a post about Dødheimsgard.

I don't want to repeat myself about every record so I write it here. I have all the original CD's from Malicious Records and Moonfog Productions. The 4 first records are vinyl reissues on Peaceville Records.

But first one VERY important fact about the band before we start. I refuse to call Dødheimsgard something other then Dødheimsgard!! First of all it's one of the best band names from the Norwegian scene and the other one (I won't even mention it) sounds like name of a House/Trip-Hop band or some other terrible genre.

Kronet Til Konge (1995) 

The debut album was released by one of my favorite record labels ever Malicious Records (Zyklon-B, Borknagar, Kampfar, Gorgoroth etc) this's a Peaceville vinyl reissue from 2015. It's my favorite Dødheimsgard record and it’s not just my 90’s nostalgia talking.

A very unique record that Fenriz, Vicotnik and Aldrahn made and I think they stood out in the scene in a good way at the time. There's only amazing songs on it and it's hard to pick out any favorite songs. If you want to know what Norwegian Black Metal is all about this is a great record to recommend to people that's interested. Enjoy this masterpiece from start to finish I can't say enough good things about it because it's flawless in my opinion.

Monumental Possession (1996) 

Their last album on Malicious Records this is a Peaceville reissue from 2016. I’ll admit that the album was a bit of a letdown when I bought it on CD back in the 90’s. I didn't think Monumental Possession was bad, but my expectations were probably too monumental. I do know some people that think it’s the best Dødheimsgard album ever.

However this album has grown on me and I do really enjoy it nowadays. A term I usually use is "vinyl worthy" if I didn’t think it was a great record I wouldn’t have bought it on vinyl when I already have it on CD.

Actually didn't know that Fenriz was out of the band when I bought the record. Even if that wouldn't have made it better. They had recruited Apollyon (Aura Noir etc.) on guitar and Alver (ex.Emperor) on bass. Apollyon, Vicotnik and Aldrahn all shared vocals duties something I thought was a strange decision. Because Aldrahn is clearly best of the 3 even if no one of them are bad at singing. It adds to the split feeling this album have and also the Thrash elements wasn't that great in my opinion. But still I highly recommend this album.

Satanic Art (1998)

A very fitting title to this 5 song EP that was their first release on Moonfog Productions. The EP was just released on May the 18th for the first time ever on an official vinyl on Peaceville Records. With a bonus track an alternate version of the song Symptom. It was released as a teaser EP for the then upcoming full lenght album and on 5 songs it did its job and made me want to hear their next album. 

On this EP Apollyon moved from guitar to drums and they replaced Alver on bass with the unknown Kai S. Halvorsen. They also recruited Svein Egil Hatlevik (Fleurety, Strid etc.) on keyboards and Galder (Old Man's Child, Dimmu Borgir) did his first and only appearance with the band on guitar. One thing I don't like are the loooong aliases the member adopted on just this EP like:
Mr. Always Safe And Sound
Mr. Dingy Sweet Talker Women Stalker
Mr. Dead Meat Smelly Feet
Mr. Fantastic Deceptionist
Mr. Nebulous Secrets
Mr. Anti Evolution Human Deviation.
Thank hell for copy and paste! This EP sounds completely different from their 2 previous releases. They got a more avantgarde and industrial Black Metal approach but I really liked it.

666 International (1999)

This was originally released on Moonfog this is another Peaceville reissue from 2012 limited to 666 copies on 2 white vinyls. I have said before that this is equally brilliant to their debut but if I had to pick a favorite I would choose Kronet Til Konge. But 666 International is another very unique album byt also WAY different from the debut. The production is flawless and it sounds timeless almost 20 years after its release.  On this record Aldrahn is main vocalist. They took away the silly aliases on this one. Almost... Guitarist Vicotnik call himself Fixit also keyboard player Svein Egil Hatlevik is Mr. Magic Logic. Apollyon returned to playing bass replacing Alver instead of playing drums.

Best choice was that they recruited on drums the one and only the man of many names, talents and bands Carl-Michael Eide (Aura Noir, Ved Buens Ende, Infernö, ex Satyricon, ex Ulver etc etc). Here he's known as Czral and the drums are programmed at sometimes but it doesn't matter they sound great and are very fitting to this masterpiece.

It's a cliche but I say it anyway every time I listen to 666 International I find new parts of the songs I haven't heard before. 49 min very well spent listening to this one. Some hate it some hate their image and about that they do look like retards on the pictures. But I only care about the music. I regard this one very high even in best Black Metal albums of all time it would have a place in my opinion.

Supervillain Outcast (2007)

Do I want Supervillain Outcast on vinyl? No! Well maybe for 5 euro... It’s a very average record. It's strange that in 8 years the band couldn't come out with something better. The lineup had changed completely and only guitarist Vicotnik remained. Kvohst was their new vocalist he does a good job but he ain't no Aldrahn... Someone I think is one of the best vocalists from the Norwegian scene (he does "additional vocals" on 2 songs). But the album as a whole well...

Only 3 good songs tracks, the other songs are below or average at best, weak sound, poor production, too many songs and drags it on way too long. I’m glad that I own the original Moonfog Productions CD because the Peaceville reissue is on 2 CD's and drags on for even longer with 7 bonus tracks. I have heard them and they aren't any better then the 15 songs on the original release.

A Umbra Omega (2015)

Their latest effort was an amazing record it’s how I imagined a followup to 666 International should’ve sounded like. Also amazingly Aldrahn had returned to the band in 2013. They also had a new lineup once again and only Vicotnik remained from the previous record. Actually I had given up on the band with their previous fiasco but a friend said it was great so I listened to it and ordered the double vinyl immediately.

Sadly Aldrahn quit the band just 1 year after this record was released. So on their summer tour in Europe 2016 Vicotnik had to sing and has remained their vocalist since that. I really which that the band would release more albums more frequently. It took them 8 years to make Supervillain Outcast and 8 years for A Umbra Omega to be released. With that tempo we won't get a new album until 2023... Hopefully it's not that far away, but I rather see them release a great record like this one then to haste out some sloppy mess. Of course it would be nice if Aldrahn would return once again but the future will tell.

That's my thoughts on Dødheimsgard definitely one of the better bands from Norway. I do not rank bands but if I did they would reach high in my list.