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.

THE SOMBERLAIN 25th ANNIVERSARY

Tomorrow is a very important day for the Black/Death Metal scene. Because on one Friday the 3rd of December 1993 an album was released on the Swedish label No Fashion Records by a band called Dissection. That record was for me the life changing The Somberlain.

In the spring of 1994 I started buying a new and short lived Swedish magazine called Metal Zone. For a couple of issues Jon Nödtveidt (guitar/vocals) did a few of reviews, wrote in the "Extreme Zone" did interviews with Bathory and Emperor etc.

Got really impressed with his writing. Metal Zone also did a interview with Jon from Dissection. You could say I was a fan even before I had heard The Somberlain just based on all the great texts he wrote and what he said in that interview.

Should mention that the Dissection drummer Ole Öhman wrote a couple of interviews with Carcass and At The Gates. Did reviews etc.

Jon and Ole wasn't apart of Metal Zone for more then a few issues and they didn't have nice things to say about the magazine that had covers with shit bands like Bon Jovi and Clawfinger. 

The hardest music that made the cover of it was probably Metallica, Pantera and Megadeth. It also had a bunch of AOR music articles so it wasn't the perfect magazine.

But if it wasn't for Jon's writing and that interview I probably wouldn't have heard Dissection until a couple of years later. Actually when I heard the name for the first time I thought they were some Cannibal Corpse sounding band not anything wrong about that but clearly they didn't sound anything like that.

When I came over a copy of The Somberlain in the summer of 1994 it was spectacular. I do still  remember the first time listening to it in my bedroom and being completely floored by the music. It was a new formula for me yet it felt like something that summoned up every inch of extreme Metal music.

Know about the ancient debate were Dissection a Death Metal band or a Black Metal band. This is probably going to piss off some younger readers but when a 18-20 year old tells me that Dissection is a Black Metal band period, just shut the hell up about a band and scene that existed long before you were even born. I'm not out to offend someone but sometimes you just had to experienced those days.

I think on The Somberlain the band has a much more Death Metal feel to it then on the more blackened Storm Of The Light's Bane (1995). Remember in the very first Dissection interview I read that Jon said they play Death Metal. Is any of this important? Well no. But also yes because it's a topic I can discuss for a very long time preferable with someone in my age as me or older.

For me Dissection lead me into Black Metal that the album was dedicated to Øystein "Euronymous" Aarseth (1968-1993) from "the cursed Mayhem" and the ties that the band had with other Black Metal bands in Scandinavia. Soon thereafter I bought Emperor, Marduk, Immortal etc. albums.


Anyway lets move on. The feeling I got when I
first got the record it was like something very personal something that "no one else" knew about of course there were thousands of people just like me.

But the feeling of knowing about how amazing Dissection was it felt like everyone should know. Soon everyone did know but for awhile I felt like a very "selected" is the best word I can describe it as.

The material on The Somberlain was written as far back as 1989 to 1992. The already mentioned Jon and Ole were joined in Dissection by the longtime bassist Peter Palmdahl (1989-97) and the amazing rythm guitarist John Zwetsloot (1991-94).

Everyone should know the Dissection history, that they had originated from the small Swedish town Strömstad (approx 6 300 people) near the Norwegian border.

Before The Somberlain the band had released the demo also as a 7" Into Infinite Obscurity (1991) on the French label Corpse Grinder Records. Also the demos The Grief Prophecy (1991); The Somberlain 4-song demo from 1992 and also the Promo '93 with Where Dead Angels Lie and my favorite cover song of all time Dissection's version of Elisabeth Bathory originally written by Tormentor.

In March of 1993 between the 1st to the 6th of that month they recorded their debut album in the Hellspawn/Unisound Studio with Dan Swanö. More about the production further down. The studio had already made a mark in the Swedish Death and Black Metal scene with bands I don't should have too mention.

The opening song Black Horizons was the newest track on the album the music was written by Nödtveidt & Zwetsloot in Oct. 92 and the lyrics was written by Nödtveidt a month before that. With its 8 min 10 sec Black Horizons is the longest song on the entire album. It starts of with a backward played phrase. Isn't until 2 min into the song that the vocals starts. The song itself sounds probably the most Black Metal like on the album, it has an acoustic guitar playing in parts of the song. Also that classic King Diamond/Heavy Metal scream done by producer Dan Swanö. A perfect opener and one of the best songs on this masterpiece. 

The title track The Somberlain was my favorite song back when I first started listening to Dissection. With that amazing opening guitar playing sure that Nödtveidt was a great songwriter but his guitar skills aren't talked about as often. In my book he's the 2nd best guitar player just behind Euronymous. Anyway The Somberlain is the second longest song on the album 7 min, it was written by Nödtveidt alone the music in June 92 and the lyrics December 91. If Dissection is to be associated with one song it's likely many will think of The Somberlain it's there anthem song one could say. Actually this song doesn't appear on the 4-song The Somberlain demo from 1992.

The instrumental Crimson Towers is "just" an acoustic guitar played by Zwetsloot alone who also wrote it. Out of the three instrumental songs I think it is the weakest.

The only song that Nödtveidt co-wrote music with bassist Peter Palmdahl was on the song A Land Forlorn. The music was written in June 92 the lyrics dates back to December 90. The band often played it live in the 90's and on The Rebirth of Dissection tour in 2004 but was dropped after that.

On some gigs in the 90's Heaven's Damnation was used as the opening song and with its fast paced start it suits for that. Even if I personally preferred the At the Fathomless Depths/Night's Blood opening. Anyway the entire Heaven's Damnation song was written in April 92 the music is another Nödtveidt & Zwetsloot co-written one.  with a great acoustic guitar which adds much to the mood of the song.

Another one they used to open gigs with was Frozen both in the 90's and also in 2005. The song was entirely written by Nödtveidt himself in December 91. It also appears first on The Somberlain demo from 1992. Definitely a fan favorite also, one of mine as well the verse when Jon sings:
"Tears in my eyes turns into fire
as where I belong
The cold within, it chills my skin,
my heart and soul
In ecstasy I shred myself
to release what's held within
In solitude I'm having my pride
I, Transylvanian son"
is just pure magic. It gets me every time I hear it and sends chills down my spine because it's so fucking brilliant.

The second instrumental song Into Infinite Obscurity is much better then the first one. This one dates back to 1991 and is on the Into Infinite Obscurity 7" that I wrote about earlier.

In the Cold Winds Of Nowhere was another music collaboration by Nödtveidt & Zwetsloot written in Oct. 91. It also appeared on The Somberlain demo from 1992. This album doesn't have any flaws I would say but in my opinion it's the 2nd weakest song on the record. But don't get me wrong! The song is something few bands only could've imagined to write in their entire career.

Only music written by both drummer Ole Öhman and Nödtveidt is on The Grief Prophecy/Shadows Over A Lost Kingdom. The song Shadows Over A Lost Kingdom dates all the way back to November 1989 the same year that Dissection started. It also appeared on Into Infinite Obscurity 7" that version is of course completely different both are great but I do believe that I prefer the 7" version a bit more. At least today on the 3rd December of 2018 but it could change. I'm very glad they included it on the compilation The Past Is Alive (The Early Mischief) (1997) that Necropolis Records put out.

Like I wrote The Somberlain is a flawless album and I would not change anything. But the weakest song of the non-instrumental ones is in my opinion Mistress of the Bleeding Sorrow. It's of course still great also I think that the version from The Somberlain demo from 1992 sounds a little better. It's more raw and harsh of course then this version, yet again very glad it's on The Past Is Alive.

The instrumental by Zwetsloot Feathers Fell ends of this masterpiece and it's the best of the 3 instrumental songs he composed. I often used this one as an ending song on many my mix cassette tapes back in the day. If it had 41 seconds left on a side it was a great way to fit another song onto them. Actually yet again I do prefer demo version with vocals and drums it's 51 seconds and was also used to end cassette tapes with. But both versions are genius so you can't go wrong with either of them.

And that's all the songs on The Somberlain like most debut records it's a lot of "old" demo songs re-recorded. The Past Is Alive does include many but not all of them, but there's been reissued versions of the album and deluxe ones that fixes that if one wants all those songs. But this post is about the 1993 version of The Somberlain the one I grew up listening to.

The production by Dan Swanö was truly amazing. The Somberlain set a new standard for MANY other bands in the scene. Also got to mention the classic amazing cover artwork done by the legendary Kristian "Necrolord" Wåhlin.

Got to do a comparison with the follow-up album Storm Of The Light's Bane that was released almost two years later on Nuclear Blast. I often say it's my favorite Dissection album and my 2nd favorite album of all time. Only beaten by De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas by Mayhem.

Well how much better is really Storm Of The Light's Bane? Extremely little in my opinion when I listen to The Somberlain all memories comes back and I almost change my mind which is the better one.

Many bands even old ones adopted the Dissection style of melodic Death Metal and a ton of newer ones like Naglfar, Vinterland, Gates Of Ishtar etc. It almost got ridiculous with how many Swedish melodic Death Metal with hints of Black Metal popped up.

The style however isn't what I really enjoy except for the records by Dissection, Unanimated and Dawn there's very few melodic Death Metal bands that I like. When done properly it's amazing but take a band like Vinterland their only record is nowadays are praised as something genius. Back then me and my friends used to hate and laugh at all "Dissection clone" bands. I still do that!

When Jon and Vlad was arrested in December of 1997 for murder I was devastated for my own selfish reasons because it meant no more Dissection. At least it felt like that Jon would be doing 16 years in prison or something like that. Being 17 years old at the time and being a huge fan I was truly gutted.

We saw the Live Legacy release in 2003 recorded at Wacken Open Air of 1997 after the murder of Josef. The recording had already circled in the scene and it was released as a bootleg called Frozen In Wacken (1999).

What about Reinkaos (2006)? No thanks... I think it was great that Jon did the Rebirth of Dissection got a new lineup for the band together and did tours. However the songs on Reinkaos sucks... The sound, production, songwriting, arrangements are all terrible.

Sure I think that Maha Kali is a great song even if it sounded quite dated like something from 1996-97 by another band. Other then that its just boring sounding songs on that album. I've tried MANY times and it never gets any better. Actually don't even own a copy of it for myself anymore.

The Somberlain will always be remembered for years to come even at its 50th anniversary it will be regarded as one of the best albums of its time.

Anyway thanks if you read the whole text for a life changing record in this 38 year old man life. 

MARDUK - DARK ENDLESS (1992)

On a vinyl reissue from 2012 limited to 1500 copies released on Century Media/Blooddawn Productions. Originally released on No Fashion Records in December of 1992. Really like this reissue with a booklet of old pictures, logos and the lyrics. Not like my old CD copy from No Fashion Records that's very sparse on content in the booklet to say the least...

As you know this was the debut album by the mighty Marduk. The band started playing in 1990 and recorded their only demo the 5-song Fuck Me Jesus in June 1991 in Gorysound Studios aka. Unisound with Dan Swanö.

The lineup in the Marduk was basically the same on Dark Endless as on their demo but with a second guitar player added Devo Andersson (guitar 1992-94 and bass 2004-present). The founder of the band Morgan Håkansson (guitar) is the only remaining member of the band in its present form.

Joakim "Grave" Göthberg aka. Joakim Af Gravf played drums 1990-93 he later was their vocalist 1993-95. Vocalist on Dark Endless and Fuck Me Jesus was done by Andreas Axelsson (1990-93), at the time he was also guitarist in Edge Of Sanity and on bass they had Richard Kalm (1990-1992).

Before Dark Endless the same lineup had recorded a 3-song EP called Here's No Peace in December of 1991 at Hellspawn Studios (aka. Unisound) with Dan Swanö. I heard several reasons to why it wasn't released as a 7" vinyl at the time it didn't get a release until 1997 when Shadow Records put it out on a MCD.

During 4 days in June of 1992 Marduk for the third time went into the Hellspawn Studios to record the Dark Endless album with Dan Swanö. A total 8 songs was recorded and their first full length album clocks in at 30 minutes.

3 of the songs appears on the "Fuck Me Jesus" demo Within The Abyss; Departure From The Mortals and The Black.... The song Within The Abyss also appears on the Here's No Peace EP as does Still Fucking Dead (Here's No Peace). New for the album was 4 songs The Sun Turns Black as Night; The Funeral Seemed to Be Endless; Dark Endless and Holy Inquisition.

Dark Endless was the 4th release of Marduk that I bought after discovering the band in 1994. It was not easy to find a copy of it, but it was actually in my hometown I eventually found it at that record store who sold used CD, LP VHS etc..

The fact that I had heard Opus Nocturne (1994); Those Of The Unlight (1993) and the Fuck Me Jesus demo that Osmose Productions released on a MCD in 1994. Also other Black Metal bands too many to mention. So it made my first experience with Dark Endless was a bit underwhelming.

But DON'T get me wrong its a excellent debut album!! I just thought the production and sound on the album wasn't as raw and harsh like the one on Fuck Me Jesus had. I still to this day prefer the 3 songs on the demo of Within The Abyss; Departure From The Mortals and The Black.... over the Dark Endless versions.

Also the the version of Still Fucking Dead and the second version of Within The Abyss from the Here's No Peace EP is better then the Dark Endless ones. It might sound like I'm very critic of the debut album but like I wrote it's an excellent album. Its great throughout and not a bad moment on it.

The only minor gripe I got with it is the cover artwork. It's not terrible and it got a certain charm to it but looks like a Death Metal record. And doesn't look anything like the early Norwegian Black Metal releases like Burzum; A Blaze in the Northern Sky or Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism.

If I had discovered Black Metal and Marduk in 1992/93 and Dark Endless had been one of the first albums I bought in the scene I would have been absolutely blown away by its excellency. But then again I do think it's a excellent record now and that's what is most important not what the 15-16 year old me thought something like 23 years ago.

And as always Praise Hail Marduk!!

Dawn - Nær Sólen Gar Niþer For Evogher (1994) and Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy) (1998)

Two classic albums and the only full length albums by the amazing Swedish band Dawn. Their debut Nær Sólen Gar Niþer For Evogher from 1994 on a orange vinyl reissue from last year limited to 100 copies and the one on top Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy) from 1998 on a red vinyl reissue from last year limited to 100 copies. Both released on Century Media but were originally released on CD by Necropolis Records there was a promo ad (see picture further down) I scanned from an old magazine I own for Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy) to be released on LP in 500 copies with a poster but that never happened.

Dawn started in 1990 and recorded 3 demos before being signed. Vocalist Henke Forss and guitarist Fredrik Söderberg are probably the most notable members in the scene. Henke Forss was also in another rather known band that also was signed to Necropolis Records called Niden Div. 187 he was also a session vocalist on the only In Flames release that I can stand listening to Subterranean (1995). Both Henke and Fredrik has also been involved with a bunch of other bands. 

The debut Nær Sólen Gar Niþer For Evogher was recorded with Dan Swanö in the legendary Unisound Studio aka. Hellspawn Studios located in Finspång, Sweden.

All music was composed by Fredrik except As the Tears Fall and Everflaming that was written together with Henke and guitarist Andreas Fullmestad. 

Actually Shamaatae from the outstanding band Arckanum translated 2 of the lyrics Ginom Renande Lughier and Svarter Skiner Sólen into ancient Swedish the album title Nær Sólen Gar Niþer For Evogher is also in this language.

An amazing debut that in the mid 90’s actually didn't caught my ears. It wasn’t until a few years later I got into Dawn, despite they had so many things going for them that I appreciate like being a Swedish band, a Dan Swanö recorded album and a Necropolis Records release.

Remember listening to Nær Sólen Gar Niþer For Evogher at my local record store. I didn’t buy it then although I enjoyed their aggressive melodic Death Metal. But it was a genre where it was really hard to stand out especially in Sweden during those years. So I passed on it and none of my friends were into them.

The 15 year old me was of course totally wrong at the time I cannot believe that I didn’t buy the CD right then and there now. But being 15 years at the time and with many other amazing albums being released that year. Or the fact there was other older albums that I didn’t own so one had to prioritize on which albums to get.

During those years 1994-1999 Necropolis released so many classic albums. Many Swedish bands like Nifelheim, Dissection, Ophthalamia, Arckanum, The Black, War, Triumphator and of course Dawn just to name a few of my favorites that was released by them and I probably forgotten someone.

Between the two albums Dawn had released a 4-song EP called Sorgh på Svarte Vingar Fløgh in 1996 on CD they had really progressed more on that one.

My absolute favorite Dawn release however is their second album Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy) from 1998 that one I bought the year it was released without hesitation. One can definitely hear a progression to the more aggressive and extreme.

I know it sometimes can sound like I'm dissing Peter Tägtgren but I think he has recorded so many timeless classic albums. This is one example when I do prefer a The Abyss Studio recording and production over a Dan Swanö one. Those occasions are rare but they do happen.

On the album Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy) they definitely got to another level and had grown very much as songwriters since the debut. The band performances and also Henke Forss is outstanding. I wouldn’t describe Dawn as a Black Metal band but the influence is there on this album but still a melodic Death Metal feel to it.

A chronicle at Hatpastorns Likpredikan blog you can read here I highly recommend for everyone. It's in Swedish but with Google Translate you should get at least the core of the subject. It's basically about how many bands that in the 90's considered to be melodic Death Metal nowadays is seen as Black Metal. I'm guilty of it as well because at core a band like Dawn or Naglfar, Sacramentum, Unanimated etc. wasn't Black Metal in my book back in the day or now. I'm getting off-topic and sidetracked but read the text it's one of the best ones I've read in a very long time.

In my opinion both albums and the EP are essential to own. But if I could only have one my pick would be Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy) for sure.

I really think that Dawn should have had a much more successful story then they got. Had they been on a bigger label like Nuclear Blast; Century Media or even Osmose Productions my believe is that they would have gotten that.

Dawn haven't released any new material since 1998 but they are still considered active. Only Henke and Fredrik remains in the lineup but with the drummer Tomas Asklund (Gorgoroth, ex. Dissection, Dark Funeral etc.) an album called The Fourfold Furnace was announced in 2003 but was never released. Then in 2008 they once again said that it would be released clearly that never happened.

There’s talk about a new album being in the works according to the Dawn official Facebook page. Let us hope so 20 years since Slaughtersun (Crown of the Triarchy) now so it’s about time!

Promo ad by Necropolis Records from 1998 that I scanned from a magazine I own. Where they mention a LP release with a poster limited to 500 copies that never got released.

ALLEGIANCE X 3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Praise hail Allegiance!