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.

DEATHSPELL OMEGA TIMES TWO

Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeternum (2007) first print vinyl on Norma Evangelium Diaboli that comes with a poster (approx 60 cm x 60 cm) plus a 20-page booklet.

Paracletus (2010) a reissue vinyl release on Norma Evangelium Diaboli from 2017 it comes with an amazing 16-paged booklet. The design of this release is so beautiful just like Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice (2004) they really put effort into this one. Wished that it came with a poster the 1st print doesn't come with one either and this release is designed completely the same as that one.

After this French (later also Finnish) band released one of the best albums of this century the masterpiece Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice). One could say that Deathspell Omega had a monumental task to try and follow up such an amazing and brilliant record.

Did they do that with these albums? Boring answer but both yes and no. They did great but I still think that their Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice is the bands finest work. By far I would even say.

I know journalists and people say that record changed the Black Metal scene I don't necessarily agree completely with that. Sure it made a big impact but I could say the same about Funeral Mist with what I consider to be a better album Salvation (2003). I'll save that whole topic for another post...

These are the 2nd and 3rd concept albums in their trilogy about Satan, God and Man. In between the two there was a ton of EP’s, compilations and split releases. All of varied quality in my opinion some great, some not so good.

Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeternum is for me the weakest if I was to compare all 3 of those albums. The format is somewhat different from the Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice album, it's only on one vinyl instead of two. It's way shorter only 46 min 16 sec compared to 77 min the just mentioned album was and have 6 songs instead of 13 songs. There's 3 songs that are approx 9-11 min long.

The formula for the Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeternum album is still a continuation of what they started on the previous album in the trilogy. It's certainly the hardest one of those albums to fully understand, it took many listens before I realized how good it really is. It's not an easy listening album that's for sure.

The Paracletus album was released 3 years after the Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeternum album. It’s about 35 min shorter then Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice have 10 songs and the longest one being just 7 min. The average song is shorter.

With the Paracletus release I think they did a more "comprehensible" (for lack of a better word) album then they did on the Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeternum album. It's a lot more approachable and is in my opinion the better of the two. Not saying that it's an easy listening commercial Black Metal album because it does challenge you.

To describe Deathspell Omega music is very hard or any music for that matter. But with their music it’s better you experience it for yourself. I don’t listen to these 2 albums very often like I do with Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice. But when I'm in the right mood and the surroundings are right they’re fucking amazing.

However I would place their second full length the criminally underrated Inquisitors Of Satan (2002) album that was released before Mikko Aspa joined the band and also the Drought (2012) EP over these two.

If I was to recommend Deathspell Omega to any newcomer. Start with Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice and give it time, you probably won’t understand the complete essence of its greatness until at least a couple of listenings. The surroundings also plays into it.

Not to get too philosophical and shit but you probably won’t get it on a beach in the Mediterranean during a holiday with a Piña Colada (or my favorite Screwdriver) at your side. Some might though who am I to judge or know?

Anyway two albums that definitely have a place in Black Metal history. I think that everyone into this genre should at least have an opinion about them.

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.

FUNERAL MIST - TRISAGION (2013) vinyl boxset

The Evil, The Dark and The Grim. This is a post for the best vinyl boxset ever released in my opinion, all 3 Funeral Mist releases collected in one box Trisagion was released on Norma Evangelium Diaboli in 2013.

Even if I of course already own Devilry, Salvation and Maranatha on a bunch of vinyls and CD's this box was a must have in my collection. Because Funeral Mist are one band I actively collect everything of.

I never gonna play these records, they are as mint as mint could be. The A1 poster hangs proudly on my wall. The favorite Funeral Mist t-shirt in my collection of the 7 that I own have the same design as the poster. There's also a woven patch inside the box. Plus a lyrics booklet 28-pages with some of the best lyrics in the Black Metal scene, also some great looking designs.

If you don't own any of the Funeral Mist vinyls already I can't recommend this box enough. Maranatha (2009) and Salvation (2003) are the best records of this century and Arioch has done the best vocal performance on those records since what Attila Csihar did on De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (1994) with Mayhem. I'm not putting down what Dead did for Mayhem and the Black Metal scene he was truly one of a great kind.

Anyway if Arioch decides to never release any new Funeral Mist material I still can listen too these records over and over, again and again.

Forever and ever. Forever and ever. Forever and ever. Forever and ever. Forever and ever. Forever and ever. Until eternity ends...