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Having grown out of the Norwegian Death Metal band MORTEM, ARCTURUS emerged under the irresistible influence of Oslo's creatively bursting and fast rising underground black metal scene officially with the two-track 7" "My Angel" (1991). With then-guitarist and formidable keyboard player Sverd and MAYHEM drum-beast Hellhammer at its core, vocals were first contributed by Marius Vold, who also sang on the legendary THORNS demo "The Thule Tape". While still very much influenced by death metal, the addition of doom-laden slowness and eerie keyboards already pointed into a far blacker cosmos. On the four tracks of the original 1994 "Constellation" EP, ULVER's Garm had taken over the vocal duties and Samoth from EMPEROR had joined the band on guitar. Yet, ARCTURUS already went off the (in reality quite wide-ranged) black metal norms mainly due to Sverd's keyboard arrangements that were pre-shadowing the trademark theatrical or circus-like style the Norwegians adopted on their following albums.
 

400x black vinyl

For the first time, these 5 tapes (Ash Nazg …, lux devicta est, promo tape 2/94, Moonrise and In Hate & Sin)  are compiled as a stand-alone 2LP / 2CD album, accompanied by extensive photo material and an in-depth interview, covering the period from the formative 1980s, over the conditions leading to the establishment of the band, up to the days when a deal for their debut Verwüstung/Invoke The Dark Age was signed.

The direct and unveiled nature of these recordings invites the listener to travel back in time, step into ABIGOR´s rehearsal cellar and experience the raw, youthful energy which shows a different side of the band than the successive recordings at Hörnix Studio.

The pressing and print quality make this double-album the ultimate memorial to the reckless bygone days not only of ABIGOR but also of Black Metal as a whole.
On 48 A5 pages respectively, the circumstances around each demo are treated individually.

After more than 30 years, the hands-on experiments of those simple, analogue times still work their magic!

ABIGOR’s 1994 full length debut captured the sudden discharge of the scene´s massive energy, which had built up in the early ’90s. As a result, Verwüstung turned out a bold, forceful but also deeply emotional album, created by adolescents who already had a sharp and individual idea how Black Metal should sound like. Although Verwüstung has in retrospect sometimes been overshadowed by the impact of Nachthymnen (From The Twilight Kingdom), its songwriting easily matches the 1995 classic and shows even more variety. No other ABIGOR album displays such a mix of demonic furore (“Kingdom Of Darkness”), complexity (“Universe Of Black Divine”) and atmosphere (“Midwintertears”), in addition Silenius delivered a vigorous peak performance and never sounded more powerful before or after.

For the first time, DSR presents a vinyl edition with the original 1994 cover collage. Verwüstung comes in a gatefold sleeve with an extensive 40 page booklet, including a comprehensive collection of photos and artefacts from that year, an A4 sticker sheet with the two blasphemous slogan-flyers made in early 1994, as well as liner notes and two detailed interviews:
one with Bruder Cle, talking about the tape-trading scene which shaped the emergence of Black Metal as well as this very album, and one with Georg Hrauda (Hörnix Studio), who recorded all the classic ABIGOR albums in the ’90s.

The vinyl sound – also for the first time – has been cut true to the original Hörnix master, while the download code leads to a new master, especially created for today´s mobile digital devices.

Essenziale ristampa di questo capolavoro rilasciato da Avantgarde Music nel 1996

Third LP pressing on transparent ice vinyl limited to 333 copies with 12-page 12“ booklet, A2 poster

This compilation includes the only self-titled demo of the band from ’91 when they still played dark death metal, the infamous self titled EP from ’91 and 2 rehearsal-songs from ’92. All carefully remastered for this DSR reissue by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony.

Reissue in lilac red splatter vinyl lim. to 300 numbered copies+ bonus track & poster

"2020 repress on Cosmic Key Creations. Comes with a 12 page booklet with reimagined original layout. Refreshed original audio master and packed in a solid super jewel box for extra durability. Limited to 500 copies."

The 2023 vinyl edition is released as a silver LP and is limited to 500 copies.

Clear and gold mixed 12" vinyl (33 rpm) in deluxe jacket with gloss laminate with double sided insert.
Limited to 500 copies worldwide!

With 'White Noise and Black Metal', Sweden's CRAFT return to strength after a long hiatus.
The forthcoming album combines the vitriolic virtues of 'Terror Propaganda' (2002) with an updated songwriting that is as mature and intelligent as it is razor-sharp. The fast and furious of extreme metal contrasts with dark and depressive passages with added undertones of black 'n' roll. Now CRAFT are ready to take a giant step in their career with the extremely strong 'White Noise and Black Metal'. This is misanthropic Swedish black metal honed to perfection.

For fans of early-DARKTHRONE, ARMAGEDDA, PEST, URGEHAL, TSJUDER.