CD

Digipack

Re-release including bonus tracks “Les Sévices de la Peste’’ et ‘‘Corpus et Anima’’.

When SETH released their legendary debut “Les Blessures de l’Âme” in 1998 it was greeted with enthusiasm by reviewers and fans alike. The French combined harsh but melodic Black Metal with a well thought out concept on vampirism. The fiendish shrieks and rasps of vocalist Vicomte Vampyr Arkames combined with the fierce and cold buzzing of the crushing guitars delivered the ideal sound for their artistic expression. Brutal, dark and surprisingly catchy “Les Blessures de l’Âme” creates gothic atmospheres supported by intelligent keyboard textures. The album quickly gained the status of a cult classic that is hard to find as it is long sold out.

A festering entity (de)composed of dwellers from the Viennese underworld.
Let their ri -laden, rotten death metal lead you on a pilgrimage into the furthest corridors of morbidity.

Metalstorm‘s Review (metalstorm.net) about Prigrims of Morbidity:
´This release is irresistibly repugnant; it is dripping all sorts of revolting liquids, and you can bet your ass that they all smell disgustingly awful.
If you ever feel like lurking in a suffocating, dark, and bat-filled cave, or if you get an urge to open up a coffin at your local cemetery and desecrate its content, Pilgrims of Morbidity should be on your headphones.
The band has a knack for groove, and the fact that Brenton Weir from MOLTEN CHAINS is behind FESSUS explains a lot.
The cavernous riffs are paired with sickening growls and some blazing drumming, and this demo is pure delight for fans of old-school, rotten death metal, who get satisfaction when the riffs make them pick up their jaw from the floor´.

Digipack

To understand the defining traits of Greek Black Metal, one need only to listen to “The Tressrising of Nyarthotep” by the mighty Varathron. This track, first appearing on the “genesis of Apocryphal Desire” demo, possesses all of the victorious grandeur and tragic melancholia that are the essence of the early 1990’s Greek Black Metal sound. Along with contemporary releases by Rotting Christ and Necromantia, Varathron’s demo material firmly established a style that is thoroughly Grecian in character. Thick with a damp and heavy Hellenistic darkness, Varathron explored a sound that was infused with the epic and the ancient. As with so much of the most evocative and potent Black Metal, the ancient currents are revealed through the expression of the modern. Varathron’s music is as mystical as it is visceral. The recordings on this compilation comprise the earliest seeds of what would become one of the greatest bands in the history of the genre. This collection contains all of Varathron’s work leading the band toward the creation of their monumental debut LP, “His Majesty at the Swamp.” The two demos, “Procreation of the Unaltered Evil” and “Genesis of Apocryphal Desire” reveal the steps that Varathron took that would later come to fruition on their first album. This collection also contains the more refined tracks that were utilized on their first vinyl releases – the “One Step Beyond Dreams“ EP and “The Everlasting Sins” tracks from the split LP with Necromantia – and three additional bonus tracks recorded during the early years. As with the forthcoming Rotting Christ demo collection that NWN! will soon release, the songs on this compilation of Varathron’s early recordings reveal the painstaking emergence of a band’s identity. Absorbed in the context of early works by Varathron’s Greek contemporaries, one also witnesses the development of a sound uniquely specific to a geographic region, so specific, in fact, that it is impossible to imagine such a multidimensional approach to Black Metal originating anywhere else. Both the Regular and Die Hard editions of this release will feature gatefold jackets with artwork by Manuel Tinnemans and layout by Tilmann Benninghaus as well as a 48 page zine booklet. The Die Hard edition will also come with a separate LP (with jacket) featuring the “Live at the Swamp” demo material. Originally released on tape in 2004, “Live at the Swamp” features a live recording and rehearsal recording from 1991. These recordings have been remastered and cleaned up by James Plotkin and the sound quality on this LP, although still quite raw, is markedly better than the original tape version.

‘Rotten mindcrushing death metal from the underground, most important and influential bands. A brutal compilation that sickens your soul’. That was the original promotional line for this compilation album in 1991. It’s still valid to this very day. ALL bands are up till now active, recording new albums and performing worldwide. And all with their own serious fanbase. This cd re-release features Unleashed, Asphyx, Tiamat, Morgoth, Grave & Loudblast. All with rare or special tracks from 1990 – 1991, 15 in total. The 12 page booklet contains interviews with all bands, done by Pim Blankenstein (Sinister, Bodyfarm, Infernal Majesty). Complete booklet and original artwork remake by ACW (Tiamat, Ceremonial Oath). 

 Includes a 16-page booklet with credits, photos & lyrics.

HYL is a new Italian – Polish band started by Rick Costantino involved in Schizo and Krigere Wolf. He invited Shadow from Black Altar/Ofermod (live) as a vocalist and drummer Krzysztof Klingbein known as a live musician of Belphegor or Vader.

The music of the band can be described as atmospheric black metal, which should appeal to fans of Vemod or Mgła

Dystopia proudly presents their fourth full length album titled: «De Verboden Diepte I: Veldslag op de Rand van de Wereld». An album that takes you on a journey of Black Metal fury mixed with beautiful post-like atmospheric influences and combined with less obvious instruments like the trumpets.

“De Verboden Diepte I” offers a wide variation on sound and goes from fast black metal blasting to mellow atmospheric passages back to devastating headbang moments in an even somewhat pagan style here and there (like Enslaved). The guitars are strong and clear throughout the album giving them moments of beautiful melodies as well as some old school chord riffing. The drums are also a piece of variation from the standard blasting to more extended playful drum parts where the bass is being added like a pounding machine filling up the gaps with some nice bass solos and it gives the drums that extra touch on the low end. The most remarkable instrument on this album must be the trumpet who delivers some very nice background melodies and atmosphere which lifts the album to a whole other level, combined with the wide range of the vocals who variate between different screams and even clean vocals makes the song structures unbelievable majestic!

Dystopia has delivered an album that is simply beautiful, yet aggressive, powerful, yet calming. A masterpiece within its very own genre! A must have to every fan of Old School Black Metal, Atmospheric Black Metal and even Post or Pagan Black Metal.

Recommended if you like: Darkthrone, Emperor, Enslaved, Fluisteraars, Summoning, Wolves in the Throne Room, Elffor, Obliteration, Grey Aura, Terzij de Horde, Dodecahedron, 
 

Gurthang is back and ready to unleash their 8th studio album entitled: “Martyrium”. Like the 2 previous albums “Hearts of the Hollow and Ascension”, they keep moving forth in the same direction where they mix Black Metal with Doom Metal and a lot of ambient background effects making their sound original and outstanding from any other band.

Martyrium however, gives more depth on the guitar parts and delivers some excellent leads that have strong chords, melodies and even a couple of solos. The rhythm guitar brings the same filthy vile sound like we’re used to, where the bass is once again very powerful, harsh, yet, even got a few moments to shine on its own on this record. The drums are well-executed and elevate each song to a higher level by its ferocious diversity it lays down throughout the record and the vocals deliver the same haunted screams which kind of marks the sound of the band.

With their 8th album, Gurthang shows us that they’re far from done and still have a lot of cards up their sleeve. A solid album for those who love a good portion of Black / Doom Metal. 

Recommended if you like: Behemoth, Hate, Azarath, Blaze Of Perdition, Ascension, Vader, Infernal War, etc..