Saturday 27 October 2012

Jacula ‎– In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum (1969)


Country: Italy

Tracklist
1. Ritus 04:06
2. Magister Dixit 10:30
3. Triumphatus Sad. 03:34
4. Vereficium 02:21
5. Initiatio 06:48
6. In Cauda Semper 10:05

Jacula is an Italian progressive rock band founded in 1968 in Milan as an experiment by Antonio Bartoccetti (Antonius Rex) , Doris Norton (also known as Fiamma Dello Spirito), organist Charles Tiring and medium Franz Porthenzy.
Jacula's music was considered innovative for the time in progressive circles but considered dark and strange by most fans and analysts of the genre, especially in an era that included the development of groups such as Pink Floyd

Genesis and Gentle Giant, bands which were the basis of the new progressive rock scene.
Because the band was experimental, and had been labeled by founder Antonio Bartoccetti 

as a youth mistake, Jacula's discography is relatively small.
The group completed two albums: In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum which has a superposition of an organ, 

piano and other sound effects, and Tardo Pede In Magiam Versus which features Doris Norton's vocals, 
with a sound influenced by bands of the Italian underground scene such as Le Orme.
In Cauda Semper Stat Venenum was supposedly recorded in 1969 in London and released in extremely limited numbers (some of them were sent to different religious sects and occult communities!), 

however no original copies have surfaced in collectors circles.This record was released on cd as late as 2001. 
The atmosphere is sinister and haunting based on church organ parts and electric guitar 
with recited vocals, female humming and male chants in Italian and Latin.
After nearly four decades, Jacula released their third studio album Pre Viam in May, 2011.


Memory

Sunday 21 October 2012

Fire + Ice ‎– Gilded By The Sun (1992)


Country: England

Tracklist
1. The Horseman's Word 00:43
2. Long Lankin 04:51
3. Corpus Christi 03:57
4. Ljósálfar 05:26
5. Fire Above 03:03
6. Sir John Barleycorn 04:01
7. Blood On The Snow 05:15
8. Basilisk Abode 04:54
9. Gilded By The Sun 06:25
10. Long Lankin Threshing 04:18

Ian Read founded Fire + Ice in 1991. Gilded By The Sun is his debut CD, originally issued on Douglas P.'s NER label.
Read was already familiar to many for his work on Current 93's "Swastikas For Noddy" and Death In June's "Brown Book", later forming Sol Invictus with Tony Wakeford
The album is a mixing of some of Ian's songs with a selection of traditional folk songs. 
Most of them are acoustic based, with some exceptions. The music reflects Read's keen interests in magic lore, runes, tradition, renaissance medievalism, Nordic mysticism and other esoteric and occult mysteries.
His work as Fire + Ice have had a large amount of influence on neofolk music.
Some of those who have appeared on Fire + Ice albums are: Michael Cashmore, Michael Moynihan,
 Annabel Lee, Joseph Budenholzer, Douglas Pearce and Freya Aswynn.

Memory

Sunday 7 October 2012

Imperium ‎– Imperium (Demo 1996)


Country: Norway

Tracklist
1. Eternal Pain 04:33
2. Awaiting The Decay 04:23
3. Trollmannens Vrede 04:42
4. The Ravens... 04:16

Imperium existed between 1995 - 1997 and recorded two demo tapes.
The band got dissolved when two of its members moved away from Stavanger.
Their second selftitled demo was re-released in February 2004 on the Norwegian Lyderhorn Records 
as a limited piece of 12" EP in transparent packaging, with designs by Stephen O'Malley.
Their style is fast, raw and epic black metal with a sound not unlike early Emperor but with less use of synth.
Featuring Trym Torson (ex-Emperor, ex-Zyklon, ex-Enslaved etc.) on drums, Boreas (ex-Dismal Euphony) on bass-vocals, 
Shulak (ex-Dismal Euphony, ex-Gehenna) on guitars and Mysterion (ex-Theatre Of Tragedy) also on guitars.

Memory