Thursday 31 March 2016

Helga Pogatschar – Mars Requiem (1995)

 

Country: Germany

Tracklist
1. Mars 03:29
2. Introitus 05:34
3. Kyrie 05:59
4. Graduale 05:42
5. Tractus 06:12
6. Sequentia 06:14
7. Offertorium 08:05
8. Sanctus 07:43
9. Agnus Dei 07:05
10. Communio 06:30
11. Qohelet 03:01

Helga Pogatschar (born in 1966) is a German composer.
Her work covers a wide range of styles, from songs for piano and voice, radio plays, 

music for dance performances and theater projects combining contemporary music with electronics, 
video/computer graphic installations, music for children, commercial jingles and music that stands outside every genre.
She studied classical piano at the Munich Music University from 1986 till 1991.
Her education was followed by composition studies in classical and film/TV field.
She also spent two years as a guest student at the Studio for Electronic/Acoustic Music in Göteborg, Sweden.
While still a student, she saw the premiere of some of her works, like the music for the video-installation  

Lost In Space in 1992, a piece for two singers and electronics, 
where she worked with Ernst Horn, musician and composer of electro/darkwave band Deine Lakaien.
Afterwards she was a lecturer at the colleges of music in Munich and Hamburg.
She was awarded the project scholarship for contemporary music and media and the music award of the city of Munich.
In 1995 she released her first album, "Mars Requiem".
This album was constructed as a classical requiem with liturgical Latin texts, sung by five vocalists, 

and it mainly was generated on samplers using sometimes strange and threatening sounds.
This work gained her some attention in the music press and oddly enough proved to reach people of various genres, 

as Helga Pogatschar got well-known in the gothic circle and even was mentioned on play lists of death/black metal fanzines.
In parallel her works "Mars Requiem", "Titus Trash Tatar“ and "Inanna“ were published on CD by Chrom Records.

Sunday 20 March 2016

Opertum – Forbidden Anthems (1999)


Country: Greece

Tracklist
 1. Lamentations In Crystal Temples... 03:41
2. Forbidden Anthems 07:40
3. Mesmerised By Nocturnal Breeze 06:32
4. Chorus Of Undying Desires 09:25
5. ...For The Forsaking Of Celestial Realm 03:00

Opertum was an atmospheric death metal band from Greece.
Created in 1997 by Michael K. (drums/vocals), Tilemachos B. (guitars),  
George M. (bass/backing vocals) and Nick Z. (keyboards). 
In 1998 they released their 1st promo-demo tape "Beyond The Shades Of Mystery
that recorded, mixed and produced at "Ν studios".
In 1999 while the band was in the middle of the composition of their 1st CD "Forbidden Anthems"  
George M. replaced by bassist Lord Satha of Dark Embrace.
Also at that time guitarist Kyriakos S. joined the band adding more melody and finesse.  
Thomas B. (ex-Evade, ex-Exhumation) and Vasiliki A. were the new season vocalists, 
resulting to the completion of the ¨Forbidden Anthems" album 
that recorded mixed and produced in "Underground Sound studio" by Sotiris N. (ex-Sarissa, ex-Anxiety) and Opertum.
For this CD there were participations of guest musicians such as Lina (keyboards, ex-Rotting Flesh),  
Athameron (vocals, Culto Apokrypho, Dark Embrace) and Mimis T. (violin). 
Unfortunately this album didn't released. 
After this Opertum changed for one more time their composition and their style of music 
adding more atmosphere and theatrical elements.
Their last album, called "Red", was completed with Michael K. (drums), Tilemachos B. (guitars/vocals),  
Aris D. (bass) Nick Z. (keyboards) and Vasiliki A. (vocals). 
"Red" recorded, mixed and produced by Fotis D. and Opertum in 2002 at "Studio Mix". 
Just after this album the band stopped its activity 
because of the different directions that members followed exploring other styles of music and ideas.

Sunday 13 March 2016

Each Dawn I Die ‎– Notes From A Holy War (1995)


Country: Sweden

Tracklist
1. Talisman 09:24
2. Brethren Of A Dark Priesthood 12:58
3. Notes From A Holy War 05:09
4. Non Compos Mentis 10:00
5. Trader Of Life 21:34

Each Dawn I Die were Peter Nyström (Megaptera, Negru Voda and other projects) and Mårten Kellerman (Statemachine).
They released one album, "Notes From A Holy War" through the German label Dark Vinyl in 1993.
The album is taking inspiration from the witch trials of the 14th century and from the book "Talisman Of Death".
Dark orchestral pieces mixed with mid paced keyboard acoustic tunes with deep clean male vocals, 
movie samples and heavy bass kicks are the main ingredients that constitute the music of Each Dawn I Die.
A second more orchestral and medieval album entitled "Frozen Smiles On Faces Forgotten
was supposed to be released, also through Dark Vinyl
with Magnus Sundström (The Protagonist, Des Esseintes, Third Eye) replacing Peter Nyström but this never happened.
The original release packaging of  "Notes From A Holy War" incorrectly has the first two songs switched.