Sunday 23 October 2016

Grabesmond – In Schwindendem Licht (Demo 1995)


Country: Austria

Tracklist
1. In Schwindendem Licht 20:29

Grabesmond was formed in 1995 by Protector (Summoning, Ice Ages) and Peter Kubik (Abigor).
They released a limited demo to 30 copies entitled "In Schwindendem Licht". 
The reason why they formed Grabesmond was because they wanted to experiment how to create emotions, 
and dark atmospheres besides the scene they were mainly involved in. 
But because of lack of dedication they split up after a few months.
In 1996, when Lucia-Mariam Fåroutan (Peter's wife) came to Austria, Peter told her about Grabesmond 
and she heard the demo, and because Lucia was very interested in starting a band, 
she decided to resurrect Grabesmond and to enter different musical paths.
In spring 1997 an advance tape with a few songs were recorded and sent to Draenor Productions, and a few weeks later 
Grabesmond signed there, and recorded the debut CD "Mordenheim" in October 1997 at Tonstudio Hoernix
"Mordenheim" offered a kind of unique, yet strange and non-typical material that can be described as mystical, medieval, avantgardistic and classically influenced, because of it's various spectrum of art that unfolds.
After a break of about one year the recordings for a new album began in early 1999. 
"Xenoglossie" was recorded in 9 days at Tonstudio Hornix and showed a more 'modern' direction of Grabesmond's music. 
The 15 songs of "Xenoglossie" unleashed soundscapes of beautiful dreamworlds, classical compositions, 
to machinelike visions with pounding percussion, distorted effects and female vocals.

Tuesday 11 October 2016

Malignant Eternal – Far Beneath The Sun (1997)


Country: Norway

Tracklist
1. The Reaper 04:20
2. Far Beneath The Sun 06:35
3. My Empire 08:28
4. Prelude To Inferno? 04:32
5. A Stonecold Heart 02:48
6. Daemon Song 07:22
7. Carpathian Stardust 03:47
8. Glory 05:28

The band started back in 1991 under the name Apoplexy by Torgrim Øyre (vocals/guitar) and Brynjulv Guddal (drums). 
Later Kenneth Korsvold joined on bass and they recorded the demo ”In The Realm Of Flames” in 1993.
 In 1995 the band changed their name to Malignant Eternal 
and recorded a promo that followed up by their debut album ”Tårnet”.
In 1997 "Far Beneath The Sun" was released through Napalm Records 
and the next year the MCD "20th Century Beast" was created that was more a collection of tracks 
that the band couldn’t record for a normal full length and featured a re-recording of a ”Tårnet” track, a new one, 
a cover of Iron Maiden’sThe Number Of The Beast” and a remastered version of ”Glory” from ”Far Beneath The Sun".
In 1999 they released their last album "Alarm" that incorporated a lot of electronic-industrial elements.
After "Alarm" the band shortened their name to M-Eternal and did some touring around 2001, 
but have not shown any sign of activity since.

Saturday 1 October 2016

Con Anima – The Book Of Riddles (1999)


Country: Norway

Tracklist
1. Interludio I 01:29
2. Mindman 05:25
3. Interludio II 01:09
4. Eating Eyes 04:16
5. Interludio III 00:28
6. The Angel Of Melancholy 06:47
7. Interludio IV 00:44
8. Empyrean 03:38
9. The House On The Hill 06:31
10. Interludio V 02:13
11. The Riddle 05:01
12. Interludio VI 00:33
13. The Book Of Eibon 05:30

Con Anima was the brainchild of Stian "Culto" Johansen, once very briefly vocalist for Mayhem 
and also vocalist for Perdition Hearse and Shadow Dancers among others.
Johansen was one of the original founders of the infamous "Helvete" record shop in Oslo 
and previously the editor of the fanzine Sepulchral Noise
The band was formed in 1997 playing a mixture of gothic/heavy/doom metal 
and released a demo entitled "The Angel Of Melancholy" in 1998.
The same year they participated in the compilation "Saerpe Metal Union
that featured bands from the Sarpsborg area (together with Infernal, Soul Transition and Sunshine's Gone), 
and released their full length album "The Book Of Riddles" in 1999 through Scarlet Records.