Monumentum ‎– In Absentia Christi (1995)

Country: Italy

Tracklist

1. Battesimo: Nero Opaco 02:38
2. A Thousand Breathing Crosses 02:06
3. Consuming Jerusalem 04:51
4. Fade To Grey 05:06
5. On Perspective Of Spiritual Catharsis 07:40
6. ΣελυνηΣ ΑγγελοΣ 04:13
7. From These Wounds 07:07
8. Terra Mater Orfanorum 03:40
9. Nephtali 04:27
10. La Noia 09:01

Monumentum is an Italian atmospheric dark Rock band that was formed in 1987 in Milan 

by Roberto Mammarella (owner of the Avantgarde Music label) and Anthony Duman.
With the intent to create dark music inspired by the likes of Celtic Frost and Christian Death, a demo was recorded in 1989. Although only a limited number of copies of this cassette were made, it impressed the underground metal scene 

and became a cult item, regardless of this fact, the band broke up for a short period of time in 1990.
In 1991 Obscure Plasma Records (subsequently Avantgarde Music) picked two tracks from the band's demo

 and released a split single with Rotting Christ - this release garnered particular acclaim in Norway 

where the band was set to sign with Euronymous' Deathlike Silence Productions for the release of their debut album, unfortunately Euronymous' murder made any record deal impossible for the band.
The album, recorded and mixed between August 1994 and May 1995, 

finally saw the light of day through the British label Misanthropy Records. The recording line-up featured two vocalists, 

in the form of Andrea Zanetti (of Italian act Iconoclast) and Francesca Nicoli (of Ataraxia), 

alongside Mammarella ("strings, keys and vibes"), Cristadoro (drums) and Paolo Mauri ("samples and artistic production"). The band claimed the album was influenced by the poets Iginio Ugo Tarchetti and Giacomo Leopardi, 

and included a cover of "Fade to Grey" by Visage and a cover of "Nephtali" by The Dead Relatives.

The Memory link is for the 2009 reissued version and contains one bonus track "In Misery Front Row", 

recorded in Milan in 1997, with Niklas Kvarforth (Shining) on vocals recorded in Sweden in 2008.

Memory

Mundanus Imperium ‎– Ode To The Nightsky (MCD 1997)

Country: Norway

Tracklist

1. Ode To The Nightsky 05:06
2. Winds Of The Frozen Stars 05:36
3. Ridende På Nattens Vinger 05:13

Mundanus Imperium  initially started out in Hamar, Norway in late 1994, 

when Lars "Grond" Wiik (drums, bass, guitars and vocals) and Bent "Draug" Holm (synths), 

created the band Nattefall. In 1996 they recorded their first and only demo tape "Ode To The Nightsky" 

at X-Ray Studios that in May 1997 released as a MCD by Velvet Music.

Their style is great atmospheric Black Metal in the vein of early Arcturus.

The band agreed for the release knowing that this was a good opportunity 

to promote their new band name Mundanus Imperium and also their new musical direction.

 Changing their style to Progressive Metal, they only released one album in 1998 before disbanding. 

Memory

Sopor Aeternus & The Ensemble Of Shadows – Voyager-The Jugglers Of Jusa (1997)

Country: Germany

Tracklist

1. The Inexperienced Spiral Traveller: A Fragment II 05:06
2. Ein Freundliches Wort Hat Meine Seele Berührt (Defined and Fragile) 05:11
3. Memalon II 07:25
4. The Innocence of Devils: Alone 06:28
5. Modela Est 04:35
6. Birth (Instrumental) 02:50
7. Feralia Genitalia (Arrival of the Jugglers) 06:30
8. Menuetto 01:29
9. Saturn-Impressionen (Jusa, Jusa) 02:48
10. May I Kiss Your Wound? (Saturn: Orion) 06:05
11. Alone II 06:57
12. The Inexperienced Spiral Traveller: A Fragment II (Instrumental) 05:05

Sopor Aeternus & the Ensemble of Shadows is a darkwave musical project based in Frankfurt, 

founded in 1989 by Anna-Varney Cantodea.
Their sound is rooted in renaissance and baroque music, with main use of brass instruments, woodwinds, strings, pipe organs, bells, and guitars. While earlier works used drum machines, later albums feature live percussion. 

Cantodea's work has shown a progression towards livelier arrangements and more wall of sound production, compared to earlier works. Though considered by genre a darkwave band, Cantodea has stated that she creates 

"...-music for dead children (and otherwise wounded souls)".

Major themes of their music include death, unrequited love, karmatic pain, loneliness, sadness, 

spirituality and failure, occultism, sexuality and romance. 

A strong recurring theme is transexuality, especially the removal of male genitalia.

Many allusions to spirituality and Roman deities appear in her lyrics; aside from Jupiter and Saturn, Morpheus, Hades, Uranus and Charon have been addressed by name. Other supernatural figures mentioned include 

the Sister of Self-Destruction, the Goat, the Old Man and the Lord of the Darkest Side.
"Voyager: The Jugglers of Jusa" is the bands first remix album. It was released as a companion to 

"The Inexperienced Spiral Traveller", also released that year, 

and primarily features alternate versions of songs from that album, accompanied by some newer songs.
Most of the remixed songs have had either their backing tracks removed, 

or had extra percussion and drum machines added. "Never trust the Obvious" receives two remixes: 

"The Innocence of Devils: Alone", which contains a recitation of author Edgar Allan Poe's Alone; and "Alone II". 

The signature piece "Birth - Fiendish Figuration" is also featured as an instrumental; 

a remix of "Saturn-Impressionen" from "Todeswunsch - Sous le soleil de Saturne" also appears on this album.
The newer songs include "Modela Est", a cover version of Kraftwerk's "Das Model", sung in Latin; 

and "Feralia Genitalia", another ode to transgenderism as Anna-Varney Cantodea describes her 

"genitals rotting off" and her transformation into a woman.
A band that you either gonna love them or hate them, there is no middle road.

Memory

Ragnarok – Arising Realm (1997)

Country: Norway

Tracklist

1. Intro 02:21
2. God Is Wasted 04:18
3. Searching For My Dark Desire 04:49
4. En Verden Av Stein 04:00
5. Time Before Birth Of Light 05:30
6. My Hate Is His Spirit 03:02
7. My Refuge In Darkness 04:58
8. The Reflection From The Star World Above 04:20
9. The Fall Of Christianity 02:38
10. The Predicted Future 07:12
11. For The World I Am Blinded 04:37
12. Outro 02:06

Arising Realm is the second studio album by Norwegian Black Metal band Ragnarok, 

it was released in 1997 through Head Not Found Productions. 

Shagrath, most famous as a member of Dimmu Borgir, 

occasionally appears on this album, playing synthesizers.

This is great fast paced Black Metal with hellish vocals, amazing guitar riffs 

and with the proper use of keyboards when needed.
Skål for Helvete!

Memory