Monday 30 November 2020

Darkstyle – Black Crystals (MCD 1997)

 
 
Country: Finland
 
Tracklist
1. Castle Of Sorrow 04:16
2. Black Crystals 03:53
3. Behind The Rainbow 03:28
4. Cold Charisma 04:11
5. Through The Secret Fire 04:40

Darkstyle was formed in Turku, Finland by Weno in 1992.
The band recorded two demo tapes, "Return To The Shadow" in 1993, and "Cold Charisma" in 1995,
followed by the MCD "Black Crystals" in 1997.
Although Darkstyle was mostly a solo project, Weno was assisted on some of his releases by Anna on keyboards.
The band played mid-tempo atmospheric dark / black metal, with repetitive / hypnotizing song structures,
using simple drum programming, whispering vocals and haunting keyboard parts.
Darkstyle's last effort was the MCD "Whispering Wnoices" in 2003,
that was released through Weno's personal label Wiola Geistin.

Monday 23 November 2020

Chaos God – 3001 (1999)

 

Country: Germany

Tracklist
1. Chaosgod (Adni) 04:47
2. Radiant 03:38
3. Soul Searcher 04:31
4. Judgement Day 05:09
5. Bitter Moon 02:55
6. Realm Of Chaos 05:33
7. Blessed And Holy 05:25
8. Bafometh 729 (Doomed) 04:51
9. Lifetime 04:13
10. Orbit / Abyss 06:52
11. Chaosgod (Armageddon Mix) 04:37
12. Chaosgod (Sardyss 66 Mix) 04:12

Chaos God was a gothic rock/industrial project 
of the former Garden Of Delight vocalist Artaud Seth (Merciful Nuns, Near Earth Orbit).
He was supported by his old companion Th. O´Connell (guitars / ex-G.O.D., All Hallows Eve, Traumtaenzer)
and by two new musicians, Mike York (guitars / Kalt, Sweet Ermengarde) and Tom Nass (drums / ex-Dear Wolf).
The band released only one album in 1999 entitled "3001" on the German label Dion Fortune.

Saturday 7 November 2020

Xantotol – Thus Spake Zaratustra (1995)


 Country: Poland

Tracklist
1. Conqueror 07:20
2. Coming The God Race 05:34
3. Aeon 01:51
4. Law 06:06
5. Fallen To Arise 05:37
6. Pride 06:04
7. Capri Sancti 04:21

Xantotol formed in July 1991 in Kutno, featuring guitarist/lead vocalist Mała
and drummer Jacek "Venom" Szczepański while they were still in high school.
The band experienced some problems in the early days trying to find a place to rehearse
but eventually played at the local Dom Kultury once a week, using cheap equipment.
Inspired by the likes of Venom, Bathory, Samael, Necromantia, Nietzschean Satanism and Aleister Crowley,
Xantotol developed a style of black metal that was at once primitive, brooding, and atmospheric.
In April 1992, they recorded their first demo "Glory For Centuries", that was released through Devilish Sounds Production.
The title-track appeared on one of the first black metal compilations in Poland "The Blackest".
During this period, Szczepański also formed the Fullmoon collective, which teamed up with leading 
satanic organizations, such as Order Of Nine Angel from England, Luciferian Light Group from USA 
and Order Of The Left Hand Path from New Zealand, distributing in Poland didactic satanic cult material and literature.
Subsequently, the band would severe itself from the organization, creating the notorious Temple Of Fullmoon.
Małas school mate Siwy joined the band in 1993 handling the bass.
On September 17th, Xantotol recorded at the KDK Studio, their second demo "Cult Of The Black Pentagram".
Pagan Records was the band's first choice to release it but they decided to sign with Witching Hour Productions instead.
In the meantime Szczepański started playing avant-garde music with Siwys band Bicz.
In 1995, the band entered the KDK Studio once again with Krzysztof Szejki on the production,
to record their new material entitled "Thus Spake Zarathustra" in one 12-hour session.
The intros performed by Hermh's keyboard player Marek Kutnik,
and the new songs were released through Witching Hour Productions, only on tape at the time.
The record label's owner Bartłomiej Krysiuk (Batushka) proposed US label Wild Rags Records releasing both 
"Thus Spake Zarathustra" and "Cult Of The Black Pentagram" on CD, but there was eventually no agreement
due to financial problems, also the cassettes that were sent to Wild Rags Records got lost.
After a while Siwy left the band and Piotr Nastarowicz from Sauron
was invited to join as second-guitarist, though the proposal didn't come to fruition.
Instead Szczepański participated on Sauron's unreleased demo "Wilderness...".
Despite going through line-up difficulties, they managed to compose new material.
In August 1996 while the band was working for a record entitled "The Devil", which was nearly finished,
Witching Hour Productions suspended funding for the recording, without any explanation.
Xantotol planned to record again some of the new songs in spring 1997 at their own expense but they eventually broke-up.
Following the band’s disintegration, Mała joined Kayzen.