Tuesday, 31 December 2024

Memories Yet To Come 2024



In alphabetical order:
 
 
 
1. African Imperial Wizard – Mbuya Nehanda (Full-length 2024)
 
 
2. At The Altar Of The Horned God – Elements (EP 2024)

 
 
3. Black Curse – Burning In Celestial Poison (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
4. Clavus – Omnia Mors Aequat (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
5. Cristobal Tapia De Veer – Smile 2 (Music From The Motion Picture 2024)
  
 
 
6. Feral Spirit – Invoking Spirits Of Ethereal Madness Part II (EP 2024)


7. Five The Hierophant – Apeiron (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
8. Gnipahålan – Folkstorm (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
9. Goatpenis – End (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
10. Inquisition – Veneration Of Medieval Mysticism And Cosmological Violence (Full-length 2024)


11. Invunche – Atavismo (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
12. Isolert – Wounds Of Desolation (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
13. Khaos Aura – Born Of This Fire (Full-length 2024)

 
 
14. Luring – Malevolent Lycanthropic Heresy (Full-length 2024)

 
 
15. Lustmord – Much Unseen Is Also Here (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
16. Mentrix / Gareth Coker – Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (Original Game Soundtrack 2024)
 
 
 
17. Moon Chalice – Order Of The Black Dragon (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
18. Nächtlich – Exaltation Of Evil (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
19. Secrets – Towards The Nightside (Full-length 2024)

 
 
20. Spite – The Third Temple (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
21. Starcave – Sukta (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
22. Stygian Ruin – A Violent Egress (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
23. TeHOM – Legacy (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
24. Tyranni – Dränkt Av Livets Sekret (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
25. Törnen – Under Korpens Visdom (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
26. Unholy Craft – Saa Mø​rkt, Saa Mektig (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
27. Wrathprayer – Enkoimeterion (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
28. Xenomorph – Netherverse (Full-length 2024)
 
 
 
29. Ûlairi – Ûlairi (Full-length 2024)

 
 
30. ПОГАНЬ – Відьми Та Вампіри (Demo 2024)
 
 
 

Eternal Frost – Christial Holocaust (Demo 1998)


Country: Netherlands

Tracklist
1. Intro 01:09
2. Final Trip 03:59
3. Eternal Frost 02:34
4. Christial Holocaust 04:31
5. Slagveld 03:17

Melodic Black Metal band formed in 1996 under the name Lord Of Grim (also known as Lord Of Flies at one point).
Eternal Frost only released one demo in 1998 entitled "Christia(n?)l Holocaust" that incorporated a lot of keyboard parts.
Featuring members of Blutvial, Israthoum and Thanatos.

Monday, 30 December 2024

Asmorod – Involution Toward Chtonian Depths (1997)


Country: France

Tracklist
1. Poison - Transcendance 07:37
2. De Cantico Funebri 06:04
3. For A Brighter Faint Light (Fragile Salicacée Sous Un Terne Suaire) 03:16
4. Through Oceanic Calls 05:49
5. Ïa! Ïa! Cthulhu Fhtagn! 12:47
6. Subplutonary Incubation I 12:19
7. Subplutonary Incubation II (Abandon À La Morphine Céleste) 08:29
8. Chtonian Transubtantiation: Lorsqu'ils Rient Mais Ne Sourient Plus 17:19

Dark Ambient project from France, founded by Nicolas D. Faure
 (Dies Sanguini, Kurotokage, Ligeia's Sore Neurosis, Les Amants Maudits, Ephel Duath) in 1994.
The first demo tape, "Dance In The Winter Fog",
was released in the same year and was a mixture of dungeon synth and black metal.
In 1997 Asmorod released on Solistitium Records their first full-length album titled "Involution Toward Chtonian Depths",
which saw the participation of Cédric Codognet (Sator Absentia) and Vanessa Hidden.
With this album the project started to provide its typical mysterious,
deep dark ambient that distinguishes them from other releases of the same style.
Other albums followed, "A Faint Light Below" in 1998, "Derelict" in 1999, and "Hysope" in 2006.

Thursday, 26 December 2024

Βάκχειος – Μάκαρ Κερασφόρε (Demo 1998)

 
Country: Greece

Tracklist
 1. Μάκαρ Κερασφόρε 03:35
2. Νυκτέρι Ευβουλές (Bonus Track) 05:09
 
Greek Pagan/Black Metal project created in late 90s by Voreas (Oct 15th 1979 - Feb 11th 2022,
also member of Dark Mighty Thought, F.R.O.S.T., Goathrone and Drutentus) and who also used to run Druvid Promotion.
Only one demo/promo released in 1998 entitled "Μάκαρ Κερασφόρε" that featured one track under the same title.
Supposedly some copies included a second track entitled "Νυκτέρι Ευβουλές",
which later in 2012 appeared in the compilation "Hellenic Metal Of Black Death".
In 2016 Cryptia Productions re-released both demos of Drutentus and Βάκχειος in a limited edition CD featuring both tracks.

Wednesday, 25 December 2024

Umbra – Unclean Spirit (1999)


Country: United States

Tracklist
1. The Valley Of Dry Bones 06:25
2. Poison Control 08:11
3. Lecher 05:23
4. From The Well 04:24
5. Tangleld Gullet 07:01
6. Washed Up On The Banks 07:52
7. Stacking The Dead 06:12
8. The Conscious Dead (Sallow Mix) 07:09
9. Spiders Under The Skin 02:11
10. Hacking The Root 06:26
11. Husk (Remix - Recontextualization By Azoikum) 03:38

Umbra was a collaborative effort between Scott Candey of Gruntsplatter
 and Stephen Petrus of Murderous Vision (In Death's Throes).
The idea for doing a collaborative project arose in late 1998.
Despite the long distance between them, one being in California and the other in Ohio,
by early 1999 they had completed enough material for a full length release
as well as contributing a track to the "Baited Breath" double cassette compilation.
In early April 1999 Stephen visited San Francisco
and together with Scott they were able to play what would be their one and only show.
This performance was recorded and released as a very limited edition CDR titled, "Perish: A Live Document".
The full length album, "Unclean Spirit", was released by The Rectrix Records as their debut offering.
It shows a varied approach while remaining within the sphere of dark experimental.
Moving from dark ambient to more abusive, grating textures,
"Unclean Spirit" also wove in rhythmic elements that shifted from meditative ritualism to tantruming machinery.
Rooted in a dirty lo-fi aesthetic it emerged as a project unique unto itself.
In addition to nine brand new tracks "Unclean Spirit" also features a track, using the album material as soundsource, reinterpreted by Azoikum and a more ambient mix of "The Conscious Dead",
which appeared on the "Baited Breath" compilation.

Sunday, 22 December 2024

Predominance – Hindenburg (1998)


Country: Germany

Tracklist
1. Ascending Colossus 05:31
2. Luftschiffe 05:05
3. In Through The Eyes Of Heaven 06:48
4. Encoded Pages (Inade Rmx) 06:13
5. Four Symbols 07:00
6. Under The Blackened Sun 04:51
7. Out From The Eyes Of Heaven 05:49
8. Lakehurst - A Tragic Moment Frozen In Time / Luftschiffe 2002 11:17
9. Epilog 00:37

Predominance was a German Dark Ambient/Industrial project of Gerd "G.Z." Zaunig.
Zaunig began his musical career as a drummer of the German Death Metal/Grindcore band Enslaved in 1989.
In early 1991 he decided to go on his own path creating a new project under the name Dogmatized Machinery.
Together with two other members they experimented with heavy guitars, drum-machines
and tape samples but split in 1993 because of personal differences.
Together with one remaining member of Dogmatized Machinery (M. Heiser)
he formed another project called Death Is the Mother Of Beauty.
A short time later, he also founded his solo project Wolverine, that experiment with Power/Death Industrial.
However, as Wolverine became more intense, all of his other activated projects died.
In December 1994, from the ashes of all the experiences and influences of the past, Zaunig created Predominance.
In early 2000s he also created the project Virologic that focused on manipulating raw computer data into sound.
With the album "Hindenburg" Zaunig delivered a historical concept work on the legendary airship disaster
but also tried to draw parallels with the Led Zeppelin band (a decisive spark in his teenage years
that stimulated his interest in music) through various elements.
The cover motif is intentionally based on that of the first Led Zeppelin LP from 1969.
The track "Luftschiffe" begins like their last regular studio album "In Through The Out Door". 
"Encoded Pages", for example, is a multi-track collage that was created on the computer
and consists only of Led Zeppelin samples, which were of course also alienated (encrypted).
At the live presentation in Dresden in 1998, further key symbols were added.
"Hindenburg" was originally released in 1998 as a 6 track Mini-LP through Loki Foundation 
and later re-released on CD featuring three unreleased tracks and a exclusive remix by Inade.
Predominance officially disbanded on 20th November 2017.

Sunday, 15 December 2024

Algiz – Claire-Voie (1998)


Country: Belgium

Tracklist
1. Claire-Voie 01:22
2. Sans Titre 05:34
3. Dehors, La Plénitude I 04:21
4. Dehors, La Plénitude II 06:00
5. Les Heures Aveugles 04:46
6. Les Seigneurs Des Sentiers 05:16
7. Organique 04:58
8. La Chaise (Sur L'Eau) 04:34
9. Fall Apart 04:03
10. Fin De Siècle? 04:17

Algiz was a Belgian neofolk band featuring Leïla Janssens, Jean-François Brohée,
Pierre Kivits, Stéphane Vandezande and Alexandra Debert on additional cello parts.
In 1996 they recorded their first and only album "Claire-Voie" that was co-produced
by Sol Invictus' leader Tony Wakeford and released in 1998 on his own Tursa label.
Strong female vocals in French, haunting ethereal melodies, beautiful weaving strings and cello parts 
compose the structure of the album that also contains a great cover of Death In June's song "Fall Apart".

Saturday, 30 November 2024

Idpa – Stream (7'' EP 1997)


Country: Germany

Tracklist
1. Ilu - White Stream 06:10
2. Idpa 05:52

Dark Ambient / Industrial project of Marco Koch,
known as the owner of the cult German Industrial and experimental electronics label Stateart 
that operated from 1996 to 2006.
Idpa first release was back in 1996 with the split 7'' EP "Documents Of Neural Assault" together with Thorofon.
"Stream" EP followed in a limited edition of 200 hand numbered copies.
The final appearance of the project was on the collaboration vinyl entitled "Live Action / Voodoo Bumble Bee"
that featured a live performance of Idpa together with Column One and Mz.412 
in Collapse festival, Rostock, Germany 19.08.2000.
The Memory link feature as bonus the track "Thou Sun" from the split EP with Thorofon.

Mortuor – Mortuor (MCD 1999)


Country: United States

Tracklist
1. Pain 01:50
2. Mortified 04:31
3. Death Endeth All For Every Man 06:30
4. Tormentor 06:41
5. Exhumed By Fire 04:40
6. Rot 03:38

Short lived project of Chad Davis (Subklinik, Anu, Draath, Hour Of Thirteen, Obscurae, Old Ghoul etc.).
The first offering of the band was the Mini CDR entitled "Mortuor",
that was released in a limited edition of 30 hand-numbered copies with a double paper cover.
Two more releases saw the light of day that moved more into Power Electronics/Death Industrial territories,
the Mini CDR "Nekro Schizo" in 2006 and the debut full length album "I'm Waiting For You…" in 2009.

Sunday, 24 November 2024

Hieronymus Bosch – Hieronymus Bosch (1997)


Country: New Zealand

Tracklist
1. St. Veronicas Veil 09:11
2. The Sphinx Is Silent 13:09
3. Bleeding 05:06
4. Turf Meat 07:48
5. Bedlam And The Muses 06:29

Hieronymus Bosch is New Zealand's longest running dark industrial act formed around 1985-86.
The band originally used reel to reel tape recorders, loop effects,
steel objects and an arsenal of classic analog synths and drum machines.
They performed only three times as this incarnation, twice in New Zealand and once in Sydney, Australia.
Their live art performances included poetry and slide shows and were performed in art galleries.
Their sound has changed greatly throughout the years, due to collaborating and experimenting with a lot of different artists.
The mid-1980s saw the band become a three-piece, fusing Darkwave and Industrial.
This line-up only lasted a few months, playing one very loose live set
accompanying a gothic/dark art fashion show at an inner-city nightclub.
In 1990 guitarist Morpheus Ire and bassist/percussionist Paul Blanchard were recruited
adding a more chaotic, almost anarchic direction to the group.
Live performances meant the destruction of stage sets and props while audience participation was always encouraged.
As part of an early 1986 performance the entire interior of a soon to be demolished house was torn apart in a frenzied ritual, accompanied by looping noise tapes fed through a generator driven PA system.
Around 30 people took part in this now infamous display of art terrorism.
Hieronymus Bosch, during this period, attracted quite a large and loyal following from the Death/Punk Metal communities
whilst still maintaining their dedicated Industrial/Experimental music fanatics.
In late 1994, the band headed back to its roots of Industrial/Dark Ambient.
In 1996, Hieronymus Bosch reduced itself to two core of the original members.
Their sound is constructed by combining the organic with electronic, nature vs technology.
Layering samples with movement, frequencies and modulations with sounds of their own existence. 
Creating huge rhythm through repetition and looping of sounds and samples.
Constantly building and creating new directions and moods.
Their first recordings were zero-budget, on limited tape cassette format, and duplicated on a double stereo cassette deck.
In 1990 they moved to video format, with a five-track release entitled "Hieronymus Bosch - The Video", limited to 300 copies.
1997 saw the release of their self titled album followed by their second album, "The Divided Self", in 1998.
They have also produced short film soundtracks for video artists in Belgium and Australia,
featured in many various international compilations
and made a couple of appearances on the mid 90's performance/video release series Technohell.
Their third album "The Dream Songs" was released in 2004 on the Polish label, Fluttering Dragon.
In 2011, they released a limited edition 7-inch vinyl, "Black Light / Black Star" to mark their 25th anniversary.

Thursday, 31 October 2024

Shub Niggurath – Les Morts Vont Vite (1986)


Country: France

Tracklist
1. Incipit Tragaedia 15:46
2. Cabine 67 05:56
3. Yog Sothoth 12:28
4. La Ballade De Lénore 08:58
5. Delear Prius 04:03
6. J'ai Vu Naguère En Peinture Les Harpies Ravissant Le Repas De Phynée 04:19

Shub Niggurath was a progressive rock/zeuhl band, formed in France in 1982 and consisted of Allan Ballaud (bass),
Franck Coulaud (percussion), Frank W. Fromy (guitar/percussion), Jean-Luc Hervé (harmonium/piano/organ),
Ann Stewart (vocals) and Véronique Verdier (trombone).
Their name was taken after one of the deities in Cthulhu Mythos created by the American horror writer H.P.Lovecraft.
The project was created after the bands Aspara and Gorgonus were merged together.
Ann Stewart and Franck W. Fromy from the former, Véronique Verdier, Jean-Luc Hervé and Allain Ballaud from the latter.
Drummers had to be changed often, due to the difficulty of certain compositions,
which were at times too free-form, or too strictly written at others.
Their debut album "Les Morts Vont Vite", that was released in 1986 on the Musea label,
received critical acclaim for its innovative avant-garde inclinations,
and major developments influenced by Magma's "Zeuhl" style.
Musea also reissued the album on CD in 1997, including two bonus tracks.
The debut sold well and later, one song appeared on the tribute compilation to Magma "Enneade".
After its release percussionist Franck Couland left, as did Franc Fromy.
Jean-Luc Herve, also being a guitarist, took Fromy's spot.
In the next years Shub Niggurath appeared on the compilations "Douze Pour Un Vol. 2" (1987) and "Dithrambe" (1988)
followed by a live tape with the new line up: Allan Ballaud (bass), Jean-Luc Herve (electric guitar),  
Veronuque Verdier (bass trombone/percussion), new singers Sylvette Claudet and Jean-Pierre Lourdeau,
and new drummer Michel Kervinio.
Prior to the release of their second studio album, "C'étaient De Très Grands Vents" in 1991, also on the Musea label,
Jean Pierre left the band to become a painter and a new percussionist, Edward Perraud, was added. 
Since then, the band has toured around Paris playing for small audiences.
In 1995 bassist Allan Ballaud passed away due to cancer an incident that put the band on a permanent hiatus.
In 2003 Musea issued their third album "Testament" which consists from archive material recorded in 1992-1994.
The label Soleil Zeuhl reissued on CD in 2009 their demo tape from 1982 entitled "Introduction" and on Vinyl in 2018.

Wednesday, 30 October 2024

Sammath – Strijd (1999)


Country: Netherlands

Tracklist
1. De Glorie Van Het Slagveld 05:13
2. Zwaardbroeders Bij De Bergengte 05:52
3. Strijd 07:05
4. Drakenbloed 05:07
5. De Heidense Vlam Zal Branden 04:02
6. Als Duisternis De Kasteel Torens Bedekt 03:39
7. Met De Strijdbijl In Mijn Hand 04:32

Sammath was formed in 1994 by Jan Kruitwagen,
inspired by the new wave of black metal and the great thrash/death/black formations of the eighties.
Within a year the first promo tape "Visions Upon Winter Lands" 1995 was recorded.
Soon after this tape J.Kruitwagen got in contact with M.Gertsen to help with the drums and the recording.
The following demo "Zwaardbroeders Bij De Bergengte" was released in 1996
and sold over 650 copies thanks to great help from the underground.
A year later, in 1997, the third demo "De Ruïnes Fluisteren" followed.
The reactions were positive and this finally led to a deal with the German label Folter Records.
After this M.Gertsen was forced to leave the band due to a lack of interest.
The first CD entitled "Strijd" was released in 1999 and was recorded on 16 tracks and produced/mastered by J.Kruitwagen.
The CD gained a good review in the main Dutch metal magazine Aardschok 
and an interview in Holland's largest mainstream music magazine Oor.
Searching for more diversity within the sound J.Kruitwagen got in contact with Cor Van Maris
 to help with the vocals on the album "Verwoesting/Devastation", that was released in 2002.
By 2002 Sammath had developed into a full line up band with Koos Bos on drums and Ruud Nillesen on bass.
Two more albums were released, "Dodengang" in 2006 and "Triumph In Hatred" in 2009.
Sammath signed to Hammerheart Records in 2013 and released the album "Godless Arrogance".
In 2016, Wim Van Der Valk (Inquisitor, Centurian) replaced Koos Bos on drums.
After the release of the album "Across The Rhine Is Only Death" in 2019
live shows were performed in Germany, Serbia, Romania and Russia.
Their latest album entitled "Grebbeberg" was released in 2023.

Tuesday, 29 October 2024

Avoid Catoblépone – Musiques De Chambre Froide (1998)


Country: France

Tracklist
1. Heute 04:17
2. Clash 04:15
3. Prisonnier 03:53
4. End Never Ends 04:47
5. Little Worker 05:45
6. Vertigineuse 07:03
7. Humiliation 04:53
8. Les Tribulations D'un Soldat En Solde 24:54

Avoid Catoblépone was created in 1992 by Stéphane Bot (Stafkhan)
and his brother Sébastien (also member of Dead Souls Rising on their demo and two first albums).
The band started as alternative/gothic rock project but soon moved towards a cold wave style.
Their first self titled 8-track cassette was released in 1994
followed by second, "Déporté Sur Terre..." in 1995 with the singer Delfine.
Their first CD album "Musiques De Chambre Froide" was self released in 1998, this time with the singer Nadège.
A second album followed in 2002 entitled "Décharné De L'âme".
In 2007, the trio recruited two musicians, Julien (guitar) and Tommy (keyboards), now members of the band Mamadjo,
and recorded the demo "Don't Look Now".
They also started working on their third album but it was never released.

Monday, 30 September 2024

Ornament – Adorers (1999)


Country: Italy

Tracklist
1. Feed The Fortress Of Hate 06:31
2. Burning Blood-Vessels 05:31
3. New Flesh For Your Incarnation 06:48
4. Terminal Equinox 12:05
5. The Absent God 03:19
6. Plague-Spreader 09:57
7. The Finger 04:40
8. Chasm 08:26

Ornament was the first solo project of Italian artist Davide Del Col, that was created in 1999 and ended in 2003.
In 1999 he released his first mini-album on cassette "Strychninlovenectar",
published by the label Ossarium, which consisted of four structured death-industrial tracks.
His second work entitled "Adorers", inspired by the great plague,
was released shortly after on Oktagön Records as a limited edition CD-R.
In 2000 Davide released the album "Unicorn Lullaby" on Ossarium label, where he explored deep dark-ambient territories.
In 2002 "Yzaniaveis" was published by Blade Records followed by "Effortless"
that was made available by the author in late 2003 on his own website
and later in 2006 was published in digital version by the net label Benekkea.
Davide Del Col was also involved with the projects:
O Diabo De Vila Velha (electronic compositions based on 70s and 80s cosmic music), Nimeton Geist (experimental ambient),
Echran (experimental abstract-ambient in collaboration with Fabio Volpi and Accursio Graffeo),  
Molnija Aura (cosmic ambient project in collaboration with Andrea Marutti),
Rhetra (black metal band with guitarist-vocalist Sophia Anna Pezzaliin),
30 Seconds Over Teheran (collaboration with Paolo Romano of I/O),
while his more active ones are Antikatechon, Cult Of Light (with Ascanio Borga)
and We Promise To Betray (collaboration with Giuseppe Verticchio of Nimh).

Sunday, 29 September 2024

Hollow Earth – Dog Days Of The Holocaust (1998)


Country: United States

Tracklist
1. Floor Of Hell 11:29
2. Scrawled In Blood 10:19
3. Rape Machine 14:02
4. Whispers Of Hatred 12:20
5. Probe 15:05

Hollow Earth was the product of two unique experimental artist's combined vision,
Michael J.V. Hensley (Yen Pox, Blood Box) and Jonathan Canady (Dead World, Deathpile, Blunt Force Trauma).
The project released only one album offering claustrophobic and suffocating dark ambient
in its absolute disturbing form with the sentience of death permeating every sound.
Released on the American label Old Crowd Control Activities.

Saturday, 28 September 2024

Law – Wading Knee-Deep In Your Blood (1999)


Country: United States

Tracklist
1. Negation Of Desire 11:29
2. Sacrificial Key 05:39
3. 7.62 x 39 07:12
4. Negative Silence 09:37
5. Swift And Severe Retribution 03:58
6. Procedure 09:54
7. Flows Through Me 06:44
8. Solitary Determination 12:12

Law was an dark ambient/industrial/power electronics act based in Elkhart, IN, United States,
created by Mitchell Altum, founder of the Triumvirate label, with the help of Marissa Lafferty.
The project was active between 1994 to 2004, with releases on Ant-Zen, Old Europa Cafe, Triumvirate and Nuit et Brouillard.
Mitchell Altum was also involved with the project Citadel.
"Wading Knee-Deep In Your Blood" was originally released by Old Europa Cafe as a limited edition
clear red vinyl
in 350 hand-numbered copies and later in 2002 was reissued on CD with two bonus tracks.

Saturday, 31 August 2024

Drape Excrement – Born Dead (1995)


Country: Germany

Tracklist
1. Sirayat 01:37
2. Leitbild 04:25
3. Dangerous Gases 03:56
4. Out Of Control 04:14
5. I Want You 02:19
6. Yaum Ed Din 03:48
7. The Lost Age 04:51
8. Sinnlose Opfer 02:27
9. Jammer Und Geheul 04:12
10. Good Grief 04:48
11. I Give My Soul 04:10

German industrial/noise project created by Markus Kropfreiter 
(also known as a part of Söldnergeist and Metaplakia projects) that runs the Art Konkret label.
"Born Dead" offers dark death-industrial combined with deep bass droning
and atmospheric crackling sounds creating a menacing atmosphere.
Released by Art Konkret as a limited edition vinyl of 525 copies.

Friday, 30 August 2024

Luciano Dari – Wajd (1989)


Country: Italy

Tracklist
1. Metatron Of The Sea 07:45
2. Sirens 03:25
3. La Luz 06:35
4. Night Of Djinn 04:05
5. Lotus 04:34
6. Manvantara 05:43
7. Antro Dei Misteri 04:05
8. Inno Ad Helios (Bonus Track) 02:38
9. Lapide Minerali (Bonus Track) 03:49
10. Theatrum Naturae (Bonus Track) 22:13

Luciano Dari is an Italian dark ambient musician/producer
and founder of the Musica Maxima Magnetica label that operated from the late 80s to late 00s.
In 1987 he released "Idrogeni Superiori", as part of the split album together with The Hafler Trio
followed by the album "Wajd" in 1989.
He also participated in many cassette compilation releases.
The Memory link contains three bonus tracks that were taken fron Dari's participation in the compilations:
"Hora Aurea (1989)", "Devastating Templaric Sounds (1990)" and "Nature Morte (1991)".

Saturday, 24 August 2024

Keep Of Kalessin – Through Times Of War (1997)

 
Country: Norway

Tracklist
1. Through Times Of War 04:31
2. Den Siste Krig 04:43
3. As A Shadow Cast 06:09
4. I Choose To Suffer 06:50
5. Skygger Av Forg 05:22
6. Obliterator 05:42
7. Nectarious Red / Itch 14:19

Keep Of Kalessin is a Norwegian extreme metal band from Trondheim, formed in 1993.
The group's early lineup consisted of Ghash on vocals, Obsidian C. (the group founder) on guitars and keyboards,
Warach on bass, and Vyl on drums.
Two albums were released under this lineup, "Through Times Of War" in 1997,
and "Agnen: A Journey Through The Dark" in 1999, before splitting up.
Obsidian C. then toured with Satyricon, but revived the the band in 2003 with the release of the EP "Reclaim"
and all new members featuring Frost (Satyricon, 1349) on drums and Attila Csihar (Mayhem, Tormentor etc.) on vocals.
This line-up did not last and fell apart because of the distances between the band members.
In 2006, Obsidian C. once again reconstituted the group with a new lineup
and released two albums "Armada" in 2006 and "Kolossus" in 2008.
These releases brought a good attention from mainstream media in Norway
and as a result Keep Of Kalessin was nominated for a Spellemannprisen in the metal category in 2008.
In 2010 they also entered a song in the
the annual competition Melodi Grand Prix,
to select Norway's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest, but they failed finishing in the 3rd place overall.
The band released its fifth album, "Reptilian" in 2010 demonstrating a deviation
from the black metal influenced sound of their previous music in favor of a more extreme metal sound.
Two more albums followed, "Epistemology" in 2015 and "Katharsis" in 2023.

Wednesday, 31 July 2024

Black Tape For A Blue Girl – This Lush Garden Within (1993)


Country: United States

Tracklist
1. Left, Unsaid 04:37
2. The Broken Glass 03:38
3. We Exist, Entwined 05:17
4. Overwhelmed, Beneath Me 03:20
5. This Lush Garden Within 01:49
6. The Christ In The Desert 06:29
7. The Turbulence And The Torment 05:44
8. The Flow Of Our Spirit 03:28
9. Into The Garden 04:10
10. Decomposed By The Fire Of The Firmament 04:14
11. Gravity's Angel 01:50
12. On Broken Shells Of Crystal Dreams 06:40
13. Our Future Imagined 03:21

Black Tape For A Blue Girl is an American dark wave band formed in 1986
by keyboardist/songwriter Sam Rosenthal, the founder of Projekt Records.
Their music has elements of dark wave, ethereal, ambient, neoclassical, and dark cabaret.
The band released seven albums in their first 13 years, covering the mid-80s through late-90s.
Their debut album "The Rope" was released in 1986.
The band's line-up consisted of a core of Sam Rosenthal,
Allan Kraut (on multiple instruments, including drums and guitars) and vocalist and guitarist Oscar Herrera.
Their second album, "Mesmerized By The Sirens", was released a year later, followed by "Ashes In The Brittle Air" in 1989,
"A Chaos Of Desire" in 1991 and "This Lush Garden Within" in 1993.
The core members through this period were Rosenthal and Herrera, with a variety of guest musicians.
Recording of "Remnants Of A Deeper Purity" began in 1995 in Los Angeles and was concluded in 1996.
This was the second album to feature Lucian Casselman on vocals and Vicki Richards on violin.
In 1999, the band released "As One Aflame Laid Bare By Desire", with Oscar Herrera singing two songs on the album
as a parting favor to Rosenthal. The album owes some artistic inspiration to Marcel Duchamp.
Julianna Towns returned for female vocals and also provided guitar arrangements.
After a 15 city tour in July 1998 in preparation for the album's release, she was ejected from the band.
Elysabeth Grant joined the band as violist, but she soon became the lead vocalist
for the band's seventh studio album, "The Scavenger Bride".
Male vocal duties were given to Bret Helm (of Audra) and Athan Maroulis (of Spahn Ranch).
"The Scavenger Bride" was released in 2002, with only two live appearances, as Rosenthal's son was born.
Two years later, the album "Halo Star" was released, which shifted the vocal focus to Bret Helm.
This release also marked a change in the band's lush, ethereal sound,
with a dark cabaret musical style, very similar to the Dresden Dolls and Katzenjammer Kabarett.
In 2009 Athan Maroulis, who appeared on two songs on "The Scavenger Bride" album,
as well as on a cover of Dead Can Dance's "Fortune Presents Gifts Not According To The Book", took over as lead vocalist.
On September 22, 2009, the band released their 10th album, "10 Neurotics",
with the lineup of Rosenthal on acoustic guitar, programming and keyboards,
Brian Viglione (The Dresden Dolls) on drums, percussion, bass and guitar,
and vocalists Maroulis (Spahn Ranch), Laurie Reade (ex-Attrition) and Nicki Jaine on additional vocals.
From 2013 to 2021 four more albums were released while their 30th anniversary in 2016 with the release of "These Fleeting Moments", was marked with the return of original vocalist Oscar Herrera after 17 years absence from the music scene.

Saturday, 27 July 2024

Agonije – Testament (1994)


Country: Italy

Tracklist
1. Testament 05:23
2. Adieu, Les Jours 04:33
3. Désir De L'Âme 03:33
4. Millenium 04:57
5. De Loin (Deuxième Movement) 04:05
6. À La Lune 02:32
7. Jeux De Massacre 06:10
8. La Fin 05:30
9. Testament II (The Prelude) 11:53

Agonije was another project by Italian artist Angel G. Villani (also in Black Raven).
The first work of Agonije was published in 1991 with the cassette "Orgasme Du Temp" on the Italian label Hax.
Later in 1992 some tracks from the cassette appeared on the Italian compilation "Tecnologie Del Movimento II".
"Testament" was released in 1994 on the Swiss label Allegoria 
and recorded at Acqualuce Studio and Radio Video Studio in Turin between 1993-94.

Wednesday, 3 July 2024

Incarnator – Nordic Holocaust (Demo 1992)


Country: Norway

Tracklist
1. In Nocturnal Glory (Bonus Track) 05:04
2. Part I 04:14
3. Part II 03:50

Underground one man black metal project created by Bård Titlestad (aka Zyphrianus)
in the end of 1991 and hailing from the southern part of Norway, Stavanger, Rogaland.
The line up at the beginning except Zyphrianus on vocals and guitars also featured Sanrabb (of the Gehenna fame)
on the guitars but shortly after he left searching for other musical tasks.
The first recording was the promo track "In Nocturnal Glory",
created in February 1992 with Zyphrianus handling all the instruments and vocals.
Later that year by mid-October Zyphrianus went to Sound Suite Studios to record the two track demo "Nordic Holocaust".
Both recordings were passed only to close friends and contacts around the world.
By that time Euronymous of Mayhem got very interested in Incarnator's material
to the point of offering Zyphrianus a contract for a debut album on his Deathlike Silence Productions label.
Of course nothing happened due to Euronymous' death in 1993.
After all these incidents Zyphrianus returned to the isolation he came from,
loosing interest in the then growing black metal scene, which, at his eyes, was getting too much attention from outsiders.
The Memory link features as bonus the promo track "In Nocturnal Glory".

Saturday, 8 June 2024

Pauline Oliveros – Accordion & Voice (1982)


Country: United States

Tracklist
1. Horse Sings From Cloud 22:14
2. Rattlesnake Mountain 22:03

Pauline Oliveros (May 30, 1932 – November 24, 2016) was an American composer, accordionist
and a central figure in the development of post-war experimental and electronic music.
She was a founding member of the San Francisco Tape Music Center in the 1960s, and served as its director.
She taught music at Mills College, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD),
Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Oliveros authored books, formulated new music theories, and investigated new ways to focus attention on music
including her concepts of "deep listening" and "sonic awareness", drawing on metaphors from cybernetics.
"Accordion & Voice" was the first of her recordings as a soloist.
The tracks rather than initiating musical impulses of motion,
melody and harmony represent the subtlety of a tone taking space and time to develop.
The tones linger and resonate in the body, mind, instrument and performance space.

For my beloved father