Deviser ‎– Unspeakable Cults (1996)

Country: Greece

Tracklist

1. Stand & Deliver 03:52
2. Darkness Incarnate 05:52
3. Threnody 03:53
4. When Nightmares Begin 04:29
5. The Rape of Holiness 05:36
6. Ritual Orgy 03:24
7. Dangers of a Real & Concrete Nature 03:21
8. The Fire Burning Bright 03:56
9. In the Horror Field 03:06
10. Afterkill 01:20

Founded in 1989 in Crete and stamped by a primitive thrash/death metal style, 

Deviser moved to Athens in 1992 and attracted the interest of the underground scene with demos 

and a 7" EP in 1994, entitled "The Revelation Of Higher Mysteries" (Teutonic Existence Records). 

A mini tour took place in Greece and Holland (Dec. '94) in the context of the promotion 

and in the next year, Deviser released "Thy blackest Love" demo. 

With this release, they signed up with the Dutch label Mascot Records for two full length Cds. 

Deviser recorded their debut album "Unspeakable Cults" at Praxis studio (Athens) in August/September '96.

This album dragged air into the burning lungs of black metal with a unique sense of extremity with dreamy melodies, offering melodic black metal with some atmospheric keyboards and the unavoidable Hellenic sound. 

The music is brilliantly composed, with a perfect mixture of aggression and melody. 

Another classic from the Greek scene.

Memory

Angizia ‎– Das Schachbrett Des Trommelbuben Zacharias (1999)

Country: Austria

Tracklist

1. Pique Dame Und Rachmaninov, 1904 06:59
2. Ich Bin Ein Bewohner Des S/W-Diagramms 05:47
3. Der Kinderzar 06:08
4. Schlittenfahrt Mit Einer Lodenpuppe 06:42
5. Ungeliebter Kammerfrieden 09:20
6. Der Essayist 04:12
7. 2 Millionen Rubel 07:27
8. Das Bauernendspiel 05:10

Angizia is an avantgarde group from Vienna, founded in 1994 by Michael Haas (also known as Engelke).

Their style can be defined as a mixture of 19th century operetta, classical music,

with a touch of gothic-theatrical dramatism and a bit of metal as well. All band members are highly skilled musicians, including Jochen Stock of Dornenreich, Christof Niederwieser of Korova and KorovaKill, 

and multi-band drummer Moritz Neuner.

"Das Schachbrett des Trommelbuben Zacharias" is the second part of the bands “Russian trilogy” with the other two consisting of the albums "Das Tagebuch der Hanna Anikin" and "39 Jahre für den Leierkastenmann".
Angizia developed itself into a kind of unconventional and crazy formation in a greedy musical underground

and gave the piano more special emphasis in the course of time of the band’s extravagant theatrical foreground.
Engelke started an intense cooperation with guitar player Emmerich Haimer to compose the music 

for “Das Schachbrett des Trommelbuben Zacharias” in spring 1998.
What came into being was a harmonious, melodious and extravagant medley consisting of dramatic elements

and unconventional-humorous rhythms.
Julian Schonberg acted as timeless pianist while Irene Denner gleamed with her charismatic female voice.
“Das Schachbrett des Trommelbuben Zacharias” developed itself to a kind of avantgardistic memorial of the Angizia-culture and once more demonstrated another musical modification, Engelke wished to reach with every new album.

Memory

Equimanthorn ‎– Nindinugga Nimshimshargal Enlillara (1994)

Country: United States

Tracklist

1. Reflections Of The First Rays Of The Moon (Possess Me) - Part I 03:01
2. The Cold Mystic Winds Of Nanakanisurra (Dwelling South In The Crimson Desert: Roba El Khaliyeh) 13:33
3. Augmn: Father To All 05:31
4. The King Of The Southern Throne 06:54
5. Thy Queen Ereshkigal (Truth Of The Sword Shall Be Known To All) 06:50
6. Reflections Of The First Rays Of The Moon (In Search Of The Shores Of Rays) - Part II 05:42

"The cold mystic winds of Nanakanisurra," a scarlet spell upon Prometheus and fervent candlelight 

are the doleful elements that brought Equimanthorn together in the year 1992. 

The members of Absu were determined to choose an alternate path. 

This pathway warped them through storms of occult sciences and the mythology of the ancient Sumerians.
In the past decade, Equimanthorn has manifested as a wayward project 

commanding the participation of other prominent occult-minded musicians. 

Through experimental and droned ceremonial oblations, the band expresses anguish and treacherous lust

without ever forgetting the ironic twist that endures in their craft.
Equimanthorn is a project that exceeds the limits of a category for their style of occult-ambient music. 

The elements, in which are used, might be labeled as ritualistic, mysterious, exquisite yet haunting to name a few. 

This is the ultimate soundtrack dedicated to Sumerian fables, featuring members from Absu, Equitant,  

The Soil Bleeds Black, Zemial, Melechesh, Eldar, Blutleuchte, Arkane, and Black Seas of Infinity.

Memory

Memories Yet To Come 2012

Another year is passing by and hopefully we are still here, 
so these are my suggestions for some of this year's releases that kept my ears busy:

1. A Forest Of Stars - A Shadowplay For Yesterdays (Full-length 2012)

2. Absum - Odz Manouk (Split 7'' EP 2012)

3. Acrimonious - Sunyata (Full-length 2012)
4. Aluk Todolo - Occult Rock (Full-length 2012)

5. Arcana - As Bright As A Thousand Suns (Full-length 2012)

6. Bilskirnir - Der Wolkenwanderer (7'' EP 2012)

7. Borgne - Royaume des Ombres (Full-length 2012)

8. Burial Hordes - Descent (7'' EP 2012)

9. Dala Sun - Gegenschein (Full-length 2012)

10. Dead Can Dance - Anastasis (Full-length 2012)

11. Die Antwoord - Ten$ion (Full-length 2012)

12. Eïs - Wetterkreuz (Full-length 2012)
13. Elysian Blaze - Blood Geometry (Full-length 2012)

14. ForestMuse - The Land of Tall Trees (Full-length 2012)
15. Formloff - Spyhorelandet (Full-length 2012)

16. God Seed - I Begin (Full-length 2012)

17. Hail Spirit Noir - Pneuma (Full-length 2012)

18. Hexvessel - No Holier Temple (Full-length 2012)

19. Igorrr - Hallelujah (Full-length 2012)

20. Kawir - ΙΣΟΘΕΟΣ (Full-length 2012)

21. Mgła - With Hearts Toward None (Full-length 2012) 
22. Netra - Sørbyen (Full-length 2012)
23. NettleCarrier - NettleCarrier (Full-length 2012)

24. Open Grave - Fear (Full-length 2012)
25. Skygge - Knokkelkraft (Full-length 2012)
26. Svartidauði - Flesh Cathedral (Full-length 2012)

27. Tatir - Cave of Ephyras... To the Infernal Fields (Compilation 2012)

28. The Ascendant - The Spiritual Death (7'' EP 2012)

29. Vattnet Viskar - Vattnet Viskar (10'' EP 2012)

30. Vemod - Venter på stormene (Full-length 2012)

Grimm – Nordisk Vinter (Demo 1993)

Country: Norway

Tracklist

1. Intro: Darkest Depths 03:27
2. The Embrace Of The Cold 03:50
3. Born In The Hands Of Doom 04:49

Pre-Carpathian Forest demo featuring the two main founders of the band Nattefrost and J. Nordavind.
Some of the other Grimm members also participated in "Journey Through the Cold Moors of Svarttjern"

demo release as guests (Grimm and Damnatus).
Well this is a very good demo pointing the direction that the future relases of Carpathian Forest would follow.
With very few words what you get from this cult release is one intro, a black'n'roll track (in Carpathian Forest style)

and a more slow-atmospheric-black metal composition.
Re-released as a bootleg 7" EP in 2001 by Vinyl Maniac Records (sublabel of No Colours Records).

Memory

Skrol – Martyria (10'' EP 1998)

Country: Czech Republic

Tracklist

1. Soaking / Movie Martyr 10:22
2, Insomnia 08:00
3. Dei Irae 07:18

Skrol is a Czech avant-garde martial industrial band from Prague, formed in autumn 1995.
Bands activity started to evolve in 1996, consisting of composer, instrumentalist and sound alchemist Vladimir Hirsch, 
singer Martina Sanollova and lyricist and producer Tom Saivon.
The creative principle of the band is based on neo-classical concepts with a congregation of martial industrial, 
with an attempt to attain an organic amalgam of the two on rudiments of rock music patterns.
Martyria was released as a 10-inch LP on the LOKI Foundation/Power & Steel label 
in August 1998 as a limited edition of 300 copies. 
These tracks were also included in their later full-length album Insomnia Dei, released in 2001.

Memory

Bethel – Northern Supremacy (Demo 1997)

Country: Finland

Tracklist

1. Ave Inferno... 01:53
2. Wandering in the Lands of Dark and Frost 07:19
3. Triumph for the lost Azure 07:18

First and only release from Finland's Bethel playing melodic-atmospheric black metal
with a lot of variety in their compositions.
Keyboard parts,clean vocals,fast black metal,mid-tempo-acoustic parts
all these under a very good productions for a Demo release.

Memory