December ‎– River Of Blood (7'' EP 1996)

Country: United States

Tracklist

1. River Of Blood 03:43
2. Venus In Chains 04:01

Solo project of New York City-based musician, producer, and visual artist Derek Rush.
Rush is often associated with dark underground music and bands (A Murder Of Angels, Compactor, Dream Into Dust, 
Loretta's Doll, Of Unknown Origin) using a combination of electronic and live instruments.
December after one cassette release in 1995 on his own Waking Dream label, was signed to Elfenblut Records, 
which released this 7" ep single limited to 1000 copies, before the project was abandoned.
Rush used for his short-lived project nihilistic lyrics combined with downtuned instruments 
such as acoustic guitars, white noise, strings, bass effects and unusual percussion.
The band reformed with additional members as Dream Into Dust.

Memory

Sinoath – Still In The Grey Dying (Demo 1993)

Country: Italy

Tracklist

1. Forefather Of Human Faults 08:36
2. The Raising Stillness 07:25
3. Sinoath 07:45

Sinoath was formed in 1990 in Catania, Sicily.
The band was mainly influenced by fellow American death metal bands as well as the British. 

Their first demo "Forged In Blood" was released in 1991 and became substantially influential in extreme metal music.
The following demo "Still In The Grey Dying" was recorded in demo tape version in 1993 via Obscure Plasma Records 

and after re-printed on CD via Nosferatu Records in 1995.
In 1995 Sinoath signed to the Italian Polyphemus Records and released their first album "Research".

The band disbanded soon after.
In 2003 Sinoath reformed and re-released the EP "Forged In Blood" via Elegy Music with four live tracks bonus.

2007 was the year of their second album release entitled "Under The Ashes".

Memory

Ras Algethi ‎– Oneiricon - The White Hypnotic (1995)

Country: Italy

Tracklist

1. Aldebaran Crossing 02:12
2. The Bride Eternal 10:15
3. When Fire Is Father 08:50
4. Keys of Urtam (A Translucent Vision) 08:38
5. With An Halo Of Flames 02:46
6. Symbols (In Luce Obliqua) 12:12
7. Nubes Obscura 05:34
8. In White Hypnotic 06:31

Ras Algethi was an Italian doom metal band, formed in 1993 in Milan.
Their name is Arabic for "Head of the Kneeler."
This is the name Arab astronomers gave for the star that is now called Alpha Herculis.
They are one of the pioneers of the funeral doom genre. 

The bands prevalent elements are lurching, abysmal rhythms, church organs and dense, immersive atmosphere.
Ras Algethi released two recordings, the 1993 demo “Oblita Divinitas”, 

and a full length in 1995, “Oneiricon - The White Hypnotic” released by Wounded Love Records. 

They disbanded soon afterwards. Key members went on to form the band Canaan.

Memory

Shpongle – Are You Shpongled? (1998)

Country: England

Tracklist

1. Shpongle Falls 08:33
2. Monster Hit 08:57
3. Vapour Rumours 10:26
4. Shpongle Spores 07:16
5. Behind Closed Eyelids 12:29
6. Divine Moments Of Truth 10:20
7. ...And The Day Turned To Night 19:57

Simon Posford and Raja Ram are Shpongle, a psychedelic ambient project
formed in 1996 after they met at Butterfly Studios in Brixton, South London.
Simon was working on Purple Om and Hallucinogen
while Raja Ram was working with Graham Wood on The Infinity Project.
The two went to the Glastonbury Festival and decided to write something downtempo
after their experience and Shpongle was born.
Their sound is a mix of mainly eastern ethnic samples and western contemporary psychedelic synth music.
Posford is responsible for the synth and studio work
while Raja Ram contributes with flute arrangements and creative sensibilities.
"Are You Shpongled?" is the first of six albums released by Shpongle.
This album set the standard for psychedelic downtempo music worldwide,
and created a revolution between psychedelic trance and ambient soundscapes.

Memory

Aghast – Hexerei Im Zwielicht Der Finsternis (1995)

Country: Norway

Tracklist

1. Enthral 01:36
2. Sacrifice 05:38
3. Enter The Hall Of Ice 05:02
4. Call From The Grave 06:04
5. Totentanz 05:24
6. The Darkest Desire 05:12
7. Das Irrlicht 03:58
8. Ende 03:34

Aghast was a dark ambient project by Nebelhexë aka Andrea Meyer Haugen and Nacht aka Tania Stene.
They released only one album in 1995 on Cold Meat Industry “Hexerei Im Zwielicht Der Finsternis”. 
This album impressed the extreme music scene, where it reached cult status.
Due to Andrea’s later involvement in the film industry, Aghast’s music was used several times
in subcultural horror films such as in the film Sinister.
Andrea Meyer Haugen (ex-Hagalaz' Runedance, Nebelhexë) nowadays has a project called Aghast Manor
were she creates dark soundtracks once again.
Yet she makes it clear that Aghast Manor is a new project, not a revival of the old band.
She has also published several books on paganism and used to be married to Samoth (Emperor, Zyklon).
Tania Stene is an interdisciplinary artist. She works with different techniques such as oils/acrylics,
photography, collage, video, sound and installation. She is known for coverart & photo shoots for bands like Darkthrone,
Isengard, Thorns, Satyricon, Burzum, Emperor and Sunn O))). Tania used to be married to Fenriz of Darkthrone.

Memory

Vinterkrig ‎– Härskare Över Stjärnorna Och Mina Drömmar (Demo 1997)

Country: Sweden

Tracklist

1. Sorgen Som Föll Med Natten 06:11
2. Silver Nätters Regn 05:01
3. Härskare Över Stjärnorna Och Mina Drömmar 05:29
4. L.I.R. 01:08

5. Tillsammans Jagar Vi 06:53

The Swedish black metal act Vinterkrig came together in Stockholm in 1996. 

In March the following year they entered Peter Tagtgren's the Abyss Studio 

to record the five track demo “Harskare Over Stjarnorna Och Mina Drommar” 

that was produced by Mikael Hedlund of Hypocrisy. 

A few days after finishing the demo the band performed live 

one final time with Naglfar in Stockholm before splitting up in 1997.
Martin Mendez and Martin Lopez went on to join Opeth and also formed the band Fifth To Infinity with Jonas Reslan.

Memory

Mistigo Varggoth Darkestra ‎– The Key To The Gates Of Apocalypses (1999)

Country: Ukraine

Tracklist

1. The Key To The Gates Of Apocalypses 01:12:03

Mistigo Varggoth Darkestra was the dark project of Knjaz Varggoth 
(also the leader of the Kharkiv band Nokturnal Mortum). 
As Knjaz Varggoth needed a project to express his most inner feelings and thoughts, 
he was the sole member of the band that written and recorded the music for the project.
His first albums were fully instrumental acts stretching more towards the ambient genre.
In the autumn of 1998 Knjaz Varggoth recorded "The Key To The Gates Of Apocalypses", 
an one-track concept album that totals over 70 minutes long. 
This can be regarded as a mixture of black metal and strangulating dark ambience. 
The CD was released by The End Records.

Memory