Onna-Kodomo – Syuuka (1997)

 

Country: Japan

Tracklist

1. Echo 09:25
2. When She Ascend For Steps 03:50
3. Driftin' 06:41
4. Phantom Pain 04:43
5. Black Forest - I Can't Sleep 05:58
6. Stray Sheep 08:47
7. Syuuka (The Last Song) 20:03

Onna-Kodomo was a Japanese trio that consisted of Yuko Hasegawa (bass, voice),

Shizuo Uchida (bass, guitar, also a member of Nijiumu) and Shinmei Suzuki (violin).
The band released in 1995 the cassette "終歌" and was featured on both the "Tokyo Flashback 4" compilation series

from Japan's P.S.F. Records and on the "Land Of The Rising Noise Vol. 2" compilation by Charnel Music.
In 1997 their debut CD "Syuuka" was released revealing their beautiful dreamy music.
"Syuuka" consists of minimalistic slow etheral/ambient with simple bass lines while

Shinmei Suzuki's electric violin chords blends with Yuko Hasegawa's gorgeously eerie/chanting vocals.
The album "Hypnosis" was Onna-Kodomo's next work in 2003, that is an one-hour solo by Yuko Hasegawa mostly on bass, followed by the album "Oboro" in 2003 featuring Hasegawa and Shinmei Suzuki on violin and sax.
Shizuo Uchida, among his many projects, has also teamed up with another Hasegawa, Hirotomo Hasegawa

 to record under the moniker Hasegawa-Shizuo, while together with Yuko Hasegawa 

joined Masahiro Deguchi to form the project Le Son De L'Os.

Memory

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.

Memory

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.

Memory

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.
Mała’s 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 Siwy’s 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.

Memory

Henry - Portrait Of A Serial Killer – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1986)

Composers:  Robert McNaughton, Ken Hale, Steven A. Jones

Tracklist

1. Henry Theme 02:14
2. Dead Body Drone #1-#4 04:11
3. Too Young For These Blues 04:22
4. The Stalk 01:31
5. La Lania 02:52
6. Football Boys / Housewife Body Drone #5 01:57
7. Fingers On It 04:12
8. Becky Downtown 01:04
9. Yeah, I Killed Mama 01:04
10. Callin' Colleen 03:17
11. She's Your Sister 00:20
12. Jukin 02:38
13. Kill Hookers 00:48
14. It's Always The Same - And It's Always Different 01:07
15. Let's Go Shopping 03:48
16. Drive Up / Home Invasion 01:30
17. Stop Frame #1 - Stop Frame #2 01:26
18. Beauty & The Beast 00:35
19. Adios, Motherfucker 01:04
20. My Mistake 02:38
21. Henry End Of Theme 01:35
22. Drone 01:08

Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer is a 1986 American psychological horror crime film

directed and co-written by John McNaughton and Richard Fire,

about the random crime spree of a serial killer who seemingly operates with impunity.

It stars Michael Rooker as the nomadic killer Henry, Tom Towles as Otis,

a prison buddy with whom Henry is living, and Tracy Arnold as Becky, Otis's sister.

The characters of Henry and Otis are loosely based on convicted real life serial killers Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole.

However, as the opening statement makes clear, the film is based more on

Lucas' violent fantasies and confessions rather than the crimes for which he was convicted.

The original poster artwork was a painting by Joe Coleman,

that was considered too extreme and was replaced by the current official poster.
The soundtrack of the film was composed by Robert McNaughton, Ken Hale and Steven A. Jones

with the help of Paul Petraitis on guitar, and was originally released in 1991  by Q.D.K. Media.
The music is mostly ambient / electronic mixed with samples from the movie and also features songs 

from rock & roll / hard rock bands like Kid Tater And The Cheaters, Enuff Z'nuff and Lynne And The Lizards.

Memory

Lord Kaos – Thorns Of Impurity (1997)

Country: Australia

Tracklist

1. Crystal Lakes 07:44
2. Hall Of Sorrow 05:29
3. Golden Winds On Red Streams Of Ocean Lightning 05:37
4. Freezing Ornate Throne 06:22
5. Dark Tower Of Immolation 06:20
6. Under The Darkest Shade 04:42
7. Red Sky Of Angels Dying 05:12
8. In The Icy Realm 04:55
9. Fountains Of Impure Essence 03:29
10. Thorns Of Impurity 08:05

Lord Kaos was an Australian black metal band that created in Sydney in 1994.
Formed by guitarist Jamie "Astennu" Stinson (ex-Covenant, ex-Carpe Tenebrum, ex-Dimmu Borgir) 

and vocalist Jamie Marsh, they soon dropped the original drummer in favor of a drum machine

and recorded their demo "Path To My Funeral Light" in 1995.
Later the same year, with the help of Incubus on bass and backing vocals, they recorded the album "Thorns Of Impurity".
The album was recorded for release on Sydney label Warhead Records

but also found interest from Norway's Head Not Found.

This caused a split in the group when Astennu relocated to Norway to pursue release for Lord Kaos there,

only for the remaining band members to resist the move.
The release was delayed due to this course of action and it was not issued (by Warhead Records eventually) until 1997.
By then, Astennu had completed his first Carpe Tenebrum album "Majestic Nothingness"

and had joined Dimmu Borgir as a lead guitarist.
With the departure of Astennu, Lord Kaos came to a standstill.
At the end of 1997 the band played on the Australian tour of Cradle of Filth and work began on a second album.

Several tracks were eventually recorded and one, "Black Earth",

later appeared on the 1999 compilation "Under The Southern Cross", from Sydney label Chatterbox Records.
By mid-1999 line up changes put Lord Kaos into hiatus.
In 2000 the band was active once more and played some shows in early 2001,

but later in December Lord Kaos announced their disband.

Memory

Forseti – Jenzig (1999)

 

Country: Germany

Tracklist

1. Gesang Der Jünglinge 04:19
2. Am Abend 02:28
3. Heilige Welt 05:20
4. Abschied 01:39
5. Wolfszeit 02:53
6. Erlkönig 04:20
7. Jenzig 02:18
8. Jenzig II 04:38

Forseti was a German neofolk band formed in Jena in 1997 by Andreas Ritter.
The band is known for its musical settings of German romantic poetry and mythology.
Forseti's music style is built around the acoustic guitar but also involves instruments such as accordion, cello, horn and flute. Ritter has mentioned Leonard Cohen and Johnny Cash as important musical influences.
 Forseti debuted in 1999 with the 10" album "Jenzig", released by Eis Und Licht label.
"Jenzig" established Andreas Ritter's literary interests with musical settings of Ludwig Uhland's "Gesang Der Jünglinge"

and Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe's "Erlkönig".
Ritter's interests were also present in references to 18th and 19th century poets such as Eduard Mörike,  

Joseph Freiherr Von Eichendorff, Matthias Claudius, Friedrich Schiller and Friedrich Hölderlin,

but also 20th-century writers such as Paul Celan and Friedrich Dürrenmatt.
Later in 2002 "Jenzig" was re-released on CD format featuring the the bonus track "Jenzig II"

that was recorded in 2000 and previously released on the "Lichttaufe - Der Folklore Liedschatz" compilation.
The band's second album "Windzeit" was released in 2002 and includes poems by Hermann Hesse and Ricarda Huch.
It also features two song with lyrics by Uwe Nolte of the band Orplid and guest performances

from members of the band Sonne Hagal and from Douglas P. of Death In June.
In 2004 Forseti released its third and final album "Erde".

"Erde" includes covers of songs by Sonne Hagal and Orplid and guest performances

from the Ukrainian opera singer Andrey Kulinich, B'eirth of the band In Gowan Ring,

Kim Larsen of Of the Wand & The Moon and Ian Read of Fire + Ice.
At the time of its release, Ritter described it as possibly the final chapter in this style of nature poetry 

and said that he might move into something more historical or start to set older classics to music.
Unfortunately in May 2005, Ritter suffered a cardiac arrest which had serious consequences for his health.

To support him, a number of neofolk acts collaborated on the compilation album "Forseti Lebt" in 2006.
The proceeds from the album went to support Ritter.

Memory