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.

 
Memory

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.

 
Memory

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.

 
Memory

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.

 
Memory

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".

 
Memory

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.

 
Memory

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.

 
Memory