Black Metal

Less than a year after “Archaic Conjurations,” Dreadful Relic delivered their first vinyl release—an eruption of all the potential stored in the demo. Recorded after the summer solstice in 2015 and self-released later that year, the “Warlords of the Cosmic Sovereign” MLP showcased the band’s esoteric proclivities and potent songwriting, drawing inspiration from Hellhammer/Celtic Frost, Samael, and other progenitors of the black metal genre. Each side contains an atmospheric intro followed by a bludgeoning original composition. Additionally, the MLP closes with a cover of “In the Shrines of the Kingly Dead” by Treblinka/Tiamat, a song perfectly suited for Dreadful Relic in both style and substance.

Black Metal

Greek black metal from the early to mid-1990s is rightfully one of the most celebrated convergences of time and place in the history of the genre. There are relatively few styles in metal that can be so easily identified as having emerged from such a narrowly-defined context as the archetypal sound that was pioneered most famously by the likes of Rotting Christ and Varathron. Among other less-commonly-referenced bands from the same scene was Elysian Fields, who initially began to garner attention in their country following the circulation of two promo tapes in 1994 and 1995. The unique sound refined in the band’s early development and demonstrated on these tapes soon resulted in their signing to the renowned Unisound Records, which in turn led to the 1995 release of Elysian Fields’ debut album, “Adelain,” a recording which represents both a nod to their aforementioned fellow countrymen as well as an incorporation of other various influences. Although it certainly exhibits primary elements of the black metal immortalized on other Greek albums such as “Thy Mighty Contract” and “His Majesty at the Swamp,” “Adelain” also reflects palpable traits of the death metal exemplified in the early recordings from Sweden’s At the Gates and the hybrid of gothic death/doom of Britain’s My Dying Bride. Above all, the primary difference that one is likely to note between this album and other Greek masterpieces is the more pronounced reliance on somber, melodic passages interspersed among the more aggressive black metal riffs. These passages tend to include piano accompaniment and, more occasionally, spoken-word vocals, very much akin to their implementation in My Dying Bride’s “Turn Loose the Swans.” This characteristic notwithstanding, “Adelain” is anything but feeble. On the contrary, its melodic aspects instead serve to create contrast with and thus accentuate the more primal black metal with which they are melded, all the while showcasing how seemingly disparate elements from various influences can be properly and effectively combined.

Black Metal

Funeral Winds formed in 1991 as a trio composed of Hellchrist Xul (guitars/vocals), Gorgoroth (vocals), and Esteban (drums). Along with Bestial Summoning, which was founded approximately one year earlier, Funeral Winds was among the earliest of black metal bands to emerge from the Netherlands, and its activity through to the present day makes it one of the most significant in the country’s history. Given the era of the band’s formative years and its relative proximity to Norway, it is not surprising that Funeral Winds played in a style similar to that of the more well-known Norse bands like Mayhem and Gorgoroth. Prior to the release of its debut album, “Godslayer Xul,” in 1998, Funeral Winds recorded three demos, an EP, and a split CD with Abigail. These early recordings were later reissued by two different labels on two separate compilations entitled “Screaming for Resurrection…” and “The Unheavenly Saviour” in 2004 and 2019, respectively. These collections are hereby resurrected on vinyl by Nuclear War Now!, a few months after first being made available on cassette by the same label. “The Unheavenly Saviour” compiles the first two demos (“Rehearsal 1992” and “La Majeste Infernable”), a live track, and an unreleased studio track from 1995 on a single LP. The “Screaming for Resurrection…” DLP consists of the third demo, “Resurrection…,” the “Thy Eternal Flame” EP, and the tracks from the split release with Abigail.

Black Metal

Nuclear War Now! is proud to announce an agreement to officially reissue the first two albums of Hades (Nor), “…Again Shall Be” (1994) and “The Dawn of the Dying Sun” (1997) on all relevant formats, including DLP / CD / cassette / digital. In an effort to most completely document Hades’ early output, “…Again Shall Be” will include the “Alone Walkyng” demo from 1993 in its entirety as bonus tracks, and “The Dawn of the Dying Sun” will include two additional bonus tracks from the era. NWN! Is working directly with the band and Jon of Full Moon Productions, who released the original versions, in order to produce the highest-quality reissues to honor the legacy of one of Norway’s most significant black metal bands. These recordings represent some of the best of the sound and Viking-related themes first pioneered by Bathory on “Blood Fire Death,” and they stand alongside such monumental releases as Immortal’s “Diabolical Fullmoon Mysticism” and Enslaved’s “Frost” in the pantheon of Norwegian Black Metal.

Black Metal

Devout Records presents two essential Leviathan compilations, “The First Sublevel of Suicide” and “Unfailing Fall into Naught,” both on double-LP format and both containing several additional rare and previously-unreleased tracks. These editions are products of the band’s own label and are thus superior to the notoriously substandard versions from Ascension Monuments Media. “The First Sublevel of Suicide” includes demo versions of songs from the band’s debut album which were not made available to AMM and features new artwork from Brian VDP, who also executed the layout for both releases. “Unfailing Fall into Naught” compiles the recordings from Leviathan’s split releases with Sapthuran and Xasthur and is presented with new artwork from Wrest himself, in addition to the aforementioned bonus tracks.

Black Metal

Re-release of the 1995 demo tape, with 3 additional tracks (B5-B7).

Tracks A1-A4 is the “Hymns To The Moon” demo 1995.

B5 previously only released on Ghosts Of Fall ;

B6 & B7 are previously unreleased live tracks. Includes double sided insert.

Death /Black Metal

Formed in Michigan during the late 80s, Lucifer’s Hammer was a prominent fixture in the Midwest underground, playing numerous regional gigs and routinely featured in the lineup of at Michigan Death-fest. The earliest incarnation of the band was more thrash-oriented, but as the band evolved, it gravitated toward a darker black/death metal sound. By the mid 1990s, Lucifer’s Hammer was part of a circle that included such bands as Summon, Masochist, and Wind of the Black Mountains, all of which at some point shared members with Lucifer’s Hammer. It proved to be among the most fertile scenes of early USBM around that time. Although Lucifer’s Hammer released two earlier demos, it was with their 1994 self-released tape, “The Burning Church,” that the band left its most enduring mark. Lucifer’s Hammer was among the first American bands to play death metal suffused with the atmospheric darkness and savage ferocity associated with the then-emerging black metal movement. On “The Burning Church,” the band plays relentless blackened death steeped in a miasma of blasphemy. Indeed, this demo is among the darkest death metal recordings of its time. Lucifer’s Hammer should be mentioned alongside bands like Profanatica, Demoncy, and Absu.

Black Metal

Active from 2001-2005, the highly revered side project of Leviathan’s Jef Whitehead, Lurker of Chalice, is mostly known for the 2005 self-titled full-length. Prior to that album, however, Wrest recorded two CD-R demos under the Lurker of Chalice name, each of which was limited to approximately 50 copies or less and sold at a single record store in San Francisco, near where he was living at the time. Like the full-length, both demos were eponymous, though the first demo was identified only by the initials “L.O.C.” written in runes. While a few of the songs from the demo era bear indicia of black metal, the material from that period is generally far more experimental, defying any effort to be neatly categorized. For “Tellurian Slaked Furnace,” Wrest has distilled the best material from the early period of the project and edited, collaged, and compiled it, weaving together something more coherent and album-like. In this way, there seems to be something of his current artistic sensibility projected onto these recordings from nearly two decades earlier. In keeping with the confusing taxonomy of the project, the tracks on this LP are unnamed. The album opens with a song previously called “Lurker of Chalice” on the 2002 demo but is untitled on this release. The song showcases the haunting minimalism of Lurker of Chalice as slow acoustic guitars revolve around one another, arpeggiated chords ringing out above percussive accents. With the second track, a more sinister energy emerges, advanced by the first and only appearance of Wrest’s seething vocals.

Black Metal

First NWN pressing with gatefold jacket, 12″ insert and A2 poster.

Black Metal

NEBIROS was formed in 1990 in Medellin, Colombia by Jovanni Garcia, aka Sacrilegus. Joined by drummer Black Satan and bassist/guitarist Feretrum, NEBIROS stood out among their chaotic Ultrametal peers in Colombia by playing mid-paced, occult black metal in the vein of SAMAEL, ROTTING CHRIST, and “Deathcrush”-era MAYHEM. Their first demo is the sole recording featuring Sacrilegus before his untimely murder in 1992, although his lyrics would be used for several more years. Black Satan was soon replaced by Dominus Saevitum, and the group would remain a duo throughout the rest of its initial run. Their debut full-length “Guerreros de Lucifer” arrived in 1996 and remains an outstanding example of 90s black metal.

Black Metal

Originally released by Unisound Records in 1995, this hidden gem of Greek black metal lay dormant in the murky Greek swamp for many years; only getting the occasional CD or tape reissues on underground labels. The vinyl edition has been elusive for over a decade and fetching high prices on discogs. We’ve addressed many of the oddities of the original vinyl pressing, including the lopsided side break that resulted in 30 minutes of play time on side B, and lack of a proper band logo on the cover. CD version will be released by Frost and Fire Records from Greece.