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Re-issue, completely new artwork and updated layout for the best result.

“Angelus Exuro Pro Eternus” is the fifth satanic symphony by the Swedish black metal overlords and was originally put out in 2009. Once again produced by longtime sound master Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy) it was a more traditional masterpiece offering blasting tempo and hymn-like melodies to equal parts. Accompanied by five fantastic live tracks recoded in Buenos Aires (for the first time on audio CD) spanning the band's entire history it furthermore features remastered sound, new layouts, liner notes and unseen photos. A timeless black metal classic!

Re-issue, CD jewelcase, 16 page booklet on 135g art paper.

Since their formation in 2007, MINENWERFER have pursued a proud 'n' pure vision of black metal idiosyncratically focused on World War I - idiosyncratic, in the sense that the band hail from America but mostly sing in German. What has resulted is a startlingly accomplished canon that has quietly built itself into prolific proportions, with their first album arriving in 2010, followed by albums in 2012 and 2019, and a slew of split releases and EPs in the interim.

Of those many short-length releases, Kriegserklärung can conveniently be seen as a companion to an album release – in this case, 2012's thick-yet-throttling Nihilistischen. And yet, where that album saw MINENWERFER inching closer to a palatable professionalism, the 24-minute Kriegserklärung fully bursts through those doors with a startling clarity, setting the stage for the band's grand 2019 full-length, Alpenpäesse.

Odium is a name that hasn't been talked about much in the symphonic black metal scene. Formed in 1994, the Norwegian band didn't release much besides a demo, a single, and their only studio album "The Sad Realm of the Stars". The 1998 album received little recognition when it was first released since it was seen as more of a Limbonic Art knockoff. However, when you give the album a listen, you'll see that it's more than just a cheap ripoff of Limbonic Art. Not only does it expand upon the Limbonic Art sound, but it also stands out in its own ways.

Let's start off with the instruments. As I've stated before, the instrumentals take large inspiration from Limbonic Art, but it does have its own merits. The guitars sound more raw, but still maintain a clean production to fit the symphonic themes. Speaking of which, the symphonic elements are easily one of the strongest elements on this album. The keyboards sound beautiful with its melodic tunes, and gives the overall atmosphere a grand theatrical tone. One instrument I find a bit weak though is the drums. It's decent it terms of the blastbeats it plays, but the production softens the loud banging a bit, so it feels weak. Some of my favorite instrumentals come from the tracks "Towards the Forest Horizon", "Thy Eternal Nightfall", and "The Sad Realm of the Stars", since those tracks execute the symphonic themes the strongest and have some powerful riffs. While the drumming can feel weak, every other instrument does not fail in bringing in an epic and dramatic atmosphere.

Another great thing about the album is the vocals. Sechtdaemon does the vocals here, and he stands out in his own ways. Sechtdaemon's high shrieks sound very angry, and the occasional demonic screams only further enhances the evil personality in him. One of the stronger vocal moments is from the track "Through the Sorrowfilled Forest". The album goes for a more abrasive and chaotic tone, so the guitar riffs have more darker sounds and the symphonic synths have a more grim tone in them. This fits perfectly well with the vocals, as the shrieks flow well to the cold instruments and further execute the grand atmosphere. Sechtdaemon's vocals are excellent in flow and delivery, and his vocal skills are right up there with Ihsahn of Emperor.

Overall, this is an album that will surprise a lot of people, especially since it's a lot more than just Limbonic Art worship. The symphonic elements strengthen the cold and dark atmosphere, and the vocals have a strong delivery and execution. Odium would go on a hiatus shortly after the release of the "Altering the State of Being" single, and they only just recently reignited the band. It's unknown of the band is gonna make new music, but as of now, "The Sad Realm of the Stars" is an album I highly recommend for those seeking an unique take on the Limbonic Art sound.

Slater922, July 8th, 2021 - METAL ARCHIVES

Reprint, 500x heavyweight neon violet 12" in a black poly-lined innersleeve, gatefold jacket full-color printed on 350g carton, all assembled in a plastic overbag.

Velvet purple vinyl limited to 300 copies

With their seventh studio album "Otra", Norwegian avant-garde metal stalwards IN THE WOODS... might surprise their listeners – and particularly those, who have not followed the remarkable evolution that the band from the southern Norwegian city of Kristiansand has undergone since the early nineties. The tracks of "Otra" are surprisingly captivating with melodic tunes dominating the present sound of IN THE WOODS... – although progressive elements and the occasional rough reminder of the Norwegians' harsh past are also regularly shimmering through the fabric of these songs. What sets "Otra" apart from the average heavy work of music is the excellence of composition that shows expert level experience and comes with a seeming ease that makes the achievement even greater. Lyrically, "Otra" revolves around stories connected to the eponymous river that winds for 245 kilometres through the South of Norway and spills into the Skagerrak, the strait that separates the country from Denmark and Sweden, at the band's home in Kristiansand. There is hardly a need to introduce the name IN THE WOODS... to any adherent of avant-garde and black metal. Their coordinates within the scene are also well known: The Norwegians were among the bands that have participated in the burgeoning evolution of black metal in the early nineties and have had a large part in the shaping of the sound of a strong subgenre. Their first full-length "Heart of the Ages" (1995) has a lasting impact on black metal and is rightfully regarded as one of the genre's early classics. Refusing to rest on their laurels, IN THE WOODS... progressed further into different musical dimensions with "Omnio" (1997) and "Strange in Stereo" (1999). Following a long hiatus between the years 2000 to 2014, the Norwegians returned with vocalist James Fogarty, who continued to front the band until December 2021. With a new line-up and singer Bernt Fjellestad completing IN THE WOODS... a fresh direction was taken with the album "Diversum" (2021). With "Otra", IN THE WOODS... demonstrate the full strength and artistic maturity of the Norwegians' third incarnation. Enticing and highly pleasurable to listen to, this exciting record is nonetheless crammed with glorious details and surprising twists that reveal themselves only after many spins.

released by Osmose

1. Solemn Strikes the Funeral Chime 03:52
2. White Cold Wrath Burnt Frozen Blood 17:02 [view lyrics]
3. Descent of the Flames 09:01 [view lyrics]
4. The June Frost 04:24
5. A Slow March to the Burial 06:49 [view lyrics]
6. The Februar Winds 02:53
7. Suicide Choir 12:49 [view lyrics]
8. The Wreath 03:16

Ascolta su YouTube

1. Mother Water, The Great Sea Wept 18:21
2. As I Drown In Loveless Rain 11:21
3. When The Weeping Dawn Beheld Its Mortal Thirst 10:03
4. The Monad Of Creation 20:03

Demonic steel for the hungry and damned souls of inferno.
Hear the demon's speak through the riffs and please your metal thirsty mind and soul.

7th deadly sin right here, right now!
Total BLACK & THRASH attack ! The very best album from the band !

Jewelcase CD edition with a 12 page booklet 145g art paper, sealed.