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Between 1981 and 1985 the classic line-up of Venom - Cronos, Mantas and Abaddon - released seven singles for Neat Records, one perhaps for each of the Seven Gates Of Hell. This was the golden age of the band, and with these releases and the albums Welcome To Hell and Black Metal in particular they cemented their position in metal’s hall of fame. Not only did they spawn an entire genre in its own right, but in doing so the band became the yardstick by which future extreme and black metal outfits would measure themselves. As such, the importance of these releases cannot be overstated, and this collection also illustrates how the band’s sound and direction developed over time. Opening with their April 1981 debut ‘In League With Satan’, The Seven Gates Of Hell serves up the seven singles in chronological order: ‘Blood Lust’, ‘Die Hard’, ‘Warhead’, ‘Manitou’, ‘Nightmare’ and the limited edition Hell At Hammersmith EP (with its stunning live version of ‘Witching Hour’) complete the running order, along with the relevant B-sides and bonus tracks on alternate formats. Originally released on CD by Sanctuary in 2003, this new vinyl release adds the track ‘Warhead’ which appeared on the flip of the 12” picture disc of ‘Nightmare’ as well as a 5,000 word essay featuring a new interview with Tony Bray, aka drummer Abaddon.

Vintersorg’s classic album remastered! A real gem of epic Swedish Viking Metal!

As someone who listens to Metal albums on a daily basis, as well as being a Metal fan for well over 40 years, there are many great Metal albums out there. But sometimes an album comes along that changes how we look at Metal. We are not sure if that was Andreas “Vintersorg” Hedlund‘s intention when he wrote his debut full length, “Till Fjälls”, but that is exactly what this album did. His intention was to create a sound that was Black Metal based but also focusing more on clean vocals and adding more traditional Swedish folk elements to the that base. He inadvertently patented a new sound and sub-genre.

The album opens with, “Rundans,” which is basically an intro, being part acoustic and part electric. Keyboards take the place of what sounds like wind instruments. “For kung och fosterland,” follows as the first proper song, opening with speed and fury there are tremolo riffs and grim vocals but they lead to a much more melodic approach with the clean vocals taking over. Vintersorg sings here in a low baritone which became his trademark. But it is the way he used those melodies intertwined with the heavier more Black Metal oriented sounds was new and nothing like it existed before.

But what the real magic here is the entire package. Songs about that show how ancient paganism was so rooted in the actual forces of nature; while done so in his own language over top this epic Metal music that was all new.

From the cold of Norrland this album manages to take the cold and grim and add some warmth and emotion. This masterpiece was just the first in a string of absolutely brilliant albums from this incredible talented artist. After 27 years this album still resonated with me the same as it did when I first heard it. This is proof that great music is timeless.

For fans of: Falkenbach, Moonsorrow, Borknagar, Finntroll, Kampfar, Einherjer.

If you were talking German thrash metal in the second half of the 1980s, you couldn’t go past Assassin from Düsseldorf, who released their highly influential (go ask the Norwegian black metal scene) first two full-lengths “The Upcoming Terror” and “Interstellar Experience” in 1987 and ‘88 respectively. The latter, which is widely regarded as a quintessential Teutonic thrash album, was tracked at Music Lab Berlin with legendary producer Harris Johns (Kreator, Voivod), who had the band record the material live in studio prior to the actual sessions. Now for the first time ever, these recordings – all album tracks minus ‘Baka’, which was written on the fly later on, while ‘Damned World’ was renamed ‘Strange World’ – will get a proper release via High Roller Records. Entitled “Outer Space Death”, the material was transferred from cassette, restored and mastered by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony in late 2024. The result shows just how good Assassin were as performers, arguably even surpassing the final album versions of the songs. “It’s definitely worth listening to because it sounds very different,” says guitarist Dinko Vekić, hitting the nail on its head

“Emellan Träden” is a raw and haunting journey through icy melodies and endless darkness!

For fans of Enslaved, Vintersorg and Borknagar!
Jord drag their sound deeper into the forest on their new album “Emellan Träden”, a towering, windswept slab of atmospheric Black Metal!
Formed by Jörgen “Jurg” Ström (ex-Rimfrost, ex-Skineater) in 2020 as a solo project, Jord built two albums (“Sol” and “Måne”) straight from the gut, before evolving into a full band. With guitarist Sebastian “Hravn” Svedlund (Rimfrost, Omnicidal) and drummer Stefan “Jansson” Jansson (Omnicidal) locking in, Jord found the weight and muscle their music was begging for.
Recorded again with Micke Andersson at Studio Soundport, the new album keeps Jord’s heart; atmospheric Black Metal shot through with Post Rock and Folk undercurrents, but hits harder, breathes deeper.

Songs weave through towering riffs, soaring clean passages, hypnotic rhythms, and moments of total collapse.

Ukrainian blackened death/doom metal formation 1914 return with unrelenting force on their fourth studio album, Viribus Unitis, Latin for "With United Forces." Far more than a historical reference to the personal motto of Franz Joseph I of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the title reflects the band’s resilience through war, loss, and upheaval – a powerful symbol of survival and solidarity. Releasing on November 14, 2025 via Napalm Records, Viribus Unitis builds on the band’s acclaimed conceptual approach, pushing even deeper into emotional and musical intensity.

Continuing their chronicle of World War I, 1914 shift their focus slightly, from the raw portrayal of death and destruction to themes of camaraderie, endurance, and the emotional landscapes of those who endured the horrors. While previous releases like The Blind Leading the Blind (2018) and Where Fear and Weapons Meet (2021) centered on the futility and finality of war, Viribus Unitis explores the human bonds forged under fire and the strength of those who returned: broken, changed, yet still alive.

Musically, 1914 remain true to their identity – brutal mixture of blackened death metal, slow-burning doom, and ambient war soundscapes. This time, however, their sound gains a broader dynamic range, with soaring melodic leads, orchestral textures, and haunting clean vocals that provide dramatic contrast to the crushing heaviness. One of the album’s highlights is a collaboration with Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride and High Parasite on “1918 Pt. 3: ADE (A Duty to Escape),” whose mournful voice adds a solemn, almost liturgical quality to this elegy of grief and brotherhood on the front lines.

Viribus Unitis deepens 1914’s commitment to historical authenticity, both lyrically and conceptually. Told through real events and personal accounts of a Ukrainian soldier in the K.u.K. army, the album traces a timeline from 1914 to 1919, painting a grim journey through the war’s rise, climax, and hollow aftermath.

From the brooding opener “War In” to the bleak closer “War Out (The End?)”, each track captures a moment in time: the brutal “1914 (The Siege of Przemysl)”, the frostbitten “1915 (Zwinin Ridge)”, the crushing Alpine combat of “1916 (Südtirol Offensive)”, and the madness of “1918 Pt. 2: POW (Prisoner of War)” featuring Christopher Scott of Precious Death.

The album ends with “1919 (The Home Where I Died),” featuring Rome’s Jerome Reuter, a haunting portrait of a soldier who survived the war, but not its shadow. This emotional song deals with the soldier's will to live and his family values, seeing him escape from captivity to finally return home to embrace his wife and daughter. 1914 fuse blackened death metal, doom, and atmospheric textures with dramatic flourishes and guest vocals, creating their most dynamic and emotionally resonant record to date.

Havukruunu's debut album HAVULINNAAN reissued in June Svart Records is proud to bring Havukruunu's 2015 debut album HAVULINNAAN back to the market on June 6th, 2025. HAVULINNAAN is filled to the brim with raw, bleak, unforgiven heavy metal mixed with spells from the very depths of the misty Finnish forests. Havukruunu's Stefa had this to say about the upcoming reissue: "INTO THE CONIFEROUS CASTLE….. Ten years ago, we didst unleash an abomination of immortal-worship, improvised guitar solos and a first glance of a certain type of spiritual freedom, the very first full-length Havukruunu album HAVULINNAAN and thus began our search. Experience our then meandering worry anew, through this humble, slightly remastered reissue through Svart records."

Svart Records continues to reissue the albums of Havukruunu, bringing their 2020 classic UINUOS SYÖMEIN SOTA back on the market in September 2025. Havukruunu's third album UINUOS SYÖMEIN SOTA is widely praised for its epic and melodic black metal, combining heavy metal influences with folk music. The album is celebrated in particular for its catchy melodies, powerful atmospherics, lush guitar solos and choral vocals, which create a unique blend of bleak heavy metal and other genres. The album has been compared to the works of Bathory and Moonsorrow, but critics have put Havukruunu on their own level for having such a unique style. True Finnish Forest Metal.

Havukruunu's KELLE SURUT SOI reissued in September Svart Records continues to re-release the works of Havukruunu, bringing their highly sought after 2017 album KELLE SURUT SOI back in print in September 2025. Havukruunu's sophomore album Kelle surut soi is known for its immersive atmosphere, evoking imagery of Finnish paganism and nature's force. While rooted in black metal, the album incorporates folk melodies and acoustic elements, adding depth and texture to the sound, yet it doesn't shy away from aggressive, blackened riffs and powerful drumming, providing a satisfyingly heavy experience. The songs are individual journeys, with the album as a whole creating a larger, more impactful experience.

A deeply introspective work, the 2023 “The Rime of Memory” is the second chapter in Panopticon’s trilogy exploring ageing, grief, and the emotional fallout of environmental collapse. Expanding on the themes introduced in “...And Again into the Light”, this album leads listeners into colder, more cinematic territory – weaving Appalachian folk, symphonic grandeur, and searing metal into a single, immersive journey.

With sweeping orchestral movements, a global choir, and collaborations in both sound and visual art, “The Rime of Memory” stands as one of Austin Lunn’s most expansive statements to date. Shifting between moments of crushing intensity and quiet contemplation, it draws the listener into a world shaped by memory, sorrow, and a fragile sense of hope.

Official reissue on digipak CD format