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To understand the defining traits of Greek Black Metal, one need only to listen to “The Tressrising of Nyarthotep” by the mighty Varathron. This track, first appearing on the “genesis of Apocryphal Desire” demo, possesses all of the victorious grandeur and tragic melancholia that are the essence of the early 1990’s Greek Black Metal sound. Along with contemporary releases by Rotting Christ and Necromantia, Varathron’s demo material firmly established a style that is thoroughly Grecian in character. Thick with a damp and heavy Hellenistic darkness, Varathron explored a sound that was infused with the epic and the ancient. As with so much of the most evocative and potent Black Metal, the ancient currents are revealed through the expression of the modern. Varathron’s music is as mystical as it is visceral. The recordings on this compilation comprise the earliest seeds of what would become one of the greatest bands in the history of the genre. This collection contains all of Varathron’s work leading the band toward the creation of their monumental debut LP, “His Majesty at the Swamp.” The two demos, “Procreation of the Unaltered Evil” and “Genesis of Apocryphal Desire” reveal the steps that Varathron took that would later come to fruition on their first album. This collection also contains the more refined tracks that were utilized on their first vinyl releases – the “One Step Beyond Dreams“ EP and “The Everlasting Sins” tracks from the split LP with Necromantia – and three additional bonus tracks recorded during the early years. As with the forthcoming Rotting Christ demo collection that NWN! will soon release, the songs on this compilation of Varathron’s early recordings reveal the painstaking emergence of a band’s identity. Absorbed in the context of early works by Varathron’s Greek contemporaries, one also witnesses the development of a sound uniquely specific to a geographic region, so specific, in fact, that it is impossible to imagine such a multidimensional approach to Black Metal originating anywhere else. Both the Regular and Die Hard editions of this release will feature gatefold jackets with artwork by Manuel Tinnemans and layout by Tilmann Benninghaus as well as a 48 page zine booklet. The Die Hard edition will also come with a separate LP (with jacket) featuring the “Live at the Swamp” demo material. Originally released on tape in 2004, “Live at the Swamp” features a live recording and rehearsal recording from 1991. These recordings have been remastered and cleaned up by James Plotkin and the sound quality on this LP, although still quite raw, is markedly better than the original tape version.

Bilwis is a Melodic Black Metal solo-project from Germany. 

The concept of Bilwis comprises old European fairy tales and myths, clothing them in a garment of raw, yet melodic and atmospheric Black Metal with German lyrics - a journey to the world of forgotten dreams, wolves, ghosts, dwarfs, mermaids, trolls, elves, vampires & giants.

When Bilwis started the songwriting for the new album “Hameln”, it soon became apparent that in terms of songwriting he needed to return to the debut EP, but with improved sound. The last album “Pan” ended up very melodic and playful, whereas the concept of the new album required a darker and oppressive sound and songwriting to express the grim themes that the lyrics deal with. Musically, a big inspiration have always been Dissection, and while not always apparent, the occasional nods to “The Somberlain” are quite distinctive.

In order to visually express the dark themes of the fairy tales and myths which are told on the new album, particularly that of the title song, it was decided to get the cover artwork done by the very talented German artist Julian Bauer, who captured the essence of the music and lyrics perfectly in his image of the “Rattenfänger von Hameln”.

Sad Whisperings was formed in 1990 (as Desecrate) and released several demo’s in the 80’s / 90s up till their split in 2004 and gained a worldwide cult following. Sad Whisperings was pure doom death metal like their early inspiration Paradise Lost and with a touch of the Dutch school of doom death metal like The Gathering. Sad Whisperings got signed by Dutch cult label Foundation 2000 (The Gathering, Gorefest) and released their debut album in 1993 called  ’Sensitive to autumn’. The album was recorded at the famous Beaufort Studios with Han Swagerman (The Gathering, Sear Bliss etc). Also featuring guest vocals by Usurper / Moon of Sorrow’s Parick Harreman..The insert contains rare and old pictures, flyers and posters. Extensive liner notes from Steven Willems (Rock Tribune, Streams of Ancient Wisdom: The History of Dutch Death And Extreme Metal). The band recently reformed, plays live and is currently working on a new album. 

‘Rotten mindcrushing death metal from the underground, most important and influential bands. A brutal compilation that sickens your soul’. That was the original promotional line for this compilation album in 1991. It’s still valid to this very day. ALL bands are up till now active, recording new albums and performing worldwide. And all with their own serious fanbase. This cd re-release features Unleashed, Asphyx, Tiamat, Morgoth, Grave & Loudblast. All with rare or special tracks from 1990 – 1991, 15 in total. The 12 page booklet contains interviews with all bands, done by Pim Blankenstein (Sinister, Bodyfarm, Infernal Majesty). Complete booklet and original artwork remake by ACW (Tiamat, Ceremonial Oath). 

SELTAR is a US-based project (a side project of WINDFAERER member) focused on the ancient, the cosmic, and the ancestral realms expressed through atmosphere and melancholia.

Shimmering lights silhouette the dense trees, obscuring the landscape. In solitude, the body rests vacant as time evaporates into the ether. A cosmic ancestral energy perfuses the spirit inciting it to depart the physical realm. This intangible power emanating with the accumulated wisdom from distant eras hearkens the lifeforce towards a transdimensional journey to experience worlds beyond. The ego is abandoned. Gazing upon its exhausted earthly chassis, the spirit is enchanted into an ancient passage to attain fathomless vision. Autoscopia is a series of hymns to detach from this dimension and travel to a spectral plane.

Collector's Edition in 4-panel Digipack with 6-page booklet, limited to 1000 copies. The image is a digital mockup. The actual DigiCDs may look slightly different.

Aquilus is an atmospheric metal band from Melbourne, Australia. The works encompass different styles of atmospheric music inspired by classical, folk, and other genres. Primarily a one man project composed/produced by Horace Rosenqvist, it also features the addition of session musicians, and now has a full 6 member live band with Zebadee Scott (Drums), Hayley Anderson (Violin), Sara Orania (Keyboard), Mortimer Bellchambers (Guitar), and Daniel Green (Bass).

Being conceived sometime in the early 2000’s, after some experimental demos and an EP “Arbor” in 2007, Aquilus released their debut album Griseus, created soley by Rosenqvist, on CD through ATMF in 2011. A 2013 vinyl release by Blood Music raised the band into public consciousness, and Griseus slowly amassed a following of devoted fans, climbing its way to being voted one of the top albums of the decade on MetalStorm.

For eight years, an epic, sophomore masterwork was in-the-making. So legendary, in fact, that fans hardly believe it existed. The opus grew so furiously, the decision was ultimately made to split the work into two albums, culminating with the release of the first album, Bellum I in 2021, and then the second album, Bellum II in 2024.

Bellum I and II showcase the band’s rare amalgam of authentic classical, European folk and black metal influences, alongside Aquilus’s unique multi-instrumentation and compositional complexity. Depending on the piece, instruments used range from an assortment of acoustic guitars to pianos, violins, mandolas, mandolins, balalaika, banjo, gusli, bow psaltery, and fipple flutes among others. Metal influences, ranging from early Metallica to the early works of Solefald, Opeth and Katatonia, combine with the classical romanticism of Rachmaninov and Chopin, to the soundtrack textures of Bernard Herrmann and Thomas Newman.

The amount of time, thought and detail gone into the works is immense. Many years of dedication have been put in to produce the best works possible. Now the world can hear ‘Bellum’ in its entirety. ‘Bellum I’ and ‘Bellum II’ being essentially one colossal album split into two releases, both written and recorded at the same time. ‘Bellum II’ is the more mellow of the two albums, but still contains its dark and heavy moments, albeit with longer expansive tracks and some different shades not seen on ‘Bellum I’. Immerse yourself in the conclusive chapter of the journey of Bellum.

----------------------- 10% off launch price until 12/04

A special bundle offer during first weeks of preorder: gold vinyl + digipak CD at a slightly discounted launch price 

Three years after their latest release, atmospheric black metal / dark folk duo Ulvik is ready to release their new studio album, Last Rites | Dire Omens. The Canadian duo formed by Jade Fadel and George Allen once again defies genre borders with nine new songs all different from one another, yet perfectly consistent.

Ulvik has always been hard to define, moving seamlessly between dark folk (Volume I and Volume II) and atmospheric black metal (Cascades), and their new opus makes no exception: albeit a black metal record at heart, Last Rites | Dire Omens includes lots of different influences and hints. Reminiscent of the Northwestern lands of the American continent, Ulvik’s work shifts from essential, acoustic episodes to more complex, aggressive and almost avantgarde pieces.

Last Rites | Dire Omens is a foreboding, yearning record, yet captivating in its stark beauty. Both harrowing in its unrelenting heavy passages, then flowing into delicate sounds of loss and despondency, like the soundtrack to a eulogy, a sermon for the end of the world.