Showing posts with label norway. Show all posts
Showing posts with label norway. Show all posts

Sunday, January 16, 2011

BURZUM's Fallen to Be Released in the US On April 5th

BURZUM's Fallen To Be Released In North America On April 5 Fallen, the eighth album from BURZUM, will be released in North America on April 5. The album is the second to be released via Varg Vikerne's imprint Byelobog Productions (via Candlelight for the territory). Fallen features seven new compositions by the controversial Norwegian musician, each adding another storied journey to the celebrated BURZUM legacy.

Vikernes says of the new album, Musically, Fallen is a cross between Belus and something new, inspired more by the debut album and Det Som Engang Var than by Hvis Lyset Tar Oss or Filosofem. The sound is more dynamic. We mastered the album as if it was classical music and I was more experimental than I was on Belus in all respects. Lyrically it is similar to the debut album, in the way that it is more personal and focuses on existential issues. But the mythological undertone known from Belus is still there. I have also included some ambient tracks, a short introduction and a longer conclusion.

Fallen features artwork from renowned French painter William Adolphe Bouguereau. It is a striking contrast to art Vikernes has used for his  albums in the past. He comments, “the cover is part of a painting called Elegy. I used it in this context because the album deals with the concept of falling, not least in a metaphysical sense. By definition, an elegy means a mournful, melancholy, or plaintive poem. It is a funeral song or a lament  for the dead. It is a poem written in elegiac meter or a sad or mournful musical composition.


Many credit BURZUM with influencing much of modern-day black metal. While his music has traveled roads often far removed from what many consider black metal to be (with parts ambient, electronic, and more), his compositions have immediately been taken to heart by countless legions of fans the world over. It is a 'no fear' mentality that has made Varg Vikernes  both an idol and a bastard.

Said Metal Army of 2010's Belus, Whatever you might think of Varg Vikernes, it's impossible to deny the depressive brilliance of Belus, which recalls his classic albums Filosofem and Hvis Lyset Tar Oss yet shows a marked increase of maturity. Fallen is the second album from the controversial recording artist since his release from the chains that bound him for nearly two decades. It is the first album from the musician to benefit from a proper North American release.

Monday, December 27, 2010

SLAYER #20 + Morbid 12" Out Now

Description by Metalion Slayer Mag.
Interviews and articles with:

WATAIN
MORBID
WHIPLASH (Tony Scaglione)
BATHORY (several interviews and reviews in a somewhat big tribute feature)
666 (Norway)
SADUS
KREATOR
SAVAGE THRUST
MEDIEVAL
INVIDIOUS
DEATHRASH
OBSCURITY
NOCTURNAL GRAVES
SADISTIK EXEKUTION
SUNNO))
GROTESQUE
MASTER’S HAMMER
DESTROYER 666
PAGAN ALTAR
STRID
JARBOE
FUNERAL MIST
NIFELHEIM
as well as other more or less familiar features.

This issue also contains a A2 poster of Jon Nødtveidt with the actual cover for SLAYER XX on the reverse side.

This issue also comes with a mini LP by Swedish legends MORBID, the mini LP is called “Ancient Morbidity”, a statement from the band concerning the tracks on this “12 (From the interview in SLAYER XX BLOOD FIRE DEATH)

Tell us why those tracks was chosen for the “Ancient Morbidity” release? Is it important to know the exact origin of the tracks for instance?
- We wanted to offer something special to SLAYER MAGAZINE of course, so we dug deep into closets to get stuff that has never been released before – and pulled out some raw early stuff. “Tragic Dream” was a weird lullaby-esque track that Dead liked a lot, I think it was one of those things that Gehenna came up with when he was drunk and Dead then bugged him remember the riffs when he was sober. “Tragic Dream” was later on used as an intro to “Disgusting Semla”, but originally it was used as a beginning to “From the Dark”. The track “From the Dark” went through many many different arrangements, and all four guitarists contributed to it various ways. It proved very difficult to arrange, and one member even claim it should have been divided into three songs! This is an early recording, and as such it differs quite a lot from later versions. This version of “Wings of Funeral” predates the contributions later made by Napoleon Pukes, such as the guitar intro to the track that was added on “December Moon”. The live track “Necrodead” is taken from the very first gig (Ultrahuset April 26 1987), it is an encore version that never has been released and that will never be released anywhere else but through this SLAYER MAGAZINE release… The “12 is finished off with some true words spoken by the one and only Dead. It is taken from a SCAPEGOAT recording done by Dead and Gehenna - presumably in the bed room or something, (SCAPEGOAT later turned into MORBID) and is most likely recorded in ‘85.

The front cover is a slightly altered version of Dead’s suggestion for cover for the reunion “7 that was planned to be recorded upon his return in ‘91. The back of the cover is Dead’s poster for the cancelled reunion gig, that Dead and I tried to pull together in ‘89. Both back and front have been skillfully retouched by Erik Danielsson. The insert has the original art work by Dead.

A side:
Tragic Dream/From the Dark

B side:
Wings of Funeral
Necrodead

I’m of course extremely proud that MORBID had chosen SLAYER MAGAZINE to present this “12 so I feel I come to full circle with this.

100 pages, a lot of sadistkly exekuted artwork and personal photos.

Erik Danielsson not only did the the design of the MORBID “12 but also the front and back design of SLAYER XX as well as contributing several written pieces.
It has been a rough road putting all this pieces together, I took a break from all the activities concerning the magazine and I thought it would be all over……… I did decide that SLAYER 19 didn’t completely live up to be the last issue, so I wanted it to end in a proper way……..Don‘t know if it is better but at least I feel better about it………

Comparing it to other issues I never cared about, I just make what I make at my best way possible. Sometimes t is good and sometimes it is shit, but you can never know that when you are creating it………. Still, if you thought SLAYER was shit in the past this will not change your mind, it is SLAYER with all the errors, shitty journalism etc. Even if if it has been over six years since the last issue I don’t think anything could change that……….And don’t expect any new issues anytime soon - I feel like its all over……..truly an ending in flames. Finishing some of the pieces have taken an outstanding amount of time and to get into that process again is very unlikely.

I hope this lives up to expectations. I just purchased my copy for $27 and the only shipping available costs $15.30 for a total of $42.30.  I'll let you know if I feel like a sucker when I receive it.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

PEACEVILLE Records to Re-Release Classic DARKTHRONE Album, PANZERFAUST On 2-CD and Vinyl Editions Out Later This Month.

Great Britain’s independent heavy metal powerhouse, Peaceville Records, will begin releasing new editions of classic Darkthrone albums later this month from the recently acquired Moonfog Productions catalogue titles. The first re-issue, Panzerfaust, - Darkthrone’s fifth album overall - will be released as a double-disc set and individually numbered vinyl (2000) on October 25th. The 2-CD edition includes a bonus disc featuring commentary from Darkthrone’s infamous drummer/lyricist, Fenriz, for a first hand perspective behind the creation of the 1995 Frost-fuelled black metal masterpiece.

Additionally, Peaceville Records will re-issue the rare second Isengard release, Høstmørke (1995), on October 25th. The album, which was performed entirely by Fenriz, also features a special commentary disc conducted by Fenriz, reflecting on the recording process, as well as an insight into the time of the recording.
Panzerfaust and Høstmørke can be pre-ordered now at the Peaceville webstore at: http://www.burningshed.com/store/peaceville/.