As night follows day the last few years have been peppered with album releases and UK tours from the mighty Cleveland noisemakers known as Midnight. such is their output and the quality of it I feel like a kid at Christmas waiting, knowing it’s coming. The album drops and I get the cans in the fridge and prime the stereo because the unholy racket is a coming. You know already that before you’ve clapped eyes on the artwork it’s going to tickle your pleasure receptors and have you nodding like head bobbler on an F1 car with your bullet belt and leather gloves on it’s time to give in and offer up your undivided attention because Athenar and the gang are on the stereo. Beelzebub is ying the bellows for some ‘Hellish Expectations’ and enough fast as fuck punk/metal to tide you over until the apocalypse or next years release and tour.
2003 was the year that Satan belched these bad boys out on an unsuspecting world all looking for a fix of Motorhead, Venom and Tank fuelled noise. Filthy, belligerent and obnoxious, Midnight makes music to start fights to and drink beer until you can’t physically carry on its slayer for scum. Athenar has been calling the shots for this ungodly racket, and ‘Hellish Expectations’ won’t disappoint – there are no curveballs, no letdown and plenty of life-affirming noise.
‘Hellish Expectations’ is blunt force trauma set to music – no nonsense, no mucking about just pure fuckin’ hell and some. Imagine all the previous albums thus far rolled into one concise record – Ten songs equally noisy and all as intense and rapid as the last.
Athenar alleges these songs were all written in a weekend after being pissed at the demos of the last album ‘Let There Be Witchery’ (Don’t be hard on yourself mate that album was a belter). Opening track ‘Expect Total Hell’ (Obviously, what else would we expect?) not so much creeps out of the speakers but builds up a head of steam sounding so raw and vital you can feel the head on your back as the chopper your on spews out of the ground as you burst out of Hell. The first thing you notice is how live it all sounds it has the feel of a one take deal and the energy is spot on. The song titles have long since had me properly laughing out loud and ‘Gash Scrape’ is no exception as Cronos must be looking over his shoulder upon his blackest stallion wondering how Venom at their peak never sounded so fuckin’ vital. As you get comfortable ‘Masked And Deadly’ has already been and gone before the old school ‘Slave Of The Blade’ has you windmilling in a pool of sweat.
Side two is underway with ‘Nuclear Savior’ is going through the gears and we’re just warming up never mind a tipper sticker this should carry a government health warning. It’s brutal, raw and insanely addictive like fentinal audio crack.
My heart pacemaker was put out of sync after the last tour and almost caved in my chest so loud was the PA I’m now turning this bad boy past 11 on the stereo as ‘Mercyless Slaughtor’ grinds my ears into submission before ‘Doom Death Desire’ has the Lemmy like a wall of noise hit me like dropping a breezeblock off a ten story building onto my chest but wait, there no time left except to thrash like fuck as ‘F.O.A.L’ races to the finish line and we’re done. It’s not long enough, clocking in at a ‘Reigning Blood’ length album. I mean one song on Venoms ‘At War With Satan’ is almost the length of the entire ‘Hellish Expectations’ album some will complain but I accept it for what it is pure fuckin armageddon in a nutshell and besides the music is top fuckin notch, that’s a given the artwork has two pencil drawn demon women with 70s bushes and a nun swinging from a Bell Midnight at truly Satanic Royalty and have to accept their place at the top of the Black heavy metal/punk ranking. They have no peers and as well as being in a league with Satan nobody can touch them. Vital album right here, buy and F.O.A.L. because you’re worth it.
Lay down your souls to the Gods Rock and Roll, We recently caught up with Gofid a one man Black Metal wrecking crew from Cymru. We asked about his past, present and future as he builds his following of Black Metal cohorts and champions his country and music Ladies and germs we give you Gofid.
Tell us the background of Iselder and what inspired you to make recordings. What bands did you listen to growing up, and what/who made you pick up the guitar? Why forge ahead as a solo artist and not a band? Finally, what was the master plan for the Welsh song titles yet not necessarily singing the lyrics in Cymraeg?
Growing up I listened to the bands probably every young metalhead does. Bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Megadeth, stuff like that. I had a friend who introduced me to bands like Slayer and Cannibal Corpse, and that solidified my love for the more extreme side of things. I didn’t know about black metal until I was around 16/17. I knew about bands like Dimmu Borgir and Cradle Of Filth, but didn’t know what you’d catergorise them as. It wasn’t until I found a special issue of Terrorizer on black metal that I discovered bands like Mayhem, Emperor and Darkthrone, and from that point on I was hooked. I didn’t start playing guitar until a few years later, with the initial idea being closer to a traditional heavy metal band than what I do today.
The main reason Iselder is a solo project is simply because I couldn’t find like minded musicians who shared my passion for black metal, so I thought why not do everything myself? I had learned the basics from my time studying music technology in College to know how to go about doing it all. The early demos are.. let’s say awful, and it was an uphill battle of teaching myself how to play this sort of music whilst also having the urge to write/record something. The result would end up being most of the material you hear on my first full length, Dechrau. It’s closer to traditional black metal that what I write now, and whilst rough around the edges it’s something I’m still very proud of.
The lack of Welsh lyrics is simply down to my younger self not bothering to learn it. When I was younger I thought the language was close to dying, and I didn’t see why it was important that it thrived. Obviously my views have changed over the years since, and now I try to use the Welsh language in my music whenever possible.
You’ve released a few CDs and cassette tapes yourself what was the reason to go down that route and not seek out one of the specialist labels? Has there been any interest from any labels that specialise in Darker Metal?
I just didn’t want to wait around for a label to release my music, I thought why not just do it myself? I don’t really like not being in control of my music. With the latest album, Cynefin, I worked with a label to release it. Through all that time I just wasn’t excited to release the album like I had been with past efforts. Being hands off is not for me, and I learned that the hard way rather unfortunately.
On social media, you’ve mentioned putting a band together for some live shows. Has this progressed and have any rehearsals taken place? Other solo projects such as Hellripper have recently put together a band and hit the road is this something you wish to follow?
I’ve been wanting to put together a live band for Iselder for quite some time, but obviously things happen in life (which I’m sure we’ll get to) that you don’t expect. So far no rehearsals have taken place, but I can say that my good friend Neidr of Cwlt Draig fame will be taking up guitar duties. We initially started talking due to his interest in wanting to play live for Iselder some years ago, so it’s nice to come full circle and have him involved in that way.
I feel like it must be rather daunting for a solo project to take to the stage, and the hardest part must be entrusting other people to perform the music you’ve put your heart into. Hopefully all goes well when the time comes, and Iselder plays to audiences far and wide.
Do you think being so patriotic has hindered your reach in any way? Historically I’ve seen Welsh language bands who musically had a chance were held back because people in Wales couldn’t understand the lyrics let alone England, how important is your nationality to your music? Is there any way you’d compromise to reach a wider audience, therefore, enabling you to reach a wider audience?
It’s a funny one when I think about it. When I released “Welsh Nationalist Black Metal” the initial controversy that ensued was almost a complete surprise to me. For some background, the cassette release was limited to 33 copies on a white cassette shell, and for some reason people said that 33 was a reference to Hitler and “of course it’d be on a WHITE shell”. They didn’t like me using the word nationalist, nor did they appreciate my use of the Eryr Wen, ignoring the history of the symbol and instead comparing it to a swastika. So immediately I had people calling me Nazi and all that sort of stuff, whilst on the other hand I discovered I’d been blacklisted from a forum due to being a “traitor/infiltraitor” to the black metal scene for the quote on the inside of the j-card, which reads: “Being Welsh means belonging, feeling that we belong, whatever our language, colour or religion.” So on one hand, I’m apparently too right wing, and on the other I’m too left wing? I even had a guy ask for a refund for this very reason!
My nationality is very important to my music. Whether it be writing about the epic folklore, the history, or simply how I feel about my beloved country, I try to encompass as much of it in my music as I possibly can. Will there be times I sing about something else? Yes, but my primary goal is to promote Wales whenever I can. I would never, under any circumstances reach a compromise just for a wider audience. If being proud of my country disways you from listening to my music, so be it. I will never apologise for it.
What bands inspire you musically I don’t find your songs as extreme as some in the Black Metal genre therefore it’s way more listenable if you know what I mean, is this intentional or do you find you have to hold back to reach more people?
When I started Iselder, I was very much inspired by bands such as Tsjuder, Leviathan, and Xasthur. When writing my past few efforts I usually end up listening to bands outside the black metal sphere such as Crowbar, Acid Bath, and Mogwai. It’s not intentional at all to make more approachable music, it just happens. This could be from my limited ability to play guitar, as I do feel I can’t create as extreme music as I would sometimes like.
What bands are you currently listening to? there is a whole underground scene across the UK that I tapped into but there were only one or two that I found I even liked namely yourself and Hellripper and across Scandinavia the same.
I currently listen mostly to some bands I mentioned previously, but I’m always eager to explore new music. Lately I’ve discovered Nordjevel, who I think are fantastic. The UK underground scene is thriving. Even in Wales there’s more and more black metal bands appearing. I could be hear listing off bands all day, but Marwolaeth Records (my label) and Wulfhere Productions both have several compilations of UK black metal.
Do you find many people are shocked by your stance on Wales or aren’t people even bothered by the politics?
I think people are shocked to find politics in their music, but at the same time I feel people are dishonest when they stop listening to a band due to their political ideology. It’s not that they want to separate the art from the artist, it’s that they can look the other way when it doesn’t concern them. As soon as any band challenges them, they take offence to it and stop listening. This same person will no doubt go on to call someone a snowflake when they won’t tolerate a band’s racist nonsense, no matter how ironic that may be.
You came into some bother with a T-shirt you were selling what’s the story behind that?
The t-shirt was a parody based on the old “Burn Your Local Church” shirts, but instead of a church, it featured a burning cottage with the phrase “Burn Your Local Holiday Home”. Obviously it was a joke, but one morning I hear a knock on my door, only to find several police officers outside. Before I know it I’m placed in handcuffs, told that I’m being arrested for inciting criminal damage and arson, and placed in a unmarked police car on my way to a holding cell to await my interview.
They tried to pin me as some anti-English extremist, citing lyrics to the song Llosgi Bwriadol on of course the shirts. I had to explain the shirts were a parody, that the lyrics were inspired by historical events, and I even had to tell them why I use a stage name and wear face paint!
Fortunately after about five months, all charges were dropped. It was a very stressful time as you can imagine, and I was surprised by how much support I had received over that time, but of course you also had idiots saying I deserved it. Reading some of those comments hurt quite a lot, but luckily they were overshadowed by the support I was getting.
Is there any chance of your previous material being pressed on vinyl separately or as a compilation?
As much as I want to press older Iselder material on vinyl, I just don’t have the money for it right now. If a label came to me and said they wanted to do it, I’d be more than happy to work with them to achieve that goal. This is something I’ve been asked about in the past by people who like my music, but there’s no plans to do it yet.
What if anything are you currently working on?
Currently I’m working on album number four. It’s been a hard process so far, as I don’t know what theme I’m going for. I’ve tried to come up with ideas and write music for them, but they all seem to fall flat. There’s a lot of care going into this album that perhaps I didn’t exercise enough on past releases. Hopefully I’ll be able to share something with everyone before the years ends.
You obviously are inspired by history and we have a rich history here in Wales that is set up for making great lyrics as equal if not better than anything dished up out of places like Norway. What would you say is the best lyric you’ve written to date?
I’m not sure what’s the best lyric I’ve ever written to be honest, and that’s a tough question to answer. I do think one of my best songs is “Fe Godwn Ni Eto”, so maybe that’ll have to be my answer.
And off he rose into the msity night upon a white stalion (although other coloured stallions are obviously available) We wish Gofid well and hope he can find bandmembers to join him in his persuit to play live and spread the work of Iselder. Get intouch with us and we’ll pass it on or go directly to the man himslef if you are interested. Diolch yn Fawr iawn brawd Gofid dymunwn yn dda i chi.
They’ll be celebrating in the streets of Llansanfrith or something like that but one man band Iselder or should that read Golfid has seen fit to release his debut EP mini album call it what you wish again this summer and to be fair it’s a welcome addition to my collection of acrid Black Celtic Metal.
I first came across Iselder when I heard ‘Metel Du Gwir’ during lockdown and was fascinated by his bilingual approach to the Black Metal genre. Sure, it’s not for everyone but it will appeal to those who love a bit of blackest Metal and those who have a passing interest in Wales for me being interested in both it was a no-brainer. So, I applied the corpse paint went down into the basement, and supped from the chalice as Beelzebub was summoned by some bone crunchingly loud Black Fucking Metal.
The album kicks off with a bleak Sabbath-inspired low end of ‘08.54’ where Golfid explains he is not a terrorist but I’m already in as he dabbles in the darker side of independence and for the next five minutes this indy-inspired blackness washes over me. ‘Freedom’ it’s a no-brainer lyrically as the solid thumping pounding song rides off into the sunset.
The songs pretty much hover around the four-minute mark and whilst Golfid has the bestial growl – it’s not the cookie monster of a lot of the scenes indecipherable which serves his lyrical imagery well, especially on the previously mentioned ‘Metal Du Gwir’ album. The titles are in welsh but the lyrics aren’t which in itself is interesting. It’s the early Mayhem slay on the heavily distorted guitar riffs that twist and turn. The pace might well be slightly one-dimensional but it doesn’t detract from the songs.
‘Butchers Apron’ lays out his feelings on the lie of the land in the UK and if you weren’t aware that there was indeed a Black Metal scene here in Wales you can now rectify that. It’s a fine line to treat when dealing with Black Metal and its politics and sure this is a heavily political artist we’re dealing with. Pride in where you come from is one thing and Iselder lays his cards on the table on album closer ‘Cymru Am Byth’ Whilst I can’t see him taking the stage at the World Cup or being involved with the Countries song for the World Cup and there are no ‘Yma Oh Hyd’ songs here I like what Iselder do and its another fine addition to a scene that needed representing from these shores.
We have a wonderful history every bit as mysterious as the Norwegians who rule this scene and when Golfid gets a band together I’m windmilling down the street of Llansanfrith and punching the air to ‘Fe godwn ni eto’ and the whole of this Red, White and Green Black Metal Massacre. Di Yawn Iselder
If the likes of ‘Hell Awaits’, ‘Restless And Wild’, ‘Black Metal’ and ‘Screaming For Vengeance’ got you bouncing around the room with excitement the first time you heard them then ‘Rebirth By Blasphemy’ the Metal Blade debut album from Midnight is the “must hear” album of 2020 for you.
Long term Midnight fans will no doubt already be tutting at my reference to ‘Black Metal’ but across their impressive 17 year back catalogue there is no way of distancing the band’s sound from that primal guttural roar of Cronos and Co. They are the band I once dubbed as “being able to play Venom’s back catalogue better than Venom”, and I’m going to stick by that.
‘Rebirth By Blasphemy’ then is Midnight possibly taking their first steps into “doing a Ghost” by moving away from the metal underground and into the more mainstream. Fear not though, as the title of opener ‘Fucking Speed And Darkness’ alludes Midnight main man Athenar isn’t about to be prancing about like the Pied Piper in its accompanying video any time soon. Nah, this is still very much “go for the throat” heavy metal music, it’s just this time around it really feels like Athenar has stepped up his game in the songwriting department and here all 10 tracks hit home with equal parts ferocity and finesse.
If I were to single out one thing that ‘Rebirth By Blasphemy’ has throughout its 33 minute running time it is that there is a clear focus to deliver brutal yet memorable songs, and therein lies the secret of why for me Midnight stands head and shoulders above the rest of the black metal pack. There’s still some tongue in cheek stuff going on (Devil’s Excrement’ for example – which could very easily be a Trigger McPoopshute song) but essentially this is heads down no-nonsense heavy metal celebrating everything that is great about the genre in 2020. The likes of ‘Cursed Possessions’, ‘Escape From The Grave’ and ‘The Sounds Of Hell’ would and should be instant dancefloor fillers at any metal all-nighter – if such things still exist?
Granted ‘Rising Scum’ might sail a little close to Venom’s ‘Nightmare’ in terms of being the obvious track to be pulled as a potential single, but this comparison is not being made because of plagiarism, it’s being made simply because it’s also a song driven by a drumbeat set to raise the dead. Likewise, the opening few bars of album closer ‘You Drag Me Through Fire’ are primetime Priest yet the song soon catapults the listener back into the very depths of hell with just enough time left to polish your studded gauntlets before pressing the “Repeat” button on your death deck.
At the top of this review I mentioned a quartet of heavy metal records that loom large over the metal community to this day, ‘Rebirth By Blasphemy’ has all the potential to be such an album for the generations to follow, you just need to decide if you want to buy the inverted cross CD or the limited coloured vinyl.
‘Rebirth By Blasphemy’ is released Tomorrow get the date in your Necronomicon.
UK black-metal outfit Necronautical have announced details of their latest offering, new album ‘Apotheosis’, set for release on 30th August through world-renowned extreme metal label Candlelight Records.
The album was recorded, mixed & mastered by British producer Chris Fielding (Winterfylleth, Witchsorrow, Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard) at Skyhammer Studio. Adorned by the foreboding artwork of David Thiérrée (Behemoth, Gorgoroth), ‘Apotheosis’ serves as a sonic epitaph to the human experiences of hope and faith. It details a melancholic journey through an empty and brutal existence, taking inspiration from the works of Friedrich Nietzsche, Chuck Palanuik and Neil Gaiman.
‘Nihil Sub Sole Novum’ is the first single to be shared from Apotheosis with the band adding,
“We feel that this song acts as a perfect microcosm for the direction of the album and of Necronautical itself: a relentless combination of punishing riffs and melancholic euphoria. The title translates as “nothing new under the sun”, directly challenging the conclusion of Ecclesiastes 1:9, and instead seeking to elevate the bleak and repetitive nature of life and humanity to the dais reserved for its gods. The song draws on the concepts of anamnesis and of a mythical pre-human golden age, and asks if such rediscovered knowledge can break the monotony of existence.”
Its no secret that we don’t always listen to Glam punk or Rock n Roll or straight up punk. Sometimes we love to indulge in a more challenging form of music. Besides, I find the whole scene of Black Metal absolutely fascinating so, on days like this, it’s only fair to tip the hat and show some respect for those who made the records and have since passed on. As a mark of respect, we’d like to spread a little love for Tomas Forsberg better known as Quorthorn, Multi-instrumentalist and frontrunner of the metal subgenre known as Black Metal. Frontman and songwriter of the blackest of black metal bands none other than – Bathory.
Tomas founded Bathory when he was just 17. But prior to that, he began his musical journey playing in an Oi! band, before turning to the darker side of Metal.
Bathory was, for the most part, a studio band releasing four albums and often cited as the fathers of Black Metal or at least Scandinavian Black Metal. (of course, Venom were the first we know that) Thomas Börje Forsberg was born on the 17th of February 1966 and sadly passed away at home on this very day in 2004 as a result of a congenital heart defect. In his short life, he managed to release 16 Bathory albums and three solo albums under the name Quorthon. He was known as ‘Ace’ early on after Ace Frehley from Kiss maybe he wasn’t so dark after all and only when he turned to the dark side did he change his name to something altogether eviler.
Managing to remain in the underground Bathroy were more in keeping with the origins of Black Metal and Venoms more NWOBHM than the breakneck blast beats and throat gargling abominations that followed from the bands that took the scene to the extremes. Bathory will always be known as one of the forefathers and groundbreakers. So RPM would like to say Rest In Peace Thomas and shine on you crazy diamond.
Also on this very day in 1993 the artist formerly known as Prince Rogers Nelson changed his name to Symbol! Now had he been a black metal artist he could have come up with some unreadable abomination for a symbol – lucky for us it was like a squiggle with a circle and an anchor like line. These pop stars eh? Nutters one and all
Also on this very day, The Sex Pistols reached a level of notoriety when they played a live show on a boat travelling up the Thames as part of the Queen’s silver jubilee celebrations.
When the news initially broke earlier this year regarding this Limited Edition vinyl-only box set that brings together remastered editions of the four studio LPs and a double live album recorded by the original line up of Black Metal gods Venom, I was immediately intrigued.
Add into the mix a further double LP of previously unreleased demos, an exclusive shaped picture disc of ‘Bloodlust’, and a veritable cornucopia of memorabilia that includes amongst other things a stunning 40 page ‘History Of Venom’ hardback book along with (if you pre-ordered it from the band themselves) a 12×12 art print signed by Cronos himself, and before I could yell “C’MAAAAAAAAAAAN TURN IT UP’, I had bought a copy.
I actually received mine at the start of May well ahead of the official release date of May 31st but I wanted to really get to grips with this mammoth set before giving you my verdict simply because with a retail price of £150 this is never going to be an impulse purchase.
As I’ve mentioned the ‘History’ book already let’s begin with a little bit of my own history and how I first heard Venom. It was early 1983 and a close friend (who remains so to this very day) who first introduced me to ‘Black Metal’, oddly via a mate of his who had bought said LP (complete with poster) and as he thought it was shit, he had given it away. It wasn’t really like any of the other metal bands we were listening to at the time other than those noisy bastards Motorhead and Tank, in fact, it reminded me more of the relentless racket created by the UK82 punk bands my other school mates were listening to at the time like G.B.H and Discharge. I have to admit I wasn’t exactly an immediate fan but I did have a copy of ‘Black Metal’ taped for me (there’s a gag in there that I won’t need to explain to old school fans) so it did make numerous appearance on my Walkman over the summer of that year but it wasn’t until June 1984 when I just happened to buy a ticket on the door for the awe-inspiring Seventh Date Of Hell show at Hammersmith Odeon that I fully got what Venom were really all about.
Picking up the “remastered from the original tapes” splatter and swirl LPs contained in this lavish box set (they all come with reproduction sleeves and inners) I actually begin my aural assault with ‘At War With Satan’ because that was the Venom record I first purchased for myself (on picture disc) at that legendary Seventh Date gig, and here pressed on heavyweight clear splatter vinyl it sounds absolutely magnificent. Okay, the gatefold doesn’t have the gold leaf cover of the original pressing or the original merch/poster inserts but that’s probably just me being a little bit too pernickety as otherwise this is stonking stuff.
I then go back to the band’s beginnings, with ‘Welcome to Hell’ and ‘Black Metal’ played back to back, and here the rumbling bottom end that bursts out the speakers is enough to wake the dead, or at the very least the neighbours. Both LPs come in embossed sleeves (and include replicas of the posters and lyric inners – here reproduced on the inner bags) and are again pressed on splatter vinyl, sounding as raw as they did back at the dawn of the eighties and equally just as ground-breaking. The only small niggle I have here is my copy of ‘Black Metal’ came with nasty click on the run-in groove to side one, again I may be being over critical here but with the hefty price tag attached to this set I would expect nothing short of perfection.
Which is something I do get with the 74 tracks on offer here that’s for sure, with perhaps the real highlight for me being the chance to rediscover 1985’s (at the time) critically panned ‘Possessed’ LP. A record that has never sounded better than it does here, and coming as it does pressed upon splatter vinyl complete with the original inner bag and a huge poster it’s never looked as good either.
Moving on to ‘Eine Kleine Nachtmusik’ from 1986 and this double live LP for me has never really cut it, largely because some bright spark decided to leave silences between the tracks, so its not really like listening to a live album at all, and why would I want to listen to the band live just as they were falling apart at the seams when I could simply slip in my almost worn out VHS of The Seventh Date of Hell? The soundtrack of which I have always felt would have been a much better alternative as their official live album. Here ‘Nachtmusik’ is lovingly restored in a gatefold sleeve complete with the inner bags, so I’m sure I’ll get to play it more this time around.
With many Venom fans probably looking to buy this box set just for the 15 track ‘Sons Of Satan’ double LP I have to admit that if this were a standalone release I wouldn’t have been happy paying a top price for it. However, as a piece of Venom history contained within such an absorbing time capsule commemorating the band’s 40th anniversary it actually works well. Initially transporting us right back to 1979 via some very boomy cassette recordings of the band’s first line up complete with singer Christ, this is a world away from the Venom that would ultimately change heavy metal forever. However, by the time we get to the 1980 Impulse Studios demos that make up sides 2 and 3 of ‘Sons Of Satan’ the more recognisable “organised chaos” of the classic Venom sound is all but a few bottles of Jack Daniels away and waiting to take on the world. Something Cronos, Mantas and Abaddon were more than ready to do by the time they released the original ‘Bloodlust’/’In Nomine Satanas’ 7” single back in 1982 and thankfully it is included here as a shaped picture disc exclusive to this box set.
Whilst immersing myself in the satanic sounds of this box set I found the aforementioned ‘History Of Venom’ book to be the perfect accompanying piece, formed as it is from quotes from all the band members as well as being crammed with some of the cheesiest band photographs ever taken. This book for me is where this box set truly adds a bit of (black) magic to the mystery of Venom, as does the memory jogging reproduction tour programme.
Wrapping up the memorabilia part of this set you also get a huge Seven Dates Of Hell poster along with a Venom’s Legions back patch and if like me you order it from the band’s official store (linked below) you also get a very frameable art print signed by Count Cronos himself.
So, is it worth the £150 then I hear you cry?
Well, if you don’t already have these seminal albums on vinyl it most certainly is a must buy. If however you are a hardcore Venom collector and have these albums already a bazillion time over you’ll probably have done what I did and already have this box set filed away in your collection, in which case, “what the hell are you doing reading this review?” Ha!
‘In Nomine Satanas – 40 Years In Sodom’ will take a lot to top in the box set stakes that’s for sure and it once again proves that the devil really does still have all the very best tunes.
The Norwegian black metal legends mark their return with a sublime new slab of relentless riffing in the true spirit of the underground.
“more metal than ever” Fenriz
The legendary Norwegian longstanding partnership of Fenriz and Ted “Nocturno Culto” Skjellum, return with their first studio album since 2016’s hugely popular ‘Arctic Thunder’, in the shape of ‘Old Star’. With a mastery and endless dedication to the art of the riff, the Norwegian legends cut through 6 new epic tracks, taking in the best of the old school of heavy & extreme metal plus a large dose of doom-laden riffing, & channeling it through the grime of the underground.
Fenriz enthuses «Old star – again we are here with THE RIFFS! A while after our previous ARCTIC THUNDER album it became apparent that we would continue in that same style, BLACK OLD HEAVY METAL with slow thrash, classic doom, and slow death metal.
As many have focussed on the 70s sound over the last 20 years, the mix on our new album has ended up being more 80s than ever. The songs are more metal than ever! Ted’s songs have a lot of black metal in them, faster and slower but also doomier parts and recurring parts. My songs are more linear written, it’s an ancient 80s underground trick, with breaks, all slow heavy or slow thrash, classic doom or slow death.»
He continues “All in all it is our most 80s album so far and our most metal one to date with drum sound typical for the 80s USA/German market and damned lyrics, which are all written by me. We feel that ‘OLD STAR’ is the big brother of ARCTIC THUNDER. More solid and with even better riffs.”
‘Old Star’ was recorded at the band’s Necrohell 2 Studios, with engineering and production duties carried out by vocalist/guitarist Nocturno Culto, complemented with a perfectly organic mix courtesy of Sanford Parker (Voivod) at Hypercube Studios, & mastered once more by Jack Control at Enormous Door. The stellar cover artistry comes courtesy of Chadwick St John, titled “The Shepherd of the Deep”.
Over the course of 30 years, Norway’s Darkthrone has become a staple of the global black metal genre, forging a legacy as one of the most renowned and influential bands in its illustrious & often infamous history. In the formative years following their 1987 inception, Darkthrone initially started with a strong concoction of thrash & then death/doom metal experimentation, with broader musical influences spanning from the 60s to the 80s, before the debut album Soulside Journey was unleashed in 1991. Never ones to follow convention or stand still even then, the band soon embraced a much darker, more primitive form of expression with the now iconic second album A Blaze in the Northern Sky, & the rest became history.
OLD STAR will be released on the following formats with each featuring handwritten lyrics in the booklet or insert:
CD
Ltd Edition 7” vinyl box set – Old Star is presented on 3 coloured 7” (black, white, clear vinyl)
Black 180g vinyl LP
Ltd Edition 180g purple vinyl LP
Ltd Edition 180g green vinyl LP
Ltd Edition 180g orange vinyl LP
Ltd Edition 180g red vinyl LP
Ltd Edition 180g gold vinyl LP
Ltd Edition 180g white vinyl LP
Cassette
Digital album
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