ARCHON SATANI
«Mind Of Flesh And Bones» (1993)
Staalplaat Productions
rating: 5 of 6
Not bad for the year of 1993... I hope you know what kind of music is featured on this CD? No? Ok, I’ll try to tell you. This Swedish duo composes soundtracks for your nightmares, filled with inhuman music of various noises... Yes, it’s so-called «black / noise / industrial», which becomes quite popular nowadays. However, 99% of contemporary bands playing this ‘music’ appear of no interest to me, while ARCHON SATANI always had (and will have, I guess) something interesting to offer despite the obvious primitiveness of their creations, and this CD (consisting of one song which has a duration of forty minutes) is not an exception. I believe, I don’t have to make vain attempts to describe what is going on inside the «Mind Of Flesh And Bones» - it’s just not the kind of music one can easily depict... (Herr Stalhammar)

AT THE GATES
«The Red In The Sky Is Ours» (1992)
Deaf / Peaceville Records
rating: 4 of 6
«The Red In The Sky Is Ours» is the first full-length from AT THE GATES, gods and originators of Swedish black / death metal. In fact, this CD gave birth to this Swedish trend represented by hundreds of bands - MARDUK, NAGLFAR, MORK GRYNING, WITHOUT GRIEF, PROPHANITY, IN BATTLE, SACRAMENTUM, BATTLELUST, WAR, SETHERIAL, NECROPHOBIC, A CANOROUS QUINTET, DARK FUNERAL, LORD BELIAL, etc, etc, etc... This CD includes ten tracks of fast, raw and brutal melodic death / black metal with melody, brilliantly performed, though poorly executed. It’s not as trendy and soothing as most of albums released by Swedish bands nowadays; quite the contrary, all tracks on «The Red In The Sky Is Ours» are extremely aggressive, with dark and equivocal lyrics... Few songs feature violin which makes the music to sound more sombre and sorrowful, being evil in a beautiful way... Unfortunately, AT THE GATES exist no more... but memory still remains. (Herr Stalhammar)

BEELZEBUB
«Apotheosis» (demo, 1992)
rating: 4 of 6
Does anyone of you know a band called EINHERJER? I guess, there’re many people who might answer ‘yes’. And what about BEELZEBUB? Ha, so you never heard of such a project? Well, well, well... Too bad for you, because this band preceded EINHERJER - simply because together with Armageddor (vocals, guitars, bass) it’s lineup consisted of Gerhard M. Storesund on drums and Frode Glesnes on guitars and bass. Aha, you got me! At least, I hope so... So let’s talk about the music represented on this tape. «Apotheosis» was recorded and mixed at SIFA Lydstudio by Sven Inge Eriksen, including three tracks («Where The Godz Dwell», «Nocturnal Visitors» and «Blood Moon») performed in the unholy death / black metal way. Sometimes it reminds me of IMMORTAL (circa «Pure Holocaust») however I don’t think that BEELZEBUB guys rip-offed Abbath and co. - «Apotheosis» was composed and recorded a year before «Pure Holocaust» was spawned in Grieghallen... One more thing which surprised me a bit goes for quite good production and musicianship - you should know that most of Norse bands couldn’t manage to release a recording of high quality in 1991 - 1992... Impressive tape, try to get it. (Herr Stalhammar)

BLASPHEMY
«Fallen Angel Of Doom» (1990)
Wild Rags Records
rating: 1 of 6
Black metal with a nigger on guitar?! Black metal sounding like a pure grindcore?! Black metal played by nigger and three jews claiming to be national-socialists?! Fuck them! I never could understand how did BLASPHEMY contrive to sign a deal with Wild Rags, and later with Osmose... Their music is 100% NOTHING. Typical and stupid grindcore in the vein of early NAPALM DEATH with total lack of producership and musical capabilities. (Herr Stalhammar)

COUNTESS
«The Gospel Of The Horned One» (1993)
Thurisaz Productions
rating: 5 of 6
Ah, these are one of my favourites of all times! Probably, you’ve already read a review on COUNTESS’ latest output, «Hell’s Rock & Roll» MCD, so you should know that I always admired Orlok’s band and «The Gospel Of The Horned One» is not an exception. Recorded on weak equipment (though performed in a great way!) in 1993, this CD was remixed in 1993 and released shortly after through the completely uknown label, which however managed to distribute it everywhere so all those who wanted to get familiar with COUNTESS could do it. «The Gospel Of The Horned One» features quite primitive but 100% true black metal with unique atmosphere. All songs are combined into one 40-minutes piece of slow, almost leisured, mystical BM with ‘floating’ ghostly vocals and melancholic though as grim as possible guitar themes. Later COUNTESS were signed to Nazgul’s Eyrie Productions (hail!) and unleashed three albums + one MCD («Hell’s Rock & Roll» mentioned above), which obviously prove that this band improved their music and sound with each year, but believe me, «The Gospel Of The Horned One» is still worth your attention, being an outstanding album played with utter sincerity! (Herr Stalhammar)

DARKTHRONE
«Land Of Frost» (demo, 1988)
rating: 0 of 6
Hmmm, the only thing I want to say in regards to this tape appears as a message to whoreshippers of ‘true’ black metal and, consequently, DARKTHRONE. Hey, wimps, listen to «Land Of Frost» and tell me if this parody on techno-death metal with idiotic lyrics is true black metal?! By the way, VARATHRON released their debut demo in 1989 - and it WAS black metal. SADISTIK EXEKUTION released «The Magus» LP in 1986 - and it WAS black metal. TORMENTOR recorded «Anno Domini» in 1988 - and it WAS black metal... (Herr Stalhammar)

DEATH SS
«Black Mass» (1989)
Metal Master Productions
rating: 4 of 6
And here we have an oldest black metal band in the whole world! Yeah, VENOM were (and still are) more famous when it comes to old BM bands, but DEATH SS were formed in 1977, i.e. four years before Cronos, Abaddon and Mantas recorded their «Welcome To Hell» LP. «Black Mass» is the third album from Steve Sylvester (the mastermind behind DEATH SS) and, unfortunately, it’s not their best one. «Black Mass» includes eight tracks of «horror black metal» (that’s how they call it), speaking plainer - satanic heavy metal with non-typical raucous vocals and addition of background keyboards, various samples, female voice (!) and saxophone (!!!). I really like «Welcome To My Hell» and «In The Darkness...» tracks, but the best one here is «Black Mass» which undoubtedly stands out of the whole album. This composition features only keyboards, sfx’s and some infernal moans filled with anxiety - I bet that only few contemporary BM bands could create such a masterpiece of horror! All in all, «Black Mass» is a worthy CD, so if you’ll suddenly discover it in some music store, buy without thinking twice! (Herr Stalhammar)

MARDUK
«Dark Endless» (1992)
No Fashion Records
rating: 5 of 6
Perhaps, this CD is the best one MARDUK has done so far. «Dark Endless» is a debut output from this cult Swedish band, consisting of thirty minutes of face-ripping black / death metal brilliantly performed and recorded. Together with «Fuck Me Jesus» demo, this is the only effort featuring Andreas Axelsson’s vocals - much more grim and evil than those of Legion... There are even few keyboards here and there forcing the atmosphere, making it more dark and infernal. «Heaven Shall Burn...» and «Nightwing» are not the kind of albums I like too much, in fact, MARDUK doesn’t exist for me since «Opus Nocturne», but «Dark Endless» is a genius album and I still listen to it with the greater pleasure one may conceive. One more thing: don’t you think that this CD is a perfect example of how strong Swedish black metal was back in 1992 and how weak it is now...? (Herr Stalhammar)

SADISTIK EXEKUTION
«The Magus» (1986)
Vampire Records
rating: 5 of 6
Somehow I think that most of you are familiar with this name, perhaps mostly thanks to Osmose who released «We Are Death, Fukk You» CD (1994) and «Demon With Wings» 7’EP (1996) by this Australian band. But did anyone of you ever listened to «The Magus», their debut CD released by Australia’s Vampire Records long, long time ago?? In my view, it’s their best work and they’ll never manage to do anything better... The album begins with «Transneobathsauricaldelusionoftheunknown» intro (great title, isn’t it?), passes through «Countess Darling Blood», «The Magus», «Agonizing The Dead», «Sadistikally Exekuted», «Luperkalia» and «Possessed Haemorrhage» (heh, this one is even better!) tracks appearing as fast and hateful black / death metal, surprisingly well performed, with fierce, almost insane screams by Rok, and ends with «I’ll Kill You Bastard...!» tune, lasting for nine minutes (!) and featuring howling synths (almost symphonic ones!) together with background guitars and inhuman shrieks... This is totally face-ripping album, a must for all those who still don’t have it. (Herr Stalhammar)

SAMAEL
«Worship Him» (1991)
Osmose Productions
rating: A MASTERPIECE
This is the first release by Osmose, and also a debut LP from SAMAEL, deserving inheritors of CELTIC FROST’s «kings of Swiss black metal» banner. In my personal view, «Worship Him» is the best work by Vorphalack, Xytraguptor and Masmiseim, and I really doubt if they’ll be able to create one more masterpiece similar to this piece. Of course, production could be better, but I just don’t pay any attention to it simply because «Worhip Him» captures unique atmosphere of inpenetrable darkness and obscurity, attained thanks to grim vokills and dirty guitar sound. Keyboards appear here and there, forcing the atmosphere to become even more sombre, however in contrast to SAMAEL’s latest efforts, they don’t prevail over the raw and evil sound based on guitars. «Worship Him» also proves that Xytraguptor is an excellent drummer (the same goes for keyboards) - too bad that «Worship Him» and «Blood Ritual» LPs are the only SAMAEL’s recordings featuring live drums. Besides afore-said, I have to tell you that in general music represented here is quite slow, though sometimes turning into extremely fast, grinding stuff («Sleep Of Death»). As to my words regarding atmosphere... If you don’t believe me, just listen to «Knowledge Of The Ancient Kingdom» or instrumental tracks like «Rite Of Cthulhu», «Last Benediction» and «The Dark» (the last one also evedently tells the listener that Vorphalack and co. appeared as outstanding musicians already back in 1990), and you’ll see that I was right. Hmm, should I add anything...? I guess there’s only one thing left to say - I bought this album in 1992 and still can’t stop listening to it. Unfortunately, neophyte bands don’t possess the Spirit that SAMAEL did and I believe we don’t have a chance to see such albums released in 1998... (Herr Stalhammar)