Skogen 'zine #2

Skogen Magazine, issue 2 (December 1995)
Interviews:
Sorhin
Nåstrond
Gates of Ishtar
Malignant Eternal
Forgotten Woods
Nordlys
Damnation (swe)
Naglfar
Setherial
Vergelmer
Immortal
Mysticum
Strid
Thornium
Gehenna
Fleurety
The Ancients Rebirth
Ablaze My Sorrow
Demonic
In Aeternum
Amon Amarth
Ildjarn
Gorgoroth
Necromicon
Blasphemous
Articles:
Borknagar
Myrkskog
Veles
Evrakon
Athothep
Zephyrous
Enchanted
Hermh
Ever Dark
Moonblood
The Moaning
Astaroth (nor)
Lord Belial
Mastema
Ragnarok
Malice
Mortify / Ildkrig
Covenant / Troll
Skuggmörker / Ondska
+reviews

Reuploaded - 2022

Here is finally the second issue of the Skogen 'zine, again courtesy of Argus Monitor who also scanned issue #3 - very much appreciated! I intended to upload this sooner but the Megaupload debacle kind of messed things around here at Coven. But that's enough about that. The 'zine is pretty much of similar quality to issue 3 though I personally prefer this one, probably partially because I had not read it before and also since I find the bands here more interesting as well. This one has less Norwegians and more Swedes, with a few others thrown in. Very much recommended!

Old Morgul - The Keys of New Realm demo 1998

Old Morgul - The Keys of New Realm demo 1998
1) My Creations in the Past
2) Beyond the Mountains
3) Into the Unknown

Mediafire / Deposit

Request here and more material from brother Grev's bottomless vault, thank you sir! Old Morgul was a Finnish black metal band obviously influenced by the Norwegian 2nd wave bands and they released two demo tapes. This would be the first one, apparently quite hard to find. Grev had traded his copy back in the times when computers filled a whole room and trains ran on coal. Which means no proper cover, just a small (but reasonable) image from Metal Archives.

Ok, so it's influenced by the Norwegian style but is it any good? Yes. Not original or avant garde or whatever else but it works. The clean and quite powerful sound helps and they haven't added annoying extra elements in pursuit of originality, rather sticking to the basics and employing just a (better than average) screamy main vocal. A good, if easy-listening, black metal demo.

Malign - Live in Uppsala 08.11.1999

Malign - Live at Grand, Uppsala Sweden 8th November 1999
1) Fireborn
2) Blod skall flöda
3) Entering Timeless Halls

Depositfiles

A short live tape here and some Swedish cult black metal by Malign who unfortunately seem to be on hold currently. This live recording features both tracks from 1998's "Fireborn" EP and one from the demo and is probably incomplete. If a full recording exists, let me know and preferably share it as well.

UPDATE: I was confirmed that this is the full show; the band and especially Belfagor of Ofermod who was doing the drums for this gig got fed up with the pussy crowd after three songs. See more info in the comments, thanks Ashes And Bloodstench!

The recording itself starts with Fireborn, right from the beginning I think and sounds to me like an audience recording but has a good sound quality. All instruments are audible and sound good to my extremely demanding tastes. Material is obviously good but you'd do well to remember I'm quite the fanboy. Very much recommended and if you have more Malign live recordings for me I'll reward you with gold, spices and slaves.

Lycanthropy - Amduscias demo 1995

Lycanthropy (us) - Amduscias demo II 1995
1) Winds of the Ancient Deep
2) Princes in Black Palaces
3) Twilight Forest (The Winter Souls)
4) Weeping

Mediafire / Depositfiles

I was going to post this (and other stuff) sooner but the recent demise of Megaupload has complicated things a lot as not that long ago my external HD where I had all the stuff already uploaded broke and I had not yet had the time to download everything I lost again, meaning quite a few things are gone. So, I'd appreciate it if those who downloaded the things I had only on Megaupload could pack 'em and upload to Mediafire or something and send me a link - thanks in advance!

Back to the actual point of this post, this here is the second demo of USBM unit Lycanthropy, sent to me by Seth aka Baalberith, who also scanned the covers and provided me with helpful information. Thank you good sir, much appreciated! There were three covers made for this demo and two different recording sessions. The two covers associated with this second recording session here are enclosed in the .rar - the band was not very happy with the first recording and it ended up being sent to about ten people. Musically and pretty much soundwise as well this continues from where the first demo left off. It still sounds raw, in a good way and all the instruments are audible. This has a little downside as well as the drum machine sounds more obvious here, so if you're bothered by that consider yourself warned. Others dive right in.

Neverwood - Grown demo 1997

Neverwood (fin - Lahti) - Grown demo 1997
1) Murder in the Kindergarten. Pt2
2) Headless
3) Grown
4) All Good Children

Reuploaded

This is again a bit different post and something I wasn't expecting either as I asked Grev to dub me this demo. You see, I thought it might be another demo by this Neverwood but turned out this was a completely different band. Even though there is a slight similarity as this one plays some sort of electro-industrial metal which reminds me of The Kovenant and Diablerie to drop some names quick. So naturally I was a bit dissappointed. Grev sent scans of the covers as well, much appreciated brother!

Like I said above, this reminds me a bit of few later 90's bands working in this area, but as this was not really my shot of vodka even back them I'm not too familar with many projects of this kind. The main issue was that they were too light and this demo isn't very heavy and neither is it very dark. However, if you approach it more from an electronic/industrial music angle than metal it works much better. I personally prefer the less metallic but gloomier atmospheres of the last track. Check it out, you know you're curious now!

666 'zine #1

666 'zine, issue 1 (1999)
Interviews:
Sadorass/The True Frost
Heretic
Carnage (us)
Maniac Butcher
Abattoir of Love
Adorior
Hyperion
HateSpawn 'zine
Drakkar Productions
Winter Funeral
Funeral Procession
Nachtkaiser
Grand Belial's Key [in French!]
Botulistum
Altar of Perversion
Frostdemonstorm
Evil
Celestia
Helwetti
Conqueror
Arkham
Prophecy (fra)
Noctis (fra)
Forge (fra) [in French!]
Puritas Virginum
Katharsis
Summum Malum
Nåstrond
+articles (some again in French), bios and flyers.

Reuploaded

Another contribution, this one was sent by comrade Kurgan and originally scanned by Vlad/Arma Satanica - thank you! 666 was a French black metal fanzine made by Sad and Spica who used to be members of S.V.E.S.T. and Cantus Bestiae together and individually were/are involved with a number of bands like Asmodee, Chemin de Haine and Drastus. A couple of features are taken from elsewhere but most is made by the two.

The foreword sets up a lofty goal for our authors, unfortunately they are only partially successful as this issue (like most first ones do) has a number of flaws and many of the interviews end up more shallow than the editors hoped for. This is natural and happens with every 'zine. However, some of the interviews are very informative, entertaining or both. I'd mention as highlights the interviews with Nachtkaiser, Altar of Perversion, Katharsis and Nåstrond. As for the flaws, they go a bit overboard experimenting with different fonts which combined with the uneven copy quality makes some parts barely readable. Next and much more annoying is having a few interviews/articles written in French. I'm strongly against mixing languages in one 'zine, it should be English OR your language (whatever it might be) not a combination of both. But enough of my rantings, you'll want to read this if you're into underground black metal.

Death - Rehearsal 1987

Death - Rehearsal 1987
1) Left to Die
2) Open Casket
3) Pull the Plug
4) Choke on It
5) Born Dead
6) Forgotten Past

Depositfiles

Today I'm taking a page out of Yappy's book and post some really old school stuff, namely this rehearsal tape by legendary Death. I was never a fan of Schuldiner's later material but the demos and first albums were great. I got this tape from one of my traders back whenever and I don't think it had covers.

Like the tracklisting tells you, this rehearsal has most of the second album "Leprosy" missing only the title track and "Primitive Ways". I'm not sure if this is same as the release "Leprosy Demos" listed on the archives, however that one is missing the sixth track. The recording sounds obviously like an old rehearsal tape, the sound was quite low (I upped it a bit) and there's a fair amount of hissing, wear and other imperfections. It's still ok sounding and definitely not among the worst sounding of the old Death tapes I've heard. Oddly I don't remember seeing this on the various Death bootlegs I've seen. Recommended whether you're a fan of the band or the music style.

Condemned - Promo 1994

Condemned (grc) - Promo 1994
1) As My Last Dream Fades Away...
2) Weeping Trees

Reuploaded

And here is the second tape by the Greek death/doom band Condemned (see below post for 1st demo). As this was also a traded item, I had no cover for the release but I found a pretty nice image from the internet so that one is used. I think it was posted on Raf's blog.

This promo tape has only two tracks but runs the same lenght as the previous one as both are 7+ minutes and now clearly the emphasis is on doom, putting the death metal element on the backseat. Quite notably the vocalist uses now also spoken and sung clean parts in addition to his deep growls. The sound is a bit more balanced this time yet at the same time less clear which fortunately suits the softer and doomier approach the band took here. I'm not sure if I really prefer this more atmospheric approach or the rougher, more aggressive debut. I recommend you to have a listen for yourselves to decide, it's pretty good stuff anyways. I would like to hear their 1995 promo too, so leave me a note if you have it or know a link!

Condemned - Nothingness demo 1993

Condemned (grc) - Nothingness demo 1993
1) Epagelma (Intro)
2) Foredoomed
3) Nothingness

Reuploaded

I thought I'd post some death/doom for change and here is the first of the two tapes from the Greek Condemned, I had gotten this and the 1994 promo from a tape trader around 1996 I think and ripped both of them some time ago. I know there are other rips around, of both none the less, yet I decided to upload mine. I didn't have a cover for this (nor the 1994 tape) so I've used images from Metal Archives and someone else's rip for them. This one is from M.A. and a bigger one would be nice.

An instrumental short intro and two quite long (well, not that long for their genre) tracks of death/doom metal with a definite Greek vibe to it, this brings to mind such names from their countrymates as Septic Flesh, Nightfall and Obsecration, to drop just a few names. The first "proper" track "Foredoomed" is surprisingly aggressive, actually leaning a bit more on death than doom side of the equation. The third track which also is the longer one is more doomy, slower and has nice keyboards supporting the music. Sound quality is good for a demo of its era, I've heard 7"EP's with worse production and instruments come out balanced enough. The aggressive, growling vocal is quite prominent but this is not an issue. Nice stuff if not the most original recording around, recommended if you enjoy death/doom metal.

Skogen 'zine #3

Skogen Magazine, issue 3 (October 1996)
Interviews:
Borknagar
Samain
Ragnarok (nor)
Nattefall
Naglfar (nor)
Penitent
Dawn (swe)
Forgarður Helvítis
Sororicide
Sólstafir
Bal Sagoth
Satariel
Thy Primordial
Wallachia
Dismal Euphony
Thy Grief
Primordial
Behemoth
Graveland
Aeternus
Taake
Darkwoods My Betrothed
Nagelfar
Nifelheim
Mastema
Deinonychus
Dim Nagel
Enchanted
Articles:
Vornat
Blazing Eternity
Trolltjern
Mithotyn
Vargariket/Osiris Produksjoner
Svartsyn
Karnaya
Desaster
Carnun
Odium
Wayland
+Icelandic scene report, Dean Adams & his essays, poems & lyrics, reviews

Reuploaded - 2022

Here is, courtesy of Argus Monitor, the third and final issue of Skogen magazine from Switzerland - even though you might think it was from Norway when you look at the bands featured! Thank you Argus for scanning this, writing a foreword and sending me it. He did a good job, it is very readable even with the background graphics Sascha decided to use which make some pages pretty challenging. I guess I won't go on greater lengths here, but I recommend you download this, read Argus' foreword and the 'zine itself!

Alphysor - Demo 1994

Alphysor - Demo I 1994
1) Lord of Blackened Sky
2) Alone in the Dark Forest
3) Ancient Lands of Frost
4) Cold Northern Wind
5) Outro - Voice of Melancholy

Mediafire

Here's a request and another item I've been sent by brother Grev, thank you once again! This was the only release of Finnish black metal band/project/something Alphysor (of which I think I have some info somewhere but now I don't have time to dig it up! sorry later!) and as Grev's copy was also a traded one we had no covers and again a Metal Archives image is used. Until someone conjures a better image/scan.

The dub is of quite good quality and came out as well as it could, but the sound of the demo itself is bluntly put crude. Which is fitting, considering the primitive content. Short and simple tracks in the Nordic black metal style with a terrible drummachine, amateurish musicianship, two kinds of voices - one Donald Duckesque screech/squeack the other sort of roar/grunt reminding me of the Impaled Nazarene debut. I can't call this a masterpiece even after a heavy dose of alcohol but somehow it sounds a bit better than it should. I'm in a hurry so I can't write more, I'll probably come back later and rewrite the damn thing but until then, download if you dare!

Lycanthropy - Sanctity of the Black demo 1995

Lycanthropy (us) - Sanctity of the Black demo I 1995
1) Intro / Over the Dark Horizon
2) Soulfrost
3) Shadows Among the Stars
4) Call from the Grave (Bathory cover)

Mediafire

!!! Baalberith's rip: Reuploaded

USBM again and one of the releases I had standing on my desktop for a little while as I did not have a tracklisting to it, nor any other information than band name and demo 1995. Obviously I recognized the last track and after a little research I determined this to be their first demo. Don't know why, but the Metal Archives entry omits the Bathory cover from the tracklisting there. Well, we've already discussed the trustiness of that site before so let's not go there again. The cover image was borrowed from there too, I'd like a proper scan if you have it.

My traded copy has some extra hiss and slight tape wear here and there, the demo itself has a raw underground production (=practically non-existent) yet it sounds all good and listenable. The imperfections are few and far between and the sound really suits the raw yet still atmospheric music. They are obviously influenced by the Scandinavian hordes and hardly original, but who cares as long as it works? Their own three songs are very compact (2nd one less than minute long) and the cover track fits in well. I find this a pleasing listen, check it out for yourself if USBM doesn't give you a rash.

UPDATE: I was contacted by Seth aka Baalberith of Lycanthropy and he has provided me with his own rips of the three demos, with cover scans in most cases and so I have added links to his rip of the master tape and cover scan up there. Thanks, much appreciated!

Root - Live at Festival Death & Fire Explosion 1990

Root (cze) - Live at Festival Death and Fire Explosion, Czech Republic 1990
1) Píseň pro Satana
2) Aralyon
3) 666
4) Zjevení
5) Dogrova říše
6) Démon
7) Drum Solo / Hřbitov
8) 7 černých jezdců

Reuploaded

Right, now that I've corrected some other posts it's about time I post some live cult shit for change and what better than one of my long time favourite bands Root from Czech Rep, introduced to me by Sami of Thy Serpent, a thing I'm eternally grateful for! This is an old live recording from 1990 and I think it was perhaps released as a video too? I'm not certain, anyways this is what I got from one of my tape trader comrades in the 90's, the original dub had no titles but I did my best to figure out this half an hour set. If I was wrong, please let me know. Even if that is unlikely! UPDATE: Found a copy for sale on eBay, the price went up to ridiculous levels so no tape for me but at least I got an image of the cover which also confirms the tracklisting, see below!

eBay image of the cassette and cover

As you probably figured out by now, this is still the old school black metal era of Root, one of the strong ones keeping the black metal flame alive before the Norwegian explosion... yes kids, there was a strong if small scene of black metal alive pre-"Ablaze in the Northern Sky" and most bands sounded quite unlike the other and that's enough about that. This live recording has a great sound and obviously the music is excellent. If you are not yet familiar with old Root material, listen to it ASAP and then get this one in order to really appreciate it. The sound is very, very good if a little lacking in heaviness but of course the feeling is there. Mandatory to fans of the old European scene and other cultists. The band is still alive and going strong, if in a bit different way so keep supporting them and go see them live as long as you have a chance!

Indulgence - Enigmatic Thoughts demo 1995

Indulgence (nz) - Enigmatic Thoughts rehearsal/demo 1995
1) Question
2) Pleasure
3) Threnody

Yandex

New year and here is the second salvo from the NZ heavy artillery courtesy of brother Fenrirsson who provided this rip & scan too, thank you! If the previous round with Convulsion was vile, this one is more of gloom and doom school, even if the rather upbeat first track/intro might lead you to think otherwise. Speaking of Convulsion, I should probably mention this is Karl the vocalist/guitarist solo here so you might now know what to expect.

Recorded on a four tracker at the rehearsal room this obviously isn't pro or polished-sounding, but the quality is proper enough for a demo recording. If you don't count the less-than-minute long opener, the music is slow and heavy with a suffocating aura of darkness hovering over the listener rather than the dreary melancholic dirge some death/doom bands aim for. In other words, more old Unholy than Turn Loose-era My Dying Bride. I was going to write something more but seems like my thoughts wander so I quit here. Recommended if you enjoy dark old death/doom in the dISEMBOWELMENT-vein!