Nattvindens Gråt - Där svanar flyger MLP '95

Nattvindens Gråt - Där svanar flyger cassette mini-album 1995
1) En avlägsen stjärna
2) I tysthetens kalla rike
3) Fjälldalen
4) Där svanar flyger
5) 66,5° N

Depositfiles / Mediafire

The Fennoscandian tour returns to Finland and here's a post somewhat similar to other recent ones in spirit; it's an item I originally didn't think I'd post as rips exist online already, but having ripped it for my own use in early '15 I decided to upload it here as well. In the end Nattvindens Gråt isn't as well known as I thought and especially not their earlier style of... of... uh, let's call it atmospheric Nordic metal? Our good old fallback term "dark metal" fails today as this isn't really that dark. Not at least in my opinion... then again some of the things people do call dark metal aren't so dark at all. Oh leave it already and move on! We could vote on it? No, I'm not setting up a poll for that. Cover scans included and they ended up a bit larger than I meant, sorry!

Right, as you see from the title line there this is a (a horrible term follows brace yourselves) 'cassette mini-album', which is something you don't really encounter that often. I guess it's a bit long to be called an EP and too short for a full album, plus it was never intended to be one. Sound is much, much more refined than on the promo track I posted earlier. Waaaay earlier. Wow, that's almost eight years ago! Then again this was recorded in the well-known Astia Studio and features a full line-up instead of a solitary Teemu like on that promo. Including a certain Tuomas on keyboards. Other familiar names to pop up are Nattfursth of Sorhin who helped with the lyrics (they're in Swedish if you did not notice) and the logo artist whom we know by a different name herein the Coven.

The recording runs for roughly 31 minutes and is divided into four longer "proper" tracks and one slightly shorter instrumental that ends it. The longest of the bunch is the already familiar En avlägsen stjärna (remember, small letters apart from the first for Swedish titles!) which kicks the album off and shares the A-side with I tysthetens kalla rike, a somewhat similar song moodwise. Both are mostly in slower midtempo, with slight variations, feature a plenty of synth (well everything does) and are led by Teemu's croaky main vocals. They have a certain epic feel to them. B-side starter Fjälldalen is slightly different as it feels somewhat more aggressive and also the voice is different here, sounds a bit more forced, barky and violent even. Many traditional heavy metal riffs. I think it's been equally audible all the way through, but here I paid extra attention to the very clearly distinguishable bass. Title track is slower again and more melancholic and features an extremely unprofessional male angel choir which I somehow don't find extremely disruptive today?! I recall cringing and fearing I grind away all the precious enamel in most earlier listens but now it's sort of endearing. I must be growing soft. If we don't count the hit-and-miss nature of the clean vocals I think this might be my second favourite from the songs here. The final song is a synth instrumental and very nice. Winter synth. Ok, so if you like melodic, moody, not-exactly-dark-but-almost... dim? wan? obtuse? metal with that certain northern feeling this might be for you. And listening to the advance tape for the first album now directly after this I must say the music does not change that much between them, main thing must be the vocals which on the album are... let's leave that for another time, I was so close to end this write up, dammit! And I do end here, just try and stop me!

Valgrind - Pakkasen lapsi demo 2002

Valgrind - Pakkasen lapsi demo I 2002
1) Pakkasen lapsi
2) Musta vesi
3) Pohjola

Mediafire / Zippy

Let's do another Finnish item and another one of master Sorvali's contributions. This is Valgrind from Helsinki who made (at least) two demos before sort of vanishing and this is the first one (that I know of). If the cover scans Henu enclosed are really all there was they weren't too keen on sharing information, I presume the song titles were written on the cassette or something like that. Well, at least the cover's unusually colourful.

Three songs which are all quite epic length at well over six minutes each and they seem to be either pretty directly inspired by my contributor's band or drawing from same sources. This probably gets labeled viking metal all around even though the lyrics are not about Norse topics, I'd rather call this heathen metal. Unfortunately the tape seems to have a bit of wear in the beginning of the first song, happily this does not carry on for too long. Other than that the sound and rip quality are good. The second track is the slowest and gloomiest of the lot while the last one is again faster and oddly enough the catchiest despite the longest playtime. What else should I say... well, it's quite a good listen but I can't help comparing this to Moonsorrow in my head which is somewhat distracting. Anyways, I suppose this can be recommended quite safely to fans of theirs and heathen/viking metal enthusiasts in general. I'd like to hear the second demo too.

Hades / Mock - Live in Oslo '94

Hades / Mock - Live in Oslo '94 split live tape
Hades:
1) Pagan Triumph
2) Hecate (Queen of Hades)
3) The Spirit of an Ancient Past
4) ...Again Shall Be
5) Unholy Congregation
6) Pagan Triumph
Mock:
7) Thy Sorrow of Åsgard
8) Call Thy Eternal Winter
9) Bonded by Thy Blood

Mediafire / Zippyshare

Let us not sit idle but move on to another neighbouring country and yes, it is Norway's turn to be featured. Again a contribution by a certain person, thanks alot for this one, for change a split recording and a live tape to boot. This was recorded in 1994 at an unknown venue in Oslo and features relatively short sets by Hades and Mock, perhaps it was some sort of festival environment so the time was limited? Annoyingly, I'm certain I've read something about either this tape or the event itself in a 'zine but can't recall which one it was or when, not to mention any further details on the show. I'm not sure if this tape was released as sort of semi-official thing by either band or people associated with them, or was it just a bootleg. There's a cover scan but it's not overtly informative and actually didn't even have tracklisting for Mock's part.

No titles for Mock!

To the music, both bands play black metal in Norwegian style but with different twists. Hades' material is generally mid-tempo, somewhat epic and lyrically influenced by various mythologies and pagan faiths while Mock is more in the Norsecore style viking black metal. Six tracks in roughly 26 minutes for Hades, though first and last are the same instrumental song, album opener "Pagan Triumph", performed as intro and outro. Which on paper might look a bit silly but works wonderfully. A cool idea. Sound is a little rough and somewhat messy but everything can be heard well enough. Same thing with Mock's portion which consists of three tracks in slightly over 16 minutes. Note that each title has "thy" in it, can't help wondering if they actually understood the word or thought it as a cool way to write "the". Whatever, they do a decent job also and there's a little bit more variation to their three songs than Hades' material. Hades still wins and I'd really like more recordings like this. Recommended for fans of either band, provided they can stomach the sound and collectors of old live tapes and/or Norwegian black metal.

Myrkwid - Dverg demo 1997

Myrkwid - Dverg demo I 1997
1) Hulemdverg
2) Nornesmal
3) Sang han Asen
4) Asgart
5) Yggdrasil

Mega / Zippyshare

Back to contributions but let's stay in Germania for a bit longer. I was recently sent some demos by the quite profilic one-man band Myrkwid, still active to this day with three albums and around ten other releases under his belt. Well, comparatively profilic, he's taken it easy after the years when he put out eight releases in three years plus whatever various other projects did. Malthökk, that's the fellow behind Myrkwid, runs(/ran?) also a label Dunkelwald Productions and the Darkwood Studio. This is the first demo, released in 1997 and I was sent a cover scan along with the rip. Name of the game is mythic metal, that's what the covers say, influenced by Norse mythology as the song titles imply.

I find myself once again wondering about the track order of a demo, they're arranged here starting with the longest (8:53) and ending with the shortest one (3:25). It seems quite unintuitive to me, but perhaps he feared the listeners will start to become less able to focus by the end of the demo? Though I think for that sort of issue other kinds of solutions would be better. Some of the tracks even sound like they've been shorted a bit with awkward fades/cuts. Whatever the reason, the first track is fast paced for much of its duration, guitar sound is the most dominating element here, harsh vocals on the second front seat and drums participating in the conversation from the backseat. Not from the trunk mind you, they're not that muffled and buried. I can't quite make up my mind if he's using drum machine, like many of the one-man bands tend to do, or actually playing them. They do sound kind of sloppy at times which might indicate the fabled human touch. Despite the ample rawness this is rather melodic and quite atmospheric stuff and slows down periodically, sometimes in effective manner, occasionally coming stumbling like on the second track. Though the fastest bits of that one suffer from it as well. The vocal is a raw, grating scream and works well enough even without much variation. Overall this is kind of charming but lasts a bit longer than necessary, changing the tracklisting might help or just cutting off some excess fat from some of the songs. I haven't heard his albums, just demos so I'm not going to go making comparisons to them. Recommended for people who, like me, enjoy vintage German demos and unpolished, unsophisticated black (/viking) metal.

Jotunheim - Høght Blæsir Heimdallr demo 1999

Jotunheim (swe) - Høght Blæsir Heimdallr demo II 1999
1) Jotun Komber Løs
2) Høght Blæsir Heimdallr (Ragnarökr I)
3) Stolþet ok Styrkia
4) Yxthid
5) Alfaþirs Rampnbanir
6) Nidher pa Nàströnd (Ragnarökr II)
7) Vigriðr

Mega / Yandex

Ok, enough Finnish items for this week, let's move to Sweden again and complete another two-parter of master Sorvali's contributions. Here is Jotunheim with their second demo, which like the first one is almost 45 minutes long, full album length. Full cover scan enclosed.

Like the first one, this has a bit rough, obvious demo sound. Not as raw though, there is more warmth and a bit of softness to it this time around. The main vocal is a bit deeper and I'd say things are a touch folkier. A few touches, actually. So I suppose it is safe to say they're leaning more in viking/pagan direction than black metal here. Kind of fitting with the coloured covers and all, I guess. If the previous demo was "In the Glare of Burning Churches" this would then be... uh, "Creed of Iron" maybe? Terrible and rather inaccurate comparison. This isn't one of my best days and I don't seem to be into this demo today either, I could swear it sounded better the previous time I listened to it. Now it's just not connecting. If you liked the first one and/or viking/pagan metal in general have a listen for yourself, I'm not going to make any sense until I get my nap. Thanks to Henri again, Velkaarn out.

Jotunheim - Aldagautr demo 1998

Jotunheim (swe) - Aldagautr demo I 1998
1) Färd till Valhall
2) Slaget vid Danariket
3) Bergslagsnatt
4) Lodbroks dödsvisa
5) Aldagautr

Mediafire / Rusfolder

Viking black metal again, this time we journey to Sweden so at least it is a valid Viking country. Another rip courtesy of Henu, thank you, and includes cover scans as it was made from an original copy. This is the first demo of the Swedish Jotunheim, not to be mixed with the more recent and a tad questionable Polish, Russian or US users of the name.

This is actually quite a natural item to continue from Helheim as the style present is rather similar, viking black metal with a raw sound. Which is enjoyable, somewhere between pagan black metal and norsecore. Another similarity to the second Helheim demo would be the very epic song durations, this tape runs almost 45 minutes with five songs to it. The screaming vocals are raw, occasionally very piercing shrieks, supported by "clean" vocals thankfully low in the mix. Various nature sounds serve mostly as intros and outros between the tracks, synths are used but with restraint which is nice. Tempos range from the rather fast second track to the more plodding, Burzumesque third song which is also the longest. Sort of reminds me of older Rautavaris, or I suppose it'd be the other way around. The general approach here seems to put more emphasis on black metal elements rather than viking/folk which some will approve while others might be driven away by it. I find myself enjoying this though I would make further cuts to the clean vocals. And perhaps trim the running times a little too. Recommended if anything above appeals to you at all, definitely preferable over stuff like Frostmoon.

Helheim - Niðr ok Norðr liggr Helvegr demo 1994

Helheim (nor) - Niðr ok Norðr liggr Helvegr demo II 1994
1) Muspilli strid
2) Blandt ulvenes frender og kråkenes trær
3) Jotne vandring
4) Under the Norse Sky
5) De kalde marker av slag fortapt
6) Drømmedans
7) Gravlagt i Eljudne
8) Gjennom mørke og tåke

Zippy / Depositfiles

This week I'm going to continue with the contributions master Henri Sorvali sent me back whenever it was and to kick the week off, here's a continuation to a post over five years old, the second demo of Norse viking black metal band Helheim. Still not to be mixed with the industrial-tinged, NS-flavoured The Helheim Society. The long time between these posts isn't an oversight, I just didn't feel like ripping my copy of the tape back then, with the 2005 re-release out and all. Anyways, out of appreciation for the contribution, the good quality of the rip and demo itself I've decided to post this now. Scans of the cover are enclosed, thanks again to Henu for sending this.

Like Nehëmah's "Light of a Dead Star" this demo is in the rather rare group of tapes that actually have a longer running time than the band's debut album (don't believe Metal Archives on this, yet again) and without silence breaks or excessive intros too. Ok, there are a couple of shorter, instrumental songs but if you think of such as filler go back from whence you came from! Instrumentals, intros, outros and whathaveyous are important parts of recordings too and the Coven does not tolerate discrimination against them. Where was I? Yeah, it's good viking black metal, atmospheric and maybe a teensy bit inspired by early Enslaved, which they naturally denied in all interviews back then. Two of the songs, 3 & 7, were re-recorded on the debut album. Recommeded for the few who might still be unfamiliar with this and like this sort of music. Actually, it's worth checking out even if you can't stand folk or viking metal as it's more norsecore than drinking songs.

Frostmoon - Tordenkrig (1999)

Frostmoon - Tordenkrig compilation, cassette version (1999)
1) Skogsrøst
2) Vikingmakt
3) Iskaldt raseri
4) Norgesriket hylles
5) Hersker av mørket
6) Attack of the Northern Frostwinds
7) Ancient Vardöhus
8) Black Bestial Funeral
9) I'm Psychokiller

Mediafire  / Rusfolder

I decided to post today another item from master Henri's hoard, thanks once again for sending the rip and cover scans! We continue to explore the dark, degenerate times surrounding the millennium and from the ruins of the once mighty Norse empire crawled various suspicious entities, such as this specimen here, Frostmoon. This is the cassette version released by Alkana Žemė of the "Tordenkrig" compilation which contains the EP of the same name (tracks 1-5) as well as material from split EP with Ork (track 7) and from the never released debut album "Black Bestial Funeral" (tracks 6, 8 & 9). The CD version, released by Sound Riot, featured ten tracks, "For all tid" instead of "Ancient Vardöhus" from the split, unreleased track titled "A Funeral Memorial" and "Behind the Snowcovered Mountains" instead of "I'm Psychokiller" which judging by the name I would've preferred to have here too. Note that the cover here mistakenly states tracks 1-6 being from the EP and the rest from the forthcoming album.

To the music, Frostmoon was one of those bands I was wary of from the first time I heard them on Oskorei compilation, if I remember correctly, as they just sounded suspicious, unserious and all kinds of plastic and disingenuous. Maybe it's the machine drums, the effect-laden main vocals, the utterly goofy "hey" shouts on "Vikingmakt" or whatever else, but I didn't like them nor did I trust 'em. Perhaps I'm getting soft with age or really need to have my ears checked but it doesn't sound as bad now as it did back then, I actually like some of the guitar bits. I still can't take them seriously though, just look at that tacky Oskorei graphics job on the covers, the track titles that get worse by the release or just the band name itself! And the longer it goes on, the more mixed the signals I'm registering are getting. A fitting monument to the disastrous state of the later 90's scene, approach carefully with a shield in hand and escape route well scouted. Or very drunk.

Golden Dawn - Lullaby demo 1995 (complete)

Golden Dawn - Lullaby demo I 1995
1) Midgard (The Forsaken Kingdom Parts 1-6)
2) Lullaby
3) Memento Mori
4) Funeral March

Bandcamp

I don't often repost but when I do I usually have a good reason to do so. This is one of those cases. You see, the dub I had earlier ripped [see here for more] was so horribly incomplete it didn't actually have even the first, six part track complete! Fortunately, Stefan came across that and informed me it was missing about half of the content. Even more fortunately a contributor who had sent me a bunch of rips happened to have a complete version of this and contributed the rip you now see here. I cut it up to tracks and now the total running time is 31:50. He also had a xerox of the cover but unfortunately no access to scanner so we'll make do with a photo of it. Thanks again for saving my ass!

I'm not going to add much to what I wrote earlier, the incomplete rip was the first four parts of "Midgard" which is a sort of Viking black metal epos and side B is the other two longer tracks and "Funeral March" which is almost more like an outro. Enough written talk, download this now.

UPDATE: Available on Stefan's Bandcamp since January '17!

Dark Drakkar - La Creación demo 1997

Dark Drakkar - La Creación demo 1997
1) Intro (Dark Drakkar)
2) Ley Vikinga
3) La Creación
4) Einheriar (Guerreros del Valhalla)
5) Ragnarok (El Ocaso de los Dioses)
6) Blasfemia al Dios Cristiano
7) Utgar (Instrumental)

Reuploaded

Here's something you don't see everyday, another odd, twisted warped thing from the 90's uncovered. Dark Drakkar were a Spanish viking black metal band who released a couple of tapes and changed name several times. Yes, that's right, Spanish viking black metal. With Spanish lyrics to boot. This demo is the only product I've heard from them under any of the various monickers they went and was sent to me by a tape trader who didn't have the cover. But I happened to have a flyer of theirs which seemed to include the cover image so I used that. See below for the complete flyer, apparently they spread their gospel only in the homeland.

I am also experimenting with the Russian Narod service as I don't trust Mediafire anymore at all. Let's see how this works.

But let us discuss the music, how do they sound like? Well, the intro is fitting and promising enough, synth and sound effects, pretty standard fare. I like how they transfer to the first proper track, the sudden keyboards sound like something off a 20's film. Unfortunately the black metal that follows isn't as exciting. Quite fast and with a rather weak guitar sound which takes much away from the overall experience. They do slow down and add some synth to the background which I suppose works okay. Notably the bass is very audible as well. The drums are too loud compared to the guitars. Main voice is a hoarse scream/yell of average quality, you should be able to figure out at least part of what he's screaming if you understand Spanish. They use some death metal support vocals which don't really fit too well. A different sort of a scream would've been better, or maybe even clean vocals though we've seen how well they work for demobands before, haven't we? There are also some female voices employed, these are of spoken word variety and most likely a band member's girlfriend/sister/school mate, but that's ok as she's not trying to sing. In the end their take on viking black metal is quite fast, melodic and often more in common with melodeath than black metal. It's not as bad as you probably think from the initial shock (Spanish viking black metal! In Spanish!) but I can't say I'd really enjoy it either. Have a listen and decide for yourself, it won't kill you, only steal half an hour of your life.

Secrets of the Moon - Rehearsal 1997

Secrets of the Moon - Rehearsal 1997
1) Moondancer
2) Atomic Nuclear Desolation (Blasphemy cover)

Deposit / Media

Back to metal with a very quick (as in short) one, here is a two, or more like one and a third, or a quarter even, track rehearsal tape from my long time German favourites Secrets of the Moon. SotM are one of the few bands whose entire discography I actually listen to and enjoy. But back to this thing here, it is an almost four minute rehearsal tape which was on the Gothmog rehearsals tape, untitled and confusing me until I enlisted comrade THE DECEASED to help identify the troublesome first song. Fortunately he had been writing and trading with the then-drummer Frazer who had dubbed the same song to him. Apparently it was a one-off thing inspired mainly by Isengard, most likely from 1997, and features Frazer doing both the drums and vocals. Quite a curio I'd say! Naturally, no cover exists, I've just made a placeholder thingy with the old logo and a pic I once took.

As expected of a rehearsal recording, the sound is not polished and flawless though I have to say it is very good for a rehearsal, better than many demos I've listened to. No tape flaws, wear-and-tear or cuts. Not even much hissing! All the instruments, including the bass that is quite prominent on "Moondancer", are clearly audible. Like earlier mentioned, the first song is strongly reminiscent of Isengard material with the clean(-ish) vocals and bouncy midtempo pace. The second track is a Blasphemy cover; a thirty second outburst of violence. Remember they covered this also on "Vanitas" live part? Not much to add, this is naturally very interesting for SotM fans and possibly for people into Isengard and/or viking/trollish/Norse whatchacallit metal. And I guess war metal/Blasphemy fanatics too. What a combination... oh well at least I enjoy it!

Muspellsheim - Sør for Ginnungagap demo 1997

Muspellsheim - Sør for Ginnungagap demo II 1997
1) Misantrop
2) Fullmånens Besettelse
3) Glemt og Forlatt
4) Svartedauens Mysterier

Mediafire / Depositfiles

As a follow up to a last month's post, here is the second demo of the Norwegian black metallers Muspellsheim. For more on the band, see the older post. I got this one from a tape trader contact and did not get a copy of the covers so once again a M.A. image and request for scans if you have them. Notice how the M.A. pic looks like it was from a CD? Maybe they released this as CDr, I don't know.

Musically this continues directly from the first demo and soundwise it is also very similar, unfortunately being a dub of unknown generation the end result is slightly murky and the tape wear is audible in a few places. Not really bad though. I case you're too much of a lazy dick to read the old post I suppose I have to say something about the music here as well: melodic black metal fra Norge with a more full, deeper sound than usual, some synth backing and Norse/Viking moods yet not sounding directly like a Viking or folk metal band. Ok, maybe a little more here than on the first demo. They've actually re-recorded one track from the first demo here again, "Glemt og Forlatt", the version here being a little shorter but not much faster, at least from what I can make out. The last track is interesting with the vocals distant in the background, sounding like warped half-clean singing, versus the intense riffing on the foreground. I want to hear their more recent releases too. Check this out if you enjoyed the first demo.

Muspellsheim - Toner av Natten demo 1996

Muspellsheim - Toner av Natten demo I 1996
1) Under en Norrøn Himmel
2) En Ferd over Vidstrakte Vidder
3) Glemt og Forlatt

Mediafire / Depositfiles

More black metal comes and for change something again from brother Grev's vault, I give you the first demo of Norwegians Muspellsheim. I did have a shitty old dub of this somewhere but as it was one of the cassettes seemingly ninja-trained in the arts of hiding I gave up and asked Grev to dub it for me which was to the benefit of all as his had a vastly superior quality of sound to my tape (or that's how I remember). Thanks yet again! Sadly no covers, so I borrowed the image from Metal Archives.

You might remember I posted "The Eerie Sampler" not that long ago here, and it featured the second demo of Norwegians Gravferd. Well, it is pretty much the same guys who also played here and you might recall I wasn't very impressed with the Graveferd effort which wasn't bad, just pretty average. So how is their other band? I find it actually more interesting and just enough "different" sounding not to drown completely in the mass of other Norse (or like that sounding) bands of the 90's. The music here has a bit more Viking/Norse feel to it without being a direct copy of say Einherjer, Kampfar or old Enslaved. The sound is a little murky and with more deep end than I am used to expect from this sort of music of the era. It does get a bit messy from time to time, but is okay once your ear adjusts. Some synth support is used, but quite tastefully. I can't really pinpoint how I wasn't at all into this when I first heard it back whenever and how it now suddenly sounds so much better. Have a listen for yourself if you enjoy rough sounding, melodic somewhat Norse black(-ish, no Satan) metal, I'm done writing here!

Yggtyrhyrkkh Hin Dystre - Hævnfejde demo 1996

Yggtyrhyrkkh Hin Dystre - Hævnfejde demo 1996
1) Storhed
2) Val
3) Ode
4) Hævnfejde
5) Outro

Mediafire

Here's another item dubbed for me by Grev, thank you once again, and my second Danish post, by the way. Yggtyrhyrkkh Hin Dystre certainly had one of the least-likely-to-be-spelled-correctly names ever - I don't what or who Y is or what Hin means but "dystre" translates to dark and/or grim. Yeah. The cover (scan of which is included) proclaims they play "Heathen Black Feud Metal exclusively" which basically translates into viking black metal with very raw guitar sound, raw but clear overall sound in general, some timpani and synths, very long tracks which seem more primitive than progressive and barbaric rather than epic. I'm not entirely sure what to make of this, I'm definitely no stranger to raw and primitive black metal but something in this makes it feel less than satisfying, the songwriting seems almost random at times, musicianship struggling and the drums (except the timpani sounds) are kind of annoying.

The dub I ripped was from an original demo so the quality is good and tape flaws to minimum. Nothing except low tolerance for raw black metal should prevent you from joining these Danish berserkers. Oh yeah there's no outro listed on the cover but as there is one, clearly separate from the title track, and just as long as the intro piece "Storhed" I divided it into its own track.

Enslaved - Live in Ontario, Canada 27.07.1995

 

Enslaved - Live in London, Ontario Canada 27th July 1995

1) Intro 

2) Viking Metal

3) Loke

4) Fenris

5) Glemt

6) Vetrarnótt

7) Hordalendingen

8) Wotan

Reuploaded 

Live tapes continued, this one I ripped almost a year ago but it was forgotten in my WIP folder for quite some time before I got around to finalize it. The incomplete tracklisting was the main reason for delay but as you can see above I figured it out. Finally. I got this one from one of my tape traders and obviously it did not really have a cover, I just whipped up that thing to have something to decorate the post with.

This is an audience recording and not really of stellar sound quality. It is listenable enough for the hardboiled bootleg connoisseur, even if the sound gets muddled especially during the faster moments. It's not the worst I've heard (or posted) but sure not the best either. As you can see from the setlist this is mostly "Frost" with some new tracks thrown in and sadly only "Vetrarnótt" from "Vikingligr Veldi" though considering the track lenghts on the first album & EP (aka split with Emperor) this is understandable.

Not recommended for fans of the later, progressive Enslaved but worth checking out if you like good old viking black metal.

Moonsorrow - Tämä Ikuinen Talvi demo 1999

Moonsorrow - Tämä Ikuinen Talvi demo 1999
1) Taistelu Pohjolasta
Osa I: Luo Veljien
Osa II: Punaisen Lumen Valtakunta
Osa III: Jäisten Järvien Kimalteessa
2) Vihreällä Valtaistuimella
3) Talvi
4) Luopion Veri
5) Kuun Suru

Reuploaded

I ripped my tape of the second Moonsorrow demo - you have heard of Moonsorrow, haven't you? - some time ago and decided to upload the rip as most rips around seem to be from the CD version released by Sagitarius in 2001 which was remastered and partially re-recorded (vocals and some other part I can't remember for now). So it's quite different from this original version. I don't think I need to go lenghts to explain Moonsorrow's music, but I'll mention the demos are closer to old Enslaved and slightly more black metallish than viking metal. Good stuff.

Nattvindens Gråt - En avlägsen stjärna Promo track 1994

Nattvindens Gråt - En avlägsen stjärna Promo Track 1994
1) En avlägsen stjärna

Reuploaded - 2022

Here's the first recording of Nattvindens Gråt which started as Darkwoods My Bethrothed/Wizzard member Teemu's solo project. This song was also featured on the "Där svanar flyger" Cassette-EP/demo released by Solistitium, naturally it was re-recorded for that tape. This version is rougher, I think he recorded it with a 4-tracker but can't remember for sure. I got in touch with Teemu in 1994 when I ordered the "Dark Aureoles Gathering" demo from him and we wrote letters for quite a while. He also recorded me a few tapes and this track on one of them. I was excited by it, atmospheric and quite epic northern metal. His vocals were probably the weakest link on it, but now that I listened to it after a long time I don't think they're that bad after all. Main voice is a hoarse, strangled croak but he does some semi-clean singing too. I can't remember if someone helped him out with drums or other instruments.

It's only one song but of epic length, clocking over 7:30 minutes. Good, clear sound for a recording of this nature. Slight tape imperfection, but nothing too serious. Melodic and very Nordic sounding material going at mid pace, enjoyable track.

Ragnarok - Pagan Land

Ragnarok (nor) - Pagan Land demo 1995
1) Intro
2) Pagan Land
3) From The Darkest Deep
4) Et Vinterland I Nord
5) Hammerens Slag
6) Ragnarok

Reuploaded

Another Norwegian demo here, the first full demo of Ragnarok, the X-Ray Studios version to be more accurate. Apparently there were two versions of the demo, one recorded at Haga Studios and the other at X-Ray. I don't know how much the difference would be, having only heard this one... the cover credits Pål Espen of X-Ray for all synths, so I'm wondering if they just added a final touch and the synths to the demo there. Anyways, I'd be curious to hear the other, probably rougher version.

Back to this release, I got it by the usual method of sending a tape + postage to the band back in 1995. I had read of them on some zine or other and decided to give their viking black metal a try... yes, that's what the early releases were. Quite good viking black metal too. Obviously melodic and with folky touches but not so much as to cause a rash. It's very likely you've already heard these songs on their debut album "Nattferd" but here's the demo anyways. Enjoyable stuff.

Helheim - Demo 1993

Helheim - Demo 1993
1) Inn i Døden Vandren
2) My Deathlike Cries From The Grave
3) My Wrath Is Unleashed...
4) ...And The Pandemonium Has Inflamed
5) Through Forests Deep And Cold
6) A Forgotten Oath In The Arms Of Satanas
7) Countess Bathory (Venom cover - as if someone didn't know!)

Depositfiles

I wrote to the guys of this Helheim too in my youth, I was after their "Niðr Ok Norðr Liggr Helvegr" demo. It was very good viking style black metal and as it was mentioned that was the band's second demo, I naturally got very curious about the first one. They agreed to dub me a copy of it (unfortunately didn't send cover, so again we're using an image from Metal Archives) and that's the thing presented here.

There are atmospheric, Norse interludes and melodies already present, but overall it is a rougher take on Norwegian black metal. Well enough audible despite the somewhat low buzzing guitars. Plenty of historical value too.