Death /Black Metal

Formed in Michigan during the late 80s, Lucifer’s Hammer was a prominent fixture in the Midwest underground, playing numerous regional gigs and routinely featured in the lineup of at Michigan Death-fest. The earliest incarnation of the band was more thrash-oriented, but as the band evolved, it gravitated toward a darker black/death metal sound. By the mid 1990s, Lucifer’s Hammer was part of a circle that included such bands as Summon, Masochist, and Wind of the Black Mountains, all of which at some point shared members with Lucifer’s Hammer. It proved to be among the most fertile scenes of early USBM around that time. Although Lucifer’s Hammer released two earlier demos, it was with their 1994 self-released tape, “The Burning Church,” that the band left its most enduring mark. Lucifer’s Hammer was among the first American bands to play death metal suffused with the atmospheric darkness and savage ferocity associated with the then-emerging black metal movement. On “The Burning Church,” the band plays relentless blackened death steeped in a miasma of blasphemy. Indeed, this demo is among the darkest death metal recordings of its time. Lucifer’s Hammer should be mentioned alongside bands like Profanatica, Demoncy, and Absu.

Black Metal

Active from 2001-2005, the highly revered side project of Leviathan’s Jef Whitehead, Lurker of Chalice, is mostly known for the 2005 self-titled full-length. Prior to that album, however, Wrest recorded two CD-R demos under the Lurker of Chalice name, each of which was limited to approximately 50 copies or less and sold at a single record store in San Francisco, near where he was living at the time. Like the full-length, both demos were eponymous, though the first demo was identified only by the initials “L.O.C.” written in runes. While a few of the songs from the demo era bear indicia of black metal, the material from that period is generally far more experimental, defying any effort to be neatly categorized. For “Tellurian Slaked Furnace,” Wrest has distilled the best material from the early period of the project and edited, collaged, and compiled it, weaving together something more coherent and album-like. In this way, there seems to be something of his current artistic sensibility projected onto these recordings from nearly two decades earlier. In keeping with the confusing taxonomy of the project, the tracks on this LP are unnamed. The album opens with a song previously called “Lurker of Chalice” on the 2002 demo but is untitled on this release. The song showcases the haunting minimalism of Lurker of Chalice as slow acoustic guitars revolve around one another, arpeggiated chords ringing out above percussive accents. With the second track, a more sinister energy emerges, advanced by the first and only appearance of Wrest’s seething vocals.

Black Metal

Since its original CD release in 1995 on Baron Records and the following year’s one-off CD release by the relatively unknown Nocturn Records, “For a Glory of All Evil Spirits, Rise for Victory”, Mastiphal’s first album, has remained mostly in obscurity. Now properly reissued on gatefold LP.

Black Metal

Originally released by Unisound Records in 1995, this hidden gem of Greek black metal lay dormant in the murky Greek swamp for many years; only getting the occasional CD or tape reissues on underground labels. The vinyl edition has been elusive for over a decade and fetching high prices on discogs. We’ve addressed many of the oddities of the original vinyl pressing, including the lopsided side break that resulted in 30 minutes of play time on side B, and lack of a proper band logo on the cover. CD version will be released by Frost and Fire Records from Greece.

Black Metal

Nihil Invocation brings forth another offering of minimalist, melancholic, and triumphant art. Crafted in the vein of old & authentic classics such as Judas Iscariot, Forest, and Moonblood. “The Chaos of Our Lost and Evil Souls” showcases a mid-paced & melodic approach to the dark art. Dense with memorable riffs and tormented vocals.

Black Metal

OLD FOREST formed in London, England in 1998. Comprised of guitarist/bassist Beleth and vocalist/keyboardist Kobold (with programmed drums credited to “Grond”), the duo set out to make cold, archaic black metal in the tradition of early EMPEROR, DARKTHRONE and other like-minded Norwegian arsonists. Their 1998 demo “Of Mists and Graves” displayed a strong vision of what was to come, with a raw production befitting the gravelike atmosphere of the music. The group would follow up the next year with their first full-length “INTO THE OLD FOREST.”

Black Metal

Few active bands embody the authentic spirit of black metal as convincingly as Belgium’s Perverted Ceremony. Beginning with its 2016 “Demo I” and later punctuated in 2017 with the debut full-length, “Sabbat of Behezaël,” Perverted Ceremony has proven that the most effective music in this subgenre is that which emphasizes an aura of vileness and evil over the sterility that often results from modern recording and production techniques. It is in part this approach that has led to comparisons between Perverted Ceremony and some of the most respected names in black metal, with a particular resemblance to the Finnish tradition promulgated by such revered cults as Beherit and Barathrum. Although such high praise would be expected from the label charged with releasing the band’s work, it is substantiated by the fact that both the demo and album have already sold out multiple pressings over the course of the past year.

Black Metal

A mere matter of months since it released its first official recording, “Demo I,” Perverted Ceremony returns with its uniquely abominable variety of black metal, hereby presenting its debut full-length album, “Sabbat of Behezaël,” under the very same banner of Nuclear War Now! First discovered by NWN! through the time-honored underground tradition of the band spreading self-produced cassettes to a limited number of contacts, Perverted Ceremony’s music reflects the same authenticity and dedication to their craft as their original manner of clandestine distribution. Although the band lists such revered acts as Demoncy, Mystifier, Von, Blasphemy, Profanatica, Archgoat, and Beherit, as their primary influences, their sound tends to gravitate somewhat more towards the latter two (along with Barathrum), who represent the Finnish tradition of bestial black metal. That said, Perverted Ceremony’s style is not easily compartmentalized according to their influences. On the contrary, with their distinctive approach to songwriting, production, and atmosphere, they have achieved a ritualistic blend of black metal that is unique unto itself. Additionally, Perverted Ceremony has proven with this album that the work recorded on its demo, which was already impressive in its own right, was only a snapshot in the band’s development, and one which has now been superseded.

Black Metal

Witchcraft has resurrected three songs from a 2017 recording session that include an alternate version of the title track from that same year’s “Diablerie” demo and two previously-unreleased songs.

The four tracks included from Perverted Ceremony were originally intended to be released as a demo, but it was later decided that they would better serve as the band´s contribution to a split.

Black Metal

Black vinyl LP, gatefold jacket, 12″ insert, and 24″x24″ poster.

Black Metal

Black vinyl LP, gatefold jacket, 12″ insert, and 24″x24″ poster.

Black Metal

Black vinyl LP, gatefold jacket, 12″ insert, and 24″x24″ poster.