DARKTHRONE "Under A Funeral Moon"

My second favorite album from the Norge Black Metal Circle. Amazing production, bombastic drums, ice cold necro guitars, buzzsaw bass and cryptic as fuck vocals. Not one weak song, not one ounce of darkness wasted.

Simply amazing....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Teb8KoyxQdc

BURZUM " Aske"

This album definitely needs zero introduction. My personal fave album from the Norwegian Black Metal Circle. Cold as fuck, hateful as fuck, dark as fuck. All that needs to be said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mv-GRWfHLD8

ISENGARD - Vinterskugge

A personal favorite album of mine, ISENGARD's "Vinterskugge" is a collection of three different sessions recorded in full by Fenriz of DARKTHRONE alone. It may have been this album, along with BURZUM's "Aske" that made me actually try to record stuff on my own. And a good thing I did (that's another story)...

Spanning influences from Folk Metal to Death Metal and of couse the whole Black Metal thing, this album is a ripper from start to finish. Highly recommended if you've not heard it...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K42X0Ib0Zuw

DARKNESS ENSHROUD - Ancient Kingdoms

It was 1994 when I was looking through some fliers that had been sent to me in a parcel from Moribund Records, and one so flier had an advert for this cassette release by Darkness Enshroud. Having the need to find new and darker things to listen to I ordered it without a second thought. For some reason I didn't make the Black Funeral connection quite yet, only when I received the recording and read the inner notes did I realize it was a related project. 

Such a great, obscure recording. Not much can be said other than it captured exactly what I was looking for, and was surprised to hear a Black Metal track on it, but it makes perfect sense for the recording. Eerie and desolate soundscapes, a must for anyone into the darkside of life/death.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4_pilBpRt0 

A return of the Nocturnal Ambient movement....

It's been many years since the more prominent members of the USBM bands Black Funeral, Demoncy and Anu took it upon themselves to make music that was vastly different, yet still captured the essence of the eternal night. The sound, known to few as Black Ambient, was far more ancient in thought than the typical Dark Ambient scene at that time. Nachtotter formed the not-so-known Darkness Enshroud, Xastiel/Ixithra from Demoncy formed Profane Grace, and once ex-Demoncy guitarist and ex-Profane Grace contributor Drathrul left he formed Anu (which is now laid to rest), and the three would ultimately put the Black Ambient sound on a level only known as elite...

As of late, it seems as though the Black Ambient scene has all but been reduced to nil not only in the US but worldwide, with only Austria's Paysage D'hiver delivering every other album of his a full recording of freezing cold synth dirges. Darkness Enshoud have vanished, Profane Grace left us with 2010's release "Nocturnal Omniscience and Anu simply returned to the black void....

Drathrul, however, never rests long..... He has returned with an offering so bleak and dark, it is inevitable that he alone will reign the resurgence of the US Black Ambient movement once again with MYSTYRIIS. Adapting the ideas of the early Anu concept, MYSTYRIIS is not metal based and will not ever be. To continue what put into Profane Grace, this time he does it with much more effect and conviction. The debut MYSTYRIIS album titled "Reise Inn I Riket Av Sorg" is a 50 minute journey into the obscure mists of sorrow, lands more bleak than the moonless midnight sky.

But, if you blink you'll miss it. The album's only release is mega limited to just 50 copies, and a good thing this is. To have too many units flood the distros it's bound to wind up in the hands of some idiots who expect uneducated Darkthrone worship Black Metal, unknowing that its quite the opposite and 10x effective. To preview the album, it is available if you look very closely within this article.

Hail the return of True Black Ambient art. HAIL MYSTYRIIS!



Article written by Midgard.

Olden times photos

Origins...

Welcome to Voices From The Tower, an informational blog with an agenda towards everything nocturnal. This page serves as an outlet for ideas and views widely supported by millions of individuals worldwide. Old, new, past and present articles on many different forms of nocturnal art will be posted here, all with the intent to revive the old days and help educate those just beginning their path into obscure realms unknown.

If you stumble upon this page and would like something posted (or removed) please email me at
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