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| Peaceville “Essentials” In Stock Now! |
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| A huge shipment of Peaceville essential LP reissues have arrived at the NWN compound! We now have every good era LPs from Darkthrone, Isengard, Mayhem (live and reh), Pentagram, Autopsy, Kvist, Obtained Enslavement, Therion, Dodheimsgard, and many others in stock now. |
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| Nergal “The Wizard of Nerath” LP Coming Soon |
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Nergal “The Wizard of Nerath” LP
ANTI-GOTH 512 |
The Wizard of Nerath by Nergal |
| 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. |
| ETA: Winter 2020 |
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| Vulpecula “Fons Immortalis” LP Coming Soon |
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Vulpecula “Fons Immortalis” LP
ANTI-GOTH 510 |
Fons Immortalis by Vulpecula |
| NWN! is honored to announce the long-awaited reissue of Chuck Keller’s seminal Vulpecula recordings. Occupying the interstitial space between Order From Chaos and Ares Kingdom, Keller formed Vulpecula with Chris Overton (Nepenthe, Legia) to explore the unique astral black metal style he foreshadowed with his compositions on “An Ending in Fire.” Drawing influence from Bathory, early Katatonia, and Mortem (Nor), Keller summoned a sound and aesthetic that captured the cold, desolate emptiness of the universe. This reissue will feature the band’s classic “Fons Immortalis” MLP and the “Phoenix of the Creation” demo, as well as one previously unreleased track. |
| ETA: Winter 2020 |
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| Minotauri “Minotauri” LP Coming Soon |
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Minotauri “Minotauri” LP
ANTI-GOTH 511 |
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| NWN will soon reissue the debut album from Finnish old school doom metal legends Minotauri. The self titled album was originally released in 2004 by the Italian cult label Black Widow, and has been sold out and hard to find for many years. During their short career which lasted between 1995 to 2006, they managed to produce unique heavy doom metal, mixing NWOBHM, Pentagram/Bedemon, Celtic Frost-riffing with real Metal guitar leads (in the vein of Sarcofagus from Finland). Minotauri played a handful of shows; only in Finland and mostly w/ Reverend Bizarre & Spiritus Mortis. The Minotauri mastermind Ari “Arska” was known for many projects (including NWN alumni Morningstar, Perkele, Heathen Hoof, Ironbird) and is still producing music. |
| ETA: Winter 2020 |
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| Intellect Devourer “Demons of the Skull” LP Coming Soon |
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Intellect Devourer “Demons of the Skull” LP
ANTI-GOTH 512 |
Demons of the Skull by Intellect Devourer |
| Intellect Devourer has long been accorded cult status in the Australian underground. Playing a uniquely extreme style of technical death metal, Intellect Devourer was a prominent fixture in the death metal scene in the 1990s. When the band dissolved, drummer Denny Blake went on to form StarGazer, in addition to performing in such other bands as Misery’s Omen, Martire, and Cauldron Black Ram. Intellect Devourer will appeal to fans of technical and extreme death metal. |
| ETA: Winter 2020 |
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| Pneuma Hagion “Voidgazer” LP Coming Soon |
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Pneuma Hagion “Voidgazer” LP
ANTI-GOTH 520 |
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| Suffocating death metal in the American tradition of Immolation and Incantation. Sample song coming soon. |
| ETA: Winter 2020 |
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| Necrofago “Brutal Mutilation” LP Repress Out Now |
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Necrofago “Brutal Mutilation” LP
ANTI-GOTH 177 |
Brutal Mutilation by Necrófago |
| 2nd pressing on black vinyl with 3mm jacket and 12″ insert. |
(Bio by J. Campbell)
In the late 1980′s and early 1990′s, Brazil was like a Petri dish upon which grew, with bacterial rapidity, a particularly virulent strain of Deathrash that ushered in the first manifestations of South American Black Metal. In the early to mid-1980’s bands like Vulcano, Sarcofago, and Sepultura began to define a sound that has come to be distinctly associated with Brazil. Within the span of just a few years, a nucleus of bands playing this style quickly emerged, with each providing a variant on the bestial and primitive sound at the core of the Brazilian underground. As this rotten music festered in the sick corners of Brazil, it began to draw the attention of the international underground as bands such as Holocausto, Sextrash, Insulter, Chakal, and others unleashed their own warfare noise and a scene began to coalesce around them.
In 1987, a dark entity known as Necrofago was summoned into existence via the ominous incantations of vocalist/guitarist Deathvomit in association with Rotten on bass, Rotten Corpse on drums, and later joined by Post Mortem on guitar. Not to be confused with various other bands of the same name, this band came from Minas Gerais, Brazil. (Most notably, the Necrofago from Sau Paulo responsible for the “Desire for Blood” demo is often, despite the obvious sonic differences, mistakenly associated with the one from Minas Gerais.)
The entirety of Necrofago’s recorded legacy is encapsulated in their activities during the years 1897 and 1988 with the most important piece being their 1987 demo entitled “Brutal Mutilation.” One of the most unique sounding recordings to have come from the Brazilian scene, “Brutal Mutilation” exemplifies, unlike any other recording, the emphasis those bands placed upon harsh aggression and raw recording techniques. The demo sounds like the result of the potent collision of immense quantities cheap alcohol and inhalants in brains already awash in adrenaline and youthful testosterone. Lacking in nearly every category of technical proficiency, Necrofago focused their entire effort into creating a monument to savagery.
While the apparent ineptness of the playing may initially be off-putting to some listeners, those capable of suspending their need to generate order out of the chaos of the recording will find some of the most truly evil tracks committed to tape in the 1980’s. Even at the time of its release, the demo was well-received and found its way into the hands of some of the more legendary figures in the underground. When asked about Necrofago, Laruent Remadier of Decibel of Death Zine/Snakepit Magazine responded with the following: “Oh man! I recall Necrofago. I recall being in Morbid Angel house back in ’87 and having David mentioning them non-stop like Sarcofago.”
The guitars on the demo are brittle and sordid and rest uneasily atop the drums. The entire cacophonous mixture teeters on the brink of total collapse throughout each of the three tracks as the repetitious riffs, at times almost hypnotic, roil and churn. Deathvomit’s menacing vocals fill out the sound and add to the grotesque character of the music. Aside from the “Brutal Mutilation” demo, only a 1988 rehearsal demo and live recording from the same year exist to affirm the existence of Necrofago. These recordings are more obscure and ridden with even more impenetrable sound quality. Nonetheless, the vitriolic and intense nature of the playing is captivating.
Although these tracks have been bootlegged several times throughout the years, the band’s existence is still often overlooked, and, yet, their influence in the Brazilian scene was immense. This vinyl release marks the first time that these recordings have been officially reissued and will allow new legions to breathe in the foul death-odor emitted by Necrofago. |
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| Scolopendra “Those of the Catacombs” LP Out Now |
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Scolopendra “Those of the Catacombs” LP
ANTI-GOTH 489 |
Those of the Catacombs by Scolopendra |
(Description by C. Conrad)
With a history of metal steeped in horror and the occult – as previously established by bands like Death SS, Black Hole, and Mortuary Drape – Italy has proven itself a fertile breeding ground for extreme music that explores these themes. Formed in 2018, Scolopendra is the latest to continue in this tradition, as evidenced on its debut album, “Those of the Catacombs.” Unlike its Italian ancestors, however, who have more typically opted for the sounds of doom or black metal, the vehicle that Scolopendra has chosen to deliver its horror-tinged themes is that of death metal. This aspect adds an element to the band’s output that distinguishes itself from its predecessors, thus making it a unique addition to its genre. Consisting of two members with a history of many years of collaboration in several bands, including Abhor, Scolopendra boasts both the pedigree and chemistry to give “Those of the Catacombs” the deathly authenticity that is obvious upon first listen. |
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| Carpathian Forest “Bloodlust and Perversion” Double LP Out Now |
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Carpathian Forest “Bloodlust and Perversion” Double LP
ANTI-GOTH 207 |
| Repress of one of the most essential Norse black metal recordings. Released in conspiracy with Neseblod Records. |
Bloodlust and Perversion by Carpathian Forest |
(Description by J. Campbell)
Throughout their long history, Carpathian Forest have covered a wide range of sonic territory. This double LP collects the earliest demo material that the band released, and it is easily among their best output. Despite the fact that they were all released nearly contemporaneously, the two demo recordings and a studio rehearsal on this compilation – “Bloodlust and Perversion” (1992), Rehearsal (1992), and “Journey Through the Cold Moors of Svartjern” (1993) – cover a vast spectrum within the Black Metal genre. The tracks on the “Bloodlust and Perversion” demo are predominantly mid-paced and, at times, even doomy evoking a sound more akin to Samael, Hellhammer or even Goatlord. The atmosphere that Carpathian Forest attains with this sound is distinct from those or any other band’s output, however. While more sludgy and visceral than much of the Norwegian Black Metal of that era, Carpathian Forest still manage to create the sense of isolation and solitude characteristic of the Norwegian landscape that is so often associated with that region’s output in the early 1990’s. The “Journey Through the Cold Black Moors of Svartjern” is even more atmospheric in that it eschews most of the traditional elements of metal in favor of a pure descent into the sensory realms. The first track is a keyboard-laden, militant dirge that, but for the vocals, could nearly be characterized as dark industrial or neofolk. The two tracks that follow are even more folkloric. This sound, while uncharacteristic of most of Carpathian Forest’s work before or since, is arguably some of their darkest and most melancholic work. This demo recording reveals that much of what is relevant and intriguing about Black Metal is the atmosphere of the music rather than the aggression that is often associated with it. The last tracks on this compilation, however, show that Carpathian Forest were equally adept at channeling the aforementioned aggression inherent in Black Metal. These tracks, taken from the obscure rehearsal recording from 1992, are predominantly primitive Black Metal as one would expect. More furious and raw than the other two demos, these tracks are a step closer to the sound evolving in Norway during the rise of the second wave of Back Metal. Carpathian Forest’s style on this recording is not quite fully realized, however, and the band seems to rely heavily upon the first wave bands that inspired them. Indeed, this demo features cover tracks by both Bathory and Venom as well as stylistic nods to Hellhammer/Celtic Frost. Overall, these early recordings capture not only a band in the process of defining its own style, but of the emergence of an entire genre of music and the diverse potential inherent within it. |
-Regular Version: Black vinyl DLP, gatefold jacket.
-Die Hard version: Neon purple vinyl DLP, gatefold jacket, sticker, die cast metal pin. |
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| The Funeral Orchestra “Negative Evocation Rites” LP Out Now |
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The Funeral Orchestra “Negative Evocation Rites” LP
ANTI-GOTH 492 |
Negative Evocation Rites by The Funeral Orchestra |
(Description by C. Conrad)
Considering its emergence approximately eighteen years ago, The Funeral Orchestra’s body of recorded work is relatively sparse. However, rather than surrender to the temptation to equate quantity with quality, this enigmatic entity has instead opted to publish only the work that it deems fully deserving of its creative endeavor. Cloaked in black robes and golden masks since 2002, The Funeral Orchestra released three demos prior to its 2003 debut album, “Feeding the Abyss,” which introduced its apocalyptic minimalist doom to a wider audience. That same year, the band made its first live performance in its native Gothenburg, Sweden, but not many in the local scene at the time understood its music or obscure doom atmosphere. Since that time, it has released only a handful of splits, singles, and an EP, the latter of which contained two songs from a recording session that was intended to result in its second full-length. This album never came to be, however, due to a general dissatisfaction with the songs and sound captured at the time. Other attempts were subsequently made to meet or surpass the quality of “Feeding the Abyss,” but that goal was never met… until now. In 2019, the orchestra felt the correct timing and inspiration had coincided to reemerge for the purpose of producing a worthy successor to the original full-length and initiating a series of live performances. This new album, “Negative Evocation Rites,” was recorded in early 2020 in Studio Trauma and Abysmal Noise Studio in Sweden, with additional recording at an undisclosed location in Colorado, and it is slated for release on Nuclear War Now! Productions later this year. Those already acquainted with “Feeding the Abyss” will be certain to find that the band’s approach has not varied significantly from its original formula. That said, “Negative Evocation Rites” has somehow managed to present an even darker atmosphere than its predecessor, and one that appropriately reflects the bleak outlook for humanity in these uncertain times. Indeed, the band’s name is quite telling in this regard, as each of the four solemn hymns within serves as the perfect accompaniment to the funerary procession that one can easily envision chaperoning our species to its impending mass extinction. In January 2020, the band returned to the stage for the first time in seventeen years at the Orgivm Satanicvm festival in Oslo, Norway, and additional performances were booked during the year for Never Surrender III (Germany), In Flammen (Germany), and UK Deathfest, with more to be announced. Thus, like the virulent disease that it emulates, The Funeral Orchestra has arisen from its dormancy to portend the end times as it spreads its contagion worldwide. |
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| Varathron “Walpurgisnacht” LP 3rd Press Out Now |
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Varathron “Walpurgisnacht” LP
ANTI-GOTH 266 |
Walpurgisnacht by Varathron |
| Repress of a long sold out release from 2014. 3rd pressing of 250 copies on colored vinyl LP, with 3mm jacket, and 12″ insert. |
(Description by J. Campbell)
Beginning in the early 1990s, a handful of musicians in Greece established one of the most distinctive and compelling regional sounds associated with the Second Wave of Black Metal. Rotting Christ laid the foundation for this particular sound, and other acts immediately followed suit helping to define the Greek Black Metal sound and bring it to prominence within the international scene. The importance of Varathron’s contribution cannot be overstated. After releasing what is arguably the greatest Greek Black Metal album of all time, 1993’s “His Majesty at the Swamp,” Varathron recorded and released the superb follow-up, “Walpurgisnacht” two years later. Since that time, the overwhelming brilliance of the former has often overshadowed the fact that “Walpurgisnacht” is a classic album in its own right. From the outset, with the opening track, “Tleilaxu (The Unborn Child),” it is clear that “Walpurgisnacht” contains all of the characteristic traits of Greek Black Metal. The riffs are somber and melancholy, yet driven by a sense of mania, often suddenly giving way to slower, majestic passages firmly set in the Hellenic tradition. Reminiscent of the early recordings of Monumentum, on “Walpurgisnacht,” Varathron skillfully weave into the fabric of the album a slightly gothic influence producing an unearthly effect in which transient, morose interludes and subtle keyboard flourishes accentuate the album’s mystical feel. In many respects, “Walpurgisnacht” displays a maturation of the band in terms of composition and production. The writing and performance is every bit as passionate as Varathron’s earlier recordings, but the album’s broader scope reflects the band’s increased ambition. The songwriting here is versatile, displaying the nuanced complexity characteristic of all of Varathron’s work. Few albums convey a sound so deeply evocative; the melancholy atmosphere Varathron achieves is virtually unmatched in Black Metal songwriting. Delicate and morose passages are set amid contrasting incendiary riffs, working together to impart the magisterial grandeur of evil and the conjuration of malefic power. As with “His Majesty at the Swamp,” Necromantia’s Magus Wampyr Daoloth produced and engineered this album, but compared with Varathron’s earlier recordings, “Walpurgisnacht” sounds richer and fuller. The production on this recording is cleaner, permitting the listener to apprehend the immense spectrum of sound presented in the songs. The lyrics of “Walpurgisnacht” are steeped in poetry, vividly evoking an alternate reality and enriching the multidimensional nature of the music. To serve that poetic end, Varathron utilized a verse from 1920 by American poet, E.A. Robinson, for the track “The Dark Hills” and enlisted the assistance of Chuck Keller, one of the greatest lyricists in underground metal, to provide the lyrics for “Birthrise of the Graven Image.” The artwork, too, is unique and appropriate; the pagan imagery of the cover painting is the perfect visual accompaniment to the music and subject matter within. When creating this album, Varathron paid attention to every detail, and the profound confluence of every element makes “Walpurgisnacht” not only one of Varathron’s most important works, but establishes this recording as one of the greatest works of an era. |
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| Abigail “Blasphemy Night” LP Out Now |
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Abigail “Blasphemy Night” LP
ANTI-GOTH 495 |
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(Description by C. Conrad)
Abigail has been a staple in the roster of Nuclear War Now! since its earliest days nearly twenty years ago. In addition to multiple albums and EPs, the label released a collection of early EPs and the band’s contribution to a split, entitled “The Lord of Satan.” Now NWN! and Abigail conspire once again to further proliferate the spread of the band’s earliest material with the release of “Blasphemy Night.” This collection, presented on vinyl LP format, includes both “Demo 1” from 1992 and the “Blasphemy Night” demo from 1993. These tracks document the band’s original sound, which is best characterized as an unpolished, abrasive variety of black metal, in contrast to the sharper, more thrash-oriented sort that has resulted from the band’s evolution. As such, it is an essential addition to any Abigail fan’s collection and, more generally, to anyone who celebrates the true spirit of black metal. |
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| Abigail “The Lord of Satan” LP Repress Out Now |
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Abigail “The Lord of Satan” LP
ANTI-GOTH 188 |
The Lord of Satan by Abigail |
| Repress with 3mm spine jacket and insert. Originally released 9 years ago on NWN. Contains tracks from their split with Funeral Winds, Descending from a Blackend Sky 7″ and Confound Eternal 7″. |
| The relationship between Abigail and NWN! goes back to the 2002 vinyl release of the band’s first album, “Intercourse and Lust.” Since that time, Abigail and NWN! have each mutated into different beasts; however, the relationship between these two forces has remained intact through the years. To honor the nearly 20 year legacy of Abigail, NWN! is proud to present this vinyl collection of some of the band’s earliest work. Along with pioneers Sabbat and Sigh, Abigail have long been recognized as among the most influential Black Metal bands to have emerged from beneath the banner of the Rising Sun. While, in recent years, Abigail has shifted its focus to a more depraved blackened thrash sound, the early work presented on this LP is pure Black Metal played in a manner that is harsh and hostile. This LP opens with the five Abigail tracks featured on the band’s 1995 split CD with Funeral Winds. This material, which has never before been released on vinyl, displays the characteristic wickedness that permeates all of Abigail’s work. These tracks are not merely excursions in sound, however. Each song stands out on its own and the work as a whole evinces a sophisticated level of composition and production. Side B of this LP contains the tracks from Abigail’s first two EP releases. Nearly impossible to find now, “Descending from a Blackened Sky” and “Confound Eternal” contain some of Abigail’s most powerful and blackened revelations. The 1993 “Descending from a Blackened Sky” EP, executed entirely by Yasuyuki, is a magnificent breath of annihilation. Guided by furious and relentless blast beats, Yasuyuki’s style on this EP is more harsh and raw than most of Abigail’s other work. Yet, as with all Abigail recordings, amid the chaos there are well-crafted riffs and song structures that draw the listener deep into the demonic frenzy of the songs. “Confound Eternal” may be Abigail’s most refined statement prior to the release of their first album. This release marks the first appearance of Youhei on drums to supplement the wrath of Yasuyuki’s scathing guitars and vocals, an addition which allowed Yasuyuki to incorporate a greater variety of tempos and stylistic elements. These details, such as the band’s penchant for shifting suddenly, yet seamlessly, between manic blast beats and mid-paced stomp rhythms have come to define the Abigail sound. Importantly, Yasuyuki incorporates a greater array of melodic structure into the riffs on this EP as well. Indeed, every element of the band’s sound on this release is more concentrated. The guitars, particularly the use of solos, are superior to that any of the band’s prior recordings and Yasuyuki’s vocals are the howls of possession. That both of these songs were re-recorded and included on the band’s debut LP in 1997 demonstrates that the band recognized that its sound was becoming more focused and refined. The Die Hard edition of this release includes a supplemental LP containing Abigail’s “Demo 1” recording from 1992 and the “Blasphemy Night” demo released in 1993. The first demo, on which Yasuyuki was accompanied by musicians that never appeared on any of the later work, erupts as a violent wall of sound, but quickly descends into mid-paced and even doomy passages. While the band’s style had yet to fully take shape on this release, all of the pieces were already falling into place and strains of this demo appear throughout the Abigail catalog. The latter of the two demos, executed by Yasuyuki alone, is perhaps the fastest and most aggressive Abigail release of all. Through the years Abigail has continued to evolve and change and, yet, as these early recordings reveal, the band has retained characteristic elements that have defined its sound since the beginning. |
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