Black metal CDs and nature

I'm back with a few more goodies from my CD-collection, this time some black metal.

Tulus - "Pure Black Energy"

1996

This must be the worst album cover in black metal ever! Just look at it! Braids, those clothes, and that haircolour!

I remember finding this in a small shop in Jönköping or somewhere and just going "hmmm, what?!" but at the same time I had a feeling that this was something good.

And back then, in 1996, I'd buy most that seemed interesting and was from Norway so... ;)

This is the first album from Tulus who had recorded 3 demos before this got released, and it's a really good piece of black metal. It really sounds norweigan (gut, gut) and is quite groovy but still not nice as in sweet at all. Cruel.

This CD is a bit rare now, and I am glad I've got the original although a LP would be even greater. ;)

I haven't heard any of their later albums sadly, but they formed the group Khold later. I really like them, as you can tell by my blog's name - Blod og krek instead of "blod og blek" from the album "Krek" which is a slow but grim album.

Also the drummer Sarke has the project SARKE, which I have written short of before as well.

Wish I had found the track "Cold" somewhere instead of this because that song is ripping, but "Sisters of the Night" will do.

Gehenna - "Seen Through the Veils of Darkness (The Second Spell)"

1995

This is Gehenna's second album and a great one at that. I'd kick myself in the nuts for not having their first album, but then I remember I lack nuts so... How can I not have the debut?

Maybe I, back in the day, was satisfied with this. I bought this for 49 swedish kronor and it's well wlorth it and more!

Again, this is from Norway and I remember finding the cover somewhat eerie and the CD itself has alot of skulls, from a catacomb, on it so I thought "hell yeah!" and bought it. Inside there are some really nice bandphotos, with the members wearing masks and also the cult corpse paint. The masks point to that Gehenna here is a bit theatrical and that is very true, the black metal is very atmospheric but also creepy and heavy. It really is a perfect mix of the mystical and aggressive, together with other bands like Emperor and maybe Limbonic Art.

"Lord of Flies":

Sear Bliss - "The Arcane Odyssey"

2007

One day in 2007 this CD came along with my mail, and I still have no clue where it comes from. I know that it was free. Maybe I won it at some contest, Cthulhu knows that I won some really nice music stuff a few years back (a signed Mortiis LP anyone?). It took a while until I really listened to it, as I got curious of the fact that Sear Bliss uses trombone, trumpet and flutes on this record. And that is not all, there are plenty of more untraditional metal instruments. They are from Hungary and that is very much a part of their musical roots.

What genre is this then? Black metal! But sometimes it's hard defined. The music on this sixth album is varied and is borh heavy, melodic and symphonic. It's like a trip into a black space together with Vlad Tepes. Or Attila the Hun. That's all I can say.

My plants are still alive and craving some meat, but the spring hasn't yet come in full bloom and therefore there are not much insects flying around here at home. Just a few spiders. And as I promised, here are some photos of my new plants named Leatherface, Freddy Krueger, Hannibal Lecter, Michael Myers and Pennywise. >:)

First and only spider caught after the first day, Freddy Krueger was fast!

The four new ones.

Hannibal looking cruel. It will trap the flies with these tentacles that has sticky drops at the end of the little "hairs".

Cleaned balcony means time for flowers, and Zeus looks very content with the result.

I took a little walk one sunny day.

Sun was shining strong.

Immortal in my headphones, on top of the mountain, standing on a cliff overlooking the lake.

Beautiful nature, so gorgeous when it's waking up...