My introduction to Arcturus was with the excellent 'The Sham Mirrors' after reading a great review of it on MI back in 2001/2, and it's one I still love, but having had the Candlelight reissue of 'Aspera Hiems Symphonia/Constellation' for years, and enjoying it to a degree, it's one I've kind of fallen in love with only quite recently. I saw a copy of the Kyrck CD reissue in a local record shop in Melbourne today and decided not to buy it, and the fact that several hours later it's still on my mind suggests that I should have picked it up, to fuck... Any other fans and any other albums in a similar vein from that era or now that are worth a listen? Dunno why, but symphonic BM has me hooked for the last couple of years.
Arcturus are a band I never really got round to listening to, for no reason. I'm checking out The Sham Mirrors and a couple of bands popped into my head. Not sure if it's what you're looking for
Vulture Industries. Avante-Garde band with the guy from Black Hole Generator (fantastic industrial black metal band definitely worth a listen if you haven't heard them. similar to early nathrakh).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwZFgv_mqxU
<code> - Again, not sure if this is the kind of thing you're looking for, but I enjoy them a lot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEb05EtxaWc
Or is it the the more symphonic side of black metal you're wanting?
Edit: Alright, I'm on further into this Arcturus album now and the bands above are nothing at all like them. Whoops!
Not really into the industrial end too much, even though The Sham Mirrors certainly had elements of that style about it. The earlier material is more symphonic but maybe still has a touch of the avant garde to it.
Must revisit The Sham Mirrors...i recall hearing La Masquerade Infernale not so long ago and thinking it had dated horribly, and that the symphonic elements were all a bit 'high camp', though I suspect that was partly the intention. Is this the same McLove from Metalireland or have you abandoned the filth for froth?
the sham mirrors is a fuckin classic.
andy , check out borknagar's olden domain if you havent already. another classic.
also agreed with that code album. unreal stuff
https://youtu.be/JFR0uK_SV_c
you might also enjoy this. peste from gorgoroth on vocals.
"Aspera Hiems Symphonia" is brilliant, remarkable solo on the opening track! To be honest I never enjoyed their following stuff and simply overlooked their most recent albums, but should give them another go at some point.
+1 for Obtained Enslavement and Borknagar. Probably a bit obvious but first few Dimmu are worth checking out.
Only Arcturus i own is'La masquerade infernale' and i never really dug any further.
Quote from: blessed1 on December 04, 2018, 12:39:28 PM
the sham mirrors is a fuckin classic.
andy , check out borknagar's olden domain if you havent already. another classic.
Agreed Sham Mirrors is a must have, Olden Domain is a classic alright!
Also only really know la masquerade infernale but Sham Mirrors has come up in conversation lately as essential. Must give it a go and see. Loved LMI years ago but haven't had it on in so long i'm afraid to see how it aged.
Aspera Heims Symphonia gets a spins occasionally round here. Definitely one of those bands that helped steer a certain section of the Norwegian Black metal crowd in weird directions come the mid 90's. Especially as some of them began to progress as musicians.
I went to the cellar to get Ved Buens Ende's Written in waters, but they didn't have it so opted for AHS as I'd recently been made aware of them thanks to one of those old Misanthropy catalogues that was in an issue of Terrorizer (which had an article about them recording a new album called "the Satanist" I believe, which was eventually released as La Masquerade Infernale) Certainly led me towards the likes of Borknagar's Olden Domain and S/T and Ulver's Trilogie - even Covenant's In times before the light and Nexus Polaris albums. Given that all the above mentioned shared personnel over the years. There was also Flurety's Min Tid Skal Komme.
I think it may have been that family tree thing in the True Kings of Norway comp (which had the My Angel EP on it) that led me to a few, as well as the likes of Storm's Nordavind and Isengard's Vinterskugge to name a few.
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UGhCzuGv4o0/maxresdefault.jpg)
Le Masquerade I think has dated a little bit in places, but The My Angel Ep still sounds as totally weird and unique to me as it did when I first heard it.
They lost me with the one that had the Spiral Achitect guy on it.
Despite that it's on the pretty much universally crappy Back on Black label, the recent 2LP reissue of AHS is worth picking up as it also has the Reconstellation and the My Angel EP.
This is one of my go to 90s BM albums when I'm looking for something off-kilter, along with Written In Waters, Kronet Til Konge, Vinterskugge etc.
Could never really get into the rest of Arcturus's stuff but this one is great. Definitely need to check out the early Borknagar stuff as I'm a sucker for this type of black metal.
https://youtu.be/UEgrdoaoEsw
this band is relatively unknown.
they only have one album and its unreal.
perfect mix of symphonic and avant-garde
Cheers for the tips. I know Borknagar and Fleurety but a few of the bands mentioned I only know by name. I didn't know BoB had reused this on vinyl. Must grab a copy.
La Masquerade Infernale never clicked with me but there was one incredible song on it. It's the one that has I.C. Vortex (?) singing on it- The Chaos Path! That's a magnificent song but strangely I really didn't like Sideshow Symphonies which is the album he joined on.
I just fired on The Olden Domain for the first time in years. Cool album. Garm's vocals are an acquired taste but they have a unique charm. I must dig out the CD when I get home and fire it in the car.
Loved Sham Mirrors and nothing else worked for me. Aspera sounded almost twee in comparison. Probably a case of mood and lack of persistence on my part though.
Always loved the tune 'Painting My Horror'. They're a band I tend to forget exists for a few years and then it reoccurs to me to give them a listen. A very unqiue band for sure!
Jesus Sham Mirrors is an incredible album...been giving it plenty of attention the past few days. Will give Aspera another go as a result.
An album that comes to my mind when listening to Sham Mirrors in Nightfall in Middle Earth by Blind Guardian for some reason. Incredible album that, though very power metal, is very dark with lots of those black metal touches to it. Might be worth a shot.
I've never listened to them as that power metal stuff usually ain't for me, but I'll give it a spin.
Im miles off with that. I think it's a production thing I was thinking about. Still a class album though.
Aspera is a great album and one of the few Arcturus albums I would still listen to a lot.Took me a while to like Sham Mirrors as I initially hated it but it grew on me over time.Havent really been mad on the post SM albums from Arcturus to be honest especially once Garm left.
Love The Sham Mirror and Aspera..... but have no time for La Masquerade Infernale! I hear people raving about so I give it another go once a year and cant even get through the first song!
The Olden Domain by Borknagar was mentioned now that is a top drawer album. Listen to it at least once a month! Garms vocals a class, love Ivar keyboards and Grims drumming is brilliant. Shows a very different side to his drumming compared with Under the Sign of Hell
Arcturus are one of these bands that I ought to really like, but despite owning both 'Aspera Hiems Symfonia' and 'La Masquerade...' for years, I never get more than passing enjoyment from them. With that said it's been a long, long time since I've spun either and they're both gathering dust in an attic. May break them out over the Christmas. Probably won't. Sorry.
The only one really worth listening to is Sham Mirrors Crow..fantastic album.
Quote from: Pedrito on December 20, 2018, 08:35:31 AM
The only one really worth listening to is Sham Mirrors Crow..fantastic album.
I second what Pedrito said, it's head and shoulders above their other work
However that time change in Ad Astra at 6:44 is to die for.....
https://youtu.be/gDj2WV8CaPA (https://youtu.be/gDj2WV8CaPA)
The Sham Mirrors is indeed fantastic but Aspera Hiems Symphonia is worth revisiting. It's more orchestral than avant garde but utterly savage in its own field. Trust me, I wouldn't lie about such important matters.
Prophecy Productions are releasing a box set of all the early Arcturus stuff this coming winter. Mandatory purchase!
https://youtu.be/mi-WmIgec_o
Pre-orders are up for the boxset. Looks fantastic but that price is a spicy meatball! Postage will be frightening too. Time to get saving!
Would defo be interested in that, my Arcturus schtuff is all over the show format wise, actually mostly probably on C90s, that would certainly tie the room together alright
I didn't bite the bullet on the boxset in the end but I ordered the individual Aspera Hiems Symfonia and La Masquerade Infernale LPs which I'm still eagerly waiting to see delivered.
I've been listening to La Masquerade quite a bit lately, and it's not one that ever fully clicked with me before to be honest. I'm still not sure if I like Garm's vocals or hate them. It's strange that he keeps the singing so monotonous where on The Sham Mirrors he proved himself to be an incredibly talented and dynamic singer. At the same time, that weird forced lower register singing makes La Masquerade sound extra bizarre and unique so it works in that sense... the inner debate rages on!
I loved La Masquerade at the time. I'd never heard anything quite like it then, and probably now too. It sounds a bit dated these days, but there's still a weird naive pretentiousness to it that's balanced out and partially justified by the accomplished musicianship. It was definitely more interesting to me than the utter shite some of my peers were venerating back then.
Been listening to Malignant Eternal's Tårnet a fair bit lately, which gives me similar vibes to Aspera Heims in places... Though much rougher around the edges.
https://youtu.be/VwvRUqsS5QE (https://youtu.be/VwvRUqsS5QE)
Quote from: Eoin McLove on March 01, 2022, 01:03:08 AM
I. At the same time, that weird forced lower register singing makes La Masquerade sound extra bizarre and unique so it works in that sense... the inner debate rages on!
Exactly! Which is the reason The Sham Mirrors is unloved by me - the singing might be technically better but also more boring. I'd never get bored of listening to late 90s Garm vocals, whatever the band is. La Masquerade is one of my fav 90s metal albums for the vocals and lead guitar work alone.