Blasphemy

Blasphemy

Blood Upon The Soundspace

Nuclear War Now

***Following the recent reissue campaign, NWN! is honored to present the first official release of a rarely heard 1989 rehearsal recording, Blood Upon the Soundspace. This crude open-air mic recording captures the unvarnished vigor of Blasphemy in a way that the contemporaneous studio recordings cannot. The rehearsal took place in Blasphemy’s practice space sometime following the release of the Blood Upon the Altar demo as the Desecraters were writing material that would later appear on the 1990 debut LP, Fallen Angel of Doom. Four of the five tracks feature songs that would be recorded for the album, with "War Command” being the only exception. The live performance of these tracks in the band’s rehearsal space is devastating and showcases a side of Blasphemy that many have never previously heard. The unified front of the instrumentation—the blunt force of Black Winds’ bass assault, the wicked precision of Black Priest’s rhythm guitar, Black Hearts’ furious drumming—is undeniably powerful. Black Winds’ raw vocals, raspier than on the studio recordings, drive the intensity of the performance, while Caller’s renegade solos are characteristically unhinged and frantic. The band only produced a handful of these rehearsal tapes for distribution to close associates. This version of the recording is taken from a tape Black Winds sent to Metalion (Slayer Magazine) in May of 1989—one of the only known extant copies—and is newly mastered by James Plotkin to enhance the audio where possible. (Note that the first track, “Darkness Prevails,” is noticeably more distorted than the rest of...

Blasphemy

Fallen Angel Of Doom

Nuclear War Now

***“At last the most bestial and sadistic black metal record ever created has been resurrected from the grave where it has been resting for the last 17 years. This album has wrought destruction and mayhem on all who have been subjected to it since its original release in 1990. Over five years in the making, this re-issue is intended to honor the legacy of the legendary black metal skinheads, Blasphemy, and their magnum opus Fallen Angel of Doom. In addition to paying ultimate tribute to Blasphemy, NWN! hopes to provide the definitive version of this album and allow metal fanatics all over the world the opportunity to bow their heads once more at the altar of the Ross Bay Cult.” Alternate LP variant on white vinyl with white jackets.

Blasphemy

Blood Upon The Altar

Nuclear War Now

***Although BLASPHEMY's recorded output was limited, its endurance over the last three decades is a testament to its originality and extremity, and it all began with the Blood Upon the Altar demo. The band’s origin was unremarkable but auspicious. In 1984, founding members Nocturnal Grave Desecrater and Black Winds and 3 Black Hearts of Damnation and Impurity, who lived near one another and were already acquainted, began playing music together, mostly working on cover songs. They soon recruited Caller of the Storms and Black Priest of the 7 Satanic Blood Rituals to complete the original lineup. After briefly adopting the name Antichrist, the band eventually settled on the simple and iconic name Blasphemy and began writing songs. They refined their sound and focused their songs during live rituals over the next several years, although the lineup would fluctuate slightly when Black Winds did a brief stint in jail, and Bestial Savior of the Undead Legions briefly assumed bass duties. Black Winds soon rejoined the fold, and Blasphemy entered Fiasco Bros. studio in 1989 with an $800 budget. They emerged having produced one of the most devastating demo recordings ever made. Blood Upon the Altar ushered in a new style of Black Metal, no less dark or evil than their contemporaries, but more confrontational, more violent.

Blasphemy

Gods Of War

Nuclear War Now

***Sometimes overshadowed by the masterful Fallen Angel of Doom LP, Blasphemy’s second and final album, Gods of War, is no less a masterpiece. As often happens to bands that are ahead of their time and don’t fall in line with the trends of their day, Blasphemy suffered setbacks following the release of their debut—most notably was the acrimonious relationship between the band and Wild Rags records. Although Fallen Angel of Doom sold very well, Blasphemy received virtually no royalties from the label, and the band sought out a new label to release its sophomore album. Having already released some of the most significant Black Metal albums of the early 1990s, Osmose was a promising choice for Blasphemy, and a deal was made. In the fall of 1992, Blasphemy returned to Fiasco Bros. studio, this time with a larger budget than they had available for their previous recordings. The immediate force of the Gods of War album is undeniable. At just over 20 minutes in length, it is as succinct and powerful a statement as any Black Metal.

Blasphemy

Live Ritual - Friday The 13th

Nuclear War Now

***The infamous live recording from July 31, 2001 from the most infamous black metal cult to ever have arisen. Originally a joint release with War Hammer Records, 666 copies of “Live Ritual” were pressed, with 100 on red vinyl, which would serve as the primary component in a more limited die-hard edition that also included, among other exclusive items, a CDR of a Blasphemy rehearsal that took place later that summer. Approximately seventeen years and several hundred other releases later, “Live Ritual” has become one of the rarest and most sought-after of all NWN releases, and so the time has come for a repress of this historic album. The audio has undergone an additional round of mastering at the hands of James Plotkin to remove the distracting preamble and improve the overall sound.

Blasphemy

Victory (Son Of The Damned)

Nuclear War Now

***The legendary Blasphemy rehearsal first released as an add-on to the 2001 “Live Ritual – Friday the 13th” LP, now available as a standalone release. Includes the first-ever official release of the song “Victory (Son of the Damned),” performed twice consecutively in preparation for the song’s ensuing live debut just days later. High audio quality serves as a snapshot in time of the world’s most notorious black metal band. Audio spans three sides of the DLP, and the fourth side boasts etched artwork.