Blasphemy (album)
Encyclopedia
Blasphemy is the debut LP
by Latvian black metal
band Dark Domination
. The album's sound is raw and underproduced, being typical for Second Wave Black Metal (comparable to Mayhem
, Burzum
, Darkthrone
etc.). Lyrically the album revolves around Satanism
, heresy
(Side One: In Satan We Trust) and historic topics (Side Two: Ancient Pride).
Because of Dark Domination's line-up (at the time of recording the debut album, the band was a duo consisting of Lord Messir and Lodbrok), sampling, programming and drum machine have been widely used. Before the recording of this album the band have been joined by drummer G. but he had been stabbed or shot dead during summer of 1998 (the last rehearsal session with G. in late spring the same year had been recorded on tape). In result, tracks laid down by G. does not appear on this album but on the next release by Dark Domination, the 2004 compilation of demo tapes … Of Hate and Blood. The reasons of drummer's murder stays unknown to the rest of the band along with circumstances of the killing.
Blasphemy was released on Latvian Beverīna label, with distribution support of German
label Ketzer Records. In 2003, the album was re-released by Portuguese
Hallucionation 'Zine as a strictly limited tape edition (limited to 1000 copies) with different artwork. Today, the album is distributed by Evil Distro mailorder in cooperation with Beverīna.
Part One: In Satan We Trust
1. "Covenant" – 3:57
2. "When Master Satan Returns" – 5:59
3. "Vampire" – 10:19
4. "Autumn Funeral/The Dampness of the Grave" – 7:26
5. "Black Forces' Victory" – 6:46
6. "Carnival of Evil" – 6:13
7. "Blasphemy" – 6:00
Part Two: Ancient Pride
8. "The Dark Ages" – 3:43
9. "The History of Knights Templars" – 4:49
10. "Northern Storm" – 7:06
11. "Swords of the Northern Sea" – 5:42
LP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
by Latvian black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Dark Domination
Dark Domination
Dark Domination is a black metal band of Latvian origin, active since 1996. To the date, Dark Domination have released three full-length albums, one extended play, one compilation of demo tapes and one full-length show on video, and have toured Northern and Eastern Europe...
. The album's sound is raw and underproduced, being typical for Second Wave Black Metal (comparable to Mayhem
Mayhem (band)
Mayhem is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1984 in Oslo, Norway and regarded as one of the pioneers of the influential Norwegian black metal scene...
, Burzum
Burzum
Burzum is a musical project by Varg Vikernes . It began during 1991 in Bergen, Norway and quickly became prominent within the early Norwegian black metal scene...
, Darkthrone
Darkthrone
Darkthrone is a Norwegian black metal band. They formed in 1987 as a death metal band, but after embracing the black metal style in 1991, they became a driving force in the Norwegian black metal scene. For most of this period Darkthrone has consisted of just two musicians, Nocturno Culto and...
etc.). Lyrically the album revolves around Satanism
Satanism
Satanism is a group of religions that is composed of a diverse number of ideological and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. Their shared feature include symbolic association with, admiration for the character of, and even veneration of Satan or similar rebellious, promethean, and...
, heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
(Side One: In Satan We Trust) and historic topics (Side Two: Ancient Pride).
Because of Dark Domination's line-up (at the time of recording the debut album, the band was a duo consisting of Lord Messir and Lodbrok), sampling, programming and drum machine have been widely used. Before the recording of this album the band have been joined by drummer G. but he had been stabbed or shot dead during summer of 1998 (the last rehearsal session with G. in late spring the same year had been recorded on tape). In result, tracks laid down by G. does not appear on this album but on the next release by Dark Domination, the 2004 compilation of demo tapes … Of Hate and Blood. The reasons of drummer's murder stays unknown to the rest of the band along with circumstances of the killing.
Blasphemy was released on Latvian Beverīna label, with distribution support of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
label Ketzer Records. In 2003, the album was re-released by Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
Hallucionation 'Zine as a strictly limited tape edition (limited to 1000 copies) with different artwork. Today, the album is distributed by Evil Distro mailorder in cooperation with Beverīna.
Track listing
All songs written by Dark DominationDark Domination
Dark Domination is a black metal band of Latvian origin, active since 1996. To the date, Dark Domination have released three full-length albums, one extended play, one compilation of demo tapes and one full-length show on video, and have toured Northern and Eastern Europe...
Part One: In Satan We Trust
1. "Covenant" – 3:57
2. "When Master Satan Returns" – 5:59
3. "Vampire" – 10:19
4. "Autumn Funeral/The Dampness of the Grave" – 7:26
5. "Black Forces' Victory" – 6:46
6. "Carnival of Evil" – 6:13
7. "Blasphemy" – 6:00
Part Two: Ancient Pride
8. "The Dark Ages" – 3:43
9. "The History of Knights Templars" – 4:49
10. "Northern Storm" – 7:06
11. "Swords of the Northern Sea" – 5:42
Personnel
- Lord Messir — vocals, guitarsElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, samplingSampler (musical instrument)A sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a synthesizer but, instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user and then played back by means of a keyboard, sequencer or other triggering device to perform or...
, programming - Lodbrok — lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, sampling, background vocals