With blackened claws the resurrected Cacophonous Records emerges from its biting, damp vaults bearing two behemoth releases from legendary symphonic metal act Bal-Sagoth. The band’s debut and sophomore opuses A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria and Starfire Burning Upon The Ice-Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule paved the way for a hugely successful career, and pushed the musical boundaries for extreme metal. Both records are to be reissued as a CD and digital release on May 6th, with vinyl due this summer.

“Cacophonous! A name oft hissed in the shadows of the underground extreme metal scene during the last two decades; loved, loathed, revered and feared in equal measure, responsible for bringing fans assorted early works by such genre luminaries as Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Primordial, Sigh and Bal-Sagoth to name but a few. But what does Cacophonous mean to Bal-Sagoth in particular? Know that Frater Nihil and Cacophonous were the only entities willing to take a chance on the fledgling Bal-Sagoth in 1993.

“We recorded our debut album A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria during the summer of 1994 at Academy Music Studio in Yorkshire, England and the opus was released the following year on CD and LP by Cacophonous Records. This was our opening salvo in the grand campaign of Bal-Sagoth, our statement of martial intent to the unsuspecting world. The key elements of Bal-Sagoth were established on the first chapter of the First Trilogy; brutality, darkness, theatrical bombast, narrative eloquence and epic symphonic grandeur. 

“Our second album Starfire Burning Upon the Ice-Veiled Throne of Ultima Thule was recorded during the summer of 1996. This second chapter in our legendary First Trilogy was an unparalleled opus of glorious symphonic splendor, pushing the boundaries of the extreme metal genre and creating an icy benchmark against which all orchestral black metal albums would be judged for the next two decades. Starfire crystallized the Bal-Sagoth mandate and represented an album which has endured as the absolute highlight of the band’s discography in the hearts and minds of countless fans across the globe.

“Now, twenty two years after they were originally released, this first darksome chapter and thunderous second installment in our epic hexalogy has once again been unleashed upon the world as a special remastered edition to commemorate two tumultuous decades of Bal-Sagoth’s immortal crusade” – Byron Roberts, Vocals

Remastered by Danny B (Criminal, Pentagram Chile Anihilated) from HVR Studios in Norwich, the re-issues will contain extended lyrics and annotations by Byron himself explaining where some of the songs fit within the overall saga of the Bal-Sagoth lyrical canon. New artwork for A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria has been produced by Martin Hanford, who penned much of Bal-Sagoth’s artwork and graced the covers of several novels published by Games Workshop as well as speculative fiction publications such as Interzone. The original artwork for Starfire Burning Upon The Ice-Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule by renowned artist Joe Petagno – who crafted artwork for Motorhead, Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd – has also been revamped. The CD will be available to preorder on April 18th. 

A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria tracklisting:

“Hatheg Kla”
“Dreaming Of Atlantean Spires”
“Spellcraft & Moonfire (Beyond The Citadel Of Frosts)”
“A Black Moon Broods Over Lemuria”
“Enthroned In The Temple Of The Serpent Kings”
“Shadows ‘Neath The Black Pyramid”
“Witch-Storm”
“The Ravening”
“Into The Silent Chambers Of The Sapphirean Throne (Sagas From The Antediluvian Scrolls)”
“Valley Of Silent Paths”

Starfire Burning Upon The Ice-Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule tracklisting:

“Black Dragons Soar Above The Mountain Of Shadows (Prologue)”
“To Dethrone The Witch-Queen Of Mytos K’unn”
“As The Vortex Illumines The Crystalline Walls Of Kor-Avul-Thaa”
“Starfire Burning Upon The Ice-Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule”
“Journey To The Isle Of Mists”
“The Splendour Of A Thousand Swords Gleaming”
“And Lo, When The Imperium Marches Against Gul-Kothoth”
“Summoning The Guardians Of The Astral Gate”
“In The Raven-Haunted Forests Of Darkenhold”
“At The Altar Of The Dreaming Gods (Epilogue)”

These innovative and musically forward opuses are a must-have for Bal-Sagoth fans, and a monumental chapter in the history of Cacophonous. With further re-issues and releases on the horizon, the second carnation from Cacophonous will see new life breathed into British extreme music.