SHADOW RECORDS (distributed & marketed by REGAIN RECORDS) is proud to present a long-overdue reissue of ALGAION’s classic debut album, Oimai Algeiou, on CD, vinyl LP, and cassette tape formats.
Formed in that fateful, fiery year of 1993, Sweden’s ALGAION took a counter direction to their contemporaries. Right from the start, with their self-titled demo in ’93 and the following year’s Heosphoros Ho Proi Anatellon demo, the duo of Mårten Björkman and Mathias Kamijo created a strikingly different black metal sound that had far more in common with the emergent Greek scene led by the likes of Rotting Christ, Thou Art Lord, and Necromantia. But it was ALGAION’s debut album, Oimai Algeiou, where that sound truly crystallized and etched itself into the hallowed halls of black metal legendry.
Released in 1995 by the pivotal Full Moon Productions, Oimai Algeiu was underground black metal for underground black metallers. Not kowtowing to increasingly trendy Scandinavian sounds, no “romance” or gothic or vampires, and definitely no mosh nor no fun: ALGAION here created a surging and windswept landscape on which to paint dark desires and honor that Hellenic pantheon. It was a raw landscape, to be sure, but one contemporaneous with their Greek brethren and duly emitting a perhaps-colder atmosphere than the duskiness usually associated with that scene. However, above all, it was the songwriting itself which put Oimai Algeiou amongst that hallowed company, pulsing with a simple-yet-sublime melodicism and never-forgotten heavy metal spirit, all dusted with just the right amount of melancholy and the subtlest hint of synth.
Although ALGAION would continue thereafter with a similar but more-polished sound, Oimai Algeiou inarguably stands as the perfect snapshot of a truly special time. Out of print for decades and only ever released on CD, this reissue of Oimai Algeiou features remastering by Devo Andersson at Endarker Studios and will be henceforth available on all formats. The past is forever alive!
This one is yet another long trip down to memory lane and a warming feeling since it’s reminding me of Unanimated, another very melodic Swedish death / black metal band of that era… this remastered version was new to me and that’s why I added it to my BC collection! sachavonkarl74
The first 30 seconds of "Revenge by Fire" convinced me to get the whole album! It is a face-melting blend of speed and black metal, reminiscent of Hellripper! KVAEN is a Swedish solo project much like Hellripper but many known guest musicians helped J. Björnfot in his endeavor. Altogether it is really a solid debut album, I loved the melodies and the pace changes in the second half too, ending with a "calm" instrumental one. Well-done!! sachavonkarl74