MYSTICUM
Lost Masters Of The Universe
(Planet Satan Revolution)
66:06min

Norway’s very own MYSTICUM originally started out back in 1992 as SABAZIOS. The only official recording out of this time period is the five song demo “Wintermass” (from 1993), which opens up this excellent compilation CD. That alone should already make pretty clear that we’re not dealing with the eagerly awaited new full length album here (which was announced as being entitled “Planet Satan” a while ago anyway). This here is an official compilation of all the rare demo-, EP- and compilation songs by MYSTICUM, while the album-title referes to the fact that all master tapes unfortunately got lost… Therefore everything had to be mastered directly from the original tape versions. But in comparison to a bootleg that is also circulating with similar material (and which is said to be of quite horrible quality), this is obviously still the way better choice to finally get ahold of all the band’s classic recordings! Next up on this CD is the “Medusa’s Tears” four song demo (their first release after the name change into MYSTICUM), which came out in 1993 as well. The overall feel / atmosphere on this one is already a lot more in the typical nordic Black Metal vein, even though MYSTICUM obviously still felt a little attracted by the Death Metal underground as well (just listen to the additional deathly vocals on here). MAYHEM’s one and only Euronymous, who was very impressed by these demos, wanted to release an album by MYSTICUM on his Deathlike Silence label, but as we all know, this unfortunately never happened due to his senseless death. So, in the end MYSTICUM signed with America’s Full Moon Productions, who instead released their excellent debut album “In The Streams Of Inferno” in 1996. But before that, there was a bunch of other great recordings / releases, that are all on this compilation as well. Track number 12 (‘Mourning’) is from 1994’s split 7″ EP with ULVER (which originally got released by Necromantic Gallery Productions and which I’m personally not too much into, mainly due to the strange vocal delivery) and ‘Where The Raven Flies’ is taken from the “Piss Off” five song promo from 1995. Unfortunately this is the only release which is not featured in its entirety on here, probably because the excellent ‘Kingdom Comes’ also ended up on the “Nordic Metal – A Tribute To Euronymous” compilation (track 14 on this disc) and ‘Wintermass’ and ‘The Rest’ are already featured in the SABAZIOS demo versions… and all of them are available on the “In The Streams Of Inferno” album already anyway. The last two killer tracks on offer here are from the Full Moon Productions label compilation “A tribute To Hell – Satanic Rites” (‘Eriaminell’ – also a bonus track on the digipak re-release of “In The Streams Of Inferno”) and their newest recording ‘Black Magic Mushrooms’, taken from their split 7″EP with AUDIOPAIN from 2003. The booklet contains all of the demo-, EP- and compilation-covers, a band picture and some short liner notes, written by Saiihtam of Planet Satan Revolution, so I suggest you to go for it, in case you’re into the forerunners of the Norwegian Black Metal movement and don’t have a problem with a drum computer (which you often don’t really recognize anyway). For more / ordering information check out www.mysticum.com (you can also download the entire “In The Streams Of Inferno” album there) or write to saiihtam@yahoo.no. Great one!

Frank Stöver

Frank Stöver

Related reviews / interviews:
MYSTICUM - Planet Satan (Michael Tak)
MYSTICUM - In The Streams Of Inferno (Edouard Vergriete )

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