Isengard "Vinterskugge"

Vinterskugge is the first full-length release by the Norwegian black metal band Isengard. It is actually a combination of three demo tapes released between 1989 and 1993, which explains the difference in sound between the releases, with the earlier recordings predating the second wave of black metal and resembling death metal more closely.

Track listing

Vandreren demo (1993)

1. "Vinterskugge" - 5:15
2. "Gjennom Skogen til Blåfjellene" - 5:51
3. "Ut i Vannets dyp Hvor Morket Hviler" - 4:19
4. "Dommedagssalme" - 5:06
5. "In the Halls and Chambers of Stardust - The Crystallic Heavens Open" - 2:33
6. "Fanden Lokker til Stupet (Nytrad)" - 2:43
7. "Naglfar" - 5:29

Spectres Over Gorgoroth demo (1989)

1. "Thy Gruesome Death" - 2:16
2. "Deathcult" - 1:55
3. "Rise from Below" - 3:12
4. "Dark Lord of Gorgoroth" - 2:26
5. "Trollwandering (Outro)" - 1:29

Horizons demo (1991)

1. "The Fog" - 4:35
2. "Storm of Evil" - 6:02
3. "Bergtrollets Gravferd" - 5:31
4. "Our Lord will Come" - 5:48

The album title "Vinterskugge" is Norwegian for "Winter Shadow".

Tracks 1-7 is chapter one - "Vandreren" (1993).

Tracks 8-12 is chapter two - Isengard demo 1989 August - "Spectres over Gorgoroth".

Tracks 13-16 is chapter three - "Horizons" (1991 but some of it was recorded later).

Re-released by Peaceville Records in 1994 with catalogue number: Vile 61.

Recording information:

Recorded on Valhall's 4-track studio (Necrohell Studios) in the years 1989-1993.

Isengard "Høstmørke"

Høstmørke is the Norwegian black metal band Isengard's second album which was released in 1995. The title 'Høstmørke' means "Autumn Darkness" in Norwegian.

Track listing

1. "Neslepaks" (When read backwards it becomes "Skapelsen" which means "The Creation") – 5:32
2. "Landet og Havet" (The Land and the Sea) – 1:07
3. "I Kamp med Hvitekrist" (In Battle With Christ) – 4:57
4. "I ei Gran Borti Nordre Åsen" (In a spruce far into the Northern Ridge) – 3:43
5. "Over de Syngende Øde Moer" (Over the Singing Wastelands) – 5:52
6. "Thornspawn Chalice" – 8:10
7. "Total Death" – 2:50

The person/creature in Isengard's logo was taken from an old Lord of the Rings RPG called Middle-earth Role Playing. The original illustration represents Thuringwethil, the vampire from Tolkien's book The Silmarillion.

Fenriz created Isengard because he had many musical ideas that didn't fit in with the style and music of Darkthrone.

Fenriz performed all instruments and vocals himself.

Peaceville records took up what they described as a classic album for a re-release on their label.

Sonic Abuse describe Høstmørke as "a stunning, icy collection of folk, doom, black metal and rock all held together by the charismatic strength of Fenriz’s idiosyncratic voice and the sheer wealth of influences that can be found throughout the disc", and praise Peaceville for the "more than worthy" reissue.

The black metal songs are dedicated to Frost of Satyricon.

The norse inspired songs are dedicated to Satyr of Satyricon.

Recorded from May 1994 'til March 1995.

Engineered and produced in Necrohell Studios.