Godreah Records Presents Britannia Infernus
A History of British Occult/ Black Metal double compilation CD
To be released on 08/10/01 www.godreah.com

Spanning thirty years and featuring the bands who define the very roots of Black Metal as we now know it and the evolution of its very soul. The two cd’s tell the story of how Occult music in Britain has evolved over the past 30 years. With the early Rock/ Metal beginnings to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal that was utterly dismantled by the emergence of Thrash. The dominance of the Scandinavians in the nineties proved to strong for the UK to match apart from one band ‘Cradle of Filth’ who have no equals. That said, the tracks on cd2 do reveal a fine display of British Black Metal.

The track listing is as follows:
CD1

Black Widow : Come to the Sabbat  1970

Cult occult band who’s 1970 album ‘Sacrifice’ is rich with Satanic undertones and Demonic imagery. Musically more Itune with the late sixties progressive rock culture although lyrically more Black Metal so to speak than most modern exponents of the genre. The version on this compilation is a pre-album recording recently re-mastered.

Atomic Rooster : Death Walks Behind You 1970

This track is taken from the album of the same name. Interestingly vocalist Vincent Crane [ sadly no longer with us] co-wrote the classic track ‘Fire’ when he was involved with the rock oddity ‘The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.

Black Sabbath : Black Sabbath 1970

What could I possibly say about this band you don’t already know unless you are curious about the bands nocturnal habits. This track is taken from the bands debut that is funnily enough called ‘Black Sabbath’

Angel Witch : Angel of Death [2000] 1980

New Wave Of British Heavy Metal hopefuls who released one truly classic self titled album in 1978. This is a new recording of ‘Angel of Death’ originally found on the debut. The band have kindly donated it for this release and you’ll not find it anywhere else.

Venom : Bloodlust 1982

The moment Black Metal vomited upon the earth came in the hideous guise of Venom in 1981. ‘Bloodlust’ is taken from the 1982 7” and everything this band were about can be found on this gut ripping track.

Pagan Altar : The Black Mass 1982

Not so renowned Doomsters who like Black Sabbath preferred to plod there way into the sinister realms of Darkness. This track is taken from the 1982 album ‘Pagan Altar Vol.1’

Widow : Come to the Ritual 1983

Obscure New Wave of British Heavy Metal band who released a self financed album in 1983 containing occultist metal songs similar to Witchfynde. This is the first time a Widow track has been on CD. 

Witchfynde : Cloak and Dagger 1983

Cult British Metal from one of the more mysterious bands of the mid eighties.

Hell : Save us from those… 1983

The band released one self financed 7” in 1983 with the A-side featured on this compilation. They sound more like Merciful Fate than Venom. This is the first time the track has been on CD.

Satan : Blades of Steel 1984

British Metal band featuring Graeme English and Steve Ramsey who later went on to form Sabbat. The track here is taken from the ‘Court in the Act’ album.

Cloven Hoof : Cloven Hoof 1984

The track featured here is taken from the debut album of the same name. Occult lyrics set to mystical metal atmospheres.

Warhammer : Halloween 1985

Featuring Shane Embury of Napalm Death, this track is taken from the infamous demo ‘Abattoir of Death’. Pure thrashing darkness.

Onslaught : Fight with the Beast 1986

One of the most promising British Thrash bands of their time who unfortunately went down hill after the release of the formidable ‘Force’ album from which the track featured on the compilation is taken. Hard, ruthless metal charged with unbridled vehemence.

Sabbat : A Cautionary Tale 1987

Taken from the debut album ‘A history of a Time to Come’, this track embraces everything this pagan influenced band were all about.

Antichrist : Stoking the Ovens of Death 1987

Taken from the deleted compilation vinyl album ‘Diminished Responsibilities’, Antichrist are a sledge hammer to the head.

CD2

Ragnarok : Thunderhammer 1991

Pagan Metal ahead of its time and criminally overlooked. Two albums on Ragnarok are still a relatively unknown entity. The track here is an unreleased demo recording from ’91, which reveals to all the UK did have its own identity in a time when only the Scandinavians were being talked about.

Cradle of Filth : The Forest Whispers My Name 1994

The premier British Black Metal band who have stood their ground against the tide of Scandinavian dominance. The track here is taken from the debut album ‘Principle of Evil Made Flesh’ and oozes pure evil and macabre atmosphere.

Megiddo : Eldest of Lightning’s 1994

This band released one 7” on Cacophonous in ’94 from which a track is featured here. Cold and frostbound Black Metal.

Bal Sagoth : Dreaming of Atlantean Spires 1995

Before Bal Sagoth decided to inject huge amounts of wacky keyboard orchestration and massive atmospheric sound-scapes , the music was dark and epic pagan inspired metal. This track is taken from the Cacophonous debut ‘A Full Moon Broods over Lemuria’

December Moon : Twinned with Destiny 1996

Taken from the album ‘Source of Origin’ and displaying one of the more peculiar albums of the genre.

Ewigkeit : Wonder of the Cosmos [2001] 1997

The track here has been re-recorded specially for this cd. Originally found on the ‘Battle Furies’ album, Ewigkiet are a forever changing entity who have evolved from pagan roots to astral doom metal. A highly original British band.

Adorior : The Essence of my Dreams 1998

Track taken from the 1998 Head Not Found album ‘Like Cutting the Sleeping’. Featuring female a female vocalist who sounds like she’s being dragged though boiling piss towards a bone grinding machine.

Hecate Enthroned : Upon the Kingdom Throne

Never reaching the heights o Cradle of Filth, but non-the –less armed to the teeth with caustic and desolate Black Metal. The track here is taken from the album ‘Dark Requiems’

Phantasia : Screams of the Hideous 1999

Epic and majestic Black Metal in the vein of Emperor and lacerated with torturous vocals. The track here is taken from the album ‘Screams of the Hideous’

Forefather : Immortal Wisdom 1999

Heathen metal sounding very much like the raw Scandinavian style. The track is taken from the debut album ‘Deep into Time’

Meads of Asphodel : Christ’s Descent into Hell 2001

Ludicrous Medieval/ Eastern Black Metal. The track here is a new track and was apparently written recorded in one day under the influence of fly agaric mushrooms.

Reign of Erebus : Stormwinds of Lucifer 2001

Infernal Black Metal not to dissimilar to Dimmu Borgir on steroids. The track here is taken from the new album ‘Human Racist’

Thus Defiled : Of Shadow and Storm 2001

One of the oldest black Metal bands in the UK. This is a new track exclusive to this cd.

Old Forest : Curse of Thundermoon 2001

Primitive and melancholic Black Metal influenced by the likes of Dark Throne and Burzum. This track is taken from the new album soon to be unleashed on Mordgrimm.

Annal Nathrakh : Pandemonic Hyperblast 2001

Hyper Necro Metal and the most ruthless and frenzied sound you’ll hear emanating from these shores emanating from the Black Metal genre.

This compilation is a Historic document of British Occult/ Black Metal and in its entirety reveals a long lasting tradition of Occult Metal music made in Britain.

* Cd contains never before seen photo’s of Cradle of Filth, Venom, Witchfynde, Bal Sagoth.
* First time on Cd tracks by Megiddo, Hell, Widow, Ragnarok, Antichrist, Warhammer [ featuring Shane Embury of Napalm Death and Mitch Dickinson of Extreme Noise Terror] and Cloven Hoof.
* Exclusive tracks from Angel witch , Meads of Asphodel, Ewigkiet, Thus Defiled and a pre-album version of ‘Come to the Sabbat’ by Black Widow.
*20 page booklet featuring band info and extensive liner notes by Gavin Baddeley [Author of Lucifer Rising], Malcolm Dome and other known metal enthusiasts.

Any British Black/ Pagan Metal bands who wish to be included on the website please send info to godreah@ntlworld.com