Marduk "Opus Nocturne (2013 Reissue Repress)"

Opus Nocturne is the third studio album by Swedish black metal band Marduk. It was recorded and mixed at Hellspawn Studios in September 1994 and released that December by Osmose Productions. In 2004 the album was remastered by the bands former member Devo Andersson and re-released in 2006 as digipak that included bonus rehearsal tracks. Opus Nocturne is the last Marduk album to feature Joakim Göthberg on vocals and Dan Swanö as mixer.

Opus Nocturne was the first album to showcase Marduk's signature hyper-speed blast beat tempo, however it still contained much of the melody from Those of the Unlight while retaining this break-neck speed, instead of sheer brutality on albums like Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered and Nightwing.

"Materialized in Stone" was originally the title for the track "From the Dark Past" that appears on Mayhem's De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, the title was changed by Per Yngve Ohlin before his death. Marduk later adopted the title for the song on this album. They had previously also used a song title by Ohlin on their album Those of the Unlight. This is considered a vague tribute to Per and his works.

Track listing

1. "Intro / The Appearance of Spirits of Darkness" (instrumental) 0:33
2. "Sulphur Souls" 5:41
3. "From Subterranean Throne Profound" 7:47
4. "Autumnal Reaper" 3:31
5. "Materialized in Stone" 5:10
6. "Wolves (Part 2: Untrodden Paths)" 5:27
7. "Opus Nocturne" 2:33
8. "Deme Quaden Thyrane" 5:06
9. "The Sun Has Failed" 7:22

Repress of this Reissue/Version: Marduk - Opus Nocturne in Silver CD.

Released in a jewelcase with 8-page booklet in 170 gram opaque paper with complete new layout. Not remastered.

Pic-LP released in 1997, limited to 500 copies.

Trivia: some lines in the lyrics for the song "Materialized in Stone" were extracted from the novel "Varney the Vampire; or, The Feast of Blood", by James Malcolm Rymer (1814–1884).

Warning - Osmose Productions CD presses dating from February 2001 up to around 2005 may contain a copy-protection method which renders the CD completely unreadable in PCs and certain modern Hi-Fi systems. This isn't indicated anywhere on the packaging.

Recording information:

Recorded at Unisound in September 1994.

Produced by Marduk.

Executive production by Osmose Productions.