The Kovenant "Animatronic (USA, Nuclear Blast America, 27361 64062)"

Animatronic is the third studio album by Norwegian metal band The Kovenant, released in 1999 through Nuclear Blast.

Track listing

1. "Mirrors Paradise" 5:01
2. "New World Order" 4:30
3. "Mannequin" 5:00
4. "Sindrom" 5:30
5. "Jihad" 5:58
6. "The Human Abstract" 4:55
7. "Prophecies of Fire" 4:38
8. "In the Name of the Future" 4:56
9. "Spaceman" (Babylon Zoo cover) 5:23
10. "The Birth of Tragedy" 5:16

Total length: 51:07

CD comes in a slipcase for its first edition. A silver sticker with black lettering

"... ex - Covenant (N) ..." and the rating of the album in three magazines was on the slipcase.

The first catalog number is printed on the slipcase and jewel case spines.

The second one is printed on the back cover (both slipcase and jewel case) and the disc front.

This was the beginning of the group taking an electronica approach towards their metal music.

All music and lyrics by The Kovenant, except "Spaceman" by Babylon Zoo.

Issued as a limited edition Pic-LP (Nuclear Blast Picture Disc Series).

Track 1 samples the 1966 American film, Evil Brain From Outer Space.

Track 4 samples the trailer for the 1967 American film, A Taste of Flesh.

Track 8 samples the 1965 American film, Bad Girls go to Hell.

Recording information:

Recorded at Woodhouse Studios.

Matthias Klinkmann – engineering

Siggi Bemm – producer

Per Heimly – photography

Covenant "Nexus Polaris (USA, Nuclear Blast America, NB 27361 63012)"

Nexus Polaris is the second studio album by the Norwegian metal band Covenant, and was released in 1998 through Nuclear Blast.

This is the final album that the band would release under their Covenant name, as the proceeding year the group would change their name (and musical style) to The Kovenant, where they would begin performing electronic/industrial metal as opposed to symphonic black metal.

The original album In Times Before the Light was successful at staging a fan base in the black metal scene in Norway. Nagash and Blackheart had greater ambitions for the band and wanted better production and pay for their music. Record label Nuclear Blast caught eye of the band and Covenant (as the band was known at that time) signed with them.

Starting the new album, Nagash and Blackheart wanted to form an actual band this time. They enlisted guitarist, Astennu (who was playing in Dimmu Borgir at the time with Nagash), keyboardist Sverd (of Arcturus), Sarah Jezebel Deva (of Cradle of Filth and other bands), and Hellhammer (of Mayhem). Nagash took over bass and vocal duties while Blackheart took guitar.

Nexus Polaris was hugely successful (due to Nuclear Blast's promotion) and allowed Covenant to do a two-week tour and was on national Norwegian television for six days. This was also a sign showing Covenant moving from black metal to a more industrial metal sound. Soon Covenant found themselves nominated for a Norwegian Grammy. They attended and won for Best Hard Rock band, the first ever.

A re-release of Nexus Polaris was made in 2002. The original tracks were left untouched (unlike the remixed edition of In Times Before the Light, also from 2002), but two versions of "New World Order", a song from their 1999 album Animatronic, were included as a bonus.

On 11 April 2024, The Kovenant posted a poster on their Facebook page saying they will be performing Nexus Polaris live in its entirety, starting in Eindhoven, The Netherlands on 13 and 14 of December. The caption reads "The first of many. Coming soon to a city near you. Nexus set plus songs from In Times Before The Light and Animatronic" teasing more shows coming up in the future.

Track listing

1. "The Sulphur Feast" 04:10
2. "Bizarre Cosmic Industries" 05:51
3. "Planetarium" 04:01
4. "The Last of Dragons" 06:28
5. "Bringer of the Sixth Sun" 06:32
6. "Dragonheart" 04:52
7. "Planetary Black Elements" 05:50
8. "Chariots of Thunder" 05:48

Total length: 43:32

Some pressings of the original release have the words "Of Norway" in small print under the logo on the front cover.

Recording information:

Recorded at Woodhouse Studios (Hagen) during August-September, 1997.

Mastered at Woodhouse Studios, 1997.

Per Heimly – photography

Flea Black – artwork, layout

Mathias – engineering

Siggi Bemm – producer, mastering

Andreas Marschall – cover art

Christophe Szpajdel – logo

The Kovenant "Nexus Polaris (2009 Reissue, Remastered, Limited Edition Digipak, Poland, Metal Mind Productions, MASS CD 1302 DG)"

The Kovenant is a Norwegian industrial metal band from Hamar. The band originally formed as a Symphonic Black Metal act known as Covenant in 1993, but in 1999 were forced to change their name to The Kovenant due to a dispute with a Swedish band of the same name. The name change also marked a change in sound/style as well, as the band from there on began to focus more on a cyber/industrial metal sound heavily influenced by Europe's EBM scene. Despite their style change, The Kovenant did later reissue their early albums under The Kovenant name.

Nexus Polaris is the second studio album by the Norwegian metal band Covenant, and was released in 1998 through Nuclear Blast.

This is the final album that the band would release under their Covenant name, as the proceeding year the group would change their name (and musical style) to The Kovenant, where they would begin performing electronic/industrial metal as opposed to symphonic black metal.

The original album In Times Before the Light was successful at staging a fan base in the black metal scene in Norway. Nagash and Blackheart had greater ambitions for the band and wanted better production and pay for their music. Record label Nuclear Blast caught eye of the band and Covenant (as the band was known at that time) signed with them.

Starting the new album, Nagash and Blackheart wanted to form an actual band this time. They enlisted guitarist, Astennu (who was playing in Dimmu Borgir at the time with Nagash), keyboardist Sverd (of Arcturus), Sarah Jezebel Deva (of Cradle of Filth and other bands), and Hellhammer (of Mayhem). Nagash took over bass and vocal duties while Blackheart took guitar.

Nexus Polaris was hugely successful (due to Nuclear Blast's promotion) and allowed Covenant to do a two-week tour and was on national Norwegian television for six days. This was also a sign showing Covenant moving from black metal to a more industrial metal sound. Soon Covenant found themselves nominated for a Norwegian Grammy. They attended and won for Best Hard Rock band, the first ever.

A re-release of Nexus Polaris was made in 2002. The original tracks were left untouched (unlike the remixed edition of In Times Before the Light, also from 2002), but two versions of "New World Order", a song from their 1999 album Animatronic, were included as a bonus.

On 11 April 2024, The Kovenant posted a poster on their Facebook page saying they will be performing Nexus Polaris live in its entirety, starting in Eindhoven, The Netherlands on 13 and 14 of December. The caption reads "The first of many. Coming soon to a city near you. Nexus set plus songs from In Times Before The Light and Animatronic" teasing more shows coming up in the future.

Tracklist:

1. The Sulphur Feast 04:09
2. Bizarre Cosmic Industries 05:52   
3. Planetarium 04:01   
4. The Last of Dragons 06:28  
5. Bringer of the Sixth Sun 06:31  
6. Dragonheart 04:51
7. Planetary Black Elements 05:48   
8. Chariots of Thunder 05:48   
9. New World Order (Club Mix) 04:25  
10. New World Order (Metal Mix) 03:52  

Time:  51:45  

Hand-numbered.

Recording information:

Recorded at Woodhouse Studios (Hagen) during August-September, 1997.

Mastered at Woodhouse Studios, 1997.

Per Heimly – photography

Flea Black – artwork, layout

Mathias – engineering

Siggi Bemm – producer, mastering

Andreas Marschall – cover art

Christophe Szpajdel – logo

Various Artists "Gods Of Darkness (Germany, Nuclear Blast, NB 285-2)"

Gods Of Darkness is a Black Metal compilation, released in 1997 by Nuclear Blast.

Tracklist:

1. Dimmu Borgir  –  Moonchild Domain   5:21
2. Emperor  –  The Loss And Curse Of Reverence  6:07
3. Cradle Of Filth  –  Malice Through The Looking Glass   5:30
4. Agathodaimon  –  Banner Of Blasphemy  5:38
5. Satyricon  –  Mother North  6:24
6. Mayhem  –  Freezing Moon   6:22
7. Covenant  –   Planetarium   4:02
8. Immortal  –  Frostdemonstorm   2:53
9. Dissection  –  Where Dead Angels Lie   5:52
10. Gehenna  –  Manifestation   4:45
11. Bal-Sagoth  –  Summoning The Guardians Of The Astral Gate  6:05
12. Enslaved  –  Hordalendingen  5:19
13. Dismal Euphony  –  Carven  4:44
14. Naglfar  –  The Eclipse Of The Infernal Storms  4:15
15. The Abyss  –  The Arrival  3:42

Subtitle: ...and from life ashes will arise...

Booklet (corrected sequence):

1. taken from 'Godless Savage Garden' courtesy of Nuclear Blast

2. taken from the album 'Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk' courtesy of Candlelight

3. taken from the album 'Dusk And Her Embrace' / courtesy of Music For Nations

4. taken from the album 'Darkness' / courtesy of Nuclear Blast

5. taken from the album 'Nemesis Divina' / courtesy of Moonfog

6. taken from the album 'De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas' / courtesy of Voices Of Wonder

7. taken from the album 'Nexus Polaris' courtesy of Nuclear Blast

8. taken from the album 'Blizzard Beast' / courtesy of Osmose

9. taken from the album 'Storm Of The Light's Bane' / courtesy of Nuclear Blast

10. taken from the album 'Malice' / courtesy of Cacophonous

11. taken from the album 'Starfire Burning Upon The Ice-Veiled Throne Of Ultima Thule' / courtesy of Cacophonous

12. taken from the album 'Eld' / courtesy of Osmose

13. taken from the album 'Autumn Leaves (The Retribution of Tides' / courtesy of Napalm Records

14. taken from the album 'Vittra' / courtesy of Wrong Again Records

15. taken from the album 'Summon The Beast' / courtesy of Nuclear Blast

℗&© 1997

"Highlights Of Black Metal incl. Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Emperor and many more. 15 Bands - over 75 minutes."

Tracklisting (back cover and inlay) and durations (inlay) are incorrect. This is how they appear on the release:

1. Dimmu Borgir - Moonchild Domain 5:25

2. Emperor - The Loss And Curse Of Reverence 6:09

3. Satyricon - Mother North 4:17

4. Cradle Of Filth - Malice Through The Looking Glass 5:30

5. Agathodaimon - Banner Of Blasphemy 5:37

6. Mayhem - Freezing Moon 6:22

7. Covenant - Planetarium 4:02

8. Immortal - Frostdemonstorm 2:35

9. Dissection - Where Dead Angels Lie 5:41

10. Gehenna - Manifestation 4:46

11. Enslaved - Hordalendingen 5:19

12. Bal-Sagoth - Summoning The Guardians Of The Astral Gate 6:07

13. Dismal Euphony - Carven 4:43

14. Naglfar - The Eclipse Of The Infernal Storms 4:18

15. The Abyss - The Arrival 3:41

Various Artists "Death...Is Just The Beginning Vol. 5"

Death...Is Just The Beginning Vol. 5 is the fifth double CD compilation album on the Death... Is Just The Beginning series, released by Nuclear Blast in 1999.

Track list:

Disc 1

1. Covenant  Chariots Of Thunder 5:48
2. Dismember Beyond The Unholy Grave (Death cover) 3:00
3. Sinister Aggressive Measures 3:44
4. Benediction Deadfall 4:41
5. Raise Hell Raise The Devil 4:37
6. Dimmu Borgir Masses For A New Messiah 5:11
7. Hypocrisy Time Warp 3:59
8. Agathodaimon Ribbons/Requiem '99 7:00
9. Children Of Bodom Children Of Bodom 5:10
10. Gorgoroth Destroyer 3:50
11. Reaper Ungodly 5:14
12. Death Spirit Crusher 6:45
13. Godgory Death In Black 5:21
14. Satyricon Nemesis Divina (Clean Vision Mix) 5:16
15. In Flames Embody The Invisible 3:40
16. Gardenian Deserted 3:01
17. S.O.D. Evil Is In 2:06

Disc 2

1. Primal Fear Save A Prayer 3:40
2. Hollow Rebellion 4:47
3. Hammerfall Legacy Of Kings 4:13
4. Narnia Can't Get Enough Of You 5:29
5. Pyogenesis It's O.K. 2:56
6. Sinner Calm Before The Storm 3:30
7. Steel Prophet Montag 5:59
8. New Eden Demons Of Earth 5:38
9. Therion The Rise Of Sodom And Gomorrah 6:46
10. Stahlhammer Feind Hört Mit 5:46
11. Dismal Euphony All Little Devils 4:11
12. Am I Blood Gift 4:48
13. Crematory I Never Die 5:53
14. Meshuggah The Mouth Licking What You've Bled 3:57
15. Pegazus Apache Warrior 3:33
16. Sinergy Beware The Heavens 3:55
17. Drecksau Schaender 3:50

Booklet contains mini-bios.