Written by:	Susan, BitterCOld
Published:	18.01.2013

Yee-haw cowgirls and cowboys. This here is the return of the Re-issue Round-up Rodeo. Metal Storm's review focus is primarily on new releases from around the globe. However, more and more labels and artists seem to be re-issuing quality albums that we old folks might have missed out on back in the day and that you young'uns may never have heard at all. Now saddle up with BitterCOld and Susan for a chance to hear some classic metal music like new.

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Darkthrone - A Blaze In The Northern Sky Yet more Darkthrone to lead off, as with the continued reissuing of past releases coupled with commentary from Fenriz and Nocturno Culto. This also marked the 20 year anniversary of the release of A Blaze In The Northern Sky, an album of some monumental significance. As with other recent Darkthrone reissues it is a double disk affair, only eschewing the jewel case for a nice book style packing with lots of pretty pics of the DT boys playing dress up in the Norwegian woods. One disk is the album proper, the second features commentary from percussionist/Metal PhD/comedian Fenriz. His wit and wisdom adds some understanding of the significance of the album, the way things were at the time, and their influences? whether Celtic Frost (the obvious) or Diamanda Galas for the intro bit (probably far less obvious). He offers up some technical advice, such as how to grim your cowbell. Ever the comic, he playfully mocks all his cameo vocal embellishments found throughout the album, "ok, drama queen", and dismisses parts of tracks he doesn't like, such as this takedown of a section of "The Pagan Winter", "if someone poured this riff on my cereal, I'd just have to throw it in the waste bin." So a landmark album released along with an entertaining and informative director's cut? Definitely worth your coin if that whole tr00 Norwegian Black Metal movement was your thing. Peaceville also sent me a copy of the re-release of Hate Them - which I profess my enjoyment of at length here. It was entertaining to hear Nocturno Culto and Fenriz come across very favorably of the album and come pretty close to mirroring some of my thoughts from that linked review. -BitterCOld

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Bestial Warlust - Satan's Fist Satan's Fist is the rare demo released in 1996 by legendary Australians Bestial Warlust. It never saw a major release, so this will be a treat of new songs for many fans of these blackened death metal fiends. These three tracks are more of the same brutal assault you know and love from the band's two full-length albums, and capture the atmosphere of hate, death, and destruction from the 90s scene. And at the same time it doesn't even sound dated and is still highly relevant for those seeking such excellent, vicious tunes. This is timeless fucking METAL. The production here lends additional charm. I love the palpable feeling of a mid-90s studio sound; Satan's Fist takes that great color and makes it about as raw as possible while still being audible. Apparently the production of the original release was somewhere between raw metal and pure white noise. I can't confirm that myself, but I will say this re-mastering job has produced an album with a very listenable sound that stays true to 90s atmosphere. Pick it up on either CD or vinyl. -Susan

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Amber Tears - Revelations Of Renounced Amber Tears sophomore effort, Key To December, was amongst the first of my reviews for Solitude Productions. They recently re-released Revelations Of Renounced, which you probably have correctly guess was their first. Simply put Revelations contains a lot of the same elements that I would later enjoy in Keys To December. Slow, evocative death doom which builds up as the album goes along. Toss in some of that bagpipe-sounding lead guitar tone, rain and other sounds of nature, and a layer of synths to enhance the mood. It gets a tad more out there at times, with excursions into almost ren-fair sounding themes. The end result is an album that was every bit as enjoyable as the follow-up. Hopefully we can expect something new in the near future. -BitterCOld

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Aura Noir - Dreams Like Deserts Hey! You got your thrash in my black metal! No wai! You got your black metal in my thrash! Blackened thrash? Thrashened Black? Brashened Thlash? You be the judge. Aura Noir's first EP, originally released in 1995, sees new light complete with outtakes from Deep Tracts Of Hell. It is a fun, energetic affair which marries the sloppy breakneck urgency of crossover thrash with blackened vocals and grimmed up production. "Mirage" features an awesome, urgent fast paced riff and "Snake" is a sub-two minute barn burner complete with solo courtesy of The Kerry King Institute For People Who Don't Want To Solo In Key And Want To Riff And Do Other Guitar Stuff Good Too. (Our Founder!) I guess the approach is far more commonplace now than it was nearly 20 years ago, but it still makes for a fun listen. -BitterCOld

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Death - Spiritual Healing Do you like death metal? No... I mean do you REALLY like death metal? If you think you do, then surely you're a devoted fan of Chuck Schuldiner (RIP) and his band Death, which revolutionized metal as one of the early (if not first) death metal bands in the late 80s/early 90s. February of 1990 saw the release of their 3rd album, Spiritual Healing, which continues to show a band growing in their songwriting as well as exploring their new metal territory. Previously out of print, Relapse has put together quite the reissue treat. This 3-disc reissue not only features a complete remastering of the original songs (lending a new clarity to Chuck's singular guitar-work and ahead-of-his-time lyrics), but a shit storm of extras. To catch a glimpse of the band's musical process, check out the 16 previously unreleased rehearsal tracks, outtakes, and studio instrumentals. Another window into the past is the 3rd CD, a live set the band recorded in 1990 and never released. While listening to these treats, fans can read new liner notes from former Death members Terry Murphy and James Butler, and Chuck's sister Beth Schuldiner, among others. So, let me ask again. Do you like death metal? -Susan

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Inborn Suffering - Wordless Hope Another doomed out re-release courtesy of Solitude Productions. Wordless Hope was originally released in 2006 and MS's own DerRozz had a lot of really nice things to say about the release. This past year marked my first exposure to the band, with both this release as well as Regression To Nothingness. While I'm not quite as starry-eyed as DR, I will say my sentiments echo his own. The band manage to churn out evocative doom. Additionally the Frenchies are not afraid to stray from the melodic death doom plantation and shift up the occasional higher gear. I enjoyed this album almost as much as their more recent release. -BitterCOld