Belial

Not sure what's going on here but happy holidays everybody! Enjoy the darkest day of the year!

An article in Finnish Infernal Zine #2 (1992)

“Kuva on ehkä vanha, koska uusimpien lähteiden mukaan hekin ovat alkaneet käyttää maskeja. Eiköhän tätä nyt tässä vaiheessa voisi alkaa kutsua Black metal bändiksi.”

(The picture may be old, because according to the latest sources, they have also started wearing masks. Couldn't we start calling this a Black metal band at this point?)

The end of the year just keeps on giving and xmas isn't even here yet. "The Gods of the Pit" demo 12” has reportedly been released on Friday and more new shirt designs are on the way.

Many have wished for Belial T-shirts. New collection available soon. Check out Osmose Productions presale! Links in bio.

WISDOM OF DARKNESS T-SHIRT
(OPTS507)

NEVER AGAIN T-SHIRT
(OPTS508)

23.02.2024

Black t-shirt
Prints on both sides
Gildan heavy cotton
Sizes S-XXL

WISDOM OF DARKNESS CASSETTE
(OPCS507)

23.02.2024

100x limited cassette
Black tape with onbody print
8-page roll fold J-card sleeve

Pre-order links in comments

NEVER AGAIN CASSETTE
(OPCS508)

23.02.2024

100x limited cassette
Black tape with onbody print
8-page roll fold J-card sleeve

Pre-order links in comments

WISDOM OF DARKNESS MLP
(OPLP507splatter)

23.02.2024

300x splatter vinyl
Mastered at 45 RPM
Gatefold sleeve
Poster A2

Pre-order links in comments

NEVER AGAIN LP
(OPLP508splatter)

23.02.2024

300x splatter vinyl
Gatefold sleeve
Printed inner sleeve
Poster A2

Pre-order links in comments

WISDOM OF DARKNESS MLP
(OPLP507black)

23.02.2024

200x black vinyl
Mastered at 45 RPM
Gatefold sleeve
Poster A2

Pre-order link in bio!

NEVER AGAIN LP
(OPLP508black)

23.02.2024

200x black vinyl
Gatefold sleeve
Printed inner sleeve
Poster A2

Pre-order link in bio!

Original "The Gods of the Pit" long sleeve shirt made by Moribund circa 1993/1994. This was found in Kellokoski's archive.

Flyer published in Brazilian Gods Profanation 'zine #2 (1995).

Thanks Sebastian for the scan!

An interview with Botched Orchiectomy (2022)

Death Metal Podcast #96 "FINNISH DEATH METAL" tonight!

Death Metal Podcast - Finland Death Metal - Extreme close Look at Early 90's bands and demos Death Metal Podcast - Finland Death Metal - Extreme close Look at Early 90's Finnish bands and demos

Hangover kids. Early morning photo session on December 6, 1991.

Various – ”Finnish Death Metal Special” 3xCD (Quadrivium / Ahdistuksen Aihio Productions, Dec 2, 2014).

Published with the sixth and final issue of the Quadrivium Zine titled "HELL" and not available separately. The 3-hour ”Finnish Death Metal Special” originally aired on the US radio show The Metal Cage in 1993. Includes Belial demo track ”For The Beasts”.

A year at Spotify. Listeners from 109 countries. That's something! Thank you for adding our songs to your playlists!

NEVER AGAIN 30 YEARS! Happy birthday ugly child! The exact original release date is unknown, but these days anyway.

Remastered ”Never Again” vinyl & cassette reissues coming soon on Osmose Productions!

BIOGRAPHIE, November 1993

Limited ”Wisdom of Darkness” cassettes released on Indonesian Brutal Infection Records (2018) and Polish Fallen Temple (2019).

Remastered ”Wisdom of Darkness” vinyl & cassette reissues coming soon on Osmose Productions!

Heavily zoomed image from the ”Wisdom of Darkness” reissue cd booklet. Watch out for zombie boys.

”Wisdom of Darkness” reissued in 2010 on German Galgenstrang Produktionen & Funeral Industries as ”Wisdom Of Darkness / Live In Finland” CD and LP. Vinyl was pressed in 900x black and 100x transparent variants. Limited transparent vinyl was issued with t-shirt and poster.

At the request of the record company, the album came out with newly painted cover. Artwork by Mortuum MedienDeathign. The live side track listing and the album credits are quite a mess with wrong and missing track titles & information. Well...sh*t happens.

*thappens

Interview in Witchcraft Zine #2 (1993)

Live in Day of Darkness 1991. Photographer unknown.

”The Gods of the Pit pt. II” reviews from Descent Magazine #1 (1994) and Petrified Zine #3 (1994) plus online reviews from Metal-Temple.com, Deathmetal.org, HeavymusicHQ.com, Metalcrypt.com and Metal-archives.com.

A bunch of CD versions of the Moribund Records demo EP released over the years (1993, 1994, 2002, 2021). The latest one was made in Brazil by Black Metal Store in 2021. Encased in their own cardboard slipcase.

The first vinyl release in thirty years is coming through Ukrainian label The Devil's Elixirs Records in December. This time the EP will be pressed on a limited 12 inch (100x black / 200x white vinyl). Pre-sale on German Ván Records.

Live gig at Kempele's Työväentalo with Sceptical Sc**zo & Sentenced on November 8, 1991.

No poster, no flyer, no photos found yet. The set list includes a short intro (Laibach from tape), all demo songs and two covers.

”Back to the roots and happy hanukkah combined” (November 7, 2018)

”The Invocation of Belial” compilation remastering session at Tico-Tico Studio five years ago. Remastered ”Wisdom of Darkness” vinyl coming soon on Osmose Productions!

Live in Iisalmi at Afri-Cafe in August 1992. Last gig with the original line-up.

Pictures from the Scandinavian metal exhibition "Der harte Norden" (The hard north) in the Scandinavian embassies in Berlin, Germany.

https://www.nordischebotschaften.org/ausstellungen/der-harte-norden-heavy-metal-aus-den-nordischen-l-ndern

Photography Richard Klasen (thanks a million!)

Speaking of the demo recording, The Devil's Elixir Records' pre-sale started today. First time on 12" vinyl (white and black variants). Out in December.

BELIAL "Gods of the Pit" LP is available for pre-order:
https://van-records.com/Belial-Gods-Of-The-Pit-II-12-LP_1

- full- colored jacket, flooded black inside
- inlay
- 180g white (233) and black (100) vinyl
- handnumbered
- official licence from Moribund

Another Moribund Records' ad on the back of the Nocturnus EP insert (1993).

”Finland's Darkest Power ... Re-unleash their original masterpiece”

*ts

Moribund Records' advertisement in Sound Of Death Magazine (fall 1993).

”The flames consume again. Out of the ashes the Dark Lords of Finland rise to destroy the throne of God. Feel the black breath.”

*ts

In the spring of 1993, the band sold the rights to their demo recording to American Moribund Records. The original demo was soon retitled and repackaged in new covers. The EP was released in late summer/fall of 1993 in a limited edition of 1000 orange vinyl and unlimited CD.

Half of the songs were also renamed, so "Dead Zone" became "Deceased" and "For The Beasts" was retitled "For Them" (on "Wisdom" mini-album the same song can be found under the name "Lost Souls"). One extra track from the 1991 sessions was found as a bonus. "Shreds" was now renamed "Piece by Piece (Remix)". Original member and song writer, guitarist Jukka Valppu is not credited anywhere. Times have been like that back then. Makes zero sense today.

#1993

”Suomalaisen deathmetallin köyhät vientivaltit” (the poor export assets of Finnish death metal)

”Levytyssopimus voi tuottaa sata ilmaislevyä tai 20 000 markkaa tappiota” (A recording contract can produce a hundred free records or a loss of FIM 20,000)

An article in Helsingin Sanomat about Finnish death metal bands that have signed a contract with foreign record companies. Unpaid royalties, long delays and corporate arbitrariness have caused irritation among bands. Convulse, Sentenced, Beherit, Impaled Nazarene, Amorphis and Demigod were interviewed. Some of the bands had positive experiences with their latest recording contracts. Disgrace, Unholy and Belial were mentioned at the end of the article.

Story published November 30, 1992.

https://www.hs.fi/radiotelevisio/art-2000003194185.html

”Wisdom Of Darkness” reviewed in Biopsy #4 and Witchcraft Magazine #1 (1993) fanzines plus online reviews from Deathmetal.org, Sputnikmusic.com and Metal-archives.com.

A Lethal Records reissue of ”Wisdom Of Darkness” was released in 1993 with new cover art. The reason for this renewed artwork is an eternal mystery.

Lethal Records' advertisements in Sound Of Death Magazine (Winter 1993) and Witchcraft Magazine #1 (1993).

”A MASTERPIECE OF THE MOST BRUTAL AND FAST BLACK/DEATH METAL EVER EMERGING FROM FINLAND OUT ON CD”

"...BLACK METALLER WAS IST DIR DEINE SELLE WERT? LIEBHABER DER LETZTEN DARK THRONE PLATTE SOLLTEN AUF JEDEN FALL OHR RISKIEREN!
ROBERT MÜLLER (METAL HAMMER)"

”FREUNDE DERBSTER KOST WERDEN "WISDOM OF DARKNESS" MIT BLASPHEMISCHER FREUNDE IN IHRE SCHWARZEN HERZEN SCHLEßEN!
MARKUS MÜLLER (ROCK HARD)”

“Latest news: BELIAL have split up!!!!!!!”
Diarium Autopsia #1 (1992)

A set of previously unseen pics from the first Belial gig at Koskelan Valo, Oulu, July 1991.

Lethal Records is the future of underground music (flyer, fall 1992)

BELIAL ”WISDOM OF DARKNESS”
THE ULTIMATE BLACK/DEATH METAL RELEASE! YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SOME EXTREM MUSIC? THEN TRY THIS! RECORDED ON 24 TRACKS, BELIAL WILL TEACH YOU A LESSON IN DARKNESS!...A TRUE CLASSIC