Celebration Day: ‘Høstmørk’, the second album from ‘Isengard’

Yesterday, July 3rd, 2023, the second album ‘Høstmørk’ from Fenriz’s solo project completed 28th anniversary. This album was released in July 3rd, 1995.

It´s composed of seven tracks and released via Moonfog Productions in CD and Cassette formats. After, the Peaceville Records in 2010 released in CD, Digital and Vinyl.

1.	Neslepaks	05:31
2.	Landet og havet	01:07
3.	I kamp med Kvitekrist	04:57
4.	I ei gran borti Nordre Åsen	03:43
5.	Over de syngende øde moer	05:52
6.	Thornspawn Chalice	08:10
7.	Total Death	02:50
		32:10

Fenriz played all instruments (Guitars, Bass, Drums, Keyboards) and vocals.

(The album title “Høstmørke” is Norwegian for “Autumn(al) Darkness”).

– The black metal songs are dedicated to Frost of Satyricon.
– The Norse inspired songs are dedicated to Satyr of Satyricon.

Recording information:
Recorded from May 1994 ’til March 1995.
Engineered and produced in Necrohell Studios.

Before becoming Isengard, the project was called Pilgrim Sands (1986-1989) and focused on doom metal. The two projects did however run in tandem for some time in 1989 (the only recorded Pilgrim Sands track, “The Light”, was recorded after “Spectres over Gorgoroth”).

The name Isengard comes from the book ‘The Lord of the Rings‘. Isengard’s logo was taken from the Lord of the Rings “Middle-earth Role Playing” (MERP) tabletop role-playing game. The original illustration represents a vampire.

The band’s original sound was old-school Death/Black metal on the first demo, and later the band moved to a more general style encompassing Death, Black, Thrash, Doom, Heavy, Viking, and Folk Metal, as well as ambient, punk, and deathrock.

The Lyrical Themes are Anti-Christianity, Darkness, Death, Norwegian folklore.

This project was founded in 1989 in Oslo, Norway.

Discography:

Spectres over Gorgoroth	Demo	1989
Vinterskugge	Compilation	1994
Høstmørke	Full-length	1995
Crusade from the North	Split	1996
Traditional Doom Cult	EP	2016
Vårjevndøgn	Full-length	2020
Vandreren	Demo	2022

Fenriz described it (1994 interview) about Isengard‘s music: “Norse antichristian music. Inspired by Norwegian – Norse folk music. The essence of Norway and the battle against Christ.”