Nightwing (album)
Encyclopedia
Nightwing is the fifth studio album
by Swedish black metal
band Marduk
. It was recorded and mixed at The Abyss
between October and November 1997 and released in April 1998 by Osmose Productions
. The theme of the album was blood
, as the band's following studio albums Panzer Division Marduk
would be war
, and La Grande Danse Macabre
would be death
, forming a trilogy of "Blood, War and Death," Marduk's vision of what black metal is.
In 2008, Nightwing was re-released with a new mastering, an alternative cover artwork and a live DVD of a show in Rotterdam
1998.
, divided in two parts: The first in the satanic ways customary of Marduk's lyrics, but the second part tells the history of Vlad 'Tepes' Drakul
, the Impaler of Wallachia
who fought against the Ottoman invasion on Europe
, giving continuity to the history started on "Deme Quaden Thyrane", a track from their third studio album, Opus Nocturne
, and continued with "Dracul Va Domni Din Nou In Transylvania" from Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered
. "Deme Quaden Thyrane" appears also here, rearranged, with Legions vocals and a little change in the lyrics at the end.
Guest
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Swedish black metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
band Marduk
Marduk (band)
Marduk is a black metal band from Norrköping, Sweden. The band formed in 1990 and released their first record in 1991. Their name is derived from the Babylonian god Marduk, patron deity of Babylon.-Musical style:...
. It was recorded and mixed at The Abyss
The Abyss (recording studio)
The Abyss is a recording studio in Pärlby outside Ludvika, Sweden. It is owned and operated by record producer and musician Peter Tägtgren.-Recordings:...
between October and November 1997 and released in April 1998 by Osmose Productions
Osmose Productions
Osmose Productions is a French independent record label created in 1991 by Hervé Herbaut, after he had spent three years running a small mail order company...
. The theme of the album was blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
, as the band's following studio albums Panzer Division Marduk
Panzer Division Marduk
Panzer Division Marduk is the sixth studio album by Swedish black metal band Marduk. It was recorded and mixed at The Abyss in January 1999 and released in June 1999 by Osmose Productions...
would be war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
, and La Grande Danse Macabre
La Grande Danse Macabre
La Grande Danse Macabre is the seventh studio album by Swedish black metal band Marduk. It was recorded and mixed at The Abyss in December 2000 and released on March 5, 2001 by Regain Records. The theme of the album is death, as Nightwing was blood, and Panzer Division Marduk was war, forming a...
would be death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, forming a trilogy of "Blood, War and Death," Marduk's vision of what black metal is.
In 2008, Nightwing was re-released with a new mastering, an alternative cover artwork and a live DVD of a show in Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
1998.
Themes
On Nightwing, the theme is bloodBlood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
, divided in two parts: The first in the satanic ways customary of Marduk's lyrics, but the second part tells the history of Vlad 'Tepes' Drakul
Vlad III the Impaler
Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia , also known by his patronymic Dracula , and posthumously dubbed Vlad the Impaler , was a three-time Voivode of Wallachia, ruling mainly from 1456 to 1462, the period of the incipient Ottoman conquest of the Balkans...
, the Impaler of Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
who fought against the Ottoman invasion on Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, giving continuity to the history started on "Deme Quaden Thyrane", a track from their third studio album, Opus Nocturne
Opus Nocturne
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. It was re-released in digipak format that included bonus rehearsal tracks on June 27, 2006. Opus Nocturne is...
, and continued with "Dracul Va Domni Din Nou In Transylvania" from Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered
Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered
Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered is the fourth studio album by Swedish black metal band Marduk. It was recorded and mixed at The Abyss in January 1996 and released on July 1 that year by Osmose Productions. It was re-released in digipak format with bonus tracks on June 27, 2006. Heaven...
. "Deme Quaden Thyrane" appears also here, rearranged, with Legions vocals and a little change in the lyrics at the end.
Track listing
Re-Issue Bonus DVD
Live in Rotterdam 1998- Of Hells Fire
- Those Of The Unlight
- Slay The Nazarene
- The Black...
- Still Fucking Dead
- Sulphur Souls
- Dreams Of Blood And Iron
- Beyond The Grace Of God
Trivia
- The chapter to which the title track belongs is uncertain, as "Nightwing" is completely absent from the track listing on the back cover of the album, despite being track 5 on the disc. Probably it is an interlude between the fast blast-beat, anti-Christian satanic massacre of the first chapter and the darker, slower, merciless cruelty of the second chapter.
- An anticipation to the chapter "Warlord of Wallachia" can be found at the end of the Dracul Va Domni Din Nou In Transylvania lyrics, the #7 track in Heaven Shall Burn... When We Are GatheredHeaven Shall Burn... When We Are GatheredHeaven Shall Burn... When We Are Gathered is the fourth studio album by Swedish black metal band Marduk. It was recorded and mixed at The Abyss in January 1996 and released on July 1 that year by Osmose Productions. It was re-released in digipak format with bonus tracks on June 27, 2006. Heaven...
. The last verses are not sung, but they say "Greater stories are yet to be told". - The introduction to the track "Slay The Nazarene" is a line from the 1973 film "The Wicker Man".
Personnel
Marduk- Legion – vocals
- Morgan Steinmeyer Håkansson – guitar
- B. War – bass
- Fredrik Andersson – drums
Guest
- Peter TägtgrenPeter TägtgrenAlf Peter Tägtgren is a Swedish musician and producer. He is the founder, main songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist of the death metal band Hypocrisy as well as the industrial metal band PAIN in which he is the only member....
– mixing