Arcturus have continuously spearheaded the metal avant-garde of their Norwegian home land and far beyond until this day, ever since the band emerged from the bubbling cauldron of Oslo's creatively bursting, fast rising underground black metal scene with the two-track 7" "My Angel" in 1991. With then-guitarist and formidable keyboard player Sverd taking the helm and forming the act's core together with MAYHEM drum-beast Hellhammer, Arcturus released a string of classic albums that were recorded with the notable inclusion of ULVER frontman Kristoffer "Garm" Rygg until 2003. The band's early material including all recordings with Garm will finally be released as lavish limited collectors' editions under the title "Stars and Oblivion - The Complete Works 1991 - 2002" that contain a wealth of rare and previously unreleased bonus materials. The luxurious 72-page hardcover artbook includes all four legendary albums of the "Garm-period": "Aspera Hiems Symfonia", "La Masquerade", "Disguised Masters", and "The Sham Mirrors" as well as another album that combines both early EPs "Constellation/My Angel" with the addition of 2 "My Angel" rehearsal tracks. The extra sixth album, entitled "X-Tapes" is a very special collection of ultra-rare and previously unreleased material from Arcturus' personal archives including private cassettes of rehearsals, drunken jams, and even two live tracks from 1995. The artbook features a seventh CD, which contains synthesizer compositions from Arcturus mastermind Steinar "Sverd" Johnsen. What sets these luxurious editions audibly apart from previous reissues is the careful remastering of all material by long-standing guitarist Knut Magne Valle that diligently maintains the original spirit but enhances the sound to contemporary standards. To do these musical masterpieces justice, renowned Romanian artist Costin Chioreanu created a fresh cover art for the artbook. The 72-page hardcover artbook features an in-depth essay by music journalist Jeff Wagner, celebrated author of the book "Mean Deviation: Four Decades of Progressive Heavy Metal". "Stars and Oblivion - The Complete Works 1991 - 2002" constitute the definite collection of Arcturus classic early releases that created the foundation of this legendary Norwegian avant-garde metal band and that have stood the test of time. Available only as long as stocks last.
1. Rodt og svart 2. Icebound Streams And Vapours Grey 3. Naar Kulda Tar (Frostnettenes Prolog) 4. Du Nordavind 5. My Angel 6. Morax 7. Morax Anno 1996 EV. 8. Outro (Radiant Star Befallen) 9. Morax 10. Icebound Streams And Vapours Grey 11. The Bodkin 12. Naar Kulda Tar 13. The Chaos Path 14. To Thou Who Dwellest In The Night 15. Wintry Grey 16. Whence ; Whither Goest The Wind 17. Raudt Og Svart 18. The Bodkin ; The Quietus (...To Reach The Stars) 19. Du Nordavind 20. Fall Of Man 21. Naar Kulda Tar (Frostnettenes Prolog) 22. Master Of Disguise 23. Ad Astra 24. The Chaos Path 25. La Masquerade Infernale 26. Alone 27. The Throne Of Tragedy 28. Painting My Horror 29. Of Nails And Sinners 30. White Tie Black Noise 31. Deception Genesis [*] 32. Du Nordavind 33. Alone 34. The Throne Of Tragedy 35. La Masquerade Infernale 36. Master Of Disguise 37. Painting My Horror 38. Ad Astra 39. Ad Astra 40. Kinetic 41. Nightmare Heaven 42. Ad Absurdum 43. Collapse Generation 44. Star Crossed 45. Radical Cut 46. For To End Yet Again 47. Icebound Streams And Vapours Grey 48. The Bodkin 49. Whence And Whither 50. The Bodkin 51. Intoxicated Jam 52. The Throne of Tragedy 53. The Chaos Path 54. Halvtonemarsjen 55. The Deep Is The Skies 56. Cosmojam 57. I 58. II 59. III 60. IV 61. V 62. VI 63. VII
