I used to write an annual Christmas rant at this site. The first one I wrote, creatively entitled “FUCK CHRISTMAS”, still gets a few hundred new page views around this time every year despite the fact that it’s now more than four years old. I haven’t changed my mind about what I wrote four years ago, but I also don’t really have anything new to say. I guess I’ve also mellowed — somewhat — and now spend more time focusing on things that genuinely are worth celebrating during this season instead of things that turn my stomach. And so it will be today.
In an early display of marketing acumen (to be repeated in many other ways, both before and since), the Church created the festival of Christmas by co-opting and incorporating many of the traditions of various pagan celebrations that had occurred around the time of the winter solstice for many centuries before the birth of Christ. Celebrations of the birth of the Sun, for example, became celebrations of the birth of the Son. And in our time, of course, commerce has successfully co-opted the celebration of the Son, drowning it in an orgy of gift-giving.
But putting all that history to one side, we still have things worth celebrating today that have nothing to do with the traditional trappings and calculated origins of Christmas — time spent with family and friends, and of course, metal! And for me, it seems appropriate to celebrate with some excellent pagan metal, plus a compilation of Anti-Christmas music that costs nothing.
KRODA
Three years have passed since the release of Schwarzpfad, the last studio album by Ukraine’s Kroda, which remains one of my all-time favorite pagan/black metal albums. The year 2012 brought us a live album (Live Under Hexenhammer: Heil Ragnarok!) and last year Kroda released a compilation (Varulven) that included several departures in style, including two cover songs. And now Kroda is preparing a new album under the title GinnungaGap-GinnungaGaldr-GinnungaKaos.
As for the meaning of the title, GinnungaGap is the name in Nordic mythology of the vast primordial abyss from which the cosmos was created and into which it will fall again at the time of Ragnarok — the source of runes and magic, the source of wisdom and titans, and at the same time the source of evil and chaos. An epic name for what I’m expecting will be an epic album.
In July, we had the privilege of premiering three promo tracks from the new album. At that point the songs were untitled, and the album versions of the songs will be completely re-recorded with live drums, vocals, and traditional instruments. But the songs, even in these demo forms, are still wonderful — and you can still listen to them here.
On December 21 of this year, Kroda performed at the Oskorei Pagan Festival in Kyiv, Ukraine, and videos of the performance have now become available on YouTube. I’m including all of them below. They include some of the new songs, and the entire show is great.
Below you can listen to and watch all of the videos, preceded by a set list. And if you’re new to Kroda, visit the following Bandcamp page where you can find much of the band’s previous recorded output (and there is a Facebook page here):
Навій Схрон
На Крилах Шторму
Прірва Себе
Земля Самості
Довгий-довгий шлях…
Колір Культури Прадавніх
Под Знамёнами Рогатого Князя (cover of a song by Nocturnal Mortum)
Heil Ragnarok!
HOLY FUCKING MISANTROF ANTICHRISTMAS – VOL. 7
For the seventh year in a row, Misantrof ANTIRecords has today released a free compilation of music, with 16 tracks that were all newly written and recorded for this release.
If you don’t know, Misantrof is a non-profit label that allows all participating bands to retain all rights to their music and complete control over decisions about their release. It is a labor of love run by Daniel Vrangsinn of Carpathian Forest. I’m going to quote the words of Misantrof’s press minister Luca Zakk about this new compilation, followed by a track list — the download link appears at the end of this introduction, and by following that link you can also stream all the tracks. Enjoy!
You probably don’t know it yet. You ignore it. News will hide it, deny it, swear it never happened. But we will not. We always tell the truth. We deliver true music, in a true artistic vision, so we share the truth. Any truth.
What is being kept secret is that the islamic extremists took Santa Claus away. They kidnapped him!
Why? Answer is simple: This is a direct attack to the western and christian world. The land of the infidels. A society based upon money, fake religion and a fake yearly ritual.
So the violent side of the other great fake religion, Islam, with extremists basing their beliefs upon the money needed to buy weapons rather than Christmas presents, decided to really attack the core of the other side: Santa has been kidnapped. And Tortured. And abused sexually. His agony was terrible, it makes holy crucifixion sounding like an afternoon tea with your friends.
But he was proud, a true hero, a defender of his true principles. He never revealed his secrets, such as where he lives in polar circle, what Chinese company produces all the presents, and most of all what kind of fuel and engine can do the world tour in one single night and one sole full fuel tank.
So it’s game over.
SANTA CLAUS HAS BEEN BEHEADED.
So all that’s left is this: our compilation. The only real gift you will get. If Santa brought you a computer last year, you can use it to freely download this fantastic and real slice of human art.
…Carrying on the tradition that it started in 2008, Misantrof ANTIRecords has, like every year so far, released its Christmas compilation, titled «Holy Fucking ANTIChristmas Volume 7». Thanks to the amazing interest it has arisen among bands, for your pervert delight it contains music and ideologies wanting to make people know how sick the meaning of Christmas, if any, turned out to be. The tracks have been newly written and recorded for this release and like all Misantrof releases this compilation is available for 100% free download, together with cover art and info at http://antichristmas2014.misantrof.net/
01) Air Raid Patrol – âSort Snøâ
02) Infernal Monarchy – âSatanumâ
03) Noisekraft – âSwans (Part Ii-Iii)â
04) Vrangsinn – âThe End Of The Worldâ
05) Tektonic Pen’is – âIf Murder Were Legalâ
06) 26z – âThe Variantâ
07) Beyond The Morninglight – âLabyrinthâ
08) Dead Module – âHallelujah! He Is Bornâ
09) Ein Blutiges Letztes Mahl – âGebrechlichkeitâ
10) Glomb – âLieb Lodernâ
11) Drachenord – âCelebrate The Deadâ
12) Cameron – âCannibalistic Hungerâ
13) Bokgot – âWorld Devouredâ
14) Totentanzakademie – âStille Nacht, Heilige Nachtâ
15) Goat Sodomy – âAnus Destroyerâ
16) Fant – âHelt Vanlig Julâ
7 Responses to “A CELEBRATION OF THE DAY, WITH KRODA AND MISANTROF ANTICHRISTMAS VOL. 7”
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This is advanced level virgin behavior. Kids, don’t be the writer of this article.
I have no idea what this comment means, but I’m still enjoying it.
My personal favorite thing about working for this site is the level of, “If only you knew…” I get to enjoy when stuff like this occasionally pops up.
Do advanced-level virgins often share some killer Black Metal with people?
Cos that seems a pretty cool thing to do.
I’m not sure why you wouldn’t want to be like someone who does that.
I don’t think “glogtarg” is much of a thinker.
“My personal favorite thing about working for this site is the level of, “If only you knew…” I get to enjoy when stuff like this occasionally pops up.” Yes indeed, if only they knew. 🙂
the holidays mean the same to me this year as they have for the last thirty some years; spending time with my family and giving gifts to my loved ones.
i just don’t care enough to participate in the religious/consumerism debate. too busy having a life, i guess : )
Makes sense. 🙂