Thus Defiled - Through The Impure Veil Of Dawn & Wings Of The Nightstorm Re-releases
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THUS DEFILED – THROUGH THE IMPURE VEIL OF DAWN / WINGS OF THE NIGHTSTORM LABEL: VIC RECORDS RELEASE DATE: NOVEMBER 28th 2025
Throughout the 1990s black metal was spreading around the globe like an irresistible plague. Covens of corpse-painted disciples of the dark sprang up everywhere, from the icy fjords of Norway to the sun-baked climes of Greece. And the country where the very concept of black metal was first created was no exception – England, the home of Venom, the first, the black metal gods, was spawning its own new breed of devils. In the vanguard of the British legions, alongside co-conspirators Cradle Of Filth, were Thus Defiled. After two vicious demos, Blasphemous Coven and Enchanted By The Dark One, both released in 1993, Thus Defiled then unleashed two seminal works of raw, atmospheric blasphemy that have remained revered and treasured in the black metal underground ever since…1995s Through The Impure Veil Of Dawn and 1997s Wings Of The Nightstorm. Thus Defiled would go on to create more finely crafted and sophisticated albums later in their career, in particular the devastating Daemonspawn, but their first two albums held something special. Born from a youthful fervour and passionate dedication to the dark heart of black metal, they retain strong musical links to the first wave of the genre, most notably the mighty Venom and both are shrouded in a primal, shadowed atmosphere that has endeared them to fans for the last thirty years.
Now, these long unavailable classics of metal’s darkest sub-genre are finally to be re-released. Vic Records, whose roots go back to the same early ‘90s era as Thus Defiled themselves, will relight the black flame on November 28th and set loose Through The Impure Veil Of Dawn and Wings Of The Nightstorm into the world once more.
These two albums have long since secured their place in the annals of black metal history and their power and presence remains undiminished by the passing decades. The wild, black chaos of Through The Impure Veil Of Dawn shows that ‘metal’ was always as important as the ‘blackness’ for Thus Defiled; demonstrated in the epic thunder of ‘Under Blackening Horizons’ and the atmospheric title track. And even at this early stage in the band’s development their ambition, their reaching for grandeur can be found in ‘A Crimson Vision In The Glade Of Shadowfire’ and the classically influenced ‘Fear Us For We Are The Darkness’. Fittingly the debut concludes with its most accomplished and creative track – ‘Darkness Rape The Tranquil Shore Of Eternity’ – which lights the way to the dramatic developments of Wings Of The Nightstorm. Thus Defiled’s second album is where the band really took flight in terms of what would become their fierce, intense, melodic, riff driven black metal. The songs are longer, more complex and involved, yet still with that instant impact of metallic power. The likes of ‘(Angelblood) The Tears Of An Age Now Dead’ and ‘Empire Of Souls Bleeding’ showed that Thus Defiled were more than just standard bearers for a nascent British black metal scene, they were a force that could contend on the global stage.
Both albums have been carefully restored and remastered by Thus Defiled’s Paul C. and come with new liner notes written by Officium Triste’s Pim Blankenstein. What makes these reissues utterly essential for long standing admirers of Thus Defiled though are the bonus tracks which supplement each release. Taken from unearthed 1994 rehearsal tapes these include never before released songs like ‘Shadow Of All Forsaken’, ‘Where The Forest Screams’, ‘I Of The Blackstorm’ and ‘The Final Sunrise (Purity Lies Dying)’. Two hell born beasts have returned from the void and are coming for your souls once again!
Genre: Black Metal
For fans of: Venom | Emperor | Cradle Of Filth | Varathron Through The Impure Veil Of Dawn Line-up:
Paul C - Vocals/Guitars/Keyboards
Sam C - Bass
Jason B - Guitars/Keyboards
Nick L - DrumsWings Of The Nightstorm Line-up:
Paul C - Guitars/Vocals
Sam C - Bass
Andy R - Guitars
Nick L – Drums
Paul N – Session Keyboards
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