The Somberlain

Infobox Album|
Name = The Somberlain
Type = studio
Artist = Dissection


Released = 1993
Recorded = 1993-03-01 – 1993-03-06 at Hellspawn and Unisound studios
Genre = Melodic black metal
Length = 45:38
Label = No Fashion Records
Producer = Dissection
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wrf2zf01eh2k link]
Last album =
This album = "The Somberlain"
(1993)
Next album = "Storm of the Light's Bane"
(1995)

"The Somberlain" is the debut album by Dissection, released in 1993. It proved to be a highly influential release that influenced both the worlds of black metal and melodic death metal.

"The Somberlain" is primarily a melodic black metal album, though it also contains death metal influences, making it one of the earliest blackened death metal albums released. The band dedicated the album to Euronymous, who was murdered the same year.

The album was reissued in 1997 by Nuclear Blast Records and again in 2004 by Black Lodge. Black Lodge also released a special edition set in 2005 limited to 666 copies, packaged in a wooden box along with a T-shirt and a sticker. The album was re-released most recently in 2006 by The End Records in a two-disc set, containing the original album, an unreleased live recording from 1995, the "Into Infinite Obscurity" EP from 1991, a demo from 1992, "The Grief Prophecy" demo from 1990, a rehearsal from 1990, and the "Satanized" rehearsal from 1990. All content is remastered, packaged in a slipcase, and is touted as the "Ultimate Reissue".

This is the only album that features the band's original lineup. The cover art was done by Kristian Wåhlin.

Track listing

# "Black Horizons" (Nödtveidt/Zwetsloot) – 8:12
# "The Somberlain" (Nödtveidt) – 7:08
# "Crimson Towers" (Zwetsloot) – 0:50
# "A Land Forlorn" (Nödtveidt/Palmdahl) – 6:40
# "Heaven's Damnation" (Nödtveidt/Zwetsloot) – 4:42
# "Frozen" (Nödtveidt) – 3:48
# "Into Infinite Obscurity" (Zwetsloot/Niklas Andreasson) – 1:06
# "In the Cold Winds of Nowhere" (Nödtveidt/Zwetsloot) – 4:22
# "The Grief Prophecy / Shadows over a Lost Kingdom" (Nödtveidt/Öhman) – 3:32
# "Mistress of the Bleeding Sorrow" (Nödtveidt/Zwetsloot) – 4:37
# "Feathers Fell" (Zwetsloot)– 0:41

2nd CD (Reissue)

# "Frozen (Live Recording '95)"
# "The Somberlain (Live Recoring '95)"
# "Shadows over a Lost Kingdom (EP 1991)"
# "The Son of The Mourning (EP 1991)"
# "Into Infinite Obscurity (EP 1991)"
# "Frozen (Demo 1992)"
# "In the Cold Winds of Nowhere (Demo 1992)"
# "Feathers Fell (Demo 1992)"
# "Mistress of Bleeding Sorrow (Demo 1992)"
# "The Call of the Mist (Demo 1990)"
# "Severed into Shreds (Rehearsal 1990)"
# "Satanized (Rehearsal 1991)"
# "Born in Fire (Rehearsal 1991)"

Credits

* Jon Nödtveidt - Vocals, Lead guitar, Rhythm guitar, Acoustic guitar
* John Zwetsloot - Rhythm guitar, Classical Guitar
* Ole Öhman - Drums
* Peter Palmdahl - Bass guitar
* Niklas Andreasson - Co-composer of "Into Infinite Obscurity"
* Necrolord - Cover artwork
* Dan Swanö - Engineering