Yeah, finally, there is the long awaited and already highly acclaimed special edition of ARCTURUS' first works. But to be honest, I was a bit disappointed about the presentation. I had expected something more "noble". So you just get both discs in a usual plastic cover. The booklet just has 6 sides. On the first inside you can read some information about this release, on the last side is the lyric from To Thou Who Dwellest In The Night. The sides between are filled with the continuation of the cover artwork, which is not that bad, but also here I expected something other. And that's that. No band pictures, no advanced information about the band, nothing. But ultimately the wrapper is not so important. What counts is, what is inside :-)

And here should all hearts of ARCTURUS fans beat higher. On the first CD you will find the re-mastered version of Aspera Hiems Symfonia, which is actually ARCTURUS' debut full-length in 1994, released by a sub label of Misanthropy Records. Yes, the sound got over worked, but it doesn't drastically different from the original. The sound is just a bit clearer and more powerful. But the guitars stay still deeply in the background. Nevertheless it is a highlight though, including Garm - Kristoffer Rygg (vox.), Sverd - Steinar Johnson (keys.), Hellhammer - Jan Axel von Blomberg (drums), August - Carl Tideman (guit.) und Skoll - Hugh Steven James Mingay (bass), who got massive acclamation for his work on this album.

But much more interesting should be the second CD at this special edition. First you will find two tracks, namely The Deep Is The Skies and Cosmojam, which never were been released before. The mixer found them on the original master tapes. The latter is just a short but very spacy instrumental. Afterwards follows the EP Constellation, which was released in 1994 via Nocturnal Art Productions in a limited circulation of just 500 copies. Amongst other you find the "original versions" of Wintry Grey - here called Icebound Streams And Vapour Grey, Du Nordavind and Naar Kulda Tar on it. These songs are pretty different to them on the Aspera album. You should have heart them. Just great!!!
Line up: Garm ( vox.), Sverd (keys.), Hellhammer (drums) and Samoth - Thomas Thormodsætter Haugen (guit.).
At the end follows the two songs My Angel and Morax from the first ever demo My Angel 7", which was released by the French underground label Putrication Records in a limited circulation of 1100 copies.
Line up: Marius Wold (vox.), Sverd (guit. keys.) and Hellhammer (drums).

The quality of sound is the same as you can find on the re-mastered Aspera Hiems Symfonia and should offer you a true pleasure! The musical direction of the first releases is equivalent to the debut album, just a bit rawer, with more edges.

Upshot: A MUST for every fan, especially those who don't own the first releases or just have bootlegs. Because the sound is so good, that it even should be a pleasure to listen to it although you have the originals. This release got re-mastered and re-mixed by Tom Kvålsvoll from Strype Audio where bands like Arcturus, Dimmu Borgir, Tidefall… etc. use to mix their work.