House of First Light

New York, NY

http://www.houseoffirstlight.com/

Clandestinely centered in Brooklyn, NY, House of First Light has become a source of uncompromising American Black Metal. With a roster that boasts the meditative and often psychedelic atmosphere created by Sanguine Eagle, and the filthy, visceral Black/Punk trio Khøleräa, they’ve managed to avoid many of the tropes endemic to their contemporaries while still maintaining true to the scope and breadth of the Black Metal sound and aesthetic.

Sparse details have been revealed about the circle, and even less about the inner-workings of the bands themselves. Their releases, generally self-produced and limited to micro-runs, have become living relics to the wider tape trading scene. Unless you’ve been lucky enough to see a House of First Light band play live, you are unlikely to find an official pressing.

Thankfully there have been wide releases of select House of First Light bands, making at least some of these releases accessible. Sanguine Eagle’s “Indivuation” has recently seen a wide cassette release from Psychic Violence, while Ustalost’s brilliant debut “The Spoor of Vipers” earning the vinyl treatment from Gilead Media, and Vorde has seen a pair of releases by Fallen Empire and Psychic Violence respectively.

Below we have included reference list of all known bands of the House of First Light circle and their releases; We’ve attempted to including streaming audio and scarce further details where available.

Sanguine Eagle

Sanguine Eagle practices a hypnotic form on Atmospheric Black Metal, employing meditative repetition and driving bass lines reminiscent to Blazebirth Hall.

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Hand of Glory

A dark and grim atmosphere permeates Hand Of Glory’s Lo-Fi attack. Sometimes similar to Perverse Homage, and closer in feel to traditional Black Metal sounds, Hand of Glory embodies the sound of decay. While powerful live, the production on their debut “To Mollest the Dreaming” undercuts the artistry of what the band has been able to accomplish.

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Imperial Trumpet

Despite the Lo-Fi production of their Rehearsal tape, Imperial Trumpet may be one of the more technically complex bands of the House of First Light Circle. Reminiscent of Graveland sans ideology, they create atmosphere through long sweeping passages underneath W’s hauntingly mournful vocals.

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Mongrel

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W returns with Ustalost, a haunting Atmospheric Black Metal album that often places keys above guitars, and Baroque moments over pure violence.

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Vorde

Standing as the most pristine and conventional of all House of First Light bands, Vorde’s straightforward sound acts as a baseline on which Aziel’s transgressive sermons soar over head.

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Winds of Gladsheimr

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