Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Limbonic Art will release their collected early works as a massive 8-CD legacy artbook entitled “Arcane Past: The Celestial Grimoire”. This collectors’ itemthat is limited to 600 copies includes the never before released, live recorded “1994 Demo”, which has been carefully restored by renowned ‘sound archaeologist’ Patrick W. Engel. “Arcane Past: The Celestial Grimoire” also features an in-depth memoir by mastermind Vidar “Daemon” Jensen and enhanced original artwork and photos. The release of the spectacular artbook has been scheduled for July 31, 2026.
Limbonic Art comment: “We recorded the ‘1994 Demo’ live but without an audience at Verdensteateret in Sandefjord“, mastermind Vidar “Daemon” Jensen explains. “This theatre was an old local venue with quite some history of its own. It was the kind of place that had seen all sorts of gigs and events since the 1980s. We got the chance to use it for a weekend to record there. We were working with the venue’s own technician, who knew the setup and the space. We more or less put the whole thing together collectively as it happened. Those live photos in the artbook of Roger, Roy, and Erlend belong to that same chapter. They were taken at another show at the same venue either before or after the recording. No logo or cover were ever made for this demo, and it stayed in my archive for many years. To me, this makes it all the more meaningful that it is finally released by including in this collection. Many thanks go to Patrick W. Engel for his diligent restoration work!“
Tracklist
Disc 1: 1995
1. Eve of Midnight
2. Path of Ice
3. In Mourning Mystique
4. Moon in the Scorpio
Disc 2: 1996
1. Solace of the Shadows
2. Symphony in Moonlight And Nightmares
3. Sources to Agonies
4. Black Heart’s Nirvana
5. Arctic Odyssey
6. Beyond the Candles Burning
7. Moon in the Scorpio
8. In Mourning Mystique
Disc 3: Moon in the Scorpio
1. Beneath The Burial Surface
2. Moon in the Scorpio
3. Through Gleams of Death / Overture: Nocturne
4. In Mourning Mystique
5. Beyond the Candles Burning
6. Darkzone Martyrium
7. The Dark Rivers of the Heart
Disc 4: In Abhorrence Dementia
1. In Abhorrence Dementia
2. A Demonoid Virtue
3. Descend to Oblivion
4. A Venomous Kiss of Profane Grace
5. When Mind and Flesh Departs
6. Deathtrip to a Mirage Asylum
7. Under Burdens of Life’s Holocaust
8. Abyssmal Necromancy
9. Oceania
10. Behind the Mask Obscure
11. Misanthropic Spectrum
Disc 5: Epitome of Illusions
1. Symphony in Moonlight and Nightmares
2. Eve of Midnight
3. Path of Ice
4. Sources to Agonies
5. Solace of the Shadows
6. The Black Hearts Nirvana
7. Arctic Odyssey
8. Phantasmagorial Dreams
Disc 6: Ad Noctum – Dynasty of Death
1. The Dark Paranormal Calling
2. As the Bell of Immolation Calls
3. Pits of the Cold Beyond
4. Dynasty of Death
5. Behind the Darkened Walls of Sleep
6. The Supreme Sacrifice
7. In Embers of Infernal Greed
8. Enthralled by the Shrine of Silence
9. The Yawning Abyss of Madness
Disc 7: The Ultimate Death Worship
1. The Ultimate Death Worship
2. Suicide Commando
3. Purgatorial Agony
4. Towards the Oblivion of Dreams
5. Last Rite for the Silent Darkstar
6. Interstellar Overdrive
7. From the Shades of Hatred
8. Funeral of Death
9. Voyage of the Damned
Disc 8: 1994
1. Intro/Transcendence
2. Devoured
3. Interlude
4. Rotting Sculpture
5. The Darkest Silence
6. Limbonic Art
7. Prophecy (Voluspå)
With “Arcane Past: The Celestial Grimoire”, Limbonic Art deliver the ultimate testament of their early years. This massive 8-CD legacy artbook collects all the Norwegian black metal cult band’s classic works from demos to first albums as well as the previously unreleased “1994 Demo”.
Founded in 1993, Limbonic Art released their debut album “Moon in the Scorpio” in 1996 via Nocturnal Art Productions, the label of Emperor guitarist Samoth aka Tomas Thormodsæter Haugen, after the band’s early tapes had captured his ear. The band’s, at the time, quite unique combination of harsh Nordic black metal with cinematic elements inspired by romantic and classic orchestral music proved extremely influential in the following years.
A duo at the time, Limbonic Art had considerable success in the black metal underground. Despite their growing reputation the Norwegians began to reduce symphonic elements. This development is already audible on the sophomore full-length “In Abhorrence Dementia” (1997), which is still considered a classic recording of the band as well as the third album “Epitome of Illusions” (1998) that contained new recordings of overhauled demo material.
Limbonic Art have always been an elusive creation that rarely appeared live, for example with a stunning performance at the Black Whitsun sub-festival of the doomed millennium year edition of the Wave Gotik Treffen (2000) in Leipzig, Germany. In the new century, Daemon also joined Samoth’s band Zyklon for a while, but in February 2003, Limbonic Art officially broke up.
However, Daemon reformed the band in 2006. He continued on his own to release the albums “Phantasmagoria” (2010) and “Spectre Abysm” (2017) under the name Limbonic Art.
After another extended period of silence, the Norwegian cult act made an acclaimed comeback with their ninth full-length “Opus Daemoniacal” in 2024. Although vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Vidar “Daemon” Jensen chose to continue along the comparatively rather straightforward black metal path of his previous releases, the album also deliberately referred back to the dense atmospheric and cinematic feel of Limbonic Art‘s groundbreaking early works.
“Arcane Past: The Celestial Grimoire” is closing the circle and offers Limbonic Art‘s complete classics and rarities for the first time collected on CD.
Band: Limbonic Art
Artbook title: Arcane Past: The Celestial Grimoire
Release date: July 31, 2026
Style: Norwegian Black Metal
Label: Kyrck Productions & Armour
Distribution: SPKR
Current line-up
Vidar “Daemon” Jensen – vocals, all guitars, bass guitar, drum programming
Line-up 1994 Demo
Vidar “Daemon” Jensen – vocals, guitar
Roy A. Sørlie – guitar
Erlend Hole – bass guitar
Roger Jacobsen – drums
Guest musicians
Morgana – backing vocals on “Moon in the Scorpio” & “In Abhorrence Dementia“
Lisbeth F. – backing vocals on “In Abhorrence Dementia“
Attila Csihar – vocals on “The Ultimate Death Worship“
Per Eriksen – gong on “Ad Noctum – Dynasty of Death“
Link
www.instagram.com/limbonicartofficial
Producers of all demos & “The Ultimate Death Worship”: Limbonic Art
Demo recording at Kodal home studio (NO)
Recording of “In Limbonic Realms” at Limbonic Art Home Studio, NO
Co-producers on all albums: Limbonic Art
Producer of “Moon in the Scorpio“: Anders Offenberg Jr. at Bondi Lydstudio, Asker (NO)
Producer, engineer & mix of “In Abhorrence Dementia” & “Epitome of Illusions” & “Ad Noctum – Dynasty of Death“: Peter Lundell at Pete’s Place Recording Studio, Sandefjord (NO)
Sequencing assistance of “In Abhorrence Dementia“: Simen Scharning
Mastering by Tom Kvålsvoll (Vargnatt Inc.) at Strype Audio, Oslo (NO)
Recording of “1994 Demo” at Verdensteateret, Sandefjord (NO)
Audio restoration & mastering of “1994 Demo” by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony Studios, Triptis (DE)
Design & layout artbook by Alexander Trinkl (Irrwisch Artdesign)
Shop
https://spkr.store/collections/limbonic-art
Available formats
“Arcane Past: The Celestial Grimoire” is available as a ltd. 60-page hardcover 8-CD artbook edition (600 copies) feat. a personal memoir, lyrics, enhanced artwork, photos, and exclusive bonus material.
