BLACK CIRCLE – BEHOLD MY VISIONS AND WISDOM (2010) CASSETTE REVIEW
⛤ Black Metal |
9.50€
(NM)
⛤ Pulse Rating: 8.50 / 10
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If you love the unforgiving cold of early 2000s underground black metal, then this reissue of BLACK CIRCLE’s "Behold My Visions And Wisdom" is the kind of tape that speaks directly to the soul — or whatever frostbitten chunk of it black metal has left. Originally recorded between 2003 and 2004 and finally released in 2010, this limited transparent cassette (only 300 copies!) from NIGHT BIRDS RECORDS is a relic from a time when black metal thrived in basements, forests, and isolation rather than studios.
What makes this release special is its purity. STRIJD, the mastermind behind BLACK CIRCLE, performs all instruments and vocals — and you can feel the solitude baked into every second. This is black metal built from cold stone and ritual repetition, the kind of sound that belongs on cassette. The texture, the air, the imperfections… it feels alive in a way streaming will never replicate. And with the tape in near mint condition, it’s a collector’s dream for anyone chasing raw, atmospheric artifacts of the genre.
Side A alone is worth the price of admission. "The Path to Eternal Wisdom" opens the journey with icy riffs and a meditative tension that instantly transports you to another realm. "Eternal Is the Journey of the Wanderer" continues with the same hypnotic pulse — a wandering, searching quality that fits perfectly with the project’s solitary nature. "The Cold Depths Below" and "A Cold Wind Blew upon the Lonely One" stretch out into long-form blackened storytelling, carried by STRIJD’s harsh howls and mournful melodic phrasing. These songs feel ancient, like unearthed scrolls.
Side B brings in rare material that makes this reissue even more valuable for collectors. "Eternal Black Flame" and "The Fall of an Empire" originate from an unreleased demo, giving us a glimpse into BLACK CIRCLE’s raw developmental stages. They burn with youthful intensity, especially the latter’s dissonant riffing. The finale, "The Black Winds of Hatred", was meant for a split that never happened — making this its only physical home. As a tape collector, that kind of exclusivity hits a very particular nerve: the joy of preserving something almost lost.
Listening to this release today, it embodies the spirit of what drew many of us to black metal in the first place — atmosphere, solitude, introspection, and darkness expressed without compromise. This isn’t polished, nor should it be. It’s a time capsule, and the cassette format reinforces that experience. It feels right. It feels authentic.
For anyone building a serious tape collection, "Behold My Visions And Wisdom" deserves a place on the shelf. Not only is it a piece of underground history, but it’s also a reminder of how personal and visionary one-man black metal can be. And at this price, in this condition? A no-brainer. These tapes disappear fast — once they're gone, they’re gone into the frozen ether.
TRACKLIS:
Side A
1. The Path to Eternal Wisdom – 06:20
2. Eternal Is the Journey of the Wanderer – 05:11
3. The Cold Depths Below – 06:22
4. A Cold Wind Blew upon the Lonely One – 09:10
Side B
5. Eternal Black Flame – 04:53
6. The Fall of an Empire – 04:07
7. The Black Winds of Hatred – 03:12
CREDITS:
Strijd – All instruments, vocals
Recording: 2003–2004
Tracks 5 & 6: from unreleased demo "...And Only Ruins Will Remain"
Track 7: from an unreleased split
💀 Label: NIGHT BIRDS RECORDS
BLACK CIRCLE – Items Available at Pulse Records
| Item | Format | Price | Condition | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Circle – Behold My Visions And Wisdom (2010 Transp Cassette, Album, Limited Edition, Reissue) | Cassette | 9.50€ | NM | Order |
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