These re-releases of the band's two classic albums – "The Other Side" and "Summon the Beast" – shed some light on one of the darkest and most hateful acts ever to plague the music industry.

Metal Mind Productions will release both titles on 6th July in Europe and 11th August in USA (via MVD). New digipak edition is limited to numbered 1000 copies. Digitally remastered using 24-Bit process on a golden disc.

The band was started in Stockholm, Sweden in the year 1994, when three members of Hypocrisy – Peter Tägtgren, Mikael Hedlund and Lars Szöke – decided to take all the black metal influences from their original group and put them into an entirely new project, which was eventually called The Abyss. The trio planned to write material that would honor the old-school black metal genre, finding inspiration in such ungodly groups as Hellhammer, Immortal and Bathory.

The band's first album – "The Other Side" – was released on March 10th, 1995. The nearly 30-minute, 8-track creation was more than enough to catch the attention of black metal fans and music critics worldwide. Such tracks as the furious "Psycomantum", the atmospheric "Sorgens Dal" and the Mayhem-infected "Slukad" highlighted the group's impressive skills - Tägtgren took on drum and bass duties, while Hedlund and Szöke handled the guitars. The vocal duties were shared by all three members. To underline their undying inspirations, The Abyss decided to record a cover version of the Hellhammer song – "Massacra". The track perfectly blended with the rest of the material and even gave the original a more sinister feel.

In 1996 The Abyss released their second LP, entitled "Summon the Beast". This time most of the vocals were handled by Mikael Hedlund, whose voice proved to be ideal for hateful black metal. Musically, the band improved their sound making it even more aggressive and raw. The album was less melodic than the debut, proving the group's dedication to the origins of the genre. Still, "Summon the Beast" offered eight memorable tracks, with such stand-outs as "Satan's Majestic Empire", "Blessed" and "Feasting the Remains of Heaven". Warmly greeted by the fans and critics, The Abyss' second LP was often compared to the best works by Gorgoroth, Marduk or Dark Funeral.

"The Other Side" and "Summon the Beast" bring back a true black metal gem – an act so fiendishly crafted, that it deserves to be mentioned next to the most famous names in the entire genre. If you are looking for some filthy, diabolic and uncompromising music – look no further. Take a leap and dive into The Abyss.

The Abyss - The Other Side / Summon the Beast (remastered)