«Nightwing» is Marduk’s fifth album. It came out in Sweden in April 1998 through Osmose Productions and was recorded at The Abyss Studios between October and November 1997.
“`Country: Sweden
Genre: Black Metal
For fans of: Dissection, Dark Funeral, Watain
The line-up is Legion on vocals, Morgan Håkansson on guitar, B. War on bass and Fredrik Andersson on drums. It is the second Marduk record with Legion behind the microphone.
Blood is the album’s theme, and it opens a trilogy that carries on with «Panzer Division Marduk» for fire and «La Grande Danse Macabre» for death. It also works as a tribute to Bathory’s «Blood Fire Death».
The second half of the lyrics follows the story of Vlad Țepeș, the Impaler of Wallachia, who fought the Ottomans. «Deme Quaden Thyrane», first heard on «Opus Nocturne», returns here with Legion’s voice.
The sound is fast and merciless, built on blast beats and razorsharp guitars, yet there are moments where the tempo drops to build atmosphere. The tracks are among the longest the band has recorded.
Standouts include the opener «Bloodtide (XXX)», «Slay the Nazarene», the title track «Nightwing», «Kaziklu Bey (The Lord Impaler)» and the closing «Anno Domini 1476».
In 2008 Regain Records reissued the album with new mastering, different artwork and a live DVD shot at a 1998 show in Rotterdam.
Marduk were already known for the speed and brutality of their sound, and «Nightwing» showed they could pair it with more complex structures and storytelling.
Many consider «Nightwing» one of the band’s finest albums, with Legion delivering one of his strongest performances.
See also: Mayhem – Liturgy of Death.
