One of Norway’s most daring and unorthodox metal acts, Arcturus have always existed outside of genre limitations — blending theatricality, symphonic bombast, black metal roots, and pure avant-garde insanity. After their now-legendary La Masquerade Infernale (1997), the band returned with a curveball: 1999’s Disguised Masters.

This release isn’t a simple remix album — it’s a total reimagining. Disguised Masters takes select tracks from La Masquerade Infernale and transforms them through twisted electronic filters, trip-hop beats, ambient interludes, and glitchy experimentation, while still retaining the cold theatrical spirit of the original material. Think Ulver’s metamorphosis, crossed with a carnival mirror version of symphonic black metal.

Highlights include:

⛧ “Du Nordavind” (1998 Re-Recording) – reworked with new vocals and an even more surreal atmosphere.
⛧ “Alone” (Intellecto / Valle Darktrip) – a ghostly, beat-driven version of Edgar Allan Poe’s lyrics, floating in digital decay.
⛧ “The Throne of Tragedy (Phantom FX Jungle Remix)” – as chaotic and strange as the title suggests.
⛧ “Deception Genesis” – a haunting and spacious original track exclusive to this release.

Vocals from Garm (Ulver) remain otherworldly, while the band’s signature use of keys, cinematic transitions, and symphonic structure is warped and abstracted — creating a uniquely unsettling yet beautiful listening experience.

This edition (2023):

⛧ Official clear vinyl reissue via Prophecy Productions
⛧ Faithfully restored artwork
⛧ Limited edition press
⛧ Essential for collectors of avant-garde, experimental, and post-black metal
⛧ For fans of Ulver, Ved Buens Ende, Manes, Dødheimsgard, and the most left-field corners of the black metal cosmos

Disguised Masters is more than a curiosity — it’s a bold document of a band rejecting convention and reshaping their sound into something unrecognizable… and unforgettable.