SUMMONING classics to be reissued this summer

To coincide with the band's brand-new Oath Bound opus slated for North American release on April 25th, legendary Austrian black metallers SUMMONING will have their early, quintessential albums reissued in the U.S., available domestically for the first time through retail: Lugburz, Minas Morgul, Dol Guldur, and the Nightshade Forests MCD. Additionally, later works Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame and the Lost Tales MCD will be available for the first time domestically in many years. Here's the confirmed schedule of SUMMONING reissues:

6/6/06: Lugburz and Minas Morgul
6/27/06: Dol Guldur and Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame
7/18/06: Nightshade Forests and Lost Tales

SUMMONING was formed in 1993 by Silenius (Michael Gregor), Protector (Richard Lederer) and Trifixion (Alexander Trondl). The band was quick to release two demos (Upon the Viking's Stallion and Anno Mortiri Domini), but it wasn't until Silenius began singing for ABIGOR that he approached NAPALM RECORDS with SUMMONING material.

The label soon signed the unknown three-piece and released Lugburz in 1995, closely followed by Minas Morgul after the band had parted ways with Trifixion due to irreconcilable differences. Instead of replacing him, Protector and Silenius decided to try a different approach. They began working with medieval and bombastic keyboard percussion sounds, as can be heard on Minas Morgul.

Minas Morgul significantly defined SUMMONING's unique sound. While Lugburz focused on a raw style of black metal typical of ABIGOR, their second release explored uncharted territories in the realm of black metal. The album was the first to be inspired by the themes of Tolkien and became a magnificent and epic variation of the darker art.

The success of Minas Morgul was secured with the release of Dol Guldur in 1996. It continued its predecessor's tradition, both musically and lyrically, and saw SUMMONING's creative process progressing. Several unreleased songs from this period were later made available as an MCD entitled Nightshade Forests in 1997. "Habbanan Beneath the Stars" was the only new track appearing on this release.

Although SUMMONING would be hailed far and wide for latter-day albums Stronghold (1999) and especially Let Mortal Heroes Sing Your Fame (2001), these first three albums would come to define "the SUMMONING sound" in the eyes of many, and have been cherised classics ever since.