A beefed-up re-issue of the early Arcturus recordings delivered as a double-disc set, Aspera Hiems Symfonia / Constellation / My Angel is exactly that, a collection of the band's first full length album Aspera Hiems Symfonia from 1995, the Constellation CD promo from 1994, and the My Angel 7" from 1991. This two-disc remastered reissue documents Arcturus before they truly entered the realm of electronica-flavored, Faith No More-inspired post-black metal, but even with these early releases you can hear a band breaking through the walls of traditional black metal forms. Featuring Garm from Ulver and Hellhammer from Mayhem, Arcturus' early releases were blazing, epic Norwegian black metal bolstered by tons of majestic synthesizers, ripping double bass drumming, and a combo of alternating blackened shrieks and awesome soaring vocals that sound alot like Depeche Mode. When their not racing through wintry wastes on fierce BM thrash, Arcturus break down into spacey orchestral waltzes and melodic breaks that border on full-on "pop" at times. Really catchy yet brutal, with a heavy, theatrical prog-rock vibe that hints at where the band would go with their late 90's work. The Aspera hiems Symfonia disc includes two previously unreleased tracks that were recorded during the same recording session.