Available exclusively through the massive mail-order website, 'The Omega Order,' Swedish death metal outfit Dissection's three-LP discography received a very special re-release this year. Each album is limited to a single pressing with only 1,000 copies made of ‘The Somberlain,’ ‘Storm of the Light’s Bane’ and ‘Reinkaos.’ On top of that, the albums are beautiful picture LPs and come packed with an exclusive 11-inch x 12-inch poster.

It hasn't always been easy to be a fan of Dissection. In the late '90s, founder and frontman Jon Nödtveidt went to prison for murder, which put the band on hold until 2004. Due to the sentencing, there was over a decade of space between Dissection's second and third -- read: final -- studio album, 'Reinkaos,' in 2006. Nearly four months after the album dropped, Nödtveidt tragically took his own life.

Those things aside, Dissection always proved to be a very heavy listen, both in their music and their lyrics. If you are looking for dark thrash tunes, look no further than Dissection's catalog. As you can probably guess, the experience of listening to this music on a turntable far surpasses any other medium. Starting with their debut album,' The Somberlain,' you're immediately smacked in the face with the opening track, 'Black Horizons.' As you catch your breath and sit back and enjoy the rest of the record, spend some time gazing upon the beautiful artwork that adorns the heavy duty gatefold jacket. Designed by Swedish artist Kristian Wåhlin -- also known as Necrolord -- the cover art's dark imagery of a ghostly horse-drawn carriage and even scarier coach driver perfectly matches the death metal blasting through your speakers. Staring at the subtly dark imagery on the picture LP is highly recommended as well to enhance the experience of listening to the first Dissection album.

Necrolord also worked with Dissection on their second album's cover art, 'Storm of the Light’s Bane.' This even darker piece of artwork connects very will with the equally dark tunes, which might make Necrolord and Dissection one of the best metal pairings in recent history. Possibly the best-looking picture disc of the three-LP catalog, side A features a highly detailed and terrifying portrait of what we can only assume is Satan. The other side will bring back memories for long-time fans as it has a picture of Dissection pressed neatly on the grooves.

Rounding third with the final LP in this run of special edition re-releases, 'Reinkaos' shows the band with a brand new energy while still maintaining the power and intensity they first had in the early '90s. A simple cover shows an eleven-pointed star, but once you open the jacket you're greeted with a gorgeous design laid out on the record. There's no denying that 'Reinkaos' is a dark, evil record; after all, the band says the album is based on "the teachings of MLO (Misanthropic Luciferian Order)." The MLO is a secret order that Nödtveidt was heavily involved in. The straightforward, yet dark cover art and picture LP complement the wicked sound of 'Reinkaos,' making it the ultimate farewell for Dissection.

There are few experiences better than dropping the needle on a classic record. For fans of death metal, it's safe to say that 'The Somberlain' is indeed a classic, and Dissection's subsequent albums should be treated as such as well. After you wear your turntable out by spinning these discs, there's no doubt that you'll want to display the stunning pieces of art that make up this legendary band's catalog. Metal fans -- actually, vinyl fans -- don't hesitate to get your hands on these records. At just 1,000 copies each, they won't be around for very long.

Dissection, 'The Somberlain'

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Dissection, 'Storm of the Light's Bane'

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Dissection, 'Reinkaos'

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