CDs/LPs - DEMOS - OLD STUFFS - FANZINES - GIGS
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SACROFUCK (Pol) Demo CDr. 2011.
This demo sounds a bit rushed and tastes like a perfectible debauchery, but there's something I like about it. A big part of the music is close to something like evil Death metal.
The first song is pumping the bottom of your sexy girlfriend in a way close to the first CANNIBAL CORPSE album (Did they throw her in a coffin or what? It sounds really close!), with some blasting polish Death metal...
The second one attempts to tit-cream her an evil way, between old DEICIDE (Fast parts), old MORBID ANGEL (Mid-paced) and some... Fast Polish death.
The third track is less entertaining, maybe they didn't watch enough porno movies the day it was composed... It remains fast Death metal (Polish style, if you wish), with some more "old school thrashing death" riffs and a faster part à la old DEMENTOR at the end.
Then the fourth track tries to make it juice hard, as it's the faster one and contains quite a lot of blasts that remind of old CENTURIAN.... There are also some more mid-paced thrashing death, some heavier death metal and crazy leads à la old MORBID ANGEL (And more polish death, of corpse... What did you expect?)
From time to time they use some strange beats (You know, these simple heavy/ rock drum parts that left me wonder "What the fuck?" when I heard GRAVE's "Soulless" for the first time) that waste some efficiency, but hopefully it's not too often... And some riffs are usual in the style, while some are better.
This is not the most serious demo I heard, but it contains some qualities, so the waves of dark energy emanating from the puddle of hot pus let me imagine a bit of effort and focus could help SACROFUCK to reach higher levels of morbid pussy perversion.
Email: michalpaplak(a)gmail.com

SAIGNEUR (Fra) Saigneur Demo CDr"09.
The weather is fucking hot turns everything much heavier! The putridity tastes fucking glued as in the mouth of a giant tarantula... I'm trapped in the bowels of morbidity! But I'll keep on moving my ass to support the depths from the burning caves!
SAIGNEUR (Which means bleeder in French) plays some quite darkened brutal death metal taking influences from the elder Death metal and injects a quite good bleeding atmosphere in the songs. During the listening you could easily think about old/ mid old MORBID ANGEL, NILE, mixed with early NECROPHAGIST (Demo), a little of DEATH (Rather "Human" epoch), a bit of DISGORGE (Us), a bit of POSSESSED (First eternally impaling album!)... Well, I realize all in all SAIGNEUR could be quite close to the first great album of BYATIS(R.I.P) with a little more technical early NECROPHAGIST and a different atmosphere (To be a bit more bleedy)...
It's brutal and fast, sometimes quite technical, with quite cool leads, but also contains more majestic parts, few heavier moments, old styled boom/tchack boom/tchack beats... All melted together in quite varied compositions.
This first demo offers a quite cool listening for a Death metal fan of the bleeding style, but it could be better. "Why could it be better? Since it's before all a matter of atmosphere..." will you ask... I feel like some riffings could be a bit tighter, some better structures could improve the morbid impact, and the drums sound a little strange by moments...
In my blinded bleeding cave-trapped vision it's a quite cool demo, but I remember hearing an earlier recording on their myspace page and it sounded much more merciless and relentless with killer skilled drumming or brutal and burning production! So I'm convinced this band can do much better! They plan to change moniker since a Canadian "Seigneur sanglant" already exists (But is it really necessary?).
http://www.myspace.com/saigneur666

SAKATAT (Turkey) Yolun sonu! - Limited tour CD. Pro printed CDr. 2008.
Where did she put her fingers to have a so blue looking face? What did she try to insert in her menstrual-machine to look so blast-trembling and hysteric? It seems there's no other answer... no other answer than... SEX TOY ELECTROCUTION!!!
Maybe these Turkish grinders like to play with dildos... Anyway SAKATAT plays old school grindcore reminding of S.O.B, ooold NAPALM DEATH, early NYCTOPHOBIC, a bit of DEFECATION (First Lp) and stuffs like that, so you have a lot of power chords, blast beats and crust parts... But the band seems to gain some experience compared to previous records and builds a bit more complex structures that make them sound a bit more modern (Maybe like the HUTT CD or a bit of DISCORDANCE AXIS).
Well, this is the case of the newer songs, since the older ones from this "Split Eps compilation" (Songs from vinyl splits with Slaughter of the innocents, Archagathus, Cut your throat, plus a new track) are more usual and also less punching.
I forgot to say there are also some mid-placed or heavy old HC touches. The vocals are a bit too high-pitched in a screamy power-violence way for me. Hopefully there are also death growls.
Well, SAKATAT isn't super killer yet, but I notice an improvement and more energy since the last promo they sent. I guess it has some arguments to please or refresh some underground grindcore fans. Their split with SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS seems to be their coolest release yet.
http://www.myspace.com/sakatat

SANGUIS IMPEREM (Usa) The stagnation of centuries Demo CD'08;
Here seems to come a nicely anti christian, or at least anti religious, Death metal band that follows the paths of older hell-burnt US Death metal bands:
For most of the content, their music reminds me of mid old INCANTATION mixed with the first album of INFAMY... Burn, burn, jesus... burrrn!
Even if the tempo isn't always focused on the fastest beats (There are also quite a lot of slow and mid placed parts) you often have a feeling of "fast" because the double kicks like to sound like a marching tank of some sort... Somewhere someone said Sanguis imperem sounds "militant" and it's not particularly wrong... I can also feel some similarities with FLESHTIZED or some old MORBID ANGEL, while some "Races towards the war" of midplaced moments or some slow patterns sound like mid old BOLT THROWER. A rawer and little black metal aspect could remind of the first VOMITORY album "Raped in their own blood".
This demo sounds pretty intense and this band might be cool to see live (Especially if you're a Death metal head who like it burning the older impious US Death metal way! 666!), I can listen with some pleasure but on a purely riffing point of view my feelings are mixed: It tastes a bit too everheard/ common once you know what occurred in the underground 10-14 years ago, and some moments' intensity could be hatefully amplified... We might need to conclude this is their very first demo, and the band is on the right way to burn your ecclesiastic assholes to roasting agony (And god knows how much we like roasted chicken here in France!)
http://www.geocities.com/sanguisimperem

SARCATOR (Swe) Visions of purgatory Ep. 2020. Digital. Self-released.
The last years, I didn't find as much interest in the newer Swedish metal bands, because many wanted to sound like ENTOMBED so much (Or sometimes wanted to be so professional) that a part of the underground fun got lost... But here is a nice surprise for fans of energetic & old school Swedish metal.
SARCATOR is a young band from Trollhättan that plays nice "blackened" thrash metal reminding my crucified skull of old MERCILESS (Swe), old SWORDMASTER, or early KREATOR (Pleasure/ Terrible era), perhaps with a zest of NIFELHEIM (Less "drunk")...
And if you want to be more underground, they share some spirit with the thrash bands you could find in Sweden in the 2002-2006 era (LEPROZY, LETHAL, CAUSTIC STRIKE etc...).
The songs are built on a quite energetic thrash metal basis, then you can find some black metal influences (Fast "blast parts", screams), or touches of death metal and even speed thrash...
There's some kind of "teenager" enthusiasm in the playing, which is quite good to hear, for this reason they have something of the first CROWN OF THORNS/ THE CROWN album (Even if their style is clearly more thrashing).
Well, the songs are quite well built, and some riffs sound quite catchy (And even great), but I also find less enthusiastic points: I find the music to be a bit more common when they tend to play closer to old school DM or 90's black metal. Also the last two songs sound less great than the two first ones (I don't say it's bad, but I feel less catchiness).
To conclude, SARCATOR didn't reinvent the wheel of torture, but this Ep is very pleasant to hear, and might please the needs of those who like it thrashing, with touches of black and death, and also with a Swedish enthusiasm.
https://sarcator-se.bandcamp.com

SAVAGE REALM (Uk) Nocturnal savagery Demo tape 2016. SUPERFI Recs.
Sometimes you're so used to hear a kind of metal, that some releases create some kind of "problem". The name of this band is death-metallic, the cover looks so... At the first listening I felt the music was heavy and somewhat crushing, but the way of riffing didn't suit my mind... Then another listening made my impression somewhat clearer, there was definitely something quite strange about the riffing... A few researches on the web, and I understood why: SAVAGE REALM is a side project of musicians from the quite "tortured" hardcore/ post hardcore band LICH...
I would say half of the music sounds like INCANTATION (Fast and slower) minus the obscure atmosphere, with a couple of chaos moments à la very old BOLT THROWER, and then half could be closer to beginning 00's post hardcore (I have in mind the French ANANDA (R.i.p)) but it might also remind of HIS HERO IS GONE (Which is older), with fast moments, little more "mathematic" beats, or slower old styled Hc beats. Everyone might not really have the same impression, coz I'm kinda a purist when it comes to defining Death metal stuffs... The vocals are quite screamed.
The guitars are quite seriously downtuned and there's quite some heaviness. .. But if you try to listen with the mind set on Incantation, you'll be disappointed... It's not metal stuff for the black death world :-)
It's not a bad demo; it's a quite nice mix between obscure death and mid old post hardcore, it might sound quite crushing live.
https://savagerealm.bandcamp.com

SCALPEL (Usa) Century in the boilpit Ep. 2022. Digital. Self-released.
This Ep reminds me the end 90's when I was discovering underground brutal death,
back then the styles "technical death" and "brutal death metal" weren't clearly defined and often mixed together, back then the releases weren't overproduced/ processed/ sterilized until silicone petrification... And it was also more fun than it is today...
Well, enough rambling?
This band from Massachusetts/ Usa plays a nice mix of brutal death, technical death and death grind that comes with an end 90's and early 00's something... Not sure if it's about the production (It's quite "natural") or only the musickal influences yet...
While listening I happen to think about old CRYPTOPSY (First two albums for the drums & some cool riffs), old SPAWN OF POSSESSION (For the technical riffs), ALIENATION MENTALE (For the drums and the death grind aspect), some ooold PSYCROPTIC (For a technical side) and maybe MORTAL DECAY's first album (For some "funny" riffs... Even if this "F" word doesn't totally fit to describe). Some peoples who are more accustomed to this side of the spectrum might also hear some old Canadian bands... You know, when lots of Canadian musicians used to be more technical than the average.
In my humble liquefied opinion this is a pretty good Ep on a "pleasuring" point of view... I can listen to this release without displeasure (It's already a success for a modern "tech album"), the musicians are skilled and the songs are pretty well compacted...
But even if there are cool riffs here & there, I couldn't say I was as thrilled as the second CRYPTOPSY album or as entertained as the first CRYPTOPSY full-length (Ok the bar is a bit high, it's true...).
Anyway fans of the style might feel like lending their hears to the scalpel, it probably wouldn't be an unnecessary loss of hearing.
https://scalpel.bandcamp.com

SCHIZODEATH (Pol) Lobotomic genocide MCD. 2021. R'LYEH Recs.
The sentence "Never judge a book by its cover" might be as old as times... It still works for me in 2022.
You see, while reading the band name SCHIZODEATH and looking at the CD cover, I expected ultra obscure and strange brutalizing death metal from the depths of the psychopathic caverns... Something that could be a little too heavy for your stomach (And mental sanity) if you're not in the right mood... But that's not the case.
In fact, what you hear on this 3 songs MCD (Plus intro and outro) is somewhat old school death/ thrash in a simpler manner, sounding much more like the end of 80's... In fact this is Big Bear retro mood thrash!
This reminds me of SEPULTURA ("Beneath...") for fast & slow parts, SLAYER (Rather "South of heaven"), or METALLICA (The old albums, perhaps more precisely the 3rd one), with some old American thrash metal bands (You know, some of these Roadracer records "unknown bands" you found on the SPEED KILLS compilations).
To be totally honest, it's not the most violent kind of death/ thrash they choose to play... It even sounds a bit convenient, and closer to thrash than death metal in my volcanic hears.
I remember we had quite a lot of bands playing this style in France 15-20 years ago, something like "relaxed" thrash influenced by the BIG 3 (No Anthrax to be found here).
This recording is more destined to those into a retro nostalgic mood, than those spitting blood into an epileptic assault of thrashing rage.
The spiked big bear is in a good mood, and holds you a beer.
https://schizodeath.bandcamp.com

SCORCHED EARTH (Usa) Marauders Demo tape. 2013.
Damned by skulls and nuclear beers.
I expected this release to be old school death, and it seems to be at the first rough approach (If you listen to the beginning of the first song only), but the content shows up to be more influenced by old school thrash and crusty/ dbeat affairs.
It might sound like a mix of old SODOM, early BATHORY, EXTREME NOISE TERROR or perhaps MOTORHEAD, with a bit more of thrash and black thrash in some corners.
It's not bad stuff, but too much based on the same kind of fast/ dbeat rhythms for me (More breaks and tempo changes would have been cool in my book of the dead) , and the quite heavy'n epic introduction entitled "Thy kingdom doomed" kinda put me in conditions for heavier morbid Death metal. But as written before it's not bad.
Those who dig this kind of simple thrash/ dbeat/ black thrash might like listening to this (3 tracks) "cassingle" (That contains a Scepter cover). The band split up in 2013 apparently.
Possessed by nuclear beers.
Tchernobyl addiction in the thirst.
https://www.reverbnation.com/hailscorchedearth

SCROTUM (Hol) Osculum scrotum Demo CD'08
I'm a bit dubitative once receiving the demo of a band called SCROTUM, even more when the title seems to make a joke of an old HYPOCRISY album ("Osculum obscenum"). I don't particularly like to be scrotumized, and goat knows the process of scrotumization can be painful for your little asshole, and isn't it another joke band?
Goats inside, goats outside. Goatfully the music isn't utter scrot, but lies somewhere between brutal death and Death metal. Think about stuffs like CANNIBAL CORPSE, old MONSTROSITY, with some MORBID ANGEL, VICTIM, TOMBTHROAT and touches of old (But not early) GOD DETHRONED.
Even though it's not a German band, when I listened this demo I would have bet they were, because they're quite close to the typical German Death/ brutal death, with a bit more US influences on the corners.
The sound makes them seem a bit like ROTTING on the "Crushed" CD, especially for the drums, but guitars tend to go to the CANNIBAL CORPSE/ DEFLORATION/ Brutal red atmosphere way.
Nothing new, or especially killer, but this demo has its goat-punching moments and parts of intensity. It could please undergoat fans and crush some milk bottles during gigs.
http://www.scrotum.tk

SCUD (Israel) III Ep. 2023. Digital. Self-released.
This band split up in 2023, but I'll review this Demo/ Ep anyway... After all they might come back to the front in a few months: This is how it works with many bands projects nowadays: Clandestine, uncertain, no tomorrow... And you can kinda hear it in the feeling of this recording.
This is pretty aggressive grindcore/ death grind an old way, with some elderly punk Hc parts.
In my rusty hears, it sounds like a mix of PHOBIA (Usa... The Eps), with some early NAPALM DEATH's peel sessions, a bit of early BOLT THROWER (Death grind epoch), some old DISCHARGE... And probably more old grind/ early powerviolence that is inserted by force in your suffering mouth (Argh).
There's something quite old school in the "structures", maybe it's not so focused on "blast beat only" to the contrary of some recent grind, or perhaps I have this impression of "freedom" due to the somewhat live recording, it was perhaps not live recorded but it was probably captured in one take in the studio.
The production is quite raw/ aggressive, but it remains clear enough if you're used to old grindcore recordings (Phew, I'm not too old for this noise!)
This Ep is not really my favorite release in the style, but it remains quite punching and enjoyable. There's some aggression & live energy here.
SCUD should be worth seeing live in an "inside out" bar (AhAh)
https://scudxschur.bandcamp.com

SEA OF SHIT (Usa) Sea of shit Ep. 2011. Self-released.
Massive artificial brain failure. Trapped in concussion.
Global transplants-rejecting convulsions.
Explosions/ Implosions/ Explosions/ Implosions in systematic reversal.
S.O.S... S.O.S... S.O.S... Are you receiving?

This is fucked. Pessimistic fucked music.
Mostly Grindcore/ Powerviolence, with some heavy Hc sludge and old school chaotic hardcore in between.
The blasting parts are kicking, not bad. Some moments of noisy "larsen and chaos fiesta"  are not bad either. The sudden changes in structures could remind of old noisecore sometimes.
I'm not fond of the main vocals, seems he's shouting in a megaphone, sounds a bit too political for me.
The second half of the demo contains more "dbeat" rhythms I don't like so much.
This is a bit too much of a pessimism, concrete and cement rumble in my face, probably not prescribed for metallers, but S.O.S could turn on fans of intense sounding Grindcore/ PV/ Hardcore from the Core side of things.
S.O.S... S.O.S... Failed to transmit.
http://seaofshit.bandcamp.com

SEASON OF SUFFERING (Usa) Annihilation race MCD. Self released. 2010.
Waves of the enormous ugly bitch.
Bizarre surfing on mountains of obesity.
Energetic zigzagging between sudden ups and low of the lard.
Average promo CD reviewing.
This American band plays a kind of Death metal that could be defined as rather close to the mid old American genre, with elements of more "satanic" blasting death, elements of black metal, touches of early Brutal death... And something from the old Morrisound genre, both in the spirit and production...
At times it reminds quite a lot of DEICIDE (Old and not so old), while you can hear some blasting moments to be around MORTEM (Peru) or ooold MORBID ANGEL, and some riffs to be closer to BRUTALITY (But with fewer of melodic and technical arrangements), and something nearer to VITAL REMAINS (On "Dawn of the apocalypse"). I could add a bit of MORTA SKULD ("As humanity fades"... For some mid-paced, and kind of production) and INFESTDEAD.
The black metal influences could roughly remind of some old DARK FUNERAL or a bit of very early MARDUK (While a bit of early IMMORTAL can be felt, but in minor portions).
The rhythms are varied, sometimes fast, sometimes mid-paced, sometimes blasting and sometimes slow... The vocals are also varied, some not too repetitive low death growls and high-pitched screams, and it tries to be quite "spectacular" or something...
I could listen to this kind of Death metal, the atmosphere fits the genre and the songs' construction is quite compact, but some problems more or less turn me off depending on my location in the obese surfing (Some riffs sound a bit too simple or ever heard, for example one in the first song is too close to a BAPHOMET track to be swallowed, or some black metal influences could go away without problem...).
On a matter of listenership, the main problem for this band could be their music is quite out of fashion: On one hand it doesn't fit the various nowadays' standards, on the other hand it's not old school enough to belong to a revival of some kind... But taking trends or not in account, I think my conclusion will remain: It's an average demo with both qualities and defects... Some peoples will like it, some won't...
http://www.seasonofsuffering.com

SEPTENTRIONAL DEPTHS (Fra) Light out Demo CD. 2018. Self-released.
Septentrional Depths is a new doom death metal band from France, I received their first demo as a promotional item to review, and I knew it wouldn't be easy to achieve because I'm not very accustomed to this style. Yes, this is the very slow kind of doom death, while I'm used to more dynamic kinds of metal. But sometimes the natural elements that could be seen as a disturbance can also help, here we had a couple of days with a very hot weather, and the crushing warmness kinda helped to set my mind in the right "elongated" mental spectrum.
To describe the style a bit more precisely, I would say the band evolves between the very slow doom death quoted before, old school death doom in a regular manner, and dark ambient moments that can appear in between (Or in the middle) of songs.
For the slowest riffings, I can't really compare due to a lack of precise knowledge, but even if the playing is really slow I wouldn't say the guitars sound monolithic... Perhaps it has more to do with feelings of emptiness, infinite boredom, and visions to be more detached from the speed of everyday' life.
Then you can find mid-paced to slow old school death doom moments that really remind me of very early ASPHYX (It can be "The rack", but would be even closer to "Embrace the death" because of the deaf sound and cavernous death metal growls). A bit of (Slow) INCANTATION wouldn't be a really misplaced quote, even if "Incantation" becomes a common word in my reviews AhAh.
Then you have dark ambient moments, it's often very quiet and can sound "relaxing", you can also find small early industrial influences (For the use of iron percussion for example).
While the more death-metallic moments can sound nice in my necrotic skull, I can't really judge for the slower moments. Then I sometimes noticed something isn't always really tight at the level of drum-playing or guitars, this is something they could improve for next recording.
Listening to the first track/ Introduction, I thought the whole could be running on my nerves because of repetitiveness, but hopefully most of the songs don't play on the repetitive side to create some doom atmosphere.
This is a first recording with both positive points and less interesting moments, this remains a quite "special" style as far as I'm concerned, but I think big fans of underground doom death might find some interest here if they aren't against some imperfections.
https://septentrionaldepths.bandcamp.com

SEPTIC EXCREMENTS (Singapore) Demo 2023. Digital. Self-released.
This is quite intense sounding grindcore/ deathgrind/ blastasfuck!
After a noisy intro full of dysfunctional subterranean sounds comes the testicle punishment. A grinding mix of old SUBLIME CADAVERIC DECOMPOSITION, old INHUME (Minus the gore), and maybe some old NAPALM DEATH's "F.e.t.o" for a more classical grind side... The whole with a production to be a bit more noisy and underground, but it's a demo and this is not a problem: Noise is your master :)
I previously quoted two “gore” bands, but they should be taken in account for their brutality not for their gore side, because there's not much of gore to be found here: It's brutal grindcore with a blastasfuck side.
If you're into more obscure bands I might quote FIEND or maybe (maybe) ((maybe)) HATEWAVE's demo.
This release is a bit short and contains only 3 tracks, but this is enough to feel the intensity...
Ok, nothing NEW here, but what did you expect? Peoples into relentless blasting grindcore might dig it... So take your favorite shovel, and dig your grave!
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHLLL4Fwm3c

SEPULCHRAL FROST (Swe) Frozen entrapement Demo tape. 2019. DYRKA DÖDEN Recs.
Thornicus Doomicus Metallicus.
This new Swedish band plays pretty cool underground death doom in a quite old fashioned manner. The content of this tape is quite "varied" into the various kinds of death doom you could find during the 90's: Some slow tempos, some mid-paced parts, a couple of "groovy" beats, some lighter moments, and even a few thrashing accelerations. This could somewhat sound like a mixture of early PARADISE LOST (Not the first album), early CELTIC FROST (For the mid-paced, some doomy, and a couple of "punk" moments), a bit of early MY DYING BRIDE, perhaps some SORROW ("Hatred & disgust"), and some more 2nd/ 3rd grade doom outfits no one knows...
The label compared their music to WINTER, I could agree in part only if you're talking about a less extreme variation, that would be less suffocating... Because SEPULCHRAL FROST is not playing the most extreme kind of death doom, they even sound a bit light/ "melodic" by moments (Partly due to the quite clear production).
I also sometimes found similarities with ASPHYX's "God cries" album for some blackened riffs (Yes, this wasn't the typical Asphyx release)
When you listen to this tape, you hear some riffs that are quite cool to hear, and the whole isn't unpleasant... But some guitars are a little too simple or "easy" (If that’s the word), and I will repeat myself but I feel like the content sounds a bit too "light" for doom by moments...
So I think more experience in composition will probably help them to plant the crosses deeper in the burial ground, to extract a more intense sour juice of the mourning dead.
https://sepulchral-frost.bandcamp.com

SEQUESTER (Ger) Back from the dead Demo CDr'07.
Eventhough this German band doesn't play the typically German brutal death many peoples don't like very much because it's "heavy on your stomach", but rather choose something like "old death black metal", SEQUESTER has something from this german heavy brutus state of mind, if you see what I mean... It sounds quite "obese", relaxed and not particularly cerebral.
When I received this demo, I expected something more savage and burning, but it's not so extreme or morbid in fact... It could be somewhere between the cool no-brain-shaking Death metal and the too convenient riffs...
The first song reminds me some old DERANGED albums I didn't like very much (With a bit more blasts maybe). The second track sounds like a mixture between "black'n roll" and some early SIX FEET UNDER. The third tune is a bit more 'melodic', between a death thrashing manner and overdriven arpeggios like DEATH(?) or IMMORTAL's last records, with few nice fast tormented riffs. The fourth song begins like some early black death metal à la early GOD DETHRONED (Second album), and kinda keeps this vibe but with less "Swedish melodies"; some nice blasting moments sound quite ventral. The 5th song is mid placed, between some BAPHOMET/ SIX FEET UNDER and black metal stuffs... The last song is fast, with some fast MASSACRE alike riffs...
SEQUESTER plays relax week-end Death metal with influences from neighbor styles, there's no will to be over the top nor to surprise you with killer guitars, even though some quite tormented pure-Death riffs occur to show their crooked noses... Sometimes it works quite cool with some of the riffs, while half of the time it doesn't turn me on because of too much convenience (And maybe black metal influences?). I would have found their music to be much more intense and interesting if they threw away the mid-placed or black metal influences, to work only with the tormented or quite dark, obese, or faster Death metal riffs... I see no use for these early SIX FEET UNDER alike parts that can only bore me for example... I feel like SEQUESTER can currently be a cool band for local supporters, to check their tunes during gigs etc, but not much more...
http://www.sequester-music.de

SERVORUM (Philippines) We are brutality Demo CDr'06. NOISE RIFFS Recs.
It's time to insert my venomous penis in the rotting pile of promos!
This brutal demo was catapulted in my anti-atomic mailbox few weeks ago, and the level of playing is higher than the rotting average Philippines used to feed our putrid hears with... What you hear is mostly influenced by KRISIUN, fast and revengeful Death metal that's riding the soniferous limit of blast beats most of the time, but also embraces some mid-placed in the "military/ ready for war" manner. There are also few thrash elements à la ooold SLAYER, some early DEICIDE's satanic touches, and quite bestial solos that could avulse à la BESTIAL WARLUST.
Listening to this demo, I can feel some anger; And some epic riffing isn't bad, which lets me think it's not a bad piece of subterranean revenge.
Now the production remains quite raw, it has some power but the hears addicted to honey-honey metal recordings won't easily understand everything... On one hand it adds some extremism and underground appeal to the whole, on the other hand it's a bit hard to get the riffs sometimes...
Now SERVORUM isn't very original, the style is very close to KRISIUN and affiliates; I guess it could instantaneously petrify the potential listeners who got an upset stomach on brazideath... And the putrid reviewer I am would like to really hear every riffs to judge of the riffing quality of the whole, because I can't give a precise opinion about it. I feel like the intensity decreases after a while, but can't analyze it to certainty.
So, to conclude I'll say maybe fans of the KRISIUN/ War metal styles, whose heads are stuck in the underblocks of the underground, could like it. And to conclude the conclusion, I'll write "SEVORUM" sounds a little funny once you read it in French phonetics, something like "BRAIN RUM' or the brain full of rum... Alright, there are many pirates in Philippines!
http://www.myspace.com/servorum

SHACKLES (Australia) Coup de grâce Demo'06.
After a mid-placed intro that sounds like what I remember of DESTROYER 666 (Oh well... 1998 era), the music begins... And what you get is what you might deserve: Old school thrash metal with speed metal influences. This especially reminds me of early KREATOR ("Endless pain") for the quite savage thrash riffings, the vocals, and quite punkish speed metal sonorities. Later you'll also have few more black metal/ heavy metal riffs that wouldn't have disfigured an old DESTROYER 666 song, some ancient metal influences (Almost melodic, but far from the pink gay hemorrhoids), almost rock'n roll touches, but most of the music remains brewed by thrash.
I appreciate the fact SHACKLES sounds more convinced and alive than on their first demo, but something bothers me: I'm not sure if it's due to a tightness problem (It might be a bit too rawly played by moments, or the drummer might be a bit too technical) or some hesitations in structures... Anyway, there are some quite cool moments that could deserve to be arranged a more impressive way... They seem to try to write real songs, so it might improve in the future...
Apart from the too "raw" aspect, this is a cool demo that might please the hears of underground maniacs whose minds are definitely locked in the past.
Vapors of alcohol are emanating from there. Who said alcohol?? Shocking!!!
http://www.shackles.tk

SHROUD (Usa) This is not for you Demo 2014. Self-released.
As they pile up perpaings.
As they juxtapose the means of mental erosion.
As they build meters high walls of ignorance and close-mindedness.
Someone has to react and collapse it all.
This band plays death grind... I mean DEATH GRIND the way we knew it.
While the frenetic drums have something of early CRYPTOPSY (First two albums!) and old PIGSTY ("The return"), the guitars have something of straightforward grindcore/ death grind and something more "brutal death"... Or should I say "The brutal death released more than 10 years ago that wasn't complex for useless reasons"! And so it might remind of a less technical DISGORGE (Usa), with touches of PYREXIA, and "heavier" motivated moments not so far from old MISERY INDEX.... Yet with a more angry state of mind that draws them closer to power-violence by moments.
I read on a blog the instruments were recorded live, this would explain a part of the frenzy (The drummer is faster than a bunch of trigger-addicts anyway... And it's not a computerized sound, it's nice to hear little variations on the level of each snare hit, if you see what I mean...)
I imagine some peoples might also hear old ALIENATION MENTAL here.
On a purely emotional point of hammer, I couldn't say I was catched by the riffs or felt the "big deal", but there's some more than decent brutality in there and it's nice to hear a quite frenetic drumming that sounds like real drum-playing.
A straight stroke of shovel on your balls, perfect to wake up in the morning.
https://shroudma.bandcamp.com 

SLAUGHTERDAY (Ger) Ravenous Demo tape. 2014. DEFYING DANGER Recs.
VOMIT LARD SCUM BILE
DISGUSTLEECH MUSHROUGH BACK-FUKK
EATEN BY VORACIOUS PURULENCE
This is very Swedish influenced Death metal. But hopefully you'll find more thickness à la ooold GRAVE or juicy slime grooviness à la old AUTOPSY, because too much of ENTOMBED/ DISMEMBER reheating can severely damage the furnace.
You'll find some stuffs to enjoy in the present moment, when you're in the mood to feel old school Death metal with some fat and lard, there are some nice atmospheres and quite cool riffs... But I didn't find much particularly personal.
This said, some little-more-melodic guitars give a touch of EDGE OF SANITY (Or perhaps mid old GOREFEST?) and might make a little difference from the usual new-old-styled-death-metal-band.
The production is quite cool and quite heavy.
I find the first two songs to be better than the two later ones (That include an Acheron cover...Never got into this band even though they got the quarter of a cult status).
The guitarist used to play in OBSCENITY, I don't hear many common points (But my last meeting with this German band was probably at the end 90's, so...).
Due to some online praises I expected more depths and thrills from SLAUGHTERDAY, but this remains a cool/ quite cool Demo/ Ep to check in the present moment.
https://slaughterday666.bandcamp.com

SLAVE (Uk) Slave Demo 2013. Self-produced.
SLAVE TO THE BRICKS
SLAVE TO THE CEMENT
SLAVE TO GIANT WALLS OF CINDERBLOCKS
As I browsed new releases on Bandcamp following the "Grindcore" keyword, the demo of this English band kinda stood out... Even if the music is not really my style, something caught the attention of my internal "grindometer".
What you can find in the concrete mixer is something like "fast hardcore" and "slow hardcore". Oh, yes, in the middle of the sand and water your fingers can feel something like old school grindcore, old school hardcore, crustcore and fastcore, the whole melted with more or less "illogical" structures that happen to take from Powerviolence (It's not THAT fucked and doesn't sound like mathcore or whatever... It's rather some structures are not so usual, or perhaps some songs are very short).
I initially thought it was old school grind for real, because some of the riffs are quite straight to the point, but there's quite a lot slower hardcore moments the "older" way (Some of these almost tend to sludge by moments.)
The production is quite cool, it's a bit heavier than the usual grind records, yet not relapsified. Some grindcore parts are nice, it blasts and sounds quite intense/ energetic.
I know the content will sound angry and ugly enough for underground brutallizers.
But there's too much of HC for the cement mixer could vomit a really intense concrete, I would have enjoyed this demo better if there had been more blastbeats.
Now this is my own perception, I have never been a fan of hardcore (Except for grind) and I still think there's "something" inside. This might be a cool demo for fans of the style. UP THE PERPAINGS!
http://slavepv.bandcamp.com

SLUGGARD (Australia) Sluggard Demo 2014. Tape. ABYSMAL SOUNDS Recs.
The zombies circle in a vomit fiesta.
Swallow your neighbor’s regurgitation. Repuke it back.
No loss of radioactive intestinal matters. This is the infernal vomit recycling.

The style of this Australian band changed a bit since the previous demo, while the whole remains influenced by old school thrash (SLAYER "Hell awaits" or early POSSESSED for example, if you call it thrash), there's an appearance of "crust" à la old MASTER/ REPULSION and the whole became a bit more extreme (With touches of grind for example).
There are also slow moments that could remind of the old mid-paced BATHORY (Or does he like VENOM? Nope, it's not the same...) or perhaps some mid old ENTOMBED ("Uprising")
The songs are a bit more complex than what I remembered, with more riffs, it's nice since the changes come in a quite good manner.
This is a solo project, but you wouldn't notice... The playing doesn't sound cold, but rather warm compared to usual solitary pleasures.
While listening I also thought about old RIGOR MORTIS (Usa) or NIHILIST (Swe).
I went back to my review of the previous demo, and saw the first track was also the best one... So I guess the Sluggard guy is conscious about what he's metallically doing (Perhaps we'll get a compilation of first songs in 8 years when he has released 8 demos.. This could turn into a very nice best of album AhAh)
SLUGGARD remains a cool project, it could please fans of underground thrash/ death in a quite old school manner that could come with more morbidity than usual thrash.
https://abysmalsounds.bandcamp.com/

SLUGGARD (Australia) Sluggard Demo tape. 2010. ABYSMAL SOUNDS Recs.
Underground is ultra fukked, only the music remains... So let's write a little review.
SLUGGARD is a one man project from Australia that plays something like Thrash metal, with a little bonus of morbidity you do not hear so often in the thrashing recordings.
The first song "With the flies" mostly reminds me of SLAYER ("Hell awaits"), with a bit of POSSESSED ("Seven churches") for some very early Death metal touches. It has fast parts, mid-paced moments and varies enough to avoid boring you as an ugly bear. The vocals are a bit harsher and more extreme than usual thrash.
The second track, "Scurvy", is the bad point: It's always mid-paced or slow... Where's the accelerating button?
We come back to faster music with the third song entitled "Trotting cob" that begins in a fast blasting manner… Is it black metal or a reminding of INCUBUS ("Serpent temptation")? This track is still like old underground thrash, with enough fast parts, but fewer of SLAYER emerges.
The last song "Too good to rat" also reminds me of old SLAYER ("Hell awaits"), with some NIHILIST and other ooold rotten demo stuffs from the past... Not bad, but the opening song was better.
You probably noticed I quote SLAYER quite often in this review, maybe unreasonably… This might be due to the fact I listen to fewer and fewer thrash metal, and my knowledge of this genre tends to erase itself… (At least it could remind you old old zines from the 80’s when every bands sounded like Slayer AhAh)
This tape could be a nice demo for underground freaks who are a lot into morbid thrash/ very early Death metal... It's not the brutal gangbang yet, and every songs aren't as nice as the first one, but when I hear this first track I imagine SLUGGARD could turn into a cool project in the future.
Email: thesluggard(a)hotmail.com

SNAGG (Usa) Play faster Demo CD. 2022. Self-released.
I was browsing Youtube and searching for grindcore demos, then I saw one described as "Drum'n bass grindcore" and started imagining a crazy mix of electronic jungle/ drum'n bass/ techno beats with extreme guitars, screams and blastbeats (Perhaps like Ahumado Granujo, but with more electronics)... But then I listened, and this was only a very first degree description of the sound "Drum & bass grindcore": Understand played a regular way with only a drum kit and a bass guitar... So I felt a bit perplexed, and went searching for something else in the grind world...
I'm now listening to another band, it's the demo of SNAGG from Houston/ Texas which plays underground and noisy grindcore the old way. It reminds me of very early SUBLIME CADAVERIC DECOMPOSITION (First demos… Without the gore vocals), DESECRATOR (Fra)'s old demos, with a bit of early NYCTOPHOBIC (Before the albums) and a bit of early grind NAPALM DEATH's live bootlegs.
The recording is quite raw & noisy, which gave a noisegrind feeling of old noisegrind ANALCUNT... But in fact the music has more to do with old 90's underground grind, perhaps with a little of powerviolence.
This is pretty decent stuff you would have enjoyed to check out in your old noisy cassette walkman in the 90's. I guess it could work for some grinders in 2023.
https://snagg.bandcamp.com

SNARLER (Can) Stubborn Demo tape. 2020. SORDID BIN Recs.
Do you need a massive kick in the ass? Then SNARLER might satisfy your needs.
This band brutalizes "Power violence/ Grind/ Fast hardcore" in the rehearsal rooms of Halifax/ Canada... Well, to my hears they sound more like grindcore, with more seldom touches of PV/HC here & there, because it's not as rawly produced & screamy as usual Power "Flower violence" (Hum, where's the morbid florist?). Ok, this doesn't bother me: You hear fast, short songs, with angry vocals, a good portion of real blast-beats, and few touches of crust, HC, sludgey HC...
The drums are quite present in the mix, it's cool: This and the quite "heavy" snare sound gives the whole a taste of old grindcore/ death grind.
It reminds me of old BLOCKHEADS, MASSIVE CHARGE (Fra), perhaps old INHUME (For the brutality, there's no gore here) and perhaps very early NYCTOPHOBIC (Before the albums).
Well, perhaps the music is a little too hardcore or sludgey for me sometimes (Only a little), and I must confess I have been more listening to the quite ferocious drummer than the riffs itselves, so I can't really judge on all the riffings AhAh.
Well, not bad, not bad. This is quite brutal and blasting stuffs. This would probably be great to check out SNARLER live in a local bar, but unfortunately there are currently no gigs...
https://snarler.bandcamp.com

SNUFFED OUT (Usa) Ep 2020. Tape. MORBID AND MISERABLE Recs.
Are you snuffing glue while watching sniff movies?
Are you telling me to stop reversing words?
Enuff is Enuff?
SNUFFED OUT is a nice and new grind band from Michigan/ Usa.
Their songs are quite old school, in the sense it reminds me the old days of the style... But in fact the musick isn't pure grind, I'd rather describe the snuff as a mix of old grind and crustcore parts (There are also a few death metal riffs here & there).
Perhaps it's time to stuff the snuff with a list of name-stuffing: I hear some early NAPALM DEATH (Rather "F.E.T.O"), FIEND (Usa), maybe DEBONED (Canada) or perhaps old INHUME (Minus the gore... And it's not as violent).
Personally I would prefer to hear more blastbeats in the style, but this is stuffed how it is snuffed.
This is a nice and neat Ep in the style, might please fans of grind and fastcore.
GxLxUxEx OUTSIDE.
https://snuffedout.bandcamp.com

SODOMY (Usa) Dead space Ep. 2024. Digital. Self-released.
EXTERMINATION OF BENEVOLENCE!
PISS AND VOMIT ON THE UNNATURALLY BRIGHT AND SHINY!
TILL ONLY THE UGLY REMAINS!

What you have here is underground death metal in a quite ugly and old school manner.
While I felt some old AUTOPSY cracking the skull and dripping in this bowel, I also heard some old GRAVE crepitating in the perforated stomach, and some remains of early ENTOMBED (First Lp) are also punching the stomachs of the maggots. For some reasons, some fast parts remind me of REPULSION (The dbeat drums is what I have in mind, and perhaps some "sick" riffs).
Some readers will say to themselves: This looks like a quite very old school and repulsive "cryptic menu"... But you also can find touches of old "grind" and early brutal death on the later songs (A track at the end really tastes like Cannibal Corpse's first album)... But this remains old influences anyway ahah.
It seems this Ep was recorded "Live" in their cavern & I dig it: You can feel more energy than on these semi-mainstream plastic superproductions of boredom (HAIL THE PUTRID BOWEL!).
Now I have teased and tasted the worms from the front, from behind, and in every holes, it's time to somewhat criticize the whole: This isn't very original music, this is very much in the style of the old school bands I quoted (and I don't blame them for that... These are bands I enjoy!), I also feel the first half of the Ep is better while the second half is perhaps not as "Straight to the corpse" (Or not as energetic).
Anyway, if you're a fan of underground death metal you might/ could/ will enjoy the energy & heaviness of SODOMY!
TILL ONLY THE UGLIEST REMAINS!
https://sodomy408.bandcamp.com

SOIL OF IGNORANCE (Canada Dry) Grindwinter Demo tape. 2012. Self-released.
This is quite kicking shit, dude.
S.O.I. plays old school grindcore in a way I like, with influences of old NAPALM DEATH (Steer/ Dorian era), not sold old REGURGITATE (Minus the gore) for grinding examples, and a bit more "modern" influences for very short blast parts.
There's a good dose of fast grinding moments, some quite motivated dbeat drums and a few other rhythms.
I don't hear all the riffs so well because of the quite raw (But still brutal/ heavy enough) production, but I like the straight to the point structures, brutal breaks and the drums that can be quite kicking.
***Wait a minute, bandcamp has problems to stream the following song... Will you fuckers stop downloading on Saturday morning and let me review by streaming??***
This is regular old school grind, but done with some energy and aggression, so I can dig the UPS express corpse package.
You can download it for free, so insert your penis in the slot and press the "CUT" button!
http://soilofignorance.bandcamp.com

SOUL EROSION (Usa) Demo 2024. Digital. Self-released.
This band isn't the french SOUL EROSION that released only a MCD in 2001, and might be remembered only by underground death metal fans... This new SOUL EROSION is a project from California, Usa, and their music is influenced by old death metal waves.
Their songs clearly have 90's influences, but maybe the music isn't as totally old school as you'd expect: It takes both from early Floridian DM, from some old technical death of the old days, with touches of a more evil death metal, and perhaps even remains of early "brutal death"... So this isn't "pure old fashioned thrashing death".
I appreciate the 90's spirit that comes out from some of the music, there are cool parts and nice ideas at the level of the guitars, but my opinion about the whole remains unclear: Perhaps there's a bit too much of guitar knitting by moments, or perhaps the cavernous vocals tend to be monotonous? I'm not sure yet...
I know some readers will start to wonder if I'm writing a bad review, but it's not the case, things aren't black or white. Here some riffs have a cool 90's vibe of "death metal relief", I found nice moments to sound like early 90's technical death (We called it "Techno death" in France back then), but I'm not sticking to the whole...
After taking a bit of distance, I think I found what that bothered me: This might be the fact the bass guitar is quite loud in the mix, and makes the guitars quite "unclear" sounding (This idea is quite surprising to me since I used to be a bassist, and never thought about a bass guitar to be too loud ahah... But that might be it).
Anyway, to try and conclude more clearly, I think SOUL DEVOURER is a project that could please some 90's death metal fans who aren't against some old "technical" parts, but that can also improve some aspects of their music to bring more pleasure to the listeners.
Let more peoples enter the pleasure dome :)
https://soulerosion.bandcamp.com

SPASTICUS (Ita) Horror, chaos, death MCD. 2021. NECROLATRY Recs.
As the morbid bowels keep on exploding, the sounds of the crepitating & macerating cadavers we rejoice. In filth, crass, and dismantled body parts.
The town of Palermo is known for its ham (“Jambon” in French), but I hope the guys of this new band don’t work in this food industry (Or gore surprises might appear in your dish AhAh).
This first Ep contains pretty cool old school death in an early 90’s manner. It reminds me of early AUTOPSY (Vocals & heaviness), DR SHRINKER (Fast parts), old NECROPHAGIA (First album “Season of the dead” only), or a bit of DEATH (“Leprosy” or the first one), with a few blastbeats kinda in the ATROCITY (Usa) grind spirit. I also felt perhaps a bit of very early CANNIBAL CORPSE (First album, for some gore or sense of absurdity)... SPASTICUS doesn’t necessarily provide the same level of juicy greatness than the bands quoted before, but I dig their early 90’s atmosphere and spirit.
I also like the quite “heavy” guitar production and quite “fat” snare drum.
Now perhaps some riffs are a little too simple for my necro-libidinal needs sometimes, but the musicians seem to be pretty “young”, so they have the time to let the chunks of the dead macerate in parasitic frenzy. This is a quite cool band to follow for fans of 90’s Death metal/ Death metal/ Death grind.
MACERATE. PENETRATE. CREPITATE.
https://spasticus.bandcamp.com

SPERMOGOAT (Ecuador) Impure goat worship Demo tape. 2022. ARS FUNEBRIS/ EVIL PREVAILZ/ HELLAWAITS/ METAL IS THE LAW Recs.
SPERM OF GOAT!
NUCLEAR INFILTRATION OF DEVILISH SEMEN,
RIGHT IN YOUR FILTHY ENTRAILS!
PREPARE TO HEADBANG IN ALCOHOLIK FRENZY!

The second demo of this Ecuadorean band is quite old school, so I have to plug the elder crackling tape player to enhance the necro/ retro experience!
Their style is old school black thrash, with elements of old black metal and “black death”, the whole in the 80’s/ very early 90’s tradition(s).
Reading the band name you might imagine an orgy of bestial blastbeats, but most of the rhythms are thrashing… And it doesn’t displease my metallic hears!
The music reminds me of a cocktail between the first SARCOFAGO album (“Inri”… For the spirit), some very early evil SODOM (“In the sign of evil”), the very “metal” riffs of DEATH INVOKER (Especially from the tape I released), the most thrashing parts of old ABSU (Perhaps less “technical”), then also perhaps some old DESASTER (Ger) or some SARAM (This is the deep underground touch)...
I also happened to think about the old MARDUK “Live in Germania” album for the most thrashing parts, but maybe it has more to do with the production than the music itself.
The first two tracks (And metallic intro) sound great, this is quite catchy and punching stuff. Then there’s also a bonus song recorded live, the production is “deafer” but remains ok (This song has a stronger 90’s BM vibe).
This is a quite great sounding demo, for fans of thrashing and spiked blackened METAL. Now, shut the mouth and swallow…
The SPERMOGOAT!
https://www.facebook.com/Spermogoat

SPESIMIN (Usa) Born in the crypt Demo tape. 2021. NECROLATRY Recs.
One zombie, two zombies, three zombies, dancing the one-legged decapitated dance,
in the womb.
This 3-legged outfit from Pen(i)sylvania plays pretty nice old school death metal with influences of thrash.
The early aural approach gave me an impression of a quite very necro thrashing death à la early DEATH (First Lp), AUTOPSY or NIHILIST... But with a more careful listening you hear more influences of old thrash metal from the 80's popping up (I think about old NUCLEAR ASSAULT, EXODUS' first album, or maybe even DARK ANGEL's first Lp... The third and fourth songs are perhaps the most thrashing on a matter of riffs, but it always comes with DM vocals and a quite uglier sound/ atmosphere).
Sometimes it feels like a motorheadish touch is here and could remember of ENTOMBED ("Uprising"), but that's perhaps partly due to the quite present overdriven bass guitar.
Small portions of very early PESTILENCE's acid guitars and old MASTER (Early 90's punching stuffs) also made an appearance in my morning porridge.
Ok, zombie saliva slurpers, this demo is not the big revelation of the year (2021), but it's still pretty cool to absorb and might embalm the decrepited remains of old, quite ugly death and thrash metal fans.
https://spesimin.bandcamp.com

SPEWTILATOR (Usa) Thrash N Splash Demo tape. 2010. SKULLFUCKING METAL Recs.
Spewtilator is a strange name... If you read it with the abstract delirium in mind, it sounds like "VOMIT VENTILATOR! The mighty ventilator that throws puke in everyone's face!"... Uh?
So is the music sick? It begins in a nice splashing manner: Motivated thrash metal with appearances of short citron crushing blasts, and death grind attacks with deep vocals that make it disjoncted like old EXHUMED! This first track is short and it kicks.
The following songs are less compressed and pulp splashing, it's more along a classical thrash metal manner with touches of death and death grind, yet with something quite fucked in mind (Compared to regular thrash). It still has the quite "strange" screamy vocals and deeper vox, and it's ok underground stuff, but I feel less sickness to press the fucking citron until total pulp explosion. So SPEWTILATOR has shown their abilities to exhume the pulp, let's see how they evolve in the fucked future.
http://www.myspace.com/spewtilator

SPIRITUAL HOLOCAUST (Fin) Salute the death MCD. 2010. Self-released.
I'm not sure if this demo arrived at the best address... This is rather mid-paced Death metal, tending to something quite doomy... And I'm not a fan of this Death metal that remains mid-paced with quite a lot of double kicks...
This could remind of some BOLT THROWER ("IVth crusade" or "...For victory") meets old SIX FEET UNDER with a touch of BENEDICTION ("Grind bastard"), some GOREFEST (Between the second and third album), and some more epic "doomy" guitars that could seem like they try to reproduce SLUGATHOR's second album...  Some quite "tortured guitars" and riffs in the depressive genre have more to do with indus metal or dark metal (Especially the second part of the demo) and might be more appealing than when they try to be closer to Death metal...
You will regularly think about thrash metal at the corner of a riff or a vocal part, it might feel a bit strange in the middle of other "darker" parts, it could remind of old SLAYER ("Divine intervention" maybe) or eventually some TESTAMENT, SEPULTURA ("Chaos AD")... This might not be a surprise since most of these guys played in a thrash/ death band for years.
You will also hear a few parts to be faster: A riff in the first song sounds like Finnish DEPRAVITY (A shame it comes with a shitty blast) while another one almost comes with blasting drums, but accelerations aren't numerous.
In the biography they sent, influences of Morbid Angel, Nile, Vader, Bloodbath, Decapitated and Hate eternal were quoted... But I don't see many common point (Except for a few riffs to be linked to MORBID ANGEL or some old BLOODBATH to appear...), the music is generally slower, less complex/ technical and also less energetic...
Some riffs are quite nice (And even cool), especially in the most "depressive" moments, but I globally find it to be lacking of energy (And sometimes to be generic)
Some fans of doom death (Or not too savage older Death metal) might find it cool, but my personal feeling is: On one hand if they want to evolve into pure Death metal, I will need more depths and energy to be thrilled, on the other hand if they choose to follow the more depressive path of the last two songs,
I could be more inspired.
http://www.myspace.com/spiritualholocaustfin

SPORAE AUTEM YUGGOTH (Chile) The plague of the aeons Demo tape. 2020. NECROLATRY Recs.
I have no clue what the name of this band means in reality, but I imagine this could likely be a toxic flesh-devouring bacteria hiding in the ugliest mushrooms of the Chilean darkest forests... Or perhaps this is an invocation to an early incarnation of Cthulhu...
Anyway, the music of this Chilean band from Santiago isn't that abstract... What you hear is nice sounding old school death/ doom that reminds me of very early PARADISE LOST (First and second albums), very early MY DYING BRIDE (The first death-metallic Eps, as well as the first four albums... Depending on the songs). I also heard a bit of the Russian band BLACK FOREST (The "Sadness" album from 1999).
Here you can find a cool gloomy atmosphere, some guitars that can be epic, monolithic or more tortuous, then some nice death growls from the re-opened coffin...
In fact some songs have a seriously death-metallic approach (A la "Lost paradise") while others are a bit more melodic and sorrowful. Sometimes the band can also be a little more "progressive" (For more worked guitar parts) or somewhat "aerial", but globally the music remains into the classical death doom approach.
This first demo tape comes with interesting moments, I enjoy the atmosphere, but it also contains less interesting parts... SPORAE AUTEM YUGGOTH clearly has doomy (And death metallic) qualities, but I'm not really thrilled to death.
Anyway, this cassette could please fans of the 90's death doom atmosphere, and especially those whose minds remain stuck on the early recordings of PARADISE LOST and MY DYING BRIDE, in a just little more underground way.
https://sporaeautemyuggoth.bandcamp.com

STATE COLLAPSE (Swe) "Gothenburg rape" Demo CDr. 2008.
Sweden is not only about the current retro stuff. Even though "Gothenburg rape" could let you think STATE COLLAPSE plays anti-melodic morbid death metal, you're wrong because what I hear is more brutal! Something between blasting death and brutal Death metal, with quite a lot of blasts, double kicks and more undelicate tortures during the alive autopsy...
Some riffs have an almost grindcore, right in the face approach with quite a lot of blasts and double nutt-kickings, some are a little more technical or along the bruta-bruta way, while some have a little more "old school" approach and tend to be more along the "obscure" way; And there are groovy parts (You know these quite corish grooves some beer metallers like to deny) but it's packed with gutturals and keeps a brutal death approach so I see no complain.
Do you want some brutalizalike names? No you don't want comparisons, because it has became so common in reviews, but I will quote these anyway: SOILS OF FATE, SUFFOCATION ("Despise the sun"), current PYREXIA, old MISERY INDEX, a little of DEVOURMENT (In the quite drowning heavier stuffs), and also elements of mid old MORBID ANGEL or stuffs like mid old MALEVOLENT CREATION (But the Pyrexia quote could have been enough) and maybe a little of IMMOLATION (Yes the guitars doesn't sound clear or plastic, and in some blasts it's quite obscure)
I appreciate the band didn't follow the "We're so morbid we didn't learn to play our instruments" little trend as they have a decent level, it occurs to be quite nice and kicking in drum-patterns for example.
STATE COLLAPSE didn't redefine the brutal death style every 30 seconds (Are you joking?), but this demo is quite well packed and sounds quite kicking. Those who like the genre and have half of their brain trapped in the underground might want to offer themselves a nice fist fucking! Don't hesitate, it's quite cheap, and your anus will remember the pours of blood.
http://www.myspace.com/statecollapseband

STENCHED (Mexico) Gorging on mephitic rot Demo CD 2023. TEMPLUM OBSCENUM Recs.
RAISE UP THE ROTTING CORPSE.
Here's a cool/ very cool new project dripping the remains in the obscurish death metal style, with fast parts à la AUTOPSY, slower doomy moments that doesn't sound unlike FOSSILIZATION/ DISMA... And more body parts (Whose flavors I will describe later).
I was going to say "You know the obscure deal", but it feels like there are a bit more old school DM moments (And a little more of early gore/ goregrind) than in your usual portions of obscure cavern cake.
The production is quite good: Quite obscure and dark, yet easily listenable & round enough.
Sometimes some slow/ mid-paced abruptish moments sound a bit like BAPHOMET (Usa), some fast thrashing/ dbeat drummings remind me of old EXHUMED (The split with Hemdale), some doomier parts might sound closer to MORTA SKULD's first album (Which was different & more old school than later releases), and there are indeed remains of very old CARCASS at the corner of a couple of riffs.
Perhaps one could feel a lack of "power" in the drumming during some blasts, but that remains ok & these aren't numerous.
Musically STENCHED isn't that original, but remains putridly attractive and different enough from what we usually get from the obscure cavern.
This is a very cool demo with some great moments from here & there, and it has chances to please fans of old school and obscure Death metal...
RAISE UP THE ROTTING CORPSE!
https://stenched.bandcamp.com

STINKER (Usa) Demo 2021. Digital. Self-released.
"All the way from Tampa Florida, OBITUARY..."
Hmm, no, perhaps I should stop listening to old death metal CDs before writing reviews...
STINKER is an old school crust punk band, and they actually come from Los Angeles, California.
Their style is simple crust stuff in the way of old DISRUPT, STATE OF FEAR, some EXTREME NOISE TERROR ("Retrobution") and a bit of DOOM (The band).
The production is a bit sloppy, but it sounds cool for a demo the old way (It has more bass frequencies, same than when demos were recorded with a 4 track cassette recorder... For this reason they sound a bit like old AGATHOCLES without blastbeats (Uh, perhaps I should listen more to the music than the sound?))
This is classical stuff in the style, with some fast beats'n riffs, and some slower parts also.
(Well, how could you get "true" old crust punk an original way? If you add industrial noise or Chinese traditional themes, it's not "true crust punk" anymore... So let's keep it simple and right to the crumb (Of the bread)).
Ok, this demo doesn't sound over the top (Of the pile of rotting corpses), but there's nothing wrong sounding in the style, and it's even cool to pile up bricks! It's a quite encouraging first release and could please fans of the style… Let’s finish with a crusty slogan: “EAT THE CRUMB, NOT THE CRUST! (Or both)”
https://stinkercrust.bandcamp.com

STOCKFEEDER (Can) Merciless skull bashing Demo tape. 2011. SKULLFUCKING METAL Recs.
Well, I have left this tape sleeping under a pile of other rancid cassettes for a couple of years... But maybe I shouldn't have!
This is pretty cool gore grindcore with short songs. This sounds a bit like mid old DEAD INFECTION but with a somewhat "noisecore" touch (Due to the length of tracks). Perhaps it also tastes a bit like early NYCTOPHOBIC (Before the albums) for some brutality in the playing or rawness in the production... Then, I also think about ooold HAEMORRHAGE for some of the vocals, for the not "so serious" side... (But vomitwise you also have some regular gore, some liquid stuffs, and others…)
Quite abrasive production, decent music... Your penis loves the meat mixer!
This was my short review.
https://stockfeeder.bandcamp.com

STREET TOMBS (Usa) Rip the abyss Demo 2021. Digital. Self-released.
Rip the abyss, or the abyss will rip you. Brrr.
Here's another pretty new OSDM band, they previously released two demos in 2018 and 2020 but I didn't hear about it. This newer recording is a digital release and contains two songs.
The first one "Mortal curse" provides cool old school death metal in the traditional way of DEATH ("Leprosy"), old BENEDICTION, or MASSACRE. There's also some BOLT THROWER during more epic themes or for a war spirit... This is a very cool and quite well made song.
The second track "RIP the abyss" begins in a different manner, more based on mid-paced heaviness à la old GRAVE or old ASPHYX, and then comes back to a faster DM style (With a bit more of Scandinavian spirit (I hear some old UNLEASHED)). There's also a nice kinda "desperate" lead à la old MORGOTH.
The music of the band might seem simple, but you can hear nice details on playing tricks or structures, it kinda "re-energizes the dead".
This release contains two cool/ very cool songs in the style. This is not extreme or super aggressive, but death metal isn't always meant to be so. This morbid carnal duet is rather destined to those who are into a nostalgic trip or enjoy simple old death metal.
The abyss is now quite satisfied, and can go to rest in its giant bed of ruins and destructed old castles' stones.
https://streettombs.bandcamp.com

SUBCUT (Bra) Humanidade = genocidio Demo CDr.
Grindcore that rather comes with influences of the old style (Early NAPALM DEATH) but packed in a quite screamy way (Think Power violence), with some mid-placed HC influences. The quite noisy aspect assorted with screams could remind of old ANAL CUNT, while the freshness reminds me of HUTT's first CD.
This is quite compressed and motivated grindcore/ powerviolence, not bad on a matter of structures and energy... But I miss something heavy and resonating (Obese grind? Hu!) or hammering to split my head in half. A bit more blasts wouldn't displease me. Big underground fans of the style might dig it, especially during fukked pit blastures.
BLASTURBATION! THE DAILY BREAD OF STARVING NATIONS!
http://www.subcutgrindcore.com.br

SUFFERANCE (Australia) For the madness beyond MCD. 2021. BITTER LOSS Recs.
From endless death, to a journey towards beyond.
Once the never-ending resumption of demise will cease, you will finally embrace your final death.
Sufferance is a new death metal band from Victoria (Australia) that plays a style of death metal to be very influenced by the 90's American genre, somewhere between the old "satanic" style and a more death thrashing approach.
If you unfold the old parchment of hidden mysteries, you could read the following lines:
Think about MORBID ANGEL ("Domination"), old DEICIDE ("Once upon the cross") or ANGEL CORPSE ("Exterminate"), mixed with some MALEVOLENT CREATION (The 90's albums), some old MORTA SKULD (For heavier parts), with DEATH ("Leprosy") or DEMOLITION HAMMER ("Tortured existence) in more death thrash parts.
The first band names that appear in the parchment might let you imagine this release sounds quite infernal and filled with blasts, but the drums are quite varied: There's a nice amount of "thrashing" beats, and mid paced moments appear quite regularly... When the drummer blasts it takes a taste of SUFFOCATION (Effigy) because of kick & snare at the same time.
At the level of guitars, I hear some nice sounding morbid "polyphonies" à la Trey Azagtoth and the somewhat "Domination" feeling is present on a part of the riffs. Then another part of the guitars takes a more "death thrash" approach, and few moments are even quite "groovy" (Not unlike old Malevolent creation of old Resurrection (Usa)).
The production is somewhat morissoundish, which is alright for this style.
I hear some nice things & moods at the level of guitars, but everything isn't perfect yet composition-wize... I also feel the content sounds a bit too "relaxed" and not totally destructive by moments, perhaps it's due to the amount of mid-paced parts or the fact the production sounds a little too "muffled"? I didn't decide yet, my crucifix compass has lost the north and keeps on turning, but it's not a problem for a fan of 90's death metal.
This is a pretty sweet first demo in the style, not infernally groundbreaking, but this tastes from pleasant to very pleasant.
(NB: Big underground freaks might like to read one of the guitarists used to play in AMELUS which had a demo tape released by TILL YOU FUKKIN BLEED Recs).
https://sufferance1.bandcamp.com

SUFFERING SIGHTS (Chile) Existential realism Demo tape. 2019. Rereleased 2022. NEKRASSIOUS Tapes.
Due to the amount of death metal bands emerging from the bowels of Santiago, Chile, I'm starting to wonder if this town isn't actually a country in itself! Some peoples are talking about Chilean metal, but shouldn't we speak about Santiago Death metal? Uh.
Here you have the first demo of a pretty young band that offers a very old school death metal, that almost tends to thrash by moments.
The listening sessions reminded me of very early PESTILENCE (First album only, for some thrashing, some "acid" guitars" and a kinda burning atmosphere), early POSSESSED (First album only), and early SEPULTURA (Rather "Schizophrenia" I would say) for the most parts... Then I also heard some ooold PROTECTOR, or a bit of INCUBUS (Florida), and perhaps a bit of early DARK ANGEL (First album, but I said perhaps)... I think you got the death/ thrashing point.
(Almost personal quote: There are cool bass-lines to appear here & there).
Their riffings are not the most original ones, sometimes it could be a bit more developed, but this tape was the first recording of a pretty young band apparently... And it's not devoid of qualities: There is a good thrashing intensity, some cool riffs, some good atmospheres here & there...
I believe SUFFERING SIGHTS is a band that can still develop, but their music is quite promising and could please fans of deaththrashing metal! OLD SCHOOL DEATH/ MORBID LIFE.
(Ps: I think their moniker stand for "VISIONS OF SUFFERING")
Band: https://sufferingsights.bandcamp.com
Label: https://nekrassioustapes.bandcamp.com

SUICIDAL PREACHER (Usa) Skill to kill Demo 2023. Digital. Self-released.
I guess this demo will please only the big underground fans of old styled death thrash, but it doesn't matter since this webzine isn't about mainstream metal (Neither "Mainstream underground" AhAh).
The music of Suicidal Preacher is quite cool/ ripping sounding old death metal à la early DEATH (Scream bloody gore), with some very old PESTILENCE (Maybe rather the demos?), perhaps a bit of early OBITUARY, with more old American death thrash from the beginnings...
What makes this demo particularly underground is the production: It's probably a live or rehearsal recording, which is quite raw but remains enjoyable if you can deal with quite rough cemeterial audio captures.
Musically speaking there's no surprise, the songs were composed in the old way, but there's some energy and the tracks are pleasant to hear. The "screamed" vocals à la early Death/ Pestilence add something. Notice there's a Death "Torn to pieces" cover inside.
The band is located in San Diego/ California, so it would probably turn into a very nice gig if you visit these local bars at the right moment...
https://suicidalpreacher.bandcamp.com

SULPHUROUS (Denmark) Demo XII Tape. Serpent Pulse Recs.
This new Danish band plays Death metal in an old fashion, but contrary to many new projects their style has no influence from Swedish death, they are closer to end 80's/ beginning 90's dark satanic genres, and their music is also faster even if slower moments regularly appear.
There's something from old MORBID ANGEL in the tremolo riffs, leads, and some atmospheres (I'm rather quoting the recordings before "Altars of madness"), with some moments that could remind the nice heavier ENCABULOS (The "Dark divinity" Demo 98), some INCANTATION (Not in the most doomy manner), something of Gene Palubicki's guitar-riffing
(I would rather quote Blasphemic Cruelty than Angel Corpse which is too brutal for a comparison, even if the first is too thrashy), a bit of BLOODY SIGN (Around the first album), the whole with a quite "bloody" atmosphere with a dark red color.
There's also something of an "occult" black death touch in the atmosphere and few riffs, an impression that's quite strongly enhanced by the quite dark vocals closer to (Roughly) old Incantation/ Vasaeleth,
I think it wouldn't particularly feel this way if it was only for the music.
If I had to choose between those two songs, I would prefer the first one: It is faster and globally contains riffs that sound more "convinced"/ "inspired from the inside".
While some tremolo riffs are quite interesting and some leads sound nice, I find some guitars to be a bit easy in the black/ death genre,
and everything isn't focused on the inverted cross.
For a first demo it's not bad, it contains an atmosphere and shows some underground qualities that might develop into something conveying more blood resonance.
Scourge the autochthons, for more blood shall be served upon the altar.
http://sulphurous.bandcamp.com

SUMMONER (Usa) Demo 2021. CD. Self-released.
BRAINLESS MUSIC FOR BRAINLESS PEOPLES.
No, you livid worm-licker, this isn't Zombie Metal, but brutal death a quite decapitated way.
These five songs sound like the old brutality of SUFFOCATION ("Effigy of he forgotten"), with groovy beats à la REPUDILATION (Demo 96), some typical US Brutality from end 90's/ early 00's, or perhaps touches of early DISGORGE (Mex) in a couple of riffs, and a little of MORBID ANGEL to close the jar of corpse marmalade.
Sometimes the playing tends a bit to the slow dripping grooves DEVOURMENT had, but these "beat downs" are only an element of the whole... Globally this is rhythmically varied.
This is quite well made brutality the American way, the way I knew it 15-20 years ago...
Quite cool to listen to, nothing wrong sounding, and it's even well produced in the style.
Now I couldn't guarantee if your hooked-and-nailed body parts will crepitate in frenzy, because: 1) I don't listen to a lot of brutal death anymore. 2) I have listened to so much of brutal death at one time that the novelty effect can't be resurrected. 3) So many stuffs have already been done in the style...
But those who dig this kind of brewtality might be interested. https://summonerdeathmetal.bandcamp.com

SUPERSTITION (Usa) Promo MMXVIII Tape. 2018. Self-released.
FUMES OF REACTIVATED SUBTERRANEAN NECROPHILIA,
EMANATING FROM THE GROUNDS AT FULL NIGHT,
YEARS OLD REJECTED PULSIONS OF DEATH,
AND ABILITIES TO PREDICT THE FUTURE, THROUGH THE ENTRAILS OF THE DEAD.

This pretty new band from New Mexico/ Usa plays old school death metal in a quite satanic early 90's manner.
While listening to the two songs, I heard metallic similarities with the first DEICIDE album (As well as the AMON days, well it's the same songs), the early MORBID ANGEL recordings (Rather "Altars of madness", even if the music isn't as violent), then I also found a bit of the first IMMOLATION album here & there (Rather for some drum-playing) and also thought about the first CENTURIAN demo/ MCD (Even if the music isn't that much based on blasts here).
On this tape, you can find a quite balanced portion of rhythms: Some fast parts, some mid-paced... This isn't the most extreme sounding demo, perhaps the musicians are rather about setting up an atmosphere.
The music also remembered me of the old Swiss band AMON (The "Shemhamforash" CD from 1995), but this is a so obscure (Forgotten) outfit that I might have kept this quote for myself.
SUPERSTITION doesn't provide the most epileptic kind of satanic death, but some riffs are quite good in terms of "evil sounding", and some guitars sound a bit more elaborated than usual in the "devilish" genre... Then other riffs taste a bit common in my old dusty hears.
This tape sounds like a pretty good demo in the style, with some atmosphere & quite good riffs, but I also feel it lacks a bit of violence or crazy ideas sometimes.
https://superstitiondeath.bandcamp.com

SURVIVAL INSTINCT (Can) Fatal venin MCD. 2022. PERSONAL Recs.
A couple of years ago I got the first demo of this Canadian band in the distro, and now comes the time of the review... With a new release, of corpse! (I'm not so late with the reviewing process AhAh)
As far as my inner goat remembers, the style of the band didn't change that much: What they bang their heads to is old school thrash metal, with a somewhat crazy touch... (This said, perhaps an old 80's "speed" influence now takes more importance).
On a riffing point of view I hear some old German thrash (Destruction, Darkness, Kreator), some angrier and rawer riffs, plus a somewhat blackened/ black thrash touch. They also incorporate more "technical" guitars (In the speed thrash realm) that sound great... And fuck it! There are GREAT metal LEADS that open gates to another world (The spirit is close to later DEATH, or perhaps old KING DIAMOND).
I couldn't guarantee if Max Headroom would bang his head or react another way, while presenting these 5 songs, but anyway this is quite energetic and entertaining stuffs with some great moments (Some riffs, the leads!).
"Fatal venin" sounds better than their old demo I previously got... So if you dig the energetic thrashing of once: Insert their tape, or their CD, and push the METALLIZING button!
https://survivalinstinct.bandcamp.com

SYMPTOM (Usa) Descensus Morte Demo CDr. 2011. Self released.
The universe of this new band tastes as something interesting. The music is between doom metal and Death metal, but couldn't really be called "Death doom" as it goes a bit more in the extremes. The doom parts are closer to the funeral spirit of WINTER than anything "rocking", while the Death metal parts (Both fast and slow) taste closer to old INCANTATION, with seldom touches of more regular old school stuff. Very early MY DYING BRIDE could also be a decent comparison sometimes, both for some Death and doom. In the faster moments, they could sound like SANGUINEOUS but that wouldn't go so crazy on technicality and breaks... In fact it's less brutalizing, sometimes even a little occult or "experimental".
They aren't afraid to downtune their guitars, it creates nice low frequencies, and sounds a bit inhuman.
I found some really nice parts, while some were less inspiring (But sill edible).
This isn't really my kind of music since there's a bit too much of doom and suffocating funeral state of mind (I try to avoid having the head stuck in the cemetery for all the day, you know?)
Even if their music isn't perfect yet, it's quite interesting, with some good parts. According to the "let's release anything" fashion in the current underground Death metal world, I guess SYMPTOM wouldn't have too many problems to be released on a label, at worse a fast-food machinery such as Dark Descent.

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