CDs/LPsDEMOS - OLD STUFFS - FANZINES - GIGS
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OLD STUFFS:

OLD LPs:  A -> F  /  G -> L  /  M -> R  /  S -> Z

 

OLD DEMOS:  1980 -> 95 / 1996 -> 99

2000 -> 02 / 2003 -> 06

 
 

7TH NEMESIS (FRA) promo CD'02 Self released.
This is a new French extreme band mixing Brutal death and Black metal.
Some riffs are in the death black tremolo vein and some blasting or Death metal parts could make think about the first CRADLE OF FILTH Album (before they turn to crappy nonsense), while they own in my opinion a few melodic (and sometimes a bit heavy metal sounding) similarities with DECAMERON's only CD.
As a whole their music is composed of 50% Black metal and 50 % parts that are more in a Death metal kind of stuffs (with some tremolos obviously influenced by CANNIBAL CORPSE (Corpsegrinder epoch)).
A few touches of SACRAMENTUM's first CD for the black metal riffs that are the more melancholic sounding while remaining fast.
It sounds raw sometimes (some riffs with double bass drums aren't always very understandable), and I may notice a little bit of DEVILIUM for this point, mixed with some blasting moments.
Some strong classical American Brutal Death influences (CANNIBAL CORPSE = "Vile", SUFFOCATION and other more obscure but typical influences in this style).
There are storm like sounding tremolo riffs IMMORTAL used on their "Blizzard beast" CD for example. (This kind of riffs are also present on some EMPEROR albums (a few) and maybe on some ANGEL CORPSE releases). I may notice a few DYING FETUS touches for the high pitched (mixed in a groovy part) guitar notes FATE also used on their first full-length CD.
The tracks are by moment articulated in a nice way, and nothing in their music made me shit during the reviewing sessions (It may be  shitty to review some releases...).
As a whole, it seems to me the band has got somekind of an Extreme metal knowledge, and no riff sounds bad, but I found no real personal ideas and nothing that really branded my brain.
They can only improve but it's not bad for a beginning.
http://www.7thnemesis.fr.st

 

9TH PLAGUE (Swe) Spreading the satanic gospel Demo'02.
Here's the first demo of what I guess is a quite new band. The style is a brutal death grind in a rather old school way, it's influenced by old MORBID ANGEL, DEICIDE and I may speak about some old IMMOLATION in parts. Some hellish part doesn't sound too bad, and there seems to be a little burning mood here, but the riffs remain average and lack of catchiness. They remind me of ENCABULOS by moments. The drumming lacks of brutality in parts, as well as the last tracks that sound quite blurry. Their first track "Visions of an unknown god" sounds better than the other ones! They told me their new tracks are more intense; well I wouldn't be against the idea of listening to these.
In my opinion, this isn't very good... nor good, but 9TH PLAGUE isn't one of the worst bands in the style! I'd say it's between the average and very average.
http://www.angelfire.com/realm2/9thplague

 

ABSURD (RUS) Beyond the dawn promo'00.
Russian melodic death metal. I'm not into melodic death metal, I don't enjoy the best band in the style so you'll understand it'll be hard for me to do a review with an average band. I find these Russian sounding more than average because it's too much happy to have something to do with death metal! I'd rather call it melodic thrash/heavy, but there are fast parts. All the more the vocals totally sounds stupid! The drum's production sounds like a drum machine sound (Is there a drummer?) Adios Russian "melodic Thrashers"!

 

ABUSE (USA) Shit Demo'00.
Some of the heaviness and of the tremolo riffs on this Demo reminds me of EXHUMED, but there stuff is also in the American Brutal style of the thing. Some bands' music that could be nearer I can quote are SKINLESS and MORTAL DECAY ( 1st CD- for some of the special sounding riffs and some of the cool moments) plus some gory cynical aspects of old CARCASS meets EXHUMED ("Gore metal"), but the whole feeling I have is tight and brutal music played without a real feeling. There's a vicious side on some of their tunes that could make me think a bit about the MUCUPURULENT of the 1st CD; I feel some kind of groovy and a bit tribal viciousness/ perversion by moment that was used by KORN on their 1st CD and maybe SEPULTURA on "Roots" (for the tribal freedom/ cult obscure jungle dances) but here it's far more bizarre induced.
Some ripping riffs strongly insist and force yer brain to ripp yer chastity necklace and to perverse yer filthy juicy cunt to the gore!!
The vocals sometimes sound as being splitting in the water, this must be coz they use too many beers during the rehearsals, Ah ah ah!
This is an Ok Brutal demo. May be Ok for the big brutallers who still devour many demos, but those who need quality Brutal death metal with a real obscure and destructive feeling will pass their way..

 

ACT OF GODS (Fra) Dies Irae Demo'02.
This new french band includes previous members of the great and cult french Death metal band MUTILATED that released some demos and haunted the french Thrashy underground with it's pure Death metal some years ago!
So the guitarist and the drummer that were once a part of MUTILATED are back with a new band called ACT OF GODS, and their style is still totally into an old school Death metal! You'll find here some strong MORBID ANGEL influences (both old and new) for some old school Death/ Thrash riffings à la POSSESSED and chaotic like leads from hell!
The first track "Act of the insane" is the best one in my opinion, it includes a good gut tripping heavy and Brutal riff! And a quite interesting riff follows in the track...
They also own some elements of old VADER (for a few tremolo riffs), INSISION/ New MORBID ANGEL (for some low tuned obscure riffs) and there are some reminding elements of the old MUTILATED's style. As you can see it remains in the old school style, and it's rather well done!
This promo lets me think ACT OF GODS have got the potential to find a label and to record an album with some fucking good riffs! Check an interview of the band soon here!

vortexal@hotmail.com

  

AMOEBIC DYSENTERY (USA) Floaters and Sinkers CDr 00.
Ah ah ah!! They're supposed to play grindcore, but their riffs sounds rather like a black metal band. Only the gory pitched vocals are cool.
They're in the shit/gore noise delirium, if you're into this kind of anti music ideologies and productions, maybe it'll please yer filthy ears.
But in my hears: it sucks!

 

ANAEL (Fra) Page 04 Demo CD'02.
Their cover artwork is quite smooth and dark, I can say it doesn't displease me.
Now that I've put this 4 tracks demo CD in my Hi-Fi, I can hear that their style is very much metal influenced, from the classical metal style to some little heavy metal and few Death/ Thrash touches.
The indus influences here could be caracterized by the use of a drum machine that could make you think of some very old PITCH SHIFTER or old FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY mixed with some samples and mechanical riffs à la FEAR FACTORY ("Demanufacture").
Some choirs mixed with chorus like vocals evoked some KILLING JOKE ("Pandemonium") memories to my mind. There are a few more electroish parts that are cleaner or smother (with clear vocals) that could remind a bit of DEPECHE MODE. They also remind me a bit of SAMAEL (around 95-99) and maybe a bit of MOONSPELL ("Wolfheart"). They aslo use pianos and keyboards by moments. Notice a BURZUM cover is included.
I'm not a big fan of their style, and I haven't got a big knownledge of this kind of music, but nothing especially attracted my attention during the several listenings of this demo that sounds only tightly played and correctly constructed... some metals riffs sounded a bit cheap in my ears and I hadn't got a feeling of something new or great happening here!
Big fans of Indus meets electro, meets metal who collects thousands of demos and stuffs, check it?
http://www.anaelmusic.com

 

 

ANAX (Bra) Legion antichrist Demo CDr'01.
Brazil, Death metal, hidden crater of the moon.
The kind of music ANAX plays isn't surprising: blasting Death metal influenced by KRISIUN.
As well as a bunch of Brazilian bands they are not very good at another attempt to emulate the style of the Moyses brothers: they do not have the skills, or rage to do it a convincing way. So it often sounds flat and quite confused.
Now half of the readers have left, I must say the band name sounds strange... It would remind me of some medication against constipation. Ah ah!
(I kept the best putrid part for those who read my short reviews from A to Z).
Conclusion in farts and diarrhea: ANAX is very average, and unless they work hard like damned beasts, they surely won't perforate the assholes of many metallers.
http://www.anaxdivision.cjb.net

 

ANCESTRAL MALEDICTION (Bra) Demoniac holocaust Demo’02.
What you get here is some Black Death metal injected with rawness. It reminds me of IMMORTAL's "Blizzard bast" CD overall, and there are some very old MORBID ANGEL influences. The problem is the whole isn't always tight, there's a bit of confusion.
This is quite raw and fast stuff that could also remind of old ANGEL CORPSE, NAZXUL (Australia)  while some darker sounding riffs could go along the lines of some old IMMOLATION's recordings. Some Brazilian blasting as fuck touches are here (KRISIUN, OPHIOLATRY...).
Some quite discording old school sounding riffs reminds me of ARCKHON INFAUSTUS or  BESTIAL WARLUST.
The riffs seem technically Ok, decent amount of riffs, but nothing attracted my attention nor awake the stench of the old school, and the drummer sounds messy as he wants to do too much stuffs and looses the tightness! Some epic or remindable riffs are needed. Average demo stuff.

 

 

ANESTESIA (CZE) Satisfied promo’01 CEPHALIC.
This band plays a kind of Brutal metal mixing different styles such as Death metal, Hardcore, a few Power metal. With power metal like riffs à la MORGOTH (« Feel sorry... »), spoken voices in the vein of SUP (Fra)’s « The cube » CD and classical Thrash metal parts à la old SEPULTURA (« Arise ») (that I don’t like too much), this tape is a bit ecclectic.
There are mechanical riffs in the vein of NAPALM DEATH (current epoch) and a comparison with some HELMET’s stuffs may be adequate. A few FEAR FACTORY (« Demanufacture ») and MESSHUGGAH touches. Most of the vocals are in the hardcore/ screamed Nu metal way, but there are a few low Death vocals in the vein of BLOKHEADS’ CD’98. I may quote BRUTAL TRUTH (« Sounds of the animal... »), but I may as well not name them.
There are some few heavy death metal parts  à la CANNIBAL CORPSE that would make me think about SOILS OF FATE’s first demo and some nu metal is present for riffs. Some depressive discordant riffs à la HELMET/ NAPALM DEATH are used a bit. As a whole it’s Ok and correctly played and even if they  try to be original by including varied extreme metal influences (that is not a bad point) this promo remains common and unpersonnal! A personnal touch would be needed!
tom.cephalic@seznam.cz

  

ANOREXIA (Fra) And the vomiting continues... Demo CD'02.
Gore fucking metal! I finally can put a pounded to dust hear on this ANOREXIA Demo! The band plays an American styled Brutal death with a bunch of Death metal parts, but beware you little bastard of the 666 and signs of the horns, even if this is a quite cool Demo in my opinion, there's nothing new nor really killer: it remains a band strongly influenced by the piles of bowels they enjoy, and who does it correctly. Their music reminds me of some demos I received from America around 97-99.
The Brutal death parts remind me of very old CANNIBAL CORPSE, old DEICIDE, SUFFOCATION (Less technical)  and some moshy/ Groovy Brutal death bands like FLESHGRIND or CYANOSIS (R.I.P). The Death metal riffs sound like old DEATH as it is more melodic by moments.
The drummer has got some nice double kicks' rumbles and toms' breaks. The drum sound is a bit saturated, I like it, makes it sound heavier and more underground!
Of corpse there are some approximations and a bunch of stuffs that could be done more brutal (on the tracks structures for example).
To conclude, this is a cool demo that brings nothing new, but it's nicely done enough to please the Underground maniacs of Death metal Brutality who need it raw!
http://www.anorexia666.com

 

ASES (FRA) Relics from the past Demo MCD’01 Autoprod.
This is the first release I review through the net as the band had the good idea to put all the tracks of their release on a server and to enable the zines to download it by the use of a password.
This is Black metal that doesn't sounds funny. Vocals makes me think a bit about DARK FUNERAL on their 1st CD and MCD.
Some melodies reminding me of SACRAMENTUM ("Far away from the sun") and old EMPEROR ("In the nightside eclipse" and split CD w/ ENSLAVED).
They use a drum machine and for this reason they make me think about the band AZAGTOTH that released a CD in 1995, but they sound a bit better.
So you'll understand this is a quite melancholic kind of Black metal, nothing exceptionnal but it's nicely articulated and the whole songs hasn't got the same dynamic (Like DARKTHRONE, AAARGH, I'm going to be bashed!). Even if after two tracks I get bored, it's an OK band. I heard a track from their album that should be released very soon, the sound is more thin and high flying and it seems more basic in the vein of DARK FUNERAL, but it's only 1 track on an album...
http://www.geocities.com/hailases/
hailases@yahoo.com 

 

ATROCIOUS DEVOURED (FRA) Golden jail Demo CD'01.
This French band play a classical style of Death/ Grind with some screamy vocals (that aren't very far from ANGEL CORPSE in some throat scorching moments). I've found some DEICIDE touches ("Legion" - a bit satanic like riffs). The apocalyptic like leads sounds cool, but their riffs are classical as fuck, there are some parts I've the feeling I've heard a lot of times before!
Even if all is tightly played, I didn't find in the riffs anything that sounded unheard before in my hears (and it's written in the bio these guys are experimented musicians...).
Their sound is clear (and all is understandable) but lacks a bit in heaviness in my hears (but it's not a problem for a demo). I may speak about some bands like very old VADER (first demo), FALLEN CHRIST (without the technical side) to let you see this is a very old fashioned riffing style.
I'd have to listen to another of their releases to get a real opinion about their stuffs.
http://perso.infonie.fr/atrocious.dev

 

ATROPHIA (USA) Demo'02
The drum machine really sounds stupid and funny in this demo. What they play is happy melodic heavy/ black with a supposed little touch of melancholy. Even a ragefull 5 years old bastard would write more evil tunes. To conclude: I'll say this is not something for me.
http://www.geocities.com/Atrophia_0

 

ATROPHY (Fra) Demo CD’02.
This demo was fucking hard to find! It was almost impossible to get in touch with the band and nobody seemed to have this demo... Fucking sad as nobody seemed to have heard about ATROPHY. But hopefully a tape-trading maniac had this burning item of Death metal in his collection and he was able to do a hellish burning CDr!
What I have in my crushing speakers is an old school Death metal along the lies of early DEATH/ MASSACRE with softer death thrashing touches in the vein of the last DEATH releases. The tracks are correctly built and it sounds ok but... Ugh! I hoped for a bit more surprises! It's your correct old school death with not much new nor brutal surprises. Too convenient for me!
By moments they sound like early SIX FEET UNDER, mid old OBITUARY while some thrashing parts aren't so far from DEMOLITION HAMMER. ATROPHY also has some old CANNIBAL CORPSE touches, but it isn't much powerful. Some heavier moments sound like old JUNGLE ROT (Both grooves and heavier moments).
The production is quite clear and allright.
So, ATROPHY might be an okey band for old school Death metal supporters and local burning heads, but I expected more burning hate and an haunting Morbid spirit from a Death metal band!

 

BAEL (FRA) Ribaudes du Démon promo 2000.
This demo is divided in two chapters.
The band plays Black Metal in the vein of old DARKTHRONE and first BURZUM with a raw demo sound.
They can remind IMMORTAL at the time of their «  Pure Holocaust » album on some parts.
They’ve got some touches that may sound like old BATHORY and the vocals may sometimes remind me of BEHERIT’s first album.
I’ll say nothing bad about them as I’m not into breaking bands’ efforts anymore and I’m not too much into underground at this time.
You only have to know this is a pure underground band. So, for fans only !
C/O Bruno Jane, 335 Avenue Andre Malraux, 54600 Villers Les Nancy, France.
Email :
Bael@caramail.com

 

BALLS DEEP (Usa) Kissing balls Demo CDr'02.
According to their band name, I expected some kind of Goregrind or some lyrically gore music, but this isn't at all! BALLS DEEP plays some mid placed/ Heavy music that could be as a mix of heavy "groove" Death metal, heavy stoner and various styles in the new 'Hardcore' wave. Their music reminded me of old JUNGLE ROT, MESHUGGAH, MASTODON and eventually some old SKINLESS or CRO MAGS... but I haven't got a big knowledge of this kind of groovy heavy stuffs! There are some jazzy groovy like riffs. Some math-core parts could remind of DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN (without the blasts) but I'd rather quote HELMET.
There are lots of breaks and stuffs in their tracks... but it sounds 'demonstrative' in my ears! Too much calculated riffs and voluntary strange breaks are included to sound impressive! Some riffs are only average. Ok, there's a will to sound a bit different and some riffs doesn't sound bad, but it's too much to awake the primal instinct! More hooks are needed.
The band is tight and shows they can build correct tracks with many breaks, but now it's time to write really killer riffs and more flowing music to please and hook the listener with a burning feeling!
http://ballsdeep.iuma.com

  

BIRTH DECLINE (FRA) Post nuclear reign Demo MCD'02 Selfreleased.
I especially found their  Demo cover cool as I'm into watching/ doing artworks, some colors and the apocalyptic mood reminding me a bit of BRUTAL TRUTH's first CD cover. (It was done by a member of the band).
But let's talk about their music.
On their first Demo, BIRTH DECLINE reminds me of the INHUMATE of the "Grind your soul" Demo and "Internal life" CD for some tremolo riffs, some grinding beats and for some screams.
They also include some more technical touches à la old CANNIBAL CORPSE. Some mid tempo breaks/ riffs or doomy moments are in the very classical style some Death metal demos were offerings a few years ago. ( Remember DISTASTE, MY SOVEREIGN and DECREPIT ?).
I could say there is by moments somekind of a little heavy metal feeling in some riffs, and some little technical touches influenced by YNGWIE MALMSTEEM (yes, the lead guitarist has got a good technical level!), but we're talking about Death/ Grind here.
All were tightly played, but I find their tracks are a bit long (A death metallized lifting would make their music more efficient in my opinion). As a whole it's an Ok band I'd found cool to hear in the future (they may turn to something interesting).
birthdecline@hotmail.com

 

BLISS OF FLESH (Fra) Frozen ashes of labdacides Demo tape'01.
To fuck the angels deep in the underground! What kind of flat tasteless fuck can it be to penetrate this virgin skin and so cold unsavoured flesh! This so called "Holy" flesh that isn't even able to fuck!! Pure fucking shit! Brutal sex procures both holy and unholy deadly pleasures! Convenient, normal and lore-respectuous sex is flat, bestial orgies, sadism and spiked sodomies open the third demonic dimension! So get out of your so-called "holiness", jump from your high-flying cloud and face the real deal: Pure fucking death!! Even in hell you'll fuck like a damned! Infernal fucking merciless goat sodomy! Brutal sex is certain, life is not! Ah!
This forgotten demo is now played on my old tape recorder. What you hear is brutal black/ death coming from the northern lands of my suburb: the seas of desolation and utterly melancholic winters. BLISS OF FLESH's extreme metal was mostly structured around Black metal riffs à la IMMORTAL/ old MAYHEM with touches of old DISSECTION for melodic interludes, and some Death metal riffs tasting the burning flesh of old DEICIDE, old MORBID ANGEL and EXHUMATOR. This is screamed black metal vocals. The production was raw and rather low budget, but it reminds me of EXHUMATOR's Demo'94, which isn't bad, even if it's not always the coolest to hear the riffs during this good rehearsal like recording.
This demo didn't impress me much, expect for the fact it sounds brutal and some death metal riffs are compressed enough to fuck your skull! Some black metal riffs sound ok or cool... while some where cliché and quite misplaced. A shame there's some confusion in the playing, coz the musicians didn't seem to be low skilled. Anyway some guys of the band are also a part of VINGDAR or DEVIANT SURGEONS and they seem to already have more success with these other formations. So BLISS OF FLESH might turn to funeral dust. Average music with a raw production from the past. VINGDAR sounds better in my hears, so give a try to their black metallic first CD released on Sacral prods.

 

BLOCKHEADS (Fra)/ CEMENTERIO SHOW (Spa) Split live tape'02 VENDREDI 13.
The fucking BLOCKHEADS offers us 9 live tracks here! The sound is fucking not bad for a live recording and it blasts and punches all the long of their side (when it's not chaotic!). You certainly know them! Want some good grinding energy? Check this tape that also includes 2 fucking BLOCKHEADS' unreleased tracks!

CEMENTERIO SHOW comes from Spain and also offers some live tracks. The sound ain't very good and I don't understand the riffs most of the time. Their style is a Crustcore with a few grinding parts/ punk touches and screamy vocals. Nothing awaken my grinding energy here but I don't understand 90% of their riffs due to the sound...
contact Vendredi 13:
davids@weewee.scs-internet.fr

 

BLOOD BOIL (Hol) The art of flesh Demo'00.
Brutal death metal with a quite old school side for some midly fast or mid-placed influences. This reminds me of DISINFECT, DEICIDE (old), CANNIBAL CORPSE, ANOREXIA (Fra) and some 90's Death grind bands such as DETERIORATE ("Rotting in hell"). The sound on my copy is quite fucked up: some high and mid-low frequencies are overdriven... but after a while you're used to the livid texture of the vaginal skin and you hear eruptions from a burning bath of blood boil! That sounds crepitating! Nothing special or new (it's all ok or quite cool riffs in the style, but some were ever abused as old masochist whores), but a nice mood and some quite cool brutality are cerebrally possessing the molested corpse of gaysus haunting this demo! The guys seem to be quite young and even if their music isn't beerfect, they show enough antthusiasm to let us imagine(!) future brutal promises of flesh-ripping riffs. A full-length is supposed to be released soon. Good luck mothersnuffers!
http://www.bloodboil.nl

 

BLOODY SIGN (FRA) Primitive horde CDr'01 SELF RELEASED.
To define their style, I'd say it's a mix between wlo old school death metal, Black/ Death metal tremolo riffs and some more technical Brutal death touches. They play tremolo and heavy riffs à la SUFFOCATION, morbid sounding harmonies à la CANIBAL CORPSE, small technical touches à la NATRON (1st CD), basic/simple tremolo riffs à la old INCANTATION.
A riff with a discording harmony reminded me of mid old SINISTER.
There are stronger black metal influences on the 4th track.
I could also quote NATRON's 1st CD for the sound that lacks in power in my hears.
The Death Metal vocals makes me think a bit about Chris Barnes' ones ("The bleeding") but it's not as deep.
I've found a few nice ideas about the songs' structures. If they work on their tracks' structures to get more efficiency and if they include more surprises, it may be an interesting listening. Some more inner personnal ideas would be welcome. Not bad.
http://www.bloodysign.com/

 

BLOODY SIGN (Fra) Estonian Sessions Demo CD'02.
This french band is still in the old school style mixing old school Death metal with more primal 90's Black metal. The vocalist does the thing with guttural growls most of the time, and he owns some black metal touches by moments (screams à la ANGEL CORPSE for exemple).
None of their riffs left me an incredible feeling of war, but the whole is correctly done with quite cool ideas on tracks' construction.
Notice these tracks were recorded in Estonia while they did a little tour in these darkened lands (where Metal seems to be quite popular). The sound id better than on their previous Demo.
So BLOODY SIGN is in my opinion an honnest and coherent band.
http://www.bloodysign.com

 

BOWEL STEW (Ita) Demo 2002.
Tastes like some jumping pile of self-mocking gore! Like a big running green blob of putrid vicious nausea that fucks every human-hole available! Ah! The most goregrind parts of this demo sounds cool, not that it's really disjoncted or vomiting tons of rotten crass-underwears, but the goryfun sounds present. Some tracks in there sound really decent and quite attractive... when you don't expect BOWEL STEW to play 100% gore! Yep, in my hears B.S. plays it as much Goregrind than Death grind with good old early CANNIBAL CORPSE influences (the moshing way). The vocals follow this death-grinding pattern of aggression: it's rather usual death grind vocals, while a lack of disjoncted gore could be felt. Some riffs almost sound like old death grind from USA, and few influences seem to come from a very old past.
All in all, it's rather a cool sounding death grind demo with touches of variations sickness in the fields of gore than a really goregrind pieces of rotten human mocking perversion. Shame the blasts aren't that destructive because my left ball begins to jump and scream some 60's rock'n roll classics! More castrating blastfuck please! It's not bad and the fans of the style ever probably know this demo.
Notice there are few intros before each song; even if some of these sound cool, it's a bit too much and it wastes the energy of the whole... So it's a cool sounding demo that didn't turn my underwears inside out, but it remains cool after few listenings, so it might not be a bad investment for those who like it as brutal as their cock trapped in the washing machine or as gore as their dick visiting the mighty mangling meatgrinder.
http://www.bowelstew.ht.st

 

BRAINCHOKE (Uk) Metal clarity Demo'01.
I hardly remember some very Underground bands from England, only a few names such has EVOKE or MALEDICTION emerge from the ventral pile of possessed hemorrhages sand haunting demons...
Anyway BRAINCHOKE plays somekind of raw Death grind with core and Black metal touches. The music isn't technical, but quite simple with many blasts. The vocals are the first thing that quote my attention: it reminds me of the old death metal band VIOGRESSION (R.I.P) and there's an old OBITUARY touch in these screamed vocals that tend to scorched Grindcore screams.
Guitarwise, the band reminded me of HATEWAVE, MASTIC SCUM, EXIT 13 (Ethos musick era), DROGHEDA, old DEATH/ OBITUARY (for the Death metal touches) and the last BRUTAL TRUTH releases (less technical).
It's quite varied in the styles it uses, it's tight and quite nicely constructed, but I didn't hear the definitely catchy riff or blood-warming idea that makes it all! That's an Ok demo.
http://www.brainchoke.co.uk

 

BRUTUS (Hol) Promo 2001.
The Dutch bastards of BRUTUS play a Brutal Death Grind reminding me of old DEEDS OF FLESH, CANNIBAL CORPSE ("Butchered at birth"), old SUFFOCATION, SEVERE TORTURE, old ENCABULOS and some INTERNAL SUFFERING (For some quite obscure parts).
The whole is fast as it tends to blast almost all the time. Sounds like BRODEQUIN's fisrt album for this reason. Some diversity would make their tracks less monotonous, more dynamic and efficient. (In the Death metal style! It's possible, use more double bass drums and punching Death metal beats).
Anyway, the whole is tight with some technical touches, the whole seems correctly constructed even if more variations would be welcome.
The sound is a bit too low, but it's ok for a demo.
It reminds me some demos I received some years ago, such as the ones of DISGUST (Fra), ENCABULOS, APOCALYPTIC(Spa). There's nothing exceptional here, the 6 tracks dive in the same obscure waters. It might be an Ok demo and a quite cool band to support for big brutallers from Holland.
http://www.brutushakken.nl

 

BYATIS (Fra) Race of caïn Demo CD'01.
Sad news: I've heard some guys saying I was doing too much promo for the bands I take care of... I'm disappointed as a little bitch, so I'm going to stop everythings! This is the very last review of mine you read!...
Ah Ah Ah! Bullshits! How can a band evolve, progress and get a decent deal without a correct promo?? Stop touching yer anus and put your hands in the shit! This is the only way...
Here's the perfect example of a band that would have needed a promotional support until now! Apart from gigs, not much reviews and interviews circulated... Hopefully their first full-length CD will be released by SKULLFUCKED in 2003!
At the time of this demo, the band was playing complex and technical Brutal death that could remind of NILE, CANNIBAL CORPSE ("Vile) for some technical riffs, old MALEVOLENT CREATION on some mid placed and quite efficient riffs. A few breaks remind me of IMMORTAL ("At the heart of winter") for the blackish influences and some MORBID ANGEL was thrown in. Some melodies were thrown in the maelstrom, everywhere!
The lead guitarist owns a very good level! And some leads sound impressive!
The tracks on this demo weren't very enjoyable to listen to, sounded quite confused and lacked of tightness (might be due in part to the sound that makes it hard to understand the technical parts). But I've heard some of their newly recorded tracks and it sounds really better! All the more it's a very good live band! Their music gains all its power and intensity during gigs!
So I'm waiting for their first full-length I spoke a bit about before. I've got the feeling more than one riff will shred here!
http://www.byatis.fr.st   

 

CARNAL LUST (FRA) Prepare your soul Demo CD'02.
I expected something in a Brutal Death vein from them.
But in fact I'd rather speak of a mix of Black metal and Brutal Death to define their music.
There are typical and simple chord Black metal riffs, while some other black metal influences would be more melodic (in the vein of NECROMICON (SWE), or with quite cool and sorrow induced riffs à la SACRAMENTUM for exemple).
The more Brutal death like parts sound too much ever heard in my opinion, as it reminds me some CANNIBAL CORPSE at the "Vile" and "Gallery of suicide" epochs (but less technical) or follows too much the classical Death metal clichés. (Work more the Brutal/ Death metal parts!). I could also quote some little melodic Death parts à la DECAMERON or DETONATION (HOL) that would tend to touch some heavy metal realms by moments.
The vocals would be between DECAMERON and D.A.B's ones in my ears.
The whole if packaged in a quite clear and good sound (for a demo),
the tracks aren't badly articulated and tightly played and there are some cool melodic Black metal riffs (that would please some guys in the scene), but I expected something really more Brutal, intense and personnal from them!
They're searching for a label to release a full length CD, and I think they will find one as some french labels release some bands that are inferior to CARNAL LUST on a level of musical quality.
http://www.carnallust.fr.st

 

CARNAL REDEMPTION (Gre) The limits of persistance Demo'01.
The death/ Thrash (with blasts) style of the band sounds quite outdated in 2002 as they remind me some demos and Lps recorded around 94-97. They include a few blast parts here and there, but I found no real aggression or intensity in their stuff! And some melodic riffs sound a bit too nice for the style.
The vocals could remind me of old UNLEASHED that meets primal MASTER's recordings... they've got some tremolo riffs that could remind old KREATOR, old DEATH and maybe UNLEASHED... while other parts would be nearer of some MORBID ANGEL like stuffs. Some UNLEASHED influenced stuffs could remind me of JUNGLE ROT.
Something in the drum playing reminds me of D.B.C ("Dead brain cells" LP) and maybe some old HIRAX Lps.
Nothing more to say as it's an average demo that needs some time and work...  So, the bands needs to put more personality, inventivity and rage in its music to sound more convincing in 2002!
http://carnalredemption.cjb.net

 

CENSORED (Swi) Red Demo CD'01.
These Brutallers play a Death metal with Brutal death elements that makes me think a lot about CANNIBAL CORPSE's "The bleeding" and "Tomb of the mutilated", so you'll understand it's not very original stuffs. A good part of their riffs is very much into the '91-'93 Brutal Death style with morbid tremolos à la C.C., they're more based on the efficiency than on the very technical aspect.
They've got some old school thrashin' influences à la SLAYER (2nd and 3rd). They could make think also about the following bands: SOILS OF FATE (1st demo), MY SOVEREIGN (Fra - r.i.p)...
Between all their grunts à la Chris Barnes, they've got some cool screamy and scorched screams à la Martin Van Drunen (ASPHYX's 2nd LP and COMECON's "Convergring conspiracies")... It could be a pleasant listening for fans of Van Drunen who'd like to hear a bit how his vocals would sound into a Brutal death band.
To conclude, nothing is original at all in their style as I've got the feeling a lot of bands played this style before (and it may happen more and more with all the new C.C. influenced releases), but they're a tight band with nicely articulated tracks and may be a cool formation to support for extreme metallers from their suburb/ country.
http://www.censored.ch

 

CEREBRAL NECROSE (Fra) Civil obedience Demo CDr'01.
The sound if this 1st album is clear and quite good for a french band (and as it seems to be selfproduced).
Their tracks are most of all composed of Brutal Death metal, but the length of the songs is quite short (less than 2 minutes). They own some technical riffs reminding me of BROKEN HOPE, some classical morbid sounding tremolo riffs à la CANNIBAL CORPSE and some Death metal tremolo riffs à la old INHUMATE for exemple. Maybe some DISGUST could be quoted for the technical side or some old DEEDS OF FLESH meets DYING FETUS...
The whole is tighly played, but I think it was only composed to sound Brutal. I mean I found no personnal ideas or deep crushing emotional riffs that would blow my head and make of them a new Apocalyptic revelation!
So, it can be a cool band for french underground supporters who are 200% into it, but something lacks for me now. I would have been quite enthusiastic with these tracks If I received it on a demo tape around 97-98 though...
http://membres.lycos.fr/evilbiker

 

COALITION (BEL) Darkness knights Demo'02.
This Death metal band hailing from belgium plays a kind of quite slow style many bands avoid nowadays to get always more technical, complex and brutal. (More bands played this kind of stuffs years ago...)
I could name BOLT THROWER's "4 th crusade" (for the slow parts with epic influenced riffs) and "Realms of chaos " (For the faster riffs influenced by SLAYER, not the Death/Grind like riffs of the Uk cult Death metal band). I've found some slower Death metal riffs à la CANNIBAL CORPSE ("Vile"), and there's may be small hardcore touches in some breaks. As a whole this is a band playing mostly mid placed Death metal tunes, which is tightly played... but I found nothing enthusiasting nor new here, I could even say it was kind of boring to me as I've ever heard a lot of bands playing this style before (and with real ideas). Anyway, this is just my opinion and if you like BOLT THROWER's new albums (for exemple), maybe you won't dislike COALITION...
http://www.coalition.be.tf

 

COFFIN TEXTS (Usa) Gods of Creation, Death & Afterlife Demo'00.
Emerging from the fucking tomb, the coffin texts viciously invade your consciousness and pervert the so-called "right" way of thinking! Perversion through old school Death metal impurity, rejoice in sulfuric fuming entrails, explosing necrosis, gruesome rejoicing, ancient obscure human beliefs reborn! This demo smells and ancient Death metal reborn through the rotten energy of the undead! It's mostly heavy and mid placed with somekind of satanic viciousness that brutally opens the grave of old IMMOLATION. Old school Death metal with some blasts that reminds me of old INFAMY, VITAL REMAINS ("Forever underground"), FALLEN CHRIST (Vocals and blasphemies), old DEMIGOD (for the Doom), AMON (Switzerland). Satanic occult melodies that awake the endlessly dormant and revive the burning flesh.
Notice two covers: one from the first SLAYER LP, and another one from BLACK SABBATH's "Born again" LP ("Disturbing the priest off").
I've just learnt this demo was recorded in 1995 and only released the year 2000 for obscure reasons, that's probably why I prefer their following demo that has a bunch of more blasts and impure energy! But this can be a cool demo for fans of ancient occult Death metal!
http://www.deathmetal.com/coffin

 

COUNCIL OF THE FALLEN (Usa) Council of the fallen Demo'02.
Here's a new amercian band with some ex BROKEN HOPE members.
Their style is Death/ Grind with Black metal touches in the riffs and for some high pitched vocals (that doesn't sound the best!)
They got a good drummer that owns good blasts, nice breaks and variations placed at the right moment, but their riffs are too common! For the first track It's just classical Death Grind that reminds me of MALEVOLENT CREATION (especially on "The fine art of murder") ... the following stuffs becomes more melodic Black metal that lacks in fucking strength, I've just ever heard these riffs so many times before in old MARDUK and NECROMICON's stuffs...
So the first track is okey, the drummer is quite interesting all along the thing... but the little nice promises of the first track are fastly betrayed when you listen to the other ones that seriously bores me! They will need to be more difficult with their compositions if they want to release a decent demo!
More blood and tears in your riffs!!!
http://www.councilofthefallen.com

 

COLD WORLD (Usa) The shadows Demo CD'02.
As I'm swimming between two seas, one being hope and the other one named despair... I awake from my vast thoughts of infinite and nothingness as I see another demo that has to be reviewed materializing itself right in front of my nebulous eyes!
This time it's not a men's world but a cold world since this demo has nothing to do with Brutal Death and Grindcore, it's along the Indus Metal style. It seems to be a one-man project.
Their music makes me think about old PITCH SHIFTER, and they cover the track "triad" of the same band.
By moments they remind me a bit of the very few I know of RAMMSTEIN.
I may speak a bit about GODFLESH here, but I'd rather speak about PITCH SHIFTER since COLD WORLD's music isn't so destructed and crushed... In my eyes it's nearer of "Submit" and "Streetcleaner" than anything else.
In  my opinion it lacks some moments of total dementia, depression or even totally crushed guitars to be more than very average.
Well, the whole is tight and nothing sucks, but nothing attracted my attention or was a highlight. So it's very average.
http://www.mp3.com/coldworld

 

CRANIAL INCISORED (INDONESIA) My sperm in vain Demo CDr'02.
It's not always easy to review some stuffs you don't specially enjoy!
In this case, these Indonesian Brutal Death/ Goregrinders play a style I'd qualify as unmemoralbe (+ average), but it's just my own way of understanding their stuff! I could compare their quite complex music to the French Brutal Death/Grind band DESECRATOR as the tracks are articulated in a quite common way and as the Goregrind growly vocals aren't so different. Perhaps a band like DIKTAT (Another french one) may be a nice comparison with CRANIAL INCISORED, but I don't know if all the readers know these obscure underground French bands... Anyway, if you dig complex goregrind that's underground (both for the sound and the style), not always understandable, and if you aren't addicted to the well done and memorable brutality only, why not?
http://www.geocities.com/incisored

 

CYANIDE (SWE) Promo 2001.
It begins with some bizarre sounding Thrash metal riffs alterning with more athmospheric parts including  synths, and then appear some touches of heavy metal  (that's not sounding old in fact, it's more in some DREAM THEATER's kind of heaviness). 50% of the style remains in some Thrash metal fields influenced by AT THE GATES (last album) for the melodic thrashin' side, but there's a good amount of heavy/ sorrowfull leads (one may compare the leads on the 3rd song to mid old PARADISE LOST). The lead guitarist has got a good technical level.
The tracks' compositions and structures are quite classical as I found no real surprise ( verse - chorus - verse - break - verse...). They've got a correct sound here.
I think some guys may find some parts cool (as some metal heads may consider it as being a bit catchy) and maybe refreshing, but it didn't do that much to me.
http://www.cyanide.nu

 

DAMAGE DIGITAL(Jap)/ BASTARBATION (JAP) Split Tape'00.
The A side sounds Ok as DAMAGE DIGITAL is Grindcrust band emergind from the Hardcore scene (according to the high pitched and nasal screams and to the HxCx vocals).
More than 70% of their riffs on this side are fucking discordant and it can annoy the listener!
But they also add varied riffs ranging from Crust to HxCx and alternative rock (with a few technical Death riffings in few moments).
They may be seen as if KHANATE or NUCLEAR DEATH decided to play Grind/ Crust.
The B side of this Tape is only pure electronic shit noises or overdriven to Death ununderstandable grind tracks. BASTARBATION is even worst than NO PAST.
There are no fucking experiments here (that would be understandable for some Industrial Noise projects...) and everyone can do this shit by linking an overdrive effect on the line out of it's HiFi sytem while playing any Grind release. Fuck this shit!!
If you bought any BASTARBATION release after reading this review, you consciously sodomized yourself!
hmw@mint.freemail.ne.jp

  

DEATHBOOT (SWE) Ballcrusher promo CD'02.
There are vocals sung in the vein of old ENTOMBED but we're not speaking about the gorgeous emanation of Lars Goran Petrov that were sometimes hellish. I've felt some old ENTOMBED (1st CD) meets DISMEMBER (all times), but also some small grinding touches à la old HAEMORRHAGE meets a bit of BLOOD(GER) epoch '98 for the guitar playing. There's also a bit of old SLAYER's "Reign in blood" "CD and "Ditto head" track for some vocals... But the stuffs ound quite hesitating to me. Their structures doesn't have much impact, even if I heard worse... Well it remains ok, but...
The sound was produced to remind you a bit of the swedish "Thomas Skogsberg" works. For some reasons they remind me some bands such as CARTILLAGE or ALTAR (not the Dutch band) that released LPs around 91. Their riffs sounds hesitating in my ears.
As a whole, I found nothing special here. This is in my opinion the kind of band that's cool for gigs but you wouldn't listen much at home.
http://www.entombed.com/deathboot.htm

 

DEATH BY DAWN (Ger) Demo'01.
The guest appearance of Martin Van Drunnen (Ex PESTILENCE-ASPHYX-COMECON for the newcomers) as vocalist made me shake out this demo.
The band plays a kind of heavy death à la old SIX FEET UNDER, MUCUPURULENT (most Death rockin' parts of their 2nd CD), JUNGLE ROT (a bit of their 1st CD "Slaughter the weak) with some Hardcore influences. And it's very common music to me.
The sound is cool, but their music doesn't impress me.
Cheezy cover. It can be a nice "one or two times listenings" demo for the big PESTILENCE/ ASPHYX fans. The others will take another beer.
http://www.death-by-dawn.de

  

DEATHFROST (Austria) Demo CD'02.
AAARGH!!!
This demo reminds me the very first stuffs I recorded on my tape recorded when I was playing guitar for like 6 months.
They use a fucking bontempi keyboard for their drum parts and a few "evil" keyboards, and sorry to say so, but it sounds fucking laughable and cliché in my ears. It lacks of fucking heaviness and the riffs are fucking flat!
So, I'd advice them to work more on their music and to wait a few years before sending demos to zines. I may sound rude on this review, but there are so many demos circulating a beginning band should wait... to release something at least decent. This one only gives me the need to dance an evil "Dance des canards" (French "traditional" dance) Ah ah!!
Good luck.
http://nav.to/deathfrost

 

DECENT (FRA) As Wolves Of Stone Spread Their Wings Demo MCD'02.
DECENT is a new Death metal band from France reminding me the demo BESTIAL WARLUST recorded before their second album "Blood and Valour", but anyway the vocals aren't as Bestial even if it sounds a bit the same way the Australian War metal band used to on their first album.
So it's a Death/ Black metal that's is quite raw and includes an old school touch, most of it is fast and includes some old School Thrashy Death metal riffs here and there (old SLAYER, old DEATH).
Of course there are some (old) MORBID ANGEL influences at the level of some riffings (both for  death/ thrash riffings and (few) heavier moments, but I found no real hellish leads here).
I may also notice a small old SADISTIK EXEKUTION ("The magus") touch and some classical American Brutal Death influences (for some tremolos and a bit more technical riffs, but there are no mosh or groovy moments here). I may also quote the first ANGEL CORPSE album "Hammer of godz" for the Black/ Death aspect of some riffings. I think some actual bands are really more aggressive and their music sounds a bit old fashioned to me, but it may be a cool band to support for those who enjoy raw and simple Australian like Death/ Black (and it seems to me not so many bands play this style in France). For a first demo, this is cool! eh eh...
http://www.decent.fr.fm/

 

DECHE CHARGE (Can) Complete 7 vinyl collection CDr'02.
Stupid unwanted piece of total shit!!
It's pure distorted noise that's only able to deeply make me shit!!
I don't give an horse shit about this 24 tracks of noise!
Their name fit so well to their stupid and annoying shit! Even ANAL CUNT sounds great compared to this incredibly poor, lobotomized and absolutely useless band!
Fuck Deche charge, fuck noise bands!
Fuck this way of seing the underground as a musical trash can!!

 

DECOMPOSED CRANIUM (Austria) Fucked up but alive Demo'CD 02.
Classical Death metal that reminds me a lot of SIX FEET UNDER's 2 first releases and old OBITUARY CDs as most of their stuffs are mid placed.
There are a bunch of faster parts (Death metal beats and blasting drums). Their sound lacks in heaviness as it sounds like a clear demo (for this reason, it reminds me of DISASTROUS MURMUR's "Rhapsodies in red" LP. The drummer also have got a quite similar beating style). There's also some Thrash metal touches in the guitar riffs.
I found no highlights heres, for me DECOMPOSED CRANIUM remains a very common band that offers nothing more than all the average Underground Death metal bands that has and that will exist. They own a very average cover with this release, and their 0,5 US$ logo doesn't help them...
Put some real pieces of your heart in your music, or I'll never remind yer riffs! lol...
http://www.alkgrind.x15.org

 

DEFORMED (POL) Everything is a fun torture Demo CD'02.
After a quite long intro composed of various samples and somekind of and heavy industrial riff begins this promo.
Well, their music could be hardly described, it sounds like a mix of bizarre Death metal with a grinding drum machine and some samples.
Unfortunately their music reminds me nothing more than some other electronic Death grind "Wanna create a band" projects, and their riffs are very simple! By moments they try to write original riffs but nothing is convincing, it's just very average and full of notes that go nowhere! Music shall come from the inside! There are some heavier riffs along the lines of bands like GODFLESH but nothing special!
The inside of the booklet reminds me of PITCH SHIFTER's "submit" MCD for the fact each track is linked to an image and a short summary.
Not to say it sucks,  but some riffs are too fucking simple and cliché! What's this shit? Do they want to run another feel good grind shitcore fun band? The vocals are screamed or grunts, it's distorted for the lower ones. Some high pitched vocals sound quite stupid! The lower ones makes too much noise to be efficient and understandable.
Even if it could sound a bit more "serious" than other "Grind" projects, I found nothing that would distinguish them from other very very average electronic Death grind projects. Not to say it sucks.
Nothing expressive nor worth the listening in my opinion! It rather sounds like some joke stuffs I did years ago with my drum machine than anything else!
http://www.deformed.metal.pl

  

DEITY OF CARNIFICATION (Por) Most impious summonings of chaos Demo tape 2001. LUCI Prod.
Mutant abominations sodomizing the priest,
with his own crooked cross!
The unholy blood of impurity and a thousand lives of perversion will flow from the shredded veins of the liar.
Ill-enthroned symbol of purity.
Revenge of the banished deviancy.
The style of the obscure deity crepitates the way of early SUFFOCATION, with some hints of early PYREXIA, and anti-ecclesiastic accelerations à la early DEICIDE. Crepitating claustrophobic necroharmonies of the undead! (For those who remember the deaf resonances of "Effigy of the forgotten" 's heaviness).
I also feel a common carnal link with NATRON's demo entitled "A taste of blood".
There are some problems of tightness, but all in all that sounds allright.
I must say there's nothing new, or really killer, and the deafened heavy production is in a quite high part responsible of the listening pleasure  (Vibrations of morbidity! Few current producers can achieve this with their technologies! Ah Ah... Over produced doesn't mean increased listening pleasure! Morbid vibrations and unwanted crepitating discordances (of your crappy grave) have always been a part of the underground obscurity!) but DEITY OF CARNIFICATION sounds like a nice dripping (old) SUFFOCATION clone, with many riffs, enough changes and cool unlogical themes of the bleeding.
All in all, it's an average release, but also a bloody nice tape for big fans of this claustrophobic Brutal death obscurity.
Notice the band still seems to be active! I'm curious to hear if they maintained this style.

 

DEMISOR(Indo)/ EXTREME DECAY (Indo) GRINDFUCKER Split tape 2002 GRIND KONRR Recs.
After an intro that seems to come from a traditional Turkish film begins the side of DEMISOR.
The Indonesian bastards play Grind Hardcore with Crust touches. They remind me of S.O.B and BLOCKHEADS while some NAPALM DEATH and HIATUS (Bel) could be quoted in parts.
Some parts are a bit messed up, the whole remains just Ok. It lacks the fucking crushing aggressiveness! I mean it sounds like a less impressive version (!) of some old S.O.B releases, quite outdated.
It's Ok stuff for a few listenings but nothing more!

EXTREME DECAY also comes from Indonesia, but I couldn't say much good words about their music. I think it sounds too nice for a Grindcore band! More aggression is needed! Sounds rather like a punk/ melodic band that switches to blasts in parts. They also remind me of S.O.B among others but they have nothing to do with the musical extremity S.O.B once had!
http://www.geocities.com/demisor87/home.html

 

DEMONICATION (Pol) Damaged sound formula Demo CD'02.
This is the second DEMONICATION I know and the word 'Demon" was used very much before (Demoniac, Demonolatry, Demon, Demion, Demon hunter, Angry demon...) so it's not very personal!
The band plays a Death/ Grind that's quite old school in the style, influenced by old MORBID ANGEL. Some fast moments remind me of KRISIUN ("Black force domain") while some riffs sound a bit like SINISTER on "Aggressive measures" (less technical) for example.
Some DEICIDE influences may be named on some Heavier parts, as well as on the 4th track that's a slower one (and reminds me a bit of ENCABULOS). There are tapping guitars à la CANNIBAL CORPSE.
It lacks of tightness in the riffings, and the drums' lines are too linear.
Some riffs are too simple and common! Some more life and Death is needed here! Some work on tracks' structures would be needed!
I can play it, it remains Ok, but it's also quite flat and nothing is memoriff!
The last words written in the book of the dead will be it's not too bad, but it would need a serious bash of rage and energy! I may come with the time, but it's never too soon to say them so!
http://demonication.metal.pl

 

DENY LIFE (Fra) Marching towards decline Demo CD'02.
Here's a quite new french band that's nearer of the Hardcore/ Deathcore thing than from the Extreme metal scene.
Some riffs are more in the thrashcore/ Hardcore vein while a few arpeggios sounded a bit "Gothic power" like (KILLING JOKE or MORGOTH "Feel sorry..."). The sound of the cymbal especially lacks of power and "splach" as it sounds fucking high flying.
Some tracks' structures would deserve more work, the drums' Grind parts aren't also of the more efficient! Why not adding some Crust parts on the riffs that were used with a Grindpart before?
Notice a Napalm Death's "The kill" cover that needs to be worked and perfected to match 35% of the intensity and efficiency of the 1st and 2nd NAPALM DEATH line up!
It attracted my attention only because I know one of the guys in the band, to be honnest I think their music on this release isn't better than the very average and common demos I receive. As most of the bands releasing demos they are rather tight and have some tracks to play, but as most of the demos released there is nothing that would make me listen to it again...
It seems to me the guy are more influenced (and know the style) than deeply expressive and creative!
If sie wollen eine schone Review lesen, du must Schnell Arbeiten!
(Send all German language corrections here: gabsk@wanadoo.fr)
guillot@hotmail.com

 

DESENSITISED (HOL) Promo MCD 2001 SELF RELEASED.
What we have here is a release of the ex CATAFALQUE band that may be a bit familiar to those of you putrid readers who know a lot of all times underground stuffs. I remember I exchanged classical mails with them around 1998...  
In my ears what they play sounds influenced by BLOOD DUSTER (mostly for the drum sound that’s good but also for some blasting grind moments).
To let you define in yer little metallized bound head what DESENSITISED plays, I could also quote NYCTOPHOBIC’s last CD, some old NAPALM DEATH for Crust parts and touches of old CARCASS for gory elements.
For some mid placed and bizarre gory fun reasons they remind me of MUCUPURULENT and IMMURED (An old German Heavy goregrind band that released Demos and Eps around ‘96-‘97)... I've found some nice riffs here or there, but a bunch of their stuffs are average or too 'easy riffs' if you see what I mean! It's a pro CD!
There are melodic Death metal touches that could make think a bit of KADATH (GER)’s « Tales of gruesome fate » MCD and some more thrashing melodic aspects could make one fall into an old darkened remembrance of INCUBUS’s « Serpent temptation » CD (’94 rerelease). The production is Ok: quite powerfull and totally earable.
As a whole this 3 tracks MCD sounds Ok, but it’s quite short ( 6 :18 minutes ) and I found nothing new, memorable, or simply good that would make me listen to their stuffs more.
http://listen.to/desensitised

 

DETHRONED (Usa) Promo 2002.
Here's a new Brutal death grind band who have in their camps the EXCOMMUNION vocalist/ guitarist. The style is meant to be satanic Death grind with 'epic' riffs. This is almost always fast in the lines of CENTURIAN, old MORBID ANGEL, KRISIUN and some old DEICIDE. The vocals are in some satanic death metal fields, while some parts remind me of DIVINE RAPTURE.
A bunch of the blasts are too fast for me (à la old Brutal truth). On a technical point of view it's Ok: fast drummer with a bunch of double bass drums, compressed tremolo guitar parts, deep enough death metal vocals. But the riffs weren't pushed over the top of the technically Ok satanic death grind average riffs: more deepness from hell and frenetic epic memorabilia are needed to write timeless tracks that please more than the devoted fans who hail any decent Death grind band! There are few some quite nice ideas here (some little jazzy drumming touches, few guitar parts) but it's not enough coz most of their riffs are common in the overabused tremolo Death metal riffing... Even if I felt some energy in these tracks, the riffs didn't turn me on... It's above the average, but it remains average as their music wasn't branded in my brain with inquisitionist witch-branding burning iron!
http://dethroned666.cjb.net

 

DETHRONER (Chile) Demo'02.
After some kind of technodeath theme and a riff that could remind SPAWN OF POSSESSION, this demo turns into somekind of Brutal death being very similar to "some" of the last CANNIBAL CORPSE releases! Both for the kind of "morbid" sounding riffs, the drum-playing, the way the riffs are chained and bound to the flesh, and for a good powerful production. All in all, this is a very Cannibal corpse influenced Brutal death band (with few technical touches) that sounds very professional. Some touches of DEATH ("Sounds of perseverance") and mid old MORBID ANGEL ("Domination" - some leads and midly heavy riffs) can be felt. The vocals would rather sound like Tucker than Corpsegrinder.
No riff sounds shitty and some brutal heaviness can be felt, but there's nothing bloody new nor bloody inspired.
So I could advice DETHRONER to the big Brutal death fans who like it brutal, quite heavy, and who aren't tired with Cannibal Corpse's never-ending attempts to record the same album. It might be a good live band if they've a good stage presence. Professional as fuck and enjoyable, but musically average and in need of more personality.
http://www.dethroner.cl

  

DEVILISH ERA(Fra)/ ZAGHURIM(Fra) SPLIT CDr'02.
Devilish Era is somekind of Black metal with more melodic sorrow like riffs, with a drum machine and a few experimental parts à la BEHERIT (last releases). Some synths parts ounds like very old CURE.
The riffs sound very common in my ears. It reminds me of bands like AZAGTOTH, mid old DIMMU BURGER or others... I'm not that much into Black metal but I didn't find it good. For me it just sound very average and way too much melodic for a Black metal band (it's what they clame to be!).

Zaghurim is just experimental samples with quite Metal/ Black metal riffs... and more electro rythms + Black metal vocals. But nothing stands out at all or nothing sounds like it would be pleasant as it's just very very average stuff. I can't find anything good here. It reminds me some melodic Black metal stuffs I tried to write at my very first months of guitar playing.
lordnag@hotmail.com

  

DIABOLICAL MESSIAH (Chile) Diabolical messiah Demo'02.
Ah! This sounds like some ancient war black metal from Brazil: SARCOFAGO! This review would need to be written in Portuguese to be efficiently old school, but it's impossible for me. This demo sounds like some cleaner form of ancient war black metal with early Death metal the satanic way of the unholy word: Sounds like a nice demo mix of SARCOFAGO, early MORBID ANGEL, few BESTIAL WARLSUT. One could hear some early DEICIDE influences, back in the time when they used the unholy monicker AMON! The vocals are old Death metal growls. No more quotes, you probably got the point, you lazy beer drinker. All in all, a quite decent Demo that might please the younger fans of the Satanic Death metal and war black metal forms of humanity destroying kinds of metal, but some mistakes and weaknesses are there as well! Just a quite decent demo with needed improvements towards the originality (!) and the drum playing (by moments). The DIABOLICAL MESSIAH needs to search for his own personality so that he might reveal us some hidden in the battle-fog sarcastic anthems of apocalypse. Until then, humanity ain't destroyed!

 

DISAVOWED (Usa) Point of few Demo’00.
First recording under their new name (they used NOCTURNAL SILENCE before), DISAVOWED were ever sounding very much Brutal death and professional! Hyper fast blasting technical Brutal death metal à la old SUFFOCATION! The vocals damn reminds me the ones of Frank Mullen on "Effigy of the forgotten"!
Under suffocated Heavy Death metal brutality I remind some old head banging brutal moments on the mighty "Butchered at birth"! Some old DEICIDE, and riffs à la GORGUTS (not their melodic parts). Quite common riffs in the SUFFO style, but it doesn't sound bad.
Many of the bands reincremating their arses in the suffocation mould took only the fastest or hyper heavy elements of old SUFFOCATION; in the case of DISAVOWED you get a strongly influenced synthesis that takes from the whole elements of the style (Not only blasts, or hyper heavy riffs, but also mid placed obscure heavy crushingness...). This demo may sound more SUFFOCATION like than their last full-length CD "Perceptive deception". Powerful production, correctly done tracks with no real approximations. When I hear this demo and take in consideration the average level of quality of these last years' pro releases, it seems to me logical the band would find a deal later.
There was nothing original as it was totally in the style of the bands mentioned before, and nothing really killer, but it has what is needed to be a cool demo for U.S Brutal death maniacs!
http://disavowed.hypermart.net

  

DIVINE RAPTURE (USA) Promo CD'02.
What we have here is fast Brutal Death/ Grind with a strong presence of some melodic riffs.
There are MORBIS ANGEL influences for some leads, but it sounds less apocalyptic and a bit more melodic. (It's more ranging in the way of "Domination"'s "luxurious" and dominating sounding riffs).
For the high potched tremolo riffing melodies, I could quote a mix of old CANNIBAL CORPSE meets old BRUTALITY and MORBID ANGEL (Last albums).
There are good drumming parts totally in the style of Dave Culross (for some toms' breaks and for the blasting grind style).
A few ATROCITY meets ATHEIST elements for little technical guitar breaks can be quoted, but it isn't representative of their style.
By moments, their way of mixing Brutal death and more melodic/ technical Death metal reminds me of ANATA's 1st CD.
As a bonus track, there's a correctly played MORBID ANGEL cover and it fits well to the remaining of their music. It shows how Trey Azagtoth's formation was an influence on their music.
The fans of MORBID ANGEL who enjoy American styled Death metal and who aren't against some melodic and technical touches will find some interest in DIVINE RAPTURE as it's a totally serious and pro band! The marks of inspiration and an undenyable strength are here! :).

 

DUNGORTHEB (Fra) Demo CD'01.
I would define their style as technical Death metal with some melodic touches and some Techno Death metal elements influenced parts and leads ( à la PESTILENCE "Sphere").
Vocals sounds a bit like LOUDBLAST, INCANTATION and AMON (The band that released the "Shemhamforash" CD....).
Thrashing Death metal riffs à la DEATH (last releases) with some Heavy metal riffs and breaks sounding like what Chuck and King Diamond did.
They remind me of ESQUARIAL (Pol) for their most melodic parts.
A few grinding Death parts sounded like some old SINISTER.
It doesn't sound bad, and the musicians are as always tight and quite technical (the lead guitarist is very fast, and quite impressive), but after 2 tracks their riffs sounded all the same... to be honnest only the technical side of the guitarist impressed me as the riffs are more or less in the DEATH style without anything special, no genius ideas nor creations emerging from their innerselves...
This isn't a band I could stand behind for more than a while, supporting them for thousands of hours as it doesn't procure me the mighty thrills of Death, nor a powerfull metal energy!
Big fans of DEATH and technical Death metal can find a pleasant band to support here, but there is nothing exceptional here!
jean_marc.werly@club-internet.fr

 

DUNKELHEIM (Ger) Skulpas Svarte Troner Demo'02.
Imagine teenage fans of NIRVANA and GREENDAY trying to sound evil with an ultimately lame nonsense guitar, and a bored looser hitting a snare drum as if he was in a drunken brass band! Purely week improvisation shitted as white and tasteless excrements by 13 years old wankers who have absolutely no musical ability nor understanding. There's absolutely no riff, no rhythm and nothing that could be vaguely called 'music" in this pure piece of shit! So why the fuck is there a release? Musical motives aren't here for sure! Behind this consumer mocking crap lies childish arrogance, sterile masturbation and a strongly flat and empty existence! Fucking get a life!!
One should have absolutely no respect and consideration for metal to release this hardly describable absolute crap! This kind of crap is the real plague of the underground! Any teenage who runs this kind of crappy project and sells his excrements should be radically hand cut and violently executed on the altar of white ships! Avoid this piece of crap at all costs! I rarely heard so shitty "releases"! Mark: Fucking 0/100!!

  

DWELLING MADNESS (USA) Demo'02.
This quite new Brutal american Death metal band composed in part of ex PESSIMIST members plays............. Brutal Death metal!!
Even if the style has been played by a lot of bands and isn't so "fresh" anymore, DWELLING MADNESS can be cool for the big fans.
You've certainly understood you must expect nothing more than Brutal, technical and complex Death metal in the vein of PYAEMIA, DEEDS OF FLESH, SUFFOCATION, BROKEN HOPE and co here...
Some breaks are in DYING FETUS' style ("Killing on adrenaline"), and a given technical side is a bit in the vein of DIVINE RAPTURE's latest works (but without the special spirit/ original touch).
Some parts are very technical and add a nice kind of breaking the tempo between the riffs (even if it could be seen as demonstrative).
Some riffs are calculated in a too much complex way and becomes senseless and unefficient in my opinion. The drummer seems to have a good drum playing for the style.
To conclude: All is correctly played, articulated, complex and sounds quite pro... but nothing remained specially branded in my guts and brain!! Now you've got the technical skills, put your guts into it guys!!
http://dwellingmadness.com

 

DYING EMBRACE (India) Serenades of depravity Demo'00.
Here's a very melodic Death Heavy metal band. Not much to say except it's very melodic but also very common! I couldn't compare them to much bands since these riffs are so cliché!!
And some of their riffs were so fucking used at least 700 times by other beginning bands... may sound as soften as a shit EDGE OF SANITY with some very very nice IRON MAIDEN.
This is the very average kind of music that makes me see flying shits all around me... BLEUARRGH!!
All the more it sounds fucking outdated as it is in the style of the french average demos of 1996! They remind me all these new bands that start to play with old METALLICA covers...
So it's just very average and boring melodic metal!

 

EAT YOUR DEAD (Fra) Good lunch! Demo CD'02.
Here's a prod of what seems to be a quite new band to my ears. Their style is a Brutal death metal very much influenced by CANNIBAL CORPSE.
They remind me of the french DxMx band called HERETIK that released a Demo in 1998 for some morbid sounding tremolos à la Cannibal C. Some old IMMOLATION meets BEYOND FEAR (Uk - R.I.P) can be quoted for tremolo riffs. There are quite melodic obscure sounding riffs I could compare to ADRAMELECH (less personally defined in its articulations of course). There are a few HxCx like feels in a few riffs...
The whole lacks in aggressivity and Brutality, some tracks' title are quite cliché such as "Darcula's back" or "Necroscatozoophile"... I've heard the same Necroscatopedonecrophiliac idea at leat 8 times a year the last 5 years of school, from mouths of not metallic guys. And their band's name + cover aren't very good (not to say fucking cliché). Nothing impressed me for the riffs or structures, it's too common! It's just a classical quite freshly formed band, wish'em good luck for more needed hours and hours of hard work on originality and personnality. Remember: Brutality must come from the guts!
eatyourdead@caramail.com

 

EGON'S (GER) Wort ist gesetz Demo'00.
Such kind o alcoolic cover can seem cool for big beer fanatics, but it also doesn't look very serious to introduce your music...
I expected some drunk metal fiesta on this demo but it sounds rather like fast Crust/ Grind (without crusty punk beats) with fast parts and more HxCx induced moments.
They seem to own some more Death metal riffs... The vocals are between the screamy ones à la Hardcore and a few touches that would tend to the very old DEICIDE satanic high pitched screams (w/ low vox in the background).
The production remains quite noisy and Underground demo like. I don't know if they're still alive as a band, but it remains common and fastly boring! We won't drown in endless lakes of tears if we learn they split up!

  

 

EIDOMANTUM (Swe) From the tomb of all evil Demo tape'00.
I crossed the name of this band in a couple of fanzines, and it seemed to be some kind of killing underground revelation, or at least something interesting, so let's throw an hear in there.
First: Is it a new revelation? No, it's an okey demo band that will need more to please more than the easy going nostalgics working hard to build more (fake?) cults every weeks... EIDOMANTUM plays some kind of black death metal, with some old styled 80's death thrash influences. One could think about a cleaner BESTIAL WARLUST (2nd CD), with more thrashy influences.
It's quite well body-built, as you could see a nice amount of muscles emerging from here and there (Some hooowld school groupies might turn wet and warm their underwears!), but some riffs sounds strange... It tastes a bit funny, I don't know exactly how to describe this something that disturbs me, but some "Bump, bump, bump" give a taste of parody. Few riffs also sound too happy to fit the obscure.
It's not bad, and some peoples will like it, but it only shows a motivated band, while we need something deeper and expressing the flesh consuming inspiration that could even revive the buried undeads from their maggoty coffins.
Average; in need of more blood and tears.
http://eidomantum.cjb.net

 

EMBALMING THEATRE (SWI) Theatre of the macabre promo MCD'02.
Cool Grindgore band à la GENERAL SURGERY.
Theyve obviously got some old CARASS influences, but I'd rather like to name SANITYS DAWN's first CD "Cryptic menu" and some old DEAD INFECTION disgorged tunes of the gore, as their style isn't as elaborated and vicious/ cynical as the now unforunately buried English cult Death Goregrinders.
All the more, cool old school 90's underground cover drawing. It's one of the promos I'll play on my stereo from time to time after the reviewing sessions.
So this is a nice gore grinding band that have released a good amount of split Eps, and nothing sounds bad in their music.
If you're a lot into the bands mentionned before, try to get one of their split Eps!
http://www.embalmingtheatre.ch

 

EMBODIMENT OF CHAOS (USA) Demo'01.
This sounds as a beginning band. Very average stuff, I'dont know if it'll go somewhere one day as everythings here sounds very much heard everywhere before and it's very often not played tight. What more to say? Over played classical death metal with "grind" parts.
They can only improve.  

 

EMULGATOR (Fin) Grinding sessions Demo'01.
After some long searches in the vast endusken Mp3 archives, it happens that one finds a nice and totally unknown band! This time the nice underground as fuck discovering is the Finnish band EMULGATOR who plays some kind of Grind death crust! The music is quite raw and simple, as it sounds like old NAPALM DEATH (F.E.T.O), AGATHOCLES, BIRDFLESH, meets old DEAD INFECTION... a bit of RIGHTEOUS PIGS and some Power violence bands.
Nice drumming with cool changes, and tight as fuck blasts! Some vocals are screamed, some are quite gory, some are hardcorish.
There are some nice tracks and some being too common! Some guitar riffs would need to be more brutal and emotionally intense! Nothing killer at the end, but almost 50% nice tracks here!
Ok, this Demo is quite old, most of it was released on the "Grind war Finland" split CD (released on: http://go.to/hrr ); but the drummer told me they have some recording projects! Undergrind ground freaks, keep an inside out eye open!

  

 

ENEMYISUS (Swe) Ashed of the world Demo’03.
Beer! "Softer" kinds of metal also have their place in here as long as it doesn't displease me. But when I mean "softer", I'm talking about somekind of beer melting between new school Thrash metal, old School Thrash metal and some melodic death ov the gothenburp style. So you could think about old KREATOR, AT THE GATES, THE HAUNTED and some melodic Death bands I don't know enough to quote them. Anyway there's an EDGE OF SANITY mark from here and there. ENEMYISUS offers a clean 4 tracks demo that sounds Ok and quite pro. The first track sounds quite nice in my pack of beer of hears, with an okey Thrash metal riff on an intro, a more melodic death chorus that sounds like early THE CROWN and a discarding heavy riff that may have the taste of mid old GOREFEST (or eventually COMECON?). The other tracks are more or less in the same vein, with less surprises and interest in my hears. More deepness from the alcoholic punching ball is needed!
This band won't please everybody since it remains quite soft in the style and the thrashing parts are clean and controlled. Nice for fans of semi alcoholic brevages like AT THE GATES (last releases), THE HAUNTED or some of EDGE OF SANITY's last releases.
http://www.enemyisus.com

 

ENEMYNSIDE (Ita) Violent beats Demo’01.
There also seems to be a bunch of good hidden bands in Italy! Ah!
The guys in ENEMUNSIDE are some of these bastards that play old school thrashing metal! But it's not your old school thrashing speed metal! 90's Bay area thrash metal around the lines of OVERKILL, old METALLICA ("Master of puppets" meets "And justice for all") with some touches of TESTAMENT! Tight as fuck! Fast as fuck tremolo riffings meets lyrical guitars à la... old METALLICA! This promo have got a bunch of heavy and severely thrashing riffs that will shred the remaining pieces of your local posers! There are also some few cool melodic touches in the vein of what the good (and well knows) 4-5 Big thrash metal bands did years ago. Bang your head until you fucking break your neck!! Aggressive thrashing metal to definitely crush the weak! They could also remind of buried bands like RE-ANIMATOR or DEVASTATION.
Powerful sound, well-done tracks, cool choruses, ENEMYNSIDE will be a very cool band for the Thrash metal bastards! An album will be released quite soon, prepare to thrash!
http://www.enemynside.com

 

ERADYKATE (Fra) Worldwide sodomination Demo'02.
Here's a French band that I've only heard some guys speaking about before, and it's rather a good surprise!
Their style is a mix of quite technical Brutal death metal (with some old CANNIBAL CORPSE meets a bit of NECROPHAGIST and old DEICIDE influences) and thrasing Death riffs with touches of techno Death à la ATHEIST meets PESTILENCE (Last release) for some breaks and melodic leads.
Their first track that's the best on this demo includes a quite good Brutal and catchy riffs à la DEICIDE ("Legion") and a nice melodic lead with a little something of PESTILENCE ("Spheres")! I would have gladly added this track on my Compilation CDr if I knew their music at the time!
On this demo they use a drum machine, but it's rather well programmed and doesn't sound too synthetyc.. They have found a real drummer so the next releases should be better!
All the tracks on this demo aren't very good in my opinion; but the whole remains correct, nicely articulated and they have some quite cool ideas!
Keep an eye on them as they can turn into a good band!
Nutz.1664@wanadoo.fr

 

EUSOPHOBIA (Ger) Death from above Demo CD'02.
From Kiel in Germany comes Eusophobia. This band delivers a death metal that´s quite well produced for an autoproduction. One can feel that these dudes moved their ass to record "Death from above". It’s not bad at all, and these four tracks could really help the band to get some attention from the labels.
It’s certainly not the most original nor the best death metal I’ve heard. But this band deserve respect, because of the work and the skills one can hear in this demo. Actually, I cannot hear real big influences in EUSOPHOBIA´s music. Maybe some new CANNIBAL CORPSE and old Swedish death metal touches here and there, but no copy at all. The production is clear and powerful, the instruments are very sharp... Maybe one can not hear the bass so easily, but overall this is powerful enough to make you headbang.
I really like the way the two guitars are used, without falling in easy mellow melodies. And I quite enjoy the work on the voice. Both low and high voices are well done and work really well together.
To make it short, EUSOPHOBIA brings nothing really new, but it’s fresh enough, and benefits of a good production which indicates a promising future for them. I think these guys must kick some ass on stage, because the songs are quite memorable, generally mid paced, and different from each other. A good band to check out if you like honest death metal.
http://www.eusophobia.de

 

EXCISE (FRA) Nueva era Demo'01.
So here's a french band I didn't know before.
I could notice some old MALEVOLENT CREATION influences but also OBITUARY ("The end complete"), GODZILLA (FRA Demo'98) or even some old INCANTATION (fast parts) to define their music.
They try to be original by adding some other elements such as some clear or hardcorish vocals sung in Spanish (I think), some samples and little touches in the vein of SUP ("The cube").
But as a whole it remains more Death metal influenced than anything, and it's not much convincing.
To conclude they sound as a correctly playing demo band: not bad but nothing good, and there was nothing (but the vocals in spanish) that I'd remember or that sounded really original to me. So my objective conclusion would be it's average, while the subjective throat urges me to say it's 'under the average'.
http://membres.lycos.fr/excise

 

F.O.B (Cze) Blame? Demo'00
This is a fucking long time I didn't receive a demo on a real tape! And this one is a pro tape.
According to their cover, I expected some pathological Goregrind or some Death influenced by CARCASS' "Necroticism- descanting the insalubrious" Grindcore. So I waited to be in the perfect mood of the bizarre to listen to it... but I was just surprised since they play Death/ Thrash with nothing really aggressive nor brutal.
DEATH will of course be quoted while some Thrashy aspects goes along the lines of SLAYER. There are power/ Thrashcore riffings, a few cool variations on bass guitars (à la Death/ Cynic) and more Brutal death metal influenced parts.
Some riffs are cool or okay, but some parts are really too average and reminds me some Demos released around 98... and some riffs are used too often, it makes the tracks too long! Some riffs sound like some thrash bands of the 90's or like SIX FEET UNDER when they cover some Heavy metal bands (understand almost funny!). I'm into old school stuffs, but some of these riffs sounded too old for me!
http://band.fob.cz

 

FLESHROT (Can) Demo'02.
Even if this demo isn't that bad, it hasn't much to turn me on... It has correct musicians who are tight and pro enough to make something listenable without annoying the listener, the tracks are correctly constructed and articulated with Ok riffs... But the problem is I've heard nothing new nor especially killer here! That's the problem I often have with the New Brutal death metal releases...
The music of the band is an American Brutal death grind reminding me of SUFFOCATION, old CANNIBAL CORPSE, DYING FETUS, MORBID ANGEL, HATE ETERNAL. The drummer doesn't seem bad, some Blasting parts are allright and he's varied enough in his playing. But as I said I have the feeling I ever heard it before, some too common riffs should be avoided, and it lacks of real Brutality!
It's quite pro with a clear sound and everything... But I feel like it lacks of real soul, identity, memorability or inner brutality! This seems to be a young band, they might be more interesting musically speaking if they listen to their brutal souls instead of paying too much attention to the trends of the scene when composing. This might be an OK Demo for those who haven't over-abused Brutal death metal... but I just read the band split up...
http://www.geocities.com/fleshrot2

 

FOSCOR (SPA) Promo CDr 2001.
Virtual readers should know I'm not a big Black Metal fan (only a few great bands like IMMORTAL or MAYHEM touch me).
But let's go with FOSTOR. Their Black metal that's quite in the Norvegian style reminds me of EMPEROR's first LP with a few ENSLAVED touches (Split LP w/ EMPEROR).
Their style that's not totally raw makes me think about the kind of Black metal bands that were released on Necropolis Records around '98.
They may also make me think about SATYRICON's 3rd LP ("Nemesis Divina"). Notice there's a drum machine machine.
EMPEROR can be noticed for pure BxMx riffs and (few) arpeggio parts mixed with clear vocals.
This can be a nice promo for old obscure EMPEROR fans, but I wouldn't sell my soul to any obscure lord in this case. So check out the opinion of a true Black metal fan in a more Black metal focused zine.
PO Box 35151, 08080 BARCELONA, SPAIN.
noctiflorous@hotmail.com

   

FUCK THE FACT(CAN) S.M.E.S.(HOL) Split tape 2001 DEDFUK Recs.
S.M.E.S. plays cyber gore death. Their stuff was composed with a tracker ( a software that makes you able to write music on your PC as if you had a synth); only the vocals were "human" played. I think they tried to do something original, but most of the time it sounds funny. It was done to sound extreme, but in my ears it doesn't... The rythms and riffs sound funny!? Huh, sorry but I also did this kind of computer stuff and it's easy to do something Ok sounding. I'd better say S.M.E.S doesn't fit my tastes.

FUCK THE FACTS are an ok kind of Grind death band.
They sometimes try to add some various non grind metal elements that doesn't give more power. They sound a like a young band, and the riffs are too light for the style! Not extreme enough!

 

FUCK THE FACTS (Can) Promo 2002.
I've ever reviewed one of their split tape elsewhere here.
Well, this promo that consists of their side of their split Ep with KASTRAAT begins not too bad, with some Crust, some Grind and double bass drums... But their music fastly becomes a mix of everything and nothing! It sounds like some Grindnoise (ANAL CUNT), Jazzy shitty breaks (EXIT 13), Bizarre riffs à la HUMAN REMAINS, high pitched riffs of PRIMUS, blast parts of new BRUTAL TRUTH, nonsense riffs, discording guitars, rockpop parts...  It makes some noise, but it sounds too much undone and unserious to be Ok!
Too many 46th zone riffs and stupid funny moments were pasted as if hazard was the only master here! A few parts are Ok, but so many stuffs seem to result from hazard and anything else than passion and a will of efficiency! Definitely not for me!
If you like ANAL CUNT, EXIT 13's most "funny" parts or some bands who aren't serious with their music... Why not...
I don't see the point of releasing it on a vinyl! (It costs so much cash to do so, some label owners must be incredibly bored on Sundays!)
http://www.fuckthefacts.com

 

GANGRENOUS WOUNDS (USA) Bondage for cunts CD'01 RIDICULOCITY RECORDS.
The problem with CDr is the first shitty band can record a CD and claim, "yeah!! we have got a CD out and it rules!!".
This band severly sucks, the sound sucks and this is no more than a shit project that should have remained on rehearsal tapes.
I even don't know if there are guitars as I can hear only screaming vocals and some very low drums somewhere in the background.
Reminds me of the GORGE (USA) Ep that was released in 1997 or something. It was releasead on the right label: Ridiculocity records!
Avoid it at all costs, the only thing you'll regret with this totally unserious band is the fact of having listened to their shit.

 

GEORGES BITCH JR (Fra) Demo'01.
I strictly ignored this band coz of their name and childish BIRDFLESH like logo, thinking "Uh, what is this crap?!".
But I heard some tracks on a split tape, and it's not as crappy as I expected it to be. The music of the band is old school grind crust with hardcore touches. Reminds me of old S.O.B, old NAPALM DEATH, DISRUPT... even if there's nothing special at all! Some riffs are ok (but common in the style) while some are very average. Nothing original at all. But I found some nice stuffs in the drumplaying: nice rythms, quite brutal breaks, varied enough drummer.
The high-pitched screams sucks and some parts are quite messed up (not tight enough).
So, there's nothing special here, and the sound is very average, but I guess some big underground freaks might find this band ok! GEORGES BITCH JR might be a cool band to check out live... with a pack of beer in the guts. Uh!

  

 

GOAT SEMEN (Peru) Goat semen Demo tape 2002. Devils Art Recs.
I guess it's pretty obvious for all fukkers of glam fags! Metal in South America is much more old school, with big balls, it's so fuelled with testosterones that some evil goats occur to see some desecrating penis grow between their back legs! Ahr. So, some evil worshippers decided to choose the GOATSEMEN moniker to honor this very fact, a symbol of metal with two big balls! Ah Ah!

GOAT SEMEN isn't a new name in the underground, especially for those who like it bestial, obscure and like to desecrate stupid computers through their windows... So, many of you fukked up readers already know this band is influenced by the old South American tradition of black death metal, as well as old BLASPHEMY, with a bit of BESTIAL WARLUST, old IMPALED NAZARENE, some black metal things from 10-12 years ago, and some old death metal touches.
The band isn't very different from what many other plastic grave desecrators occur to vomit, the style is even "usual" for the kind of blaspheme, but GOAT SEMEN happens to throw some energy in the craziness of high pitched vocals, some low pitched Goat vengeance (Evokated à la early IMPALED NAZARENE) and few old school heavy metal screams.
On a matter of guitars, there's nothing really special or helping the internal klok of castrated vengeance to vibrate your doom, but there's a nice mood and some songs occur to be quite efficiently built (Sexxxpecially in some fast parts!).

This review didn't bring much more to your eyes, but at least I could give my opinion about GOAT SEMEN and underline the fact their vokills are by far the best part of their fornicating deal, and the old BLASPHEMY influence is cool.
http://www.geocities.com/goatsemen666

 

GODLESS (Gre) Let there be darkness promo CDr'02.
This band plays melodic Black Death with some melodic touches.
Some Death metal riffs reminded me of DEICIDE 's "Serpent of the lights", while there's a thrashing side in some riffs. Can quote some old BURZUM for slow black metal arpeggios. The leads wouldn't be very far from old MERCYFUL FATE. Most of the stuffs here are based on quite melodic stuffs, it's not extreme or Brutal... Notice they use a drum machine. By moments it sounds unattractive, and after some tracks I get fucking bored... the 2-3 first tracks can seem ok, but the following tracks loose a lot in everything as it becomes cheap.
In my opinion, it's only a very average Demo and I don't understand why some webzines put them in their fave Demos of the year list!!
http://hordes.tripod.com

 

GOLDEN PYRE (POR) Necroterrorism Demo CD'02.
After the american Brutal death trend that over abused this style that was fucking fresh, original and blasting at it's beginning, will we see the arrival of a new old school Death metal wave in the older more simple style?
GODLEN PYRE comes from Portugal and I expected something more elaborate and full of darkened splendour (à la EMPEROR) according to their logo, and how wrong was I as their style is classical Death metal à la old HYPOCRISY ( 2 first LPs) with a few more blasting parts.
Could quote also some touches of old NECROPHOBIC. It makes me think about BESTIAL WARLUST's 1st CD by moments, but it's not really the same style.
As a whole, their stuff sounds Ok, but no riff especially attracted my attention. I'd like to hear "new" stuffs and killer thrilling riffs here!
http://www.goldenpyre.cjb.net

 

GORGASM (Fra) Promo MCD 2002.
Nice cover reminding me the one of COMECON's "Converging conspiracies", but in a more Chinese landscape. This GORGASM is different from the American band since these French metal heads aren't strictly playing Brutal Death. The music of GORGASM is a technical Death metal that includes quite varied influences. On the main highline that's very influenced by DEATH's last releases, are added some technical Brutal death, death grind, techno thrash and Heavy metal elements as their music could also remind of CONTROL DENIED, AUTOPSY (1st LP), NECROPHAGIST, mid old CANNIBAL CORPSE (a little bit), MEKONG DELTA (old), KING DIAMOND. GORGASM could sound quite similar to AD MORTEM (a French technical death band who released a cool CD few years ago). Nice fretless bass that isn't always following the guitar lines. Cool and clear sound for a demo. Notice there are some ex VORACIOUS GANGRENE musicians in the band.
My conclusion and personal opinion will be it's not bad and it can be a cool demo for those who like technical Death metal, but I think some catchy and very emotional riffs are lacking (plus the tracks are a bit long). But it's not bad! Good luck GORGASM!
Mat@budrecords.com

 

HAPPY FACE (Fra) Histoires sans paroles... Demo CD'02.
With a CD cover reminding me of some techno/ trip hop CD releases and a band's name that could have been the title of a BJÖRK's track, I didn't know what to expect from this Demo.
In fact the band plays a mix of several extreme waves: Brutal Death Grind in the classical american style with suite heavy parts à la SUFFOCATION/ DEVOURMENT, Grindcore that could remind some BLOCKHEADS and some more Hardcore stuffs.
Notice a few Nu metal influences (primal KORN or SEPULTURA's "Roots" heaviness). Some heavy moments remind me of some very old FEAR FACTORY (First release) while their raw sound makes me think of DEVOURMENT's Demo'98 (that's Ok for a demo). They own Strong HxCx influences for heavy riffs and vocals.
Nothing really impressed me in their music as it remains quite common (not to say everheard), but it remains quite aggressive and can be cool to check in the future. It lacks the fuse blowing explosions for me! (Essential for a Grindcore induced style!!)
stancore1@caramail.com

 

HATE (Fin) Demo MCD’02.
It's nice to discover some cool bands as HATE on the web, their whole demo was downloadable on their site and I was pleasantly surprised!
HATE plays a Grinding mix of old school Grindcore and new school Grind.
The new school stuffs are composed of discarding riffs and fresher sounding riffs à la new NAPALM DEATH/ ANANDA while the more old school touches are the Grindcore blasts à la old NAPALM D./ S.O.B and some Crustcore riffs.
There are some nice riffs such as the REPULSION like ass pounding riff on the first track, and some new school quite emotional fresh riffs à la new NAPALM DEATH, but there are a lot of discarding riffs I don't like that much. They may sound a bit like the last BRUTAL TRUTH's releases for this reason. They remind me a bit of OPEN WOUND. There's a little touch of distress/ despair in some riffs. And they could improve some tracks' structures! A bit more surprises and breaks would be welcome!
This isn't a bad drummer, aggressive enough blasts, good double bass rumbles. The whole is tight.
There are some cool tracks here (#1, #6, #7) but I don't find the whole nice... Well there are enough nice stuffs in here to make of it a cool demo for quite open-minded grinders! That's encouraging!
http://www.hategrind.cjb.net

 

HATESEEDER (Ita) Sorrow with pressure Demo CD’02.
Here’s a Brutal death grind band that seems new to me, never heard about them before.
At the first listening, their music makes me think about SINISTER in the less melodic parts of “Hate” as well as CANNIBAL CORPSE on “Vile”.
Some rawer parts sounds like if VOMITORY added some blasts in its old school raw Black/ Death, could remind a bit of old BESTIAL WARLUST for the same reason.
The 4th track reminds me a lot of SICKENING GORE’s first track on “Destructive reality”, in fact the idea and the variation on the riff are almost the same, and a part of the following riffs are in the same way than Sickening Gore.
The drummer wants to be hyperfast, but his playing sound repetitive or hesitating (Isn’t it a drum machine?).
I think there’s some approximations here, and a good part of the riffs reminds me of something else.
Sounds quite complex, and it’s fast, but nothing stands out from the whole tracks! Not shitty but not good, I’ll say it’s just average.
c/o Piero Giandomenico Via Bottego, 31/c 70019 Triggiano (BA) ITALY

  

HELLACAUST (Can) Implements of mass destruction Demo'01.
Demonic putrefaction in the obscure abyss! The sulfur souls can rejoice since some bloody fresh meat was brought for the sabbatical orgy and sacrificial scarification! Sabbatical meat will bleed!
Hell nailz and blasphemy! This HELLACAUST Demo is quite old! But it's hard to find their last releases... there's probably another damnation towards the Black metal bands I don't dislike!
what you have here is ultra raw Black metal with no compromise! No keyboards, no useless melodic riffs, no shemale vocals... only the essential!
Total raw fast Black metal with controlled Satan's perversion technical riffs à la IMMORTAL's "Blizzard beast" and some real thrashing guitars! Add some old DISSECTION touches and old IMMORTAL. Some riffs are totally in the speed thrashing good old DESTRUCTION style! Cool as fuck! there are lots of reverb on the vocals, sounds like the guy is screaming his agony in a cavern...
Well, this demo sounds very raw and underground, over-saturated and noisy (as in the early days), the band is even not tight by moments, but it sounds raw! The band has decent tracks and seems to play these with a real raw obscure underground feeling! Quite promising, in rawness!
http://www.hellacaust.tk

  

HOMICIDE HAGRIDDEN (ITA) Black dead sun MCD'02 SELF RELEASED
Here's a four tracks MCD.
Somewhere not so far from the CORONER of « Grin » for a few slow parts, but most of the music sounds like SLAYER « Reign in blood », some old KREATOR and some heavy parts from the SODOM of the ‘96 epoch  plus also the « Cause for conflict » album of KREATOR. The way the vocalist sings makes them sound like SODOM. But his vocals reminds me also a of  Mille Petrozza. Some heavier parts sounds a bit in the vein of KREATOR « Cause for conflict ». The problem is there's nothing special in their riffs, ok they have correct songs, but this kind of riffs and thrash metal were played by a lot of bands before, and H.G brings nothing new nor enthusiasming. There’s some kind of a hardcore feel in the slow moments.
I don’t like the snare drum sound, but the drummer does somes quite cool things à la old SLAYER. The sound is clear enough.
The first and the fourth tracks are the Ok. This OK thrash metal that’s correctly constructed (but with some kinda approximate or useless structures) but I heard nothing new here. They possibly evolve into something better.
C/O Moda Stefano, V.Cavour 3-10036, Settimo Torinese- Torino- Italy.
mailto:hagridden@libero.it

 

HORRID FLESH (Fra) Human configuration Demo'02.
Under narcotic influence, with my spiked underwears on, I'm ready to blaspheme the local cemetery's tombs! Yeah, I'm evil as fukk and I will show the deads my real strength and courage! HéHé, lets stop this victorious introduction...
HORRID FLESH plays somekind of Black/ Death metal that's quite raw. They could remind of big names such as old IMMORTAL, old MAYHEM, some DARK FUNERAL, and they have many similarities with EMPEROR for the keyboards and rather atmospheric riffs.
Nothing really impressed me since I'm not a voracious Black metal bastard (even if I wear spiked underwears!), and some riffs sounded average/ common/ ever-heard. Plus there are some tightness problems from here. Notice the production doesn't suck.
This demo doesn't suck since some parts seem a bit more catchy, but it remains too common! I heard many Black metal bands that sounded ways more uninteresting than Horrid Flesh, so some Underground Black metal fans may find some interest in this band.
http://horridflesh.acrocyanose.com

 

ILLOGICIST (Ita) Polymorphism of death Demo'02.
I heard their last demo "Dissonant perspectives" that didn't sound bad and is technical in the Death/ Thrash style à la DEATH.
But let’s begin with the beginning. What we have here is the first demo of the band. They were still very much influenced by DEATH and some other complex Death/ Thrashing bands à la AT THE GATES, old ATHEIST (a bit) or even a little bit of CYNIC, but with more melodies.
You get both melodies that are quite lyrical and tend to Heavy metal, as well as some more Death/ Thrashing riffs; but the whole is less technical, precise and complexly articulated than on their 2nd demo. There are some jazzy Death touches (especially on drums). Some Heavy metal like riffs sound like old KING DIAMOND. Some riffs sound average or quite common, and the tracks are too long in my opinion! I would have avoided some breaks. But some riffs are nice.
I've heard some bad recordings in the DEATH "influenced" style, this isn't the case here. That will sound like an encouraging demo for fans of DEATH! Their 2nd one is more impressive, they evolve in the right way!
http://www.illogicist.com

 

IMMURED (Ger) Promo 2002.
I remember I received one of their Demo in 1998 for a review in my first paper zine, there were few nice stuffs in their tracks even if the whole was only Ok.
I can hardly recognize the IMMURED I once knew! And it sounds weaker! The band had somekind of a little Gore and bizarre touch in their Death metal, making them sound somewhat Goregrind like... but now the style is more Death grind crust with grooves... The drum sounds quite weak during the blasts. They have a lot of Crustcore or Punk influenced riffs that doesn't sound good. It sounds like bad MUCUPURULENT or a weak copy or NYCTOPHOBIC... Uh! They remind me some very average Crustpunk bands I heard on comps!
Their music sounds really less professional than before! The few nice "cachy" stuffs that were on their old demos have disappeared, and the sound isn't good.
Here's a band that regresses or stagnates, take it as you want, but what seemed Ok in '98 doesn't sound good in 2003! Bored...
http://www.immured.org

 

IMPALED NORTHERN MOONFOREST  (Usa) Nocturnal Cauldrons Aflame Amidst the Northern Hellwitch's Perpetual Blasphemy Demo'02.
Stupid childhish pseudo Black metal project from the guys of ANAL CUNT! Supposed to take all the clichés of the style to turn it in a funny way. Pathetic and unwanted total crap! Shows their real musical abilities and own influences! Even VONDUR sounds killer compared to this! Avoid at all costs, or consciously sodomize yourself!

  

IMPURITY (USA) Subjugation of Mankind MCD'00
The first riff and the beginning's sound reminds me of DEMONIC CHRIST but IMPURITY has nothing to do with them. This is rather heavy brutal death that's not very often grinding, by moments vocals are done in a way to try to sound like MORTICIAN, but it's more old school and not as inhuman. They use the kind of riffs that's so easy to write: you can find about 10 riffs of this way in a minute. Nothing memorable, far from this. If they don't try to improve their music and to select only the best of the best ideas they can get, they'll eternally remain an average underground band. And it won't be a problem for you to forget them!

 

IMPURITY (Usa) Unearthly affinity Demo CD'02.
IMPURITY are coming from USA/ Florida! Some great lands of desolation where a lot of cult albums were recorded were a good amount of excellent Death metal bands emerged (If I'm not doing a mistake).
Their style reminds me of both old IMMOLATION, INCANTATION and INFAMY.. They could also remind me of BRUTALITY in some heavy parts assorted to double bass drums. There's an obscure feeling here! Some parts remind me a bit of DINISTER (not the hyperfast ones).
Vocals in the sulphurous and low placed style of INCANTATION!
This isn't aggressive, right in the face or very efficient stuff, it's rather mid placed or heavy (even when it blasts). I think some tracks may have been built in a more efficient way, but after a few listening you get more into their old school style and the whole sounds cool!
Coherent Brutal Death band that doesn't blast endlessly and adds a good amount of breaks, variations and various beats!  I wasn't very impressed by their music ( I find the whole cool with a nice mood) but those who are a lot into INCANTATION and INFAMY may find IMPURITY quite good!
I think they can offer something really interesting in a few years! There's an obscure and quite hellish feeling here that may turn into something really good! If you're a lot into old school Brutal death, I think this professionally recorded demo is worth your 4/5 bucks!
http://www.demonicdeath.com

  

INDWELLING (USA) Demo'01.
This goes very fast, and the sound is quite good for a demo. But I think they're trying to do something to complex and neverheard before, sometimes your head will get lost into nowhere (the same happened with bands like ADNAUSEAM, yer head flying in the shit, arghh!), but it remains far better than ADNAUSEAM anyway. This is only correctly played and constructed in a complex way; Brutal death with hardcore, and other influences, but I didn't find any riff that would brand yer head here!. 50% of the times, I've got the feeling it goes nowhere. I could quote THE DILLIGER ESCAPE PLAN but I don't know enough the band to be able to do so. there's maybe some HUMAN REMAINS ("Using sickness as a hero") for the complexity and some ways the riffs are endlessly cut. This band is for the musicians that like the complex music, or for those who can't listen to a track that repeats the same riff more than two times. I'm not one of them.
http://www.hxc.com/indwelling 

 

INFAMY (Usa) Demo'01.
Despite the death of a musician that strongly attacked the will of the band, INFAMY is back to crush the weak and blaspheme the ghost! The point that will immediately interest my Death metal side is: from which previous INFAMY release will this demo sound like: "The blood shall flow" CD or the fucking "Count the dead" Demo?
Hell damnation! In sulfurous rejoice I hear it has a bit more guts than on "The blood shall flow". Faster, with more rotten energy and doom in the slower parts! And the vocals are more occult than on the full-length! Old school as fuck pitch shifted evil evocations! The apocalyptic leads are nice also! More gruesome heaviness! Even if it isn't as evil and malicious as "Count the dead", this new demo that sounds like a logical following of the whole "The blood shall flow" CD tastes more energized and inspired! This is at least my opinion! For fans of the old school burning energy only! INFAMY can be interesting for fans of INCANTATION and IMMOLATION, the others can slowly burn surely burn on the altar of madness!
http://www.deathmetal.com/infamy

 

INFECTION CODE (Ita) Life continuity point Demo CD'02.
What we have here is a band mixing various metal styles with some Indus influences. In short words I'll name their style Indus metal since it sounds rather like a mix of Death/ Thrash, u metal, Hardcore and Indus.
Some riffs here sound like FEAR FACTORY in their "Demanufacture" era while some more Industrial riffs sound like some old PITCH SHIFTER ("Submit" or "Desensitized"). Notice there are a good amount of double bass drums as well as faster parts around the trashcore style and a few blast parts. By moments they may remind me of the French band DISCARD (Metal/ HxCx/ Indus). The most metallic moments really remind me of the FEAR FACTORY album quoted before!
There are a few samples thrown from here and there (it's both rhythms' loops, guitar samples, intros or traditional ones melted in the tracks).
Nothing especially interested me nor caught my attention in their music, but it remains Ok!
http://www.infectioncode.com

  

INFERIOR (Ger) Verfall Demo'01. HEAVY DISTORTION Recs.
INFERIOR! Yes, this band decently chose its name: INFERIOR! This is weak and slightly under the average! This is one more weak black metal demo played by bored teenagers who thought it would be 'cool' to form a band on Saturday and immediately record a demo on Sunday.
Flat and stagnant uninspired riffs, punches drum machine being too fast, usual vocals... Nothing fucking worth a listening! Every musician being into metal could compose and record this boring "Demo" in less than 2 hours! Well, this case isn't totally desperate since they at least have riffs, but it's so flat and ever heard it would even send to bed the most insomniac nervous bastard!
Poor as fuck and worth your radical indifference.

 

INFERNAL GOAT (ITA)  Bestial passion promo'01.
These anticlerical Italians play Black Death metal that's almost always fast with some very classical riffs (With no keyboards of course). This is very simple Black metal in the vein of what a lot of Underground Black metal demo bands released in the past.
Don't like too much the vocals. There's a litltle Rock'n'Roll touch on some riffs. This is not my style as I can find nothing new or really interesting here. I know some Undergound obscurity maniacs will like it...
http://it.geocities.com/italianblackmetal/igoat.html

 

IMPHERIA (ITA) Brutal in several ways Demo'01.
This band plays a common style mixing old CANNIBAL CORPSE like harmonies with some thrash metal and more common death metal moments. They use a drum machine (or the drumming sounds as one at least, but I've got some doubts).
I could also notice some touches of IMMORTAL and some Death/ black toucehs, some old DEICIDE for a given satanic aspect, and some LUCIFERION for the sound and some thrashing death metal right hand suffering riffings... But the sound lacks in heaviness and nothing new nor special came from here! It's tight and correctly played, but they doesn't kick many asses and I need more! more and more! Arbeit schnell!

 

INSANE ASSHOLES (Ita) Stralci di oblio Demo’02.
Fukk! Being submerged by demos during the intense trading sessions isn't always very cool, but I receive some stuffs which are Ok! And Ok are the INSANE ASSHOLES! This is Grind/ Hardcore/ Crust with screamed vocals. The kind of stuff that sounds quite raw and reminds me of the BLOCKHEADS, SCALPLOCK, NOSTROMO's less complex/ technical moments or MASTIC SCUM for example. (I might quote SUBMERGE, but it remains eventual coz I don't know this band enough.) Their hardcore background is really present! 2 covers of CRIPPLES BASTARDS and RATOS DE PORAO ("Crucificados pelo systema") are included.
The drumming isn't bad. Some parts are compressed enough, while some moments waste some intensity or sound more hesitating. I think there are some errors in their tracks (for riffs and structures), and after some tracks I want something else, but Hey! It remains Ok stuffs and I could say it's better than the average. So, raw grinding freaks and core junkies: put an hear on these assholes' musica if you're searching for some obscure UxG bands!
http://www.insaneassholes.cjb.net

 

INSISION(Swe)) Promo 2000.
This band plays a Brutal Death/ Grind between CANNIBAL CORPSE and SUFFOCATION.
Their music is brutal, well played and constructed and quite complex.
The sound is heavy enough and well produced for a demo. It sound more Brutal and seriously done than most of the Demos, so I may say it's an outstanding effort! But I’ve found nothing that got into my memory as I’ve ever listened to a lot of Brutal Death, nothing really new! I can feel some real brutality here, so I’ll say it’s only for Brutal Death maniacs. An outstanding demo anyway.

 

INSISION (SWE) Revelation of the sadogod Demo'01
Here's the new demo of the swedish brutallers. It's just more complex, better played and produced with more interesting drums and guitar ideas than their previous demo. This band can do something good if they keep improving this way. All the more they play with a real brutal death feeling. This stuff womes from the guts and it can be heard! To convince you about checking out this tape, I can add the fact they play a "Zombie ritual" DEATH cover and this is a totally pro demo, from the cover to the sound of this professionally dubbed tape. Get it! 

 

INSOMNIA (USA) Praying for oblivion collab Demo CD'02.
Totally deaf fans of CONTROLLED BLEEDING must get it now!
I can't tell you how much it sucks as this "insomniac pray for oblivion collabs" is composed of 55 minutes of NOISE! Imagine the intro of ANTHRAX's "Sounds of a white noise" CD with somme "pssssch" and "crrrrushhh" running all along during the 6 tracks.
It may also be compared to EXIT 13's hidden track on their "Eithos music" CD, or BRUTAL TRUTH's indus tracks on "Need to control".
It may be cool between two grind tracks, but I found no real samples, and there are no industrial rythms... ùy sound like looping factory or old rotten computer samples...
I know some guys thrill on this kind of stuffs, but I still only want to sleep... Maybe I'm not enough self destructive for this? uh!

 

INWARD (Fra) Selfdestruction sphere Demo'02.
Here's a quite new band playing Black metal. The style remains quite dark, around the old EMPEROR releases' lines, and stuffs like that, with the same kind of keyboards. The band could remind a bit of IMMORTAL at the time of "Pure holocaust" and eventually "Blizzard beast". It has both the fast parts, and some double bass drums ridden parts. Most of the music is a bit more worked on than the average raw Black metal style. Some arrangements aren't too bad, some riffs sem Ok, but I think the tracks are too long and become quite repetitive.
I'm not a Black metal fan. This might be an Ok demo for those who need more than "In the nightside eclipse". An average/ very average demo in my opinion.
i.inward@caramail.com

 

IOST (FRA)/ SKROTUM (FRA) Split CDr'02 Self released.
IOST is a Brutal Death Gore band à la DESECRATOR, SUBLIME CADAVERIC DECOMPOSITION, with some new school Grind influences.
Some parts could remind of some old INHUMATE's stuffs, some NEURAL BOOSTER (for the raw noisy touch) and maybe some MONOLITH mixed with some DAMNABLE (Pol- demo'96 and split CD'99).
Some riffs sound bizarre while some parts are hesitating sounding to me. By moments they use the kind of wanna sound original riffs that goes nowhere in my ears.
I know it's the project of Voracious Gangrene's drummer, and to be honnest I'll tell them to concentrate on their main band as I don't find it efficient or especially personal. For me they follow the main highlines of Brutal death and new school Grind without adding the expression of their inner human traumatized agony.

http://www.iostonline.com

SKROTUM's stuffs are composed of almost noises. I don't know if they are for or against gay peoples, but they seem to follow the MEATSHITS' state of mind (that sounds totally stupid to me!). This band is even worst than NO PAST. Imagine saturated overdriven noises mixed with GRONIBARD's first Demo (recorded at the first rehearsal of the band), drunk metallers playing as weirdos, TV samples, techno/ dance samples... The only interest will be to make their close friends laugh.
http://membres.lycos.fr/skrotum

 

JAILOR (Bra) Religious unpurge Demo CD'01.
Nice to ear Brazil isn't plagued only by bands who try to copy KRISIUN/RAEBELIUM! (But cruelly fails as it takes years to reach KRISIUN's level of skills!)
A Spanish guy advised me to check out JAILOR as it was a "very cool heavy metal band", but uh! What I hear crosses more metal lines than the good old heavy metal! The first tracks of this 2 songs promo is a piece of old thrash metal in the war lines of POSSESSED, old SLAYER, old METALLICAA and early DARK ANGEL! It's totally correct in this style and quite cool to have a beer induced hear on!
Fast thrash with a bunch of tremolos, fast double bass drums à la Gene Hoglan. More than a pack of golden beer is surely flowing during JAILOR's rehearsals! Ah Ah! The vocals are in an ok thrashy kind, with screams by moments (beer).
The second track has much to do with heavy metal; it's heavier than the first one as it reminds me the heavy moments of old SLAYER (beer), some good old MERCYFUL FATE/ KING DIAMOND (less complex) plus some heavy speed bands. But it keeps a thrashing energetik metal aspect. (You drink another beer).
I happen to think JAILOR reminds me of AGONY's first LP "First defiance" or a little bit of EXODUS, but I might be misleaded by my will to drink and kill the moron! (So don't take this line for a golden beer!)
Nothing really killer or memorable on this 2 tracks promo, but it's cool to listen to and I guess some old school maniacs will find some cool rewarmed in beer moments here! (You are full of beer!)
JAILOR's tracks are a bit too long in my ears, but it's nice to hear a professional band who plays this kind of metal and doesn't sound too much outdated nor cheezy (beer). So I have no other choice than to say "Allright!" and "Give me another beer!"
http://www.jailor.com.br

 

KAAMOS (Swe) Curse of Aeons Demo '01.
5 tracks of pure unholy devastating death metal the old-school way! KAAMOS delivers nothing but pure intensity through a really well composed, intelligent, yet very effective Death Metal. The band benefits of a really good production on this demo. All the instruments can be heard without problems, and the sound captures an atmosphere which is as dark and powerful as the magnificent artwork. Kaamos brings back some nobility to the death metal movement. Of course one can hear that these dudes come from Sweden, because it is impossible not to link them with the ancient gods like NIHILIST/ENTOMBED, GRAVE, TREBLINKA, THERION (old, really old), CREMATORY, and the likes... But it is more a connection in a matter of spirit, than in a matter of music, because KAAMOS, as well as REPUGNANT manages to play a metal which is heavily rooted in the old school, but without being copycats at all.
It is incredibly good to feel KAAMOS´death metal flooding your brain.
The riffs are often simple and recognizable, the voice has a lot of personality and is absolutely not like a boring trendy frog noise.
A really dark atmosphere and the lust to bang an iron fist on every poser´s head is what KAAMOS is delivering. If you enjoy bands like PENTACLE; REPUGNANT, SADISTIC, INTENT, SABBAT (Jap) and that Death Metal means to you something else than pitiful modern jumping frog noise with ununderstandable riffs, then KAAMOS could be you wet dream you never thought could come true!!!! SUPPORT THIS BAND, OR DIE!!!
http://www.kaamos.nu

 Nathaniel    

KABBAL (Fra) Supreme ritual Demo’00.
This second demo immediately begins in a more professional way, with a nice obscure arpeggio à la MORGOTH "Odium"! On this piece of obscure Death metal, KABBAL's music was less compressed and probably less fast, but with more professionalism! The band also threw away a bunch of Brutal death metal influences to hellcome in their darkened lands some evilish MORBID ANGEL influences and some other old school Death metal influences! The punching Death metal beats and double bass drum rumbles of hell had more importance!
I regret there wasn't more brutality and a bigger bunch of faster parts in here. But it's an interesting and enjoyable evolution. It might not please everyone, but this evolution in darker paths of death seems to have been sincere.
The band recorded another demo before releasing their first full-length on DIAMOND Prod. (Notice a bunch of tracks from the demos were re-recorded on this album).
http://www.diamond-prod.com

 

KEVLAR SKIN (Spa) Synthetic god Demo CD'01
Cool obscure cover reminding me some comic book artworks of the french drawer Ledroit! Kevlar Skin plays a Brutal Death metal with some American groovy and mosh like parts reminding me the spanish brutallers of UNCREATION and their fast parts could make one think about SUFFOCATION, BEHEADED and LIVIDITY ("Fetish for the sick" MCD).
The whole isn't always very tightly played, and nothing stands out as it's just an ok Brutal Death in a rather American 95-98 way.
The "a bit different" touch their band's name could have left me wonder isn't here. This doesn't suck, but there's no new idea, some tracks' aren't always constructed in the most surprizing way and it's not one the more efficient bands in the pile of demos I received...
So, I'll say it's an Ok Brutal band extreme metal agonizers from their country will support  with a cool enthusiasm, nothing to urge the other brutallers on! They possibly turn into something better with more experience/
http://www.kevlarskin.cjb.net

 

KHARON (Nor) The fullmoon curse Demo'01 NEODAWN.
Shit! This isn't horny! Better said not horny at all! Boring mid tempo Black death metal with some faster parts. I've ever heard so many gruesome times before! Easy riffs, convenient music... Flat! And the fast parts aren't extreme! Very average music!! The point that gets the most on my nerves is this recording was released on a pro tape to 100 copies!! Fuck that! Avoid it if you like metal with big balls!

  

LIFE KIT (Fra) Life is a code Demo'01.
I initially bought this Demo for 1 only Euro in a second hand market because the cover that reminded me of Dave Mac Kean's artworks attracted my attention. And such kind of covers often appears on total industrial metal stuffs. But the style of LIFE KIT isn't so much in these veins? They call it metal core, well I'd define it as a mix of Heavy nu metal, Heavy Hardcore, Heavy parts à la SEPULTURA ("Roots") with more original influences. Some of the samples they use make it sound quite cool, it's quite original sounds in some oriental schemes (ex: Arabian violins...). And some background sounds make it quite emotional and intense, in the way of what KILLING JOKE did on "Pandemonium" for example. Their influences seem to be quite varied. Some vocals remind me of MARYLIN MANSON on the second tracks that's entitled "Life kit" and I've noticed multiple little touches of GODFLESH, DEFTONES, SPICY BOX (vocals), THE YOUNG GODS(?).
This isn't too much my style, but it has a good sound, it's professional and I can't say it didn't attract my attention! So, those who enjoy heavy music ganging around uncommercial Nu metal, Heavycore and original stuffs may be interested! this isn't bad, really.
http://lifekit.free.fr

  

 

LUX DIVINA (SPA) Occasus Caeremonia CD'00 NOCTIFLOROUS.
Here's a band practicizing Black metal with a lot of background keyboards reminding me of EMPEROR's two first full length CD releases. Their are some nice magnificient saurated arpeggios riffs in the vein of EMPEROR's 3rd album and some scorched vocals are nice.
They keyboards really take a big place here. Some double bass drums' rythms sound bizarre (and are quite unefficient).
I find some parts are very average, some riffs included here and there are quite cool but some stagnant parts (a good part of the thing to be honest) makes the whole stuffs soudning boring to me.
And I remind you I'm not a Black metal fan... so what sounds boring to me may be Ok for the cold and darkened Evil worshippers.
Luxdivina@hotmail.com

 

MACABIUS (Fra) Demo CD'02.
Watching their poor cover, you immediately understand this is a very young band! Their music sounds as somekind of Death grind with possible Black metal influences. But due to the raw sound I don't understand the riffs in the fast parts. (Sounds as a 4 tracker recording).
Some parts reminded me a bit of old BOLT THROWER and they seem to be influenced by the American Brutal death both for slower riffs and tremolo ones. There are some Grind influences for some "splash" in the drumming. In my opinion their music is very average in the demo vein, and it's also very common. It reminds me some stuffs I was doing with some friends after 2/3 years of guitar. Some tightness is lacking.
And I'm sorry but the "M" logo on the CD rather reminds me more of a Superman or Batman designed logo than anything else! Ah Ah... Conclusion: Keep on rehearsing. Avoid clichés at every levels. Put more expression and Brutality in your tracks!
http://www.macabius.fr.st

 

MAGGUT (JAP) Rehearsal Demo'01.
Grind Crust with a fucking saturated rehearsal sound, it's not understandable when the guy growls and when the drummer grinds at the same time. It's very average music, sounds like young guys playing...
It reminds me some very underground low produced demos I checked out in the past: IRONIA, VISCERA, BLINDING FEAR, UNSEEN TERROR (In their case, it's not a demo but it anyway fits the comparison!).
Old school Grind (old EARACHE Days: REPULSION, old NAPALM DEATH).
Nothing else to say, it's average/ very average stuff and they need to rehearse and to get a better sound... Susumu HORINO,  7-1-23-101, Kumata Higashisumiyoshiku,
 Osaka, 546-0002, JAPAN.
maggutgrind@hotmail.com

 

MARTYRUM (SWE) Conquering the land of sin MCD'02.
This Swedish band plays a mix of Death/ Grind metal with some Black metal touches here and there.
Some of their riffs will sound in an old Death metal vein à la ANGEL CORPSE/ MORBID ANGEL (old) in your ears while the band includes some frozen Blacking elements here and there for some harmonies and raw sounding riffs. I may quote ANATA (first LP) for some melodic Death elements while some parts would also remind me the most old school Death thrashin' riffs of SACRAMENTUM and DECAMERON. I'd have appreciated more strength and energy in their tracks, but it's not stagnant... They may sound also like SWORDMASTER or MAZE OF TORMENT (1st CD), but they use more blast parts though...
But I can't avoid thinking about IMMORTAL's "Blizzard Beast" album for some harmonies and tremolo riffs here! The way some vocals are placed also reminds me of Abbath's singing (but not the way it sounds). Notice there's a METALLICA's "Motorbreath" cover here.
You'll find nothing exceptionnal here as their music is quite classical (but correctly written), but it might be Ok or quite cool for those who like Death grind with some old school...
http://martyrum.cjb.net

 

MEMNOCH (Ger) Chaos is silence 7Ep'01.
Death/ Thrash metal! I feel a little MERCILESS touch here (reminding me of their "The awakening" first CD) . I can quote a few bands like COERCION (for punch like Death metal beats or slower old school DxMx riffs) or DESASTER (Germany). Notice I found no blasting parts here.
Their vocals could be situated between the CARCASS' screams and some Black Thrashing's throat scorching.
This sound is quite good and clear (even if it's not really powerfull) and all is correctly/ tightly played.
I found nothing I'd remember here, even after a few listenings.
It was too much common to touch my dusk induced mummified brain, but MEMMNOCH may be a cool live band.
http://www.memnoch.invictus-crew.de

 

MINDBREAK (GER) Welcome to this world Demo CD'01.
This band plays somekind of Deathcore.
Sometimes, they aren't so far from the very old BOLT THROWER's slow moments, and some riffs aren't very far from old school Hardcore.
I could say the tracks are articulated in an old contrastic MACHINE HEAD way of viewing things: you've got a quite calm part with a bit dark arpeggios, and then it's a bit more "aggressive", then it comes back to arpeggios to finish on some middle aggressive stuffs.
But I think it really lack in punch and they should put more of themselves into their music that remains in my ears too much constant and without any highlight. Their stuffs is just in the average demos category: correctly played, but they lack of a real personality and a bit of more energy wouldn't be bad.
They want to released a CD, if any label is interested...
http://www.mindbreak-metal.com

 

MISOGYNIST PUSSYSLASHER (FIN) Sick murder fuck Demo'01.
Very average Grind Crust with a drum machine, sounds like a low grade MORTICIAN copy, they sound also like ATAVISM's demo'98, or demo projects like MEAT PAUNCH MAFIA, SPLATTER...
There's no creativity nor personnality on any level in this tape (both for the logo, cover design and riffs) and I've said the best I could about their stuffs... But there are anyway underground sluts and whores who'll buy and listen to death this tape.
misogynist@vitunhomot.zzn.com

  

MORTALIZED (Jap)/ GUILTY CONNECTOR (Jap) Split Tape 2001. HARSH GRIND Recs.
Most of the MORTALIZED releases I could hear are cool, but this split tape isn't.

Side A: you have 3 tracks from the 1st MORTALIZED Demo tape remixed by GUILTY CONNECTOR... It's simply the same songs with some noise samples paste all over the music. It doesn't sound good, nor bad enough to be an entertaining hear destructive assault. Just an experiment of few minutes long interest... That might be ok for the biggest fanatics of harsh noise... but well, even for this style it sounds average: not special nor spectacular.

Side B: Several samples from the MORTALIZED Demo were taken, and paste in various moments of noise and maximum distortion. The fact it sounds that noisy, yet with some blasting drums that can be detected in the background, could remind of DECHE CHARGE. This sounds a bit more varied than side one, as various kinds of noises, fucked up radios and some kind of railroad sounds emerge, so it's more listenable. It's probably the side that could sound the more "interesting" for noise fans, but that's far from being good or of a real interest in my opinion. This split is short (All in all: about 9 minutes of noise).

 

MORTUARY I.O.D (HOL) Demo CD'01.
Coming from Holland these thrashers are playing a style that can be defined as a Thrash Death with the following influences: KREATOR ("Pleasure to kill"), EXTERMINATOR, SLAYER's heaviest 90s thrashing riffs, MASTER, MASSACRE, some DEATH ("Leprozy") and maybe a bit of INCUBUS (The thrash band that released "Serpent temptation", not the Fusion metal one). More melodic riffs are included here and there.
The whole is correctly played, but nothing stands out in my ears.
They can be cool live.
That can be a cool band for guys from Hollan who are very much into Thrash metal as it follows the main thrash/ Death lines, but they add nothing new or really expressive to the thing.
I don't feel for now a possible potential that will blast out my head.
http://www.mortuary-iod.com

 

MUTILADOR (Usa) Eterno dolor Demo'02.
The first MUTILADOR I use to hear about was the old French band (primal version of MUTILATOR, later named MUTILATED and so on...).
Well this band also has got an old school side in their riffings, it seems to me they try to sound like old POSSESSED or old SARCOFAGO. But it sounds just "slow" and puffing while it lacks in energy.
There's something very old in their style, but it sounds just average or very average while some riffs or drum beats just sound hesitating and misplaced. When they blast it's almost impossible to hear anything.
Some strange sounding parts would make me think about primal IMPALED NAZARENE. They use totally low vocals! Could remind very old INCANTATION in a way...
Some parts I could call as "atmospheric" remind me some old stuffs SADISTIK EXEKUTION did on their two first Lps "The magus" and "We're Death Fukk you!", the kind of atmospheric stuff done without keyboards but with guitars and lots of reverb if you see what I mean...
Maybe they'll offer something more listenable in a chaotic old school Death/ Thrash in the future, with more strength, energy and creativity. But their style is now between the average and the very average!
mutilador_68@yahoo.com

 

MUTILATED (Usa) Demo'01
This MUTILATED has got nothing to do with the French Total Death metal band (R.I.P) who released two great Morbid Death metal demos more than 12 years ago! No, you little crap-sack sucking bastard! There are many differences between the 2 bands: this MUTILATED was freshly formed in USA while thy play American styled Brutal death. The style and production are quite raw, and there are no beautiful melodies: only raw riffs and Heavy Brutal Death guitars.
The fukk is their music isn't original at all, yeah you dig my crap, I feel like I've ever heard this kind of Brutal shit many times before! But they sound more "efficient" than many new "American sounding bands", there's nothing new nor catchy but some parts and structures are cool enough.
They might turn into something really Brutal. Ok, now you’ve understood where I'm exhumed from, here I come with a bunch of bands that sound the same: SKINLESS (old), REPUDILATION (with less grooves), FERMENTO (Full-length CD epoch), plus old SUFFOCATION and old CANNIBAL CORPSE ("Butchered..."). The grunted growls especially remind me of REPUDILATION. Simple raw Brutal Death the "Old way", nothing new, etc, etc... But MUTILATED might have some really good ideas in the future! The release of their first full-length CD on FOREVER UNDERGROUND Records will be the right thing to judge.
http://geocities.com/mutilated_dth

  

MYSTERIIS (Ita) Anthologica mysteriorum Demo tape 2002.
Ah Ah! Black metallisticc crappalation under the rottening enskyment of thy darkified myst! Brutal crappatory exkremental offering! Encrapted in their evilized obscurified makes up, the enwarriored aborted pregnants of MYSTERIIS evilically claim to honor their enthroned evil thornified entity, thus practicalizing evilitized black metallistic noisophago hymns of grimmically thornsoakefacting desperaphago, but fucking crualistic damnating and dethroning disappointtory! This pilgrimacist compositionages septically drown in abysmally enfieldments of crapitalistic Excrementory! Thus lamelessly cpracticalized, compositionned hellishly and architechturalized subterranean constructiveness brutally sets straight under the most mocking averageness! Ah!
This review might remind you some so "intelligent", full of so "clever", complex words, useless and misplaced metaphores/ comparisons webzines (whose names surprisingly reminds me my Ass! How spiritual is it! But it's not a hazard! No!!).
In clearest words that do not try to lamely fool the readers: this band lamely sucks! Under the average "raw" and poor black metal crap that offers nothing new no any interest! Flat as fuck with funny sounding moments. Sadistically defecate on their recordings, or avoid it at all costs!

 

MYSTICE (Fra) Demo CD'00.
I had serious doubts about what I'd hear on this demo! There were "occult" writings everywhere on the package, in the package, on the demo, on the letter, on the flyers... too much to be honest in my opinion!!
After a long Christian mass intro, the music begins. It sounds like some Black metal. The sounds is very poor as it was recorded with a 2 tracker. The full of echo-effect vocals à la very old SADISTIK EXEKUTION (intros of "The magus") disabled me to hear most of their riffs, and what I heard didn't convince me. It sounds like some very very very average demos released in France years ago! The vocals make it sound confused and more than very average!
Sounds a bit like the old demos of CORPSE MOLESTATION, BESTIAL WARLUST or even BEHERIT. The riffs sound quite discordant, raw and chaotic. Some effects on vocals aren't well placed.
Some tracks sound like 50's generation demo tapes from the very beginning of the 90's I got into tape trading. Most of the time I understand nothing! So fucking poor sound... This is very very very average, not to say anything else!!
oka.amida@caramail.com

 

MYSTICE (Fra) Demo'01.
Satan definitely wants me dead! This darklord bastard introduced in my mailbox bombarded by filth another Black metal Demo! Argh!
As some of you know I ain't a Blackmetallist!
And all the more I was afraid of what I'd hear, the previous demo of MYSTICE didn't impress me at all (impossible to hear the riffs...). I'm ready to suffer with 2 cigarettes packets, I push "play"...
Long religious intro, then begins the music of the band. It's at least better produced (I can hear the riffs). It's too simple as fuck riffs! Too many keyboards everywhere, and high pitched screams that never stop! It sounds like a big mess. Black metal capharnaum! The riffs, keyboards and vocals don’t fit with each others.  I don't know what to say... That can't kill anything if it's not tight! Bleuaaargh! Where's the feeling?
Even if they haven't got enough money for the production (as it's written everywhere), they could at least be tight!!
The very best I could say is it's very very very average!
oka.amida@caramail.com

 

NECROBLASPHEME (FRA) Foetal sodomy Demo'01.
This quite new french band plays Classical Death/ Grind with Brutal Death influences (CANNIBAL CORPSE, MORBID ANGEL, NILE, VADER...).
I found some Death thrashing or tremolo Death metal riffs à la MALEVOLENT "The fine art of murder" while some riffs and breaks sounds a lot like CANNIBAL CORPSE (Corpsegrinder epoch) and some heavy moments made me think about UNLEASHED's lastest releases or JUNGLE ROT (without mosh riffs).
I think the band still haven't disgested all these influences, and it can be felt listening to this 4 tracks demo.
This is not too bad for a first recording (the sound is cool), but they will release an album this year, and I think it's really too soon!! They play nothing really new or surprising, some more demos and months of rehearsals would be needed !!
http://www.necroblaspheme.fr.st

 

NECROCIDE (SWE) The second killing  Demo CD'02.
They play Brutal Death that's very much into CANNIBAL CORPSE's style, with morbid sounding tremolos, harmonies à la "Tomb of the mutilated", and all what made C.C's style original on their 3 first albums.
There's a moching riff à la "Eaten back to life".
A lot of bands are influenced by C.C. nowadays...
There are some cool things around the drumplaying... The guy seems to do some little mistakes by moments, but it's maybe due to the mix that makes his playing not always very earable (drums lack of presence during blast parts).
There are a few right hand thrashing elements à la SEPULTURA ("Beneath the remains") and I may talk a bit about SINISTER's "Hate" touches. For some reasons, they remind me of SOILS OF FATE's first demo. Some tremolo riffs sounds like ENCABULOS' "Dark divinity" Demo (but without the dark athmosphere).
The sound lacks in fucking heaviness, but it's clear enough.
To conclude, I'll say it's very much influenced by CANNIBAL CORPSE's brutal death (all times) and can please some big fans of the band.
Some more personnal ideas and riffings would have been welcome as it's a very much played style in nowadays underground.
http://hem.passagen.se/necrosyndicate/?noframe

 

NECROFURYA (Fra) When the night live 22/06/02 Demo CD'02.
This time Satan wasn't so nice as the Black metal stuff he viciously introduced in my mailbox didn't impress me at all! (Speaking as nice as your satanic dark lord that definitely fails in inspiring his legions!)
These tracks of NECROFURYA that were recorded live are composed of nothing more than common Black metal riffs I've heard so many times and that can only bore me! Beginners!
It reminds me some stuffs I heard at the time of the French "Black legions"... but it sounds even more cliché... And it lacks of real hatred, darkness, aggression and anything intense to be called Black metal!
The tracks are repetitive, it could vaguely evoke some sorrow, but I feel like I'm going to drown in my regurgitated guts!!
It's too common! The kind of "melodies" every beginning Black metal band plays! I hardly believe the applause... they sing in French... A few years ago I would have crushed them in the review!
This is a very very average band (and I'm in a good mood)! It sounds like beginners, nothing else!
C/O REICH Stéphane, 12 rue R.Schuman, 57855 St Privat La Montagne, France

 

NECROLORD (Usa) Burn with the beast Demo'02.
According to their band's name and cover, I expected Death metal with a strong DEICIDE touch. but it remains very melodic as a whole. Somekind of mix between melodic Death, melodic Black and Heavy metal.
There are leading Heavy/ Black melodies here and the leads sound very technical. Some little heavy metal ideas reminded me of PILE DRIVER or old KING DIAMOND.
There are a lot of riffs in their tracks as well as many tempo changes, but nothing impressed me as a real deep Brutal punch or deep Heavy metal choke on your blood brother's betrayal is fucking needed!
And I felt one time more the black rob of boredom invading my brain.
Nothing above the very average in their riffs. Even if they have a given technical level, it's not enough to get a good review here! Very average!
http://www.geocities.com/slumhole666/NECROLORD

 

NECROMANIACAL CRUCIFIXION (HOL) You are what you say Demo '01.
What this band plays is common and average Death metal with melodic parts, some more blasting like drums and black metal like riffing all mixed in averageness. They sometimes reminds me the kind of stuffs I often heard in the Demo that were released by French bands around 96/97.
Some black metal vocals are also used here, and the snare drum sound sometimes wastes the thing, which isn't very good at the beginning.
So there is nothing really new or interesting here.
We only can wish them to improve, but also to find their own ideas and to search for more than a tightly played music.
http://www16.brinkster.com/necronomical/index.html

 

NECRON (FRA) Renaissance Demo MCD'02 Autoprod.
Here's another french band that's new to me (the french scene is really growing these months!).
They play a kind of heavy Death metal à la OBITUARY ( but without the typical Death metal punching beats) so I'd they they're more influenced by the "The end complete" album of the American Death metallers. I also can notice some SIX FEET UNDER (First album), JUDECCA, and some classical a bit more melodic DEATH like riffs.
Most of the vocals are growling but some a bit hardcore like background vocals are present here and there. The whole is correctly played and sounds ok (even if sometimes boring), but I think some more punch and energy would be welcome. More surprises thrown here and there please!
http://www.necron.fr.st/

 

NECROPIA (USA) Demo'2002.
Steven from ENCABULOS passed me this obscure Underground Demo (Hail Metal brother!).
Fucking sool old school looking artwork cover, dark and full of agonising faces in the details.
Their raw and abrupt sound making them sound like old ORDER FROM CHAOS, but their style is more grinding Death metal.
Low obscure vocals in the vein of very old BOLT THROWER/ old INCANTATION.
I could speak about some old DEICIDE riffings here; old KRISIUN (first vynil releases) could also be named while some obscure Death metal comparisons with AMON(r.i.p?)'s riffings wouldn't be misplaced. But this fucking abysmal sound makes me unable to understand the most technical or low tuned guitar riffs of their own.
It reminds me a BELIAL MCD I've listened a few times in the past.
I found nothing relevant here but the big Underground bastards may find it cool!
http://hometown.aol.com/necropiadv

 

NECROTORTURE (Ita) Exploring ways of the flesh Demo CD'02.
These italian Brutallers want us to explore the ways of the flesh, and I'm going to explore the brutallized guts of this MCD for you!
You'll get here 10:45 minutes of Brutal death metal with old DEICIDE influences for some technical riffs and more mid placed tremolos with a vicious sounding aspect.
A few blast beats à la BRUTAL TRUTH ("E.C.D.E.R") could also make think about DEMENTOR's 1st CD. Some american influenced Brutal death à la PYREXIA/ SUFFOCATION/ REPUDIILATION (without the moshing touch) can (as always) be found here. A military side in the snare drumming reminded me a bit of the Brutal death band from Argentina called VIBRION (At the time of their "Erradicated life" Ep + 1st CD). There are some cool heavy Brutal death riffs à la SUFFOCATION/ DIGSUT (Fra).
I could define their vocals as somekind of a mix between Glen Benton (in "Legion"), AMON (the black/ death band that released the "Shemhamforash" CD) that would have turned more guttural and lower.
Some breaks and blast beats make the thing loose in intensity for my brutallized guts, some riffs sounds ok but some parts are wasting the thing. Their name sounds too much everheard before for me.
Not bad, but nothing great nor good as it remains quite classical in the style, they can improve by throwing away some approximative sounding parts and make the song's structures better.
necrotorture@libero.it

 

NIHILIST (Macedonia) Hate-addicted Demo'00.
Fucking shit! These young metallers should beware to their acts before blaspheming the cult moniker of a killer and inspired as fuck Death metal band!!
This NIHILIST isn't cool, it almost even sucks! What you can hear is slow/ mid placed Deathcore the flat way! Even if the 'musicians' are tight, they do not play it cool, nope it's ever heard, too simple and in need of practice. It also brutally lacks of intensity, extremism and morbid energy to use a great name like NIHILIST! To sum it up: flying between the shit and the very average.
Practice, rehearse hard, and see you in few years.
c/o Aleksandar Kamilovski, "Nikola Parapunov" 1/43, 1000 SKOPJE, MACEDONIA.

  

NO VALUE (Jap) November 2000 to march 2001 Demo CDr.
Here's a nice underground band coming from the country of the rising sun and titless bitches(??): Japan. Fast and raw Grind Crust Punk with a raw production! Sounds kinda like old S.O.B! With some old BIRDFLESH touches. Some old school punk part reminds me of the DEAD KENNEDYS. Punk Grind like vocals. It reminds me a bit of WILBUR COBB(Ger). Nothing killer, but the tracks are compressed enough and articulated in an alright way! And this is tight! I can listen to this short Demo without being bored. Can be nice for those Undergrind freaks who like fast Grind crust! Notice a bunch of tracks can be downloaded on their site!

 

NO VALUE (Jap) 3 tracks Demo'02
Ah! This demo is even shorter! The band still plays raw Grind crust punk, but their new vocalist has got kinda more screamed vocals. And the production is rawer than the other demo reviewed here. Sounds a bit like old DISRUPT and the first Grindcore bands who emerged from Uk! Still fast with a very tight drummer! No studio false crap: pure Underground from the old garage! Download this quite nice demo on their site!
http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/novalue

 

OBSCENE (Swe) Demo’02.
Riding from Sweden with this demo recorded in their rehearsal room, OSBSCENE offers something rather encouraging for a first demo. The style of the band is a Death/Grind with some old school or Brutal death touches. Their riffs are common in the style, and some approximations on tracks' structures are there. But they have got the right influences, and it's not shit riffs but the kind of ones I've ever heard.
According to the riffs they're on, their extreme music reminds me of old CANNIBAL CORPSE, old SUFFOCATION (less technical), some SEVERE TORTURE, old DEICIDE and ENCABULOS' "Dark divinity" Demo'98.
The drummer attracted my attention as he has got some good blasts and a quite cool style! Not a fucking monotonous drum playing. He reminds me of VADER's drummer on the first demos of the band, and some Dave Culross (SUFFOCATION/ MALEVOLENT CREATION) for the style. Nice cover. Well, there's nothing really special at the level of the riffs, but it's correctly Brutal, and it's rather encouraging for a first demo! Keep on brutalizing!
http://www.obscene.cjb.net

 

ORCHRIST (ITA) The third imperyum Demo CD'02
This Black metal band coming from Italy reminds me of CRADLE OF FILTH in its most athmospheric parts and I fucking don't like this kind of Black metal! Their thing is an athmospheric Black metal that's quite fast with tiny vocals à la Cradle of Filth... some faster parts sound more Norvegian à la old EMPEROR and it's a bit better but some other parts and variations sound fucking approximative and hesitating, as if some breaks were improvised during the recording!
The music doesn't sound especially inspired, and in fact it doesn't sound like a band that has got a strong experience!
It fucking reminds me some riffs I wrote in my 6 first months of guitar playing! The drums are inexistant in the mix and makes the music confused! A very average demo that needs thousands and thousands of hours of strong hard work!!
Strid78@hotmail.com

  

OUTCAST (Fra) The source of all creation Demo’02.
I was quite confused when I got this promo since I had the CD of a trip hop/ electro band also named OUTCAST, and their logos looks the same way if I remember well, but the two bands have nothing to do!
What they play is far from being my fave thrashing style since it lacks in real feeling for most of the bands, it’s aggressive but common and make ya want to sleep…
What we have here is thrashing metal with a core touch that reminds me a lot of KREATOR’s “Cause for conflict” CD, some riffs and ideas really seem to com from this album (it’s not a compliment, just a fact).
Some SLAYER’s “Divine intervention” can be found while touches of VADER are obvious in old school Death metal riffs. There are GRIP INC like riffs and vocals (for the way it’s placed, not for the tonality) on the 4th track. Some aggressive thrashing or heavier riffs are Ok, but some are also quite common!
I read the review of their stuff  made by other zines, some told it was a “masterpiece”, that the band had a “great potential”, that it was a “thrash death killing”, “an excellent demo” and it included “4 excellent tracks”… No!! I think the French reviewers should wash away their ears and throw away all the curly parsley that wastes their understanding!
I really think someone can enjoy their music since it’s correctly constructed, tight and well produced, but nothing is exceptional here since they’re only influenced and reproduce their influences in a quite cool way, but there’s no genius and nothing that comes straight from the metal heart!
OUTCAST is an Ok band in this 95/98 Thrash/ Death style, the whole sounds quite pro with a good sound, but it really reminds me a lot the KREATOR album quoted before, and nothing is really intense on an emotional point of view!
http://outcast.music.free.fr

  

PITBULLS IN THE NURSERY (Fra) Impact Demo'01.
Here's a nice Demo! According to their name I excepted a really more Brutal style, in an obscure Blasting American style, but their music is more mid placed and mid-technical. One has understood the PITBULLS play a quite technical Death thrash metal with Brutal death grind moments! The music could remind of DEATH (last releases) DEICIDE, a bit of BROKEN HOPE and there is some Thrash à la old SLAYER in. Some little technical touches are in the lines of DEATH or ATHEIST, but there are no complex structures. Their tracks might sound a bit long, or a bit repetitive... but there is also enough diversity.
So it's a nice demo, nothing killer, but the band might turn into something interesting! P.I.T.N seems to be a part of a cool technical Death metal scene that takes more importance in France with bands like GORGASM, ERADYKATE... Isn't it cool?
http://pitn.free.fr

 

PLASMA (GER) Gorefuck Promo CD’01 AUTOPROD.
The band plays Gore Death/ Grind. It’s not powerfully produced and the riffs are totally unoriginal! It’s too simple and repetitive music.
It sounds as a very cheaper version of LIVIDITY’s « Fetish for the sick », partly due to the poor sound. Some riffs reminds me of the beginnings of a Death Metal band I was playing in : TORMENT, I mean it sounds like "wanna write riffs to write riffs, at all costs!" and I know what I mean ;-)
The sound on the second part of the CD is very weak, not to say shitty, I even do not speak about the music… This had proven to be a very average Demo, but this was released as a pro MCD by a label, so it turned to a totally crappy release as pro CD needs to be good!! Fuck the ignorance crap in metal.

  

POST MORTEM (FRA) Mankind autopsy Demo CD'02
Another French band I discover right now!
These ones play some Brutal death metal that isn't of the most Brutal, but it doesn't suck.
They own some quite old CRYPTOPSY touches, some old CRYPTOPSY (1st and 2nd CDs) and some DYING FETUS ("Killing on adrenaline") for high pitched guitar screams, mid placed Death parts owning a Hardcore feel and some nice arrangements. There are some touches in the vein of melodic Death riffs LOUDBLAST used on some of their older albums like "Sublime dementia" or "Cross the threshold" MCD. They distorded their vocals with a special pitchshifting effect between old BOLT THROWER ("Realms of chaos") and an harmonizer à la old CARNIVORE (2nd LP) that would get more guttural vocals as a basis.
Hey, what's this CRADLE OF SHIT shirt in the booklet? lol
Their riffs aren't all very good, but the way the tracks are done, some ideas thrown here and there and the whole quality of the riffs leaves me a rather cool impression.
A cool Brutal death band that deserve a bit more support than what they get now!
http://www.post-mortem.fr.st

 

PSYCHOFAGIST (Ita) Promo CD'02.
With a totally unreadable version of BLOODY GORE's logo, I could await from them some technical Brutal death.
There style is a mix of melodic Death riffs à la DEATH, Brutal death with MORBID ANGEL influences on heavier riffs (with few touches of ANGEL CORPSE for tremolo riffings). They own some riffs à la OSSUARY INSANE that are quite mid placed and sound quite hestitating.
I've got the feeling their tracks are going everywhere, it lacks of unity and intensity in my ears... The lead guitarist has got a good technical level.
Even if the technicity of the guitarist isn't bad, some work is needed as it sounds average and confused in a good amount of moments.
coffinfeeder@tin.it

 

PUTREFAKTION (FRA) Sublime stench of rot Demo CD'01.
This kind self releases aren't very pleasant to be reviewed.
I think it sounds like a real beginning band at the level of the riffs, as well as the whole stuff in fact.
I have ever heard some of the riffs some many times before... and when the drum machine grinds, it's almost impossible to hear anything as the drums and the gore vocals overdrives.
This band could make think about ATAVISM's demo'98, but their use of drum machine were maybe meant to be done in the MORTICIAN vein.
If you know the bands, it could remind you for some reasons or some others: MEAT PAUNCH MAFIA, PORNOCRATE, GONKULATOR or MORTICIAN's fist demo. There are samples taken from movies between almost every tracks.
So, they need to work on their music, and they should wait before putting their tracks on a CD, the CD format really makes you await something more (sorry but it cruelly sucks for me!).  
Putrefaktionbfc@aol.com

 

PUTREFY (Uk) Lust so vile Demo CD'02.
Fans of old school Brutal death metal may find some brutal enough listenings here! When I say "Old school brutal death", I mean old Brutal metal à la CANNIBAL CORPSE "Butchered at birth": simple but brutal shit whit quite raw riffs. Some 97/99 American style simple grooves were added in the pot for you 'wanna move my ass" pleasures. Some old death metal riffs à la GRAVE and ROTTREVORE, gore death metal riffs à la early EXHUMED as well as rotten mid old DERANGED ("III") riffs were brutally sodomized.
The sound in here is raw, but it's okey for a demo and it fits quite well the music.
None of the riffs sounded bloody original, Uh! I feel like I ever heard most of it; but some tracks have enough punch to please underground maniacs of raw brutality. The first track "Mutilated slutfuck" is the best one in my opinion, the 4 remaining ones have both boring and kinda nice moments.
If PUTREFY spends more time of labor and works harder on their next compositions, they can record a really cool Brutal demo!
http://www.putrefy.cjb.net

 

QUO VADIS (Can) February sessions Demo'02.
I don't know if this demo was released, but what I hear deserves a nice review!
These new tracks of QUO VADIS are still in a Death thrashing heavy metal in the vein of the last DEATH releases! Understand it's quite melodic, thrashy with a bunch of riffs! It may also sound like CONTROL DENIED, a bit of some IN FLAMES, or a little bit of mid old MEGADETH. The vocals are quite heavy sounding and death metallic.
The drummer is killer! Powerful varied and powerful drumplaying! Fast as fuck double bass drums that crush anything that isn't metal! And to be honest, I still feel like the guitar playing is behind the drumming that kills!
The guitars are really less intense! I didn't find their riffs so memorable... but apart from this it sounds pro and worked enough not to be boring! The technical death metal fans will listen with attention. The DEATH fans may find it allright!
http://www.quovadis.qc.ca

 

RELENTLESS (Swe) Experiment in excrements Demo tape 2001 BUTCHERY Music.
Don't let the title of this demo fool you! This has nothing to do with scatonoise or porngrind! RELENTLESS plays Brutal death metal in the simple Brutal way of old CANNIBAL CORPSE! Of corpse some "Vile" riffs can be detected and it happens the band uses more technical touches from here and there. But most of this rancid meat stabwound is Brutal and mindless in the 90's US Brutal death style! (But without any core or groovy piece of nu-core influence!).
Her anus can be shred with the infernal razors and bloody cissors of death! RELENTLESS reminds me of SEPSISM, CANNIBAL CORPSE (old), BRUTUS, some ROTTREVORE and a little bit of old MORTICIAN melted altogether in abject pus and brutal infectious purulence! The songs lack and loose some efficiency from here and there, but I've heard worst decrepit decrescendos! As always, there's nothing bloody new to expect from this demo, but I think it may be a pleasant piece of Brutality for those who like it as brutal as a big Axe strike in the ass of their girlfriend bitch!
Email: relentless@swipnet.se

 

REPUDIATE (FRA) Neurasthenia Demo'02.
Here's a quite new French Death/ Grind band.
Their music reminds me of the last BEHEADED MCD (a bit), SUFFOCATION ("Effigy of the forgotten") for the fast parts and there's a little touch of BAPHOMET here, but some riffs are really classical. They use a lot of typical CANNIBAL CORPSE like tremolos (that are used by a good amount of band in the U.G now). There are cool leads in the vein of NILE/ MORBID ANGEL (but it's not apocalyptic and not deliria induced though). There's maybe a small touch of KRISIUN for some leads melodies. I've found in this promo some good sorrowfull Doomy death parts à la old MY DYING BRIDE/ old PARADISE LOST (with a touch of NILE in the spirit).
Some breaks makes the whole stuff loose some intensity.
I may also quote some SADISTIC INTENT, some classical tremolo riffs à la SICKENING GORE (and maybe ROTTREVORE + old DECREPIT). Some low tuned and raw blasting parts makes me think about some old INCANTATION's stuffs.
They use the classical music breaks MASSACRA had on their first albums.
For some obscure reasons, some "evil" sounding vocals and some tremolo Death riffs reminds me of AMON (The band that released the "Shemhamforash" CD'99 - not to be confused with the pre DEICIDE band). So, this is a cool Death grind band.
The funny thing is most of their parts that really caught my attention are the more Doomy death riffs and the leads (that remains quite melodic in fact).
http://www.repudiate.fr.st

 

REPUGNANT (Swe) Draped in cerecloth Demo'01.
Once you've put the tape in the player you immediately hear what it's all about! Old school as fuck Death metal!
Still influenced by old MERCILESS, the band reminds me of some fucking excellent POSSESSED primal recordings for the thrashing riffs in an old school Death metal way! NECROPHAGIA's "Seasons of the dead" was also exhumed and avulsed right in my putrefying face! Wicked and morbid sounding melodies and (nice) arrangements.
Small moments of Doom old school Death metal bands also placed well in their great old compositions!Little touches of INFERNAL MAJESTY may be underlined for nice sounding little melodies or arrangements.
It reminds me also of early SEPULTURA on "Morbid visions" and "Bestial devastation" and PESTILENCE's most thrashy and old school "Malleus maleficarum".
The production and the tracks are of a lower quality than the "Hecatomb" Ep/ MCD that had parts that may be of pure cult for some guys! But it remains a band being worth the packs of beers and kicks in the posers' faces for old school maniacs!
A full length CD will be released in 2003, I'm curious to hear how it will sound with an excellent production!
http://www.repugnant.fr.st

  

REQUIEM (POR) Requiem Aeternam Dona Eis Demo'01.
The bio announces the band as playing a mix between "Progressive Rock to Doom metal, from atmospheric heavy to extreme and technical Death metal. I was expecting something quite varied and dynamical with great variations and musicianship in the vein of DREAM THEATER, DEATH and EMPEROR... I was disappointed as I found it very average! It's the kind of bands that play in the bars and I've ever heard thousands of times before... I mean this is all ever heard riffs along the 'clichés' of the style! The sound isn't powerful enough! There are in my opinion thousands of better sounding bands in this style!
http://www.requiem.web.pt

  

RESUSCITATION (Bel) Injection of insanity Demo'01.
This isn't a good demo... The music of RESUSCITATION can be situated between Brutal death grind and some old school raw Death/ Black. It may sound like some old CANNIBAL CORPSE, old DEICIDE, old BLASPEMY. There are some thrashy touches. Vocals are quite raw. But their riffs are very average and sound hesitating, and blur. Even if there are some drum-machine tempo changes, nothing stands out from the tracks. The music is very common and it sounds flat. To be nice I'll say it's a very average Demo. I won't listen to it again.
http://resuscitation.deathmetal.be

  

SCARVENGER (Fra) Live promo 2002.
This live promo is composed of 4 tracks. The sound isn't great, but well, I can make myself an idea of what happens here. SCARVENGER ( mixing of the words "scar" and "avenger") is a quite new band, as it was formed the year 2000. "They compose in an old school Death/ Thrash/ Heavy style with a technical side that takes its influences in bands such as DEATH, PESTILENCE and the Death thrash scene of the 90's", as their bio sums it so well. And you are not misleaded on the stuff. It's true SCARVENGER reminds me a lot of DEATH in its way of compositions, but also for the high pitched vocals.
But all this seems to be well done to me, I can feel Ch'blond (the guitarist/ vocalist) works hard to offer some tracks in which he puts his guts. That is a good point. I also feel the guy have got a good metal knowledge and knows what he's doing when he plays the guitar. See the interview on his website, he has got the good metal spirit , a spirit that tends to be so much forgotten nowadays, and it can be felt in his music. It seems to me there was some fresh line up changes, but the band doesn't stop, and it's good as it seems promising to me. On the other hand I think they would have to make the thing more personal.
It still lacks a bit of personality, but taking in account the dedication of Ch'blond, I think the first demo they'll release won't be disappointing. Courage guys! Keep on playing, you have got some potential but also the right spirit!
http://www.scarvenger.fr.st
 

Nathaniel    

 

SCURVY (Swe) Demo 2000.
It's finally clear in my rotten putrid mind: those necro-perverts hiding behind a goregrinding machine of old school grinding death are nothing more than porn perverts! SCURVY = SINFULL CURVES YOUNGPORNBABESFUCKERS! Ah! What you hear is old school influenced Grindcore with Death metal and brutal death touches! Of corpse not much to be heard from the newest "Grind" scene who forgot to play it rude and hypnotizing with morbid songs of the dead! What you have here rather reminds of good old stuffs like early REPULSION, old NAPALM DEATH; early VIBRION and some good old Death metal vibes à la SADISTIC INTENT meets (very) early MORBID ANGEL! In this putrid pervertor add few good old crustcore and some rune-fucking high-pitched funny vocrass à la early FILTH (The mighty Demo'95!) and you have a decent overview of this early SCURVY release! Hey, wait motherfucker, influences/ similarities with early GROINCHURN (when they were playing GRIND, not your noisy blasting crap) as well as few doomed vibes can be found! But all in all, this will be a cool underground looking daemon tape for those who like it old school, might it be grind or Death metal. As always, not much innovative or really killer, but the feeling and vibe of the old school and some strange necrophiliac images are there to please the morbid ones. A fine tape for big underground freaks of corpse.
http://come.to/scurvy

 

SEARING SKULL (Fra) Forested tales Demo CD’02.
I’ve heard some bad words about them from the acid spitting mouth of a Norvegian skullfucker!
Well, the very cliché cover of their demo, the shitty title “Forested tales” and the fucking common keyboard intro I’ve ever heard in almost every black metal demo before doesn’t put me in positive conditions to hear their thing.
And their music is so poor and cliché! It’s unbelievably sad they have good reviews in other zines since it’s more than cliché and under the very average! And these bastards are not tight when they play these riffs any guy listening to Black since a few months could write! Fuck this shit, I was writing these shit riffs after only 3 months of guitar! This is really shitty riffs and it doesn’t deserve to be pressed on a demo! I have found nothing that tastes Black metal or even metal here! Even god would deeply laugh hearing this! In two words: it sucks!
Cédric Vincent, 35 grand rue, 67130 Hersbach, France

 

SEEDS OF HATE (FRA) Live promo CD'02.
The cover of this live recorded CDr promo looks very cheap for me (eh! you should have asked me for a little drawing man!), but let's talk about their music as it's the most important here.
Their style is very much into the old SLAYER style (2 first albums), but I may quote also some old DARKNESS, old KREATOR and maybe some touches of old DESTRUCTION.
The sound isn't very good as it's a live recording, but it remains Ok to do the review. The bass sound is specially metallic (and too much thin for me). There are vocals reminding me a lot of very old SLAYER for the more "melodic" lyrical sides, but also some DARKNESS (GER) like screams.
The riffs aren't always very hearable as the vocals are very present in the mix, some of it are Ok for me, while some guitar parts sounds hesitating.
Their music sounds incredibly old fashioned as if it was played at the beginning of the style. Notice there's a AC DC cover ("Back in black").
Expect nothing more from them than correctly played (very) old school classical thrash metal.
http://seedsofhate.fr.st

 

SEVERED MASS (USA) CD Demo'00
This very average band plays a death metal with some black metal parts.
Humm, this is not very good and some of the riffs really sound too much happy and unaggressive! All the stuffs here have ever been heard in some band's CDs and there's no real musicians' habilities and personality, but it seems to be a young band... Lots of work is needed!
http://go.to/SeveredMass

  

SHE'S GORE (Thailand) She's gore Demo'01.
Emerging from the purulent bowels of Thailand, SHE'S GORE offers some Brutal Death metal, and I must say I didn't know what to expect since I know almost nothing from their country's metal scene.
Their style is composed of a lot of tremolo riffs mixed all together in short tracks. By moments, they could remind NOISM for the fact of adding a lot of different riffs in a track/ each riff being played only one time, but it's not the same style.
They'd rather make me think about MUCUS MEMBRANE, CANNIBAL CORPSE, DEICIDE, CEREBRAL NECROSE ("Civil obedience") and other rather old school and more or less techincal Brutal death bands.
Strangely programmed drum machine, it's sound lowers by moments as if it was done to make us think the "real" drummer was getting a bit tired on some blasts.
It's clearly produced, (lacking of power for the sound, but it's ok) but none of the numerous riffs caught my attention as, in my opinion, it sounds very average at it's best. It's the kind of riffs you can easily find when you get a given technical level and a minimum Brutal death knowledge, and so many bands played this style and kind of riffs...
If a Brutallizing bastard from Thailand reads these lines and wants to advice me some gut chrushing explosion bands, let's go on man! SHE'S GORE didn't impress me at all! Maybe they'll be better in some years, but the future ain't now.
http://crash.to/shesgore

  

SLAUGHTER THOU (Australia) DePsyche Demo'01.
The dark aura of death emerges from nowhere, the past sufferance and infernal brainstorms take over your body and mind as you will bang your head as a fucking damned pile of shit! This is old school Brutal death grind the way I like it! Fast death metal that sounds a lot like old DEICIDE, with both blast parts, decent double kicks and punching Death metal beats. This isn't over technical guitar wanking, if you see what I mean! Brutal death metal that keeps some soul, with an obscure hellish touch emerging during some chaotic leads or impious riffs of damnation! This demo reminds me a lot of SEVERE TORTURE's first Demo ("Baptized in virginal liquid"), if you see what I mean!
Not really killer, but a cool band that has evilish chances to please fans of Death metal the fast and quite old school way. SLAUGHTER THOU deserves more fucking support from hell! Enjoy, or burn in the deepness of hell!
http://go.to/slaughterthou

  

SPEARHEAD (GER) Spearhead MCD'02 SELFRELEASED.
I remember I thought this Demo was cool when I received it, but now I wonder in which kind of crappy 'promotional" deliria I was in!
With the distance, I feel like it's some old school mid placed Death metal core that remains conveniently in the schemes of the style! Nothing new, nothing personal nor original, they only follow the highlines the Death metal masters wrote with blood on skin pages some years ago! And when I listen to it again, I can't find highlights nor really catchy riffs, it's only Ok/ Cool at best... Anyway they sound like a nostalgic mix of old BOLT THROWER, SLAYER, OBITUARY, SIX FEET UNDER with few touches of mid old SINISTER and KREATOR. Few riffs reminded me of MORGOTH ("Odium") for the power metallized touch The track's titles are too simple and cliché. The drummer isn't bad, but the music doesn't enthusiasms me. An average Demo band.
http://www.spearhead.at

 

SPIRITUAL DISSECTION (FRA) Forsaken through Demo CD'02.
Here's another new French Brutal band!!
There style is a complex Brutal death metal, and to the contrary of what some zines could have said, I think only their vocals have something to do with the goregrind style.
They own some technical riffs à la NECROPHAGIST (Ger) that seems to be a quite strong influence in their style, some Brutal death riffing à la Nile (not the Egyptian induced melodies) and some fast Brutal death metal with some CANNIBAL CORPSE morbid tremolos.
I've found little melodic Death/ Black elements à la GOD DETHRONED and touches of Blacking Death metal à la IMMORTAL's "Blizzard beast" thrown between some Brutal riffings.
They use a drum machine that's hyper fast, it can remind of MORTICIAN, DEMENTOR... but this kind of ultra fast blasts lacks the old school grinding energy for me as it gains no relief.
The sound ain't bad for an autoproduction.
The problem for me is they try to play fast to play fast! it's too fast and they loose some possible efficiency and clarity! It isn't bad for a first demo as it shows their technical capacities and some metal knowledge... But remember: Brutal death ain't only a dissection of the brain, but also a wide open gate to the deepest atrocities and worst insanities of the human being!!
dissexion@voila.fr

  

STABWOUND (Swe) Malicious Addiction Demo’02.
The Swedish Underground seems to include a bunch of extreme bands adopting the several Brutal metal styles.
Here we have one quite new band that plays a Death/ Grind with a quite Heavy touch. Their style is quite influenced by the American Brutal Death, but it's less technical. Their extreme music reminds me of bands like SUFFOCATION (old), CANNIBAL CORPSE (old), BAPHOMET, DEICIDE (mid old), some FLESHGRIND (few Heavy grooves) and I detected a bit of ROTTING in few heavy parts. The vocals are quite raw and included a quite obscure viciously ecclesiastic touch. It's common in the style, but it's Ok. Reminds me a bit of CYANOSIS' "Bludgeoned" Demo'98 and DISGUST (Fra)'s "Inquisition" Demo'97 also. There are few nice parts, but the whole remains average. Quite tight musicians. Cool sound for a first demo. The songs are correctly articulated.
Nothing especially attracted my attention, nor made me choke on an exploding black blood fuse, but STABWOUND might be a cool band for big fans of the style!
http://listen.to/stabwound

 

TALES  OF BLOOD (Fra) Range of gore Demo CD'02.
This french band that play heavy and mid placed Death metal could remind you of: SIX FEET UNDER (2 first CDs), MASSACRE (2nd CD), a bit of ROTTREVORE (slow parts), DEATH (2 first CDs) and a bit of BLUDGEON.
Their sound is low placed and cool for a demo. Their vocals reminds me of Chris Barnes on SIX FEET UNDER's "Warpath" CD. The whole sounds as a quite beginning band because the riffs are common for this this style, and they lack of fucking energy!
I'm fucking fed up with this slow/ mid placed Death metal, so much of it was played in the past it becomes fastly boring if it's not very good!
But the band seems to be quite new and they may need to play this D.M style to evolve in something more intense in some years... and they're tight in their thing.
Anyway, some SIX FEET UNDER fans, strong Die Hard supporters or some french newcomers in the Brutal style may find a quite cool band to support here...
http://www.talesofblood.fr.st

 

THE KILL (Australia) Demo tape'00.
Ah Ah!!! Even if this was one of the very first recordings of the band, it shredds the anus of the big mama!! Totally raw Grindcore noise from the bowels of the forgotten deviant! Punishing Raw Blastfukk compression! Screams of anger!! AAARGH! It has also some Crust and Mid tempos, but the Blasts prevails in aggression here! But don't misunderstand my words little disjoncted crappy bastard! This isn't sterile blasts for the only fact of blasting! Some real grinding punch is kicking the drumkit! And the riffs... even if it sounds raw as Fukk, it remains more aggressive than most of the so-called "Grindcore" bands who sounds soooooooo asleep! Grindcore isn't 'cool' music you can dream about Hawaï on! The brutal punch of reality!
Ok, I know some guys won't enjoy this coz the sound is fuckking raw and fuckked up to the ass-core, but the real Undergrind freaks who need it raw and fucking Brutal right from the corroded ass' deepness ever know THE KILL and respect them for that! Notice all the tracks of this Demo should be re-released on an Ep through 625 Prod. quite soon! And some of it was included on split CDs (such as the one w/ RETALLIATION)! Grind on when it really GRINDS!
http://www.geocities.com/blastasfuk

 

THE KRUSHERS (ITA) 1985 Demo’02.
What  we’ve got here is a very average (!) demo with a very raw/ thin old sounding demo sound, it seems the tape was recorded in 1988 with an old tape recorder...  It’s some old school thrash à la old SODOM/ KREATOR and maybe BULLDOZER.  They seem to have got some tremolo death/ black riffs. It includes about 25 tracks. For me it’s some really average stuff with nothing that really stands out and the sound really makes me nervous! You must work again and again until you record something correct! It's sad but true!

  

THORNESBREED (Ger) Preaching the sin Demo'01.
The first question I ask myself when I receive a new demo is "Would Satan laugh?". In the case of THORNESBREED I don't think he would, but he'd rather keep an "Ok" state of mind.
THORNESBREED plays an obscure kind of Death/ Grind with few black metal touches. The style of the band may remind of other ones such as old IMMOLATION, old INCANTATION, old DEATH/AUTOPSY (a bit), very old raw BOLT THROWER (a bit) and newer acts such as THRONEUM. It remains quite old school Death at the level of the riffs. The style is quite raw. Heavy death metal growls. Many blasts and double bass drums. Tight musicians.
Nothing that attracted my attention nor especially standed out. It's an average demo.
http://www.thornesbreed.de

  

THRONEUM (Pol) The underground storms eternally Demo'00.
So Death metal came in the wind? What kind of ventral bowelious winds is it? I still don't find in my bowels of repugnance other winds than the "mighty rectal winds of Sirius"...
But let's come back to some safer and cleaner subjects with the review of THRONEUM's music!
I reviewed their "Old death's layr" CD'02 before. Their style on this demo is in the same vein than the CD, but it's less evolved and less "complex". It's old school Death/ Thrashing metal with few old school Black metal influences. Could remind me a bit of old ABHORER or even a few of old BESTIAL WARLUST.
Well, there are less catchy parts on this release, less more "original" parts as their stuff of the time included less dark "melodic" parts and bass lines that evolved in their own realm of darkness without following the guitar lines. I'd find it more impressive if it was faster (it's not really blasting, the fast parts needs an hell burn right in the ass of the drummer to be real blasts!) nothing stands out, the whole remains average/ very average in my opinion. Check their "Old death's layr" CD or some other newer THRONEUM's stuffs if you are interested in old school Death metal and want to listen to their music!
http://www.geocities.com/throneum

 

TOMBE (Hol) Enter the tomb Demo'01.
As the darkness invades this room full of dusk and putrid reeks of decomposing meticulously-cut pieces of perfect babes' bottoms, I have to raise up my beer and say UUGHH! The power of ancient Death seems like it will one more time emerge from the lowest parcels of this grave-chamber... Visions of necrotic ghosts begin to run all around the red-blood burning light, the maelstromic walls begin to tremble as the sounds of the awaking endlessly dormant obsess my midly awaken consciousness... Death shall rise, from the past reborns the storm, Arkhon the grave robber will finally open his entrails and let the green flesh devouring acid explode!! But unfortunately, my imaginary little sister put this TOMBE CD in my Hi-Fi player, and the spell of Death is now broken. Colours of ancient necropsy fade away, while the light turns to grey. The walls finally shut-up their full of desire speeches to let pure calm invade this now boring and safe room. While the TOMBE CD is played, any kind of burning metal power fades away, not that this demo is that boring, but well we heard some ways more bloody pieces of killing Death metal! What you have here sounds like a decent mix of Death metal the mid old way and thrash metal (that could sound like some SLAYER or KREATOR). Some DEATH can be felt, of corpse, but there are also some more brutal influences, as well as few melodic touches, between this beer and that beer. All in all, TOMBE rather pays it with a death-thrashing rhythm (the semi fast one, not the blasts), with few slower moments and seldom blasts. What I hear is decent Death-thrashing metal that might sound cool for a beer injected local gig, but there is nothing new or killer with a big "K"! Just decent or 'cool' stuff played by fans for the big fans. Do not expect explosive visionary sickness or chopped in half vocals, it's just a cool band to support for the underground fans (and rather for those who live in the band's country). But as always, I'm not the omniscient one who always speaks the truth, so if you think you could be interested in this underground band, send them a mail and you'll be able to judge if their quite usual but cool sounding midly old school metal is for you.
http://www.listen.to/tombe

 

TOMBTHROAT (Ger) The revenge of evil Demo MCD'02.
Here's a nice surprise! TOMBTHROAT plays cool Death/ Grind in a 90's way with some old school Death touches. Understand there aren't 60 riffs in a track, quite simple and direct riffs.
The riffs could remind of old CANNIBAL CORPSE and old MALEVOLENT CREATION with some old UNLEASHED, OBITUARY and old GRAVE (a bit) touches. It also reminded me a bit of MORGOTH, KAAMOS, etc. You get the old school point!  The vocals are very cool! It's screamed, scorched and quite aggressive, reminds me of Martin Van Drunnen on "Consuming impulse" (HAILZ PESTILENCE!!). The first track is the coolest one, it's the one that sounds the most efficient, the other ones are only ok/ quite cool. It shows they can do something catchy if they really want it. This is really in the style of the 89-91 Death metal bands, which isn't bad. Cool sound.
Conclusion of Death: This is a cool demo and I'll try to put an hear on their next one!
http://www.tombthroat.de

 

TORN TO PIECES (Ger) Vaginal burned god Demo CD'02.
Nice old school Death logo reminding me of some old DISMEMBER's stuffs! Their demo is divided in two musical parts: 2 tracks are more Death metal like while the two other ones are in some different and lighter styles.
The 2 first ones are mostly mid placed/ slow Death metal à la old DEATH, KRABATHOR, OBSCENITY(old). Some parts remind me of old JUNGLE ROT as well. There are a few faster parts but their "blasts" aren't efficient and not Brutal. It would be better with real Death metal or Grindcore beats. By moments the guitar riffing tend to thrashcore à la NUCLEAR ASSAULT/ HELLBASTARD.
The 3rd track is ways more influenced by old school Thrash metal as it reminds me of some very old SODOM recordings. And the 4th tracks is melodic Death/ Thrash/ Heavy that's very average in the demo style. It really bores me!
This is a band that needs rehearsals and gigs to improve (try to be surprising in the tracks' structures, and be more selective with the riffs you use, it'll take some time, but the result can only be better) and some ideas I found here and there aren't too bad, for example I can quote a guitar melody à la NUCLEAR ASSAULT ("Survive")/ HELLBASTARD on the 2nd track (at 0:38).
Well, nothing else to say as I remain quite uninspired. A few ideas aren't too bad but some strong work is needed! This band that tries to play Death Grind sounds very average in my opinion!
http://www.torntopieces.cjb.net

 

TOXIC HOLOCAUST (USA) Critical mass CDr'02 SELF RELEASED.
Ready to wear again your old leather, spikes and rotten 84's patches?
Here we go, 19 years back in our metallic past as TOXIC HOLOCAUST sounds a lot like what the extreme bands were playing at the beginning of the style: old school Thrash/ Speed à la very old BATHORY, old RAZOR. I've found a few old DESTRUCTION and other German Speed/ Thrash metal bands like ASSASSIN's influences.
I could say they remind me of DEATHWICTH and CRANIUM.
A few parts are in the fast Black Metal way, and a few vocals reminds me of old BEHERIT. They've got a suite raw and Underground sound.
Somewhere, this release makes me think about a bootlegg CD I own that includes the first DESTRUCTION and TORMENTOR (later called KREATOR) demos for the sound (even if it's better here) but they haven't got the energy. It's Quite primal music.
Notice a correctly played BATHORY's "Sacrifice" cover.
In my opinion, it lacks in fucking rage and creativity as no "fresh" elements are added to the style. It's also very classical as a lot of bands played this style in the early days and during the 98's Thrash/Speed revival. It can be cool for the Underground fans who still have a part of nostalgy for the 83-84 demos years in their old buried metal heart, but the actual extreme metallers will find only an anecdotic release here.
For the obscure maniac collectors and enjoyers of the TALES OF THE MACABRE Fanzine.
http://www.geocities.com/toxicholocaust

 

TRASHNASTY (Fra) In livid duality Demo'02.
Open the brutal guts of the perverted underground to discover one more brutal demo, and I could expect worst from a demo band!
TRASHNASTY is a cool brutal death band I recently discovered in a killer underground shop situated in my suburb: DISTORTIONS! The bands plays Brutal death metal in the American style, it's very much influenced by old CANNIBAL CORPSE while one could find influences of DEICIDE ("Legions") and old CRYPTOPSY ("None so vile"). Their music isn't much in the ultra technical vein, while one could find some death thrashing influences from here and there.
The will to play fast and hyperbrutal sometimes leads TRASHNASTY in the lands of approximations and semi confusion.
There's also nothing new or never heard in this demo, but at least the band plays something that will be cool for Brutal death maniacs! They have to rehearse more to reach the perfect tightness, and some catchy haunting riffs would be welcome! But for what I guess is a first demo, that sounds cool!
http://www.trashnasty.com

  

TRAUMASPHERE (Fra) Voidcall  Demo'01.
TRAUMASPHERE was a pretty strange Death metal band I discovered recently.
Eventhough there were only 2 musicians in the band, the music was somekind of pretty strange Death metal being not so far from mid old impious IMMOLATION (For the spectrum of the walking dead energy, if you see what I mean!) The endlessly damned revives and restarts his morbid labor of global putrid destruction! Death metal wize, TRAUMASPHERE could also remind some remains of early MORBID ANGEL ("Abominations..."), AMON (Swi, R.I.P) or FALLEN CHRIST's technical aspect... TRAUMASPHERE wasn't exceptional or much killer, but this demo opened the gates to morbid promises many bands betrayed later! Nice one for fans of bizarre Death metal à la IMMOLATION ("Here in after")! The band split up and the guitarist went to form ABYSSAL SUFFERING, to play a style said as "more brutal and bizarre"! A demo is in the work.
Email: patholegist@hotmail.com

 

TRYPTICH OF DEATH 3 bands demos split CDr'02.
Here's a split promo CD including the dmos of 3 bands; and it's rather a good idea for a cheaper promo.
But the styles of the 3 bands didn't impress me that much...
The 3 bands are more or less composed of the same musicians (seems to be 3 projetcs of the same guy).

The 1st one is DEATHWING that plays Death/ Thrash... it reminds me dome demos released around 1998 and this isn't extreme. They use a drum machine. Even if it's tight and clearly produced it remains very common and very average in my ears.

Then comes ARMENTERUM that plays some Thrashing Death with a rawer sound and some more Black metal influences. They also use a drum machine, and the riffs sound as common as the previous band. It also doesn't sound outstanding, even if it's a bit more extreme than the previous one by moments.

COVARIANCE plays somekind of Black/ Doom with Death/ Thrash parts. It reminds me of the band AZAGOTH (for the vocals and drum machine use) that released a CD I fastly sold on a second hand shop when I got it... Maybe it can remind also of old SAMAEL (1st CD) for "occult" or more Death/ Thrashing riffs. the synths they add are thought the way EMPEROR did (2nd CD) but it sounds more funny than anything else in my ears.

The 3 bands on this promo didn't attract my attention as it seems both outdated and very average, and I've got the feeling it's very influenced by the french extreme scene of some years ago...
Nothing more to add.
http://membres.lycos.fr/dwing

 

UNHOLY IMPALER (ITA) Belphegore Demo'01.
Fucking original name and cheezy tape cover...
I couldn't expect something nice from this band...
It sounds like a rehearsal tape, mostly Black/ Death metal with some more old thrashing Death parts. The drums parts and snare drum sound especially suck by moments.
Nothing better than the average (under) produced(?) boring (on a musical level) rehearsal tapes circulating, this is the best I could say about it...
More rehearsals and ideas are needed before releasing something, even a rehearsal demo...
Arbeit schnell! (it's needed!!).
Antonia Corso, Via E. De Cupis 90, 07040 S. Giovanni, Sassari Sardina, Italy.

 

UNSANCTIFIED (USA) Empty veins Demo CD'00.
Humm... These guys say they play Brutal death metal, but I'd rather call it old school death metal with grind parts! The fast tremolo riffs of the grinding parts aren't very Brutal and remain commocl; the riffs sounds à la common old CANNIBAL CORPSE or very old MORBID ANGEL.
In my opinion, theres nothing new here and even if some of the heavy riffs are Ok, some improvements into the songs structures are needed to get get some efficiency. On their "Love at first rape" track, there's exactly the same riff in the KREATOR "Cause for conflict" album (for both the high pitched guitar and the low tuned power chords guitar). They need to improve their originality, but also the intensity/ inspiration (the only thing one can't simulate if he hasn't got it!). For me this is not really Brutal!

 

UNTAMED (FRA)/ H.407 (POL) Split tape 2001. VENDREDI 13
UNTAMED: The raw aggressive sound avoids me hearing very well their music, but it's very average grind/death with some heavy groovy Brutal death parts. High pitched screams in the vein of old NAPALM DEATH and S.O.B. The heaviest vocals aren't so far from HxCx bands like CORRUPTION (FRA- R.I.P).
They make me think a bit about the INHUMATE of the beginning on their "Grind your soul" demo, when this band was very average. Some "Scum" influences are present here. Their tracks didn't convince me since there's nothing emotionally intense here, and I heard some bands who where at their level and were ever nicely crushing my Bassboomers!!

H.407: This band seems to be less aggressive and less "serious" than the previous one(!). The beginning sounds like old EXTREME NOISE TERROR on demos, then it's more Death grind with some a bit strange sounding heavy HxCx metal parts in the vein of ACTING OUT. There's a little something of the CARCASSS "Symphonies of sickness" album here. That's a very average demo band who can only improve its music!

 

VELOCIDAD ABSURDA (SPA) Físico Tortura Emocional Demo MCD'01 SELF RELEASED..
here's a classical Brutal Death metal band hailing from Spain.
Their style being led by DEICIDE and old CANNIBAL CORPSE.
It sounds to me as if there were no lyrics, as if the vocals were only growling emanations. On a track, a vocal part sounds like if a frog was crushed in the water... sounds funny!
On some parts they remind me of THE CRPYT (Australian)'s Demo'98, CHRIST ABORTIFACIENT (Fra) and maybe MORGUE(Fra)'s Demo'96.
Some efforts are needed on the level os songs' structures as it can turn boring quite fast and they need more rehearsals to be more tight and more efficient.
I've found nothing exciting here, that's abovious as they seem to be a quite new band.
Nothing stands out, even with a carefull listening... Good luck guys!
velocidad@able.es

 

VERMIIS (Ita) Les rîtes des ghoules Demo'02.
Ah. I'm rather bored by most of the Black metal demos I receive. Utter crap and white excrement whoreshipping seems to be their highest conception of the underground... but in this case this decent Demo didn't engulf me in the darkest abyss of "What's this so shitty black crap metal??" VERMIIS' black metal didn't evoke much darkened feelings in my castel of the horns, but it's done with enough ass-kicking revenge to keep me awake and midly interested. Their Black metal especially reminds me of MAYHEM at the time of the "Live in Leipzig" Lp: the riffs are simple and composed of a bunch of simple tremolos, with few slow-downs. Hopefully the tracks are correctly built, and the sessions drummer does a fin job. It also reminds me of few other bands such as old HORNA, or JUDAS ISCARIOT, and of corpse desecrating: DARKTHRONE (old). All in all, a decent Demo that might turn on those who are into underground Black metal since VERMIIS stands out from the usual childish crap.
C/o Ordo obscuri Domini prods. C/o Sergio Mazza, Via del Corallo, 14, 80059 Torre del Greco (Na), ITALY.
Email:
ordo_obscuri_domini@hotmail.com

 

VINGDAR (Fra) Ablaze with hate Demo'02.
Here's a new Black metal band from my suburb!
Their style is quite raw, with an important touch of sorrow, but it remains "pure" Black metal around the 89-82 lines (no keyboards, no female vocals). Their style reminds me of old SACRAMENTUM (For the sorrowful and melodic sides), MAYHEM ("Wolf's lair abyss"), old DARK FUNERAL, MARDUK and eventually some ALLEGIANCE's parts.
I've detected some touches of "folkloric" melodies. Most of their stuff is fast or blasting. The production is good, it hopefully doesn't sound as a voluntary fucked up recording.
What I'd reproach them is their music becomes repetitive after a while and I didn't find some really catchy parts. But this is in my opinion an Ok demo that sounds better than the legions of Black metal crap!
http://www.vingdar.com

 

VINTERRIKET (Bel) Stürme der Letzten Stille Demo'01 NEODAWN.
Here continues my crusade to support and hailz in blasphemy (Hailz!) the truest Black metal ov hell! 666!
With VINTERRIKET, Satan has all he needs to deeply laugh! Uninspired and too simple riffs, tiny-ass-licking-keyboards, almost wrong drum-machine and wrong sounding clear vocals! Stan shitted on himself! Even if the band comes from Germany, it sounds like it was fastly shitted from the ass of a Norwegian guy!
The flying gerbs of evil are all around you! BZzzz BZzz BZzzz
It sounds like some bands on the big French "metal" magazines' sampler CDs, if you see what I mean! Sad to see it was released on a pro tape! (1000 copies all the more!) A nicely boring one that will be great for spikecut shitlickers!

 

VORACIOUS GANGRENE (FRA) Demo CD'01.
This Brutal Death band including some members of the cult french band DISABLED (for those who didn't know) plays a technical Brutal death with riffings à la NECROPHAGISTand influences of CRYPTOPSY for some technical sides and quite complex breaks + tremolo riffs.
A few old school riffs remind me of AGRESSOR (with the chorus of their "Perverted" track for exemple, the best song on this MCD).
There are cool alternative bass lines parts à la DEATH ("Individual thought patterns") meets TON (Demo'98) and the french band MESMERIZE ("Eyes of life" Demo'96, for those who knew them).
They've got (as almost every Brutal band in the scene) their share of American Brutal Death influences with bands like DYING FETUS, CANNIBAL CORPSE, UNCREATION (For mid placed riffs and for some very fast sung grunts).
I may also quote MASSACRA, DEICIDE (old) for several influences... I can feel some similarities with the style some members of the band played some years ago in DISABLED.
I'm not a fan of their style, but some of their riffs and bass lines especially sounded cool to my ears.
That can be a cool band for big underground brutallizers.
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/voraciousgangrene

 

WARGUS (Fra) Worms torture Demo CD'02.
I ever crossed the name of the band, but I didn't put an hear on them as I expected WARGUS to be a black metal band. Wrong! What you have here is some kind of Brutal death grind. It's not so much jumping and groovy American Brutal death influenced: it sounds rather like DEICIDE ("Legion") meets old CANNIBAL CORPSE and MONSTROSITY's first CD. Could also remind a little bit of old SINISTER and KRONOS.  Notice the bassist vocalist also plays in BIRTH DECLINE. Even if the band is more or less tight and if the tracks are correctly built, nothing much turned me on! I think some guys may find this band allright (Especially during gigs) but I miss a voracious necrotik feeling or some brutal as fuck parts! The army of beer bottles jumping all around me lets me think there's still not enough golden liquid of life running through my veins!
Anyway, nothing really boring... missing are an heavier sound and perfect tightness. An advice: drink more brown beer of doom! The only way to awake the obscure feeling of death!!
bodyblaster@hotmail.com

 

WARHEAD (GRE) Comand for wargrinding Demo CDr'02.
Raw corrosive sound à la old ORDER FROM CHAOS (1st CD).
The voclals makes me think about a mix of Peter Hellkampf and Holocausto (BEHERIT) while their style is simpler old school influenced Death/ Black à la BELIAL ("Gods from the pit" MCD), BEHERIT (1st CD), old IMPALED NAZARENE ("Tol cormpt Norz Norz Norz), old SODOM (Demos days and first album)... And it's just logical when you read thei "Hailz" section: Cronos, Holocausto, Warhammer, Angelripper...
But only some vocals are cool as the music is just under he average or not tightly played. (Plus some blastbeats sounds a bit stupid).
The metalheads who're devoted to an old BEHERIT or old IMPALED NAZARENE cult materialized in black vomit may find "Commando..." being a nice demo. The others will pass their ways.
L.E. 48 Eginitou Str.15771, ILISIA ATHENS, GREECE.

 

WATCH ME BURN (Usa) Demo CD'02.
Even if their band's name reminds me some old DISMEMBER tracks' names, their music has got nothing to do with old school Death! They play a style mixing nu metal, nu Hardcore metal with blasting parts and Death grind elements.
Some heavy riffs could remind of TON or even CRYPTOPSY, but the real groove is lacking in here, and their blasting parts aren't convincing nor extreme. It's done in the Death grind cliché without any inspiration nor aggression. They have added a few depressive like riffs à la NAPALM DEATH. Seems to me there are two female vocalists here, well their screamy vocals annoys me a bit (that's the best I could say), it's screamy hardcore vocals with an overdriven effect that doesn't sound good.
They remind me of EXIT 13's "Ethos music" CD for their mix of various stuffs, wanna sound like an extreme band Death parts and mix of Death grind and more groovy riffs... Seems to me they try to sound like SOILENT GREEN by moments.
The parts that sound really bad in my opinion are the excentric and exuberant female vocals and the way the drummer blasts!
Their style is just as common as an unimaginative dogmatized to the bone 60 years old woman! Take a few cliché rocking grind, Brutal death and nu metal riffs and you get it! I don't see them going anywhere in the truly extreme metal scene!
http://www.watchmeburn.com

 

WITHIN ANOTHER (Usa) Within another Demo'02.
I don't know that much the style of the band? They call it progressive metal, and that's a good summary of their compositions. The music is quite heavy with a bunch of melodies; the heavy side could remind me the few I know of NEVERMORE meets some MERCYFUL FATE (last releases) but it's not as old school metal induced as the band of King Diamond. (Within Another's metal influenced goes from the end of the 80's to the 90's), the most melodic parts could be somewhere between DREAM THEATER and DEATH (I haven't found better comparisons). The most progressive induced parts remind me a bit of PESTILENCE's "Spheres". There are a bunch of leads and few leading melodies. Their vocals are quite clear sung, with some mid high pitched "leads" but it's not really screams: quite soft Heavy metal vocals. They have nice tracks with many breaks, variations, and the whole is nicely packaged. For someone like I who doesn't know that much this style, it sounds quite fresh.
For a first demo it's not bad at all! It sounds almost pro and I prefer them than a bunch of labels cock sucking bands who ever have several CDs! WITHIN ANOTHER will be a very cool band for those who like their metal progressively heavy, melodic, fresh and well composed! A cool discovering!
http://www.withinanother.com

 

WORMED (Spa) Voxel mitosis Demo CD’01.
What we have here is totally American styled Brutal death metal. Influences of old SUFFOCATION, old PYREXIA, FLESHGRIND are obvious, but the whole ain't technical. It's quite tight, it sounds quite heavy, but there's nothing special and nothing that quote my attention.
Some blasts lack of presence in the mix. The vocals are low grunts, quite gory sounding by moments. They could also remind of BAPHOMET, a little bit of UNCREATION and eventually REPUDILATION.
The tracks are correctly articulated with enough variations, and the sound ain't bad, but nothing attracted my attention during these tracks. Even if the riffs doesn't sound bad, it's always the same kind of guitar parts without the special thing! More surprises please! It reminds me the demos of some bands that did something better years after. I found it common (nothing different from the many Brutal death stuffs I've listened to) but it might be an Ok demo for Underground Brutal death supporters!
http://www.wormed.net

 

WORST ENEMY (ITA) Demo CDr'02.
Very average and quite slow Death metal à la old SIX FEET UNDER - OBITUARY - old BENEDICTION.
Notice some SLAYER touches for a few riffs. There are some more power/ HxCx touches.
This band shows no enthusiasm or real aggression at the level of the riffs (even when they try to add blast parts in the 3rd track). It reminds me some demos released around 1992.
They doesn't offer something new unreleased before, but the drum parts and the vocals doesn't suck.
I only wish them to take the time to improve their music, and to release something better later on.
http://web.tiscali.it/worstenemy     

ZEBARGES (Fra) De Troyes rock city Demo CD'02.
When I saw their demo cover, I immediately knew it would suck!
Most of the time, it sounds like nothing as it goes nowhere in my ears... imagine funny vocals between Eros Necropsique and some french singers like Johnny Halliday with a bass guitar (there's no guitar!) and a drum machine. They use some cliché metal heavy rock riffs.
On some tracks it seems fucking improvised and the vocals doesn't fit the music (it's like if each guy were running the faster possible without taking care of the other musicians).
I found nothing positive to say expect the fact some tracks are tight!
Their KISS induced title won't help them here!
One of the most crappy demos I've received since months!!