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!!
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