Gothmog (Germany) - Medival Journeys demo 1998

Gothmog (Germany) - Medival Journeys demo 1998
1) Blood Trips From My Sword
2) Shadows Of The Past I (Medival Echoes)
3) Shadows Of The Past II (In Oration Of Ancient Spirits)
4) Lost In My Dreams (Revised Edition)
5) Night Passion
6) A View Into My Abyss (Special Bonus Track)
7) Outro

Depositfiles

Hollow Myths

Medieval synth atmospherics by Ral from Mightiest, started up as atmospheric keyboard-heavy black metal similar to Summoning and evolved into neomedieval darkwave resembling Die Verbannten Kinder Evas' material. I think this demo is the last official Gothmog release but can't remember for sure. I know Ral started another project, synth-driven black metal again, Crescendo Of Pain. Might be that it evolved from this.

I'm pretty sure I have some earlier recordings of Gothmog on some tape because I remember enjoying the black metallish sound and being mildly dissappointed the way this demo turned out. Now that I listen to it again I like it very much, almost as much as DVKE mentioned earlier. The 6th track on the tape is black metal, by the way, will give an impression on the original sound of the project. And almost forgot to mention, I'm not 100% sure of the 3rd tracks title as the cover is very, very hard to read at places (white tiny text on images of flames, see the scan enclosed).

Very much recommended demo. I hope Ral releases the Gothmog material on CD someday.

UPDATE (31-10-13): No CD release but he has made a revised version of "A View to My Abyss" which you can check out here. He also mentions the possibility of re-recording this demo and returning to ambient material somehow. Interesting.

UPDATE (20-02-17): Now there is a CD re-release made by Hollow Myths! It's kinda fancy and apparently (very?) limited so go get it ASAP. I don't know if the first edition with the additional trinkets and memorabilia is the only truly limited one and can't really comment any further as I don't have it but it should be official and looks promising! There are many other related things for the interested so have a look at their site. Link added below d/l.

Gorgoroth - Live in Berlin, Germany 10.05.1998

Gorgoroth - Live at Huxleys Neue Welt, Berlin, Deutschland 10.05.1998
1) Possessed (By Satan)
2) The Rite Of Infernal Invocation
3) Odeleggelse Og Undergang
4) The Devil Is Calling
5) Bergtrollets Hevn
6) Krig
7) The Devil Is Calling
8) Profetens Åpenbaring
9) Gorgoroth

Reuploaded

Another very unofficial live tape, this is a bootleg by someone from Gorgoroth's 10th May 1998 gig in Berlin, judging from the setlist they're promoting "Under The Sign Of Hell" album so I assume it's still Pest on the helm, but I can't really be sure. I think Gaahl did join in 1998 but I'm not at all certain at what point. Could be either one screaming there but I'm inclined to think Pest m'self. It is a bootleg tape so I hope you don't have high expectations of the sound quality. It's not certainly the worst sort I've listened to but not too good either. Audible and clear enough I suppose. Recommended to Gorgoroth fans and people who enjoy black metal live recordings.

Necrolust - XII Faces Of Evil demo 1994

Necrolust (Poland) - XII Faces Of Evil demo 1994
1) Epilogue
2) Winds Of Evil
3) Satanic Desire
4) Towards The Darkness
5) Wicked God
6) Religion Of The Masses
7) The Graveyard Face
8) (Untitled)
9) Designed For Satan
10) Inside Of Soul
11) Unholy Monk
12) Between The Gates
13) Defeated
14) The Abbys
15) Prologue

Reuploaded

Polish Necrolust, from Bielsko-Biała, here with their (probably) third demo tape XII Faces Of Evil. Somewhat doomy, Satanic death metal in old school way and sound. I could've sworn I had the cover for this (well, a xerox but anyways) somewhere but I seem completely unable to find it. The sound overall is quite murky but audible, came out good considering that the dub I have is not very good, unknown generation tape-trading loot. Got rid of the hiss ok though.

Like I mentioned, I was unable to find the cover xerox so I had to turn to MA again for a shoddy image and an unreliable tracklisting, whoever had it posted had some titles incorrect and failed to mention the two untitled short instrumentals... though I don't think they were mentioned on the cover either. Sometimes ripping tapes can be challenging.

UPDATE: Found & scanned the copy of the covers, edited tracklisting, repacked & uploaded.

Recommended most for collectors of obscure releases and death metal enthusiasts.

Fermenting Innards - Drowned EP 1994

Fermenting Innards - Drowned CDEP 1994
1) In Hate
2) Innocent Or Indecent
3) Drowned
4) Eternal Sadness

Reuploaded - 2022

German black/death metal and a strange case in a way, tape rip of a CD release. I haven't bumped either into this CDEP or a rip of it for quite some time (very passive searching though) so since I have a pretty good dub of it, courtesy of one of my German friends in the 90s, I thought I'd just rip the tape. The result came out all right, somewhere between toleratable and pretty good. Not the same as directly from CD, obviously. If you happen to spot a CD rip, leave me a note, ok?

Music is a mixture of black and death metal, vocals more in screamy than grunting way. Overall leans more to the death side I'd say. Not too fast and has some melodies. It's no Dissection but ok material anyways. Check it out if you're into death metal.

Gateward - Lord Of Aium demo 1998

Gateward - Lord Of Aium demo 1998
1) Intro
2) From Ancient Time
3) Lord Of Aium
4) His Dreams
5) Salvation Breath

Reuploaded

Here is a demo of pagan black metal, with doomy touches, from the Slavonic lands of Belarus. I think I bought this demo along with a bunch of others from Elven Witchcraft of Latvia, the distro/tape label of Heresiarh's Morgueldar. I was very much into Gods Tower so I probably hoped this to be somewhat similar.

What we have here is 21 mins of quite typical but enjoyable Slavonic heathen metal. Crispy guitar sound actually distantly reminds me of Gods Tower so that's always good in my book. I can't really come up with much to say for now so just download it already.

EDIT: Badongo link expired & removed. No additional link will be provided unless requested.

Voices Of Winds - Demo 1994

Voices Of Winds - Demo 1994
1) Voices Of Winds
2) Outro

Depositfiles

Another project for today, this time Thy Serpent's Sami Tenetz with his short-lived Voices Of Winds. Synth-based dark music with voices, pretty much in the time-honoured 90's one-man-and-his-synthesizer -vein. Not bad actually, sounds quite gloomy. I can't remember for sure but I think he might've recycled some parts for the 2nd Thy Serpent demo.

How I came across this tape is the usual story: I ordered the 1st Thy Serpent demo from Sami in 1994, we wrote some letters, he recorded some stuff for me (like the 1st version of "In Blackened Dreams" meant for some compilation and later released on "Lords Of Twilight"), introduced me to Root's music - of which I am eternally grateful, thank you Sami, and so on. I don't think he ever "properly" released this demo, I think he just dubbed it to some people. Anyway, here's your chance to hear it.

Nattvindens Gråt - En avlägsen stjärna Promo track 1994

Nattvindens Gråt - En avlägsen stjärna Promo Track 1994
1) En avlägsen stjärna

Reuploaded - 2022

Here's the first recording of Nattvindens Gråt which started as Darkwoods My Bethrothed/Wizzard member Teemu's solo project. This song was also featured on the "Där svanar flyger" Cassette-EP/demo released by Solistitium, naturally it was re-recorded for that tape. This version is rougher, I think he recorded it with a 4-tracker but can't remember for sure. I got in touch with Teemu in 1994 when I ordered the "Dark Aureoles Gathering" demo from him and we wrote letters for quite a while. He also recorded me a few tapes and this track on one of them. I was excited by it, atmospheric and quite epic northern metal. His vocals were probably the weakest link on it, but now that I listened to it after a long time I don't think they're that bad after all. Main voice is a hoarse, strangled croak but he does some semi-clean singing too. I can't remember if someone helped him out with drums or other instruments.

It's only one song but of epic length, clocking over 7:30 minutes. Good, clear sound for a recording of this nature. Slight tape imperfection, but nothing too serious. Melodic and very Nordic sounding material going at mid pace, enjoyable track.

Asmodeus/Thule - Split demo 1997

Asmodeus (Iceland)/Thule (Iceland) - Split demo 1997
Side Asmodeus:
1) Beneath the Burning Sky
2) Satan's Insignia
3) Goat Baphomet
4) The Darkened Moonstruck Night
5) Sorcerer's Spell
6) The Book of Leviathan (The Black cover)
7) Invocation to the Demons and Infernal God (+Outro)
Side Thule:
8) Inn Í Eilífðina
9) Guð Er Lýgi
10) Þegar Tunglið Er Fullt
11) Í Röngum Heimi
12) Ætt Úlfa
13) Trúfrelsi
14) Rottur
15) Myrkviður - Víg Mitt
16) Blackfog - Fire

Updated.

About time to post some more black metal, this time from Iceland. Another tape I bought from one of the distros in late 90's. This split demo is more like a compilation of both bands' work, with Asmodeus' songs 1-3 recorded live in June 1997 and remixed in Studio Hemra in November 1997 during the recordings of tracks 4-6. 7th track is again live, from April 1997 and remixed in May. Thule's part is studio, songs 1-3 recorded in Teppaturninn in May 1997, 4 & 5 in August 1996 in Hellirinn and tracks 6 & 7 September 1995 in Studio Stef. The bonus tracks by Myrkviður & Blackfog were supposed to be teasers from their upcoming demos but as far as I know they were not released or were mega-über limited and distributed only in Iceland or something. I presume they were projects by either bands' members. Thule's songs have been released on a CD by Blackmetal.com so you should probably check that release out. They eventually evolved into Potentiam.

The music presented is black metal, raw and underground with a distinct Scandinavian feel to it. Asmodeus sounds slightly more brutal while Thule is cold and atmospheric. Myrkviður's song is slow in tempo and lenghty while Blackfog's is shorter, faster and generally more necro. Personally I prefer the Thule material here. Recommended and get the Thule "Anthology"!

Cruachan - Celtica demo 1994

Cruachan - Celtica demo 1994
1) To Moytura We Return
2) Maeves' March
3) Cúchulainn
4) Battle Frenzy
5) The Voyage Of Bran
6) To Invoke The Horned God
7) F.M.C.D.A.C.A.K.A.F.G.H.
8) Scéal Na Fianna (live)

Depositfiles

I enjoyed this demo quite a lot when one of my tape trader comrades recorded it to me in 1995, but was somewhat dissappointed with the debut album released on Nazgul's Eyrie. In a fit of nostalgy I downloaded a version of the demo from one of the various blogs but to my dissappointment it was at 128 kbps, sounded pretty weak and was incomplete. So I decided to rip my own tape - which has the disadvantage of being a 3rd or so generation dub and suffers from massive tape hiss. However, I'm pretty satisfied with how it turned out, managed to eliminate the worst of the hissing without much damage to overall sound. Bullshit! UPDATE: I'm not at all satisfied with the old rip! So I ripped it again & re-uploaded. I also found better scan(s) of the covers which are included.

As for the content itself, this is Celtic pagan (black) metal with at times great raw vocals, endearingly clumsy clean vocal, pipes, melodic and very folky instrumentation. The sound is typical of the demo tapes of the time, audible bass is noteworthy, guitars are a little too low and the vocal is high on the mix. Songs vary from very short to epic lenght, at times a little too long for their own good I admit. Not much else to say, take a listen at Cruachan's rough past.

Haven In Shadows - Legend Of The Wolf demo 1995

Haven In Shadows - Legend Of The Wolf rehearsal demo 1995
1) Haven In Shadows
2) Legend Of The Wolf
3) Untitled I
4) Gazing Upon Distant Shores
5) Untitled II

Reuploaded

Haven In Shadows, later renamed simply Shadows, was a side project of Wanderer/Raven/etc man Vindasyl, playing dark and doomy metal plodding away mostly at mid-tempo. He recorded me this rehearsal/demo tape along with material from his/their various other projects back in the day. I can't seem to find the piece of paper with the track listing for this one but I recall the Metal Archives titles seem to be correct so we'll go with 'em for now.

As a word of warning: this reheasal demo is completely instrumental. It has a good rehearsal sound though and at least I enjoy the songs, vocals or no. Atmospheric stuff, has a certain heathenish air to it too I think. Recommended for people who do not miss the vocals too much, or who like to sing to their mp3s.

Nihili Locus - ...Advesperascit... 1994

Nihili Locus - ...Advesperascit... demo 1994
1) Gloomy Theatre Of Ruins
2) Canto (Of A Nightly Jewel)
3) Dance Of The Crying Soul
4) ...Advesperascit...
5) Buio
6) XII Touches
7) Tectum Nemoralibus Umbris

Reuploaded

Italian atmospheric death/black/doom/something metal. Not so easy to define, but it's atmospheric and dark stuff, very good and has that obscure, occult feeling many Italian bands manage to capture. Think about Opera IX, Mortuary Drape, Death SS and the like. I ordered this one directly from the band in 1995 after seeing a flyer which sparked my interest. I don't remember anymore what was so special about the flyer, probably the name and the Christopher Szpajdel drawn logo was enough. They had released a 7" EP in 1992 and a MCD after this tape and then apparently split up, only to reform recently. See their MySpace page for (very little) information.

There are 3 "proper" metal tracks, 2 shorter instrumental pieces and 2 tracks that fall into intro category, but the metal songs are quite lenghty, fear not. Sound is good and quality too, I ripped it from an original pro demo tape.

EDIT: Badongo link seems to have expired so I removed it. Not bothering to replace it. If additional link is needed, ask for it.

Raven (Finland) - Promo 1998

Raven (fin) - Promo 1998
1) Quiet These Paintings Are
2) Outro

Reuploaded

This is the other, and only official, Raven tape. It was released in 1998 just before they changed the name to Shape Of Despair, after signing with Spinefarm. I'm not sure if ripping and uploading this one goes against my self-appointed policy as it was released on CD as part of "The Eerie Sampler" back in... 1999? But since that disc isn't exactly readily available these days and Eerie Productions is (as far as I know) dead and gone too I thought what the heck, go for it.

Only one proper song and an outro on this release, but that's a long one and was re-recorded by Shape Of Despair for "Angels Of Distress" too. A little more sophisticated than the demo tape but still slow and heavy.

UPDATE: You might want to download the CD compilation "The Eerie Sampler" instead which is found here.

Raven (Finland) - Alone In The Mist demo 1998

Raven (fin) - Alone In The Mist demo 1998
1) Calls In The Cold Winternight
2) Shadows Beyond A Stone
3) Joining The Gathering Of A New Kingdom
4) Woundheir
5) Alone In The Mist
6) Outro

This version no longer supported, see the more recent post

Some different genre material for change, funereal doom metal from Finland, this is the 1st demo of Raven, pre-Shape Of Despair. This demo, like Metal Archives tells us, was not officially released, only copied for some people. So, no cover. I was one of those people and seems like whoever added the info to MA was not as the song titles were different back then (see above). I actually scanned the little note with the titles instead of the cover - yeah, quite lame I know. Anyways, better than nothing eh?

Music is heavy and suffocating, like people who have listened to Shape Of Despair can expect. Being a demo recording the sound is of course quite rough and there is a little tape imperfection at places. But since you are reading this blog I don't think you'll have a problem with that. It's cleaner than on the 1995 rehearsal tape I have somewhere (instrumental versions of these songs). This was one of the several bands of a group of individuals from Vantaa (at that time) and quite surprisingly (at least for me) the one that got places. I thought Wanderer would get signed. SW has released through Werewolf records the material of Wanderer along with Wintermoon's demo and some bonus tracks so see his site for that, other projects were I Flow In Depths..., With The Winds, Haven In Shadows, Vindasyl, Ainu and so on and on. Most unfortunately did not release proper demos and some not even rehearsal tapes. This one did, so give it a try if you like dark and slow music.

UPDATE: Mediafire link had a corrupt .rar, should be fixed now. 2nd one works.

Ragnarok - Pagan Land

Ragnarok (nor) - Pagan Land demo 1995
1) Intro
2) Pagan Land
3) From The Darkest Deep
4) Et Vinterland I Nord
5) Hammerens Slag
6) Ragnarok

Reuploaded

Another Norwegian demo here, the first full demo of Ragnarok, the X-Ray Studios version to be more accurate. Apparently there were two versions of the demo, one recorded at Haga Studios and the other at X-Ray. I don't know how much the difference would be, having only heard this one... the cover credits Pål Espen of X-Ray for all synths, so I'm wondering if they just added a final touch and the synths to the demo there. Anyways, I'd be curious to hear the other, probably rougher version.

Back to this release, I got it by the usual method of sending a tape + postage to the band back in 1995. I had read of them on some zine or other and decided to give their viking black metal a try... yes, that's what the early releases were. Quite good viking black metal too. Obviously melodic and with folky touches but not so much as to cause a rash. It's very likely you've already heard these songs on their debut album "Nattferd" but here's the demo anyways. Enjoyable stuff.