keskiviikko 26. toukokuuta 2010

Dungeon - Bleeding Cross demo 1993


Dungeon (ita) - Bleeding Cross demo 1993
1)
Intro - Holocaust
2) Witches Pyramid
3) Thunderous Call from the Bowels of the Earth
4) Welcome to Hell (Venom cover)
5) Total Infernal Chaos

Links expired. - Get it here!

Here's an item that has also been sitting on my desktop for a while. I had ripped this and was quite pleased with the result when I found out brother Malignancy had released the demo (with bonus material) on cdr! After I ordered my copy from him I must say the disc is obviously superior to the rip of the who-knows-what generation dub I had, but I still decided to upload the rip here to promote Dungeon who are criminally unknown and active again (an album is coming out in the near future!). If you like this demo, you MUST contact Malignancy & order the cdr from him!

Dungeon, who split up due differences in 1993 with some of the members forming Brisen play on this demo ripping old school yet still 2nd wave black metal, raw and great. A definite must-hear and hopefully must-buy for people into old black metal. Very recommended!

Black Orchid - Dark Contemplations... demo 1996

Black Orchid (fra) - Dark Contemplations Of A Mesmerizing Cosmic Kingdom demo 1996
1)
Dark Contemplations Of A Mesmerizing Cosmic Kingdom
2) The Arrival Of The Mighty Forces Of The Nocturnal Empire Of Androdeus

Reuploaded

Dark ambient this time, a very little known project by mr. Richard Loudin aka Hingard aka Yoldar aka Soldius of Nydvind/Bran Barr/Nunkthul/Despond/Monolithe/Haceldama and probably few other projects. Busy man. No wonder this one-off (as far as I know) synth project would be lost among such a big discography of metal releases. However, it's not at all bad. My copy is a dub I got from one of my European traders around 1997 I think. No covers and pretty much nothing could be readily found on the net, merely a passing mention connecting this to monsieur Loudin and verifying the release year & label Haceldama Productions. See here somewhere. Copy of the cover would be appreciated!

Two songs only, but they are just as long as their names are, first one breaking ten minutes and the second one topping that by lasting eleven minutes. The tracks features some voices, mostly echoing black metallish ones and some obscure whispers, complemented by spoken bits and sort of growls. The keyboards paint visions of deep space voids and cosmic abysses, haunted by unknown presences. Yeah. Not probably for every reader of the blog, this might bore the more metal oriented. Others might want to give it a try.

lauantai 22. toukokuuta 2010

Ainu - Rehearsal Tracks 1998

Ainu (fin) - Rehearsal Tracks 1998
1)
Untitled I
2) Untitled II

Reuploaded

I seem to have forgotten this one on my desktop even as I ripped it a long time ago. At the same time as these Raven posts actually since it was on the same tape. This was another project by the guys playing in Raven, Wanderer, Haven In Shadows etc... and as far as I know they recorded only these two songs, which are instrumental and not probably quite finished. Now that I have scared and driven away about half of the readers with that statement I'll continue by saying the two (lenghty) songs presented here are very listenable and promising, it is a shame they didn't continue with this. Unless they finished them and used the final versions for some other project. Named the untitled songs as Untitled I & II as I tend to do.

The music is atmospheric and mid-tempoish, not as slow as Haven In Shadows for example and quite heavy on the keyboards. A very rough comparison might be something between Haven In Shadows/Wanderer/I Flow In Depths... from these guys and Thy Serpent/older Gehenna from other people. At least on the first track with its bombastic and sweeping keyboards. Second track is a little different in its flow and reminds me of (very old) Old Man's Child material besides the names dropped so far. But take a listen and make your own crude comparisons, it's worth trying out.

lauantai 15. toukokuuta 2010

Satariel - Thy Heavens' Fall demo 1993



Satariel - Thy Heavens' Fall demo I 1993
1)
The Winds of Witchcraft (Intro)
2) Dark Are All Paths / The Burden
3) Drowning in the Stream of Memories
4) God of Eternal Lands / Drowning Part II
5) Desecration Black / Rape the Holy Heavens
6) Thy Heavens' Fall (Outro)

Reuploaded

This is the first and more black metal of the Satariel demos. You might remember the second demo I recently posted and their side project Belsemar, which is very recommendable. Here they play black metal and I must say this is more to my taste than their melodeath turn later in career (which would be pretty much right on the next demo). There are two vocals used here as well, a black metal croak and a low death metal growl. Music is quite simple and straight-forward, generally going on a fairly brisk mid-tempo. Good demo sound. Like the previous Satariel demo posted, this is not my cassette rip. See that post for details. M.A. picture again used... in the folder, I added here an image of the covers received from brother Xexanoth - thank you!

Even though I'd love to write more, I really should get going to work so I'm stopping here. Recommended to connoisseurs of Swedish black metal (and maybe death metallers too), collectors of UG demos and those who enjoyed the related posts like Belsemar demos.

keskiviikko 12. toukokuuta 2010

Haven In Shadows - Moments Of Honour demo 1997


Haven In Shadows - Moments Of Honour demo 1997
1)
Legend Of The Wolf
2) Moments Of Honour
3) Gazing Upon Distant Shores
4) Haven In Shadows

Reuploaded

Today I give you the "real" demo of Finnish atmospheric dark metal or dark/doom, black/doom whatever label you prefer, band Haven In Shadows (remember their rehearsal/demo posted here) who soon after this changed name to Shadows and kind of faded away. Which is a shame, I like this very much. Very atmospheric and doomy, like the instrumental rehearsal was, but now adding vocals and additional instrumentation. The sound is somewhat softer than on the rehearsal but it fits well with the dreamlike atmosphere the music often produces.

I got this from the band back at the day and I have to say the sound was not exactly great even on those 1st gen dubs they sent around, there's hissing, low (and inconsistent - this has slightly been fixed here) volume, some tape imperfection etc. None of that however matters as the music is excellent and the lightly muffled sound adds up to the atmosphere. Cover scan included. Essential, recommended to all readers to try!

tiistai 11. toukokuuta 2010

Mouseleum - Lunar Caustic demo 1993


Mouseleum (tur) - Lunar Caustic demo 1993
1)
Shadows of Revenge
2) The Meaning of Life Changes
3) Bleeding Screams
4) Infernal Revolution

Reuploaded

Another death metal demo I got from my Turkish trader comrade, this is the debut demo of the Istanbul based band Mouseleum. Released in limited quantity and very little known outside Turkey, this demo can also be listened to on the Death Symposium (the guys' new band) MySpace. So why am I posting it here? Well, I had already ripped it when I found out about the MySpace page and because I personally hate to listen to things online and believe many agree with my sentiment, I decided to go and upload it anyways. No covers and no cover art on the inter nets found so I decorated the post with a (tiny) band picture from 1993.

The demo contains 4 tracks and about 20 minutes of death metal, old school way. It sounds cavernous and occasionally little chaotic but this works for it. The rip is pretty good as is the sound. Death metal maniacs should give it a try.

Pazuzu - Advance Tracks 23.11.1995

 
Pazuzu (us) - Advance Tracks 23.11.1995
1)
Our Time of Imperium Regency
2) Hellhorde Reigning

Reuploaded

More advance rehearsal tracks from the US Pazuzu, this time two songs and they are slightly more refined than on the previous Pazuzu tape I posted. Worry not, it's still primordial racket with an audible (if a bit low volume) rehearsal sound. Most said on the previous post applies here I guess so I'm not going great lenghts to describe this. I like it.

maanantai 10. toukokuuta 2010

Moonspell - Live in Amsterdam 3.10.1995


Moonspell - Live in Amsterdam, Nederlands 3rd October 1995
1)
Intro / Wolfshade (A Werewolf Masquerade)
2) Love Crimes
3) ...Of Dream and Drama (Midnight Ride)
4) Vampiria
5) Alma Mater

Reuploaded

Yet another Moonspell live from 1995 - I did warn you I was fond of these and am still interested to get all and any I'm missing. As you see the setlist is the same as on the Kåren gig posted earlier and my swap comment applies here as well. This has a very even if slightly muffled sound, but it's surely good by bootleg standards and easy on the ears. Performance is ok too. I'm not certain of the venue as for some reason it's not written on my cassette or cover, I think it might've been Paradiso, can anyone please confirm?

UPDATE: Yup, it's Paradiso all right, but the date was incorrect, 3rd not 8th! This error might actually be due the handwriting in the tracklisting I originally got but don't remember for sure.

perjantai 7. toukokuuta 2010

Lord Of Pagathorn - Rehearsal/demo 1993



Lord Of Pagathorn - Rehearsal/demo 1993
1)
Untitled I
2) Untitled II
3) Untitled III
4) Untitled IV
5) Untitled V
6) Untitled VI

Reuploaded


This one I've had ripped for quite a while, but I have been reluctant to post it as I'm not 100% certain of it. However I decided to quit worrying and upload it - maybe someone among you can verify this for me?

The item that causes me all this worry is the rehearsal/demo 1993 by Lord Of Pagathorn. I don't remember anyone ever mentioning this recording, but I received it back in the day from one of my more reliable trader contacts, who had loads of uncommon and rare Finnish metal recordings - I wish I had traded longer with him - and I am inclined to believe him. There are six quite short (average song length would be a tick over 3 mins) tracks, straight ahead and fast black metal. Very good rehearsal sound. I didn't receive a tracklisting and they probably were unnamed anyways so I'm just calling them Untitled I - VI. It's an enjoyable rehearsal recording, L.O.P. or not. Recommended.

So, if someone recognizes this as some other band and has proof to the claim, leave me a note (with a link to what it's supposed to be). Otherwise, enjoy this early & obscure piece of Finnish black metal.

UPDATE: I've forgotten to write that yeah, this is Lord of Pagathorn. Better late than never. Switched the old logo to decorate the post too.

tiistai 4. toukokuuta 2010

Thromdarr - Silverthrone demo 1995



Thromdarr - Silverthrone demo 1995
1)
Dawn In The Shadows
2) As One With The Ice
3) Silverthrone

Reuploaded

As promised, metal this time. Finnish black/dark/death metal band Thromdarr is not very well known, despite releasing an early demo "As A Wind Cries" in 1992. Their next better known release for most is the so far only album "North Storm Arrives" from 2000 on Solistitium Records. In the 8 years between, however, they did record and release (apparently in very limited numbers or only to select people) a number of demos and this one from 1995 would be one of them. My copy was dubbed to me by one of my Finnish traders, not sure if he had an original.

The music is mainly black metal, in the 90's Finnish way, with influences from other music styles like death and heavy metal present. The main vocal is medium growly though he does other tricks too like spoken parts (not awful), cool shrieks et cetera. Two longer tracks and a very short title track for almost 15 minutes. Good and clear demo sound and a decent rip even if the tape had some wear & tear, audible occasionally but not drastic. Give it a try if you liked Thromdarr's album/old demo, enjoy Finnish 90's demos and so on and on.

UPDATE: Mika found & scanned the covers for me! Uploading them to Mediafire and a cut version to decorate the post.

maanantai 3. toukokuuta 2010

Landscape - Drama demo 1995


Landscape (swe) - Drama demo III 1995
1)
Monument
2) Dramatic
3) The Tribute

Reuploaded

For once I'm posting all I've from a band quickly: here is the third and last (well actually first on the tape he dubbed me) demo I was recorded back in the day. I like this one a little bit better than the middle demo "Grey Empire..." but not as much as the debut one. Well, to be honest, the first track is better and the rest about same level as the 2nd demo was. If you downloaded and enjoyed the previous two demos, chances are you'll want this one too. I promise I'll upload some metal next in case you wondered if I've become utterly lost.

UPDATE: Seems like the first sentence is false as I found the fourth (?) demo from 1996 a trader had dubbed me so this was not all. I'll be ripping & posting that one eventually.

Landscape - Grey Empire - Shadowsoul demo 1995


Landscape (swe) - Grey Empire - Shadowsoul demo II 1995
1)
A Moment Of Tragedy
2) No Consolation
3) Season Of Sorrow
4) In Memory Of...

Reuploaded

Ok, this is the second Landscape demo and this time the songs are very short, the whole demo lasts less than 9 minutes. The sound has also changed and the vocals are softer this time making it sound more gothic than the debut demo. Personally I prefer the 1st and 3rd demo over this one, but feel free to form your own opinion and try it out. People who liked the previous post, enjoy gothic and/or dark atmospheric music or are addicted to uncovering obscure bands and projects are likely candidates for this.

sunnuntai 2. toukokuuta 2010

Landscape - A Trip Through A Monotonous Atmosphere demo 1994


Landscape (swe) - A Trip Through A Monotonous Atmosphere demo I 1994
1)
Introduction
2) The Golden Whirlwind
3) Painful Spirit
4) Outroduction

Reuploaded

Here is the first demo of the Swedish hard (for me) to define project Landscape. I could try to describe the music as sort of gothic electronic music that takes some elements from extreme metal as well. I wouldn't call this industrial of any sort. It's mostly keyboards, drum machine and voice. Daniel, the man behind the project, dubbed on my tape the first three demos in late 1995 or early 1996. I recall he did at least one demo after the three I received from him, can't be sure though. Cover scans are included and I really don't seem to come up with much more to say right now, well maybe that I personally prefer this demo best and Christophe Szpajdel made the logo. Give it a try, it's not like it'd cost you something.