Demise - ...Thrashed!!! demo '96

Demise (grc) - ...Thrashed!!! demo 1996
1) God Forbid
2) You Can Lie (But Cannot Hide)
3) Maneating Warhorse
4) Never Coming Back
5) Demise

Mediafire / Sendspace

Let's kick this week off with something different from our usual fares. This is the Greek Demise (yeah there are again something like 6000-7000 bands with the same name and most seem to be death metal and I don't think I remember a single one of them), of which I know not much more than M-A and the covers tell. I think this is an earlier version of the '96 "...Thrashed..." tape which featured some songs from the '95 demo III "...Thrashed!!!" - yeah, this has the same name but tracklisting is same as on "...Thrashed..." tape. Confused yet? I am a little. Well, it is recorded in April '96 so that supports my theory. I don't recall where exactly I got this tape, but I'm pretty sure I got it from a trade with a bunch of other tapes not really falling into my field of expertise. Xerox cover which I scanned and a generic 46 min TDK cassette.

Ok so there are five songs here and three of them are re-recordings from the previous demo, while Demise and the amazingly named Maneating Warhorse are new for this version. Total playing time is 21 minutes and the sound is just a little stuffy, not really that good for a studio recording, in my humble opinion. Well, it's the cymbals that aggravate me, they sound sort of frayed, broken and keep distracting me from the rest of content. If I really, really force myself to ignore them it's otherwise fine. I guess. The high end generally seems to be slightly askew. And this whining from a man who generally prefers ancient primitive Teutonic thrash to any sort of technical prowess and polished sound. I can't claim to know much of thrash in general despite it being somewhat mandatory part of growing up in the 80's, like Iron Maiden and Kiss were practically part of elementary school curriculum, I like some of the elders but can't say I'd be qualified to judge entries to the genre properly. Still, this is pretty good, there are parts that remind me of Kreator, older Death Angel and uh... stuff. The aforementioned ....Warhorse has synths that are suitably spicy. Give up already, you're not going anywhere with this. True, so I recommend this if you like Greek metal and thrash in general and I should really acquire the compilation of Macabre Operetta demos, which was the black metal band some of these guys played in.

Rotting Christ - Promo Rehearsal '89

Rotting Christ - Promo Rehearsal 1989
1) Holyness Lamentation
2) Feast of the Grand Whore
3) Fortress of Cremation
4) De Vermis Mysteriis
5) Outro

Yandex / Sendspace

The voices tell me to continue the Southern Summer Heat Special and we move back to the end of 80's with this sending of master Fenrirsson. Certainly closer in sound and spirit to FNI than R88, this is the rehearal promo for studio demo by Rotting Christ, sent around by master Sakis in the summer of '89. In the end that demo was scrapped/re-envisioned and the result was "Satanas Tedeum" released in the fall same year. There were no proper covers for this one, just dubbed tapes with handwritten tracklistings and I didn't feel like whipping up a mock one so we're devoid of decorations today.

I've seen other rip(s) of this float around the inter nets but since Fenrirsson's rip is of decent quality and has the track divisions made unlike the other versions (which are only three tracks, lumping 1+2 and 4+5 together) I wanted to feature it. Not to mention his tape perished soon after the rip was made. Curse the frailty of cassettes! Spite! Wrath! Dissatisfaction! Right, back to music. This is a short tape, eight minutes roughly, and highly similar to how "Satanas Tedeum" turned out. Plodding abyssic black/death metal. Except when they speed up to grind speeds, for old times sakes I suppose, like on Fortress of Cremation. If you enjoy old school blackened metal of death with rehearsal sound be sure to pick this up. However, if you're only familiar with RC's more recent, bombastic output (like "Κατά τον δαίμονα εαυτού" the other year or the latest album "Rituals") or the melodic, quasi-gothic late mid-90's phase you might not be very pleased with the primitiveness here.

PS: Looks like they're touring quite a bit this year. Go have a look if you're nearby, I've always enjoyed seeing them perform live.

Zemial - Rehearsal 03/09/92

Zemial - Rehearsal 3rd September 1992
1) The Scourge of the Kingdom
2) Falling into the Abyss

Zippyshare / Yandex

A short one for today but highly relevant to my upcoming Friday night's activities, this is a two-song rehearsal tape by the Hellenic legend Zemial, contributed by brother Baldemar. Thanks! No tracklisting and of course no cover either were included but these songs were easy to figure out, for change. Quite good sound quality. Extremely plain and unnecessary placeholder cover by me.

As you most likely know, both tracks appear on the "Sleeping Under Tartarus" EP's B-side, though in reverse order there and they aren't exactly long tracks. Well, these versions are even shorter so the total running time is a wee bit over five minutes. But hey, quality over quantity and all that! They sound different enough from the EP versions to merit a listen, slightly rougher and... softer? Fuller? ...Fluffier sound, vocals are more gruff and closer to old RC, Varathron and who have you. That's enough, recommended if you like Zemial and old Greek material. If you're not familiar with either for whatever outlandish excuse you whip up it's about time to get acquainted and this is a suitably bite-sized morsel to sample.

Krypteia - Hellenic Martial Virtue demo '04

Krypteia - Hellenic Martial Virtue demo 2004
1) Remembrances...
2) Wolf (Child of the Dead Ones)
3) Acherontas Dried Up for Us
4) A Storm That Sweeps All
5) Your Ashes in Tartatus Will Remain
6) ...of Times to Come

Depositfiles / Sendspace

Let's leap forward in time ten years (from the '94 of last posts not the present!) all the way to 2004 and down to Greece from where brother unholydeath's sending Krypteia hails. Thank you for the rip and scan! Krypteia was/is (? status unclear) a two-man unit featuring the former Stutthof drummer Thyrane Sigel, known also for doing live percussion for Der Stürmer and another fellow called Tyrtaios. The name of the demo and bands mentioned so far might give an idea what sort of stuff we have here; raw and warlike Hellenic black metal which pretty much translates as nsbm. Familiar names also pop up on the covers.

A martial intro and outro, four songs of medium running time. Very loud and booming, somewhat messy sound, I think it's ripped at slightly too loud volume (nope, was confirmed it's the mastering - most apparent on the intro and outro) which of course further underlines the violent nature of the music. Vocals seem to be quite heavily effected and end up buried in the wall of guitar and bass storm. It has variation, not just fervent fast-paced charge but can't still call it catchy and casual listening. For people into Hellenic traditions, name-dropped bands and raw black metal in general.

Rotting Christ - Live Athens 7-5-1994

Rotting Christ - Live in Athens, Greece 7th May 1994
1) Intro
2) The Sign of Evil Existence
3) Transform All Suffering Into Plagues
4) Fgmenth, Thy Gift
5) Visions of the Dead Lovers
6) Exiled Archangels
7) The Forest of N'Gai
8) The Mystical Meeting [incomplete!]

Reuploaded

To celebrate me finally going to see something live after a long break (Uncle Acid & co tomorrow at Tavastia) I decided to do a live tape. And this time it is (yet another) Greek item and when it comes to black metal material it doesn't get much more Greek than vintage Rotting Christ, does it? This was a contribution sent to me as a .wav so I've split it up to tracks and converted into mp3, thanks to the contributor, much appreciated! Unfortunately it's not fully complete as the last track cuts a bit. There's no cover for this, but I felt like making a placeholder as seen above.

This one has a pretty good sound, sure there is audience noise, a brief dropout on the fifth track and so on but the instruments are quite easily heard and it's pleasant to listen to in general instead of a test of fortitude and hearing comprehension like some other live tapes I've had here. The setlist is obviously excellent, assuming you enjoy old school RC (not grind-old-school, mind you!) and the performance enthusiastic and Sakis' voice in good form. Comparing this to the official live released the other year makes me wish time travel at least in observant's form would be possible. That is enough, recommended and has really very little to do with the gig I'm going to see but hey that was a decent enough link to this. As always, bootleg live recordings are very welcome! Especially if you have the '95 Cyprus gig which I had on a tape that broke. How I hate cassettes.

Fiendish Nymph - Demo '94

Fiendish Nymph - Demo I 1994
1) Into the Abyss of Eternity
2) The Blazing Shades of the Distant Moonlight
3) Katara

Sendspace / Yandex

This one has been in the limbo again for much longer than it should have been. Fiendish Nymph of Greece, whose '96 promo tape I posted two years ago here, and their first demo from '94. As became the trend in their later releases, this one has no proper name and is very short - one "real" song in the middle and an intro plus outro. I pondered for a while if I should title this "demo I" (discarded, it does not say so anywhere in the covers) or "demo 1994" (this one won) or yet again just "Fiendish Nymph" (I can't bear having multiple self-titled releases!) and even worse, which rip to use?

You see, initially around the time I posted the promo I had only found a really poor quality dub I had. Then brother Grev sent me a rip he had, decent quality and all, and Fenrirsson offered to scan and rip his copy and of course THEN I did finally stumble upon the better dub I had and didn't think I'd ever find. In the end I decided to use that one and Fenrirsson's scans, due to personal preferences of sound. But this certainly was a team effort, thanks to all involved!

Ok, like I said very short tape again and the proper song is in the vein of later FN stuff, midtempo black metal with whispery main voice and mystical pagan atmospheres. Neither the intro or outro are really that great, they're just there but main course is delish enough. Then again I've always been a fanboy. Recommended if you enjoy their other releases and/or the Daemonia Nymphe stuff!

Chronicles of Elven Witchcraft - Scroll One: Through the Dragon's Orb (1998)

Various Artists - Chronicles of Elven Witchcraft - Scroll One: Through the Dragon's Orb (1998)
Side Lion:
1) Utumno - Orkferd
2) Keep Of Kalessin - Skygger av Sorg II
3) Hypnos - A Lost Piece Through the Mist of Time
4) Zavorash - Return from Grace
5) Valar - At the Gates of Mordor
6) Warloghe - Witch-Song
7) Enid - An Myrrddhinn
8) Raventhrone - The Three-Faced King of Dominion One
9) Maze Of Cako Torments - Kalakiai Opiumis Sizmarshi
10) Horna - Outro
Side Unicorn:
11) Cernunnos - Dasos Ton Tragopodaron Daimonon
12) Heresiarh - The Cruel Bard
13) Slovisha - В лecy
14) Azaghal - Tuonelan porteilla
15) Rakoth - Return of the Nameless
16) Skyforger - Virsaitis Nameisis
17) Svartalfheim - Well of the Highest Knowledge
18) Urospuu - The Black Forest, Part II - Evil Nazgul
19) Kharadrai - My Void Is No More
20) Across The Scarlet Moat - Gold Elvish Tea
21) Trolltjern - Efterord

4shared / Mega

Ok, let's start this year off with yet another compilation tape, but this might be again a bit more interesting as it is the first Elven Witchcraft compilation (though released on the sublabel Engwar) which was sent to me by comrade Eugene who would like us to know this is available due to efforts of two Discogs users, from Finland and Lithuania. So thanks to these people! Cover scans are included. And yes, I recall I promised vile oozing black muck this year but all in good time!

We've come across Elven Witchcraft already several times here in the Coven, usually in connection with fantasy-inspired metal and dungeon synth. Obviously the compilation contains both as well as folky tunes, emphasis more on metal though a few of the metal bands (three to be accurate, Utumno, Horna and Cernunnos) contribute ambient tracks (intros/outros). The music ranges from rather pure black metal (Warloghe, Zavorash - who sound really like Immortal here) to more bombastic fantasy metal stuff (Enid, Rakoth) to folkish/heathen sounds (Hypnos, Slovisha) to pure ambient/synth (Kharadrai, Trolltjern). And as an oddity Urospuu's black/grind. Standouts include Trolltjern's still excellent closer, Zavorash and Cernunnos (I want that cassette album) from the good and the ever-awful Svartalfheim plus Heresiarh (which I used to like but nowadays their female vocals grate my nerves really badly) from the bad. Across The Scarlet Moat suffers from having much lower volume than the rest of the stuff, otherwise the volumes are fine enough and things flow rather well together. Recommendable compilation even though most of the material might be familiar to long time devotees.

Medieval Tortures #3

Medieval Tortures 'zine, issue III (October 1999)
Interviews:
Blessed In Sin
WAR 88
Equimanthorn
Arkham
Anwyl
Blackdeath
The Soil Bleeds Black
Dissimulation (old interview, '95)
Armageddon Holocaust
As Vampiric Shades And Belial Winds
Articles:
Holy Inquisition & The Malleus Maleficarum (Part III)
The Occult Nazism (Part III)
Pan the Great God of the Woods
Anti-Baltak article
The Necronomicon
+ prologue, reviews, WAR 88, Arkham, Armageddon Holocaust bios

Depositfiles

Here is the third part of Medieval Tortures, also sent by Kurgan. Thank you! See part II here for further background information, as these were released simultaneously most of what I wrote applies here as well. Different bands featured here, obviously, and it's 72 pages. The look is identical to issue II, obviously, and the up- and downsides same. I must mention I'm really growing weary with the editor's rants here (and the previous issue), he keeps launching into them in the middle of answers and sometimes most of a long seeming reply is actually him going on about the glory of ancient Hellas and how they were responsible for all civilization anywhere ever since 100 000 years ago. Amusingly enough he does zip it for the interview with Proscriptor. Well, not only there, but it's a glaring change from the previous two interviews where he would butt in on almost every reply.

If you can bear with Luczebeus, some of the interviews are a really good read, others because they're interesting (like Blackdeath) and some just for entertainment value (like Dissimulation, gotta love his listing of things he hates: "...crosses, cemataries, I hate "Mortification", I hate Negrous, Russians, Jews, Asiates, Cats, Women and God..." anti-feline black metal! I also like to imagine him shouting all his replies). There are only two pages of reviews, which is a bit of a bummer. Only one guest interview this time, Armageddon Holocaust by someone called Infernal. As with the previous issue, approach with caution. Oh yeah and I would like to see part I too so get in touch if you have scans of it!

Medieval Tortures #2

Medieval Tortures 'zine, issue II (October 1999)
Interviews:
Bloodstorm
Blutorden
Negură Bunget
Nåstrond (old interview, '94)
Funebre Inferi
Carnage
Kristallnacht
Enkil
Wintergods
Beneath the Dying Moon
Articles:
Holy Inquisition & The Malleus Maleficarum (Part II)
The Hellenic Peninsula of Emos, Today "Balkans" and Romania
The Occult Nazism (Part II)
Vlad Tepes Dracula the Hero of Wallachia (1431-1476)
Woodfordian Satyrs
 + Prologue, reviews, bios of Bloodstorm and Peoples League/Golden Dawn

Mega

Today's post is a 'zine sent by comrade Kurgan, thank you for the contribution, and scanned by me, the second issue or part of Medieval Tortures 'zine made by Luczebeus (whom you might remember from Funebre Inferi and Hieronym Inferiorum) as a continuation of his Daemonocult Cemetary of Middle Age 'zine (which I would really like to see) 5 years later and much has changed since then. The long time it took to complete his work resulted in the rather unusual decision to post three issues, or in a sense parts, simultaneously in 1999, all featuring the same prologue and judging from II & III consisting of 70-ish A4 pages.

By this time L had gone from the good old demonomaniac days into full on Hellenic NS mode which is extremely evident in the articles and interviews as he tends to burst into sometimes very lenghty rants in the middle of interviews (see Negură Bunget for a good example). As you see above, his own band is featured too, it's Jarl von Hagall conducting the interview but several of the questions look very similar to what Luczebeus asks himself from most interviewees. The interview takes seven (very) full pages with one of the replies going for over a page so this time one can't complain about too short answers! Fortunately his English has improved but it is still quite exhausting reading as already mentioned he tends to rant a fair bit. There are two other interviews made by guests here, Carnage by Para Bellum and Beneath the Dying Moon by Serpent King, the first one again has several questions familiar from Luczebeus's interviews, perhaps he gave guidelines to what ask. There is quite a lot of nsbm content and other stuff that might offend PC-sensibilities within so consider yourself warned if that sort of material and symbols get to you. Interesting selection of underground bands, better than average work on the articles and pleasantly simple old fashioned layout, but quite tiresome to wade through. Recommended in reasonable doses, even if you don't agree with the editor's ideological choices.

Riding Hellwards: Volume 1 (1999)

Various Artists - Riding Hellwards: Volume 1 compilation tape 1999
1) Moonsorrow - Taistelu Pohjolasta
2) Thorax Serpenti - Hatred Souls (rehearsal)
3) Pandemia - Created Again
4) Nazgul - Celtic Lands
5) Shadowbreed - Path in the Dark
6) Baphomet - Crucifixion
7) Thoronath - Kristet blod
8) Katassamalass - Masticated Human Flesh
9) Svartkrist - Into the Abyss (live)
10) Atavism - Cemetary Cannibalism
11) Impuro - Orgia
12) Diamatregon - Throne to Eternity
13) Bilskirnir - For the Return of Paganism (rehearsal)
14) Demon Realm - Hammer of Hate
15) Unholy Archangel - Foronis
16) Prejudice - Perpetual Pain
17) Grimoria - A Great Sacrifice
18) Gorewinter - Buried by Night
19) Baxaxa - Thorn of Steel

Depositfiles / Rusfolder

I haven't done compilation tapes for a while and since master Sorvali's contributions included these too, I decided to upload this Belgian one today. Thanks to Henri again for the rip and scans! I don't know if more volumes of Riding Hellwards were released, but this one here came with an A4 newsletter and includes almost 90 minutes of mostly black metal bands. To my delight, it also includes a number of domestic bands besides the international cast.

The newsletter is a single A4 sheet, with print on both sides so I suppose I should say two pages. It contains interviews with Black Witchery, Funeral Rites and Moonsorrow, these are all quite short, especially Funeral Rites which is also pretty thin on the information side too. The other two are a better read. As for the main dish, the compilation itself, the sound is good and quite consistent, no extremely drastic volume leaps here. Music ranges from the epic heathen metal of Moonsorrow to raw and fast material like Baphomet to brutal death metal of Katassamalass and bestial blasting of Unholy Archangel. Prejudice's distrubingly modern metal sounding track also stands out like a sort thumb. Quite a varied selection of tracks despite having a black metal focus and several first time listens too. I'm going to need another listen and take some notes, there are a few bands I must inspect further.

Corvus Neblus - Chapter II - Strahd's Possession - Deeper In The Realm (2001)

Corvus Neblus - Chapter II - Strahd's Possession - Deeper in the Realm Cassette EP 2001
1) Facing the Burgomeister of Barovia Himself
2) Visitor of a Tyrant
3) Reflection on the Encounter
4) Second Encounter - The Young Vistani
5) At the Vistani Camp
6) Desperation of a Lonely Father

Rusfolder / Depositfiles

I posted as the first thing last month the first cassette EP of Corvus Neblus, see here for further background information and thought it'd be fine to start this one with the second. This was again released by Elven Witchcraft and according to the covers later than meant. As far as I know, it was also the last CN release, which is kind of a pity as the story clearly was not finished with this chapter. Cover scans enclosed.

The EP start promising enough with a very long track but then a shock sets in: vocals! In my dungeon synth, this seldom ends well! And fair enough, initial listen proved out to be a dissappointment as the vocals, or should I say voice acting as it is all basically someone's lines, are present in just about all tracks, more in some than others and are done with different voices, ranging from okayish to mildly irritating to atrocious. Especially the main character's gravelly voice seems really out of place for the more or less heroic half-elf. But the music is still enjoyable and after repeat listens the adverse effect seems to diminish somewhat. I still don't like them but I can live with the voices. I'm in a hurry so I end here, try it if you liked the previous tape.

Corvus Neblus - Chapter I - Strahd's Possession (1999)

 

Corvus Neblus - Chapter I - Strahd's Possession Cassette EP 1999
1) A Break in the Silence Sets a Mission in Time
2) Chasing the Bandit, Retrieving the Symbol
3) Forever I Shalt Dwell in Ravenloft
4) First Encounter - Fhalken the Merchant
5) Confronting Barovia
6) As Night Falls, for Helm I Fight...

Mediafire / Depositfiles

I think it's reasonable to deviate from the Danish black metal for a bit, here is some dungeon synth for change, this is an Elven Witchcraft release from 1999 and first one by Greek project Corvus Neblus. CN was a one-man effort by Alexandros "Evil Dark" Antoniou, best known from the bands Macabre Omen and The One. I wouldn't mind another Macabre Omen album, as a side note. But yeah, this is based apparently on his AD&D character Neblus' adventure in Ravenloft, the booklet includes further details, scans are included as this is dubbed from a more or less original copy.

The six songs have a running time of slightly over 25 minutes which makes this well into EP or mini-album length. Individual songs vary from the shortest "First Encounter..." at 2:23 to epic "Confronting Barovia" which clocks almost eight minutes. The music is keyboard based, quite nostalgic and reminds me of soundtracks to some half forgotten CRPG's of good old days before all this massive multiplayer shit. The first track has harpsichord-like sounds on the forefront and has generally an introductory / main game screen feel to it. The second one is a little more active in nature, though not as much as its title would suggest, seems like the chase would be conducted in a more leisurely pace on foot rather than galloping high speed pursuit on horseback. Third one is slow, melancholic and somehow introspecive in nature. I like it quite a bit. The next song is the shortest one, more upbeat and again very game soundtrackey. "Confronting Barovia" is the longest piece, like I mentioned, and feels darker and more dramatic after the rather light-natured interlude before it. I'm sort of reminded of Lamentation on their second demo here. Which is a good thing. There's an unfortunate but very brief glitch around five minutes, kind of a squeaky bleep that repeats later again - I'm not 100% sure if it's an issue on the recording or possibly a feature supposed to be there but it jars my ear. Last track is shorter and again more active in nature, striving to portray a ravaged village and an encounter with the bloodthirsty marauders. The demo is completely instrumental, what seemed at first glance to be lyrics on the booklet are descriptions of events associated with each song. This is a good, working solution. Recommended, obviously most to people into dungeon synth, those who liked the Lamentation posts and with restrictions to fans of Macabre Omen.

Aimoptysi - Dark Aimolith demo 1995

Aimoptysi - Dark Aimolith demo 1995
1) Alea Jacta Est
2) Oasis
3) Sense of Death
4) Funereus

Reuploaded - 2022

More death metal, this one from Greece and a bit less known band Aimoptysi with their I guess second demo, the Metal Archives info on them seems a bit inaccurate and I'm not personally very familiar with them, having only heard the '96 album before this demo. Brother A.S. dubbed this one to me as well so thanks again to him! Copy of the covers was included and I've scanned them.

The cover says this was recorded at the Praxis studios so as you might expect the sound is in the typical mid-90's Greek way, though slightly murky. Not sure if this is due tape wear or budget/time issues or inexperience as they seem to have produced it themselves. Anyways, it sounds good enough and is clearly a studio demo. I've heard albums with worse sound now that I think about it. Music is also very 90's Hellenic, though this is (melodic) death metal, not black metal. The main vocal would really fit either. It's quite good, whatever you decide to call it. Recommeded for fans of old Greek metal.

Erevos - Shadows of Storming Nyx demo 1996

Erevos - Shadows of Storming Nyx demo II 1996
1) Swords in Flames...
Part I - Black Shadows of the Endless Skies
Part II - ...In an Aeonic Circle of Death
Part III - The Final Battle Begins... The Sign Comes...
2) Nyx Amolgos (to be continued...)

Rusfolder / Yandex

Ok, here's yet another repost but one I deemed very necessary. About two months ago I posted here the second demo of the Greek blackened dungeon synth project Erevos, rip courtesy of a contributor and last month I got a very decent offer for what seems to be an original copy of the demo and seized the moment. So now I have ripped the tape and scanned the covers and here you have it.

Not much really to add to what I wrote back then... well, having the item actually at hand helped me to fix little typos to the tracklisting and the rip is slightly better so I recommend downloading this again if you enjoyed the first demo and the previous version of this. Coming up next will be metal, in case you were wondering.

Erevos - Shadows of Storming Nyx demo 1996

Erevos - Shadows of Storming Nyx demo II 1996
1) Swords in Flames...
Part I - Black Shadows of the Endless Skies
Part II - ... In an Aeonic Circle of Death
Part III - The Final Battle Begins... The Sign Come...
2) Nyx Amolgos (to be continued)

Depositfiles

Almost two years ago I posted the 1994 promo of the other and in my opinion more interesting Greek Erevos and finally, not too long ago, a contributor sent me his rip of the second tape. Thank you, you know who you are! A photo of the cover was also included, see above. Sadly it looks like there is no other material from this project to dig up, Metal Archives contributors had managed to ignore the title of this tape and got my hopes up of there being three releases. Well, at least this chapter is complete now.

This recording is divided (very unevenly I might add) into two tracks, of which the first one is a huge mammoth of three parts and over 21 minutes while the second is a quickie at less than two minutes and is more like a preview of things to come or something. Too bad it wasn't continued. As far as I know that is. I contemplated if I should divide the epic "Swords in Flames..." into parts but as there were no clear breaks where to split it I decided to keep it in one piece. I'm not going to spend more time describing the music as it really is more of the same so just check what I wrote last time or better yet listen for yourselves. Recommended.

I still would like original copies of both these tapes so let me know if you want to sell or trade 'em away. In reasonable prices that is.

UPDATE: I got this one, but still want the first one. See here for an updated version!

Hierophant's Descent - The Secret Doctrines of Unearthly Delights demo 2012

Hierophant's Descent - The Secret Doctrines of Unearthly Delights demo 2012
1) Abstract Visions of Sordid Blasphemies (Preludium)
2) Ancient Rites to the Catachthonian Entities
3) Shapeless Horror on the Pathless Sand
4) Abominable Echoes of Vile Mysteriis
5) The Final Descent in Dismal Abysses (Exodium)

RGhost / Depositfiles

One more un-Covenlike post, though this one is unfitting only if you look at the release year. Hierophant's Descent come from Hellas, have recorded a 2011 promo tape, this demo and an EP recently released on Under the Sign of Garazel and sound like early 90's Greek black/death metal. You know, old Rotting Christ, Varathron, Necromantia, Lemegethon, Thou Art Lord and so on. I'm also reminded of the Godblood demo on the third track here. The sound is rehearsal-like and manages to be both murky and clear at the same time? Probably somewhere between "Passage to Arcturo" (just listen to the synths!) and "The Cult of the Horned One" would be close. Three "actual" tracks plus an intro and outro for a bit over twenty minutes, the middle three tracks all run over five minutes but are rather slow paced in both build and speed. Most of the time anyways, all have their fast parts too. Quite atmospheric yet brutal and overall a tasteful enough pastiche of ancient Hellenic style and sound. The MCD sounds more refined but is even more direct old RC rip-o... worship. Haven't heard the promo tape, would like to.

Not ripped from an original tape, unfortunately, but from a dub I got from brother Goatprayer, thank you and I believe his copy was an original. He included a copy of the covers which I've scanned and included in the download. I think I need to get an original of this. Anyways, recommeded for people into old school Hellas sound and not afraid of rehearsal sounds.

Black Wailing - Darklands demo 1995

Black Wailing - Darklands demo II 1995
1) Secret Woods
2) Realm of the Ancient Winds

Reuploaded - 2022

Today I'm posting the second and as far as I know last demo by Greek project Black Wailing. See here for the first one. Like the previous one this was sent by a contributor, thank you! I would be interested in getting actual copies of these so if anyone has them and wants to get rid of theirs leave me a note.

Only two songs this time, both quite long (just a little shy of seven minutes each) and continue straight from where the first demo left off. Gloomy dungeon synth/black ambiance with delightfully lofi demo sound but not unlistenable drivel. Like before, whispery grim voices along with the keys and they do ok. If dungeon synth must have vocals I think this sort fits best. Typical spoken parts end up sounding just plain silly 80% of the time, heavy effects fail more often than work and samples get really tedious soon especially if used in abundance. But back to this item, recommended like the first one and closest things to compare would probably be the Erevos demo I posted almost two years ago and to some degree also Wintergods and Lamentation which also happen to be Greek projects.

Black Wailing - Through Eternal Winters demo 1995

Black Wailing - Through Eternal Winters demo I 1995
1) Ancient Summoning
2) Through Eternal Winters
3) Funeral into the Deep of Darkness

Yandex / Zippy

Today's post is a step aside from black metal but not far. Obscure Greek project Black Wailing released two demos circa 1995 before vanishing from whence they came and this is the first of them, rip and pic courtesy of a contributor who not long ago contacted me. Thank you! It's bit lower bitrate (128) but you just have to make do with it.

So here we have about thirteen minutes of black ambient/dungeon synth recorded December 1994 and released in the beginning of 1995, besides the gloomy instrumentation we get black metalish vocals, synths that really cling to take you with them, slight hiss... well everything you either love or hate with this sort of music. The vocals are okay but I, as usual, could do without them. In general you'll probably enjoy this if you like ds or and "black ambiance".

Chained And Desperate - Oracles from the Neitherworld demo 1995

Chained And Desperate - Oracles from the Neitherworld demo 1995
1) Άδης (Hades)
2) A Thousand Stars
3) Centaurs Dance
4) Dancing in the Garden...
5) The Shapeless Stone
6) Sirens Lament

Mediafire / Rusfolder

I wasn't originally going to post this but as the download provided on the band's website is still incomplete (see this post) I decided to go ahead and upload the rip I made from my tape. Please note it's a traded version, but I got a copy of the cover too, scan is included. This is the original 1995 version.

Sound and rip quality are both ok so no worries on that department even if it's not ripped from an original. Music is as described on the post for the 1995 promo atmospheric Greek-style pagan (black) metal, though the two added tracks (first one is an intro) are faster than the other mostly midtempo material which gives more variation to the demo. Not that much really to add, best C&D release overall in my opinion so download if you enjoy 90's Greek sound and/or their other stuff.

Wintergods / Funebre Inferi - Strigoi / DeathCult 96

Wintergods / Funebre Inferi - Strigoi / DeathCult 96 Split Cassette 1997
Wintergods:
1) Ancient Temple In Carpathian Mountains
2) Ritual Of The Black Priest (Panselinos)
3) ...At The Age Before The Heaven
Funebre Inferi:
4) Marching In Graveyards / Haunted Skull Of The Profanated Grave
5) Lost Sorcerers In The Pyre

Depositfiles / Mediafire

I'm fulfilling a request today. Unusually fast too. Comrade Zomvkiv Vlhorvnel asked for this split in the recent Wintergods compilation track post and I told him I'd see if I found a download link for him. My quick search found only dead links so I thought I might as well upload someones rip I have here. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly the rip did not include cover scans nor could I find a good one online so I used someone's picture of the cassette, I think I grabbed this from some distro's list (it was sold out but still on the list). At least it has the right proportions, unlike the one that usually passes for this cover.

Something about the content. You're already most likely familiar with about 60% of the content if you've downloaded the stuff here and here. Only difference in the Funebre Inferi part is that this version has intro "Marching..." and "Haunted Skull..." (apparently spelling fixed from "scull" used on the demo itself!) as single track and the rip of course is different. I don't think anything was done to the recording, at the most the master tape was more worn by the time they did this split. In the odd chance you haven't heard FI before, they (or more like him) played black metal in the Hellenic underground way, see the old posts for further details. Wintergods' first track differs only a little in sound (and title) from the compilation version and this is due dub or rip, most likely former. Second track "Ritual..." features prominent piano backed by synth and accompanied by the vocals shifting from whispering (approved) to clear, spoken sort (okay) and supported by effect-laden whispers half way to black metal croak (not sure if want). Nice piece. Third on starts dramatic and unfortunately with more croaky effect-filtered voices. If they had just normal whispers or nothing instead this would be at least 125% better! There are spoken bits later but it's mostly this. The track is still good but those vocals really distract me. Similar to my issue with the 3rd Lamentation demo which is essentially ruined by the use of vocals. Oh well, enough writing, start downloading and see if you enjoy these sounds.