Funeral Rites - Promo '97

Funeral Rites - Promo '97
1) Weird Tales
2) Moonlight December
3) At the Warend
4) Crucifix

RGhost / Mediafire

Another Asian item today, this is Funeral Rites from Osaka, Japan and their third tape from 1997 simply called "promo '97" though Metal Archives lists it also under "Weird Tales" name. Hard to say for sure since I don't have covers and haven't seen full scans, but my tape trader had named it promo '97, would not be first time a release gets an additional name later. Maybe someone will eventually provide full cover scan that confirms the actual title. I recall this was also released as a MCD in '98 but don't seem to find confirmation online for this. Perhaps that version was called "Weird Tales" and it stuck for the tape too?

Well, whatever the case maybe I'm 100% sure both '97 entries on MA refer to this same recording. There are four songs here, first one being practically instrumental and third one fully so, both interestingly enough reappearing on their only album "Necroeater" released in 2000 by Nederlands' Painkiller records. I'm sure Hellhammer/Frost have been an influence on the guys, apparent both on their visual aesthetics (judging from the demo covers), song titles and to a degree on the music too which alternates between old schoolish, pounding, thrashing black metal and again oldish more melodic and epic black metal with light and effective touches of keyboards in places. The demo has a loud, noisy sound with a notable amount of distorted bass not so much as bleeding as cumming all over everything. It's a little jarring at first until you get adjusted to it and I recall being initially quite dissappointed with the album which sounded much milder or tame in comparison when it came out. Of course I can't seem to find the damn disc now to compare. I would really like to hear the '96 demos too, I think I had a pretty poor rip of either one somewhere but that also refuses to be found. Anyways, I dig this and you should give it a chance if you enjoy your black metal, uh, metal.

Vague - Ikei demo 2000

Vague - Ikei demo 2000
1) 紫焔 (しえん)
2) This Wisteria
3) A Lost Forgotten Sad Spirit

Reuploaded

Today I'm posting the third demo of the Japanese solo-project Vague, the sole member of which is Touko, an ex-member of 凶音 (transliterated Magane, have two albums out) and currently playing multiple instruments in 身殺 (Mïsogi) who have released a couple of demos and an album in 2010. He's also released a few demos under his own name 東虎 (Touko, if you already forgot) and Universe Tachyon, neither of which I've heard. Most of these projects deal with Japanese folklore and mysticism, though this one seems more personal on concept. Ripped from an original tape which I got from a distro probably in 2000. By the way, it was really a pain in the ass to dig up correct kanji & hiragana for the first track title!

Three songs, the lenghtiest of which is the Burzum cover, for a little over 22 minutes. The sound is quite unrefined and pretty raw but everything is audible. If you've heard the other projects he's been involved with you might be prepared for this, it's basically black metal but with some odd ingredients thrown in the soup and taking some unexpected turns along the way. I would be curious to hear the other two demos (1999's Lapis-la-zu-li and 2000's One Way Journey to the Moon) so let me know if you have them. Recommended for the curious, the open-minded, the Burzum-obsessed and those who like all things Japanese.

Goat Of The Harvest Compilation Vol.4

Various Artists - Goat of the Harvest Compilation vol.4: Autumn/Winter 1997/98 c.e.
1) Rood - An Ode to the Mighty North (Intro)
2) Utgard - Forgotten Heathen Woods
3) Judas Iscariot - From His Woven Darkness Above
4) Inner Hell - Misanthromaniac
5) Rare Form - Fata Morgana
6) Keep Of Kalessin - Skygger av Sorg I
7) Flauros - The Legend of Werewolf
8) Inhumate - Piece of Meat
9) Anwyl - Realm of Blasphemy
10) Anno Daemonicus - Chaos Overshadows the Valkyrian Castle
11) Bethel - Aye Inferno... / Wandering in the Lands of Dark and Frost
12) Helgrindr - A Raven... Left to Christ
13) Nomicon - Down Below
14) Deathfog - Sailing to the Great North Seas
15) Bastardized - Purest of Innocence
16) Ghoul Vault - Hypnotic Way
17) Funeral Rites - Moonlight December
18) Malkuth - Além dos Jardins Nosferáticos
19) Pagan Funeral - A Journey Through Carpathia

Reuploaded

I wrote I'd post more compilations. Well, here's another compilation tape, this one is from the USA and came with the 4th issue of the 'zine of same name, Goat Of The Harvest, which I probably will scan later as soon as I remember where I put it. Until then, we have the contents of the cassette here. The covers of course were not very informative as the 'zine had most of the info on these bands within and actually interviewed most of them, so until I manage to dig it up from somewhere I've not too much to tell about them. Well, it did have tracklisting and contact addresses so that's really what you expect from a compilation.

The line-up is international, with bands from the US, Finland, Japan, Brasil and Norway to mention few. Styles range from black metal to death metal to synth-based stuff and bands from the well-known (Judas Iscariot) to not-so-well-known (Funeral Rites) to totally obscure (Pagan Funeral). I probably should mention the first artist "Rood" is the guy who made the 'zine & compilation. As the cassette compilations were back then, the sound levels tend to shift track to track, often quite much. I didn't bother too much with this, just adjusted a few of the most extreme bits. Sounds more authentic and so on. That's all for now, give it a try if you're into black & death metal.

Abyss - The Second Birth demo 1993

Abyss (jap) - The Second Birth demo 1993
1) Scandalling
2) Necro-Celebrator
3) Legion of Honour
I) Wartime
II) In the World of Abyss

Reuploaded

Death metal here and from Japan to boot. This demo has some sentimental value to me as it was the first demo I had ordered outside Europe. I was getting mostly into black metal in 1993, but I'd still listen to some death metal and I quite liked this demo, the price of $3 didn't hinder either. The musicianship is good, sound clear even if bit weak for death metal and songs interesting, not brutal though but neither melodeath. Solid, quite technical performance which manages to contain atmosphere too.