Secrets Of The Moon - Vanitas demo 1997

Secrets of the Moon - Vanitas demo II 1997
Secrets Side (Studio)
1) Idolize Me
2) Caller of the Moon
3) Vanitas
4) My Life for Yours
5) Sadomatic Rites (Beherit cover)
Moon Side (Live)
6) My Life for Yours
7) Vanitas
8) Sáila
9) Sadomatic Rites (Beherit cover)
10) Screams of Anguish
11) Atomic Nuclear Desolation (Blasphemy cover)

Reuploaded - 2022

Secrets Of The Moon is one of my favourite German bands, in any genre. You should go see them live if you get the chance. This item here is their 2nd demo, which contains a live on side B as bonus. Their style was more direct on the demo days, but excellent nevertheless. And I know "Sadomatic Rites" should be "Sodomatic Rites" but since Spinefarm screwed up the DDtM cover, people seemed to get confused. Apparently even the SotM guys.

This rip is not mine, I got this one some years ago from someone in Soulseek, so once again thanks goes to anonymous. I do have this recorded on a tape somewhere but I can't really be arsed to dig that up as this is a perfectly decent rip. However, if I come across that tape by chance someday, I'll rip it then - I actually should dig the tape up since there was something else on it too, I got it from one of my German friends. I wish he'd sent me a copy of the cover too, now all we have is the tiny, murky image from Metal Archives. UPDATE - I found the tape, but it contained only A-side of the demo so we stick to this rip.

Curse (Finland) - Satanic Dominion demo 1993

Curse (fin) - Satanic Dominion demo I 1993
1) Intro
2) Satanic Dominion
3) Infant Jesus Dead
4) Blasphemy

No download anymore since this was released on CD. See here.

This is the debut studio demo of the Finnish Curse, which I always associate as the "true Curse". They started in 1991 and the style is (quite typical to Finnish bands of the time) death/black metal, brutal and Satanic. I got in touch with the drummer Toni in 1993 but I didn't get this tape from him, it was recorded to me by a friend who knew the band. He, however, supplied me with the cover. Which would look better if they had inverted the colours I think.

Intro and 3 songs, rough & evil black death metal, good enough sound (they recorded this in a studio after all). The playing isn't very tight & professional but I think it adds certain charm to the whole thing. Toni had plans to re-release the discography some years ago but seems like he never got around to it. Till then the tape rips will have to do.

UPDATE - Got a message from Toni, he's got the cd almost done after all. I'll link when I know more.
UPDATE 2 - Werewolf Records releases "Demons Appear" on 6th June so ask from there.
UPDATE 3 - Download links removed. As it's been released on CD, no point to provide a rip of lesser quality.

In My Veins - Rehearsal 1995

In My Veins - Rehearsal 1995
1) Flaring Ground
2) Enwrapped in Thought

Removed as obsolete, reposted

Here's a rehearsal tape with two new songs the band recorded on the tape I sent for the demo. They are pretty much continuing in the same vein (pun unintentional) as the demo songs, maybe a little more aggressive though much of that feel comes from the raw, but very loud rehearsal recording. If you liked the demo, or dark/death metal in general, might be worth the short time it takes to download.

In My Veins - The Red Sky At Dawn demo 1995

In My Veins - The Red Sky at Dawn demo 1995
1) Shrouded in Darkness and Despair
2) Black Vault of Heaven
3) The Red Sky at Dawn
4) Snow in My Hand

Removed as obsolete, see here

Another obscure Finnish demo here, not black metal this one. It's dark death metal, a pretty good effort too and seems like it is also the only official thing In My Veins released (unless they've just changed the band's name and made an illustrious career with another monicker).

I'm not sure where I got their address back in 1995 (flyer/'zine would seem most likely) but I sent them a tape to record the demo, got that and a rehearsal with 2 new songs and another new track which either was untitled or I've lost it's title. I'll post the 2 song rehearsal later but I'm not sure about that untitled song, maybe I'll try to dig through some old papers to see if I'd still have the letter somewhere. Until I decide what I'll do, enjoy the demo!

Kyprian's Circle - The Nightwind Tunes demo 1997

Kyprian's Circle - The Nightwind Tunes demo II 1997
1) Into the Northern Crown
2) Dancing with Trees
3) Hymn to Thunders
4) The Nightwind Tunes

Reuploaded

First off, this is not my rip ...as you might have figured out yourselves since I was looking for the demos myself. Thanks to Ossi, who had downloaded this from who knows where and kindly uploaded & linked it for me, now I'm only missing the 1996 demo. I decided to share this one in the meantime. I seem to be unable to find a better picture of the covers than that piece of shit from Metal Archives so I'm afraid it'll have to do. Maybe I should've scanned a flyer for the demo instead.

This demo (and the 1st one) has lyrics in English and features Shatraug of Horna & the Satanic Tyrant Werewolf formerly known as Nazgul as session vocalists. Get it already.

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.

Helheim - Demo 1993

Helheim - Demo 1993
1) Inn i Døden Vandren
2) My Deathlike Cries From The Grave
3) My Wrath Is Unleashed...
4) ...And The Pandemonium Has Inflamed
5) Through Forests Deep And Cold
6) A Forgotten Oath In The Arms Of Satanas
7) Countess Bathory (Venom cover - as if someone didn't know!)

Depositfiles

I wrote to the guys of this Helheim too in my youth, I was after their "Niðr Ok Norðr Liggr Helvegr" demo. It was very good viking style black metal and as it was mentioned that was the band's second demo, I naturally got very curious about the first one. They agreed to dub me a copy of it (unfortunately didn't send cover, so again we're using an image from Metal Archives) and that's the thing presented here.

There are atmospheric, Norse interludes and melodies already present, but overall it is a rougher take on Norwegian black metal. Well enough audible despite the somewhat low buzzing guitars. Plenty of historical value too.

Thy Grief - A Frozen Realm demo 1995

Thy Grief - A Frozen Realm (demo 1995)
1) A Frozen Realm (An Ancient Scripture)
2) The Cosmic Symphony of Creation
3) A Cold Winters Mourning
4) Da mørket omfavnet meg

Reuploaded

Some Norwegian black metal for change; atmospheric, melodic and symphonic even! Thy Grief is one of the lesser known bands and their career only lasted a few years from 1995 to... well, the album was released in 1997 and they probably disbanded soon after that, I'm not sure though. I wrote to the band and sent them a tape in 1996. I think the guys from Helheim recommended them to me, not sure of that either. Anyways, they recorded me this demo and a new song and I enjoyed them quite a lot.

Four tracks of melodic and very Norwegian black metal, good and clear sound but unfortunately some tape imperfection in the early bit of the 1st song. Shouldn't ruin it though. If you like this, check out the album "The Frozen Tomb Of Mankind" released by Solistitium, you should be able to still find it on various distros.

December Wolves - 'Til Ten Years CD 1996

December Wolves - 'Til Ten Years CD 1996
1) Ode To The Master Therion
2) The Night That I Died
3) Our Centuries Have Been Found
4) Lycanthropy : Yonder Through The IceStorms
5) 'Til Ten Years
6) Whence The Clouds Cry
7) Outro

Narod

I think the December Wolves debut album is pretty hard to find these days, released as it was by the South Korean Hammerheart Productions so I thought I might rip & upload it here. My copy was the strange double digifile version shared with Poccolus, kind of a mixed deal as I got two nice albums but not the booklets.

The music on this album is a bit different to the demo and very different to the two later albums which moved into more post-black metal or whatever territory. Here the moods are folky (well, the 3rd song is basically neofolk) and the metal feels geared more to the pagan and "European" direction than your average usbm. Unfortunately the bass drum sound & mix take away a bit from the enjoyability and as (in my opinion) the weakest track "Ode To The Master Therion" has been placed as the cumbersome 8 minute opener, it can be a bit hard to start listening to this album. Don't give up, however, it gets much better as it proceeds! Give it a try, it's worth it.

Unhola - Minä Olen Tie demo 1998

Unhola - Minä Olen Tie demo III 1998
1) Puhtaasti Pahoja
2) Maa, Tuli ja Henki
3) Minä Olen Tie

Get it here.

Here's the third Unhola demo, professionally released by Meathook Productions, the UG cassette label and fanzine run by the Sorvali boys of Moonsorrow back in the late 90s. Mostly the same story as with the previous Unhola demo, got a dub of this from the same source and it was also ripped by my friend Joonas and this is the very rip here.

This demo has a bit improved sound, even if I personally prefer the murky roughness of the previous effort, and a different vocal style by Margoath - not as odd as on the "Inferno" album, but considered unusual then. Overall, I'm more into the 2nd demo but this is recommendable material still.

Unhola - Mustan Syvyyden Tuulet... demo 1997

Unhola - Mustan Syvyyden Tuulet... demo II 1997
1) Megakuolema (Intro)
2) Mustan Veren Veljeskunta
3) Täältä Tullaan Kuolema
4) Mustan Veren Veljeskunta
5) Unhola (Instrumental)

Link is here.

This is one of my favourite Finnish black metal demos, Unhola's 2nd tape and first one I heard from them. The fourth track "Täältä Tullaan Kuolema" is one of my favourite demo songs ever, I wish they would have put it on the "Inferno" album. Sadly I only got a dub of the original thing from a friend of mine so no proper cover scan (again), have to make to do with the one from Metal Archives which I edited a little. The rip isn't mine either, it was done by my friend Joonas a few years ago... and since I seem to have misplaced the tape, we'll have to make do with that. Got his permission, too.

An intro and four tracks of raw sounding melodic Finnish black metal, 160 kbps and decent sound quality, very good music. Definitely recommended!

Zaratustra - It Was A Night (1999)

Zaratustra - It Was A Night CD 1999
1) The Colour Of Your Soul
2) Holder Of A Chest
3) About The Poisonous Spider
4) Moon Brother
5) Kisses Of The Ice Craving
6) A Night Song
7) With The Black Horse
8) Loneliness Of The Givers (A Night Song II)
9) ...It's Day

Reuploaded

Another CD rip and again a little known band from eastern Europe, this time Bulgaria's Zaratustra with their excellent and unfortunately only album release "It Was A Night" from 1999. Zaratustra has an unique sound and an interesting Nietzchean concept, acquired taste some say but I like it very much.

Not much has been heard of the band for years now so it's pretty safe to assume they've split up, even though their site is still running. The label Counter Attack might still have the CD available, see if you can buy it from them if you like it.

Moonspell - Live England, 27.7.1995

Moonspell - Live at Rio's, Bradford England 27.07.1995
1) Intro
2) Wolfshade (Werewolf Masquerade)
3) Love Crimes
4) ...Of Dream And Drama (Midnight Ride)
5) An Erotic Alchemy
6) Opus Diabolicum
7) Vampiria
8) Alma Mater

Re-reuploaded - 2022

Ok, another live tape, this one from Moonspell, known to most I presume. I really enjoyed the 1995 "Wolfheart" album and in my tender tape trading days I tried to get hold of as many as possible live recordings of the 1995 tour. This would be the first one I rip and if I recall correctly also the first one I got. Good one, though the strings are quite low. Download if you like old Moonspell.

Rautavaris - Demo 2005

Rautavaris - Demo II 2005
1) Alttareiden Raunioista
2) Syyshämärän Saattue
3) Koti

Depositfiles

Here is the second Rautavaris demo, most of the things I wrote here below applies here. This demo is marginally better than the previous one, I think, probably because of the third song which is my favourite. I forgot to mention in the previous post that the man behind this (solo?) band plays bass for Horna nowadays. Without further ado, download this already!

Rautavaris - Demo 2004

Rautavaris - Demo I 2004
1) Ennen Vihaa Syntyneet
2) Valon Polku
3) Sarastus

Depositfiles

Ok, here is a great demo of atmospheric Finnish black metal from Lappeenranta, Horna's hometown. These older demos have a little bit of folk influence and quite a bit Burzum in them whereas the 2008 demo "Suden Lapset" (released by Grievantee) is rawer and more aggressive material.

I did not rip this demo, frankly I can't remember where I got the mp3's from, Inter Nets for sure but where? They might have once been posted on Rautavaris' Mikseri page but I don't recall seeing them there. The source must have been someone on Soulseek. Very recommended stuff!

Hoth - Odes to My Black Goddess demo 1995

Hoth - Odes to My Black Goddess demo 1995
1) Introduction
2) Impious Congregation
3) Nocturnal Offering
4) Hellish Revelations
5) Isis' Invocation
6) Nail the Nazarene
7) Demons' Melody
8) Noitcudortni

Reuploaded

I ripped this tape out of idle curiosity as I could not remember what this project by Decayed members sounded like, I was under the impression it was melodic and synth-driven, very 90's southern black metal. Well, it IS melodic 90's southern black metal but not as keyboard-based as I had recalled and more black metal too! Give it a try, you know you are curious.