Phobos - Teloch Torzul 732 demo 1995

Phobos (fra) - Teloch Torzul 732 demo 1995
1) Intro
2) Completion
3) Memory of Bloodbirth
4) Teloch Torzul
5) Taking the Throne of God

Mediafire

This demo takes us back to the basics of this blog with an intro and four short, compact tracks of raw and simple black metal. Sometimes that is all you need and want and Phobos from France delivers. We're not talking of LLN level of rawness here but it's still surely a rehearsal-like sound. I received this from a tape trader so I've unfortunately no cover and am limited in the knowledge. Here's the very poor image from Metal Archives:

So if anyone has an original tape and access to scanner, a copy of the covers would be appreciated. The sound of my dub was good enough, this doesn't really need a crystal clear audibility. Like mentioned before the music is direct and simple, raw sounding black metal with something in it that makes it a satisfactory listen. Metal Archives says they are sort of active these days, but looks like there are only this demo and a split released so far. If anyone has more info and/or recordings of the band, I'd be interested. Recommended for people into the genre, I like it!

Landfill - Confined Inner Beauty demo 1993

Landfill (us) - Confined Inner Beauty demo 1993
1) Idle Bleeding (Intro)
2) Slough of Desolate Haze
3) Confined Inner Beauty
4) Same Mind (By Doom)
5) Digging Yourself to Death
6) Devoid
7) Injected Serenity

Reuploaded

Something different now, industrial death metal from the States, Landfill has released two demos and two albums. Their mid-career label, the notorious Wild Rags, was supposed to release also a split with Amon Hen but this didn't happen. This item here is the second demo, also released by Wild Rags, which I got from a tape trader of mine in the 90's. Without cover, so a Metal Archives image once again. At least this time it's bearable.

The demo contains almost half an hour of industrial/death metal hybrid moving in mid and slower paces. Not bad at all, leaning maybe more to the industrial end of the sound rather than the death metal, the music does manage to bring about feelings of gloom and alienation. Of course it is quite monotonous at times and some of the parts are not that great, I grow weary of the samples pretty soon, especially on the intro, and the vocals might have a little more variety to them, though I guess the lack of is intentional here. Good sound and as the dub was ok quality and not too advanced generation the rip came out nice. There's some minor tape hissing but if you're a seasoned veteran of this blog you probably expect it to have some. Adds to the listening experience, more authentic cassette feeling etc. Recommended to the more open-minded readers/listeners, not so much to the hardcore death metallers.

Skadi's Evernight - Hellwards unreleased demo 1995

Skadi's Evernight - Hellwards unreleased demo 1995
1) In the Search of Inheritance
2) Northern Huntress
3) Abraxas Rising

Reuploaded

And here's the last offering from Grev's tape, the unreleased 1995 demo of Skadi's Evernight and as far as I know their final recordings too. Three songs of underground Finnish black metal, two familiar from the rehearsal tape 1994, but here in more refined versions. Don't get me wrong, it's still raw and pretty necro but more controlled.

Unfortunately the dub quality was not as high as on the rehearsals Grev got directly from the band, this being a tape traded item. Most annoying thing is how the left side loses volume about two thirds into "In the Search..." though it evens out slightly. Considering that this is an unreleased demo I'm not sure if this is due someone in the tape trading chain fumbling or an issue with the recording itself. But by the time the track changes you're able to ignore it. I personally enjoy the sound (!) of the rehearsal tape more and though this isn't able to bring similar feeling of possession as the older recordings do, it is still a must for anyone into Finnish ug black metal. Recommended and be sure to grab the rehearsal and Utuk Xul material too!

Skadi's Evernight - Rehearsal I 1994

Skadi's Evernight - Rehearsal Tape I September 1994
1) Abraxas Rising
2) In the Search of Inheritance
3) The Elemental of War Animated
4) Valkyr's Kiss (Instrumental)

Reuploaded

Here is the second item from the tape sent to me by Grev, the first rehearsal tape by Skadi's Evernight, ex Utuk Xul. It was recorded while they were still called Utuk Xul, but as they changed the name shortly afterwards this is considered to be the first S.E. release. Grev had received this recording directly from the band, so the quality of the dub is good, with only minor wear of the tape caused by age.

Two of the four tracks presented here also appear on the unreleased "Hellwards" demo, but these versions are obviously rawer. The sound is very good for a rehearsal tape, raw but clearly audible. In many ways I found myself preferring the sound here to that of "Hellwards" even if some of the material appears to be missing the finishing touches (especially "In the Search..." which seems to be a work in progress as evident by the end). The vocals are particularly worth noting, they get quite insane on "In the Search of Inheritance" (not sure if all the lyrics were completed when they recorded this) and even more demented and unhinged on "The Elemental of War Animated" but only in a good sense. Essential hearing to all raw black metal enthusiasts, Finnish black metal lovers, underground collectors and other madmen! Recommended, thanks Grev!

Utuk Xul - Rehearsal Track 1993

Utuk Xul (fin) - Rehearsal Track 1993
1) Whereby He Might Do Battle

Mediafire

Recently comrade Grev posted a comment on the Utuk Xul demo letting me know he had material from U.X. and Skadi's Evernight. To my great delight he also promptly dubbed & sent me a tape with the stuff and this post here is the first item from it, a rehearsal recording of "Whereby He Might Do Battle" recorded before the "Scream for War" demo and given to Grev by Deabolikal. So big thanks to Grev for this!

Sound is rough but very good for a rehearsal recording and the rip quality is good as well. The version here is rougher and more straight forward than the demo version and the vocal is more of a death grunt. Should be an interesting listen to black metal maniacs!

Kyprian's Circle - In the Mystique of the Moonbeams demo 1996

Kyprian's Circle - In the Mystique of the Moonbeams demo I 1996
1) Metsän Henki Tanssii (Intro)
2) The Children of the Black Within
3) Meadow of the Witches
4) In the Mystique of the Moonbeams
5) Ravenblack Night

Reuploaded

Here, after a long search, is finally the first Kyprian's Circle demo contributed by comrade Barghest (colehawlins) a while ago so big thanks to him! This is his rip and includes cover & flyer scans. Good quality rip of an original tape. The intro will be familiar to K.C. fans and the music is in the same vein as on the later releases. I guess I should write something more but I'm in a hurry so I just recommend you to download this!

Ouija - Rehearsal 1996

Ouija - Rehearsal 1996
1) Untitled I
2) Untitled II
3) Untitled III

Reuploaded

Moving from Portugal to Spain, this time we have a three song rehearsal tape from the black metallers Ouija. Spain isn't really known for black metal bands, Primigenium though should be quite familiar to many readers and some might know Blazemth, Nazgul, Xharathron, Gorthaur (very good demo, I should post it) and Witches' Sabbath. That's about all that comes to my mind now - of course browsing Metal Archives would conjure more names, but anyways back to the point and this release. I got this tape from a Spanish trader comrade and he didn't unfortunately have a tracklisting for it and I haven't managed to identify any of the tracks as something from the band's so-far only album "Riding Into the Funeral Paths". I have to admit I haven't listened to the album too many times either. So I've just named the tracks Untitled I - III. Feel free to share your info if you know the titles!

The sound on these tracks is obviously somewhat rough as it is a rehearsal recording, but I think it is very audible and quite clear for one - I've heard demos with worse sound! The quality of the dub and my rip is ok too. Music is melodic black metal similar to their album, not bad nor really great either. Give it a shot if you enjoy 90s melodic black metal.

Celestial Dark - Slowly Flying in the Dark demo 1995

Celestial Dark - Slowly Flying in the Dark demo 1995
1) Intro
2) Slowly Flying in the Dark
3) Agony and Pain

Yandex

Today's post is another demo I've ripped already a while ago, but hesitated to upload; you see this demo by the Portuguese dark death/doom metallers Celestial Dark had quite a fair share of hissing which I tried to clean with debatable results. After a period of deliberating (and fixing the incorrect title of the 3rd track) I decided to upload and post the uncleaned version instead as a little bit of tape hiss just adds up to the demo atmosphere, right? But you probably aren't very interested in all that.

To the music, this demo which I got from a Portuguese trader contact in the 90s contains an intro and two quite long songs of dramatic, doomy dark metal with touches of gothic and black metal. More gothic than black metal. I heard the "Agony and Pain" track on a compilation CD which contained black and dark metal bands from Portugal originally and tracked down this demo. I was a little dissappointed with it containing only one song and an intro more. Nowadays I'm not as much excited of the demo as I was back then, but it's still ok stuff. I'm interested in hearing their "Perpetual Tears" demo so let me know if you have it or got a link to it. That is all.

Utuk Xul - Scream for War demo 1993

Utuk Xul (fin) - Scream for War demo 1993
1) The Ordi Vuohum
2) Venom of the Godz
3) Daughter of Sin
4) Whereby He Might Do Battle

Depositfiles

Time to post some good old Finnish black metal again, this (only) demo of Utuk Xul from 1993 seems to be pretty uncommon item and I'm quite sure the band's name really rings bells only to people who read Finnish zines in the early 90's. The band's self-proclaimed "Cult Fascism Metal" got them certain amount of notoriety and they changed name to Skadi's Evernight around 1994 (I think) but I don't know if they ever released or even recorded anything under that monicker. Or was it so that Utuk Xul split up and some members formed Skadi's Evernight? Well, whatever the case was, I'm extremely interested in any and all recordings (like rehearsal tapes) from either group. One or two of the members played in Azazel for a short time as well.

Four songs of quite rough and grim black metal with an early 90's demo sound, ripped from a dub I got from a Finnish trader comrade circa 1994/1995 that had a few imperfections and quite a bit of hissing, nothing too major though. I didn't have a cover for this, but Metal Archives had a decent image (for change) so it's used. The songs pound away at steady pace but there is enough variation to distinguish them from each other and spices like bits of synth and different vocals thrown in. "Daughter of Sin" has a neat intro to it. I'm sure there are dozens of more original, better played, produced, composed and dubbed demos around but I like this. There is a certain mysterious, primitive charm to it. I recommend you to download it if you enjoy underground Finnish black metal.

Shadows Toward My Sky - Nightwaves demo 1997

Shadows Toward My Sky - Nightwaves demo 1997
1) Sorrowsea
2) Winds for My Inner Eyes
3) Opus to Ravennights
4) Immortal Clouds
5) Nightwaves (For Archangels and Firestorms)
6) Outro

Reuploaded

Lenghty pause in posting, I've been busy with festivals and drinking and work and shit. Well, now I'm back and here's some melodic German black metal from 1997. Ripped from an original tape I purchased with a bunch of others and I have to say I'm not too wild about this. There are some good points, but mostly it's not really my shot of vodka. Very "1997" melodic/symphonic sort of blackened metal offered here, taking cues from all across the field, from COF to their more UG countrymates. Good sound though, has rawness but is clear. I'm not bothering with a sales pitch, I think you're better off trying it yourself.

Oh yeah, the outro is not listed on the cover but I decided to have it as a separate track anyways. If you disagree with this choice, pester me and I'll upload 5 & 6 as a single track for you.