Sorcerer - Finsterland demo 1994

Sorcerer (ger) - Finsterland rehearsal demo 1994
1) Transilvanischer Wälder
2) Blut für den Scharfrichter
3) Finsterland

Reuploaded


There hasn't been nearly enough black metal rehearsal recordings from Germany on this blog, y/n? If you agree keep reading, for here courtesy of brother Grev and his near-bottomless vaults is yet another stone turned and another cadaver of a band exhumed. Sorcerer, not to be mixed with various other bands using the name - Swedish doom band being probably the best known, was a Bavarian black metal band consisting of a bunch of German Poles who released three (?) rehearsal tapes before changing name to Eclipse which was just as unfortunate choice as the original name, being even more overused. They released a promo tape under this name in 1996, which I'd be interested to hear, and then probably split up. Of note might also be the fact that bassist Azazel was a member of the Bavarian nsbm-pioneers Morke and under his current alias Tairach is active with Pestnebel and Ungod. That's enough name-dropping, read the rest from Metal Archives. No covers I'm afraid and I'd appreciate getting a scan.

Musically we've got here quite raw sounding black metal with some atmospheric synths and melodic, at times epic parts. Sound is toleratable 90's German rehearsal black metal fare. Easier to listen to than most of Morke material certainly, somewhat like the Nordlys rehearsal demo and with less hissing than most Moonblood rehearsal rips I've heard. It's nothing really groundbreaking, sure, but works for me and makes me want to hear the other tapes as well as the Eclipse 1996 promo. Check it out if you're into this particular niche of the 90's underground scene or in general into black metal and not too coy to brave listening to rehearsal tapes.

Epitaph Compilation Tape (1994)

 
Various Artists - Epitaph - New Zealand Death Grind Compilation Tape (1994)
Side A:
1) Entropy - Wanderlust Daemon
2) Sinistrous Diabolus - Wipe Out Christianity
3) Demoniac - The Birth of Diabolic Blood
4) Eviscerate - Severely Butchered Remains
5) Quorthon - Colostomy Bag
6) Human - Turning Green and Starting to Smell
7) Malevolence - Black Sabbat
Side B:
8) Convulsion - Bits of Dog
9) Enshrine - My Tongue a Window
10) Neanderthal - Nun Raper
11) Haemorrhage - Rotting Away
12) Sinfeeder - Young Sappo Girls
13) Demise - Those to Perish
14) Conventional Toasters - The Flu
15) Warpspasm - Chainsaw Enema
16) Cyrrhosis - (Why Don't You) Go to Heaven

Reuploaded

I'm back with another contribution that has been waiting on the limbo of my old HD for too long though this time I had a semi-decent excuse for my hesitation - you see I tried to find a little additional information on this NZ compilation tape but came up with none. The main issue here is that it's lacking completely the artist of the 16th track. So if anyone could elaborate on the last artist and/or provide a cover scan that would be very much appreciated! UPDATE: Got one from comrade F! Thanks! Tracklisting edited and corrected in both post and folder, please re-download for corrected version with the full cover.

Like mentioned above, this compilation tape was a contribution by Stephen, a reader from NZ, thanks again, and features a bunch of bands playing various styles of death metal, from grinding blasts to black metal to slow churning doomy metal of death. A quite good representation of the NZ scene circa 1993 or so (release of the tape was in January 1994) and recommended listen to all into death metal. Especially now that I got the last track fixed with the artist's name and tracklisting in general!

Erevos - My Black Desires promo 1994

Erevos (gre - Athens) - My Black Desires promo I 1994
1) Widdershins
2) Diasia of the Evil Incantations
3) A Paean Under the Silence of Styx

Reuploaded - with covers

Like I've mentioned before, I'm not a spring person so it has been slow lately. Here is a non-metal post again, Prince Korthanage's (whom some may remember from the first Agatus album) Erevos with the first promo tape from 1994 for which I've been unsuccessfully hunting a cover image (or basically anything) for. Help would be appreciated! I got my dub of this from brother Grev once again, thank you, and he from a trader contact back whenever. UPDATE: Was sent a scan of a xerox of the cover by a reader, thank you!

It's a bit hard to fit this into a category neatly as it definitely is black metal-based material, yet it isn't metal - I come to this conclusion because of the lack of guitars and stuff. So I go for one of my patented pulled-out-of-my-ass descriptions and just throw comparisons left and right. Sorry kingpossum, but once again I have to invoke Summoning here, it sounds quite a bit like them sans buzzing guitars, think "Dagor Bragollach" from "Minas Morgul" (well, not really a good example) or stuff from "Lost Tales" but without silly samples. Epic synths, percussion and voices switching from narration to a great black metal style. On the other hand I'm also reminded of Gothmog, so it's hovering somewhere between black metal (not that much), dungeon synth (much) and me getting fed up trying to describe it properly (very much). Whatever it be called, I think it's awesome. I definitely want the rest of Erevos material so please let me know if you have any of their (well, his) recordings. Recommended!

Witchlord - Rehearsal Track 1996

Witchlord (ger) - Rehearsal 1996
1) Hidden in the Emptiness of My Thoughts

Reuploaded

A quick one today, a single track rehearsal by German Witchlord and possibly their (well, his) only recording as well? At least I haven't seen anything else around. Witchlord is probably most notable for being formerly known as Ravenclaw and consisting of Gaamalzagoth of Moonblood fame. I'm not sure exactly when was this track recorded but if it was indeed so that Ravenclaw switched name to Witchlord I suppose it would have to be later part of 1996 as the material for "Conspiracy Against Christianity" split was recorded in spring/summer. I can't remember if my trader comrade supplied me with any further info. No cover and I've never seen a logo for this either so I just put a pic of G-man up there.

But how does it sound like, uncle? Well, if you are familiar with the man's other work I guess you know what to expect "production" and sound-wise... actually this sounds a bit cleaner than his side of the split demo, closer to some atmospheric Moonblood material. The track is slow paced, dominated by synths and Gaamalzagoth's very recognizable croaks, subdued metal elements being the rather sparse guitaring and barely audible percussion. Kind of like a mix between Summoning and Moonblood to put it very roughly. I would've actually liked to hear more of this but I suppose there isn't any. Give it a go.

Absu - Live in Rotterdam 05.04.1997

Absu - Live at the Baroeg, Rotterdam Holland 5th April 1997
1) Apzu
2) Highland Tyrant Attack
3) Swords and Leather
4) The Winter Zephyr (...Within Kingdoms of Mist)
5) Morbid Scream (Morbid Scream cover)
6) Fantasizing to the Third of the Pagan Vision / ...of Celtic Fire, We Are Born / Terminus (...in the Eyes of Ioldánach)
7) The Coming of War (Morbid Scream cover)
8) Drum Solo
9) The Gold Torques of Uláid
10) ...and Shineth Unto the Cold Cometh...

Depostifiles

I could not resist uploading this tape today, especially since I'm going to go see some live music later. As I'm going to see a local thrash band, Unhoped, an Absu live show from 1997 fits quite well. By this time their mythological occult metal was dominated by thrash influences and (unfortunately in my opinion) the lyrical focus on the then current, very good, album "The Third of Cythraul" had shifted more into Celtic (and Scottish) realms of their heritage.

This is a tape traded item and an audience recording again, unfortunately not complete as the it starts with the first track "Apzu" already blasting ahead. Don't know if it's missing anything else except the first minutes of the track, probably an intro of some sort. Let me know if you happen to know better. Overall sound is ok for this sort of an recording. Some dickwad talking is inevitable but of the music everything can be heard decently enough. There's a bit of an pause between tracks 2 and 3, don't know if the person had to take a break for some reason and whether something is missing from there. Setlist is pretty good for the time, though I'd like more Absu instead of playing both Morbid Scream covers. Not sure of the live line-up of the time, I'll wager it was Mezzadurus of Blood Storm and the core trio. Proscriptor does some of the vocals which has always amazed me, considering the drums in Absu tracks. I'm not going to write more, I need to hurry to grab some beer, a good live show for fans of Absu and/or black/thrash metal!

Skogen 'zine #1

Skogen Magazine, issue 1 (Late 1994/early 1995)
Interviews:
Necrophobic
Mortiis
Dark Funeral
Decortication
Obtained Enslavement
Unpure
Belial
Occult
Ancient (nor)
Isvind
Algol
Carpathian Full Moon
Abruptum
Behemoth (pol)
Ancient Rites
Itnos
Denial Of God
Enslaved
Molested
Mayhem (Hellhammer)
Satyricon
Hades (nor)
Cadaver
Vermin
Sigh
Absu/Equimanthorn
Thy Serpent
Articles:
Gehenna
Bethlehem
Darkthrone
Martyrium
Immortal
Graveland
Fester
Sadistic Intent
Grand Belial's Key
Black Funeral
Thou Shalt Suffer
Abysmal
Trelldom
In the Woods...
Gorgoroth
Darkstyle
Fleurety
Abigor
Vital Remains
Winter
Ungod
Beyond Dawn
+Swedish scene report (articles on The Black, Dissection, Tiamat etc...), Norwegian report (much shorter listing of some at the time new bands), a couple of reviews & Molested special

Reuploaded - 2022

Another 'zine today and yet another contribution, this time from none other than the Skogen editor Sascha himself! Thank you! He scanned the debut issue of Skogen and as you may see it was a pretty huge start with over 70 pages and a large amount of bands featured. Enormous jpg's the blindest old fart can squint through here and in general good quality scanning, must have been quite a task especially considering the way the 'zine was put together. Much appreciated and now the Skogen saga is complete.

Being the first issue of a young editor, the end result is impressive if naturally not up to the level of the later issues. On the average the bands have answered decently and the questions themselves are good for a first issue. The layout is clear and readable. Unfortunately the release time is not mentioned in the 'zine this time, but from what I gathered from the interviews this was mostly made in mid to late 1994 and completed and released in early 1995. I could always ask Sascha but that's no fun now is it? Overall look and quality of Skogen stayed rather consistent through its run, personally I find the bands involved most interesting in issue 2, followed by the debut and last issue. Without further ado I declare this recommended reading and mandatory for fans of Skogen #2 & #3!

Raven (Finland) - Rehearsal 1995

Raven (fin) - Rehearsal I 1995
1) Untitled
2) Calls in the Cold Winternight

Reuploaded


Spring time makes me lazy and sluggish, so excuse me for not feeling like writing much today. What better to go with that feeling than some slow and heavy music? And that's exactly what Finland's Raven offers. This here is an early instrumental rehearsal tape recorded some time in 1995 and spread around to some of the band's contacts. No cover, obviously, for this one.

Much of what I wrote back here applies to this two song rehearsal as well, but the sound is way better than I remembered... though I'm pretty sure I have another rehearsal tape somewhere so perhaps that one had worse sound? I think brother Grev has these rehearsals too so I guess I'll check with him. Mind you, this is a rehearsal recording still so it might sound quite rough to the casual listener. The first track was untitled at the time of the recording and I can't remember now what it ended up being called... but this way I'm staying loyal to the tracklisting, right? I find myself enjoying the recording, nevermind how unfinished, unpolished, rough and repetitive it may be. Recommended for fans of Raven/Shape Of Despair, funeral doom enthusiasts in general and others who want to listen to slow, gloomy and stripped down musick.

Wayreth - Towards the Forest Forgotten demo 1996

Wayreth - Towards the Forest Forgotten demo 1996
1) As the Wind Grow Cold
2) My Kingdom
3) Moonrise Over Northern Sky

Reuploaded

Remember the Ravenstorm demo I posted last year? Well, here's the precursor Wayreth with their only demo, courtesy of brother Grev, once again! As he got his copy from another trader back in the old days we have no cover available. If someone has it and could scan it, I'd greatly appreciate that!

So how does this compare to the Ravenstorm material which was hanging on the symphonic branch of the black metal tree? Well, first off, ironically, this older demo sounds better due to less tape wear on the copy dubbed though the studio sound itself is pretty good demo level too. The synths are more in the background and overall feeling is not as much symphonic as on the evolved form. It is quite easy to hear this is the same band in a different stage as the speed levels and melodic approach remain similar post name change. Less intricate and more aggressive I suppose. Recommended if you enjoyed the Ravenstorm release and worth checking out even if you didn't but in general like (melodic) black metal.