Master's Devotion - Celebration rehearsal 1992

Master's Devotion - Celebration rehearsal 1992
1) 13 Candles
2) In the Wombs of Acheron
3) Lullaby of the Lullabies of Sabbath
4) Portal Beyond Decay

Yandex / RGhost

Another more obscure recording today, though this one is metal. Some of you might know the Brazilian black/doom band Asaradel who released three very necro demo tapes between 1991 and 1993, which have been re-released on CD in 2011 ("...Of Satanas / Avernus / Perpetuating the Law" - get it!) and some less necro tapes later, taking a more gothic death/doom or something like that approach. They've also contributed with another band called Oráculo as O Oráculo de Asaradel for one demo in 1996 which I'd like to hear. This is not Asaradel, this is Master's Devotion, but the band features at least the main man Getulio and possibly other personnel too. They're neither any sort of pre- or post-Asaradel as they existed at the same time, though as far as I know this might be the only release. The rip here was made by me from a dub provided by brother A.S. again, thank you! Sadly no cover, though I'm not sure if any exists as this is a rehearsal tape.

If you're familiar with Asaradel you'll notice from the tracklisting above two familiar titles: "In the Wombs..." appeared also on the "Avernus" demo 1992 and "Lullaby..." would resurface on 1994's "A Dance of Pure Triumph" obviously re-recorded. This rehearsal tape has a good if very stripped down rehearsal sound. The music is slow and dreary black/doom mixture with an atmosphere of desolation supported by the scarce instrumentation and almost clean guitar sound. Main vocals are harsh screams which drown a bit in the music as if they were another instrument. It sounds a bit like mixing old Samael with the Colombian Nebiros. And obviously old Asaradel. "In the Wombs..." adds clean backing vocals which fit well enough into the mixture, sounding actually more like some Iron Maiden chorus than a choir of damned monks or some other sinister thing. This version is quite different to the Asaradel version, not as necro and more melodic. Excellent rehearsal tape, if there are other recordings under this monicker I'd like to hear them. Recommended for people into obscure early 90's black metal not just from Scandinavia.

Dark Art - Necromancy demo 1995?

Dark Art - Necromancy demo 199..5? 1996?
1) Revelation
2) Necromancy
3) Magic
4) Dark Side
5) Possession
6) Agony

Mediafire

So I was drinking some gin and beer and probably vodka soon seeing that the other stuff is running out and thought: "Why don't I post something on the blog?" Seemed like a good idea and following that I am posting yet another contribution, this time a bit more mysterious release as my divinations haven't revealed much about it. My contributor didn't have a lot to say either, it's "an obscure French synth demo" to quote him. Thanks for the contribution, you know who you are! Right, this is a demo by a one man effort called Dark Art, includes photos of the covers which are not too informative. I think this was released around mid-90's but could be horribly wrong. I'm not sure if I've seen any mentions of it in 'zines, the name being very generic it's easy to forget! So, if you can verify the year this was released it'd be helpful and naturally any further info is welcome.

Enough babbling and to the main course which would obviously be the music. Six chapters for almost 28 minutes, with a concept that should be pretty obvious looking at the titles. It starts off bombastic enough with pounding percussion in what seems to be an introductory segment. By the way, this isn't my rip but I divided it into tracks and am not sure if it went right or wrong so blame me for that. The intro section is followed by also percussion-heavy main part which has more synths going on. It actually sounds more electronic than dungeon-like, even if I have categorized it into ds, possibly due the sounds used and the prominent percussion. There are quite brooding segments and the next piece is more forlorn in overall tone, despite the quite tacky electronic drums. I wish I had more gin, the vodka is not complimenting this as well. I like this piece more than the previous one. "Magic" continues from where "Necromancy" left off and makes me again wonder about my track divisions, but it has interludes that are... different. I'm not going to go track by track here, sufficient to say it stays generally in the similar vein with variations, thankfully instrumental and with a helping of cheese you might or might not enjoy. All dungeon synth enthusiasts, lovers of man-and-synth-in-the-forest - projects and eccentrics should give this a go. Velkaarn out.

Blasphemous Evil - Priest Sodomy demo 1999

Blasphemous Evil - Priest Sodomy demo 1999
1) Ymehpsalb Fo Drol (Htemohpab)
2) Priest Sodomy
3) Taog Eht Fo Mreps Kcalb
4) Unholy Sex Ritual
5) Nun Perversion
6) Tears of Jesus
7) Ave Satanas

RGhost / Deposit

I thought today I'd post another of my old rips and I know there has been at least two different rips of this around the inter nets before this, but bear with me. Or don't, you can always come back later. Anyways, some time before the millennium Satanic Warmaster & co felt the need to play filthy black death metal in the vein of old Beherit, Impaled Nazarene and so on, resulting in this band. Blasphemous Evil released a demo, changed name to Vomitfago for a split 7" and back again, released an album, participated on the Primitive Finland compilation and disbanded. My copy of the demo was dubbed by a comrade from his (I think) original copy, unfortunately I didn't ask him for copies of the covers back then so the Metal Archives image will have to do for now.

All of the seven tracks are short, total playtime ticking just a little over ten minutes. The music is, as reading the tracklisting should reveal, totally inspired by old Beherit, demo/1st album ImpNaz and bestial metal of death in general. First track is a screamed intro, second one is the longest of the lot, almost 2½ minutes and sounds like slower Beherit demo track, next one is an interlude with synths and screams/noises, next track has some synths and again quite slow pace, brings certain Greek cults to my mind actually (old Varathron foremost)! The fifth one is again more primitive and crude, followed by synths and weeping on "Tears of Jesus" and the demo ends with Blasphemyesque, thirty second "Ave Satanas". So as you see it's not the freshest can of original ideas opened but sometimes recycled crap is just fine and this amount works alright for me. Give it a go if you're not already absolutely fed up with the bestial war brutal metal ov death sounds.

Pure Fucking Hell #4

Pure Fucking Hell magazine, issue 4 (January 1996)
Interviews:
Marduk
Thorns
Gorgoroth
Zemial
Abscess
Abruptum
+ reviews

Reuploaded

I thought I'd be moderately fast for change and uploaded the fourth and final issue of Pure Fucking Hell 'zine today. This issue, like the previous one, was borrowed from PasseTiermes and there is still more to follow from our conspiracy.

Not that much to say here, it is similar to the previous two issues, though with slightly longer reviews. At twenty pages of which a few are full page ads this is almost in between a 'zine and a newsletter. However, it's an enjoyable quick read with quite interesting interviews. Recommended as always, but don't expect fancy pro-print stuff or other commercial crap!

Exitus - Live in Pormestari 27.4.1990

Exitus - Live in Pormestari, 27th April 1990
1) The Metamorphosis - Black Heritage
2) Reprobate
3) The Scourge of War
4) Thanatos

Medifire / Depositfiles

I've made it back in one piece from Steelfest and I guess I could celebrate that by posting a live tape ripped by brother Suuret Muinaiset (attended the festival too). He also delivered the other Exitus tapes to the Coven, thanks for your work! This is the last of the batch and had no cover so there's a placeholder seen above with the later logo version.

SM's rip was all as one track, which I separated to four parts as seen on the tracklisting, but otherwise I have not tampered with his work. Good live sound though the guitars are pretty low and buried under just about everything else, though this is remedied later. Three of the tracks appeared also on the rehearsal tape and the demo while the last seems to have been played only live, another version appeared on the bonus tracks to the Svart Records re-release of the demo. Not really much to add, most of what I wrote about the music in the earlier entries applies here and if you liked them earlier you'll want to check this recording out.

Herodez - Germanien demo 1995

Herodez - Germanien demo I 1995
1) Intro
2) Odin
3) Germanien
4) Ancient Blood of Fenris
5) The Winter of Evil
6) Vision (Outro)

Mediafire / Zippy

I promised metal and here is some, another contribution to the Coven by a certain person. Thank you! This is the long sought first demo by German black metal (judging by the titles here I suppose I should call them pagan/heathen black metal or such) band Herodez. You may remember I posted the second demo already back in 2011 (here) and I could still use a full version of it as the outro is cut. This one is happily complete. My contributor did not have a scanner so I've only a photo of the cover, which is clear enough to see the guys seemed to like Dragonlance but I could use a scan. Even better if you feel a need to send/sell me your copy of this and the second demo. And the Gilles De Rais one while you're at it.

I'm supposed to get up early in the morning and head off to Steelfest so let's wrap this up quickly. If you have heard the other stuff by the guys I suppose you know what to expect: German underground black metal of the "classic" 90's style. Rough sound, rehearsal recording (clear enough), struggling musicianship and everything else that makes these tapes such a delight. The music is slower than I expected and that's pretty good as it tends to get messy when speed is increased, as in the title track. This might have partially to do with the dub as well. Recommended if you share my (and The Deceased's - are you still alive?) fascination of the old German nth rate demo bands.

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.

Pure Fucking Hell #3

Pure Fucking Hell magazine, issue 3 (January 1995)
Interviews:
Autopsy
Impaled Nazarene
Dissection
Grand Belial's Key
Unholy
Immortal
Mordicus
Sigh
Burzum
Satyricon
+ bios, reviews

 Depostifiles

Friday night, I'm drinking so this is going to be brief. But so is the subject matter, this is the third issue of Pete Desecrator's (of Diaboli fame) 'zine Pure Fucking Hell which has always been a very appealing name to me. This strike is 36 pages and is scanned by me, the issue was borrowed from master PasseTiermes, thank you good sir, I will send the items back ASAP. Some more stuff from this conspiracy will eventually follow.

To the item at hand, this is still quite similar to the previous issue and most of whatever I wrote then applies, I'm too busy drinking to check so you have to either believe me and download or not believe me and download anyways. No fancy stuff here, old school 'zine form über alles! Now go at it and/or your chosen beverage, I'll have some more vodka and depart.

Oh yeah, maybe I should mention the Burzum interview was made by the late Nadrach of Nidhoggr and differs a bit from the other stuff! I will not comment further on this.

Apeiron - A Separate Reality demo 1995

Apeiron - A Separate Reality demo 1995
1) Durch die Unterwelt
2) Nicht = tun
3) Emationen des Adlers

Mediafire / RGhost

A logical continuation from the previous post, this is yet another slip into non-metal side of the Coven and more material from Stefan "Dreamlord" Traunmüller. You should remember Apeiron, his cosmic light ambient (I stole the description from Discogs page for "Stardust" demo, not sure if Stefan's own description) project from this split demo. Rip was again made by brother Grev's comrade and delivered by G to me. Thank you! Sadly I could not find any sort of cover image for this, so anything would be appreciated. UPDATE: It was since added to Discogs and I borrowed the image from there, thanks to Borderline for the tip!

I wrote in length about Apeiron's sound on the split demo post but now I'm kind of in a hurry so I'll settle to say this continues quite directly from where those tracks left off, more purely ambient this time though some electric guitars are again used. Almost instrumental, there are some voices mainly used like a background effect. All three tracks are long, ticking just over ten minutes each. Sound is good and rip mostly free of defects so no problems in that department. Recommended if you're into ambient, space black metal, space rock or other assorted weird sounds.

Golden Dawn - Way of the Sorcerer demo 1995

Golden Dawn - Way of the Sorcerer demo III 1995
1) Way of the Sorcerer
2) Enigma
3) Nothing but the Wind
4) The Majesty of My Kingdom Afar

Links removed as obsolete,
Bandcamp

Full cover scan: Mediafire

It's time to continue my excruciatingly slow (I'm the one to blame for that) quest to post all of Golden Dawn's old demos (Stefan's planning to re-release the more recent ones plus select old tracks), here's the third recording from 1995 and complete for change, courtesy of brother Grev and ripped by an associate of his. Thank you gentlemen. The previous versions of the demo I've seen online had only the first two tracks, which were featured on the A.B.M.S.: Obscura Norici Pars - compilation CD. You do the math. Sadly, no cover scan so another tiny, tiny image from Metal Archives borrowed. UPDATE: Discogs had slightly better images of the cover which I promptly stole borrowed, see above and below. Full scan would still be better, brother Fenrirsson hopefully eventually delivers that.
UPDATE II: Got the scan from F, get it here! Thanks again!

The music on this demo is much closer to how the debut album turned out, bit more straight forward and with a rougher production which is better than on the previous efforts, mind you. I'm not sure if the two tracks featured on the compilation CD were re-touched or not (too lazy to dig up the CD now and you don't really care do you?) but I'm pretty sure they sounded slightly different. In case you haven't heard the compilation, the two track version of the demo or the debut album I guess I should try to describe the material briefly. It's semi-symphonic black metal with some avantgardish and even gothic elements in. Or something. Pretty fast paced most of the time, except for atmospheric breaks. Kinda like old Emperor meets Celtic Frost? No, not really. But I bet that got your attention. I recommend you to give it a try except if you only like grim metal of death and/or raw subterranean black metal in which case I guess you need to wait for another post.

UPDATE III: Stefan has put this demo and others on Bandcamp, making the rip obsolete (not the scan though) so I am removing the links. Go to his Bandcamp page instead!