Fulgor - Eyequinox 7"EP '95

Fulgor - Eyequinox 7"EP 1995
1) Silent Waters Leading Deep
2) Art
3) The Flog

Mega

Today's post is the Fulgor 7"EP we discussed at the comments for the demo IV here. This is the rip and scans brother Misfits originally posted in the sadly deceased Lockjaw blog. We decided to make it available again here which means we're only missing the '93 rehearsal/promo from a complete Fulgor discography. Thanks again to Misfits for his work with this!

Merciless Records, known for being the label of several other German pioneers like Desaster, Martyrium and Ungod, released this EP back in '95 and describe the music as "Abusing Pattern Music" which is an ...interesting description, to say the least. The insert included in Misfits' scans states this EP was recorded "two years ago" which would mean '93, like basically all their material. So despite me calling it the trippiest Fulgor release I might be wrong about that, it's not really so drastically different from the last demos. Overall better sound quality than the tapes but otherwise direct continuation of "Our 10 Urphar Visions" and "To Be One with the Stars..." - they say themselves it completes the fourlogy of releases. Even though it is the fifth one. Wonder which one they're not counting in, the rehearsal/promo or the "Mystical Black Magic Metal" promo 06/93? Whatever, I'm not going to ramble on longer, if you liked the other releases you'll need this one too and I need the reh/promo!

Akhkharu - Advance Tracks '96

Akhkharu - Advance Tracks 1996
1) Vengeance Summoned Forth
2) Psychotic Hallucinations
3) Temple of the Whore

Mediafire / Sendspace

Ok, one more advance tape. This is the Akhkharu that released "Poisoned Dreams" and an advance tape of three songs dating to 1996 which in the end were never officially released. Naturally no cover either, Joe Rood just dubbed these tracks to his contacts, inluding my contributor. Thanks for sending this as well as other items!

Compared to the '95 demo these three tracks show advancement, things seem less haphazard and random as they used to. Keyboard is the main instrument and fortunately the various less than impressive vocal experiments are more subdued here. Or so I thought... There's still more than I care for, mind you, but it actually fits pretty well on the first song. All seems to be better but then the second track comes along. Sure enough it starts quite decent with oddly wobbly bouncy synth and a sample but soon gets stranger, more unhinged and eventually crosses the line to just inane. And the voices strike back with the son of a vengeance's return. Such an annoying thing to listen to! Third track is more melodic and, somewhat unfortunately, vocal driven. It does sound much better after the previous fiasco and most of the time the voices stay within reason but the pathetic moans and effect-laden screeches/hisses I could really do without. I suppose these were to be the last recordings of this Akhkharu, wonder if third time would've been the charm as they were getting better here. Not good, mind you, but better certainly. If you liked "Poisoned Dreams" seek help or grab this too and cope your very own way!

Fulgor - Our 10 Urphar Visions demo '94

Fulgor - Our 10 Urphar Visions demo IV 1994
1) The Whispering Waters
2) Legend
3) Bachbakuala-Nuksiwäe
4) Fire (The Trilogy of Fire & Ice - pt. I)
5) Ice (The Trilogy of Fire & Ice - pt. II)
6) The Unation (The Trilogy of Fire & Ice - pt. III)
7) October 1844
8) I'm the Tears in Your Eyes
9) Lust, Flesh & Force
10) Mountains

Rusfolder / Mega

Another contribution and a thing I had been after for quite long, this is the fourth and final Fulgor demo, a two-man project already familiar to the Coven. Hmm, with Yappy's blog gone, I wonder if I should post Misfits' rip of the EP here too? But we weren't supposed to talk about that, focus, this rip was sent already early last year but I took my sweet time to get posting as I was hoping for a bit larger cover scan. But we'll make do with the tiny image, thanks anyways to the sender. If anyone can contribute a larger, more clear image would appreciate it. Also, did it have lyrics on the back?

Like "To Be One with the Stars..." this is a long demo, filling up a side of the ol' 90-min tape (with room for an obscure filler track, maybe I should post such next) and giving several albums a run for their money. In duration, obviously, not sound which is decent enough and clear. Musically this is, obviously, between the '93 tapes and the "Eyequinox" EP though nowhere near as trippy as that was. Tempo is most of the time leisurely slow to almost brisk midtempo and varying vocal styles are employed, from singsongy croak to so-and-so clean voice to whispers to howls and so forth. Guitars make a pleasant buzz, synths sound appropriately cheap, the programmed percussion is buried in the soft fuzz. Interludes and parts vary from vaguely ambient to the suddenly wave-y The Unation, the longest track I'm the Tears in Your Eyes sounds almost industrial and Lust, Flesh & Force goes all German in the tastefulness department. The demo manages to sound more cohesive than my description might lead you to believe. Not very evil or even that dark to be honest, but there is a special sort of feel to it. With a few edits it'd be great. Recommended for the fans of Fulgor, old Deutsch demos and the bizarre.

Alastaro über alles (bootleg compilation)

Various Artists - Alastaro über alles bootleg compilation "2014" (CD-R 199? / 200?)
M.O.T.U. - Exclusive Tracks:
1) Maxillofacial Ultrabrutalectomy
2) Discodeath
3) Osteoporotic Tissue Fragmentation
4) Jazz Club Saturnus
5) My First Riff
6) Endotracheal Thrombophlebitis
7) Hopeinen kuu
8) Improvisaatio
Orvonton - Demo I 1997:
9) Intro
10) Hyperkrist - Kirkebrannens natt
11) Drep de falske
12) 'S.R.201'
Sacrilegeous - Exclusive Unreleased & Demo Tracks:
13) Haunted Mental Hospital
14) Ereht Tuo Si Hturt Eht
15) Naar skyggene vandrar over Hornafjörður
16) Blaspherious to Evil
17) Sacrilegeous Suicide
18) Into Evigheten
19) Død kalm
20) This Is Who We Are
Evil0 - Exclusive Unreleased Tracks:
21) G.B.H.
22) Scifi
Gothmog [fin] - Exclusive unreleased track:
23) Sathanas der Shoppe Bok Bok

Mediafire / 4shared

It was Father's Day today in Finland as well as in several other northern countries and I decided to commemorate it with another big post... actually originally I was going to do a non-metal item but then thought it was high time I'd post this contribution sent last year by brother Grev, who also happens to be a father so merry Father's Day G and thanks! So, certain portion of my readers love Sacrilegeous and I think we already mentioned this compilation in one of the discussions somewhere in the comment sections, note that it actually has no name: Alastaro über alles is just something Grev decided to call it when he sent the lot to me and I kind of went on with it. To the extent of making a phony cover for it. Yes, the "symbols" around Baphomet are this. Sometimes I really spend my time in dumb ways. Right, so it's sort of a bootleg yet kind of semi-official as it is ripped from a CD-R Grev got from master Necrodesecrator when he ordered a copy of the Nordic Landscapes of Hessdalen EP and asked if older material was available. He did not mention when this was and I've forgotten to ask so we remain uncertain until he eventually tells us. Because just asking him would be too simple.

A note with the tracklisting.

Enough backstory, to the contents. There's a bit over an hour of material, most of time going to M.O.T.U. (21:34) and Sacrilegeous (31:22) parts, while Orvonton and Evil0 both get their roughly six minutes of spotlight and Gothmog the Finnish version represents for 1½ minutes. Not very even division but considering those are his main projects it is to be expected. M.O.T.U. is a mixed bag, starting with an instrumental metal-lish song that wouldn't sound too much out of place on a Sacrilegeous demo, continues with techno-industrial, more almost jazzy and groovy metallic stuff, with and without bizarre robot vox to a schlager classic cover and improvisation. Orvonton starts with an "intro" of static noise, thankfully short, followed by fast and quite harsh (industrial) black metal with obvious and dominant drum machine. It's no Mysticum but interesting nevertheless. Sacrilegeous part here is in the somewhat calmer and more atmospheric vein, with the familiar sound. Mostly instrumental too. Contrary to what one might guess by the song titles, "Blaspherious to Evil" and "Sacrilegeous Suicide" are NOT thinly disguised Deicide covers, first is a synth track and second in the more usual Sacrilegeous metal track style. And so on, you know S. well enough by now. Evil0 is techno/industrial, mostly instrumental if you don't count some quite annoying voice samples. That's enough about that. Gothmog, perhaps surprisingly, is brutal and bestial black metal with unhuman machine drumming and sounds something like Havohej / Profanatica combined with Corneus / Grausamkeit, to make a really crude comparison. Or maybe not. But perhaps that gives some kind of an idea. Recommended obviously to all fans of Necrodesecrator's work as well as those constantly on the look for curiosities of the Finnish underground.

Tears of Misery - Demo '95

Tears of Misery - Demo '95
1) At Bath Woods
2) The Depths of Emptiness and Sorrow
3) Shadows of Reality
4) Before a Vision
5) Fallen from a Dream
6) A Grand Eclipse
7) Across the Black Horizon
8) The Twilight Zone

Mega / Sendspace

Another dive to the non-metal pool, this is actually one of my requests fulfilled, thanks to the sender! I got curious about this demo after reading the vaguely positive review on Petrified #4 and added it to my wantlist and to my surprise it was among the things my contributor ripped and sent me. Cover scans included too.

I said non-metal but that's not really accurate at all as this is sort of metal for well over half of the time, the review compared this to Abruptum but little more melody and metal parts to Hellhammer which is going too far in my humble opinion. The first track with metal, which also is the first proper track, "The Depths of Emptiness and Sorrow" does at times take me to Abruptum, sounding a bit like "De Profundis Mors Vas Cousumet" in some points and a little like Windham Hell at others. But definitely not like Hellhammer, it doesn't have that sort of drive or groove, it's more in a meandering, haphazard semi-doomy vein. Most of the time thankfully instrumental but there are some vocals too which are mainly of the demented, warped bellows school but there's more like silly, bubbly screaming and other pleasantries. Last track features spoken female voice which apparently was enough to distract Thorns to ignore the male noises. Which reminds me, Petrified's reviews really sucked, didn't they? There are even male vocals on the same damn track! Sheesh!

Right, crude ambient metal with suitably crude yet clear sound. I really really disliked this on initial listens but strangely enough parts of it are starting to sound more interesting to me after a bit of time. It could be sleep deprivation too. And the kind of neat cover. As usual, for the adventurous souls.

Floral of Forever - Ad Infinitum promo 1996

Floral of Forever - Ad Infinitum promo 1996
1) Prologue for My Own Obscure Nature
2) ...As If There Would Be Another Time to Delve
3) The Mysteries of It's Great Floras
4) ...I Am the King of This Isolated Golden Forest
5) ...Ad Infinitum

RGhost / Mega

Sunday night chill out time is here and we continue with obscure things without covers. This is again a contribution, thanks to the sender, and looks like they had these sort of projects going on over in Malaysia as well for that's where tonight's recording hails from. Or so I've been told. This is (hopefully, spelling?) Floral of Forever and a 1996 promo tape and that's pretty much all I know about it. Possibly shares members with the equally obscure The Mystical East. A cover scan and really any information is welcome!  

UPDATES: 1. I was informed that both of FoF and TME are projects by the same person M.D. Aslan and hail from Brunei, not Malaysia! Aslan's other (metal) bands include Rust Sakaraz, Noiratasya and Shadowmirth.
2. Added a picture of Aslan shot for another project of his as a placeholder for this post. Thanks to Eugene for sending it.

Ok, music: almost seventeen minutes of... well, this is kind of a hard one to say! First track is an ambient intro, second is a short ambient bit that also has what sounds like a wind instrument thrown in while the third track gets pretty upbeat, adds percussion and sounds more like darkwave with a slight sugar high. Fourth continues in the same line but with even more obnoxious "drum" sound. And other sounds. It's kind of fascinating while almost disastrous. It's almost like a metal song gone slightly ambient/wave-y. Harsh vocals make an appearance in the end part, further adding to the speculation that this might be a side project by some metal band. The last and longest song is again ambient and a nostalgic, moody one. Actually I'd say it's pretty much dungeon synth and the first tracks might as well be called that too. A really obscure and odd thing, this. Recommended for the usual curio seekers and I'd really like to know more about this!

Dark Fire Dancing III (1998)

Various Artists - Dark Fire Dancing III ...it's only just begun Baltic Heathen Darkwave Compilation double tape (1998)

Sword Part (tape I)
1) Zpoan Vtenz - Jos brolis in Karelį
2) Tharaphita - Merekurat
3) Skyforger - Night of the Winter Solstice
4) Anubi - Kranklys
5) Ha Lela - Išjojo Bernelis
6) Manatark - Roosteitk
7) Maze of Cako Torments - The Shaft
8) Dissimulation - Mūšis Rūke
9) Menhyr - Amžinas Priešas
10) Winter Night Overture - Abysmal Winter Sky
11) Smolder - Ašarom Skausmo
12) Poccolus - Ir Aš Nueisiu su Tamsa...
13) Forgotten Sunrise - Blizzard

Amulet Part (tape II)
1) Girnų Giesmės - Veidrodis III
2) Skyforger - Sen dzirdēju, nu ieraugu
3) Laumė - Kur ėjo ji
4) Zpoan Vtenz - Voi ūžkit gauskit
5) King Lear's Convulsions - Mirror into Mirror
6) Siela - Šviečia.Kviečia.Šaukia.Laukia
7) Monkmort - Mother
8) Sala - live excerpt
9) Wejdas - 'Wejdas' excerpt
10) Sovijus - Liūdnas ir Didingas
11) Donis - Ateičiai
12) Akys - Nutolimas

Rusfolder / Mediafire

Today's post is a repost, which is kind of unusual, but people have been asking me for these compilations so I thought I'd post what I have here too, thanks to whoever originally ripped this double cassette and sister Borderline for reuploading it the other month! I fixed some of the tracklisting and stole the top image from Discogs. Sadly, the scans that came with the rip had only the covers for both covers, lacking the booklet with further information on the artists and the big cover itself. Then again, it's kind of fair since we did not buy this compilation, after all. Perhaps I'll get a copy some day.

There's a lot of stuff here so I am not going to go through them artist by artist, track by track. The total running times are kind of funny as the first tape totals a bit over 75 minutes, would roughly fit on a CD, and the second just under an hour. In case you didn't guess it by the tracklistings already, tape I, Sword Part, is metal and Amulet Part is ambient, darkwave and folkish material. Artists hail from all three Baltic countries and represent some of the best known names (Skyforger, Poccolus, Anubi, Wejdas etc) as well as some more obscure ones (well,at least to me, like Sala, Menhyr, Smolder and King Lear's Convulsions). Personally, the non-metal side is the more interesting here, even if the metal part does offer some great Baltic (heathen) metal and is somewhat more consistent. Most of the tracks have been featured on other releases by now, but at the time many were taken from upcoming albums, there's a bunch of live tracks as well as an exclusive track (well, the non-metal one is a remix) on both tapes.

Unfortunately there's a big fail on one of the tracks, most likely the fault of the ripped cassettes owner, hard to belive Dangus would've messed up that big: there's a stretch of silence in the middle of the Sala live excerpt, it even has the telltale noise of recording starting and ending. Other than that the rip would be good. I think I really need to find myself an actual copy of this. Oh and that's again a reminder of one more reason why I've always hated the tape format, I've managed to accidentally dub over a cassette myself back in the day. But enough words, even with the faults a great compilation if you're at all into the old Baltic scene.

Lunar Womb - Planets demo I 1996

Lunar Womb - Planets demo I 1996
1) The Labyrinths of Ktonor
2) As the Winter Comes...
3) Night Towers

Mediafire / Rusfolder

Hollow Myths

Sunday's chill out zone strikes back. And here is the much discussed first Lunar Womb demo, recorded with the slightly larger line-up of both Sorvali cousins and featuring Kharadrai who provides the lyrics and voice on the first track. My thanks to Henu for sharing this after a bit of hesitation, you did the right thing as there are plenty of people out there who wanted to hear this. Cover scans enclosed.

I've warned a few times that this is a very different entity from the second demo. If you look at the big picture you could say they're more under the same umbrella of ambient music but this is a bit more ...unrefined gathering of experiments. The first track is really, really long and very repetitive as well as the only one to have lyrics, like earlier mentioned, and vocals which (fortunately in my opinion) are quite sunken in the background. Despite going on for far longer than necessary (over twenty minutes) it's sort of grown on me and brings about a certain dreamlike state. Or I might've dozed off for a bit. Second song is shorter and more in the traditional instrumental interlude or even dungeon synth field, with some folkish touches and a hefty serving of repetition. Nice. Third song is again a long one and it's a quite minimalistic ambient piece that seems somewhat monotonous at first but has more subtly going on than seemed. Not bad at all once you get over the possible initial "shock" and expectations the second demo might have set up. Recommended for friends of ambient music, collectors of Meat Hook Prods stuff and other curious passers-by. Next will be metal. Or something different.

UPDATE: Discovered, to my slight surprise, that Hollow Myths of USA had released a CD compiling this and "The Astral Grief" - I can't say anything definite about the release itself but looks promising. Apparently both were remastered too. See link above.

Valefar - Frigus Ex Tenebris Venit (both versions)

Valefar - Frigus Ex Tenebris Venit demo 1996
1) Intro
2) In Memoriam Dead
3) Šešėliais renkasi sielos
4) Seni užkeikimai Drakulos pily
5) Asmodeuso karo liepsna
6) Ne šio gyvenimo tamsa
7) Sninga sninga...
8) Nors tu Vyteni ir neateisi...
9) Sodomos himnas

4shared / Depositfiles

Travelling further south the Baltic lands we arrive in Lithuania where the members of the black metal bands Anubi and Nahash joined forces for a common project Valefar whose demo I have here. Ripped from my copy of the tape (which I bought used from somewhere) and includes scans that I kind of botched, the outside (front) and inside of the cover got scanned at different qualities. Well, at least you can easily read the lyrics now. Presuming you understand the language. This is the Ledo Takas version of the cassette.

I got a rip of this among other contributions recently from comrade Baldemar but decided to go with my version anyways as I had already it waiting for finishing touches (= me to get off my ass and divide it into tracks and add tags). Interestingly the two rips have a moderate difference in sound, on mine the vocals seem to be almost completely on the left channel and sound somewhat louder while on the rip I was sent both channels look to be the same. I wonder if the two different versions of the tape had a different mix or whatever technicalities, the rip I was sent seems to be released by Sanahtas Mod distribution in 1995. The Sanahtas address is exactly same as Ledo Takas so it'd be the first version and SM changed name to LT in '96 and put out a second edition of the tape. Now that I think about it, I'll upload both versions so stop the press, change the post title!

Valefar - Frigus Ex Tenebris Venit demo 1995
1) Intro
2) In Memoriam Dead
3) Šešėliais renkasi sielos
4) Seni užkeikimai Drakulos pily
5) Asmodeuso karo liepsna
6) Ne šio gyvenimo tamsa
7) Sninga sninga...
8) Nors tu Vyteni ir neateisi...
9) Sodomos himnas

Mega

So there, that's Baldemar's rip. Pick either one or both, whatever your preference may be. I guess it might be good to say something more about the actual contents instead of droning on about versions, covers and other crap. I presume everyone's already familiar with the main bands of the members? Good, this is actually a lot like a mixture of them, Anubi's oddness tempered by Nahash's somewhat more traditional black metal approach but the result is still obscure sounding. Tracklisting can be roughly divided into four (generally longer) metal tracks and five intros, interludes and/or non-metal tracks (most on the short side). The first proper track actually sounds to me a lot like a mixture of 90's Polish black metal and Urfaust. Yes, the vocals do it, clean somewhat operatic voice combined with heavily echoing black metal vox. Sound is gloriously murky, unhealthy (to steal a term from esteemed Stregoica 'zine) and slightly chaotic, especially on my tape. Which annoying also suffers from some tape wear or errors. The old version's sound is a little clearer but also less obscure. Enought text, it's recommended, listen to it already.

Korova - Live in Rockhouse Salzburg (13-01-95)

Korova - Live in Rockhouse, Salzburg Austria 13th January 1995
1) Awakening from Perpetual Contemplation (Yellow Mahogany Tomb I)
2) A Kiss in the Charnel Fields
3) Entlebt in tristem Morgenblut
4) Latin Dreams in Turpentine
5) Nordsciltim - In the Filth Where All Cull Perambulates Pain
6) Sálømeh, des Teufels Braut

Rusfolder / Mega

Break over, back to business and this is a live tape contribution (which I would like to see more) which I actually intended to post already before departing for Black Flames V last week but didn't have time to. Anyways, thanks to the contributor for the rip! This has obviously no real cover, I just felt like making one so there.

I should probably say something about the performer too, this is Korova from Austria which a few people might actually remember while others might know them by the later name Korovakill. This live recording predates the debut album's release on Napalm records (who used to be a pretty interesting label in the early to mid 90's) in May '95 but as it was already recorded in late '94 these are final versions of the songs, well, adjusted to the live situation of course. Korova at this phase played avant-gardish black metal that had some odd elements but wasn't quite massively annoying. Though I'm not really fond of the nu-metallish, bouncy bits that occasionally pop up. I think I took a listen to the second album and immediately fled the record store so excuse my ignorance for their latter development. This live tape features a good sound, you can hear all the instruments without them cluttering the soundscape up and no element seems overtly dominant. Possibly a soundboard recording? Yes, the music is all over the place but still manages to stay together well enough to remain listenable and even enjoyable to yours truly. Recommended for the curious, the Austria-oriented and the handful of people who liked "A Kiss in the Charnel Fields".

Wejdas - Dykra demo 1995

Wejdas - Dykra demo III 1995
1) Dykra

Yandex / Rusfolder

It's been a while but I suppose you still remember Wejdas? Today's item is their third demo, also released as cassette on Dangus and like the previous ones it's not my rip but sent to me by a reader. Thanks, you know who you are! This item was also re-released in CDr-format by a German label back in 1999, in limited edition of 250 copies. I'm pretty sure they're sold out by now. Includes cover images (which conveniently again verify this as a demo recording instead of cassette album) which look exactly like the ones at Discogs.

This time they've released the whole thing (over 47 minutes, though the cover says 45) as one single track titled "Dykra" even if it could be pretty easily split into 5-7 parts, depending how chop-happy one feels. Obviously I did not do that. It does feel like a lot for one sitting, but on the other hand at least I tend to listen to albums (and most other releases) completely from start to beginning and there's plenty of variation so no big issue. The moods and genres vary from brooding dark ambient to folkish/tribal to industrial sounds. I like the bit which starts with percussion and slowly adds elements that appear and vanish again to it, including voices, heavy distortion and so on. Then there's oddly distorted vocal parts, piano and keys driven section and even a bit that basically sounds like industrial metal near to the end. Quite a trip. I suppose I'd recommend this to people who enjoyed the previous Wejdas tapes and/or some of the following: ambient, progressive music, experimental, soundtracks, neofolk, dungeon synth, generally weird things posted here.

Undead Productions compilation (1996)

Various Artists - Undead Productions compilation tape (March 1996)
1) Enkil - My Final Sunrise
2) Enkil - Mine King and Queen Are Dead
3) Nephilim - Fire Beyond the Black Haze
4) Black Funeral - Ex Sanguini Draculae
5) Black Funeral - The Floating Blue Witchlight
6) Abazagorath - Les Fleurs du Mal
7) Abazagorath - Nightrealm
8) Demoncy - Ascension of a Star Long Since Fallen
9) Darkness Enshroud - Into the Abyss
10) Sorath - The Darkness Returns
11) Sorath - Winterblack and Sorcery Beyond
12) Haborym - The Ancient Land of Serenity
13) Akhkharu - Prey to God
14) Akhkharu - Cosmic Ecstasy
15) Avatar - A Lost City
16) Darkened Skies - In Winters Ancient Slumber
17) Funeral - Night and Fog
18) Mercyful Fate - Satan's Fall

Yandex / Zippy

It's been several months since I last posted a compilation so this would be a decent spot to do so again. Also this is again a contribution from someone, thank you once more! Undead Productions was the label/distro of Enkil's Magnus Thorne. A second volume was supposed to be released in 1997 but I don't know if it actually was. Somehow I'm under the impression it didn't happen. (UPDATE: Wrong, it was released about a year later as confirmed by various sources!) I could use cover scans for this one, all I presently have is the photo of the cover seen above (and the UP logo).

This was dubbed on a 90 minute cassette, as was pretty much the standard back then. It's pretty obvious when you look at the tracklisting that one of the songs is a filler. Well, he might've been a big fan but still it's obvious. I'm kind of reminded of the Sverd Storm #2 compilation. Moving on, there's a bit hiss present but as I always say it just adds to the tape feeling, no? Most of the roster are US black metal bands, the tape starts with Thorne's own project Enkil and related band Nephilim which you'll possibly remember from the old posts. Baron von Abaddon has been given plenty of room too, with two tracks of Black Funeral, one long, rumbling Darkness Enshroud piece and intro+track from Sorath. The only non-US bands on the compilation are Belgian Avatar, with a track from their '94 demo (which is pretty cool) and France's Funeral, later reborn as Kristallnacht. Oh yeah and then there's the Danish bonus artist. Except for the last one, all tracks presented feature a more or less murky demo sound which is a unifying feature. Standouts include Nephilim's track (which seems exclusive to the compilation), Baron's stuff and Akhkharu for being plain awful. Please don't mix this one with the better one associated with DAP. Oh, almost forgot to mention, Darkened Skies is also interesting as I don't seem to find much (well, any) info on them. Would like to hear more. Anyways, check this out especially if you're interested in the 90's USBM.

Dogmeat - Revolution Paradise demo 1992

Dogmeat - Revolution Paradise demo I 1992
1) For the Gods Above
2) Blood Purified
3) Colossal Althar
4) Revolution Paradise
5) Gnomus Variation
6) Doom Mood
7) Dogmatic Hypothesis Evidence
8) Fuckin' Lullabye

RGhost / Yandex

And now something little different again. Don't let the cover fool you, this is not nsbm or even neofolk, or punk. Dogmeat from Finland was a one-man project that released two demos and two EP's between 1992 - 95. This is the first one and brother Suuret Muinaiset was once again kind enough to sate my curiosity by ripping his copy as well as providing a cover scan, thank you!

Eight tracks which are all quite short, the whole demo lasting less than nineteen minutes and as far as I'm concerned that is a positive thing. I've seen this compared to Godflesh a lot, which I'm not really a fan of, as well as Celtic Frost circa "Into the Pandemonium" (mostly to the atrocious "One in Their Pride") and things as far apart as grind/noise and Black Sabbath. Let it be noted I haven't and won't compare this to Sabbath and would like to apologize to master Iommi & co. for mentioning them together with this thing here. You might have read between the lines I'm not too excited by this and you're right, this is in my humble opinion awful crap. Well, the guitar sound is quite nice. The effected vocals are so annoying I want to throw my headphones out of the window and smash the monitor with this keyboard right now. Fortunately they're not used in every track. I might not be the leading expert in industrial metal so you probably should check this out if you're a fan, I'm off to get some coffee and some z-rate German black metal from 90's to clear my head with. Handle with care!

Sacrilegeous Excrement - Demo 1/93

Sacrilegeous Excrement - Demo 1/93
1) SSSSK (The Unpleasant Smell of Green Cranial Amoeba Slime)
2) Putrefaction (of Souls)
3) Dissection of Cornea
4) The Dimension Called "Hell"
5) Reversing Diffusion pt.II

Mediafire / RGhost

I guess you are now expecting something horrible and vile sounding. Well, this contribution by brother Suuret Muinaiset - thank you again - comes close even if it's not quite as foul as I might have promised. This is the 1993 demo by Sacrilegeous Excrement which evolved/changed name to Sacrilegeous, familiar already to some readers of the blog. Covers included and they're again something to look at. Note that SM called this just demo 1/93 but the cover would appear to have an additional title but it's pretty hard to make out what it is supposed to be... "Dissection of Incoherent Universes" is my current best guess. I would love to read your suggestions!

To the music: it's just as weird ass stuff you'd expect if you've heard master Necrodesecrator's later work. Which I feel I must upload more soon, it just needs to be shared. The sound is crude and unrefined, rehearsal-like yet very clear. Practically same as on the Sacrilegeous demos to be honest. The music is a rather bizarre, crude, raw and somehow alien-feeling mixture of death metal, black metal touches and experimental, possibly partially accidental, songwriting. It can't be called good or catchy yet it has strange appeal. Perhaps I'm totally losing it, perhaps I am nearing enlightenment. You should probably experience it for yourself. Cautiously recommended.

Maze Of Cako Torments - Nuli Med Salhathaz demo 1996

Maze Of Cako Torments - Nuli Med Salhathaz demo II 1996
1) Intro
2) Ratom Ase?
3) Me Vhatav Tvalebs
4) Niavi Gavs Cechils
5) Dabadebuli
6) Kalaki Opiumis Simarshi
7) Usikvdilo...? Bred
8) Outro

Mediafire

Today's post is another contribution sent by a reader, thanks to him and Billy Warminster, whoever he might be, credited for the rip in the info text included with the files. I know this demo, probably the very same rip, has already been posted in for example brother Raf's (excellent) blog, but since I sought it for so long I decided to post it anyways. So this is the second (I think) demo of the Latvian oddball project Maze Of Cako Torments whose third tape you find here. See that text for a little more background babble on this. Unfortunately no proper scan of the covers, just a photo which I think is taken from Metal Archives. Looks like it had pretty neat covers.

All of the song titles are... not sure if that's Latvian or just gibberish but incomprehensible anyways. UPDATE: I was informed that the titles (and possibly lyrics) are in Georgian! Thanks for the info and sorry about the gibberish bit to possible Georgian readers. The intro+6 tracks+outro combo is quite lenghty, over 37 minutes which is easily enough for album length. It doesn't sound like an album, though. Obvious demo sound but very clear and it feels a little less murky than the 3rd demo but this might be due it being a dub of whatever generation. The overall sound combined with the drum programming makes this effort sound more like industrial black metal, so calling the project such might be justified if one had only heard this demo. There are some synths used for mostly background and the atmosphere gets quite manic at times, like on "Me Vhatav Tvalebs". But not all tracks are either mechanical or maniacal churning, there are more "casual" atmospheric moments like the beginning of "Niavi..." or "Dabedebuli" which gets quite frantic in the end but in an interesting and again different way. Ok, enough talk. You've probably already downloaded this or rolled your eyes, sighed and decided to wait for another post and nothing I'll type here will change anything. Recommended if you like unusual black metal based material.

Maze Of Cako Torments - The Demonic Songs of Yellow Water demo 1997

Maze Of Cako Torments - The Demonic Songs of Yellow Waters demo III (?) 1997
1) The Seaweeds
2) Possessed by Smog
3) The Shaft
4) Kalaki opiumis sizmarshi (1996)
5) Whisper of Grass
6) Niavi gavs cechls (1996)
7) Dance of the Frozen Fingers

Mediafire / Depositfiles

Here is another contribution sent me by the same person who ripped the Occult live tape. Thanks again to him for his efforts to the cause. Maze Of Cako Torments was a rather obscure band/project by a Russian fellow Sergei Sushkov who lived(/s?) in Latvia and apparently released three tapes, this being the third and last one. As far as we know, that is. I've been wanting to hear the demos for years since I first spotted the band name on... wherever it was but circa 1997 I think! I actually heard the music for the first time on Tales of Ancient Lakes compilation which I got... between 1998 - 2000 probably, which featured a remix of the sixth track from this demo, and it took me until this year to finally score this demo here. About time I'd say. No cover scans, sadly, but I borrowed the cover image seen above from M.A. and a more or less full cover scan from Demo Archives, included in the download.

So what is it like, other than elusive? Well, since both of the already familiar compilation tracks are from this demo you might have an idea - atmospheric opening part leads to heavier main body characterized by the very obviously programmed drums, varying harsh vocals sometimes accompanied by extra voice(s), sometimes not, all sounding somewhat odd and a little off. Not all tracks follow that pattern, for example the third and fourth are very different. I've seen this categorized as industrial black metal but I wouldn't label it so based on just drum computer and the occasional effects used on vocals but naturally opinions may differ. I suppose experimental black metal isn't completely correct either but hits close to the mark as this is rather unorthodox stuff. By the way, I'm not sure if the cover has a typo or not, seeing as the second track is titled here "Possessed by Smog" while on the Beverina compilation (released before this tape) it was "...by Smaug - the Dragon" or was it perhaps changed for some reason? Considering the mention of Sauron in the lyrics and "Smog" written with capital letter (as a name would be) and other words with small I'm led to believe it was supposed to be "Smaug" here too.

The rip isn't from an original but a dub which fortunately is pretty good quality. The volume is rather low, I should have adjusted it a little. The demo itself sounds a bit murky but not disturbingly so, it kind of adds to the atmosphere in my opinion. I've managed to score the second demo from 1996 too, will post that in near future, so now I only need the 1995 "Dabalibula" to be in peace with myself over this. Recommended if you enjoy unusual and somewhat experimental black metal based stuff with some crudeness to it.

Issachar - Medieval Death Hymns demo 1994

Issachar - Medieval Death Hymns demo 1994
1) Black Sorrow
2) December Moon
3) Tor vinter
4) Bring Forth the Sword of Odin
5) By the Dark Winter Frost
6) Weeping Souls of the Forest (Live) - cuts

Mediafire / Depositfiles

Ok, this blog needs some metal again. Issachar from the US were a quite obscure act who released this demo in 1994, recorded an unreleased demo "Wolves in the Winter" in 1995 and turned death metal on "Dead" demo, also from 1995. Not much else I can tell you about them, though I recall reading somewhere about the vocalist/bassist Leon doing time but can't seem to remember where this was or other specifics. A 'zine, obviously. Well, pretty irrelevant I guess. Sent by a tape trader comrade back whenever and unfortunately the sixth track seems to cut, don't know how much. Cover image take from M.A.

Musically, this is quite weird ass stuff - especially considering it's from 1994. I'm not sure at all if I got the tracks divided correctly as it's a bit hard to say in places. First two tracks are instrumental and have this feel of a semi-improvised jam to them, same with the first track "Tor vinter" to use vocals, which are quite extreme black metal shrieks and howls. All instruments are audible and the guitar sound is pretty interesting, not at all the usual choice for black metal. "Bring Forth the Sword of Odin" is lenghty, slow and brooding and more like ritual music/black ambient than metal even though performed with the same instruments plus synth. The live track, which cuts, has a sound quite similar to the rest of the material and is also of the slow and brooding sort. I would be very curious to hear the "Wolves in the Winter" recording, I remember seeing it on many trader lists so let me know if you have it. Not great but probably worth checking out if you like your black metal unusual.

UPDATE: This is a bit late, but Withering Crypt has re-released the "Wolves in the Winter" recording, with the added line "Rehearsals 1995" on cassette back in 2015 and there should still be copies available. It's raw pagan black metal, I got me one.

Shadowcaster - To Gather My Thoughts Among the Sleeping Summer Spirits promo 1994

Shadowcaster - To Gather My Thoughts Among the Sleeping Summer Spirits promo II 1994
1) Journey Across the Vast Psychedelic Landscape to the Darkness Beyond (Hallucinations with No Color)
2) Comfort Amongst the Desecrated Graves
3) Fearless and Surreal
    1st Movement: Pain's Chaos Creeps Into Me
    2nd Movement: Hallucinations and Stimulations
    3rd Movement: Prolonged Aftermath, Then Solitude
4) The Marches of Madness (Battle Sigh)  (9:03)
5) The Essence of Tragedy (The Descent of Inanna - Part I)  (8:16)
6) When the Sun and the Light Have Vanished  (10:58)
     Part One: The Triumphant Night Conquers the Day
     Part Two: Hymn to the Nocturnal Creatures
7) Outro: Overture

 Mediafire

The second Shadowcaster demo, also Mikael's rip. See here for more details. Cover scan included.

Basically everything, including the track titles, is here longer. And weirder. And there's loads of the vocal effects I hate with passion. It just doesn't work for me but see if you find it listenable. Actually, I can bear it better by skipping the first track which is probably the worst offender with the effected ultra-annoying voices. Still, I can't say I'd really enjoy it. As with the previous tape, some of the tracks were later used for the albums. Check it out if you feel courageous.

Desolation Zone - Sound of the Serpent Garden demo 1995

Desolation Zone - Sound of the Serpent Garden demo I 1995
1) Zone I - Earth
2) Zone II - Water
3) Zone III - Wind
4) Zone IV - Fire
5) The Spiritual Execution

Mediafire / Depositfiles

Continuing with non-metal items, here's more stuff from Poland and something pretty obscure, the first demo of Desolation Zone. DZ started as a project of Krzysztof Włodarski, possibly better known to my readers as Geryon, of Profanum and Witchmaster fame. The music here is some sort of dark ambient/industrial/noise combination, I haven't heard any of the more recent material yet so no comparisons. I got this from a Polish trader comrade, titled "Voice of the Serpent Garden" (which is a better title in my opinion) but the Desolation Zone sources title it as "Sound..." - I wonder if he changed the name afterwards or did my trader have it plain wrong. This was released by The Gathering of Funeral Gods prod. who also released the LSSAH, Alchem and Profanum demos. I believe it was Geryon's own label. No covers and a scan would be very welcome!

Ok so the music here is some sort of industrial and ambient based ...thing. During the early part of demo it seems to be wandering almost aimlessly about but gets more focused by Zone III (assuming I divided the tracks correctly...). So it's a bit chaotic but not "noisy" the way much of the noise genre tends to be. Sound of the tape and dub is pretty good, with some minor tape wear. I'm not really sure what else to say about it, it's definitely not everyday elevator music and definitely not for everyone. I guess the artist wasn't really satisfied with it later himself as the TGoFG newsletter makes a point to say it is no longer available. Well, here it is so judge for yourself.

Master's Hammer - Rehearsal 1993

Master's Hammer - Rehearsal 1993 (actually 1992)
1) Instrumental Jam
2) Já nechci mnoho trápiti...
3) Kol prostírá se temný les...
4) Ten dvanácterák zmizel v houští...
5) Mezi kopci cesta je klikatá... (1st version)
6) Mezi kopci cesta je klikatá... (2nd version)
7) Mezi kopci cesta je klikatá... (3rd version)
8) Že vše je podle mého přání... (1st version)
9) Že vše je podle mého přání... (2nd version)

Reuploaded

Here's one of my own rips for change and one of my favourite bands, the Czech cult band Master's Hammer which I hope is familiar to most of my readers. If not, go and listen to their first two albums immediately. Then the demos & new album. Ok, this thing here is a rehearsal tape I got from one of my traders, titled rehearsal 1993 and without a tracklisting. However as you noticed already I figured them out and I believe this to be rehearsal session(s?) for the 2nd album, in which case it'd be 1992 really. Not sure though so I kept it labeled as I got it. I know there is a rehearsal tape called "Hash-Influenced" dated for 1992 which I for some bizarre reason never had dubbed which might or might not be this same recording. If you have that tape get in touch with me right now.

As you've probably figured out, I'm a big MH-fan so anything I write will not be neutral. I'd be likely to listen to an hour of Franta practising a single riff. Keeping that in mind, I'll start by saying this has mostly an excellent rehearsal sound, demo quality easily. The first track might be a bit off a turn off for many as it really is, like it titled it, an instrumental jam. At least I could not identify it as any of the actual songs. The rest of the material are "proper" tracks but tend to sound quite different from the album versions, obviously. Vocals and most of the instruments are present. There are several takes of two of the tracks and all sound quite different. Might not be to everyone's taste, even fellow Master's Hammer fanboys', yet I still recommend it as it is an interesting listen even if things occasionally get a bit out of hand and some elements are missing/different.