Strigoi Mort - Promo/demo 1996

Strigoi Mort (fin) - Promo/demo I 1996
1) Chapter One (Darkness & Despair)
2) Chapter Two (Witchcraft, Lady Lilith)

Reuploaded

Strigoi Mort was a short-lived project by Kyprian's Circle mastermind Kyprian Nurmi and as far as I know released only this one tape. Which I received, with cover scans, from comrade Grev. Thanks once again! Dubbed from his original tape to me, the sound and dub quality are good. However, the low sound volume of the original tape is quite notable. I decided against upping the volume too much as this amplifies the hissing and other "tape ambiance" too much.

Music on this short (just over 8 minutes) demo is slow and atmospheric metal, different enough from his main band to justify a separate project. The percussion is provided by a session member, other instruments and the clean-ish vocals are performed by Kyprian himself. The vocals are not the best I've heard but they do their job and the style fits the music. Recommended for fans of Kyprian's Circle and atmospheric music.

Cruachan - Live in Cork 26.03.1994

Cruachan - Live in Cork, Ireland 26th March 1994
1) Fall of Gondolin
2) Maeves' March
3) (Unknown)
4) The First Battle of Moytura
5) Scéal Na Fienna
6) Cúchulainn
7) Tir No Bréagah

Reuploaded

I'm off to see live music tonight and to celebrate that I'm posting a recording of Cruachan's 1994 gig. This performance dates between the release of their "Celtica" demo and the signing with Nazgul's Eyrie Productions who then released the debut album "Tuatha Na Gael" in Beltaine 1995. An audience recording which I got from one of my tape traders, the sound is as you might guess less than stellar. It's a bit messy at times and especially Keith's more extreme vocals bleed all over the place in some of the songs. Yet I think it's still clear enough to be enjoyed if you're a fan of early Cruachan. Dub & rip quality are as good as can be with the source material.

I didn't receive a tracklisting with this so I was forced to try to figure out the titles all by myself. Despite my valiant efforts I couldn't figure out what track 3 is - even with him introducing it after Maeves' March! I just don't understand what he says. Any corrections and identification of the third track are welcomed!

Mustan Kuun Lapset - Varjomaa demo II 1997

Mustan Kuun Lapset - Varjomaa demo II 1997
1) Intro: Isfri
2) Tuonela
3) The Dream About Dying Angel
4) I Shall Wither
5) Valkoiseen

Mediafire

Here is the second demo of the Finnish dark metal band Mustan Kuun Lapset, now unfortunately disbanded. Another dub courtesy of Grev (thanks!) and he also scanned the covers. Which didn't really come out too clear, to be honest. Well, that can't be helped, it's the music that counts anyway!

Dubbed to me from an original tape, the quality is good and so is the sound on the demo itself. The music has some black metal influences but I'd really call this dark metal or even melodic death metal. Somehow this sounds more similar to the full-lenght albums than the MCD and split that followed. I guess they sounded more black metal. Recommended if you like other MKL stuff!

Ritual (us) - Advance Tracks 1995

Ritual (us) - Rough Mix Advance Tracks 1995
1) Visions of Souls Once Lost
2) Pagan Warfare (No vocals)

Reuploaded - 2022

Here's another band with a name used by bazillion others, Ritual from California USA play black metal influenced by the Scandinavian style on these two rough mix advance tracks for their debut album. Old Black Funeral comes to my mind as well, probably due the US-origin and the Scandinavian influence. I've received these from a tape trader friend so I don't have that much info as to how much the tracks were spread or so on. I don't think they would've made any sort of cover for this.

The sound is decent, considering it is a rough mix, it's a little bit... rough. Very well audible however and sounds different enough from the album versions to merit a listen. Not the most original of usbm around, not even back then, but I still have kind of a soft spot for this little tape

Pure Fucking Hell 'zine #2

Pure Fucking Hell Issue 2 (1994)
Interviews:
Order From Chaos
Beherit
Merciless
Sigh
Varathron
Ancient Rites
No Fashion Records
Emperor
Mortuary Drape
Pungent Stench
Deranged
Occult
Enslaved
Articles/Bios:
Calvary
Torched Records
Tormentor (hun)
Dismember
Astaroth (us)


Depositfiles

Another 'zine for change, this one is Finnish Pure Fucking Hell #2, released in March 1994. The editor is Pete of Sigillum Diaboli, currently known as Diaboli. This has a plenty of nostalgic value for me, but it should be an entertaining read for anyone into black/death metal. Simple xerox 'zine of 40 pages with short and often to the point interviews and a basic but very readable layout. I actually like this approach better than fancy pics under text and experimental fonts and what not. Pete released another issue after this one and then quit the 'zine. I'm interested in seeing the first & third issue so let me know if you come across them!

Darkstyle - Return to the Shadow demo 1993

Darkstyle - Return to the Shadow promo-demo I 1993
1) Behind the Rainbow
2) From the Other Side
3) Return to the Shadow

Reuploaded

This one is for Sasha aka Posao, sorry it took this long! And thanks to comrade Grev again who sent me a dub of an original tape and cover scans, much appreciated. This is the first promo/demo by Darkstyle, atmospheric black/dark metal. Hypnotic and repetitive, with whispery vocals. Good stuff! Sound and quality are good. Two out of three tracks have appeared on later releases but this should still be interesting to Darkstyle fans. Recommended.

From Depths - Adv.Tape '94

From Depths - "Adv. Tape '94" promo 1994
1) Dark Maze
2) When the Death Call
3) Illusions

Reuploaded

Here is the 1994 advance tape I received from Verminaard along with the 1993 live (see previous post). Unfortunately no cover so it's Metal Archives image again. The first song on the tape was recorded for a compilation and is of better sound quality than the two other tracks, which I'm told were recorded in a garage. However they still have pretty good sound... actually I might even prefer their as the bass is nicely audible.

The music is now closer to what they played on the 12" but somehow sounds more Italian than the EP - I must be getting Mortuary Drape associations from the bass on "When the Death Call"! The vocalists use both death growls and shrieks. Recommended and you might also want to check out the 1997 album uploaded on comrade Raf's blog here. Thanks again to Verminaard for these two!