Vornat - The Flame of Satan demo 1994

Vornat - The Flame of Satan demo I 1994
1) Korppi
2) Azagthoth
3) Self-Mayhem
4) The Flame of Satan
5) The Eighteenth Key

Mediafire

Breath of Pestilence

More Finnish black metal and an item I know well has been around the inter nets for some time but I was recently sent rips of both Vornat demos by comrade unholydeath and as his rips were strictly superior to the ones that have been floating about I decided I'd post them here in the Coven. Not to mention Vornat is good stuff and worth the attention. There have been plans to release a compilation with all (? not sure about this) their material so far so look forward to that if it ever becomes reality. Includes a cover scan.

UPDATE: The compilation came through and was released late '16 by Breath of Pestilence. It has a remastered version of this, demo '95 and '02 sessions, I've added a link above and very much recommend getting it. There's also a double vinyl version by Darker Than Black if you must have kvlt vynil. I would recommend the CD version anyways, I was told the mastering is better on that.

I remember this debut demo gaining quite harsh critique in the 'zines at the time and not having been very impressed by it upon first listen - an opinion possibly influenced by all the bad press. Now that I listen to it, I still agree the sound leaves certainly something to be desired but apparently I'm too jaded by now as I can't call it bad. It's most certainly a demo recording, you can tell that right off the start, a little on the murky side but decent enough to be able make out all the instruments (yes, even the bass can be heard). Ahriman's (who killed himself in 1997) vocals are quite basic black metal screams though they too have a semi-hysteric, urgent edge to them which would be more prominent on the second demo where the remaining two members would share the vocal duties. Very much influenced by their Norwegian peers it's not a celebration of originality but that's hardly an issue for me. I'd compare this to older Horna material. Recommended listening if you're into 90's black metal.

Unto A Long Glory...2 - Beverina Compilation (1997)

Various Artists - Unto A Long Glory...2 - Beverina Compilation (1997)
1) Dissimulation - Intro / Būk Prakeiktas
2) Apraxia - Freedom
3) Dawn of Gehenna - Dark Side of the Earth
4) Nokturnal Mortum - Perun's Celestial Silver
5) Tharaphita - All Pool Lund Ja Jaad
6) Skyforger - Old Semigallian Warsong
7) Vicious Crusade - Land of Lakes
8) Sunchariot - Voroni
9) Tangrycan - Immortalize Sacrament
10) Mental Home - Into the Realms of Marena
11) Blizzard - Possessed by Hate
12) Alkonost - Shadows of Dark Days

Mediafire

We depart from the realms of NZ death, but if you wish more I suggest you check out raf's with the recent Eviscerate & Mutilated Entrails posts. Our destination today is again the Balkan lands and the surrounding Slavonic domains with the second Beverina compilation, sent by Juris (thanks!) and ripped by me. Cover scans enclosed.

Much of what I wrote on the post for the first Beverina compilation applies here too, the main focus still being on pagan black metal but this time the Slavs outnumber the Balts seven to five. Also, there are no non-metal tracks, unfortunately for some and possibly fortunately for others. Unless you count Skyforger's live folk track. The musical line is a bit more focused on (folk) pagan black metal here but exceptions can be found in the death/doom by Dawn of Gehenna & Mental Home. Note that the covers misspell Estonian Tharaphita as Tharapitha - an error present in the upload, sorry I noticed that too late. Fix it manually. What more I should say about this? Well, it's a very interesting compilation if you enjoy Slavonic/Baltic heathen black metal with atmospheric and/or folky touches. Personally I enjoy most tracks 4, 5, 7, 11 and of course 12 - old Alkonost is a big long time favourite of mine! Least enjoyable would be Tangrycan whose vocals I can't seem to get into, not very keen on the drum machine either. This tape was in very good condition so there's not much in the glitch and impurity department - naturally some wear in inevitable. Not sure whether the first one or this is better but both are nonetheless recommendable.

Demise - Demise demo 1993

Demise (nz) - Demise demo II 1993
1) Those to Perish
2) As Seen Through the Eyes of Faith
3) Divine Possession
4) It's a Wondeful Life
5) Temptation

Mediafire / Depositfiles

Master Fenrirsson has been raiding the dungeon recently with fervour and unearthed several relics of NZ death metal as already demonstrated by the previous post. Here's another one and once again not to be mixed with various other bands using the same monicker, Demise from Christchurch play straight old death metal and this is their 2nd demo though Metal Archives lists it as an EP. Demo or Cass.EP, cover scan is included.

The demo opens with a dark intro piece which changes then into the first track which is a rather speedy affair with undeniable catchiness to it. Unfortunately, the sound is quite poor due to the very low volume and has a certain booming muddiness to it. The following tracks follow in the same vein. Shame about the sound issue, this would be very enjoyable were it a little more audible. Still, certainly worth a listen to death metal enthusiasts.

Haemorrhage - ...The Extended Punishment demo 1993

Haemorrhage (nz) - ...The Extended Punishment demo 1993
1) Greasy Faeces
2) Chopping Spree
3) Raising the Dead
4) Fear of the Unknown
5) Infernal Bleeding
6) Grey Matter
7) Rotting Away

Mediafire / Depositfiles

Something different again today, here's a demo of NZ death/grind Haemorrhage, not to be mixed with the Polish one or the still (very) active Spanish goregrinders, courtesy of brother Fenrirsson. Thanks! If you remember the Epitaph compilation I posted, they were also featured on that one. Cover scan included and ripped by F from an original tape.

I am not familiar with the other Haemorrhages out there but this one plays filthy, gory and quite brutal death metal, not particulary fast but still with some fast moments tossed in. The sound takes a bit away from the potential heaviness of the music as it's a bit murky, rehearsal-like and especially in the beginning dominated by the strongly effected vocals. This is a bit uneven and varies from track to track as does the amount of effects. I personally like best the approach on the cavernous-sounding third track "Raising the Dead" where the lyrical approach is probably also less silly than what I could make out of the first track. And the following, doom-paced "Fear of the Unknown" where the effects have been skipped altogether. Well, gore death metal has never been my interest in the first place, metal of death is Serious Business at the Coven. It's a bit of a mixed bag with the sillier first tracks and then improving for the rest of it. Check it out if you're into death metal!

Unto A Long Glory... Beverina Compilation I (1996)

Various Artists - Unto A Long Glory... Beverina Compilation I (1996)
1) Monkmort - Brown Power Ritual
2) Gods Tower - Seven Rains of Fire
3) Winter Night Overture - The Inner Endless Darkness
4) Zpoan Vtenz - Jos Brolis in Karelį
5) Postmortem - Farewell Melody
6) Ha Lela - Išjojo Bernelis
7) Alfheim - Quintessence
8) Skyforger - Night of the Winter Solstice
9) Maze Of Cako Torments - Possessed by Smaug - the Dragon
10) Poccolus - Rudens Miško Šnabždesiai

Depositfiles / Mediafire

Let us post a compilation tape for change, this is the first Beverina compilation featuring again Baltic and Slavonic bands... well, this time Baltic bands only with the exception of the Belarussian gods Gods Tower. You may remember I posted the 3rd in the series back in 2010. Well, some months ago Juris of Beverina contacted me and kindly borrowed me his master copies of these compilation tapes and this rip, including cover scan, is the first fruit of that co-operation. So, thanks again Juris!

This tape and the second one were dubbed on 60 min tapes and like on the following compilations the main focus is on pagan or heathen forms of atmospheric metal, ranging from the doom/folk/heavy hybrid of Gods Tower to black metal dirges of Poccolus and also including Baltic melodeath from Postmortem, straight black metal by Winter Night Overture, ritualistic dark ambient of Monkmort and slightly dungeon synthesque material with Alfheim whose nationality the covers do not mention (had a look, they were a Latvian black metal band!). Not to forget another slightly experimental, atmospheric track from Maze Of Cako Torments whose demos I am still desperately after! Despite this being ripped from Juris' own tape, there are some unfortunate flaws present - whether these are the result of simple tape wear or already present on the dubs Juris received I don't know but one can hear them in several tracks. Fortunately nothing major and as usual it'll give you a more authentic listening experience. I feel like I enjoy this compilation more than the 3rd part as it's a bit more compact, feels slightly more consistent and the material in general is superior. Personal highlights are 1, 2, 4, 9 and 10. Recommended!

Utgard-Loke - Black Moors Adv. Tape 1995

Utgard-Loke [pre-Utgard] - Black Moors advance tape 1995
1) Black Moors of the Troll-Land
2) Alla mustan taivaan
3) Wotan

Mediafire / Depositfiles

A quick black metal post today and for change something from brother Grev's vaults. This is an advance tape for a supposed demo by Finnish black metallers Utgard-Loke who instead simplified their monicker to just Utgard and went on to release a demo titled "Northern Glory" (and several others, continuing their activities to this day and age after a brief stint under the name BurialMound) which also features these three songs. Since I haven't heard that one I can't say if they're exactly the same recordings and/or versions as here but M.A. lists that demo having a different version of "Black Moors..." as bonus track which made me think it could be the version here? Anyways, feel free to inform me if you know better. No cover for this one and I doubt one existed, this being an advance tape.

Musically this is mid-90's Finnish black metal, with a pretty rough but clear demo sound. The slightly dry, raw and crispy sort. If you're familiar with Utgard's demos I suppose you know what to expect from the music. It's moderately fast, quite melodic in a grim way and rather straight forward though the songs feature sections of different tempos. Vocals are done in a quite monotonous, half-spoken croak which might remind you of Warloghe though not as grim. Listening to this makes me want to hear the debut Utgard demo finally and the rehearsal tapes, it's nothing to start riots and go burn cars on streets for but listenable enough and oddly appeals to me on this listen while previous time I tried it some months ago I got nothing out of it. Give it a shot if Finnish 90's bm is your thing.

Into The Sunless Meridian - XXIX A.S. demo 1994

Into the Sunless Meridian - XXIX A.S. demo #1 1994
1) Meditations in a Cold and Dimly Lit Room
2) Of the Dark
3) In a Haze of Drifting Obscurity
4) Sleeping in Eternal Darkness
5) Ezeerb Nrehtron
6) The Luciferian Twilight
7) Reversed Lust Summoning
8) Celebration of Victory
9) Lunar Slumber - Part I - Tantric Meditations in the Fleeting Night
10) Lunar Slumber - Part II - Through the Looking Glass

Mediafire / Depositfiles

Today's post is the seldom seen 1st demo of Into the Sunless Meridian. Vaalkoth had lost his own copy somewhere but luckily brother Fenrirsson had and ripped it, so thanks to him for this! Scans of the cover and lyrics sheet are also included.

If you listened to the second demo, you know what to expect as this much in the same vein, though with a bit more straight black metal content. The old school influences are present like always but slightly more subdued. The intro track was used also on the self titled album, the rest of the content I think hasn't been elsewhere. Fenrirsson's rip is very good quality and the demo itself has a decent sound so there should be no problems in that direction. Recommended for people into the other ITSM material, fans of atmospheric 90s black metal sound and collectors of bm demos. Vaalkoth should be posting this also on his personal blog, go look there for the rest of his material!