Phlebotomy - Dawn of Grief (1993)

Genre: Atmospheric Doom/Death Metal
Country: Greece
Year: 1993

1. Born To Suffer
2. As the Sky Turns Black

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Much better production; about time these guys got signed to a label! Two songs here and the first is an old favorite from their promo tape, "Born to Suffer". The cheesy intro and exit bits that I pointed out in the Promo Tape review are removed to allow focus to fall on the song itself without any distractions or wtf moments. Not so sure if I'm a fan of the production... it is better, but it also gives the EP a "tinny" feel, especially with the scratchy guitars and glowering synths. Everything is better balanced, though; vocals and drums are further up front and this EP certainly sounds more complete.

New song! Looks like this marks the point where Phlebotomy are turning away from their doomy sound, and onto something a little more intense. Synths galore are still present all over the place, but female vocals are kicked up a few more notches, seemingly going even with the harsh vocals. Everything is faster-paced and almost industrial. This song marks the band's transition to a new style that you will see in "Voluptuous..."

Phlebotomy - Promo Tape (1993)

Note: Artwork unavailable

Genre: Atmospheric Doom/Death Metal
Country: Greece
Year: 1993

1. Intro
2. Our Golgotha Before The Beauty Of Our Death
3. Born To Suffer
4. Stories Of The Internal Of My Grave (Parts I and II)

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

A classical intro... that's more like it! Immediately, I know I can expect the same style Paralysis got me hooked on, and I can't be more excited. In the same vein as the previous demo: occult synthesizers saturating the air, accompanied by subtle melodic fringes keep this music fresh and engaging. Clean vocals are introduced here and there, serving to add more to the arcane atmosphere. Melodic, acoustic interludes are spackled throughout to break up the lengthy songs.

Gloomy, dark, and highly atmospheric, the tracks on this demo are oddly entrancing, especially on "Born to Suffer" with the inclusion of mystical flowing female vocals. This is great music to reflect on pretty much anything you want. "Born to Suffer" brings us back to reality with a grim intro assailing the listener with machine gun fire and an old school Hellenic riff, yet takes us away again above the clouds, only to yank us back down with that key riff and marching drums. Not too clear how exactly those effects tie in, but it does add to the variety to make things interesting.

The synthesizers are used to great extend, with myriad sound effects such as the aforementioned, but also some new ones like fire crackling and wind blowing. They were going for atmosphere with this one, and Phlebotomy certainly hit the nail on the head! Deep, booming production presides, collapsing the very atmosphere above down on us. Recommended.

Chamber of Dismay - Dark Clouds (1993)

Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Finland
Year: 1993

1. Intro
2. Forgotten Woods
3. Simerion Winter

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

From the obscure depths of Finland (and where it's likely to remain) is Chamber of Dismay. Not much is known about this band; not even the names of the band members! It's too difficult to discern their names from the only tiny scan on the internet... so please, if anybody has any information regarding this band, come forward! Just wanna give credit where credit is due. :)

On to the music. A relatively quick demo here; hardly a sampler of this low-key, melodic Doom/Death Metal. This is the only demo from these guys, and it was likely a side project of some sort that never got off the ground. Two songs and a demo, and unfortunately they suffer from poor production; way too much bass in the background and everything seems far back in the mix. I occasionally describe music as "suffocating", but I suppose this is the true definition of the word. Could definitely use a remaster and re-release!

As previously mentioned, there is a fair amount of melody here, similar to Cauteror. A single, lonely guitar breaks loose from the filth and grime, making this an almost sorrowful demo. Not terribly much in the way of song structure, and the songs can get a little long without variation, but the riffs are pleasant, and I'd go as far as to classify this under the "easy listening" category of Doom/Death Metal. It's quick, it's simple.

Lamentations - Promo 1993 (1993)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: France
Year: 1993

1. Forbidden Unacceptable Suicide
2. Lamentations
3. Reborn for Dying
4. Infamous Death

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

This time from France, let's focus on something that hasn't seen the light of day for many years. Not much is known of this band, and everything I know comes from the inlay... I'm sure they've released more; I mean, how could they not have, considering the quality of this promo!

The first thing I noticed about this demo was the production. It's not as clear and crisp as most stuff out there, but rather subdued and "soft". Obviously, this is a huge contradiction, considering it's full-on Death Metal, but I feel that it's a little smoother, which is great!

Again with the atmospheric tinges, these guys know how to build up a song, constructing it the way songs are meant to be constructed (see: "Reborn for Dying"). I always love it when Death Metal bands extend their songs over the average 3-4 minute mark, because, more often than not, we're left with experimentation, and opportunities to slow down the fury and create a better song. The first song here is your standard Death Metal, but then the band progresses with some dynamite riffing and song structure. This is some involving and complex stuff, so don't miss out!

Musica Eternal - De Tenebrae (1993)

Genre: Death/Black/Electronic Metal
Country: France
Year: 1993

1. Intro
2. Book Of The Dead Names
3. The Door Painted In The Sky
4. The Doom
5. Tenebrae
6. Nocturnal Eternal

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Here's something most of you probably haven't heard... and for good reason, too! Have you seen the genre description!? Fortunately, Musica Eternal does it well with some strange synthesized, drum-programmed Black/Death Metal. There are times where it seems more Black than others, but the Death does come out to play every so often, with the two styles fusing together quite fluently, making this a great success in experimentation, especially considering the time it was recorded at. They only released this one demo (maybe another), before disappearing forever.

The synths are used to a great extent on this demo, and have an eerily calming effect, amidst the metallic chaos everywhere else. Often cross-cutting (yes, I can describe music with film terms) between the synths and cutting guitars, great contrast is present, especially on the "Tenebrae" and "Nocturna Eternal" (best on the demo) track. Hell, there's even chanting and church bells going off! Truly a find from way out of left field, this is definitely something well worth listening to after taking a break from your traditional Black and Death Metal.

Strange... and highly intriguing...

Cauteror - They Fell... (1993)

Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Netherlands
Year: 1993

1. Before I End My Breathing
2. They Fell
3. Night Has Ceased
4. On Wings Of Blasphemy

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

I mentioned these guys in my last post, and so a bright idea dawned on me... why not post them on this blog? BRILLIANT. I know. And what's even better, is that the front man behind this genius band is none other than Mories from Gnaw Their Tongues! Expect great things from this four-song demo...

Probably the most overwhelming genre descriptor for They Fell... is DOOM. The Death Metal pops up in the vocal style, with sprinkles of melody scattered throughout. Very slow paced and deliberate, the crunchy, muffled guitars slowly plod along, with lightning bolts of melodic riffing striking down on the musical caravan every step of the way. The atmosphere invoked here is otherworldly... not quite sure how to describe it, but suffice to say that it is the sound of somber sorrow. Very slow-paced, it's an almost sad sound. Especially notable is the title track. When the chorus singing "they fell" breaks out, it's overwhelming, to say the least. The kind of music that you just submit yourself to, accepting that it is better than you, and allowing yourself to fuse with it on a visceral level.

This demo strikes many a chord within me, and regardless of how cliche that sounds, this is something that simply cannot be ignored. Highly recommended.

Godcrucifier - Promo 1993 (1993)

Note: Artwork unavailable

Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Italy
Year: 1993

1. Useless Tears
2. Genesis

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

What we have here is very riff-centric Doom/Death Metal. It has a certain grooving beat to it, often repetitive in nature, with sprouts of melody flowing throughout in the forms of guitar solos, energetic riffs, or soothing keyboard interludes. It can get rather hypnotic at times, plodding slowly into the depths of doom… doing so in style!

This is just a promo, mind you, so the production isn’t so hot, the instrumentation and vocals are often a bit muffled, but this is some quality stuff in the end. These two tracks were later rerecorded on their much better Jerusalem demo in 1994! Look out for it!

Funeral Vision - It... (1993)

Genre: Doom/Death Metal
Country: Poland
Year: 1993

1. Slave
2. Immortal
3. Cain
4. Monster
5. Dark Muse

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

More Poland! Top-notch guitar-oriented doomy Death Metal, with riffs out the ass, often melodic, sometimes depressive, while others upbeat and happy! A unique demo to say the least. Not much in the way of song structure, and often somewhat repetitive, but still an enjoyable listen.

Sinistrous Diabolus - Opus One (1993)

Genre: Old School Doom/Death Metal
Country: New Zealand
Year: 1993

1. Sleep of the Damned
2. Wipe Out Christianity
3. Aeon Ended

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Seriously tortured, twisted stuff, Sinistrous Diabolus comes from New Zealand... not much metal comes out of there, but from the little I've listened to, it's been mostly positive! This is certainly no exception. Very slow, miserable-sounding, and painful. This demo is like pulling teeth. Except that you're the dentist from that cheesy movie The Dentist. You're some sort of sadist, hell-bent on revenge via infliction of pain in the absolute worst way possible, maniacally tearing teeth from a young child's mouth, forcibly removing the tongue from your helpless wife, all the while drilling viciously into the jaws of hapless patients, watching them writhe and squirm in unbearable pain... okay, that's enough of that! Must-see movie, btw.

But yeah, the music. Awesome. Sometimes gracing into Funeral Doom territory, but also lively (relatively speaking) at other times. The vocals absolutely slay, are completely inaudible, and sounds straight-up disgusting. Repulsive, even! Monumentally tortured music, very dark and foreboding, sure to satiate the morbid cravings in all of us. GET IT NOW!

Carrion of Torrent - Inituum Calamitatis Regni (1993)

Genre: Doom/Death Metal
Country: Poland
Year: 1993

1. Intro
2. Grieving the Sunset
3. Slaves your Oblivion
4. Inituum Calamitatis Regni
5. Awareness of Death
6. The Purple Clouds
7. Obled
8. In the Land of Lost Hope
9. Divide et Impera
10. Infinity Lightness
11. Obsession in Your Mind
12. Carrion of Torrent
13. Outro - The End of Eternity

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

If you know me through Last.fm or anything, you'll know that I was blasting these guys a lot during October, bur for whatever reason, didn't get around to posting until now. This demo is something special; a lot of the demos I post here are amazing, but there's nothing to draw me back again and again, yet Carrion of Torrent have that pull factor, the intangible grip that holds you tight, and won't let go. Even when you manage to escape, that infectious main riff of the title track comes peering from the darkness, sucking you right back in. Carrion of Torrent are quickly working their way up to my top artists solely because they keep coming back. Or, rather, I keep going back to them. By no means a well-known band, and they certainly didn't last long, but this massive effort will forever be etched in time, understood by few, but appreciated tenfold.

I should start by saying they have sound strikingly similar to Varathron. Sure, Carrion of Torrent is from Poland, but they have that hot, sweaty, Hellenic Greek feel. The riffing style is very simplistic, but infinitely effective, and combined with the harsh almost-gutturals, makes for a sound that clouds your thoughts, envelops you entirely, leaving the ol' mind completely blown. Even during the mini interludes, as seen toward the latter half of this lengthy demo, I'm still left in rapt attention, reflecting on the awe these Poles have left behind. Definitely a demo for the ages, and recommended like no other.

Demented Ted - Promises Impure (1993)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: USA
Year: 1993

1. Existence Lies Beneath
2. Despair
3. Psychopathology
4. Incisions
5. Liquid Remains
6. Geneticide
7. Between Two Eternities
8. Forgotten

Download at 4shared
Metal Archives Rating: 75% (1 review)
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Demented Ted play a chunky, technical-sounding style of animated Death Metal. I wouldn't call this melodic at all, but there's a certain... feel to it. Don't want to say "catchy", but there's something about the riffing that is absolutely delicious. I haven't listened to Death in years, but if I remember correctly, these guys have their moments with cascading riffs reminiscent of later Death. I could be wrong, but who cares, this is some quality obscure Death Metal that more people need to know about!

Sarcophagy - Hunger Pains (1993)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: USA
Year: 1993

1. Blood Soaked
2. Motion Sickness
3. Soul Searcher
4. Mass Burial

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Sarcophagy was one of those bands back in the day who didn't give a fuck what the current scene sounded like and were limited only by their imagination (band said so itself) to create some of the best Death Metal out there. Hunger Pains was their first demo, and a magnificent start to a career that ended all too shortly. Thankfully, they have reformed with a couple new members and are ready to tear shit up again!

Mid to fast-paced, this is some out-of-the-box Death Metal that is not only creative, but devastating. There are several vocals styles present, ranging from deep, harsh grunts to raspy hissing growls, depending on the mood of the song. "Blood Soaked" is a slower-paced serial killer song, with the vocals and riffing to fit. Probably one of my favorites, and is also one of the band's favorite songs! The riffing and solos on all these songs are deliberately planned and thought out, solidifying their plan of attack. Amazing stuff, and completely undeserving of the lack of attention received! Recommended.

Immortal Visions - Aquaritia (1993)

Genre: Death/Doom Metal
Country: Poland
Year: 1993

1. Dei Carnifex
2. Sometimes They Comes Back
3. The All Seeing Hatered
4. Aquaritia
5. Follow Me in Dawn
6. In Astral Journey
7. Immortal Visions/Satanas Fatum

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

An enigmatic band hailing from Poland, having only released this lone demo before changing their name to the title of this demo, "Aquarita". Let me begin by saying that this is one hell of an impressive demo, heavy and crushing, with numerous varied elements keeping this one far from the rest of the pack, in a class of its own. Actually a little overproduced, indicative by the crowded atmosphere and "collapsing" production, it fits very well into the style of music they play. A very dark and gloomy demo (the band they changed into actually plays "Dark Metal"), it is rather slow-paced with heavy gutturals. There are occasional acoustic interludes that break up a few of the songs, emitting an ethereal vibe, and you find yourself lost within the looming music. Definitely not your average everyday old school DM demo. This is something different, something special. Recommended.

Absurd Existence - Silence (1993)

Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Germany
Year: 1993

1. Intro/Gates of Nemesis
2. Silence
3. Earth Rape
4. Myself in You
5. Theds
6. Psychopatic phobia

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Hailing from Germany, Absurd Existence play a very melodic and melancholic style of Doom/Death, reminiscent of Visceral Evisceration. I'm not saying they sound anything like VE, but there are those occasional piercing riffs that just make your spine shiver and your mouth salivate. I much prefer the approach on the full-length, mainly because the production is better. For this style of music, clean production is a must, and the muddled feel of "Silence" kinda takes away from the epic feel that you should be experiencing. Also, the vocals are a bit high in the mix, sometimes drowning out the beautiful guitar work. Still, the vocals themselves are fantastic and very raspy, perfect for the doomy goodness encapsulated within them. There are also some more wild higher-pitched growls as well! Great demo, and something different. Look out for their full-length!

Enigmatic - Two Days of April (1993)

Genre: Death/Doom Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1993

1. The Tabular Bells Symphony
2. Fear of the Dead
3. The Master of Dreams
4. Dishonest Belief

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Some relatively obscure Death/Doom from Sweden, this band managed to release two EPs and a demo. Unfortunately, I'm only able post this, their first EP, but I should be able to procure the demo some time in the future. As for the last release, The Tranquilled Icy Water, I have no leads whatsoever. So if a reader has that EP, kindly send it to me!

On to the music. Quality Death/Doom with the occasional grinding part, illustrated by fast double bass and quick drumming, then collapsing back into slow, unwavering doomy goodness. An interesting aspect behind this album is the vocal style. It's your typical death grunt/guttural, but with a twist. This EP was obviously edited heavily, as it seems like the growls sort of overlap into each other, giving this a very fluid sound. It seems like the vocalist is pulling off some amazing feat where he growls for minutes on end. Cool stuff, and reminds me slightly of early Incantation. Killer music and definitely worth a download.

Dissect - Pusgush from the Vomited, Wormy Gut (1993)

Note: Artwork unavailable

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Hungary
Year: 1993

1. Intro (Sympathetic Entreaty)
2. Raw Mind (Preserved Thought)
3. Lights Awaiting to be Disclosed
4. Associal Society
5. Disabled Suicide
6. Lost Subconscious
7. Catholic Priests' Sexuality (Nuns' Orgy In The Cathedral)
8. I Suffer from God
9. Negative Hopes
10. The Solve of the Thoughts Connexions... Can It Be Sold?
11. Outro (Returning Torture)

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Okay, time for some obscure shit. This is not the Brutal Death Metal band from Holland, or that punk band, but instead a very tiny straight up old school Death Metal band from Hungary. They released a couple of demos and a split, both of which are still missing in action. However, I bring you their second, and last, recording, host to quite an intriguing and oddly absorbing name.

Don't be thrown by the long tracklist; there are only like five real songs, broken up by atmospheric interludes, that sometimes seem out of place, but still well-done and great to break up the fast-paced, angry DM contained within each of the meaty tracks. This is fast, but also very heavy, and slightly on the choppy side, meaning that it seems like the music should flow faster for longer periods of time, but instead, the songs seem broken up, most likely due to the roomy, pulsating, and head-crushing production. It's not bad, just different from what I'd normally hear. However, this works amazingly well in Dissect's case. I love how dirty the songs sound, and since the vocals are in the Hungarian language, and there are some minimalistic parts with only ferocious vocals, they sound very demonic and enraged. Dual vocalists are used, and the other is higher-pitched, with a messier scream in the same vein as the guttural. They really compliment each other quite well. For some reason, I really like this demo, and either I am the only one or nobody's heard of it, considering I currently possess all of their scrobbles on Last.fm!

Really unknown and mysterious Death Metal, introduced to me by entity. Check it out.

Burial - Relinquished Souls (1993)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Netherlands
Year: 1993

1. The Second Coming
2. Failure of Technology
3. Traumatized
4. No Existence
5. Abhorence Within
6. Frigid Cold
7. Inner Hostility
8. Untimely Demise
9. Pitiful God

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives Rating: 90% (1 review)
Last.fm

—————————————————————

A continuation in ferocity, Burial keep up the assault with Relinquished Souls. A slightly more polished release; and that's saying a lot, considering how fresh-sounding their demo was. Overproduced a bit to give it that suffocating feel, with all the instruments blending as one to form a giant mass of death and destruction. The riffs actually seem better on this release, in that they're just as fast, but adding a certain amount of technicality and innovation to make them truly memorable. Solos are still present in full force and used on nearly every single song to great affect. Often utilized in short bursts to back up the vocals or riffing, adding to the atmosphere. Cool stuff, and a great hidden gem. Recommended.

Carcaroht - Dragons Dawn (1993)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1993

1. Dragon's Dawn
2. Revenge
3. No Pride, No Man
4. An Odyssey Of Self Discovery
5. I Am The One

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Yet another obscure and forgotten band from the heyday of Swedish Death Metal. This isn't just any old demo, though. Some of you might be interested to know that this was recorded by Dan Swanö himself! There is some great DM here, very fast-paced and raw. The vocals stand out quite a bit and are very high in the mix, exuding a dirty, unkempt sound. Definitely fitting for the musical style. The riffing sometimes seems a bit technical at times, or that could just be me hearing the sheer speed. This is a great demo, and requires more attention. Hell, the band members went on to participate in a shitload of other bands, especially the drummer. Seems like this one was just lost in all the hubbub.

Sceptical Schizo - The Plight (1993)

Genre: Atmospheric Doom/Death Metal
Country: Finland
Year: 1993

1. Tightrope Ballet
2. Sixteen Gardens of Plight

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

This it, Sceptical Schizo's final release under this name. It mostly follows the style of the latest EP and seems like it could have been a part of it. Slowly creeping towards that name change and also change in style. You're not going to hear classic, aggressive Schizo on this release, but instead, much more doomy/atmospheric doom/death, with a much larger focus on the instrumental aspect of music. Still an excellent release, almost on par with their s/t and once again, very emotional and heart-felt. Check this one out, as Sceptical Schizo's transition was a large and interesting one, full of excellent music on both ends of the spectrum. One of the best and most consistent (not in terms of style, but quality) bands.

Spina Bifida - Ziyadah (1993)

Genre: Death/Doom Metal
Country: Netherlands
Year: 1993

1. Witchfire
2. Reverse
3. Purest Queen
4. Individual
5. Aimless
6. Götterdämmerung
7. Verdict
8. Die

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives Rating: 95% (1 review)
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Initially recorded in 1992, this Death/Doom masterpiece was let loose on the world in 1993. Probably the first thing that ran through my mind as I was listening to this was how fluent Ziyadah is. Some Death/Doom fail it that respect, and we're left with choppy/chunky sounding albums that can be difficult to listen to unless in short bursts. This, however, is different and these guys have a great sense of melody and know how to compose DOOOOOOOOOM effectively. That's saying something, considering Doom is a slower genre and some find it difficult to pay attention to the slow, agonizing melodies. Spina Bifida is, in no way, like that at all. That said, this is still some of the slowest Death/Doom I've heard, but like Mystic Charm, I can't turn away. The riffs are haunting and dark, like in "Purest Queen".

The vocals are also done well, with a deep rasp and the rare hypnotic clean section here and there.

When it's all said and done, this is one of the best Death/Doom efforts out there. Hidden by a thick veil of obscurity, it's unfortunate that this band didn't garner much success. I suggest you make a break for it and grab this. But not too fast! Take your time. This is doooooom, after all. It's not going anywhere.