Necro-E - Assemblage of Emanated Embryo (1991)

Genre: Doom/Death Metal
Country: Japan
Year: 1991

1. Beyond of the Gate (intro)
2. Oozing Child
3. Torture
4. Untamed Anathema
5. Unmerciful Mist
6. Hideous Carcass
7. Under Destruction
8. Shock on Intestines
9. Mass Murder
10. Boiling Gore
11. Assemblage of Emanated Embryo
12. Decaying the Rain (outro)

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Metal Archives
Last.fm

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Japan continues to impress! Here we have some absolutely devastating Doom/Death from 1991. As raw and underproduced as it gets, my speakers are having a hard time keeping from rumbling right off my desk! Very suffocating in sound, the heaviness just pulls you in and constantly implodes your eardrums, while the demonic, raspy vocals claw and tear at your soul! Fun! Not much more to say other than this is plain old raw, simplified Death Metal played the way it was meant to be.

Note: this copy includes their first demo, Oozing Child (which I believe are the first three tracks). Metal Archives incorrectly has Beginning of the Death as their first demo with 11 tracks, when in reality, Beginning of Death was merely a promo, and only contained ONE track. Not sure who in the hell came up with those other tracks, but whatever. Enjoy!

Whispering Tears - Carmina Lacrimosa (2001)

Genre: Atmospheric Death Metal
Country: France
Year: 2001

1. Carmen Lacrimae
2. Whispering Tears
3. E(vil)charistia
4. Complainte of the Ames Écorchées
5. My Beloved Corpse
6. Until Death Do Us Unite
7. The Dark Hours
8. Die Versuchung Der Tranen (The Temptation of the Tears)

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Metal Archives
Last.fm

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There's something about France. I dunno, those pompous bastards seem to think they're better than everybody else, and this album is no exception! Not to say that's a bad thing at all, of course. Bordering more on the symphonic side, Whispering Tears's debut has a sophisticated and deliberated air about it, very majestic and almost, dare I say, beautiful? However, in stark contrast, the guitars are mainly jagged and crunchy, relying heavily on tremolo picking, while bizarre acoustics saturate the background, with myriad instruments all finding a place in this interesting album. There's occasional synthesizer use, as well as melancholic clean vocals mixed side by side with harsh growls to further mold that atmosphere of intrigue. Most of the songs are relatively long in length (the longest at eight minutes), giving this release a progressive and winding structure. The album finishes off with what appears to be a tribute to Mozart, "The Temptation of Tears".

Absence of Dawn - And the Sun is Fading... (1996)

Genre: Atmospheric Doom/Death Metal
Country: Greece
Year: 1996

1. Nature Drops
2. Sky Pain
3. Wind Flower
4. And the Sun is Fading...

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Metal Archives
Last.fm

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Greece seems to have a nasty habit of restricting the creative genius of many young bands! Damn military... but that's a story for another time. Here we have a lone demo from 1996 by an unknown band that plays a slow-paced, melodic type of doomy death metal. There's not much in terms of pacing or drumming, but the atmosphere and imagery evoked is exactly that of the demo title: And the Sun is Fading... Most of the time, a simple riff is utilized throughout an entire song, and not much is varied in terms of song structure. So why am I posting this here? For some reason, this demo holds my interest. On paper, it sounds like it shouldn't, but just enough melody is used to create a depressing atmosphere and can sound like a fantastic demo if in the right mood. The production wears a bit thin at times and the vocals sometimes aren't the best, but despite all these flaws, this sounds GOOD. Nothing more to it. Would absolutely love to hear this remastered or even re-recorded with some heavier-tuned instruments.

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

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Metal Archives
Last.fm

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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.

Engraved - Before the Tales (1994)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1994

1. Winter Sleep
2. Shores Of Despair (A Storm, pt. II)
3. Calm And Crimson

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Metal Archives
Last.fm

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I don't know if it's because I've become jaded of late or what, but I've been hard-pressed for some GOOD music recently. It's bands like Engraved that, well, they keep me young. It's incredibly rare for me to come across a band displaying such a youthful, invigorating energy as this one. Believe me, I search high and low all over the damned place seeking out the best of the best, and I can recommend you Before the Tales with the utmost confidence that you will enjoy it.

Only three songs, but each of them delivers such an emotional punch, I'm left on my knees, entirely at its mercy, wondering where the hell they disappeared to! I want more! Often times very melodic with powerful guitar solos and upbeat riffing, this definitely borders more on "happy" Death Metal, if such a thing exists. Each and every song is in itself a highlight, a masterpiece. I haven't regarded a demo this highly in a while, since Depression (Rus), so you'd be doing yourself a disservice not to grab this while it's hot.

Shallow Rivers - Water Awakes (2009)

Genre: Atmospheric Doom/Death Metal
Country: Russia
Year: 2009

1. Water Awakes
2. For My Beloved
3. Echoes Of the Fall

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

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I know I've been lazy lately, but don't think I've forgotten about the 2009 releases! This is the first demo from a very promising Russian band who plays a unique brand of laid-back Doom Metal with a hint of Death and a lot of atmosphere. Doesn't exactly fit in with the rest of the material here, but I figured a few of you would be interested. Both male and female vocals are used, alternating grunts and flowing operatics, meshed with a prominent use of keyboards make this an engaging listen, one that will hold your attention to the very end, despite the long song lengths and monotonous, depressive feel of this release. Not sure whether to categorize this has happy or sad, but it certainly does evoke some sort of emotional response within me, which is more than I can say for a lot of music out there! Nab this, you won't be disappointed.

Sarcastic Existence - Judgement of the Dead (1992)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Switzerland
Year: 1992

1. Intro/Senseless War
2. Tombs of Terror
3. Brain Devastation
4. Extreme Living Conditions
5. Die Schmuzige Hand am WC-Fenster
6. Ott Laughed (We Cried...)

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

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Not sure where I dug this one up; I was just roaming through my library one day and came across this, gave it a listen and was blown away. The first thing that struck me was the brilliant use of over-the-top riffing. Some of these leads are so gosh darn catchy it's too much! Most of it is very fast-paced, and while MA lists them as Death/Thrash, I can't say I agree, since this is much darker and full of that bitter hatred Thrash could never achieve.

Excellent drumming, and upon random inspection, I noticed that Peter Ott was the drummer! I had been in contact with this guy a few months back about a few things and had no idea he was the drummer in such an obscure Swiss band! Hell, he's from Germany I think. Great guy, with an absolutely MASSIVE collection, so if you'd like contact info, I'm sure he'd be delighted to hear from you.

"Tombs of Terror" is probably the highlight of this demo--it's also the longest and most involved, ranging in elements from slow, plodding doom to rapid, cutting Death Metal of the intensest degree. Expect fantastic solos and riffing that keeps beating you down into the ground! Recommended!