Indulgence (Nzl) - Enigmatic Thought

Genre: Doom/Death Metal
Country: New Zealand
Year: 1995

1. Question
2. Pleasure
3. Threnody

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I'm uploading this because it seems to be a bit of rarity, and with all the recent Mediafire takedowns across the internet, it can't hurt to have a few more links of obscure material out there.

The demo opens with a bit of a cheery flute intro, almost in a folk metal vein. Happy times to come, right? WRONG. Complete and utter doom and gloom follows. Hell, I'd go as far as to call this funeral doom metal. Very slow and deliberate, like trudging through impossibly dark caverns unknown. Hopeless grief and death surround you, but the music plods on.

The production is stiff and stuffy; quite fitting with this style of music, fortunately. A lone guitar lead drones on, accompanied by an eerie echo of a double bass. The cover art is that of Auguste Rodin's "The Thinker", and again, very fitting as this is the kind of music you sit still in a dark room and listen to as you ponder life's unknowns.

Dismaed - Messages From The Place of The Dead (1995)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Greece
Year: 1995

1. Bleeding
2. Erebus
3. Aeternus Dark
4. Escaping Soul

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Another forgotten Hellenic band from the bowels of Greece, we have Dismaed. Some very atmospheric stuff is present here, sometimes melodic, sometimes straight-forward Death Metal with a punch. I'm sure most of you can recognize that classic Hellenic riffing style, heavy tremolo picking with higher pitched riffs that seem to be never-ending, saturating each song. In addition, there are spouts of synthesized melody to create eerie overtones in between vocal parts. This is used to great effectiveness in giving the atmosphere on Messages From The Place of The Dead a creepy feel akin to a place where you would find dead people! Ohoho! It sounds very spiritual and fits the imagery of the dead appearing before the living.

The pacing on this demo is particularly interesting, varying from slow, breakdown styled, deliberate riffing, to full-fledged, fast paced chaos, drums pounding away, the vocalist going crazy, and quick riffs galore. A very solid release and pretty damn rare, to boot!

Gotta give this one my seal of approval. "Aeternus Dark" is a fabulous song.

Candle Serenade - Nosferatu's Passion (1995)

Genre: Melodic Black/Doom/Death Metal
Country: Portugal
Year: 1995

1. Overture
2. Balakian Rider
3. Chama Iberica
4. Celtic Lir's Sons (Sad Erin's Legend)
5. Interlude For Gothic Kings
6. Spell Of Carpathian Winter
7. Transylvanic Mistress
8. Last Vampire Dance (Finale)

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Nosferatu's Passion is one of those albums that grows on you. But here's the thing, it's not like after the first listen, you won't recognize the beauty and talent behind it. I was awestruck after first listening, and even more so with each subsequent listen.

The main vocalist is female, and does her death growls in a damn fine manner, indistinguishable from a male! And here's the kicker--she's got a gorgeous operatic voice, which she employs whenever she gets the chance! A true treat for the ears and just a privilege to listen to.

Gothic undertones permeate this release, and we're often subject to melodic instruments like piano and flute, as well as creative guitar riffing, building off of and perfecting the style they founded in their demo. The production is much cleaner and sharper, highlighting every riff and vocal trick.

Very doom-oriented, with some ridiculously catchy and engaging song structures, this is one that should be remembered for ages.

Gilgamesh - Demo 1 '95 (1995)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Mexico
Year: 1995

1. Narcolepsia
2. El Exilio
3. Plegaria
4. Ruptura

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Mexico's first all-female Death Metal band, Gilgamesh made a tiny splash back in 1995 with their release of a lone four-track demo. I'm not quite sure what direction these guys girls are heading, but it's somewhere between the two extremes of doom and grind. Often times, the listener is subject to painfully slow, entrancing riffing, while others we're hit with a nonstop barrage of feminine brutality. The riffing is very well done and distinctly prominent, giving this demo a unique edge (quite literally!) making it a short, but enjoyable listen all around. If I didn't know a chick was doing the vocals, I would have thought they were the gutturals of a male vocalist. This demo is ridiculously heavy and hard-hitting for a trio of women, and it's a shame they weren't able to put out more material! Sure, we've got Oxidised Razor, but they kinda suck, so...

Sarcophagy - Cut to Pieces (1995)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: USA
Year: 1995

1. Onset Of Torture
2. Cut To Pieces
3. The Summoning
4. Grisly Homicidal Butchery

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Sarcophagy was never one to let themselves be ruled by one style of music! They liked to change things up a bit, and that's exactly what we're given with Cut to Pieces: another way to make excellent Death Metal! The guitar tone is a little more subdued on this release, which complements the more dark and doomy parts on some of these songs. "Cut to Pieces" sometimes slows down to just a few beats per minute, painfully slow, but at the same time so satisfying; enough to bring a sadistic grin to your face. The same vocals are used, although the grunts are used more frequently than the rasps, once again fitting in nicely with the plodding dooooooom. A crushing demo. These guys need much more attention, so download and enjoy!

Decerebration - My Inner Impurity (1995)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Canada
Year: 1995

1. Blood Shed
2. Virtual Brutality
3. Vengenceful Divinities
4. Rejected into Suicide
5. And She's no More
6. Stolen Conscience

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Straight out of the frozen tundra that is Canada comes some very intense Death Metal. I wouldn't quite call it Brutal DM, but there are elements such as the grunted vocals that add to this demo's ass-kicking brutality. Everything is out in full force on this demo: the drums, vocals, and guitars. Very fast-paced, the drummer does an excellent job of keeping up with the music, supplying copious blast beats and just impressive drumming overall. You can tell this guy knows what he's doing. But the highlight is definitely the riffing and the guitars. Fast, pummeling riffs (not thrashy) pulverize the listener, repeatedly jabbing deeper and deeper until nothing's left, systematically tearing down any barrier that the listener has braced himself with. Recommended.

Doom Formation - Definition of EVIL (1995)

Genre: (Brutal) Death Metal
Country: USA
Year: 1995

1. The Ways Of The Dead
2. Visions Of Ungodly Dreams
3. Morbid Catastrophic Fear
4. Gleuben EVIL

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I don't know anything about this band, or even where I came across this recording... but I thought I'd throw this out to the internet world. Doom Formation only released this single demo in 1995, and then split up, although they appear to have a Myspace, even though it's not listed on MA and seems a little suspicious, evidence suggests there was another split or album in the works. You can listen to another song there.

On to the music. Pretty straightforward, in your face death metal with touches in grind and brutal territory, most notably in the blasting and vocal style. Very professional sounding, and the riffs are tight and well-crafted. Neat little demo from a time lost ages ago!

Somber Blessings - The Winds of the Earth (1995)

Genre: Doom/Death Metal
Country: USA
Year: 1995

1. Intro
2. Hollow of The Three Hills
3. The Winds of The Earth
4. Mourn The Sunrise
5. In Death's Shadow
6. The Autumn King
7. Nevermore
8. So Sleeps The Dawn
9. Shall Weep No Longer

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Hailing from Massachusetts, my next door neighbor (well, relatively speaking, considering some of the other stuff I post here from Finland or what have you) released this magnificent demo tape in 1995. Quickly becoming one of my favorite bands, this is a beautiful combination of death, doom, melody and a variety of other things. Quite an eclectic release, it's mostly Doom/Death with an emphasis on DOOOOOOM, utilizing mainly raspy death growls, but also including a very melodic and beautiful female vocalist. Some of the riffs can be very melodic and compelling, making this one of the best releases in the Doom/Death genre.

In addition to the above, other instruments are used on occasion such as a cello/violin and keyboards. These guys had a vision in the creation of this demo and their musical talent is shining through, blindingly bright.

Symphony of Grief - Our Blessed Conqueror (1995)

Genre: Death/Doom Metal
Country: USA
Year: 1995

1. Toth Amon/Your Fallen Domain
2. Wars of Vengeance
3. Cast Upon Flames
4. Spectral Voice (Intro)
5. Immortal Fluids

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

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Spanning only two years, Symphony of Grief finally split up in 1995, but not before unleashing this hell of a going away present. It seems they actually toned the heaviness down a bit, but in return, really polished up the general sound. Much more well-written. The first song starts off dreadfully slow, but then seems to alternate between brutally fast and blasting sections to funeral doom sections, making the first song seem very disjointed. But after that, the EP only gets better. Really keying in on the "doom and gloom" this is a morbid-sounding release that simply reeks of death and misery. It seems that this truly is a symphony of grief. It's everywhere, was present on previous releases as long as this one, and the smell is overpowering. I feel sad just listening to it. Not quite Funeral Doom, but more like Depressive Death Metal. Something in between and very compelling. Highly recommended.

As I Lay Dying (Aut) - Promo 1995 (Proper Rip) (1995)

IMPORTANT: This is the PROPER RIP of the promo. There is another rip floating around, but it is sped up, distorting the sound.



Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Austria
Year: 1995

1. Impassioned Arousal
2. Magnificence
3. Welter in Carnal Lust

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**Please scrobble as tagged!**

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Yeah, I know I just posted this, like, one post ago, but this is the proper rip of this recording. If you're as observant as I am, you'll have noticed that on the Metal Archives, the songs are listed with different lengths, well the upload here is the correct one. In addition to longer songs, the production is much fuller and heavier, unlike the other, which seemed to have that tinny sound. This copy is much more similar to Visceral Evisceration's full-length, which means it is that much more enjoyable!

As I Lay Dying (Aut) - Promo 1995 (1995)

Please go here for a better version of this promo!


Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Austria
Year: 1995

1. Impassioned Arousal
2. Magnificence
3. Welter in Carnal Lust

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm
**Please scrobble the tag as it is and don't change tags so we don't have to associate with the US band! Right now, this band has their own page!**

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Almost 15 years have passed since the recording of this dark and enigmatic promo and after a long time spent searching for it, here it is, the elusive promo of the band Visceral Evisceration Changed their name to, As I Lay Dying.

Ever since listening to Incessant Desire for Palatable Flesh, I have desperately wanted to hear this; I'd have done anything. Visceral Evisceration's lifespan was just too short. It wasn't fair. I wanted more. Well, dreams came true when this finally surfaced. And let me tell you, it is magnificent. Everything I could have ever expected is here, and more. Maybe you thought they went mainstream after changing their name? Maybe you thought they'd go for a style change or something? HELL NO. This is the same Visceral Evisceration we all know and love.

A self-released demo, the production is not as squeaky clean as on their full-length, but it's hardly noticeable once you start getting into the songs. The male vocals remain, but the female vocals have been nixed. It seems this release focuses a lot on instrumental (especially guitar) prowess and that is exactly what I wanted. Jürgen Hajek is a God among Gods when it comes to the guitar and he really shows it. The beautiful song structures remain, especially in the 7 minute instrumental epic "Magnificence". Very reminiscent of "Knee Deep in Blood I Wade".

Still can't believe it took this long for such a hidden gem to come out of hiding, but holy fucking shit has it been worth the wait. You're going to download this.

Sargatanas - Sargatanas (1995)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Mexico
Year: 1995

1. Eternal Darkness
2. Satanist
3. Sargatanas

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Metal Archives Rating: 89% (1 review)
Last.fm

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Formed way back in 1986, these Mexican metallers finally got around to releasing a demo in 1995. What we have here is some mid-paced, heavy Death Metal that seems to hang out quite a bit in Doom territory. This is especially prevalent on the first two tracks. I really hate to use cliche terms, but this is pretty much satanic Death Metal. It has an evil vibe to it, and that can be attributed to the gruesome riffs, soggy production, and reverberated vocals. Sounds a lot like the vocalist is singing inside a deep cavern or something, and it makes for great atmosphere as you feel like the music is collapsing around you. The best track is probably the last, their self-titled song. About a third of the way into it, the drummer lets loose this nasty double bass that pounds away for the rest of the song and while it's a bit faster-paced than the other songs, retains that air of morbidity. Killer riffs, even if they're sometimes lost in the mix.

Sthygma - Act 1: Sthygma (1995)

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: France
Year: 1995

1. Strange Anathema
2. (Let You) Hear Out The Mermaids
3. Dreamland
4. Inner Peace

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Props to xuxl for the upload!

Hailing from France, Sthygma took their first steps into the underground Death Metal world with their EP, Act 1: Sthygma. Some pretty cult stuff, Sthygma play a unique type of Death Metal infused with thrashy elements. The vocals sound very hardcore-ish and you can tell they come from the throat. None of this guttural business. Standard riffing with the occasional burst of raw speed and aggression. The vocals really help to highlight the anger in this release. However, on a contrasting side of things, there are these mesmerizing sort of chanting-like vocals that almost sound like they could be vocoder-based, but really aren't. Help to add a more esoteric atmosphere to this EP and really balances it out. Quite good.

Darkified - A Dance on the Grave (1995)

Genre: Death/Black Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1995

1. Intro
2. Howlings From The Darkness
3. A Summond For The Nameless Horrors
4. The Forgotten City
5. Outro - Out From The Darkness
6. Sleep Forever...
7. The Forgotten City (1992 Version)
8. The Whisperer In The Darkness

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What the hell is an old school Death Metal blog without the legendary Darkified? Well, here you are; Darkified's 1995 compilation that contains both their Dark demo and Sleep Forever EP. Classic Swedish Blackened Death Metal with killer riffs all the way. The chainsaw guitars are ripping through this release, as per usual Swedish standards and the vocals are top-notch. There are several styles used, from death grunts to shrieking black metal cries of agony to gurgling chaos in vocal form. There are also some clean vocals done very well to fit with the general atmosphere of the music. There are also keyboards laced into the background of a few of the songs, especially in the back half. All in all, a remarkable effort. The definition of "hidden gem". Recommended.

Judgement Day - Cir-Cum-Cis-Ion Of The Mar-Tyr (1995)

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: Netherlands
Year: 1995

1. Horror Pain
2. Daily Rituals
3. The Old Tree
4. Sexual Intercourse
5. Invincible Downfall
6. Clouds of Mordor
7. Pathology of Crowding

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I was just going to upload this to get it out there, but upon listening, I found that this is actually a surprisingly good hunk of Death/Thrash! Sheer aggression is what Judgement Day is all about, and they do it well. There are numerous blast beats and sharp, penetrating riffs all throughout this record. The drums are a highlight; they seem to be louder in the mix, and that's not a bad thing, considering how masterfully played they are. Tremolo picking is another staple, and some of the razor riffs almost seem like tame guitar solos. Intricate stuff. Also, out of nowhere came these female clean vocals. I was stunned, but also pleasantly surprised. They fit well and made for a nice break in the aggression. Great album, recommended!

Also, this album seems to slow down as it progresses, and the second half is way better than the first. Brilliant riffing. The last few songs are utterly mind-blowing. This is fantastic metal.