Gothic Castle - Closer to Roots (1996)

Gothic Castle circa 1996

Genre: Doom Metal
Country: Russia
Year: 1996

1. Snakes Under Flowers
2. Moonlace
3. Estrangement
4. In the Heart of the Ruins

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I've been unable to locate Gothic Castle's "The Odd" demo, but this is their third release and displays what appears to be an about face in their music style. I've always thought of this demo as Death/Doom in instrumentation, but Traditional Doom in vocal style. Some might say these elements clash and while I do agree with them, it still makes for a very engaging listen that should not go ignored.

This is a very different release from "In The Chared Cradle". You'll notice an increase in pacing, with a wider variety of up-beat and lively riffing, as well as much shorter song lengths. Hell, this entire four-song demo is just a minute or two longer than their first demo, which was only one song. They've opted to do this, I presume, to make the demo more accessible than the first and easier to listen to. That's not to say the first is bad; it's an excellent release in its own right.

So, what about the vocals? I'm not sure if they got a new vocalist, or if the growler decided to try his hand at melodic clean vocals (probably the former), but it definitely makes for an interesting listen. It's basically your classic trad doom vocal style, wavering in that operatic way. One thing I found curious is that the vocals seem to be sung at a much quicker rate than the music being played. This doesn't sound like it should work, but I found the songs oddly catchy and invigorating. Certainly worth your time! Look out for the last song; great riff! Recommended.

Misericordia (Rus) - The Microbiological Revolution (1996)

Genre: Technical Death/Thrash Metal
Country: Russia
Year: 1996

1. The Microbiological Revolution
2. Acetone
3. The Intrauterine Suicide
4. My Dream
5. Post-Alcoholic Depression
6. The Subjugation Of Reason
7. Epilogue

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Microbiological Revolution, eh? That's some pretty heavy stuff (for a death metal band!); definitely worth a look. The complex song titles also seemed a bit out of the ordinary, drawing me even closer to what is the definition of a "hidden gem". My preconceptions were spot-on; this is one hell of a damn impressive demo, far ahead of its time, displaying a technical prowess unlike the rest of whence it spawned.

It was hard to put my finger on it at first, but the more I listened, the more the music screamed at me... "DEATH". There is an uncanny similarity to later Death, specifically The Sound Of Perseverance. But hold the phone--wasn't that released after The Microbiological Revolution? Oh shit.

What really struck me was the intensity and strength of the song structures. The whole demo weaves together spectacularly, combining Thrash elements with fast-paced passages ripping with technical riffs and Death-esque guitar solos, but also slows down to a more classic OSDM plodding when appropriate. Fantastic incorporation of ambient/atmospheric overtones saturating the already deep and penetrating grip this demo has on you. Vocals are nothing special, but solid old school growls. In fact, I wouldn't ask for anything else with this style of music. They are actually set a little further back in the mix, which was a good choice to allow the instrumentation a chance to shine, accentuating the technical brilliance these Russians present.

Yet another top-notch release from Mortal Dreams Productions... Recommended.

Goregod - Apocalypse Now (1996)

Genre: Avant-Garde Industrial Death Metal
Country: Russia
Year: 1996

1. Funeral Song
2. The Darkest Side of Reality
3. Mourne Country
4. Apocalypse Now
5. Dark Is the Future
6. 10000 Maimed Corpses
7. We Must Find a Way
8. Suprised Song
9. Warchaos

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More of the same from these crazy fuckers. Somebody heard their wacko demo and thought it would be a great idea to sign them to a label (Mortal Dreams Productions). Fortunately, I know the guy responsible for this, so I'm just busting balls now. That said, this isn't a bad album! A bit on the unique side, but to the point where it's refreshing. The more I listen, the more it grows on me. Pretty sure I'm at the point where I like it!

It's a bit tamer than the demo, and with a much more holistic sound (thicker guitar tone, actual song structure, etc.). Very synth heavy and there's more of the industrial sound with some psychedelic elements, too. There is quite a range of styles all over this album. You've got your up-front, fast-paced Death Metal with the title track, a more chill and psychedelic approach with "We Must Find A Way", and probably my favorite track, "Darkest Side of Reality", which boasts an industrial, almost videogame-esque main riff. The same range of vocals is still present, and used quite well to create a thrilling listening experience that will keep you guessing what the hell will happen next.

Yurra Serov (the Mortal Dreams Productions guy of Different Seasons fame) is the reason I know about this band (and a few future posts), and he shared what I thought was one hell of a crazy story:

James A. Magda (AKA Jamz), the frontman had found himself in an interesting position at the time of this album's release. Right as Serov and Mortal Dreams Productions had made all the arrangements for the release of Apocalypse Now, and were about to print and distribute the album, Jamz's wife wrote, informing them that Jamz was dead. Killed in a fight, apparently. Get this, though... she also sent, along with the letter, the last song he recorded, entitled... "Make Me Dead". Holy shit.

Goregod - The Human Abstract (1994)

Genre: Avant-Garde Industrial Death Metal
Country: Russia
Year: 1994

1. Pukes by Blood
2. The Human Abstract
3. World Is Shit
4. Sex Brutal Sex
5. White Is Right

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This... this is something a little different that some of you might not exactly enjoy. Still, I found it to be quite interesting and it's not exactly "available", so I thought it couldn't hurt to post.

The demo opens with what sounds like a dark, twisted... jaw harp. That's right. A jaw harp. If you're looking for creativity in OSDM, the Russian Goregod "fits" the bill. The guitars are borderline acoustic-sounding and have a very unique "steely" kind of sound whose strums remind me of the music in horror movies, victims running wildly at top speed down endless, poorly lit, metallic hallways. The drums drive a lot of the tempo, yet somehow feel disconnected from the rest of the music. You'll find a multitude of vocals here, ranging from sputtering snarling to spoken word to commanding PA system authoritativeness.

This'll leave you with a nice "whatthefuckdidijustlistento" feeling!

Different Seasons - Bleeding Summer (1996)

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

1. Steele Machine
2. Darkside
3. Behind You Sadness
4. Wind Of The Spite
5. Bleeding Summer
6. Red Evening Moon

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Ever since discovering these guys long ago, I haven't been able to go more than a few days without giving this one a listen! I am very impressed, and the only criticism I have is the short length of this "album", clocking in at just under 19 minutes in 6 songs. Goddamnit I want more!

Starting off with an eerie, yet still somehow cheery synthesized intro, the stage is set for some melodic/symphonic doomy Death Metal, but not in the frilly, "frolic through the flowers" pansy metal. This is some dark, but wholly engaging stuff. Excellent use of female vocals is made, along with synthesized instruments like organs! The good part of the album (understatement, since it's all good) starts when the female vocals burst out of the doom and gloom with "Behind You Sadness", providing fantastic contrast, and melding exceptionally well with the atmospheric/symphonic air.

This album has it all, despite such short length. We've got a straight-up Doom/Death song in "Darkside", eerie ambient intro/outro, powerful tunes incorporating all the elements that Different Seasons employs in tracks 3 & 4, and to top it all off, a gorgeous ballad, the title track of this hidden gem.

GET IT

Demented Rampage - Noise Gate on Above (1994)

Note: Artwork Unavailable

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Russia
Year: 1994

1. Intro
2. Evolved Mutations

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Some of these guys would later go on to form the great Different Seasons (see next post), and play a style somewhat similar to them in the slightly symphonic way, using synths. However, the contrast is a bit ugly in this demo, because we're hit with a 2+ minute beautiful atmospheric, almost church-like intro, assuredly to be followed by majesty in grace in music form, but instead, we're hit hard with chunky, almost brutal DM with pounding blast beats and simplistic riffing with a dark, crunchy growl.

Then out of nowhere... the synths! Bizarre. Still very interesting to listen to, even if the main song is almost exceeded in length by its intro. Worth a look to see how Different Seasons developed their style.

NOTE: The entire demo is 11 tracks, but eludes me for now...

Odium - Decay (2008)

Genre: Melodic Doom/Death Metal
Country: Russia
Year: 2008

1. Decay
2. The Last Spring
3. Storm

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A relatively recent release, Odium have sprung up out of nowhere (read: Russia) with this incredibly well-polished demo of impressive melodic proportions. They've since changed their name to Inner Missing, and perhaps I'll throw their other EP up here sometime, but for now, I'm really into this one! Only three songs, but all fairly long and in-depth, displaying an artistic talent, full of life and energy. They've got a knack for coming up with infectious guitar leads and lethal melodies to keep the listener hooked all throughout

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

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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.

Depression - Распятье Богов (1995) [Remastered and Original]

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

1. Де Сад
2. Зона Смерти
3. Инквизитор
4. Меланхолия
5. Предсмертный сон

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Download at Mediafire [Remastered]
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NOTE: Use 7zip when decompressing the archives. WinRAR might have trouble with the Cyrillic characters.

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HOLY SHIT

I have no idea where I came across this absolutely massive, obscure Russian demo, but I am sure as hell glad I did. One of the best demos my ears have had the pleasure of imbibing and they cannot thank me enough!

Monstrously huge, expansive Doom/Death Metal, with a heavy emphasis on the Doom. The tracks are quite lengthy, often extending past the ten minute mark, with an average of about 9 minutes each, allowing for multitudes of varying degrees of experimentation and gripping melodies. There's a little bit for everybody; often melodic, but at the same time crushingly heavy and suffocating, aided by the overpowering vocals. Evoking nostalgic and eye-opening atmosphere, I sit here stunned, mouth open, entirely at the mercy of this hypnotic and haunting obscurity. Long, winding instrumental passages saturate throughout, thick with melody and entrancement.

No other information about this band. Hell, their MA page hasn't been updated since the day this demo was submitted two years ago. Consider this a feast for the ears, a real treat to behold. Breathtaking.

EDIT 03/06/2012

Depression's classic 1995 demo has been remastered and rereleased in 2010. Link is included.

Russian Winter (Русская Зима) - Iz Vne (1992)

Genre: Death/Doom Metal
Country: Russia
Year: 1992

1. Samosojjenie (Самосожжение)
2. Krovaviy Ray (Кровавый рай)
3. Raskayanie (Раскаяние)
4. Znamenie (Знамение)

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Last.fm (Cyrillic)

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Ah... now here's some Death/Doom you can really get into. The production that makes it feel like the music is collapsing in on itself coupled with the generic beat makes this something you can headbang to. Nothing too impressive about the riffing or guitars as they're usually too quiet in the mix to notice, with the vocals and drums dominating all the way. The vocals also seem to echo quite a bit and are full to the brim with reverb, really accentuating a grim and desolate atmosphere. All the while, the drums plod on, never really mixing things up, but that's fine. In Russkaja Zima's (yeah, so there are three ways of writing the band's name, so what?) case, simplicity is the key. Maybe gets a wee bit stale due to the longer song lengths, but still a flat-out enjoyable demo.