Carcaroht - Floating Souls (1994)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1994

1. Intro/As The Gates Fall
2. I Precide To A New Existence
3. Untitled

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Here is the final release from Carcaroht, a repackaged Promo 94. This is the same thing, yet the production value is much higher. This has a very clean and clear sound, eliminating the muddiness and chaos from the promo. It's amazing how much better this sounds; they must've had a few bucks leftover.

Not entirely sure why this project didn't continue. It seemed like that with the quality of both the music and production, these guys would at least have an album in them, but I suppose they had bigger and better things to do. If you want to hear a little more about the music itself, just check out the Promo 94 post, linked above. Enjoy this one, but remember, if you want something with a little more grit, go for the promo!

Carcaroht - Promo 94 (1994)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1994

1. Intro
2. As The Gates Fall
3. I Precide To A New Existence
4. Untitled

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

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More than two years ago I promised to post this promo... haha. But hey, I'm good on my word! It's just a matter of when. Anyway, there seems to be a bit of confusion surrounding this promo. They released another demo in 1994 entitled Floating Souls that appears to be the same thing as this demo. They are actually different recordings, it's just that Floating Souls is better produced. This promo has a much fuller and heavier sound than the tinny Floating Souls, making this my release of preference. However, if you're looking for some production in your OSDM (ew), you'll want to head over to Floating Souls.

As previously mentioned, this is a very good-sounding demo, considering their relative obscurity. All members went on to participate in a fuckload of other bands, so I suppose this can be considered the guinea pig experiment that showcases their potential and skill. That's not to say you won't be blown away by this promo. It has a very full and suffocating sound, with fast and furious riffing in its most raw form. Solos are used to great effect, parting the dark stormclouds and letting in that ray of piercing light. "Untitled" holds a particularly powerful solo.

I'll post Floating Souls as well.

Gruel - Gruel (2005)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 2005

1. Corporeal Flesh Consume
2. Awaiting the Massacre
3. Cursed Desert Sand

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Metal Archives Rating: 88% (2 reviews)
Purchase
Last.fm

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Credit to FeatherOfHuginn for turning me onto this gem shrouded in... obscurity? Point is, not enough people know about this, so here's my good-natured attempt at showing you all the light (er, dark).

The first thing that struck me was the top-notch recording quality. Who are these Swedish guys? I'm convinced this has to be some sort of side project of somebody or something, since most bedroom bands have less than desirable sound quality. Speculations aside, the material presented in these short 12 minutes simply oozes potential... certainly a direction any death metal band would be proud to embark upon.

The vocals stand out particularly, alternating between your classic death gutturals and a more demonic, gnashing angry growl, both of which meld beautifully with the skillful and aggressive guitars. Very riff-oriented, so if you like your death metal thick and engaging, with a guitar tone to die for, look no further... that is, until this quick demo ends...

Bastard Priest - Merciless Insane Death (2008)

Genre: Punky Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 2008

1. Under the Hammer of Destruction
2. From Beyond
3. Merciless Insane Death
4. Graveyard Sacrifice
5. En Hälsning Från Helvetet (Bombanfall cover)

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives Rating: 100% (1 review)
Last.fm

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Bold name, I know, but Bastard Priest serves to assert the boldness behind their 2008 demo entitled Merciless Insane Death. Hailing from Sweden, "primitive" is probably the most appropriate descriptor for this style of music. These guys don't give two shits about technicality or making their music unique through experimentation; no, Bastard Priest has set out to record some of the most raw and filthy death metal of this decade!

There is nothing about this demo that won't kick your ass. Everything from the production to the soloing is wildly chaotic and out of control, pushing the envelope, and tearing a warpath through everything standing in its way. Pure aggression is king, especially in the crusty punkish vocals. Not so much growled, but more yelled, bumping up the overall intensity a few notches. Nicely complementing the vocals are the drums and guitars, both lightning fast--even the riffing seems unnaturally sped up at points like toward the end of the title track. Still, there's the occasional slowed-down part, most likely to give the listener a chance to catch his breath, but those never last long, and we're back up to full speed, maniac solos throwing jabs and hooks left and right, not letting up until you're lying bruised and bloodied on the ground.

Emotion. You just don't get death metal these days with this sort of heart and desire to make such mutilating music. I see a bright future for Bastard Priest; let us raise our glasses to them!

FUN FACT: Blog post #200!

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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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.

Cremation - Quilquish Septicemia (1989)

Note: Artwork unavailable

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1989

1. The Embalming (Intro)
2. Cremation
3. Quilquish Septicemia
4. Remains of Death
5. Evil Dead (Death cover)
6. The Scattering (Outro)

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I'm constantly digging around for really old school stuff, so when I came across this 1989 hidden gem, I was quite pleased. This was originally recorded as a rehearsal, then sort of half-officially released as a demo. The sound isn't too bad, but, as with most rehearsals, the vocals are really muffled and barely audible. That's not necessarily a bad thing, since they can sometimes be downright pants-shittingly scary, especially when the vocalist really lets loose a primitive shriek like at 3:18 in the song "Cremation" and the beginning of the title track.

Often flirting with Doom, there are slow, ambling sections, but also thrashy paced up-beat parts with lively riffs. Demos like these are my favorite because instrumentation is focused on a lot more, instead of being overpowered with vocals. You're free to bask in the great guitarwork here. Recommended.

Eructation - Demo 1992 (1992)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1992

1. Day of Confusion
2. Foul Feast
3. Consider to Die

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Last.fm

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Whoa. Okay. This is probably the best demo from 1992. Everything about Eructation's Demo 1992 is absolutely perfect. Swedish brilliance of the highest degree.

The first thing you'll notice when listening is that the production is flawless. Very clean and full-sounding for a one-demo band, having released this mere demo way back in '92. All the instruments can be clearly heard, and it seems each and every part of this band gets their shot in the limelight throughout the course of this short demo. The guitars are the main highlight with their superb riffing. As you may already know, a lot of old school DM focus on the art of the riff, but Eructation take it to a whole new level (well, at the time). It seems like the basic foundation is built upon addictive riffs and very powerful, energetic hooks. Upon first listen, my mouth dropped open out of sheer disbelief. It just didn't add up, but here it is, destroying my ears as I post.

The bass player also gets his chance at some glory, especially toward the end of "Day of Confusion". He really goes wild with some fantastic bass..ing. In addition to these unheard-of techniques back in 1992, there are quite a few bizarre chunks to the demo. Mostly in the first song, there are these weird robot-like clean spoken vocals and during "Foul Feast", we're hit with this WTF sound effect. Just listen to this shit; my words don't do it justice.

Recommended to the highest degree.

RIFFS

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

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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.

Scypozoa - Signs from the Erratic Past (1991)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1991

1. Ceremonized
2. The Return of the Hovey
3. Darkness
4. The Path

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Last.fm

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Scypozoa were an old band out of Sweden, forming at around the same time of other small acts in the area. Unfortunately, their fate was the same as most of those other bands: short and sweet. Having only released two demos, the members called it quits and went on to work with other bands.

The first thing that struck me was the killer vocal performance. This guy has the same messy style that vocalists like Chris Reifert, albeit much deeper and coarser. You could actually understand Reifert, but this just sounds like he's drooling all over himself, spewing classic Death Metal lyrics at the listener, and I love it! Gives the demo a very free sound. Overall a well-produced demo; everything in line here, nothing rising too far out of the mix, with the vocals, guitars, and drums all taking turns standing out throughout the songs. It has a thrashy side, and some of the quick, sharp riffs are indicative of that. A damned fine demo, and truly deserving of more attention.

Scypozoa - Diary (1992)

Note: Artwork unavailable

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1992

1. Diary
2. Until The World Is Blind
3. Compensation

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Scypozoa's second effort, this time more of a promo, in the hopes of attracting a record label to sign with. It seems as though their first demo did the trick, and this was to seal the dea. However, this promo is... admittedly worse than the demo. I'm not saying it's bad, but it just seemed like all the things that were so likable about the first demo sort of disappeared, and we're left with two somewhat different releases. The vocals have changed, and seem a bit tamer, which might appeal to some, but not to me after Signs from the Erratic Past. You can still count on those riffs, though, and while they've lost some of that thrashy edge and have developed more into full-on Death Metal riffs, they definitely slay quite nicely. Some stuff is the same, some is different, but apparently wasn't enough to garner any attention! A valuable addition to any 'kvlt' collection!

Obscene - Grotesque Experience (1990)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1990

1. Shades of Nothing
2. Eternal Doom
3. Putrid Remains

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Metal Archives
Last.fm

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Only three fucking plays for this demo on Last.fm? You've got to be kidding me. This is one of the best demos I've ever heard. Don't believe me? Well two of the lead guys went on to play in House of Usher and Crypt of Kerberos. Yeah, holy shit. It's a crime that these guys have gone so unrecognized for so long. The band's only demo, three songs, but about 20 minutes of evil Death Metal; the best kind.

What we have here is some relatively doomy-paced Death Metal with a keen eye for dynamics. As I listen to this, I'm catching glimpses of Timeghoul for the sci-fi, spacey moments, executed to perfection to really liven up the atmosphere of this piece. This demo, in addition to its pure evilness, also has an enigmatic, creepy factor to it. For a brief moment, Impavida just flashed through my mind, as a spooky riffs eerily caressed my mind, sinking into my brain. The vocals are set back a bit in the mix, and at a comfortable rasp, they complement the musical genius perfectly. A very hypnotic and entrancing atmosphere is given off, and is accentuated by the longer song lengths, each averaging about six minutes in length. The occasional solo is thrown in, muffled in the background, giving this demo a very far-out feel, and you'll notice the rare sort of acoustic interlude, like towards the end of "Eternal Doom" that just seals the deal on this phenomenal demo.

Highly recommended.

Funeral Feast - Demo #1 (1992)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1992

1. Intro
2. Inhuman Acts of Sexual Perversion
3. Consumer of a Captious Carrion
4. Necro-Lustful Exhumanation

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

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When most people hear Funeral Feast, they think of the Finnish band, but today I'm featuring the lesser known Swedish act of the same name, who only managed to release a single demo, simply named "Demo #1". Starting with a reverberated intro track, the demo proceeds to erupt into some classic Death Metal with a beat. Very easy to headbang along with, these guys know how to create hypnotic song structures with catchy riffing. Songs can be repetitive at points, but that's a good thing in this band's case, as all of the material is definitely worthy of being played multiple times through. Slightly thrashy and very enjoyable for fans of early Bolt Thrower.

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

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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.

Crematory - Wrath from the Unknown (1991)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1991

1. Beneath the Crypts
2. Unconsecrated Ground
3. Wrath from the Unknown
4. Mastication

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives Rating: 98% (1 review)
Last.fm

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Yeah, yeah, well-known band, I know. But this is a lesser-known release from the great Crematory, and is definitely the highlight of their career. Wrath from the Unknown was their second official demo and they were really starting to get into the swing of things. Drastically different from the first demo in terms of production, this demo simply excels. Each and every instrument can be heard clearly and individually, letting each facet of the release to shine. The drumming is fucking intense, with the right about of blasting and an all around great style. Mix that with the chaotic riffs, sometimes slowing down to dooooom like on the title track, and you've got a disturbingly dark hunk of Death Metal ready to pulverize your ears.

Toxaemia - Kaleidoscopic Lunacy (1990)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1990

1. Terminated Violence
2. Dark Wisdom
3. Crematorium
4. Evil Rage

Download at 4shared
Metal Archives Rating: 80% (1 review)
Last.fm

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Another forgotten gem, this is Toxaemia's first demo of their short-lived career. It's so frustrating when bands only stick around for one or two years, release such promising stuff, then promptly disappear into thin air. Oh well, it can't be helped.

This is some very raw/muddy-sounding Death Metal of the oldest old school caliber. Very solid stuff, the production is surprisingly good and satisfyingly heavy. For some reason, I immediately thought of Cemetary's Evil Shade of Grey when listening to the first track of this album, and we all know that's definitely not a bad thing. A bit on the "nothing new here" side, but still very well-done Swedeath.

Crematorium is a great song, featuring some excellent tremolo picked riffs and by far the highlight of this demo.

Toxaemia - Beyond the Realm (1990)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1990

1. Beyond the Realm
2. Another Lie, Another Death
3. Who Dies
4. Expired Christianity

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives Rating: 85% (1 review)
Last.fm

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The second offering from Toxaemia, and their style has changed quite a bit. The production is probably the most notable difference, and it seems a lot more tinny and even overproduced at some points. The percussion is loud and in your face, sometimes overpowering like in Rippikoulu's Musta Seremonia. There is also more aggression, so much so that the EP takes on sort of a thrashy feel, with its quick riffs and excellent solos. The vocals are raspy gutturals, the kind that I really enjoy. A great EP, and probably better then their initial demo, what with the higher quality riffing.

Toxaemia - Buried to Rot (1991)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1991

1. World Graveyard
2. Tragedies Through Centuries
3. Hate Within
4. The Beginning of the End
5. Buried to Rot

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

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The third and final work from Toxaemia, and they went out with a bang. I'm not quite sure what happened to the production here, as it seems a bit flaky, but what's important is how the songs are composed, and that is just as good as ever. It seems they've honed the art of the riff over the past year, and this album is chock full of them. Very catchy riffs start out ever song and continue to satiate the entirety of each track. Solos are also very good. It's almost as if Toxaemia said "Fuck it", knowing they were going to be finished soon and busted out all their best riffs to use on this demo, making it very enjoyable. Cool stuff!

EDIT: Not sure where I came across this, but here is an "expanded" version with a few more tracks. |Mediafire|

Goddefied - Abysmal Grief (1993)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1993

1. Blaspheme In Blood
2. Zephaniah Dwells
3. Abysmal Grief
4. Spiritually Deceased
5. Left To Die
6. Inhumation of Shreds

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives Rating: 80% (1 review)
Last.fm

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"Like an Ever Flowing Left Hand Path"

That is the title of the review on MA by foodified and I can't agree more. This is probably one of the most blatant rip-offs ever, especially when it comes to stealing Entombed's material. Hell, just listen to "Left to Die" then listen to Entombed's "Blessed Be". Cover? Naw, original material. Supposedly. Yeah right. Regardless of all this copying, this really isn't a half bad EP. Who cares if they ripped off a band? As long as they didn't become rich or famous because of it, we're just left with another piece of worship that is actually done quite nicely. Everybody loves Entombed, so you'll love Goddefied as well.

Abhoth - Rehearsal 1990 (1990)

Note: Artwork unavailable

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1990

1. Soul Plague
2. God Macabre

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Because I'm a completist and love to obtain full discographies from bands, I finally managed to hunt down this lost Abhoth rehearsal. Note that this is ridiculously rare and you will NOT find it anywhere else.

Recorded on January 11th, 1990, this is the second rendition of Abhoth's previous 1989 rehearsal, which was instrumental. Vocals have been included in this one. You can tell these guys definitely improved far beyond their previous abomination of a demo "A Matter of Splatter". Present there were short song lengths, and underdeveloped songs. Abhoth show a much greater maturity with this rehearsal. The songs are much longer (5 and 3 minutes) and show an actual attempt at song structure, not just mindless riffs being thrown around. Definitely the turning point for this band. Vocals are a bit hardcore-ish, but not much and the riffs are actually catchy and creative, with the occasional solo thrown in here and there. Nice stuff!

Agretator - Delusions (1994)

Genre: Death Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1994

1. Prophecy
2. Critical Dimensions
3. Bustering Madness
4. An Infirm Soul
5. Pointless Objection
6. Merciless Living
7. Human Decay
8. Internal Severity
9. Pictures

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Metal Archives
Last.fm

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Predecessor to Darkane, Agretator started out with a full-length right off the bat, Delusions. Although, to be fair, they were originally named Demise and released a few demos before. Regardless, because this material is coming from, for all intents and purposes, Darkane, you can expect it to be of the utmost quality. They don't quite have that thrash/melodeath feel that Darkane does, which is a good thing. Just raw, down and dirty Death Metal. The vocals are a bit unique and differ ever so slightly from your traditional standards of Death Metal. They seem to have a raspy, more melodic feel, and sometimes I get the impression the guy's a robot. Pretty cool, really. Mostly mid to fast-paced, this is a solid record and must-have to see where Darkane started out!