Sceptical Schizo - Demo #1 (1989)

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Finland
Year: 1989

1. Intro
2. Holy War
3. Disguised Insanity
4. Forbidden Games
5. The Nightmare
6. I Was Made for Killing You (Bonus)

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Mega thanks to Drowned for surfacing what many thought to be lost forever or never to have existed in the first place! Here we have the very first offering from Sceptical Schizo. Thought I'd post it to complete the collection since everything else by Sceptical Schizo has been posted on this blog.

This one boils down to basic Thrash Metal, with some deathy undertones, hardly hinting at the future for this band. As time went on, these guys slowly got more and more doomy and depressive, and this 1989 demo provides an interesting look to where they started. A very chunky, thrashy start, to be exact. There's not much in the way of song structure. Underproduced, simplistic riffs with some deathy vocals and a gritty bassline.

Somewhere along the line, these guys were met with inspiration, and I sure as hell am glad they did.

Asphyxia (Irl) - Conflagration (1990)

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: Ireland
Year: 1990

1. D.P.O.S. (Intro)
2. The Craving
3. Conflagration
4. Symptoms of Suffering

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

—————————————————————

A lot of you have probably heard of of the Irish Morphosis; well, this is what Morphosis used to be. A rather early Death Metal release from 1990 with some Thrash tendencies, it is a very impressive demo for the time.

Song lengths average a jaw-dropping eight minutes, which was unheard of for a thrashy-type band at the time, so you can expect the song structures here to be well-thought out and carefully pieced together. I know I've mentioned thrash a few times, but this demo leans more toward the Death Metal side of the spectrum with gritty, deathy production and rasping Kreator-esque vocals. Expect myriad long, plodding riffing sections, giving some of the songs, especially "The Craving" a sort of entrancing feel, very easy to get sucked into. This style works quite well for the demo as a whole, and it feels hearty and full. There are a fair amount of solos to break up the songs, drawing on its thrash influences, as well as quick-paced, energetic riffing to keep things lively, despite its long-winded nature. A few production issues sprinkle throughout, like on "Conflagration" where the sound dips in and out, but for the most part, it's produced well for a 90s demo, certainly listenable.

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

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

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.

Hatred Embraced - Demo (2009)

Note: Artwork unavailable

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: USA
Year: 2009

1. Descent into the Macabre
2. Interment of Divine Saviours

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Facebook
Myspace
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Furious and pummeling, Hatred Embraced have risen from the boondocks of New Jersey (man, what's in NJ!? :b) with some deadly thrash-influenced Death Metal, ready to rip to shreds whoever's in their way.

Highly riff-oriented with a saturated production, this is very easy to listen to and fun to get into. The vocals are everywhere, and border a bit on the melodic side, but fitting very well with the guitar tone, giving these two tracks a balanced feel with a sense of direction! Great guitarwork with finetuned control. Unfortunately, this is only a short, albeit sweet sampler of what will surely be a promising future for these New Jersey metallers!

Voor - 1985 Demo (1985)

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: Canada
Year: 1985

1. Evil Metal
2. In Hell
3. Creature Of War
4. No Title
5. Bloodlust (Venom Cover)

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Classic band. Classic Death/Thrash. Voor formed way back in 1984 over in Quebec, Canada and churned out two timeless demos that are often regarded as the building blocks of Death Metal. This is more thrash, but worth mentioning, as they do have some stake in the Death Metal we know and love today. Very up-beat and fast paced with some killer riffs and solos, this is thrashing goodness is the most natural form possible. Chaotic vocals help fill out this demo, making the 1985 Demo some of the most fun music to listen to!

Voor - Evil Metal (1985)

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: Canada
Year: 1985

1. Evil Metal
2. In The Hell
3. Creatures of War
4. Like A Snake

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives Rating: 88% (2 reviews)
Last.fm

—————————————————————

The second demo from these Canadian deathrashers, and it's a re-recording of all the material sans the Venom cover from their previous demo. Why they did this, I don't know, but it does sound much better! They turned up the production a few notches (relatively speaking) for a much better-sounding slab of thrashing chaos. Very catchy and fast-paced riffing reminiscent of Slayer and Possessed, often repetitive, but overall a fun listen, and even more exciting to see that Voor could have very well been in Possessed spot, grabbing hold of the title of Founder of Death Metal.

Korsakov - Hangover Heroes (1989)

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: Netherlands
Year: 1989

1. Criptic Sin
2. Hangover Heroes
3. Disgustor
4. Ripping Silence
5. Korsakov
6. Before Beer
7. Doomsday Messiah

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

I had been meaning to post these demos for some time now, but since they were brought up in the shoutbox, may as well do it now! However, I only have the first two demos...

Korsakov embody what it means to play Death/Thrash. Hell, in their official logo, the word "DEATHRASH" is imprinted in the corner, and they certainly do it well! Very heavy and dirty with the production, this is some furious music. Often keeping up the pace, even during the times where it seems like the song should be slower, you can be sure that the assault on your ears coming from this band will not disappoint. Very thrashy riffs, these guys are having fun playing this awesome music, and that make the demo that much more enjoyable. The vocals fit very well with the music; they're not growls or yells, but in between. A very slobbery-sounding style that complements the gritty production.

Korsakov - Radiation Exposure (1991)

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: Netherlands
Year: 1991

1. Merryscary (Intro)
2. Worldwar Thirdteen
3. Burning Corpses
4. Sanctified Mears
5. City At War
6. Procreate Doom
7. Charred Remains (Cover Gods Autopsy)

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

The second demo from the Holland deathrashers is slightly different in style when compared to their debut. It's largely more tame and seems to be slowed down a little, especially on "Burning Corpse". It actually gets to be a little doomy at parts! Still, the quick riffs are there and the general evil vibe is still present. Oh, they keep it fun as well. Just listen to the intro and you'll see that these guys are all laughs, out there to make awesome music for awesome people (you and me).

Production is bumped up a few notches, and doesn't sound as dirty. Actually leans more towards a thrash album than anything. The vocal craft has been perfected as well, and the vocalist sounds just like Autopsy! There's a reason to grab this!

If anybody can hook me up with their third demo "Prolong the Agony", it would be greatly appreciated!

EDIT: I have acquired the third demo; will post soon.

Abysm - Demo 2007 (2007)

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: Canada
Year: 2007

1. Self Indulgence
2. Suffer
3. Reek of a Scene

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives Rating: 77% (1 review)
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Abysm was a small trio coming out of Ottawa, Canada, and only managed to release this singular recording, limited to 10 copies, before splitting up on Christmas of '08.

They play a rather violent type of Death/Thrash with somewhat melodeathy vocals. Don't be put off by that, though, as this is some of the most furious and downright destructive deathrash out there. The riffing is through the roof completely, and in each of the three songs, we're hit with simple, but catchy hooks and leads, making for a very enjoyable demo. Short, under 10 minutes and consisting of three songs, there are plenty of blast beats to be heard, and you can tell that not a single member of this young band is slouching; they're all doing their part to make this very professional-sounding demo. The band also graciously allows for their music to be spread for free, so don't feel guilty about downloading this demo! Turns out I actually met they guy before this demo was released, and have been following him for a while, and kept pestering him about recording more, but unfortunately, shit happened, and they split up. Bummer; they were going places.

Not bad for a bunch of 16 year-olds! Not bad at all.

Sepulchral Death - Praising Death (1986)

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: Netherlands
Year: 1986

1. Schizophrenic Doom
2. Praising Death
3. Sepulchral Death
4. Capitol Punishment
5. Exaltation Of The Cross
6. Mutual Repugnance

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

All credits for the upload of this rare demo go to dea7hrash!

—————————————————————

Now here's an oldie! From the heyday of Death Metal, Sepulchral Death (changed name to Usurper) released their only demo, entitled "Praising Death" in 1986. Like most DM back then, this was highly influenced by thrash, and we can see that in the shorter song lengths and quick, furious riffing. The whole demo, consisting of 17 minutes, is set on high-speed through and through, ready to rip you to shreds along the way. The vocals are far back in the mix and more thrashy, but you can hear the death overtones. That "sickening" sort of style. Gives this demo a very dirty/old school feel. The riffing itself is also quite excellent and probably the best riff comes in the last song, "Mutual Repugnance". Absolutely mesmerizing and definitely the best track on the album. So for all fans of Usurper or old old school in general, nab this!

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

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

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.

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

Download at 4shared
Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

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.

Chronic Decay - Ecstacy in Pain (1990)

Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Country: Sweden
Year: 1990

1. Ecstasy in Pain
2. 1st of September
3. Dark Before Dawn

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives Rating: 91% (1 review)
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Total destruction. This EP is everything fast, furious and deadly dangerous about Death Metal. Not relenting for even a moment, Chronic Decay continue to pound your skull in, song after song. The riffs are pronounced and lighting speed, and they just keep going! If you're one to hold your breath when something intense is going on, you'll suffer massive brain damage because you won't be able to breathe for 11 minutes! The 1st of September is a prime example of the ferocity. It starts off with a hooking riff and eventually explodes into chaos and aggression. Awesome stuff.

The vocals also fit quite well. They are nothing like those found on the split. They are more deathy and less thrashy. Recommended!

Cretaceous - Demo 2008 (2008)

Genre: Crusty Death/Thrash/Dinosaur Metal
Country: USA
Year: 2008

1. Torn To Pieces
2. What Once Was...
3. Terror-Dactyl
4. Tsunami of Blood
5. Megalodon of the Dead

Download at Mediafire
Metal Archives
Last.fm

—————————————————————

Plain and simple, this is a fun release. And you heard me right... Dinosaur Metal! These guys sing about those ancient creatures, while adding in their own touch of old school deathy thrash chaos to make for a wild ride. Very fast-paced and with quick riffs that'll leave you nodding your head and tapping your foot along.

Oh, and I came across this recording many many months ago, but when I tried to search for them again, I had no luck, so you may as well download this here, as you won't be able to anywhere else! Enjoy!

Credits go to this guy at this blog in this post!