Death Metal Demo Dive 1
This is the first in a new series of posts in which I am going to explore the rich history of death metal through the medium of the demo tape!
This is just going to be a quick overview of different releases, all will include YouTube links so you can enjoy the journey. There wonāt be full reviews because that would get a bit repetitive but short statements about each release. You can form your own opinion. Feel free to share that here. Comment
Iām not going to keep it strictly chronological, just take a few demos per blog post and together we can explore where this genre came from and enjoy the evolution.
So without further ado, letās get cracking!
Lobotomy - When Death Draws Near:
This is the first demo release by Swedish band Lobotomy, released the same year they formed in 1990. This was actually re-released in 2024 as part of a compilation.
File this one under ādecentā. Thereās some good stuff in here but it does feel a bit slow and ploddy to me. Iād like a bit more edge. Still, as a first demo this is worth seeking out and as such, the production is pretty impressive. Itās compromised of 3 tracks with a run time of just shy of 18 minutes.
For our second release we are sticking with Sweden. Formed in 1987 this is the bands fourth demo, released in 1989. Coincidentally this also had a 2024 re-release. If you like this then the band went on to release 5 full length albums.
Clocking in at just over 20 minutes, this one starts off with some thunder and lightening before giving way to an orchestral intro, this is actually quite impressive for a 1989 death metal release and helps it stand out. The production on this one is actually pretty raw but old school death heads will still be able to get on board. The music has a real gallop to it. I should definitely go back those studio albums.
Nirvana 2002 - Disembodied Spirits:
For our first blog post, letās just keep it all in the same area and go for a third band from Sweden. This is the bands fourth release, after two demos and a split. Itās a short, sharp 3 tracks in 10 and a half minutes and this one was also released in 1990.
This one has a real crunch to the riffs which means it is definitely the most identifiable as being from the early Swedish scene. It is also possibly the most varied and dynamic of the three which should appeal to fans who like the more technical side of things.
There we go, the first three releases on our exploration into the murky waters that is death metal history. Iāll try to keep it more varied in terms of location going forward but Sweden just felt like the right place to start. Hope you enjoyed this and come along for the ride.
Hails!