Child of Darkness: From the Original Master Tapes

“Child of Darkness,” even if the music it contained were not incredible, holds prominence for its historical significance. These are the demo tapes of Bedemon, a squad formed in the 1970s in the pits of Arlington, Virginia. Bedemon most notably featured Bobby Liebling and a select few others who would have some role in Pentagram, be it ephemeral or enduring. The beauty of Bedemon and “Child of Darkness” is something more than the solid retro doom which lives and breathes in these songs. While these factors are pivotal, “Child of Darkness” has an atmosphere and sound quality that are today often imitated, but not without sacrificing a massive chunk of authenticity. Hearing these tapes is almost dreamlike.

The influence of the classic groups who seeded this style are almost palpable, especially Black Sabbath, whose doom metal roots are tangled in the atmosphere. Bedemon operates under an oppressive and murky umbrella, a stranger’s hard and unforeseen punch in the gut. These songs stretch a wide gamut, but seldom deviate from the negative and shadowy Bedemon aura prowling the riffs and haunting the lyrics. You can nearly touch the doomy influence of Black Sabbath dripping through the dense, crawling rhythms and Bobby Liebling’s vocals. Different dynamics of Bedemon’s style differentiate the doom metal template, showing influences tipping the scales in favor of 70s rock. There is a definite presence of accessibility lingering in the haze, as some tracks (“Time Bomb,” “Into the Grave”) shed the murk for a more manageable frame of mind.

The band’s chemistry exploring the compilation’s multiple states is a marvel, really, as the rhythm section is profound between Liebling’s wailing and the thick riffs rolling out of the abyss. Bass lines and drum fills bridging the gap with groove are everywhere, and augment the sheer might of Bedemon’s efforts. The band sounds heavier than an anvil on your toes lurching through the driving bulldozer of doom that is “Drive Me to the Grave” and the rhythmic power of “Touch the Sky,” though “Into the Grave” sticks out as one of the compilation’s finest tracks as well. Bobby’s lyrical themes explore death, anti-religion, horror, tough life—the goods of doom. These dark words are brilliant in the surrounding, serving as the hot fudge on the doom sundae.

But if I’m going to single out the best part of these tapes, it has to be the sound quality. “Child of Darkness” under another lens might be tagged sounding utterly abysmal, with wonky balances and hazy instruments smearing against an uncooked quality. Given how Bedemon operates, the recording equipment of demo tapes in the 1970s (which couldn’t have been much), and the general murkiness of doom found in every inch of “Child of Darkness,” it makes sense. Total sense. Bedemon’s tale beyond the demos that compile “Child of Darkness” has little worth mentioning. However, the fifteen songs lurking in the atonal chamber that is “Child of Darkness” are lethal enough to startle, and substantial enough to be revered.

This review was written for: www.Thrashpit.com

Bedemon did the works gathered here in the years 1971-1974. Just a little after Black Sabbath started the whole thing with their 1970 debut album. The Americans are a lot like their British counterparts, but there are some differences: first, they are not as popular, they are hardly popular at all - of course Sabbath are idols, but Bedemon should be better known; second: they went into even heavier music.

The collection here is a bunch of simple-riffed songs. That's one of their best advantages, because it's those riffs - in "Child of Darkness" or "Serpent's Venom" - that the listener remembers best. The vocals compose well with the music, they are not shouted but sung in a melodic way, which makes the songs more listenable than the modern stuff. Along with the lyrics - well-written, going into dark and sad aspects of humanity and spirituality. At the time - it was extreme. For now it seems very much interesting how good music could be created, catchy and melodic, but heavy at the time and giving a cold chill.

The quality of the tapes is, well, bootleg. But it doesnt matter at all, because here we see what doom metal originally was and what it should be like. And this album should be like popularized!

For all those unfamiliar with this band, Bedemon was a project created by Randy Palmer (R.I.P.) in 1973, just a year before joining the ranks of the mighty Pentagram. With the help of his future bandmates, Bobby Liebling and Geof O' Keefe, and assisted by his friend Mike Matthews on bass, Randy's desire to record his own songs and ideas, finally became reality. These songs were never meant to be recorded for an official release, not even for a demo, so the recordings never took place in a studio, just in Pentagram's rehearsal basement. So I have to warn you, don’t expect a classy, not even decent in some songs, sound quality. What you will listen in this album, is what can be considered a completely genuine and unspoiled musical moment, because here we have the recordings of a band some friends had, just for expressing themselves, playing their music together, and then listening to it in order to have fun. That was Randy Palmer's only purpose behind Bedemon, and I can tell you that we have to be grateful to Black Widow, for giving us the opportunity to experience this other side of an underrated musical genius, with this first official release of the Bedemon material.

If you think that Bedemon’s sound is pretty similar to the 70s era Pentagram, you are nearly wrong. This material is a lot doomier, darker and heavier than anything Pentagram did in the 70s. Bedemon's music is an unholy blend of Blue Cheer, The Stooges and early Black Sabbath, shrouded by a black cloud of gloominess and negative emotions. If we are to talk about composers who were ahead of their time, Randy Palmer is one of the kings of the category. The heaviness of his playing and his tension to use slow and almost ritualistic rhythms on every instrument, were totally matchless, and were absolutely copied by many in the following decades. Just listen to the riff that marks the beginning of the album, it sounds so evil and obscure, that it could be the soundtrack for the march of some demonic legions. The whole release is full of moments like this one, but there is no lack of jamming/hard rocking, or very melodic songs, with some very special melodies influenced by the 60s psychedelia. The songs are performed with the incomparable passion that a “small” rehearsal band has, Bobby Liebling’s voice for example sounds even more unrefined than in Pentagram, with its usual mood shifts. Also O’Keefe shows us a different, but still quite noticeable, side of his drum playing, with Matthews’ bass following his groove.

Geof O’Keefe says that this release was meant to celebrate a Bedemon reunion, but after Randy’s loss, it just became a tribute. "Child Of Darkness" is both, a tribute to a great musician/composer, and a celebration of this well hidden part of doom history. With awe and respect...

First time I heard this record, I must admit that I was surprised by two factors. Firstly, the raw sound. If you're reading this with an interest in hearing this record, then you no doubt are familiar with examples of Pentagram's early work. Be it from one or both of the "First Days" compilations or perhaps from a live recording from the time. If so, then you are no doubt familiar with the raw recording style that the 70s recordings were made in. Well, I was expecting a similar sound with this record. I got it. With the "rawometer" turned up a couple dozen notches. This record sounds like it was recorded in a basement with equipment on loan from a church theater group.

In other words, it's heaven to a doom fan.

The other factor that threw me for a loop was the quality of song writing involved here. There are several songs that sound as good as the very best Pentagram songs ever recorded. In particular, Serpent Kiss, Last Call and Time Bomb show ingenius songwriting from numerous members and are expertly recorded....or as expertly as one would want. Every song is a complete winner, however and are fine examples of the genre.

So, If you haven't caught my drift by now, if you like early 'gram, then you'll lay your soul in sacrifice to Bedemon.

RIP Mr. Palmer