Death Metal

The first ever death metal demo? Nah, it gets close to it but it still stays thrash metal. Anyway, this demo is a real brutal thrash with a shitload of aggressive riffs and straightforward lyrics. It's a short demo which contains only 3 tracks within 10 minutes, and it's good like that because I prefer short demos which goes straight to the point instead of overlong demos with one killer side, and one filler side.

The drumming is primitive and brutal like a wild beast but it isn't loud enough for me and even blends a bit in the mix. It keeps on whipping and sounds pretty solid, but it really feels like something missing there with the drums...but it still sounds energetic. The leading guitar also sounds fragile and too much improvised. It sounds like it kinda there only for the presence, to cover a bit the riffs and add kind of variation, but it doesn't make sense at all and sounds like plenty of sudden notes without any bond.

Is it got at least some decent riffs? Geez, it got a PLENTY OF killer riffs on high speed in a furious mode which sounds like unstoppable buzz saw on 500 mph cutting some posers heads and splashing their blood all around and blowing their nasty minds for a ten thousand pieces!! Yeah, it's that killer! The riffs are the best thing here and they are very mad so don't piss them off!

Alright, all these 3 songs are pretty killers due to the overwhelming riffs assault, but they are interrupted by some unnecessary solos which drag it down a bit.
If the lead guitar was average and the drumming was a bit louder, it could be a great demo. But guess what? it isn't...

Well anyway, get this demo for the beastly vocals and outstanding riffs. If you like thrash you won't regret about this stuff because it's a really good demo with some weak spots, but if you can rise above it, you'll eventually gonna have some pretty enjoyable listenings!

The first release from the death metal pioneers is actually not really death metal. This is pretty much thrash, it's heavy as fuck, but it's not quite death metal. The brutality in the production and vocals that were so inflential on Seven Churches are not present here. The production is actually alot cleaner sounding and the vocals are not a gutteral.

Death Metal is of course the highlight, and although it's not nearly as awsomely brutal as it is on Seven Churches this song still kicks ass. A faster, thrashier version is found here. Could easily have been on Hell Awaits in this form.

Evil Warriors is next and kind of worthless. I always thought this was the weakest song on Seven Churches. It is so much less brutal than the rest of Possessed songs from this era.

Burning In Hell is slow on here compared to Seven Churches. It is otherwise identical to that version.

I have a bootleg with Fallen Angel. I actually prefer that version over the Seven Churches version, it feels less forced. So this demo is definiely worth getting. It's worth it even to see the progression of extreme thrash that would become death metal.

Or thrash, or even speed metal! This demo is what started it all, in 1984... though at times it sounds more like a tight-as-fuck Venom (Becerra does a wicked Cronos at times!), and it's interesting to note how much thrashier this is than the Seven Churches LP.

Exhibit one: the title track, riff at 1.30 - that is a pure fucking thrash riff, and it's gone in the final version, replaced by a faster, higher-pitched, less overtly bludgeoning thrash riff. But here, it's a raging thrasher not unlike Chemical Warfare. The drum flurry kicks in and the slightly faster, more chaotic riff, and then the solo - though it's kind of interesting that it sounds like there's only one guitar during the solo sections... apparently Brian Montana was completely asleep on the job! Oh yeah and how about that closing shriek before the final solo. Mark Osegueda, eat your heart out. And take Tom Araya with you while you're there. Becerra's vox are fucking awesome.

Evil Warriors: SCREAM OUT IN FRIGHT!! Little silly vocal intro, then the song is roughly similar to the Seven Churches version. As I said, the demo is superficially identical to the LP, including the total fucking ruleage of "Burning in Hell"... it's only if you're a Possessed fucking freak like me that you'll notice the little things like "hey wait a minute, that riff is slightly different". One more example... the melodic counterpoint riff in Burning in Hell is more overt, though under this solo there are definitely two guitars and the solo a lot sloppier and Hanneman-ish and directionless, so let's blame Brian Montana, but after that, the wicked thrash break (you know which one!) is more overt than on the LP.

Thus, to recap... it's thrashier, with the riffs a bit more accented. The vocals aren't quite as out-there... I hear Black Metal on Death Metal, and also a little bit of "blasting our way through the boundaries of Hell...". The solos aren't as cool sometimes, and at times the riff under the solo is missing (Death Metal), oh and Fallen Angel doesn't have any bells.

Wait, Fallen Angel isn't even on this demo!! There's 2 versions or something - I have no idea what the story is but some bootlegs have Fallen Angel, others do not... in any case, it was recorded at the same time.

So is it any good? Of course it's good!!! It's fucking awesome!! What it lacks in sheer must-kill, it makes up for in thrashing goodness. This one definitely qualifies as death metal, just like the album that succeeded it... and just like that one, it's a good solid slab of thrash. Worth getting - historical value: unbelievably high. Musical value: just about as high. The only complaint is that Montana's solos are goofy and not nearly as focused as those of Lalonde, and the guitar tone is far more ordinary... but enough of my bitching... there's only one Seven Churches, but this is damn close.