P0IS0N-Further Down Into The Abyss(1984-87)

 

1.sphinx
2.lurking fear
3.slaves(of the crucifix)
4.requiem/alive(undead)
5.satan commands
6.zombie dance
7.angel of satan
8.alive(undead)
9.wake the dead
10.black death
11.witchfynde
12.possessed (by hell)

fucking Metal!!!  This should not be confused with the cock rock band with the same name.
I wasn't familiar with these guys in the early days.  It wasn't until the 90's that I was introduced to them by this metal freak named John who would frequent the comic shop I worked at.  John would swing by every week, and give me cassettes of demo's and rare obscure metal records that he had dubbed for me.  What I recall most about this dude was that he lived at home with him mom, but had a porn addiction that i'd say matched almost any one I'd ever met.  Dude drove around in this clunker of a car(like a la barren I think), blasting metal on his tape deck, with his video porn collection stored in the trunk so that his mother wouldn't find it at home.  Totally hilarious.  All I could ever imagine was him getting in an accident, or pulled over by the cops who searched his car only to find a huge stash of porn in the trunk.  At any rate John taped me one of this bands demo's from the 80's.  Years later I saw this sucker and knew I needed it.  I guess this German Black/Death/Thrash band flew under my radar because I was more interested in Sodom, Kreator, and Destruction.  At any rate this compiles a bunch of demo tracks, a live tune, and some other rarities.  The band formed in the early 80's, and signed some bogus contract that didn't allow them to record anything for some time.  This lead to inactivity, and then the bands break up.

http://www.mediafire.com/?px7uvsxcmgn2so3

REAL STEEL-s/t 7"(1987)

1.Viking Queen
2.Excalibur

I don't know much about these guys, other then they aren't the band with the same name from Clevo., and they sound a lot like earlier Metallica. My friend Paul picked up the 7" for me while he was diggin' for rare punk platters in the wild a while back. No cover art on my copy. "Excalibur" is the winner out of the two songs. Enjoy.


http://www.mediafire.com/?h6ovreh3w7d4s7c

POSSESSOR-the black and the red

1. disintegration bombs
2. tools for revolution
3. 3rd one
4. Possessor
5. cerebus unit
6. mothman
7. the 7th gate
8. trouble Jam
9. Anti system caveman
10. annunahi birdman
11. altered beast

I rarely post Modern stuff on the blog, but this stuff is so damn old sounding, and really hard to find that it needs to be heard by metalheads around the globe. Possessor were from California/Ohio, and Mainly featured members from Annihilation Time, Morbid Death, Life's Halt, GSMF, Bomb Builder, etc. There were a few other Possessors through out the years that played metal, but these guys had it down the best. This stuff is from between 2003-2004, but straight up sounds 80's.
I first heard this in around 2004 when one of the dudes sent me their demo cassette through the mail. I tried to listen to it, but the tape was so crappy that it was hard to decipher what was happening...All I knew was that there was some killer, raw assed Venom worship that I knew I wanted to hear a bit clearer(and not mangled). I wrote them back and told em The tape was fucked up, but really wanted to hear the stuff. Eventually one of the other dudes sent me another copy of the tape. I was stoked upon hearing it and asked them If they'd be into doing a very limited 12" LP of all their stuff. It was supposed to come out on my label Gloom Records, and was going to be limited to 120 copies. The Plant I dealt with had a Valentines day special or something that allowed you to press a really limited run of LPs for a very reasonable price. Unfortunately by the time the band got me the mastered CDR to have plated and pressed, the special at the plant was over. We decided not to do the record. I had thought I lost this CDR until I recently unearthed it when going through stuff that I'd packed away for a recent move to NJ. It was awesome to hear these songs again. I really wish this would have come out, and would love to get it done again. Lost touch with these dudes. There are a few different sessions on this. Enjoy.


http://www.mediafire.com/?t12rx86vmg6qtyv

VIPER-soldiers of sunrise LP(1987)

1.knights of destruction
2.nightmares
3.the whipper
4.wings of evil
5.h.r.
6.soldiers of sunrise
7.signs of the night
8.killera
9.law of the sword

One of the earlier of the Brazilian metal bands I'd heard back in the day. The band def wasn't as heavy, fast or thrashing as Sepultura or as extreme as the likes of Sarcofago. I was drawn to this by the album cover art, and the fact that a review I'd read of it back then mentioned that it was an amateurish Brazilian sounding Iron Maiden. Anyone who knows me knows I've always been a Maiden freak. When I got this I was sorta bummed on the fact that it wasn't really that Maiden influenced. Only the vox really resemble that type of power metal(Maiden, Fates Warning), the music is more straight forward Speed metal(although some of the double leads might have the MaidenVibe). This one is Definitely not for for everyone who follows my blog. Its very metal, and has very little influence from any other realm.
The only other guys I knew back in the mid 80's that loved the Brazilian stuff the way I did were my Latham NY pals Dave Stevenson and Mark Szwarcberg. This stuff was always hard to find, and we paid ridiculous "import prices". Enjoy

http://www.mediafire.com/?jwgm31t3umw

BRAIN IMPLOSION-sandgrains 7"(1989)

1.sandgrains
2.intramural

Here is some more killer, under the radar thrash metal. This three piece band was formed by two brothers, in the Netherlands in 1987. Unfortunately They never recorded a LP or anything after this 7".
I found my copy in a used bin at some flea market on my first trip over to Europe, when the band I was in at the time(the Oath)toured over there. I think I paid a Guilder for it(before the Euro, so it was about .50 cents). I recall being pretty excited to get the record home(back to the U.S.)to listen to it.
I love the guitar sound, and the vocals on this one. It really is just straight up, no nonsense, no thrills thrash metal. If anyone has other info, or a demo by these guys I'd love to hear more about it. Enjoy!


http://www.mediafire.com/?p6b3tnlym7b6bda

KUBLAI KHAN-Annihilation LP (1987)

1.Death breath
2.Mongrel horde
3.Down to the inferno
4.Liars dice
5.Passing away-Kublai Khan
6.Clash of the swords
7.Battle hymn (the centurian)

This is a dirty, hard and rugged under the radar thrash album, that if it had come out three years earlier, would have put these guys on the metal map. The guitarist-vocalist, Greg Handevidt was a one time early 1st tier member of Megadeth. It shows a lot on this recording. You can hear it in the vox and the riffage. This record reminds me of "killing is my business" in so many ways. The drums, the bass, the production, everything... The guitar riffing is fast, and chock full of cool 'lil licks that keep the neck bobbing through out. In my opinion This is the album that Megadeth should have made after peace sells.
Greg moved to California from Minnesota with David Ellefson to play music. The two lived next door to Dave Mustain, and they started Megadeth in the garage just after Dave was kicked out of Metallica. Greg quit the band before they even recorded, and moved back to Minnesota. That is where he started Kublai Khan. The band only released this one LP.
I'm definitely one of those dudes that bought this record back then due to the early Megadeth connection. Enjoy!

http://www.mediafire.com/?yv4kttnjyhj

TOXIC HOLOCAUST-reaper's grave 5"

1.reaper's grave
2.death brings death

I met Joel grind, the man behind Toxic Holocaust through Yosuke of Nuclear War Now Records. Yosuke had released the "evil never dies" LP, and knew that I'd be interested in releasing a 7" from the one man band. I was totally into the idea and started talking to Joel about releasing the death master 7" on my label Gloom. I can recall talking to him, and being pretty shocked that he was only 21, as he'd pretty much been able to nail the metal sound of the 80's better than some oldies had been trying to do again. The stuff seriously sounded genuine and real.
I think Joel was really happy with how the death master 7" turned out, and the fact that my distribution was able to have it reach people he'd never reached before(mainly hardcore/punk kids)made him happy.
We later decided to release a 5" ep... A strange format that we were both super excited in putting out. Joel wrote the songs specifically for this ep, as they couldn't be over 2 minutes a side. Both songs he wrote were short, but you'd never really know it.
My favorite story from him was the night he'd gotten home from recording the vocals for the ep. He told me he was staying with his folks, and didn't wanna freak them out to much by recording them in their condo or whatever, so he drove out to an Applebees parking lot, and recorded the vocals there, in his car. The recording, and songs sorta are a throwback to the T.H. demo roots... raw and primitive. The 5" sold out immediately, as there were only 500 copies pressed.
I really loved working with Joel Grind... a great dude indeed. I was sorta bummed to get a cease and desist order from the people over at Relapse after he signed to the label. I'm happy that he's doing well, and getting to do what he loves to do in a larger scale.
I saw him twice last year, once opening for Gwar, the other time opening for Napalm Death


http://www.mediafire.com/?zl932ktl9603g24

MORTAL SIN voyage of the disturbed 12" ep(1989)

1.voyage of the disturbed
2.voyage of the disturbed(live)
3.for richer for poorer(live)
4.terminal reward(live)

This is not as awesome as the debut from these Australian thrashers. This stuff is highly influenced by "master of puppets" and the fame and attention that Metallica was receiving at the time. Sort of disappointing back then... but I can really appreciate it more today. The riffing is really catchy and killer.
There are only 4 songs on this 12", and "voyage" is the only studio song, while the other 3 songs are supposedly live. All the songs later appeared on the "face of despair" LP. Any thrasher should definitely listen to "mayhemic destruction" first. You can find it in the archives of this blog.
I grabbed this one at Music Shack in Albany. It was somehow filed in the Rap/singles section. Yeah I know.. what was I doing in that section? Back then I was getting into P.E., NWA, Too Short,, the Ghetto Boys, etc. Finding this one probably snapped some sense into me that day, and got me out of the rap section.

http://www.mediafire.com/?nitjjznqmgk

INTRUDER a higher form of killing LP(1989)

1.time of trouble
2.the martyr
3.genetic genocide
4.second chance
5.stepping stone
6.killing winds
7.the sentence is death
8.agents of the dark
9.anthipathy
10.Mr. death

Intruder were from the Southern United States(Nashville Tenn), and put out a few good records(and some clunkers as well). This is their second one, and by far my favorite. Although its not the most original thrash/speed metal record in the world, it sure is tight and easy to listen to because its just fucking awesome. The production is awesome, the lyrics are awesome, the guitars are awesome. You can hear the likes of Violence, Testament, Legacy, Exodus, Death Angel, even some Slayer riffs. I think the guitar solo's are what captured my attention with this Record. I wish I'd gotten to see this bros back in the day. They really did have the Bay Area vibe going for them in their sound.
My friends and I used to giggle and joke about how we'd imagine them talking to the crowd with a southern "twang" in between songs. Yeah, we were dumb, stoned and bored. I do think the version of "Stepping stone" that they do on here is ridiculously hilarious.
The record is a concept album based on the concept of Professor Fritz Huber's statement that "In no future war will the military be able to ignore the use of poisonous gas, It is A higher form of killing". This statement was made upon him receiving the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1919. Dude was a Pioneer in Gas warfare. Anyway, Listening to this record,and the song Martyr got me thinking of 911 tonight. It was pretty hard to avoid with all that hoopla in the city today. The Albums concept has much to do with terrorism.

http://www.mediafire.com/?k4zzzqmt2in

DRAGON fallen angel LP(1990)

01.fallen angel
02.i spit in your face
03.tears of satan
04.deceived
05.simon peter
06.destructor/sewer of graves
07.into the dark

This is some top notch,tech savvy and intricate thrash metal that some what borders on death metal. The band were from Poland and should make my friends, "the Krak brothers"(Jason and Jared Krak) quite proud of their Polish heritage. This is the bands second release, and you can tell the music is a bit different from the first record as the band had a line up change, loosing both the singer and bass player. I actually prefer this record to the first, and absolutely love the song "i spit in your face", its seriously so brutal, and makes me want to spit in peoples faces.
I originally got my copy of this record from a friend I grew up with and played music with in Latham NY. Mark S. played bass in Horrid Blessing, and was someone whom I'd discovered, and enjoyed lots of underground metal with in the early to mid 1980's. Mark went on to join the marines, and before he was deployed to the first Gulf war he gave me some of his metal records.
A fond memory I have of Mark is him asking me to go to his recruiters with him before being deployed because he was "nervous". Of course it was sort of a ploy to try an get me to join up with him. I went with my buddy not having any idea he was trying to get me involved. When we got there The recruiter asked me what I did for a living.... I told him I was a plumber. His response was "Nathan, we have plumbing in the marines, I can make you a journeymen in 3 years". My response was simple, "what, digging shit holes to use for toilets in the sand?" The conversation was over.
There is also a Polish version of this record.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ylazzzyrlc5

WARFARE pure filth LP(1984)

01.warning
02.total armageddon
03.noise, filth and fury
04.let the show go on
05.break out
06.collance/rabid metal
07.dance of the dead
08.limit crescendo
09.rose pedals fall from her face

This post is inspired by my excitement of seeing Motorhead again in Sept. at Roseland in NYC.
Warfare are a crossover fans wet dream for sure. They were able to take the best parts of bands such as Tank, Motorhead, and Venom, throw them in a blender and out came a raw, catchy metal infused Discharged style punk band. It's seriously beautiful man. The song "total Armageddon" is a classic rager for sure, and always has me playing air drums for the entire 6 minutes of the song. I guess the band suffered from non popularity, or rather, obscurity due to the Drummer doing the lead vox. This really was a no no back then, and Seemed to really kill it for any metal band in the 80's who tried this task. The drummer/vocalist's name was Evo, and he was also in such punk bands as the Blood, Major Accident, and the Angelic Upstarts.
This is the bands first full length, and it was produced by Tank's Algy Ward. Most metal heads I knew growing up had a certain disdain for Warfare. I'm not really sure why, perhaps the rawness, and the Discharge styled drumming wasn't always metal enough for certain purists. What ever the case this shit is noisy, loud and raw. Turn It Up, and please Comment!

http://www.mediafire.com/?mzwzjzyykaj

D.A.M. inside out cassette (1991)

01.man of violence
02.house of cards
03.appointment with fear
04.winter's tear
05.the innocent one
06.my twisted mind
07.no escape
08.beneath closed eyes
09.inside outro

DAM(Destruction And Mayhem) were one of the better English thrash metal bands. Unfortunately they missed the boat by about 6 years, and were playing pretty typical speed/thrash metal years after its popularity. Kind of cool I guess as they weren't worried about trends I guess, and wanted to just play speed metal? I think most metal heads at this time were sort of getting more into death metal, sort of leaving the thrash scene to rot away for a while. When I listen to this I hear Testament, Flotsom and Jetsom, Defiance, post Baloff Exodos, and second tier German stuff like Vendetta.
This is the sort of stuff that gets me thinking about my high school metal buddies and me, listening to stuff that sounded like this in a car rides to house parties, where we would later destroy homes, steal booze, then leave to party amongst "our own kind". Listening to this has erupted those memories. Just sort of funny that this stuff came out 6 years after I graduated(when I was no longer doing that shit).
This post is dedicated to one of my best friends as a teenager, Gene Koreman Who I hitch hiked, drank with, smoked with, played music with, and fought with.... Gene lost his mother yest. She was an awesome lady, and let me hang out their home as though it was my own house. She was always filled with good advice. RIP

http://www.mediafire.com/?zmkgmrmywyz

SODOM-ausgebombt 12"(German version)1989

01.Ausgebombt
02.don't walk away
03.incest(live)

There are only Three songs on this 12"ep, but they're all special if you're a die hard Sodom fan. Ausgebombt is done in German here, and the vocals done this way really make this sound punk as shit. The song originally came out on the agent orange LP, but was done in English there, so this is a little treat. Next up is "don't walk away" which is a Tank cover, and also sounds different from the LP version. Last up is an excellent live track, that is spot on, and sounds like a metal fueled blur. You know... a whirlwind, the way Sodom usually sound.
This Band were gods to me in the 1980's along with Destruction, and Kreator. listening to them gets me thinking about high school and how much I hated every aspect of it. Bands like this helped to create an escape for me.
RIP Witchhunter!

http://www.mediafire.com/?juwwyyznmaz

CASBAH russian roulette 7" (1986)

1. Russian Roulette
2. death metal

I first read about Casbah in one of Pusheads columns back in the mid 80's(Prolly Puszone). The way he described this Japanese thrash metal band I knew I really needed to hear them. It really did take me forever to finally find the ep by these guys, but it was so fucking good that it seemed well worth the wait. I ended up buying it used at Reckless Records on Haight street for pennies. Some metalheads might find this to primitive and raw to be considered metal. To me It borders right on crossover thrash, mixed with maybe Kreator, and them being Japanese just ads to the frenzy. I know when I finally did get this, and blasted it for my buddies like Zoran, and Kenny(who were true metal types), they thought it was a hardcore band. This was one of the few Japanese bands that I had some knowledge over my Japcore fiend friend Louis J. I recall him telling me "dude... If you like this stuff, you are gonna love this". He would then blast the likes of Gism, Gauze, SoB, and Lipcream for me. The second part of the solo in Russian Roulette makes me want to get out my guitar and learn how to play it.

http://www.mediafire.com/?tj1meztomlv

TOXIC HOLOCAUST death master 7" (2003)

1. death master
2. Metal attack

This is another record that I'm pretty proud to have been part of. I was introduced to Joel/Toxic Holocaust through Yosuke of Nuclear War Now Records. Yosuke had turned me on to the one man band, and put me in contact after I gushed over how the stuff he'd played me just simply reminded me of every great thrash metal record I'd heard in the 80's. Think Destruction, Sodom, Bullet belts, bowls, beers, and partying in the woods. These are the things I thought of when I heard Toxic Holocaust. It took me back two decades, and made me feel really good again. Total shivers up the spine, and very nostalgic for me. After Talking to Joel, and realizing he was a totally awesome dude, who came from the punk scene, we decided to do this 7" together.
Later Joel came to Albany NY to play a Fest for my label. It was truly awesome to see this dude live. I think its great that Joel has had so much success, and gets the support of people to play the music that he loves.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ywkxwgtmxyf

HELLWITCH purveyor of fear 7" (1987)

1.purveyor of fear
2.pyrophoric seizure

This record was released in '89, but recorded in 1987. Pretty thrashing death metal stuff from these Florida metal pioneers. The band played tons of shows with the likes of DRI, COC, Agonostic Front, etc. In fact the bands first show in 1985 was with Florida's infamous punk band Roach Motel. Though these guys were heavily involved in the diy hardcore scene, they had a huge impact on Florida and underground metal. The production is raw as shit on this release as they recorded most of their early stuff in their living room. Both these songs can be found on the first LP, in a less raw more pro recording. I hear lots of Possessed and Death when I listen to this ep. Only 300 of these were pressed on flight nineteen records. This was heavily traded in the underground tape trading community of the 1980's. This makes takes me back to those days of trading with pen pals around the globe. Thought of this band after seeing a high school/metal buddy by the name of Dave Stevenson at the A7 reunion gig in NYC this past weekend. Dave hasn't changed at all and is still as metal as ever. We used to roam the back streets and malls of Latham NY back in the mid 80's smoking up, and blasting metal in the woods.


Me, & My buddy Dave..

http://www.mediafire.com/?2adzhixdnzf

HADES resisting success LP (1987)

1.the leaders
2.on to lliad
3.legal tender
4.sweet revenge
5.night stalker
6.resist success
7.widows mite(chapter 11)
8.the cross
9.masque of the red death

I recently bought this at the wfmu record convention because it was cheap, and I was unsure that I still owned it. I store most all of my record collection at my mothers house upstate, so a lot of times I forget what I own. At any rate when my buddy Charles Maggio whom I was working for selling records at the convention saw this LP, he looked on the back cover to show me that one of the members, "Dan Lorenzo" later was Charles sisters soft ball coach. The band was from his home town in N.J. Pretty hilarious and weird as hell.
When one listens to this LP you can hear much of what was happening in the speed metal scene of the 80's for sure. People like to say these guys were a power metal band, whatever. I hear lots of early Death Angel, and even some Overkill in both the song writing and the production. I'd seen both those bands in the 80's, but never saw these bros. live, I'm feeling like I missed out for sure. Most punks will detest this one as there are true metal vocals with awesome high pitched falsetto screams, weird bass lines, acoustic intros and triumphant double bass drumming. I love this shit for sure...great vocals that make me wanna go back and listen to those Overkill records I thought I out grew. This record really makes me feel young again. Thanks Hades. Comment if you download.

http://www.mediafire.com/?oxmmzfxznwy

TOXIC SHOCK s/t 7" (1989)

1.black death
2.100 mph
3.to the chair

Alrighty then. This one is an obscure metal gem that came out on the punk rock record label Mystic Records. The label put out a lot of crap, but also some pure classics such as RKL, Aggression, Ill Repute, White Pigs, Dr. Know, etc. The label was owned by this old dude named Doug Moody who would record bands in his studio, then put their music out on vinyl. He had a pretty bad rep with some of these bands due to him not paying royalties, and over pressing records. He really had nothing to do with punk other than actually recording this stuff, and paying to put it out and distribute it. He is still alive and in his late 70's.
At any rate towards the end of the labels "career" Mystic decided to try an put out some metal. This band was supposedly from West Mystic CT. though no one I know has ever heard of them playing shows, or anything else for that matter. The 3 song ep is pretty raw sounding, yet standard for the time underground metal, with growling type vocals. I thought of the ep after seeing Villains last night, as the vox were sorta similar. The second song is an instrumental that isn't even close to 100 mph, but is kick ass anyway. This is the type of record that you can prolly find for cheap if you keep your eyes peeled. The production is super low endy and raw with lots of bass.
Bought mine on yellow vinyl at Worlds records in Albany 1990.

http://www.mediafire.com/?350zs0zzurl

PARADOX product of imagination LP (1987)

1.Opening Theme
2.Paradox
3.Death Screaming and Pain
4.Product of Imagination
5. Continuation of Invasion
6.Mystery
7.Kill That Beast
8.Pray to the Godz of Wrath
9.Beyond Space
10.Wontan ll

These guys were a Pretty awesome, obscure and overlooked thrash metal band from Germany. The back cover was totally corny looking, and you almost wouldn't be able to tell how awesome they were based on some bad mustache's, and the spandex outfits. Dudes almost look like the little bros of the Scorps. None the less this shit is fast, and raw thrash. I was obsessing over German thrash metal, and hardcore during the late 80's. No idea why (well, it prolly had something to do with Destruction, and Sodom).
This is one of the first records I ever bought at Erl records when I moved back to Albany from S.F. How could I go wrong, it was $3.99. Dave the owner back then, would allow you to drink in the store, smoke in the store, etc. It was a great place to gather together with buddies, talk about music, and drink some Jagermiester. He didn't really dig metal, so anything he got in used, was cheap! This store was one of my all time favs.

http://www.mediafire.com/?gzm1jjimod9

SACRIFICE crest of black demo 7" (1986)

1.friday nightmare
2.warfare

Lets face it, there was a band named Sacrifice in every shit town back in the day. In the 1980's very little was known about the Japanese metal scene to so many of us here in America. To most of us the extent of what we had heard via metal from the great country was that of Loudness(a melodic power metal band who gained some success in America in the 1980s). Sacrifice were the exact opposite of that, they played a brutal and hellish brand of Venom styled metal that was raw, chunky, and evil sounding. If I'd heard this in 1986, I'd have been floored, and probably dwelved harder into searching for some heavier metal from Japan back then. Unfortunately I did not hear this until around 1989 or 1990. Again my buddy Louis (luke)turned me on to this 11 min demo tape. He'd blast this back to back with the likes of Gism, Gauze, and SOB. The band later released the "crest of black" LP. Many loved it, but to so many of us the rawness of the demo is what helped to make the band so mind blowing. The crude drawing, graphics and artwork were magically diy.
Recently I found a 7" ep boot of this classic demo. Its supposedly limited to 100 copies. Enjoy.

http://www.mediafire.com/?w2tyafxvjtl