10. Devouring Star –
Demo
Self-released
Great new discovery! These
Finnish dudes did a great job with this two song demo and their
material is very promising. I'm curious to listen to more stuff by
them and a full length is needed. Quite clean production for a demo
and a chaotic sound similar to Deathspell Omega (but less complex,
maybe) and raspy vocals on the top.
9. Phlesh – Demo / Promo
Suicidal Black Art
Productions
One man project from
Vancouver, Canada. Crystal clean sound, as if it's a full record and
better, inducing into crushing black metal with great vocals and
great strength, more close to the Swedish scene. A new album is set
for early 2014 and this works as a promo for that upcoming release as
well, including three compositions, of which one is an interlude.
8. Monument – Geminae
Dead Section Records
Dark and intense stuff by
this obscure American act. The demo lasts almost ten minutes and it's
quite noisy, but it gives a great feeling of decay when listening to
it. The reason I chose it is because it has everything primitive I
like in such records, both tracks are relentless and brutally
wonderful! Apart from the fast, hammering parts, there are also
slower, almost drone-like moments, perfect for world outsiders.
Geminae has it's own deranged experimentation and that's why it's
unique.
7. Hrungnir - Hymn to
Bragi
Self-released
Dark ambient / dungeon
synth records rarely make it to a full length list, since there are
so many other stuff for me to include. However, small and neat demos
have their own beauty especially when it comes to medieval keyboard
music, battle samples and folkoric atmosphere. Hrungnir's demo
contains two tracks of exactly that and that's why I loved it.
Specifically, the change of the second track “The Chants of Old
Heroes” from a depressive, evil melody to a bard's flute in a
castle on a sunny day, is really great.
6. Impious Blood – Temple of Flesh, Pillars of Bones
Nexro Records
Killer stuff by Impious
Blood. The only flaw of the demo is that it's short, and it has
unnecessary instrumentals. For more comments about it, click this.
5. Ancient Crypts –
Devoured By Serpents
Iron Bonehead Productions
Old school death metal
from Chile. Second demo, in the veins of foul odor bands like Asphyx
and Autopsy, with powerful compositions and great arrangement. The
demo is not that original, but it's not indifferent either, building
it's atmosphere from the guitar sound and melodies, as well as the
hellish vocals. For fans of merciless death metal, this is ideal.
4. Beastiality – Ancient
Bell Chimes
Self-released
A mixture of awesome
Swedish death metal, occultism and early Bathory. More information
here.
3. Montsegur - Under The
Banner Of Witchcraft
Self-released
When I saw that the band
is influenced by bands like Vlad Tepes and Moonblood in their
Bandcamp, I thought “not another band of nothing” but it's
nothing like that. The kvlt atmosphere and awesomeness of the
nineties black metal unsung heroes is all over this beautiful record.
Audible sound, great musicianship and accurate song writing, along
with a medieval artwork and very cool titles, make this demo one of
my favorites of the year. All the fan freaks out there should get
this.
2. Serpentfyre - Of
Darkness & True Light
Cursed Tapes
It's possible that this
might be an EP after all, but it's entitled as a demo in their
bandcamp so that's how I'm going to count it for. Outstanding work by
this Finnish act, puts them among their best acts for me already,
even though that's their only release. Absolute darkness and
excellence.
1. Skógr – Skógr
Self-released
It's strange how I enjoy
this a lot more than the full length these guys released this year as
well. I was always a fan of well written, chilling depressive black
metal. This has the production, the vocals, the riffs and the
atmosphere of a DSBM act (similar to Irrwisch, early Woods of
Desolation) but it's sped up, giving a hell of a result. I did not go
through many demos this years, but because of personal tastes, this
was the most breathtaking. Listening to it is like a journey and I
recommend the fans and only, to give it a chance.
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