Description

2018 press double album on blue vinyls with gatefold cover. Samhain demo and rehearsal material as bonus.

A prototypical example of ’80s Teutonic thrash, Deathrow followed in the footsteps of countrymen like Destruction, Sodom, and Iron Angel, only with far more modest commercial results. Hailing from the city of Düsseldorf, Deathrow was founded in 1984 by vocalist/bassist Milo, guitarists Thomas Priebe and Sven Flugge, and drummer Markus Hahn. They would soon sign with Noise Records (who else?) and almost instantly meet with some welcome, press-generating controversy when their first album, ‘Satan’s Gift’, had to be renamed ‘Riders Of Doom’ in order to avoid censure by the easily offended American market. On their debut lp ‘Satans Gift/Riders Of Doom’, this German quartet strangles the mud from the heaviness of country mates Iron Angel and Angel Dust, takes what’s left, throws it into a supersonic cement mixer with the frantic musicality of past Savage Grace/near future Death Angel and the rabid mellifluence of a not-yet-formed Dark Tranquillity. Wild speed riffs, combustible tempo and structural shifts, and an unheralded penchant for warp drive harmony can be unearthed from the nine tracks on ‘Riders Of Doom/Satan’s Gift’ and although its not quite as chaotic as some of the worst offenders in the genre, the sound is quite messy due to the rough production. The vocals are worth some interest as there’s some obvious attempt at more varying delivery than in your average band, though the singing is almost buried in the rough mix. Deathrow had some obvious potential already early on, but their first effort definitely leaves something to be desired.

Track list:
1. Winds Of Death
2. Satan’s Gift
3. Riders Of Doom
4. Hell’s Ascent
5. Spider Attack
6. Slaughtered
7. Violent Omen
8. Dark Tales
9. Samhain
10. Samhain –Hells Ascent-instrumental demo
11. Samhain -Samhain-instrumental demo
12. Samhain -Riders Of Doom-instrumental demo
13. Samhain -Night Of The Wolf-instrumental rehearsal 1985
14. Samhain -Run-instrumental rehearsal 1985
15. Samhain -Scream Of Pain-instrumental rehearsal 1985