Description
Terminal Death packs a powerfully vicious, low-fi death metal delivery that can stand with any legendary band you name. Tight succinct skilled musicians with variety and fury and now on a perfectly mixed remastered version, you will wonder why these dudes weren’t touring the world. The vocals are evil and strained but not repulsive growls. These dudes could sit with any 1985/1986 titans; a la Sepultura, Slayer, Possessed, Mantas/Death, Venom, Bathory. These guys had a demo that is now bundled with some practice reels of real ferocity. Picking up instruments after being inspired by metal standards like Saxon, Maiden, Exciter and obviously, Motorhead; Terminal Death also infused their passion for boundary pushers like the ravaging punk of The MC5, Sex Pistols, and Raw Power (Italy). Terminal Death went dark and ugly, very quickly, while respecting bands like Hellhammer and Voivod. They were not emulating these bands. This was original savage death metal for their peers in 1985. “Hacksaw” sounds like Lucifer himself is spitting acid in your cereal. Admittedly the Demo is the gem here. The practice rehearsals (one from 1985; one, 1986) are rough. I am sure they never once envisioned anyone but themselves hearing them; or what clear crisp production death metal would come to embrace thirty years after; but these tracks are muddy. I can see if these were an established band, and you wanted the raw version, but considering most of the songs appear on the demo, I don’t feel it was necessary to include. That said, better to have and not need than to want and not have. You can just not play them if they are too rough for your ears. This music comes from kids who were fans but willing to push the genre. These are not followers or imitators. This has riffs and pounding rhythms that push what was established. Straight forward tracks usually last around two and a half minutes, Terminal Death aren’t relishing in elongated intros or solos. This will not redefine death metal or rewrite history. But it will, in fact, show an unearthed treasure that should have recognized with its ardently hailed peers at the time of its spawning.
Track list:
1. Terminal Death-from demo 1985
2. Judge Death-from demo 1985
3. The Day After The End-from demo 1985
4. Brain Tumor-from demo 1985
5. Celestial Execution-from demo 1985
6. Hacksaw-from demo 1985
7. Terminal Death/Judge Death-rehearsal 1985
8. Brain Tumor-rehearsal 1985
9. Celestial Execution-rehearsal 1985
10. Intermission-rehearsal 1985
11. Hacksaw-rehearsal 1985
12. The Day After The End-rehearsal 1985
13. Chained To The Abyss-rehearsal 1985-unreleased
14. Dying In The War-rehearsal 1985-unreleased
15. Terminal Death/Judge Death-rehearsal 1986
16. Brain Tumor-rehearsal 1986
17. Bloody Retribution-rehearsal 1986-unreleased
18. Hacksaw-rehearsal 1986
19. The Day After The End-rehearsal 1986
20. Chained To The Abyss-rehearsal 1986