Ravensdöm - demo IV (200?)

RAVENSDÖM "demo IV"

Year: uncertain (according to Encyclopaedia Metallum, it's from 2009)
Genre: Raw Black Metal
Country: France
Label: self-prod.

Track List:

1. Prisons
2. Mise a Mort
3. Precipices
4. Interlude
5. Restes Humains
6. Defense
7. Masque a Gaz

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The 4th demo by Ravensdöm features much more "true" black metal-ish sound than the 2nd demo. Overall it's simular to The Dead Musician and most of the other French raw black metal bands. I wonder if anyone has the 1st and the 3rd demo...

Ravensdöm - demo II (200?)

RAVENSDÖM "demo II"

Year: uncertain (according to Encyclopaedia Metallum, it's from 2008)
Genre: Raw Black Metal/Rock
Country: France
Label: self-prod.

Track List:

1. Il Existe un Chemin
2. Faiblesse et Traitrise
3. Chirurgie Humanicide
4. Seul
5. Désespérément Serviles
6. Outro

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This demo was posted in some french punk blog in wav format, and i've converted it to mp3 with maximum possible quality. Almost nothing is known about Ravensdöm, except that's an anarchist black metal solo project from France. As for this demo, I doubt if it can be called metal at all. Well, it's noisy, but surprisingly VERY melodic, and I'd rather call it "black rock". The melodies are simplistic (as well as the lyrics) and repetitive, yet catchy. The weaker point of this demo are the vocals: I even can't call this "vocals", it's just whispers. But... it's just a raw demo, and the band is very promising anyway.

Life Is Hell - 1st demo (2009)

LIFE IS HELL "1st demo"

Year: 2009
Genre: Blackened Crust
Country: Ukraine
Label: self-prod.

Track List:

1. Война зверя
2. Человек - не животное
3. Все вместе
4. Ничего не делай

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Here's another demo from the blackened crust duo Life Is Hell (eastern Ukraine, Rubezhnoe / Kharkiv). Unlike the 2nd demo, it has all lyrics in Russian. Many people say that the lyrical content is the weakest point of this release: the lyrics are just too simplistic and naive, while presumed to be misanthropic and pro-environmentalist. But honestly it isn't worse than the lyrics by the vast majority of underground black metal bands.

Musically, this demo is less heavy and more noisy than the 2nd one. Very strong black metal influence is also present, especially on the last two tracks. It's sad that the band was too short-lived (apparently because almost nobody in their local area could appreciate such kind of music).

Iskra - "The Terrorist Act" (EP, 2005)

ISKRA "The Terrorist Act"

Year: 2005
Genre: Blackened Crust
Country: Canada
Label: Unrest Records

Track List:

1. A Pig in Every Home
2. Deep Integration

bandcamp


This release, brought to me by 7inchcrust, is more influenced by thrash metal than BM, just like "Bring The War Home". At least the opening riffs of "A Pig in Every Home" strongly remind me of Slayer. Overall it's a great piece of political blackened crust metal, and I think this one better than the self-titled EP. Now I have all releases by Iskra, except for the split w/ Self Rule (if the various compilations do not count).

Against Empire & Iskra - "Bring The War Home" (split, 2006)

AGAINST EMPIRE & ISKRA "Bring The War Home"

Year: 2006
Genre: Blackened Crust
Country: Canada
Label: Rodent Popsicle / Deep Six

Track List:

Against Empire

1. Intro
2. Choose To Fight
3. Nazgul Cometh
4. Imperial Domination
5. The Sword, The Whip And The Gun
   

Iskra

1. Irons
2. Oka
3. Sweating Walls
4. My Country 'Tis Of Thy People You're Dying

bandcamp (only Iskra's side)

Split with the Los Angeles, CA Crustcore band Against Empire.
CD: Rodent Popsicle (2006-11-14)
12" LP: Threat To Existence (2007-05-10)
Black Vinyl: 1,000 Pressed
Ltd. Edition: 150 W/ Green Vinyl & Screen Printed Covers
16 page booklet

This album is considered by crust punk fans to be the best release by Iskra up to date. No wonder, because the black metal influence on "Bring The War Home" isn't as big as on "Bureval" or on the self-titled album. And speaking of Against Empire, they're playing crustcore with thrash metal (not BM) overtones. So if you like crust more than black metal, this release is for you; if not, then you'd probably like "Bureval" much more.

Cold Blank Stare - "Humanity Will Come Undone" (demo, 2008)

COLD BLANK STARE "Humanity Will Come Undone"

Year: 2008
Genre: Black Metal
Country: USA
Label: self-prod.

Track List:

1. Mechanized Destruction Of Humanity
2. Forms Of Worship
3. Against The Tide
4. Humanity Will Come Undone
5. Freezing Moon (Mayhem cover)

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It's my most recent discovery - an one-man BM project from New Jersey holding left-wing political views (so I think it's safe to post Cold Blank Stare's releases under an "anarchist black metal" tag). This self-released EP includes an intro, 3 original songs and a cover version of a black metal classic "Freezing Moon". In the words of a project's leader:

"With this project I play black metal that is musically traditional to the Norwegian second wave with some touches of influence from the modern Swedish, US, and French scenes. Lyrically is where I take an individualist stance by promoting Atheism as a primary ideal (in opposition to Satanism), as well as speaking out against NSBM through politically leftist ideals"

For a first demo, it's definitely not bad, and I don't understand why it's rated so low on Metal Archives. Well, it's far from perfect, and I didn't like the #4 song too, but at least tracks #2 & #3 feature very decent traditional black metal. The "Freezing Moon" cover is well done too, though nothing outstanding. At least it shows how similar the styles of the bands are. As for the intro, it's not black metal at all - it's a short electro-industrial piece, though it's good for an intro. The lyrics are good, though rather simplistic; it has misanthropic, anti-religious ("Forms Of Worship") and anti-nazi ("Against The Tide") themes.