Disclaimer:
Please don’t unleash years of suppressed anger and throw a hot cup of coffee in your dog’s face if you don’t see (insert band name) at (insert position) or any such situation. This feature is based on the opinions of an author that writes, primarily, based on experiences and makes no claims that the collection of releases you’re going to be reading about is certified by God, Satan, Rick Moranis, or any other extremely prominent deity. Enjoy.
Introduction:
Death metal’s demo days had its initial boom in 1987, with demos from Nuclear Death, Malevolent Creation, Amon, Morbid Angel, and Autopsy all hitting the scene during that twelve-month period. Tack on the full-length Scream Bloody Gore by Death and one could say that American death metal really solidified in 1987.
Black metal saw demo releases from Sarcofago and Necrovore, as well as the Deathcrush EP by Mayhem and the legendary Under the Sign of the Black Mark from Bathory all coming out in 1987.
However, 1988 saw a huge global expansion of the signature death metal sound, spreading from the United States to Europe, where Swedish death metal’s signature tone initially took shape through demo releases from Nihilist, Treblinka, and Dismember, some of the oldest examples of death metal throughout Scandinavia, alongside demo-era Darkthrone from Norway.
Thrash, grindcore, and speed metal are still alive and well, which you’ll see at the number one spot. Despite the huge crush of new death metal material, thrash still had gas in the tank to keep itself sustained with new and interesting talent.
As far as global spread goes, the United States occupies 10 total spots on this list, thanks mostly to the explosion of demo-level death metal. Sweden’s death metal demo explosion netted three spots, our first ever Croatian entry is on this list, and the early advent of Austria’s death metal scene is brewing here.
In 1988, while the rest of America was obsessed with the newly released “Sweet Child O’ Mine” from Guns N’ Roses and the newly minted “Straight Outta Compton” from NWA, the metal underground was furiously bubbling in a manner that no genre could ever equal.
As always, grab yourself a beverage and have a fulfilling bowel movement. Enjoy the list.
#25: Order from Chaos (USA) – Inhumanities
Label: (independent release)
The second demo from Order From Chaos shows the Helmkamp-led trio trudging through four tracks of grossly distorted bass, boxy drums, spindly leads, and scowling vocals. Still years away from Stillbirth Machine, the band showcases their early blueprint for wild, chaotic death metal that was ahead of its time and would later evolve into the menace of Ares Kingdom and Angelcorpse.
#24: Anarchus (MEX) – Total Hate
Label: (independent release)
The first strike of the legendary Mexican grindcore institution. Foggy, distant production which has all the instruments and vocals sounding as you were listening to it through a thin wall. Nonetheless, abrasive grindcore with speed that rivaled many acts of the late 1980s scene.
#23: Necrophile (JAP) – The Terminal Derangement
Label: (independent release)
Cult Japanese death thrash, Necrophile played intensely heavy music for a scene that favored hardcore and pure thrash in Japan during the mid-to-late 1980s. Necrophile continued until 1991 where they initially disbanded before reforming decades later in 2012. This ten-minute demo showed typical production properties for the time period, with a snappy snare drum tone, analog-washed guitars, and revered guttural vocals.
#22: Disharmonic Orchestra (AUT) – Requiem for the Forest
Label: (independent release)
Austrian death grind from early scene pioneers Disharmonic Orchestra was chaotically disjointed and off the rails. 14 songs in 24 minutes, the band played through grinding guttural filth. Foggy, distant production with clear drum tone and guitars that were a bit too low in the mix, Requiem for the Forest was one of the earliest examples of extreme metal coming from the Austrian scene.
#21: Black Prophecies (ITA) – Azathoth
Label: (independent release)
Obscure Italian proto-black metal from a demo-tier band. Vocals grossly low in the mix with everything else brick-walled, Black Prophecies stopped short of releasing a proper full-length in 1989 through Wild Rags Records. Short-lived, ugly, and cold, the band stormed through 16 minutes of moderate blast beats and filthy sounding riffcraft.
#20: Sepulchral Voice (BRA) – In Storm
Label: (independent release)
Brazil. Mid-to-late 1980s. The country was a source origin from some of the most off-the-wall, extreme, and vile recordings in metal history. Joining filth hounds such as Sarcofago, Holocausto, and Sepultura, Sepulchral Voice joined right in when it came to producing sonically nasty recordings. In Storm is only five minutes in length, spanning two songs, but it’s pure hatred that only the Brazilian scene at the time could produce.
#19: Messiah Death (JAP) – Immortal Kingdom
Label: (independent release)
Aggressive Japanese proto-death metal in the vein of the previously listed Necrophile. Messiah Death was another obscure demo-level band that excelled in guttural fury and mincing riffs.
#18: Treblinka (SWE) – Crawling in Vomits
Label: (independent release)
Pre-Tiamat death metal with marked improvements in production compared to all previously listed demos. Treblinka would release two demos and an EP before changing their name, this 17-minute tape featured relatively clean production with pronounced guitars, clear vocals and animated drums.
#17: Dream Death (USA) – Ode to Sorrow
Label: (independent release)
Sonically heavy, this was Dream Death towards the end of the first part of their career. A follow-up to the Journey into Mystery full-length, this tape saw the band performing their crushing doom across three tracks spanning 21 minutes. Dream Death would disband in 1989 and reform in 2011.
#16: Fatal (USA) – Guts for Dinner
Label: (independent release)
Obscure death thrash from Detroit, Michigan. Fatal are another demo level band that existed only briefly at a regional level. Excellent compositional skills at work here with great production to boot. All instruments are clear, if not just a touch soft on overall volume. Fatal are a band that could have held their own during the early-to-mid 1990s golden age.
#15: Evil Blood (HRV) – Midnight in a Sodom
Label: (independent release)
A rare Croatian entry! Sporting a Mercyful Fate-type delivery with tinges of Venom in its execution, Midnight in a Sodom was speed metal with attitude. This lengthy demo has plenty of melodicism to mix with its juvenile-like speed metal tantrums. This would, unfortunately, be the only release for decades from the band.
#14: Thrasher Death (POL) – Women Die
Label: (independent release)
Excellent Polish thrash metal with volume levels pushed to the max, with audio clipping during double bass segments. Thrasher Death played like Kreator merged with Cryptic Slaughter. Laser focused thrash with clear production. Another obscure demo-level band not heard much in the Western world.
#13: Darkthrone (NOR) – Land of Frost
Label: (independent release)
The legendary band’s humble beginning as a four-piece playing primitive death metal, a long ways away from the likes of the unholy trinity of 1992-1994. The Land of Frost would appeal to fans of very early Immortal or Old Funeral. Distinctively Norwegian and one of the earliest examples of the Norwegian death metal.
#12: Immolation (USA) – ’88 Demo
Label: (independent release)
First strike of the notorious Immolation, two tracks lasting about 8 minutes total. Much like the early demos from Malevolent Creation and Morbid Angel, there is no guessing or line-riding, this was pure death metal right from the start. Rob Vigna’s guitar playing still remains some of the most creative across the global metal scene.
#11: Pungent Stench (AUT) – Mucous Secretion
Label: (independent release)
Like fellow countrymates Disharmonic Orchestra, Pungent Stench played primitive and barbaric music. Ripping bursts of sonic information. Very bass heavy recording with a wall of sound execution. Excellent vintage blast beats in action.
#10: Solitude Aeternus (USA) – And Justice for All…
Label: (independent release)
Epic doom metal from Texas, very much in line with early Candlemass. Very modest recording properties with excellent tone off the guitars, the rest of the mix is vocal heavy.
#9: Demolition Hammer (USA) – Skull Fracturing Nightmare
Label: (independent release)
New York thrash metal with an emphasis on powerful riff-forward execution. Early Demolition Hammer were untouchable. This demo was performed as a three-piece, and they could outplay a five-piece band. Excellent smooth analog production which captures the nuances of the riffcraft perfectly.
#8: Massacra (FRA) – Final Holocaust
Label: (independent release)
Cult French death thrash with spazzing barked vocals. Boxy drums and squashed riffs merge behind a vocal-heavy mix. Massacra’s 1990 and 1991 full-lengths are testament to the evolution that Massacra underwent from these humble beginnings.
#7: Dismember (SWE) – Dismembered
Label: (independent release)
After Rehearsal Tape – 88 came Dismembered, an early strike of Swedish death metal. Primitive and dystopian, with a very vocal heavy mix. Still years from Like an Ever Flowing Stream, Dismember would continue to evolve from these humble beginnings to achieve legendary status in the global death metal scene.
#6: Nihilist (SWE) – Premature Autopsy
Label: (independent release)
Having only been active for roughly two years, Nihilist left a massive impression on the early underground scene. Premature Autopsy was the first of three demo releases from the band that would later evolve into the legendary Entombed. Was this the beginning of Swedish death metal alongside Dismember?
#5: Morbid Saint (USA) – Lock Up Your Children
Label: (independent release)
The early blueprint for 1990’s Spectrum of Death, Morbid Saint played by-the-numbers ripping thrash that was delivered with enough power that it staved off the burgeoning new death metal scene. Active for a decade before folding in 1994, the band eventually returned in 2010 and has released two full-lengths since then.
#4: Atheist (USA) – Beyond
Label: (independent release)
An amalgamation of progressive thrash and flat-footed death metal, Atheist used this second demo tape to springboard themselves into the legendary Piece of Time full-length. Featuring a talented line-up, which included Rand Burkey playing a upside down right-handed guitar (he’s left-handed), Atheist struck hard and fast and cemented themselves towards the top rung of the early American death metal scene.
#3: Deceased (USA) – Birth by Radiation
Label: (independent release)
Yet another early contributor to the United States death metal scene, Deceased initially started their legendary run with the 1986 The Evil Side of Religion demo tape before evolving into Birth by Radiation in 1988. Featuring King Fowley on drums and vocals, the four-piece ripped through thrashing death with solid top-level production. The first band ever signed to Relapse Records.
#2: Autopsy (USA) – Critical Madness
Label: (independent release)
Coming off the success of the crushing 1987 Demo, Autopsy struck again in 1988 with Critical Madness, further building up their death metal madness and stoking the demo level fire leading into the acclaimed 1989 full-length Severed Survival. Dominators of the early United States death metal scene.
#1: Hobbs’ Angel of Death (AUS) – Virgin Metal Invasion from Down Under
Label: (independent release)
A marked improvement over 1987’s Angel of Death, Peter Hobbs struck again in 1988 with a dynamite demo of pure thrash metal that took composition, riffcraft, and production to above and beyond levels compared to his contemporaries at the time. While death metal began its hell march into the global musical psyche and thrash metal was attempting to become a heavier entity, Hobbs’ Angel of Death stuck to their original formula and dominated the demo offerings of 1988 in a manner not usually seen. Pure thrash metal that, for a demo, was untouchable for its time.
Outro:
The demo-level genesis of American death metal has solidified into an unstoppable self-replicating force, barreling itself into its golden age, head-on.
With demos from Treblinka, Nihilist, and Dismember now in play, it’s safe to say this was the advent of the legendary Swedish death metal scene. The same could be said for Austria, courtesy of Disharmonic Orchestra and Pungent Stench. European death metal now had major players on the field, orchestrating their own unique sounds.
Thrash still held on tight, with new talent sustaining itself. While not existentially heavy as death metal, the fuel was still there for the genre to compete in terms of heaviness.
What did you think of the list? Would you have made any changes? Let me know in the comments.
As always, thank you for reading.
Feel free to check out our Top 25 Metal Demos of 1989.
or
Go back in time and read our Top 25 Metal Demos of 1987.
-AJK
apanthropy 
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