Demonic Forces - Complete Recordings 1989-1991
(Unleashed Power Productions)
39:51min
Sometimes there’s simply nothing better than listening to some raw, old school recordings. And BATHYM’s "Demonic Forces – Complete Recordings 1989-1991" is just what I needed. For a band that never released a full album, BATHYM still set their mark in the world of blackened Death Metal, even if just a little bit. Paul Tucker (vocals, guitar), Eric Watson (bass) and Bill Smiley (drums), though not necessarily a tight band, delivered the sound the underground Metal world was craving… a little Thrash mixed with Death Metal smothered by Black Metal influences. And with hand-drawn covers… you can’t help but appreciate it all. Taken from a demo, a rehearsal and an EP, the compilation opens with ‘Palace Of Belial’, a thrashy smathering of chugging guitars and throat-gurgling vocals. There’s even a brief guitar solo in there. ‘Into darkness’ is along the same vein… more like an open wound gushing forth a steady flow of quick-paced, almost early IMPURITY-ish blackened Death / Thrash. ‘Legion Of Hate’, though fairly simply in its delivery and production, still brings forth a solid, primitive mosh-fest of a track. ‘Congregation Of The Dead’ is a more powerful song with twin guitars taking turns throwing the punches. ‘Watch-Em Bleed’ hails from the early days where bands just wanted to fucking rip your intestines out in one fell swoop. ‘Wicked Prophets’ is a slightly slower tune for the first 45 seconds before Mr. Tucker screams a BEHEXEN like wail straight into our eardrums as the guitars and drums race each other to the bitter end. What a hell of a song! And we all wish we could actually watch the ‘Angel’s Demise’ as it plays out in track seven. ‘Demonic Force’ is a better produced / mixed song of a band that sounds more confident just one year after the prior tracks were released. Truly a step forward. ‘Amputate’, from the same EP, clearly leads the path to what could’ve been a long-lasting band if only they were able to remain together. Oh wait… they DID stay together… as the mighty SATHANAS. Only Paul Tucker remains in the band. But goddamn do they continue to kick our asses from one SATHANAS album to the next. For more information, check out unleashedpowerproductions@gmail.com
David Simonton