Do you really know what a collector’s item is? It should be something like this compilation of the long runner Metallers DECEASED. Released by Chinese label Area Death, this is a massive compilation, contained in no less than 2 full CDs with an incredible amount of songs focusing basically in the first era of the band, even going so far as having recordings of the pre-DECEASED band EVIL AXE. Obviously the recording quality is mostly very poor. Not a surprise as many of the recordings herein are from rehearsals and live shows, and only a few songs have a decent studio recording and some others have a decent live sound. The thing is that, even if I worship DECEASED and especially their last album is a masterpiece, their origins were quite really bad. And I thank the fact that the band was so generic and actually boring in their first instances as that was probably the reason they changed in their career to be the formidable beast they are. Add to that the dedication main member King Fowley has endured on all these years, suffering deaths in the band, accidents, even a near-fatal blood clot and recovering from all kind of abuses that a man can pass through. So, I guess that this is more like a history class on how DECEASED became the Metal machine it is nowadays and the damn hard, and long way they have to pass until now. Newer fans of the band might as well be a bit disappointed as the music contained herein (except probably for the studio recordings and some live songs) are pretty much far away from the musical direction, and the musical ability the band now shows. Their beginning was more or less a very noisy Thrash band verging on Death Metal, and with an attitude I can swear you can hear through the speakers. Yes, the attitude of "Let’s have fun, create noisy, diabolic music, so our parents crap their pants and we do look evil, drinking beer and smoking a joint, while having fun". And yes, that is the way exactly the bands formed on first place, to have fun and pretend things. Obviously that the musical noise referred herein is more in line with the fact the boys (back then) were actually learning to tune their instruments, while miserably failing to compose a decent riff. And no matter how atrocious the performance was, adding to the insult a really poor rehearsal recording, this brings more than a smile to my face. Yep, you can actually hear what it was to be a Metaller back then. The essence, the aura, and the desire to follow your idols by trying to make music, even knowing you suck at what you were doing, but having the dream of someday making it. Or at least to have a decent riff in one song, or maybe recording a demo in a proper punk studio. That was the idea. And that was the thing with the rehearsal recordings back there. Another face of having no money to do a decent recording was to have a live recording. Ok, that if the band had enough courage to play their crappy songs in front of public…oh, well, in front of a couple of drunkards, that’s it. How many bands have their best riffs and songs in live recordings, it remains a mystery. But DECEASED was one of those bands that were never stopped due to their critical situations in all aspects a band can face. It is really a shame that their website is actually down right now, as the history told of the band in there remains as some of the most entertaining thing I have ever read in my life, and could have been the perfect booklet for this release, which anyway, the booklet contains many parts of told by King himself. You can now realize that this release on its own will hardly make a Metal head fan of the band; no, this was done for all die hard of this nuclear Thrash Metal entity. It is a compilation that must be approached with previous knowledge of the band, and having in mind that those are the foundations of the band capable of delivering such monster as "Supernatural Addiction". But I am afraid that, up to this date DECEASED is still a band not having the recognition it deserves, so the uninitiated might have a hard, very hard time swallowing this historic compendium, which might be a bit too long for their understanding. Meanwhile, I am anxiously waiting for the next chapter (recording) of this great band. No matter if they took over 20 years to be what they are now, I really thank King and company for enduring and proving time can do wonders. More info: www.myspace.com/undeadmachines, adp.areadeath.net/