Amazing, another great old school release from Germany. After the great ERODED split EP with PAGANIZER now again such a killer release from a German Death Metal band. MANDATORY started in 2001 and this MCD “… Where They Bleed” is already their third release after “Divine Destruction” in 2002 and “Curse Of The Undead” in 2005. No doubt, MANDATORY won’t ever win a price for their originality, but recognizing huge influences from AUTOPSY and GRAVE, well especially Death Metal bands from Scandinavia around the 90s don’t request to be original. This is fucking old school Death Metal once again, mostly midtempo with tight and catchy riffs and a really brutal voice the way it should be. Listen to the song ‘… Where They Bleed’ on www.myspace.com/mandatory1989 (!!!) and realize that this is a Death Metal song which you don’t hear that often! I’m kinda blown away once more. Have a look on www.mandatory-death.de or www.myspace.com/mandatory1989 and buy their releases asap! A full length release should be released in spring 2007 so keep your eyes open!!!

The reason for another review of this release in Voices From The Darkside is simple: I got the promo of this re-release from their Australian label Asphyxiate Recordings and I just want to pay something back, which is a pleasure for me with a release like that. As you can read it in the other review for this recording we are talking about a German band playing old school Death Metal, mostly in the vein of AUTOPSY, GRAVE, (old) PESTILENCE or ASPHYX (listen to the vocals, amazing!), nothing original but damned great. Asphyxiate Recordings did well in signing them and re-releasing their self financed demo CD which hopefully will help MANDATORY to gain more promotion and a better distribution now. This re-release offers one additional song which is a cover tune from RAZOR’s ‘Cross Me Fool’ which is pretty cool, but to be honest I would have enjoyed it more if they had covered any kind of classic old school Death Metal track from the early releases of the above mentioned bands, though this is only my opinion and many might disagree here. Nevertheless I have to point out that this bonus track was not really necessary as their own songs are totally outstanding and of highest quality which each lover of the Death Metal scene back in the early nineties will without doubt adore. The label plans to re-release MANDATORY’s upcoming debut album “In Torment” this year so there are more great things to come from them. Check out www.asphyxiaterecordings.com for ordering details, German readers should have a look on www.metribution.com to purchase a copy of this soon-to-be classic!