Before I spread false hopes here: this is not a new album by Sweden’s best Death Thrash Metal band, even though it’s been quite a while since the latest MERCILESS album saw the light of day. To be more precise, the self-titled album is of legal age all over the world right now, as it was released more than 22 years ago. So, what is “Behind The Realms Of The Dark” all about? History it definitely is, Metal history for sure, since it contains the two demo tapes MERCILESS recorded in 1987 and 1988. Both “Behind The Black Door” and “Realm Of The Dark” are very rare nowadays, as there has only been one re-release of these tapes on two separate 7” vinyl EPs in 1998, which have become rare collector items. Now this compilation combines the songs from both demo tapes on one release, even in the title of the record. And what would a proper release of this kind be without a proper restoration? Of course it was a job for Mr. Patrick W. Engel, the designated expert for audio restoration and remastering, who once again did a real fine job. But what can the unsuspecting listener expect from the earliest recordings from MERCILESS? It’s riffs, riffs and more riffs, the kind that really tear down everything coming their way. In a time when elaborate Bay Area Thrash was all the rage and the term “Mosh” got hyped, MERCILESS went back to the roots of Thrash Metal and created short outbursts of energy, rage and fury. It was mainly the early (Central) European Thrash Metal that had a huge impact on the four young guys who started MERCILESS and they created a sound that was the musical equivalent of their name. The difference between “Behind The Black Door”, that was recorded with original shouter Kåle (R.I.P.) in 1987 and “Realm Of The Dark”, put down a year later with Rogga on vocals, is quite marginal. While the latter is a little more structured, the first one is a tad more reckless. What both demo recordings have in common is their sheer power that still is refreshing even more than 35 years later. And what makes this compilation also worthwhile to have is the fact that three of the four songs from “”Behind The Black Door” never made it onto a MERCILESS album: ‘Total Destruction’, ‘Satanic Slaughters’ and ‘Behind The Black Door’ are exclusive to this record, so to say. Only ‘Bestial Death’ was used for the famous MERCILESS debut album “The Awakening” in 1990, along with three songs from “Realm Of The Dark” (the title track, ‘Souls Of The Dead’ and ‘Dreadful Fate’). The fourth song from this demo, ‘Nuclear Attack’, was later used in 1994 for “Unbound”, the third (and my favourite) MERCILESS album. Thus there are so many reasons to get “Behind The Realms Of The Dark” if you are into great Thrash Metal with no frills and a hint of Death Metal. And even those who own the original demo tapes or the EPs should more than consider getting this compilation as it comes with a 24-page booklet that features liner notes by contemporary witness Metalion of the famous Norwegian Slayer Mag and interviews Steven Willems did with MERCILESS guitarist Erik Wallin and Wim Baelus, who designed the band’s logo and the artwork of the second demo that is also used for this release. In addition you will find lots of old pictures, flyers, fanzine clippings and the lyrics. So this will surely be value for money. In case you’re still not sure if you should get “Behind The Realms Of The Dark” you might visit www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063710010604 for the band or www.facebook.com/darknessshallriseproductions for the label.