Splits & Comp CD reviews - S

Scream forth blasphemy - Tribute to MORBID ANGEL CD 2000 DWELL
SEA OF TRANQUILLITY/PAX MORTIS (USA/USA) "DEAD OF WINTER/DEFIANT" Split CD 97 CURSED. SEA OF TRANQUILLITY is an old band I was familiar with their Split 7" with Num Skull and PAX MORTIS had also an old 7" called "A World Of Thieves". It's great to see both bands on one CD, 6 tracks for SEA OF TRANQUILLITY that delivers excellent punishing thrashing technical Death Metal that reminds me the Morrisound recordings of late eighties: rage, fast & right in your face, if you dig old stuffs like CANCER, MALEVOLENT CREATION (first two albums), EXHORDER, XENTRIX… This band's for you! PAX MORTIS was a very original band with a crude raw sound, really had something special mixing some synths like Nocturnus making it their own style but being more twisted in the obscure Thrash/Death genre than many others, this remains a very original band to me worth listening for sure! Highly recommended Split CD that won't disappoint the most open-minded undergrounders: BUY OR DIE!
SINISTER/MONASTERY/GODLY BEINGS/HOUWITSER Split Demos CD MASTERCULT.
STARGAZER/INVOCATION (AUSTRALIA) "HARBRINGER/H.A.S.T.U.R." Split CD 2000 DIES IRAE. Finally released on CD, STARGAZER tracks were written from '93 to '95 and recorded in 1999 for this release! It contains true Metal of high quality and originality with their own sound, influenced by all that is Metal from the dark sides such as Death & mostly Black Metal, this is really something new to hear especially the arrangements, they're anti-clichés and unpredictables like ARGHOSLENT, DESCEND or INVASION, kind of Speed Death/Black Metal with many changes in structures and 100% pure Metal spirit like it should be made! BUY OR DIE! c/o DENNY BLAKE, PO BOX 182, INGLE FARM, 5098 SOUTH AUSTRALIA. INVOCATION tracks were more Death Metal oriented, good Death grunts and fast accelerations within more mid-paced and slow Death Metal that can be technical at times too in the vein of MORBID ANGEL, definitely an original approach to refresh this style, sometimes dooming and insane... As well as STARGAZER, they're completely unpredictable and kept me interested from intro to outro, their own atmosphere is quite unique too, at least two great original Extreme Metal bands on one CD is a great gift for my ears! Thanx goes out to Don of Martire for sending in this CD, BUY OR DIE!!! 70 RICHLAND AVE., 4108 BRISBANE QLD AUSTRALIA.
STRANGULATION/FATAL (FRA/FRA) "DUAL EXPERIENCE" Split MCD 99 Self-prod. STRANGULATION is a good Thrash band and offered here 3 tracks of catchy Thrash Metal, efficient & convincing with a professional production, if you like Thrash, this is a good one to look for. c/o GUYOT JONATHAN, 4 RUE DES FOUGERES, 56860 SENE FRANCE. Mgt: c/o AGNES L'HOSPITALIER, 23 RUE DE COËTLOGON, 35000 RENNES FRANCE. undergroundunity@hotmail.com FATAL are quite different and not my cup of Metal. Sort of speed Thrash-Core with really bad vocals (imagine Tom Araya singing with a french-core accent... too bad!). Too much affiliated with the fucking trend as many many bands do that kind of fusionning metal now. There were some good catchy riffs anyway just the vocals did ruin the music in my opinion which has a bit of old-school vibes. BP 708, 76060 LE HAVRE CEDEX FRANCE.
SUFFOCATION/PYREXIA/CRUCIFIX Split Demos CD MASTERCULT.