Mix Tape 004

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1. Krabathor, "Orthodox"

CZECH REPUBLIC - Furious and catchy title track from the band's 5th album, released in 1998 on Morbid Records. Gnarly stuff. Not much else to say.

2. Sympathy, "Cup of Demons"

CANADA - Taken from Sympathy's 2002 album, Invocation. At the time, Sympathy was just a dude with a drum machine and heaps of ambition delivering great early '00s tech death metal. Sympathy is still going strong, now with a full lineup for their 4th full-length, just released in 2002. Bandcamp

3. Impaler, "Imminence of The Final Punishment"

UNITED KINGDOM - This murky bit of business originates from the band's 1992 full-length Charnel Deity on Deaf Records (Peaceville imprint), but I pulled it from Grind Core Records' 1993 compilation Grind Core's Death Row which is a terrific bargain with great mastering. Nice mix of Grind Core's roster and their licensed tracks from Deaf. Discogs Marketplace

4. Authorize, "The Source of Dominion"

SWEDEN - Chunky, choppy Swedish death metal from the band's 1991 album of the same name. Released on French label, Putrefaction Records who also released early works from Arcturus, Agathocles, Mortem, Order From Chaos, and more. Discogs Marketplace

5. Internecine, "Calling of The Hordes"

USA - Internecine was the solo project of bassist/vocalist Jared Anderson (ex-Hate Eternal, ex-Morbid Angel). Tony Laureano plays drums on most of the album, but Derek Roddy is on two tracks, including this one. Erik Rutan throws in some solos. Jared sadly passed away in 2006, leaving The Book of Lambs (2001 Hammerheart Records) Internecine's sole release. Discogs Marketplace

6. Cenotaph, "Evoked Doom"

MEXICO - Taken from the band's 1992 debut The Gloomy Reflections of Our Hidden Sorrows, which featured Daniel Corchado on vocals. Corchado left Cenotaph after this release and formed The Chasm before joining Incantation for The Forsaken Mourning of Angelic Anguish and Diabolical Conquest. Cenotaph took a decidedly melodic death metal direction after this release. This is taken from Chaos Records' recent reissue. You can also buy the album directly from the band.

7. Convulse "Reborn In Chaos"

FINLAND - For their long overdue followup to 1994's Reflections (Relapse Records), the Finnish legends holed up in an analog studio to record. They emerged a month later with Evil Prevails, and their efforts in the studio immediately pay off; this one is a real treat for the ears. Musically it strides the line between the classic Finnish death metal of World Without God (1992) and the brilliant psychedelic groove of their most recent albums, Cycle of Revenge (2016, Start Records) and Deathstar (2022, Transcending Records) which may not be everyone's cup of tea, but when it works, it works well.

8. Dismember, "Fleshless"

SWEDEN - Dismember is finally getting a long overdue reissue campaign thanks to Nuclear Blast. All the vinyl has been remastered by Patrick W. Engel who's been doing great work of late. This is the opener to their sophomore classic, Indecent And Obscene.

9. Paths of Possession, "Bleed The Meek"

USA / FLORIDA / TAMPA BAY - Their first album featured Richard Brunelle of Morbid Angel fame, but by the time Promises In Blood was released, Brunelle was out and George "Corpsegrinder" Fischer was singing. A third album was released in 2007, but it's been quiet since.This was a strange band that mostly stuck to classic '90s / Tampa death metal riffing but streaked it with Gothenburg melodic bits and some groove. Well-produced and worth a listen.

10. Thanatopsis, "Transmortality"

USA / CALIFORNIA / OAKLAND - One of those bands that produced a lot of demos in the '90s but never got a record deal. This track is taken from their self-released EP, Within A Consciousness Unborn (1995). They broke up a couple years and a couple demos after this, but it seems a 2010 compilation of their work got them back together. A very modern sounding full-length titled Initiation was subsequently released in 2020 on Extreme Metal Music.

11. Oppressor, "Devour The Soul"

USA / ILLINOIS / CHICAGO - Taken from their self-released 1993 demo / self-released cassette, As Blood Flows. This release is tough to find, but the  included on their 1995 European Oppression Live CD, which is more plentiful. Hard to believe 3/4s of this band would hook up with Shaun Glass of Broken Hope, change their name to SOiL, and started playing nu-metal.

12. Pandemia, "In This World"

CZECH REPUBLIC - Founded in 1995, Pandemic deliver meat and potatoes death metal with solid production. Not much else to say; short and sweet.

13. Burial, "Abhorrence Within"

NETHERLANDS - Traditional death metal a bit reminiscent of Cancer. This track comes from their sole full-length, 1993's Relinquished Souls which was released by a German label called West Virginia Records which was founded by Andy & Sabina Classen of Holy Moses fame. The album has been reissued recently and easy to find, at least digitally.