Bands like Demonomancy are the reason that the barren and cold depths of Canada seem to generate so much great black metal nowadays. Bloodstained Angel noticeably takes some influence from Blasphemy and Beherit (particularly Messe des Morts), yet still retains enough originality to securely detach it from mere giant-worship; in fact, this (the fourth demo) is really where Herr Akron and Lord Nero decide to venture in their own direction. Remember when black metal was fucking evil? It has been a long time, if ever, that a demo's initial run had this much of an overbearingly powerful effect on me - unfortunately only 13 minutes of actual music exist, but Menoth Saegros of Eldritch Wizardry Productions (firmly dedicated to releasing only the most chaotic and extreme metal of the Canadian underground) has recently combined this with Demonomancy's prior demo, Black Desolation, to create a masterpiece that no advocate of the old and raw sound should be without. As an added bonus, three live tracks are included from the show with Vyrolakos/Musta Kuoleman in October 1998.

I can't legitimately compare this to anything else I have ever heard. The hellish vocals sound like they were sung through a fucking highway drainage pipe; Nero's unique resonance is hollow, reverberating, and simply hypnotizing. I feel that this is one major improvement over the former material, although it isn't the only enhanced aspect - the incorporation of an underlying violin tone by Akron (behind all instruments, actually) comes across as immensely haunting without thieving any attraction from killer guitar riffs and deep, vacant drumming. Keyboards are used as well, albeit sparsely, and the speed is generally rooted in the mid-paced realm, although it often tends to accelerate with obliterating drum kick-offs. Of course, being a demo, there is a very congested and distorted texture to the four tracks; not ideal for everything, but more or less perfect for the atmosphere of a recording such as this.

On a sad note, the future of Demonomancy has been regrettably damaged in several ways. Lord Nero was tragically killed in a car accident only a few months after the completion of Bloodstained Angel, and although Menoth himself (despite numerous other projects) joined Herr Akron to keep the spirit of the band alive, that exclusive sound of the past might never again be replicated. Not only that, but treachery among an outside session guitarist has resulted in considerable turmoil within the band's prospects. Some groups seem doomed by fate before they ever begin - Demonomancy has overcome the barriers, but one can not help but feel that an irreparable loss to the metal community has been suffered. Rest in peace, Lord Nero - you will be missed.

http://www.ewp.cjb.net/
Eldritch Wizardry
c/o Alfred John Dalziel
C0A 1N0
Prince Edward Island
Canada

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