Unknown NWOBHM demos and "demo only" bands
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:40 pm
Lots of talk about NWOBHM vinyl, but how about the tapes ? There's hundreds of demos, and dozens of bands that didn't get to reach the vinyl stage, and some of them really, really should have reached it !!! I was lucky enough to gather some of these demos, both originals and dubs, and highlights are the following :
ARC - These lads have an incredible amount of demo material. I've only heard the 1995 versions of a few tracks, which were fucking killer, but supposedly much lighter than the originals (which makes the originals something really tytanic !)
BLACK TIGER - 1983 demo, one of the heaviest NWOBHM pieces I was lucky enough to encounter. period.
BLIND FURY - both Satan and Angel Witch had a BLIND FURY stage, but the Angel Witch one was much more solid than the Satan version. Featuring early versions of songs from the 2nd album, arguebly better cuts.
CHAIN REACTION - Had 3 or 4 demos. From what I've heard all is killer epic material. Great vocals. Later turned into KARN-AGE which had a great 2 track demo from 1986 (featured a Cloven Hoof member) and then disappeared.
DAMASCUS - much more demo material than you thought. Great solid stuff.
DAWNWATCHER - had about 4 or 5 demo sessions that I'm aware of. killer stuff there, in the vein of the singles. a great listens for fans of this incredible band.
DEEP MACHINE - argueably the best demo band of the nwobhm. I have 4 demos and a rehearsal, all are equally killer.
DRAGONSLAYER - I suppose everybody knows about this 1985 demo. Killer.
FORCE NINE - regardless the photo on the insert, a really solid and great demo.
HEADHUNTER - I think they were in some Ebony compilation. Might be wrong here though. Great demo, really heavy stuff.
HELL - well .... Hell is Hell.
KRAKEN - killer demo there. some call them amateurs but i like them !
LOTUS CRUISE - I've reached 20 demo tracks in my count. great stuff like the single.
MARQUIS DE SADE - Much much better than the 7'' !!! Welcome to the Graveyard is fucking killer ! Got the original tape, actually the very one which the bootleg was sourced from some years ago. too bad.
MILLENNIUM - 3 demos that I know of. Some solid heavy metal from these lads. better than the LP I think.
NIGHTSTALKER - pre-Cloven Hoof. Raw versions of a couple of songs from the first LP.
OMEGA - the Alpha demo. Managed to score an original here. Some great tunes there, some from the Apocalypse days.
ORIGINAL SIN - 5 demos from these guys. the last two are fucking killer. real Judas Priest worship there.
PARALEX - Have a shitload of demos, which are going to be released on CD, that's what Phil keeps telling me for a year or so. Managed to get the Getting Somewhere demo. Well, it's worth the wait !
PROWLER - the 1984 demo slays, the 1987 is, well, average. Hope a CD anthology will be ready this year. We're working on it.
RACE AGAINST TIME - the demo that is in circulation is CRAP! The real version has top notch sound and three tracks (the third one beoing Bleed You Dry). That's really a demo to remember ! Rumour says there's lots more where it came from.
ROBESPIERRE - One of the most raw, heavy and fucking great nwobhm demos I know. a fucking crusher that one is ! "Die you heathen die !!!"
SANCTUS - No words to describe that one ! Had two demos, one rather average, but the other is up in the 5 best demos of the nwobhm. a post-Marquis De Sade band, which should have stayed longer. Creature From Vercenta is fucking phenomenal.
SATAN - really nice set of demos. You all know them !
SHANGHAI - post-Destroya, unexpectedly impressive. 6 tracks, rather very listenable !
STORMQUEEN - well thanks to OPM most of you are already familiar with the material, but still worth a mention. great stuff !
TOUCHSTONE - that one slays ! can't find the first demo anywhere, but the second one is mighty killer stuff !
TREASON - there were like 3 or 4 bands all called TREASON, that one's from Oxford, and has a great demo, with good solid heavy metal. supposed to be some more material out there.
TRIAL BY FIRE - a nice Essex bunch. Had a very good demo, too bad the circulated version is of mediocre quality.
TRUFFLE - The Bacon Slicer Strikes Again. well, the music's good !
VALKYRIE - some raw power there !! a great heavy demo. recommended.
VHF - if that's the same band that issued the sloppy 7'' in 1980 then they did go through a really positive change. the 1985 demo Heartbeat City is one of the best I've heard. The 1987 demo Insanity is weaker but still a good piece.
WIDOW - no, not the band with the legendary LP (they were actually called Ritual). this one's a lot heavier. incredible demo. too bad it's only 2 tracks. these lads are from Liverpool I think.
Xero - Metal Master demo from 1981. worth a mention just for being 90 minutes long (16 tracks). good band though, Billy Liesegang had some nice output later in the 90's.
Well that's just a few of them, if anyone likes a taste I can try and upload something.
Discuss, add your picks !
ARC - These lads have an incredible amount of demo material. I've only heard the 1995 versions of a few tracks, which were fucking killer, but supposedly much lighter than the originals (which makes the originals something really tytanic !)
BLACK TIGER - 1983 demo, one of the heaviest NWOBHM pieces I was lucky enough to encounter. period.
BLIND FURY - both Satan and Angel Witch had a BLIND FURY stage, but the Angel Witch one was much more solid than the Satan version. Featuring early versions of songs from the 2nd album, arguebly better cuts.
CHAIN REACTION - Had 3 or 4 demos. From what I've heard all is killer epic material. Great vocals. Later turned into KARN-AGE which had a great 2 track demo from 1986 (featured a Cloven Hoof member) and then disappeared.
DAMASCUS - much more demo material than you thought. Great solid stuff.
DAWNWATCHER - had about 4 or 5 demo sessions that I'm aware of. killer stuff there, in the vein of the singles. a great listens for fans of this incredible band.
DEEP MACHINE - argueably the best demo band of the nwobhm. I have 4 demos and a rehearsal, all are equally killer.
DRAGONSLAYER - I suppose everybody knows about this 1985 demo. Killer.
FORCE NINE - regardless the photo on the insert, a really solid and great demo.
HEADHUNTER - I think they were in some Ebony compilation. Might be wrong here though. Great demo, really heavy stuff.
HELL - well .... Hell is Hell.
KRAKEN - killer demo there. some call them amateurs but i like them !
LOTUS CRUISE - I've reached 20 demo tracks in my count. great stuff like the single.
MARQUIS DE SADE - Much much better than the 7'' !!! Welcome to the Graveyard is fucking killer ! Got the original tape, actually the very one which the bootleg was sourced from some years ago. too bad.
MILLENNIUM - 3 demos that I know of. Some solid heavy metal from these lads. better than the LP I think.
NIGHTSTALKER - pre-Cloven Hoof. Raw versions of a couple of songs from the first LP.
OMEGA - the Alpha demo. Managed to score an original here. Some great tunes there, some from the Apocalypse days.
ORIGINAL SIN - 5 demos from these guys. the last two are fucking killer. real Judas Priest worship there.
PARALEX - Have a shitload of demos, which are going to be released on CD, that's what Phil keeps telling me for a year or so. Managed to get the Getting Somewhere demo. Well, it's worth the wait !
PROWLER - the 1984 demo slays, the 1987 is, well, average. Hope a CD anthology will be ready this year. We're working on it.
RACE AGAINST TIME - the demo that is in circulation is CRAP! The real version has top notch sound and three tracks (the third one beoing Bleed You Dry). That's really a demo to remember ! Rumour says there's lots more where it came from.
ROBESPIERRE - One of the most raw, heavy and fucking great nwobhm demos I know. a fucking crusher that one is ! "Die you heathen die !!!"
SANCTUS - No words to describe that one ! Had two demos, one rather average, but the other is up in the 5 best demos of the nwobhm. a post-Marquis De Sade band, which should have stayed longer. Creature From Vercenta is fucking phenomenal.
SATAN - really nice set of demos. You all know them !
SHANGHAI - post-Destroya, unexpectedly impressive. 6 tracks, rather very listenable !
STORMQUEEN - well thanks to OPM most of you are already familiar with the material, but still worth a mention. great stuff !
TOUCHSTONE - that one slays ! can't find the first demo anywhere, but the second one is mighty killer stuff !
TREASON - there were like 3 or 4 bands all called TREASON, that one's from Oxford, and has a great demo, with good solid heavy metal. supposed to be some more material out there.
TRIAL BY FIRE - a nice Essex bunch. Had a very good demo, too bad the circulated version is of mediocre quality.
TRUFFLE - The Bacon Slicer Strikes Again. well, the music's good !
VALKYRIE - some raw power there !! a great heavy demo. recommended.
VHF - if that's the same band that issued the sloppy 7'' in 1980 then they did go through a really positive change. the 1985 demo Heartbeat City is one of the best I've heard. The 1987 demo Insanity is weaker but still a good piece.
WIDOW - no, not the band with the legendary LP (they were actually called Ritual). this one's a lot heavier. incredible demo. too bad it's only 2 tracks. these lads are from Liverpool I think.
Xero - Metal Master demo from 1981. worth a mention just for being 90 minutes long (16 tracks). good band though, Billy Liesegang had some nice output later in the 90's.
Well that's just a few of them, if anyone likes a taste I can try and upload something.
Discuss, add your picks !