Unknown NWOBHM demos and "demo only" bands

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boris
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Unknown NWOBHM demos and "demo only" bands

Post by boris »

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 !
Dawnwatcher
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Post by Dawnwatcher »

Best NWOBHM demos for me:

Everything with Hell
Dragonslayer - Demo 1985 (damn, is that 1981 tape a myth?)
Deep Machine - all demos
Tyrant - Demo 1982 (the best one existing?)
Stormqueen - Batlle of Britain demo
boris
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Post by boris »

The early Dragonslyer demos do exist, they were only called Slayer back then. I've made it into a personal crusade to find this stuff !
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The Sentinel
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Re: Unknown NWOBHM demos and "demo only" bands

Post by The Sentinel »

Boris wrote:
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.
Could you upload this one ??
Long Live The Loud !!!
boris
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Re: Unknown NWOBHM demos and "demo only" bands

Post by boris »

The Sentinel wrote:
Boris wrote:
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.
Could you upload this one ??
I'll try to find where it's stashed in boxes yeah ....
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BloodOfChrist
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Re: Unknown NWOBHM demos and "demo only" bands

Post by BloodOfChrist »

Boris wrote: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 !)

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.


DEEP MACHINE - argueably the best demo band of the nwobhm. I have 4 demos and a rehearsal, all are equally killer.

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.

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 !

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.

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.
I really like the Race Against Time demo from what Ive heard, even though the quality on the 2 songs Ive heard is pretty bad. I remember hearing that there was a third track, but I never found anyone with it.

I cant fucking wait for that Paralex release, when/if it happens. Of all the stuff they have Ive never found anyone with anything besides the 3 tracks from White Lightning.

Deep Machine kicks ass! Nightstalker is has always been one of my favorite NWOBHM demo tracks. They had a ton of other tracks Ive never heard studio versions of (Ive only heard them on several ok quality bootlegs...i can post them if anyone wants, but like I said the quality isnt too good). I know a guy who has that Deep Machine rehearsal, and hopefully he's going to rip it for me soon.

All Ive heard from ARC are the 2 7"s (War Of The Ring is one of my favorites from the NWOBHM). I heard something about an upcoming ARC release on Miskatonic or Area Death or some label like that. Does anyone know anything about that? Im dying to finally hear the demo stuff.
Also, does anyone know if there is a connection between ARC and "The A.R.C. Rock Band" (UK band that released a 7" in 1979)?

I saw that Karn-Age demo sell for a ton of money on ebay a while ago. Ive been looking for it ever since. I might have a band pic from the auction somewhere...
boris
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Post by boris »

Well mate I can answer pretty much everything here :

RACE AGAINST TIME - yes, the demo is 3 tracks, and since it was recorded in order to have 1 track for New Electric Warriors it was professionaly made. The quality on it is great and the demo kicks ass. I have it.

PARALEX - Phil Ayling promised me the CD will be out hopefully later in 2007. It will include most of their tracks. I have the only official demo they had, Getting Somewhere, and it's pretty good.

Deep Machine - I have the 4 demos and the rehearsal (bad quality) plus about 4 live shows, the best and longes being live at Dynamo 1982, a killer show, wish it was relesed officially.

ARC - No, there is no connection whatsoever with A.R.C ROCK BAND. go to www.nwobhm.net, and read my interview with A.R.C. Rock Band to have some more details. ARC have recorded an immense amount of demos and live shows, hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll have some of them from the band. The existed from the late 70's till about 1984. Some of the tracks are - Leviathan, Firebrand, Never To Return, Hades, which are supposed to be ultra heavy, especially Hades. I have their unreleased 1995 album, recorded as RED HUNTER. it was recorded as Hard Rock, but they don't like it and think it's too light (though it's really HARD rock).
I am responsible for their release together with Area Death. We are planning a massive release which might reach 4 CD's and maybe a DVD. work is in progress (really!) but it will take some time.

KARN AGE - I bought that demo (for $10). It's really good though it's only 2 songs. Thunder in our Hands is killer.
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metalmaster
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Post by metalmaster »

I have always wondered if there exist deo of bands liek Witchfinder General, Demon, Cloven Hoof or Witchfynde
boris
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Post by boris »

I have 2 Cloven Hoof demos and a pre-Cloven Hoof (Nightstalker) demo.
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AxeCrazy
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Post by AxeCrazy »

Anyone ever heard of the band Salem's Witness? They are listed on http://www.nwobhm.com/salwit.htm I've heard rumors that they are killer, but don't know of anyone that has actually heard them.
Last edited by AxeCrazy on Sat Feb 24, 2007 4:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
boris
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Post by boris »

AxeCrazy wrote:Anyone ever heard of the band Salem's Witness? They are listed on http://www.nwobhm.com./salwit.htm. I've heard rumors that they are killer, but don't know of anyone that has actually heard them.
You got me there ... don't know anything, nor my contacts.
tearitup1234
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Post by tearitup1234 »

I love all this stuff, some of those demo's you mentioned sound killer. A couple more to mention are the 2 Tranzzam demos and the Virtue-Fool's Gold demo.

Boris any chance of uploading any or all of these demos:

Black Tiger
Headhunter
Robespierre
Marquis de Sade
boris
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Post by boris »

Will consider. Though gotta find the CDR's and originals first. all in boxes now.
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shreut
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Post by shreut »

I got a demo of a band named Destroya on a cdr and I find it quite good! I suppose it's a NWoBHM band but haven't been able to find any info about them...
boris
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Post by boris »

shreut wrote:I got a demo of a band named Destroya on a cdr and I find it quite good! I suppose it's a NWoBHM band but haven't been able to find any info about them...
They were a London heavy metal band. some Priest and Maiden influences there. They had 3 demos - from 1983, 1995, 1996 (yes, 90's) and a live show recorded around 1982-3. They also spawned a band called Shanghai at some point who had a pretty nice rehearsal tape done in 1983.
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