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Eternal Condemnation (1987)
Merciless Death formed behind the Iron Curtain in 1984, starting out as a heavy metal band before shifting into something darker. By late 1987, they released their first demo, Eternal Condemnation. The intro is nothing more than chaotic noise and hellish screams, but it sets the tone perfectly for what follows.
From the opening of "The Beginning of Darkness," the band’s tight playing is immediately clear. It’s fast and aggressive, but their early heavy metal roots give them a stronger sense of structure and musicianship than a lot of other bands playing this kind of stuff. The vocals even bring Deceased to mind at times.
The sound quality isn't great, at least the version I have is drenched in hiss with a high-pitched tone that never really goes away, but the vicious death/thrash underneath cuts through the noise and makes the listening worth it. Also keep in mind that this is a demo tape from Communist-era Poland. The mix of styles is more balanced here than on their later material, which leaned further into death metal. Here, the sound is pure '80s evil but not the overly primitive approach that one might expect.
It really makes you wonder what they could have done with a proper studio and a full L.P. at this stage. At any rate, Eternal Condemnation is certainly recommended for those into old death/thrash demos.
From the opening of "The Beginning of Darkness," the band’s tight playing is immediately clear. It’s fast and aggressive, but their early heavy metal roots give them a stronger sense of structure and musicianship than a lot of other bands playing this kind of stuff. The vocals even bring Deceased to mind at times.
The sound quality isn't great, at least the version I have is drenched in hiss with a high-pitched tone that never really goes away, but the vicious death/thrash underneath cuts through the noise and makes the listening worth it. Also keep in mind that this is a demo tape from Communist-era Poland. The mix of styles is more balanced here than on their later material, which leaned further into death metal. Here, the sound is pure '80s evil but not the overly primitive approach that one might expect.
It really makes you wonder what they could have done with a proper studio and a full L.P. at this stage. At any rate, Eternal Condemnation is certainly recommended for those into old death/thrash demos.
(11 May 2025)
Holocaust (1992)
Released in September 1992, Holocaust is the second demo from Poland's Merciless Death. Almost five years passed between releases, and the shift is immediately noticeable. This is still rooted in death/thrash, but it leans more toward death metal with the chromatic tremolo riffs, deeper vocals, and a thicker, heavier sound overall. The raw chaos of Eternal Condemnation has given way to something darker and more deliberate. Even the solos, once wild and erratic, now feel more focused and purposeful. The band’s playing and songwriting have clearly tightened over time, trading sheer frenzy for a more oppressive atmosphere.
"The Last Hour (Nuclear Holocaust)" sets a gloomy tone right from the intro, with its mid-paced riffs and haunting melodies. Even the faster, thrashier songs remain memorable, occasionally recalling the likes of Slayer or early Death. "The Curse of Pharaohs" is the most intense track here, and also the fastest. It feels closest in spirit to the previous demo and was probably written earlier than the rest. It's a bit of a mystery why death/thrash never caught on more as it kept the raw aggression of thrash, added the morbid feeling of death metal, and often gave more attention to the riffs themselves.
Holocaust is a solid demo and another worthy entry in the Polish death/thrash scene, standing comfortably alongside bands like Egzekuthor, Prosecutor, Abathor, and others from that era. Definitely give this a listen.
"The Last Hour (Nuclear Holocaust)" sets a gloomy tone right from the intro, with its mid-paced riffs and haunting melodies. Even the faster, thrashier songs remain memorable, occasionally recalling the likes of Slayer or early Death. "The Curse of Pharaohs" is the most intense track here, and also the fastest. It feels closest in spirit to the previous demo and was probably written earlier than the rest. It's a bit of a mystery why death/thrash never caught on more as it kept the raw aggression of thrash, added the morbid feeling of death metal, and often gave more attention to the riffs themselves.
Holocaust is a solid demo and another worthy entry in the Polish death/thrash scene, standing comfortably alongside bands like Egzekuthor, Prosecutor, Abathor, and others from that era. Definitely give this a listen.
(30 May 2025)
Sick Sanctities (1993)
Recorded and released in 1993, Sick Sanctities is the first full-length album from Poland's Merciless Death. It took quite a long time to get there, but the result is a very strong death/thrash L.P. filled with tons of killer thrash riffs, dark tremolo melodies, and surprisingly intricate lead guitar solos.
While the Holocaust demo had an uncharacteristically thick, death metal-oriented production, the sound here is thinner and seems like a more natural successor to the Eternal Condemnation demo. The sound is a little dull, with the guitars not being nearly sharp enough to fully suit the material. On a positive note, the ghastly vocals aren't buried in the mix this time, so they're able to fully add to the morbid feeling.
One of the things that makes death/thrash such a potent style is the fact that it maintains the aggression of thrash and blends it with the darker death metal riffs. When done right, this is a powerful combination. The atmosphere remains dark throughout the album, especially with the gloomy intro to “River of Blood” that sounds eerily similar to the sort of clean guitar bits that Brutality used on their first couple releases.
A minor complaint is that the record starts with a near-four-minute instrumental, especially when the first proper song also has an intro that lasts about a minute. “The Victim” would have been a much more logical track to start the album. As it is, people have to listen for about five minutes before getting to the meat of the music. Other than that, this is a really consistent album.
Naturally, being an underground band from Poland, lineup troubles hit sometime after this, and Merciless Death was no more by the following year. Sick Sanctities stands as proof that sometimes it’s better to disappear after one solid album than to hang around for decades like a rotting corpse, churning out garbage and living off past glories. Either way, fans of late '80s/early '90s death/thrash should give this a listen. Highlights include “The Victim”, “No Mercy” and the title track.
While the Holocaust demo had an uncharacteristically thick, death metal-oriented production, the sound here is thinner and seems like a more natural successor to the Eternal Condemnation demo. The sound is a little dull, with the guitars not being nearly sharp enough to fully suit the material. On a positive note, the ghastly vocals aren't buried in the mix this time, so they're able to fully add to the morbid feeling.
One of the things that makes death/thrash such a potent style is the fact that it maintains the aggression of thrash and blends it with the darker death metal riffs. When done right, this is a powerful combination. The atmosphere remains dark throughout the album, especially with the gloomy intro to “River of Blood” that sounds eerily similar to the sort of clean guitar bits that Brutality used on their first couple releases.
A minor complaint is that the record starts with a near-four-minute instrumental, especially when the first proper song also has an intro that lasts about a minute. “The Victim” would have been a much more logical track to start the album. As it is, people have to listen for about five minutes before getting to the meat of the music. Other than that, this is a really consistent album.
Naturally, being an underground band from Poland, lineup troubles hit sometime after this, and Merciless Death was no more by the following year. Sick Sanctities stands as proof that sometimes it’s better to disappear after one solid album than to hang around for decades like a rotting corpse, churning out garbage and living off past glories. Either way, fans of late '80s/early '90s death/thrash should give this a listen. Highlights include “The Victim”, “No Mercy” and the title track.
(7 June 2025)
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