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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)
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