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You Must Kill (1987)
Recorded in October 1987, You Must Kill is the first demo from Thrasher Death, another band from Communist Poland's prolific underground scene. As the name suggests, the music is pure thrash metal with harsh, deathlike vocals. The sound is extremely raw and primitive, seemingly recorded live with no mixing afterward. This kind of suits the intense feeling of the material, especially in moments where it almost sounds like the guitarists are playing different songs at the same time, particularly during the solos. The vocals are hateful and even maniacal at times, contributing to the overall sense of chaos. You can hear influences from early Slayer and Dark Angel, more noticeable in tracks like "Ave Destruction" and "Black Angel".
Despite the overall savagery, the songwriting includes a few calmer, more melodic moments, such as in “Master of the Night”. These parts hearken back to early Metallica and the NWOBHM, adding a sense of depth to the music. What might first seem like a total maelstrom of violence actually has more going on beneath the surface. That said, some missteps, like the out-of-place section in the middle of “The Rot”, work against them and should have been left out. Even so, Thrasher Death's first demo fits nicely alongside what fellow Poles like Merciless Death and Exorcist were doing at the time. You Must Kill should appeal to anyone into raw ’80s thrash demos. Definitely give this a listen.
Despite the overall savagery, the songwriting includes a few calmer, more melodic moments, such as in “Master of the Night”. These parts hearken back to early Metallica and the NWOBHM, adding a sense of depth to the music. What might first seem like a total maelstrom of violence actually has more going on beneath the surface. That said, some missteps, like the out-of-place section in the middle of “The Rot”, work against them and should have been left out. Even so, Thrasher Death's first demo fits nicely alongside what fellow Poles like Merciless Death and Exorcist were doing at the time. You Must Kill should appeal to anyone into raw ’80s thrash demos. Definitely give this a listen.
(4 July 2025)
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