Written by:	Troy Killjoy
Published:	April 15, 2012

"Gutpuking" and "Satan's Hammer" are two underdeveloped thrashing black metal tracks that mix the few good parts of Venom with the most extreme parts of Inquisition, while somehow venturing into humorous territory with lyrics that will have you choking down laughter. This demo will make you feel like Satan's hammer is penetrating your asshole. With little in terms of variation and plenty in terms of focus, be prepared for seven minutes of sodomy.

Listen: http://aggressivemutilator.bandcamp.com/



This is not by any means a straightforward black metal release. In fact, Orenda is an interesting blend of sludgy, atmospheric black metal with traces of brutal death metal thrown in. That's right, you have some Sven de Caluwé-esque deep gutturals juxtaposed with high-pitched growls, laid-back melancholic melodic passages and ethereal background chants, and then some ripping black metal mayhem. Bloodmoon do well to maintain their journey without straying from their objective, and such cohesion is at the very least an impressive aspect considering Orenda is a debut demo.

Listen: http://bloodmoonslo.bandcamp.com/album/orenda



Another two-track demo that seems to draw influence from early Samael and Burzum's self-titled debut. This guy, Wargoat, is so grim and frostbitten he didn't even properly align the album cover without cropping out the white stuff. That level of unprofessionalism or apathy is prevalent in the music, as its amateurish compositions make it simple and easy to digest. This demo is a pretty decent mid-paced doomy black metal release with some raw and unrefined vocals and, to nobody's surprise, simple drum work.

Listen: http://bloodwraith.bandcamp.com/



Flagellant take the black metal approach with a slightly more serious tone, releasing a one-track demo that spans 16 minutes, and the material is there to back up such a release. Although the way this is thrown together it's more like a handful of separate songs were thrown into one file. The tortured vocals and DIY-style production coupled with some simplistic-yet-nostalgic instrumentation makes for a far less comical listen and a much more engaging one. It has moments capable of mesmerizing the listener with its hazy sound, and maintains its sense of simplistic nostalgia.

Listen: http://rapedbyflagellant.bandcamp.com/



Manes Falsimonia is a pretty fucked up demo. Kind of like something you'd expect to be used as the soundtrack to Begotten. The droning guitars are incredibly high in the mix, and the shoegaze vibe is about as blatant as heard on the latest Alcest release. This one-man project utilizes ethereal elements wonderfully, mixing them in with a truly desolate atmosphere, which all benefit from an almost entirely clean vocal output, ranging from muffled shrieks to operatic chants. Bits of Lifelover and Verwüstung should keep you interested until the bitter end.

Listen: http://rhuith.bandcamp.com/album/manes-falsimonia



The Baphomental Affliction is a promotional demo released by a two-member band preparing for a full-length later this year. What you get here is three rather typical black metal tracks that span a total of about 15 minutes, with some quality material to boot. While they don't bring anything new to the table, they definitely understand what it takes to find a home with the rest of the Hornas and Crafts of the black metal scene. The riffs seem somewhat improvised and incredibly catchy, while the rest of the instruments fall perfectly into place behind some top-notch shrieking.

Listen: http://shadowsinthecrypt.bandcamp.com/