Sheol Hades – Metal Disease
I must admit I was expecting a black metal styled release for this US act but instead Lost Realm Records has seen fit to track down this obscure bands one and only demo and reissue it on CD after the original was a cassette demo back in 1986 when it was first released. The band members went into other acts after this such as Intrepid, Aftermath and Treachery of which the Intrepid demo ‘The Message’ has also been reissued by the label and is worth checking out.
It is great to see a label take the time and effort to release obscure material like this which unless you have the demo are virtually impossible to hear apart from the odd ripped track on the net. Quality control is paramount however as whether you want to hear this or not but back in the 1980s there were some ridiculously terrible releases that jumped on the bandwagon of thrash and speed metal’s hey day during this era. Sheol Hades is on the quality side as the demo hits off with ‘Attack Of The Dead’ and immediately it starts you are thrust back three decades where the sound was not always perfect but the vigour and vitality of the riffing is alive and breathing again. The bands short stabbing riffing has tenets of thrash and speed metal in varying quotients as the noticeable facet of this is the emphasis on lead work which is excellent. Also the bass playing was a little different too, having a plucked twang sound at times that was heard by bands like Mordred who also had demos out at this time too.
It would be remiss to say that this is faultless, it’s a demo, and as a consequence some aspects are a little overstated such as the high pitched vocal squeal that infests some of the songs at the end of lyric lines, but if you like Agent Steel, you’ll find no problem with this. ‘Fire’ continues the release with a sharp speed metal riff influx as the lead work filters in after a nice tempo switch that blazes away happily amid the speed rhythm riffing. Starting with a church bell clang is clichéd now but it wasn’t back then as the track builds on the chunky riffing towards a decent swing in pace and that lead work focus I mentioned. ‘All By The Knife’ has a more traditional flavour and reins in those high end vocals as the song immerses in speed metal oblivion with a cruising double bass attack and is a standout for me as I worship speed metal in all its guises.
‘The Reaper’ offers something different with a gentle start that builds towards the expectant riff which is a fine one indeed as that bass work is focused before the lead work. Closing this worthy reissue is ‘Back From The Grave’ which has a great sawing riff and punchy bass line, that mingles with the drum fills escalating the song’s intensity to the riff which is yet another fine demonstration of how thrash was played though the high pitched vocals did start to grate on me but is a minor point overall.
As I said it is good to get a reissue worth its repress as this demo has a sound better than you’d expect and has six tracks of adventurous thrash with a healthy dose of speed metal added to intensify the speed elements.
It is great to see a label take the time and effort to release obscure material like this which unless you have the demo are virtually impossible to hear apart from the odd ripped track on the net. Quality control is paramount however as whether you want to hear this or not but back in the 1980s there were some ridiculously terrible releases that jumped on the bandwagon of thrash and speed metal’s hey day during this era. Sheol Hades is on the quality side as the demo hits off with ‘Attack Of The Dead’ and immediately it starts you are thrust back three decades where the sound was not always perfect but the vigour and vitality of the riffing is alive and breathing again. The bands short stabbing riffing has tenets of thrash and speed metal in varying quotients as the noticeable facet of this is the emphasis on lead work which is excellent. Also the bass playing was a little different too, having a plucked twang sound at times that was heard by bands like Mordred who also had demos out at this time too.
It would be remiss to say that this is faultless, it’s a demo, and as a consequence some aspects are a little overstated such as the high pitched vocal squeal that infests some of the songs at the end of lyric lines, but if you like Agent Steel, you’ll find no problem with this. ‘Fire’ continues the release with a sharp speed metal riff influx as the lead work filters in after a nice tempo switch that blazes away happily amid the speed rhythm riffing. Starting with a church bell clang is clichéd now but it wasn’t back then as the track builds on the chunky riffing towards a decent swing in pace and that lead work focus I mentioned. ‘All By The Knife’ has a more traditional flavour and reins in those high end vocals as the song immerses in speed metal oblivion with a cruising double bass attack and is a standout for me as I worship speed metal in all its guises.
‘The Reaper’ offers something different with a gentle start that builds towards the expectant riff which is a fine one indeed as that bass work is focused before the lead work. Closing this worthy reissue is ‘Back From The Grave’ which has a great sawing riff and punchy bass line, that mingles with the drum fills escalating the song’s intensity to the riff which is yet another fine demonstration of how thrash was played though the high pitched vocals did start to grate on me but is a minor point overall.
As I said it is good to get a reissue worth its repress as this demo has a sound better than you’d expect and has six tracks of adventurous thrash with a healthy dose of speed metal added to intensify the speed elements.
- Attack Of The Dead
- Fire
- Metal Disease
- All By The Knife
- The Reaper
- Back From The Grave
