CHURCH OF SATAN (UK) -- "Lonely Descent Into The Bottomless Pit" rehearsal/demo tape (1996/7?)

I'm fairly sure this is an exclusive, I don't know if many other people ever heard these recordings. CHURCH OF SATAN was a band that existed between Salem Orchid and Akercocke, formed by David Gray, Matthew Platts and Peter Theobalds. As such I assume it was a formative version of Akercocke; it wasn't too long after this that Akercocke appeared on the scene. I was sent the tape by David Gray himself after I contacted him about Salem Orchid.

The two sides of the tape, "Lonely Descent Into The Bottomless Pit" and "Orgiastic Rites At The Inner Sanctum Of Satan", each consist of 8 distinct pieces, which I have separated and named "Parts 1-8". I don't know if this was the intention, or if they were meant to be taken as two long tracks. For ease of naming I have made each side a separate "album", thus avoiding long track names such as "Lonely Descent Into The Bottomless Pit Part 1" etc.

I've cleaned and EQed the tracks as much as I can, but the quality is still poor. Musically, however the tracks are superb, consisting of tight and brutal Death Metal, interspersed with truly fantastic experimental moments. I may be wrong, but there is a definite feel of improvisation here and there, a feeling of a true experimental journey.

I do also have another (earlier?) rehearsal consisting of just two tracks, but the sound quality on these is so low as to be virtually unlistenable, so I haven't included them here. If I can miraculously make them vaguely presentable then I'll post them at a later date, but don't hold your breath...


Enjoy!

Tracklist:

1-8. "Lonely Descent Into The Bottomless Pit" Parts 1-8

9-16. "Orgiastic Rites At The Inner Sanctum Of Satan" Parts 1-8

Ripped from cassette. 320 kps


http://www.mediafire.com/?t68chsfyn1o5wbf

(updated 06/01/11)

Update: I have also finally uploaded the Salem Orchid material HERE.

NADA (Swz) -- "Celmetra" (1994)

A real obscurity here, NÀDA came to my attention in an article in Terrorizer back in 1994. Their music is a strange mix of experimental Doom, Industrial, Tribal and Neo-Folk, in places reminiscent of Neurosis, Swans and Einstürzende Neubauten. I really like this album, there is a really obscure feeling throughout. I have included a scan of the Terrorizer article.

Nàda's MySpace page

Nàda -- "Celmètra" (1994)

Tracklist:

1. Uyulàla
2. Iather
3. Garden
4. Work
5. Body
6. Gates
7. War
8. Lust
9. Power
10. untitled

320 kps
Cover scans included
Also includes Terrorzer article

http://www.mediafire.com/?f2rmr5sk0ykuhgm

(link updated 27/08/10)


UPDATE:


ex-Nàda member Remo Seeland has a new solo-project entitled HOLLOW BONE. Check out the MySpace page, I also have a short writeup HERE.

CERECLOTH (UK) -- "Encrusted In An Oaken Legend" 7" (1993) + "Godless Passages" demo (1992)

For my first music post, I've gone for an absolute lost classic of the Underground. CERECLOTH (pronounced "seer-cloth", not "ker-e-cloth") was the band that showed me what great music there was to be found in the Underground scene, as well as what could be achieved by mixing styles of music. The music on "Encrusted In An Oaken Legend" is a mixture of tight and technical MORBID ANGEL-style Death Metal (plus some Doom/Death touches) with SKYCLAD-esque Folk Metal riffs. Compared to today's polished Pagan / Folk Metal achievements it is perhaps a little rough round the edges, but at the time this was without comparison. Whilst the Folk element is simple and slightly naive, the atmosphere was absolutely amazing. The Folk influence is less noticeable on "Godless Passages", released a year earlier, but it is still a worthy demo.

Tracklist:

"Encrusted In An Oaken Legend" 7" (1993)

1. Encrusted In An Oaken Legend
2. Beautiful Lying Faces

"Godless Passages" demo (1992)

1. Thorns Have Crowned
2. Rejoice The Old Path
3. Godless Passages

320 kps
Cover scans included

Download -- http://www.mediafire.com/?v52kkucaiwdbeeb
(link updated 19/08/10)