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.