Key of Alocer #7

Key of Alocer 'zine, issue 7 (1996)
Features:
Queen of Zamagard
Helish Magick and Race
Martial Arts, Ethos and the West
Survival of the Fittest
Diamanda Galás (interview taken from The Greenwich Village Press)
...Memor...
Delusion and Homophobia
Gtum-Mo: A Dharmic Heresy
Into the Final Frontier
Transcendence
Spider
Prince of Darkness - A Heretical Topography
Music and the Satanic Aesthetic
In the Shadows of the Talmud
New Science, Old Soul
Hitler as Avatar
The Black Order - of Pan-Europa -
The Political and Racial Views of H.P. Lovecraft
The Metaphysics of the Discworld
+ reviews divided to literature & music

Mega

A 'zine contribution today, sent by a reader of ours whom we'll call here simply A. Thank you for supporting the cause! This is the seventh issue of the notorious Key of Alocer, you may remember I posted the fourth one roughly five years ago.

I mentioned the older issues on the write up there, to recapitulate they were essentially traditional metal fanzines with articles on occult and such themes on the side while the fourth one was the turning point; music (especially metal) was put to sidelines in favour of the other sorts of stuff. Master Fenrirsson discussed the later issues briefly in the comments section, writing: "...I have all 9 issues of Key of Alocer (last one was called "Koaxial"). They steadily went downhill in terms of content (eg more tedious and self indulgent on behalf of the editor), and became more of a mouthpiece for homosexuality and transgenderism... I knew the editor for quite a while, because he lived not far from me, but I moved away and severed contact..." F was also planning to scan the missing issues to me before handing them forward, but things happened and that did not come to pass. I can't say I'd be really heartbroken, I've since read scans of older issues (I have at least #2 at hand and am pretty sure I should have either #1 or #3 as well) and while they are clearly more interesting to me as well as quite entertaining they can't be called top-notch classics or anything. Which leads us finally to this, the seventh incarnation.

I think I've tried navigating through this three or four times by now, unsuccessfully. It really is quite tedious as Fenrirsson put it and I always seem to think of better uses for my time and stop reading. As you may notice from above, this issue does not feature a single interview made by Abaaner (or A°A°I apparently at that time) - the sole interview (Diamanda Galás) is taken from elsewhere. Originally I was going to list the contributors after the articles but skipped the idea as not all were credited and it would've been a pain anyways. Let's just settle with a mention there is a lot of contributed material on this issue and at least two of the articles were responses to another from a previous issue. Touchy one I suppose. The reviews which I eyed through were actually quite entertaining and pretty interesting. Right, if you liked/were intrigued (or offended) by KoA#4 be sure to check this out too. Even more so if the subjects of the articles and featurettes interest you.

Demise - Festation demo 1992

Demise (nz) - Festation demo I 1992
1) Crushed Beneath
2) Suffer All
3) Festation
4) Lay in Waste
5) Flight of Demons

RGhost / Sendspace

Let's do some death metal for change, this is Demise of New Zealand, whom some might remember from this post. Master Chris Rigby of Subcide Webzine and formerly of Convulsion, Meatyard, Chapel of Gristle (sorry, the Coven does not have anything from that one. Yet.) and presently Dying of the Light and The Skull sent me his rip of the first Demise demo the other week and I said I'd be posting it soon. Well, this is comparatively soon! Thanks again for the contribution and the psychedelic cover which is about twenty to thirty times cooler than the second demo's cover was.

Compared to the self-titled second tape, we have the same amount of tracks but they're much shorter and there are no intros or other additional special effects present. Song writing is also somewhat simpler and more direct, as expected of a debut cassette. Overall the rip sounds clearer and better than the one for demo II even with the slight sound fail on the first track. Old schoolish death metal is the name of the game and I find myself enjoying this one slightly more of the two tapes, simply due the superior sound. And the awesome cover.

Dawn of Azazel - Of Bloodshed and Eternal Victory demo 1999

Dawn of Azazel - Of Bloodshed and Eternal Victory demo I 1999
1) Conqueror Throned
2) Triumph Upon Equinox
3) Conflagration of the Mortal Soul
4) March on the Blind
Unreleased bonus track:
5) Fallen Angel of Doom (Blasphemy cover)

Mega / Rusfolder

Here is the first demo I referred to here, again courtesy of brother Fenrirsson. Thank you! Like the previous Dawn of Azazel demo, this was ripped from master .wav files sent by the band so good quality is to be expected. Cover scans included for this one too.

Not quite as much unreleased goodies this time, just a cover of their major influence Blasphemy, and much of the content might seem redundant as three of the four tracks would make reappearance on their debut album and the second demo. The versions here are quite different however, mainly on the vocal department (like a demented yell/growl hybrid that's not very growly at all) and also due the (very) young band's skill levels. As an interesting bit of trivia, this was produced by Phil Kusabs aka VK who is Blasphemy's live bassist besides fronting Vassafor. Fenrirsson also wrote that drummer and second guitarist were kicked out after the release and very few copies of the demo were spread outside of New Zealand. I'm not really descriptive today so perhaps you should just have a listen for yourselves instead. Recommended for people into warlike and bestial black/death metal.

Dawn of Azazel - Vita Est Militia Super Terram demo 2000

Dawn of Azazel - Vita Est Militia Super Terram demo II 2000 full session
1) Monarch of Bloodshed and Eternal Victory (Solar Invictus)
2) Conqueror Throned
3) Triumph Upon Equinox
4) Bloodforged Abdication
Unreleased tracks:
5) Conflagration of the Mortal Soul
6) Immortal Dominance
7) Rotting (Sarcófago cover)
8) Plateau of Invincibility (Order From Chaos cover)

Zippy / Mega

My recent posts have been a little on the mellow side, don't you think? Well, that is remedied now, here is Dawn of Azazel from NZ with their second demo but wait, that's not all! Brother Fenrirsson sent me a rip of the full recording session, including four additional, unreleased tracks. Thank you as always! Two of those are cover tracks, one is a re-recording from debut demo and last one unreleased until it was recorded again for the debut album. The Sarcófago cover includes guest vocals from members of Skuldom and Max of Coven (later in Abominator). Tracks 4 and 8 re-appear on "Bloodforged Abdication" EP but again as different versions. Cover scans enclosed.

Musically this is quite brutal, militant and technical metal of death in the vein of Order From Chaos / Conqueror / Immolation while the first demo (apparently, I've yet to hear it) was more Blasphemy-influenced rumbling. Well, two of the demo proper tracks and one of the unreleased ones are re-recordings from the 1999 demo but I suppose they sound a little different this time around. Fenrirsson's rip was made from the master .wav files he got years ago from the band so the quality is very good. The full session runs at pretty much album length at almost 35 minutes. So if you're into warlike death/black metal check this out and if you're already a convert the extra content should be worth your while.

Demise - Demise demo 1993

Demise (nz) - Demise demo II 1993
1) Those to Perish
2) As Seen Through the Eyes of Faith
3) Divine Possession
4) It's a Wondeful Life
5) Temptation

Mediafire / Depositfiles

Master Fenrirsson has been raiding the dungeon recently with fervour and unearthed several relics of NZ death metal as already demonstrated by the previous post. Here's another one and once again not to be mixed with various other bands using the same monicker, Demise from Christchurch play straight old death metal and this is their 2nd demo though Metal Archives lists it as an EP. Demo or Cass.EP, cover scan is included.

The demo opens with a dark intro piece which changes then into the first track which is a rather speedy affair with undeniable catchiness to it. Unfortunately, the sound is quite poor due to the very low volume and has a certain booming muddiness to it. The following tracks follow in the same vein. Shame about the sound issue, this would be very enjoyable were it a little more audible. Still, certainly worth a listen to death metal enthusiasts.

Haemorrhage - ...The Extended Punishment demo 1993

Haemorrhage (nz) - ...The Extended Punishment demo 1993
1) Greasy Faeces
2) Chopping Spree
3) Raising the Dead
4) Fear of the Unknown
5) Infernal Bleeding
6) Grey Matter
7) Rotting Away

Mediafire / Depositfiles

Something different again today, here's a demo of NZ death/grind Haemorrhage, not to be mixed with the Polish one or the still (very) active Spanish goregrinders, courtesy of brother Fenrirsson. Thanks! If you remember the Epitaph compilation I posted, they were also featured on that one. Cover scan included and ripped by F from an original tape.

I am not familiar with the other Haemorrhages out there but this one plays filthy, gory and quite brutal death metal, not particulary fast but still with some fast moments tossed in. The sound takes a bit away from the potential heaviness of the music as it's a bit murky, rehearsal-like and especially in the beginning dominated by the strongly effected vocals. This is a bit uneven and varies from track to track as does the amount of effects. I personally like best the approach on the cavernous-sounding third track "Raising the Dead" where the lyrical approach is probably also less silly than what I could make out of the first track. And the following, doom-paced "Fear of the Unknown" where the effects have been skipped altogether. Well, gore death metal has never been my interest in the first place, metal of death is Serious Business at the Coven. It's a bit of a mixed bag with the sillier first tracks and then improving for the rest of it. Check it out if you're into death metal!

Key of Alocer #4

Key of Alocer 'zine, issue 4 (1994)
Interviews:
Spear of Longinus
Susscrofa
Inverted Pentagram
First Occult Church
Articles etc:
The Road Home (Ygraine Gidney)
Mystery Babylon Part II (Abaaner Incendium)
War and Peace (Wulf Grimwald)
Papaver Somniferum (Temple of Fire)
Blessed Darkness (Abaaner Incendium)
Satanism and Nazism (Wulf Grimwald)
Love Is Real (Unsane/Incendium)
Religion of Hate (Jeffrey Deboo)
The Alien Elite (William Gidney)
The Beast of Gevaudan (David Thierree)
+ reviews and artworks (by Incendium)

Depositfiles

I'm soon off to Hammer Open Air but I thought I'd drop this here first. A 'zine post for change and a quite different one, Key of Alocer was a NZ publication and at least 4 issues were made - don't know if the planned 5th one was completed and released, possibly. The first 3 issues were more in the traditional metal fanzine vein, with several band interviews and some articles. This one has changed so that there are only three bands and William Gidney of the First Occult Church interviewed and the rest is articles. The articles are mostly ok to interesting, though some are a bit tedious read. I would be interested to read the old issues if anyone happens to have them (Fenrirsson?) - they had interviews like Unholy, Dead Christ, Acheron, Belial, Impaled Nazarene, Impiety + more (1st), Graveland, Martyrium, Pagan Rites, Twilight, In the Woods... + many more (2nd) and Absu, Deinonychus, Primordial, Aradia, Gospel of the Horns + many more (3rd). This issue is not actually mine, it belongs to an old associate but has been sort of forgotten among my 'zines. If you're reading this, sorry I've forgotten to return this, come and pick it up already! A bit different read that should be very interesting to all, recommended.

Epitaph Compilation Tape (1994)

 
Various Artists - Epitaph - New Zealand Death Grind Compilation Tape (1994)
Side A:
1) Entropy - Wanderlust Daemon
2) Sinistrous Diabolus - Wipe Out Christianity
3) Demoniac - The Birth of Diabolic Blood
4) Eviscerate - Severely Butchered Remains
5) Quorthon - Colostomy Bag
6) Human - Turning Green and Starting to Smell
7) Malevolence - Black Sabbat
Side B:
8) Convulsion - Bits of Dog
9) Enshrine - My Tongue a Window
10) Neanderthal - Nun Raper
11) Haemorrhage - Rotting Away
12) Sinfeeder - Young Sappo Girls
13) Demise - Those to Perish
14) Conventional Toasters - The Flu
15) Warpspasm - Chainsaw Enema
16) Cyrrhosis - (Why Don't You) Go to Heaven

Reuploaded

I'm back with another contribution that has been waiting on the limbo of my old HD for too long though this time I had a semi-decent excuse for my hesitation - you see I tried to find a little additional information on this NZ compilation tape but came up with none. The main issue here is that it's lacking completely the artist of the 16th track. So if anyone could elaborate on the last artist and/or provide a cover scan that would be very much appreciated! UPDATE: Got one from comrade F! Thanks! Tracklisting edited and corrected in both post and folder, please re-download for corrected version with the full cover.

Like mentioned above, this compilation tape was a contribution by Stephen, a reader from NZ, thanks again, and features a bunch of bands playing various styles of death metal, from grinding blasts to black metal to slow churning doomy metal of death. A quite good representation of the NZ scene circa 1993 or so (release of the tape was in January 1994) and recommended listen to all into death metal. Especially now that I got the last track fixed with the artist's name and tracklisting in general!

Meatyard - Dismembered Debbie demo 1999

Meatyard - Dismembered Debbie demo 1999
1) Dismembered Debbie
2) Bulimic Bitch
3) Cough Up Blood
4) Pigs Must Die
5) The Weak
6) Gutfuck (Live)

Reuploaded

I think it is about time to give a sign of life from the Coven. I have a new computer and things again more or less in hand - some of you might have noticed I've been reuploading some of the gone-with-Mega items for the past few weeks. Some are still MIA but luckily brother Grev has just about all of them, thanks man what would I do without you? Anyways, he's a busy man and I don't want to pester him too much so you'll still have to wait for me to get everything back. But let's get to the point here shall we?

This one is a contribution by mr. Chris Rigby, former bass player of Convulsion and Meatyard here whose demo he kindly sent me. Thanks! I have edited a little, namely just chopped it up into separate tracks, nothing else. Music is death/grind, or goregrind is probably more accurate term, fast and brutal stuff. As I am not much an expert in this field I'm not going to elaborate much, except mention that it sounds heavy and pummeling, with a notable low-end rumble. Give it a try to see for yourself! Includes cover scan in pdf-format.

Indulgence - Enigmatic Thoughts demo 1995

Indulgence (nz) - Enigmatic Thoughts rehearsal/demo 1995
1) Question
2) Pleasure
3) Threnody

Yandex

New year and here is the second salvo from the NZ heavy artillery courtesy of brother Fenrirsson who provided this rip & scan too, thank you! If the previous round with Convulsion was vile, this one is more of gloom and doom school, even if the rather upbeat first track/intro might lead you to think otherwise. Speaking of Convulsion, I should probably mention this is Karl the vocalist/guitarist solo here so you might now know what to expect.

Recorded on a four tracker at the rehearsal room this obviously isn't pro or polished-sounding, but the quality is proper enough for a demo recording. If you don't count the less-than-minute long opener, the music is slow and heavy with a suffocating aura of darkness hovering over the listener rather than the dreary melancholic dirge some death/doom bands aim for. In other words, more old Unholy than Turn Loose-era My Dying Bride. I was going to write something more but seems like my thoughts wander so I quit here. Recommended if you enjoy dark old death/doom in the dISEMBOWELMENT-vein!

Convulsion - A Pickled Feast demo 1993

Convulsion (nz) - A Pickled Feast demo 1993
1) Lobotomized Whores
2) Bits of Dog
3) Pickled in Pus

Reuploaded

Another contribution by Fenrirsson, this is a demo from the NZ goregrind/death metal band Convulsion. Ripped from his original copy, the sound is obviously of the underground demo sort but quite good and fitting, slightly murky and heavy. Cover scan enclosed.

Even if this is goregrind/death metal, don't expect all-out blasting, there is a good share of slow, heavy, ponderous mauling on display here. Especially the first track is more like Visecral Evisceration than Dead Infection. Pace picks up on the second track but it's still more midtempo than anything which was a pleasant surprise for me on the first listen. There's some dual vocals thrown in for good effect as well and I'm actually reminded of Germany's Mangled Torsos on their debut "Drawings of the Dead" even though it's a later release. Last track continues pretty much where second left off, with a slightly briskier pace. I like this. Recommended for people into heavy and cavernous, murky death metal with a vile atmosphere.

UPDATE: Well, to prove even us ghoulish figures at AC are human it appears the original upload was not correct and tracks 2 & 3 were switched around. Oops. No excuses, just download it again, it's corrected now.