Let's start with my backlog

Absentation - Unpredictable Perspective (Death Chapter) (2005):

Well, this isn't so great. Kinda sloppy death metal. Well, at least the vocals are death metal, but the music is somewhere between death and thrash. They have a few good ideas, but the execution is pretty bad: the guitar solos really suck, the playing is sloppy and the guitar tone is really overdistorted. This won't get a second listen.


Akaname - Filthlicker (2007):

Yeah, that's an appropriate name for this ep. It's dirty death metal, maybe with some hardcore. Doesn't do much for me, though to be fair the later tracks get a little better, with the last track "Anomolos" being something I might listen to again, and a few decent spastic riffs in "Eye of the Liger". And the band are competent at what they do, it just doesn't interest me much.


Alchemist - Eternal Wedlock (1987):

This is a really impressive demo for 1987. Heck, it's still pretty good 22 years later. This is their first demo, long before they released the impressive Jar of Kingdom. I'll have to dig that one out again. Anyway, this is pretty cool thrash, with some fast double bass drumming and some technical guitar work. It also shows some traces of the aboriginal influences that would become part of their trademark. Really ahead of its time. I'm glad I tracked this one down.