Every week, DEMO:LISTEN will premiere a new demo (or demos) by a band of heavy nature. There’s no boundaries here: death, black, doom, sludge, progressive, stoner, retro, whatever! It’s all fair game. For this week’s edition we take a look back (momentarily) at two standout demos from 2015.
Venefixion – Defixio
As Venefixion is comprised of members with such names as W. Cadaver, K. Desecrator, and F. Goathroat, it will probably surprise no one that Defixio consists of old-school death metal of the most barbaric and nasty sort. What may surprise is the exceptionally high production value, as these four tracks sound better than many full-lengths from 2015. Perhaps even more surprising is the underlying catchiness beneath all those crunchy riffs.
Remember when death metal songs used to be heavy AND catch the ear? Venefixion does. And, fortunately, these formerly-international, now-France-based deathmongers also remember that death metal needs to sound alive…. in the “Must run away because flesh eating corpses are crawling from the tombs!” sort of way, that is.
For a sample of the electric mayhem found on Defixio, check out “Morbid Casket” below, or head over to the Iron Bonehead Bandcamp and stream the whole demo (which clocks in at just under 15 minutes) right away. Either way, be sure to watch out for the full-length (presumably also on Iron Bonehead), which is sure to reduce brain cell counts across the world.
Pissboiler – Demo 1
In comparison to the high-production value and high profile (as much as a demo can be) of Defixio, Pissboiler may appeal to the underground elitists. Demo 1 has the subtleties of hitting someone over the back of the head with a jug of moonshine. And then pulling said individual through the swamp (face down, obviously), with the end result of course being some terrible act from the depths of human suffering.
The Swedish enthusiasts of misery plod through two (ten-minute-plus) feeedback/fuzz-ridden, drone/doom originals and a Von cover. For anyone who likes vomit-inducing, life-hating degeneracy in audio form, or labels who specialize in suffocating atmospheres played at the pace of funeral doom, Pissboiler is a name to watch for (and not to be confused with other bands names that involve urine…)
Check back next Friday for more demolition, and new demo premieres in upcoming weeks.
