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Time
to Face the Reaper is an excellent compilation of four
demos recorded by Birmingham’s Sacrilege between 1984
and 1986. Sacrilege are largely known as a thrash metal
band, but the sounds contained here will have you
thinking something else. Take the first demo for
instance, it is bound to appeal to crusty punkers
perhaps much more than it is to narrow-minded metalheads.
If thrash metal was and is violent music, then crust is
its abusive father. The Sacrilege from the first demo
represent just that, a primal beast that was
zero into dynamics and change. They just went with their
gut feeling and never wondered around.
From the
first note on Sacrilege spits a lethal sound of raging riffs and
steady beats. It’s all made the more personal by the distinctive
vocals of Lynda Simpson, a lady who was a feral beast. Though
her vocals may be an acquired taste to some, most people into
the extreme will have no problem taking in her high pitch
screams. To say that her performance is impassioned is an
understatement of humongous proportions. It’s all equaled by
her cohorts; who in the first four cuts give new meaning to the
words ‘aural assault’. This first demo is definitely where is
at.
The second
demo was recorded in February 1985 and it does show the
influence of the times. Thrash metal was a nascent genre and if
the Slayer-esque guitar solo that aids the launch of “Stark
Reality” is not a signal then I don’t know what is. The
recording is not as sharp on the highs as the first demo but the
songs have that same warrior spirit. The thrash parts are
largely written in the guitars only. Some of the songs have
breaks and a few changes, when Sacrilege gain speed though, you
can tell the crust is still smeared all over. Also, the vocal
lines of Simpson are not everywhere, making songs such as
“Bloodrun” quasi instrumentals due to the strange lack of
vocals.
The third
demo dates from January 1986 and it basically spells out
t-h-r-a-s-h-m-e-t-a-l. From the way first cut “Flight of the
Nazgul” builds up through mid tempo to reigning guitar solo and
groovy riffs, it is obvious that Sacrilege were going with the
times. Still, there is certain rawness that’s perhaps the
remnants from their crusty years that gives their music certain
purity. Simpson’s vocals now remind me those of Détente's (and
also Fear of God) Dawn Crosby. The song in question is masterful.
Primitive, violent thrash that no German band would have been
capable of writing. Basically, Sacrilege make the Bay Area
thrash bands sound like Pretty Boy Floyd.
The fourth
demo was recorded on August of 1986 and features a more ‘up with
the times’ sound. Not only is there a clear difference in the
pace of the songs and the overall songwriting, but the recording
has a cushier, softer, less edgy sound. That’s where Sacrilege
loses the spirit. There are no traces left of their ancient
spirit and even Simpson’s performance lacks the belligerence
that was so contagious from their first years. Still, containing
eleven killer tracks, this compilation beats almost all.
Time to Face
the Reaper comes in a gorgeous black digipack with an insert and
features all remastered material.
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