Hellhammer

At long last, the original 1983 Hellhammer demos — Death Fiend, Triumph of Death, and Satanic Rites — are remastered in this two-disc digi-pak. These über-primitive tapes first spawned Celtic Frost’s career and the then-new black metal movement, back when it best resembled sloppy Motörhead-esque punk, not the high-pitched speed-death of Darkthrone and the like. The early Frost crawl of "Reaper,” "Power of Satan,” "Triumph of Death” and "Satanic Rites” herald what was yet to be, and it’s almost humorous to hear singer/guitarist Tom Gabriel Warrior go overboard with vocal reverb on "Buried and Forgotten.” But the head-down ingenuity of "Eurynomos,” "Blood Insanity,” "Crucifixion” and T.G.’ s spooky intro/outro, coupled with the eternal fuzz of Steve Warrior’s "infernal battlebass,” makes Demon Entrails a steal for veteran fans and greenhorns alike.