Rating: 8.0

Country: USA

Release Date: 2006

Record Label: Old Metal

Track list:
1. Mercenary
2. The Insane
3. Sudden Death
4. Dead Planet
5. Instrumetal
6. Bloodfeast
7. Acid Rain
8. Death Mask
9. Motorhole (Live)
10. Sudden Death (Live)
11. Death Mask (Live)
12. Wicked World (Live)

Death Mask - Exhumation

Tom Machiano- Lead guitars & live backing vocals
Ed Gerritson- Drums
David “Hoss” Sherman- Bass Guitars and lead vocals

Talk about bloody esoteric! This hitherto unreleased compendium of rehearsal tracks has been floundering in the depths of absolute obscurity for the last decade and a half, a secret closely guarded by the most devout custodians of Baltimore/Virginia doom history, obscured entirely from the invasive eyes/ears of internet-savvy traders. Don't tire yourself consulting that all-seeing oracle, the Encyclopaedia Metallium, for even that reliquary will yield no insights on this most exotic curio. Consider me completely fucking blindsided, then, as this sonic antique bears scarcely any signs of wear- this is sledgehammer sludge of the highest order, a smothering blanket of impenetrable Trouble-by-way-of-Celtic-Frost density that will titillate all lovers of the low n'slow.

As you'd expect from impossibly rare, exhumed rehearsal recordings, this material is considerably frayed at the edges, and there is little doubt in my mind that many will take issue with the unapologetically idiosyncratic vocals on show. Yes, Hoss' bellicose bellowing will grate on all but the most patient listeners, and even my threshold for unique vocals is tried repeatedly throughout the record, as Hoss grunts, groans and grumbles in a fashion that will either prompt relish or revulsion amongst y'all.

Contentious as the vocals are, the music certainly is undisputedly great- cobbled together from haphazardly hewn blocks of demo-era/ Psalm 9 Trouble, Angel Witch Angel Witch, Black Metal Venom and Morbid Tales Celtic Frost, the brashness/brazenness of the material actually disguises precocious dynamism and thoughtfulness for a band in its infancy. Sure, some of this is derivative- “The Insane” could pass for an outtake from the first Trouble demo alongside “Demon's Claw” (and the unhinged vocals really add to the pervasive mania of the song..”I HEARRR VOICESSSSSS!”), “Sudden Death” invokes three chest-pounding lads from Newcastle, “Dead Planet” is Angel Witch's “Sorcerers” with a facelift and “Instrumetal”/“Bloodfeast” are “The Usurper” and “Dethroned Emperor” being reinterpreted by Deathrow-era Pentagram. The drumming is far from immaculate, and the frayed ends of this recording could understandably repel those accustomed to more sanitized recordings. Yet, from the “21 st Century Schizoid Man” ala Cronos bridge of “Dead Planet” (sharing common thematic ground with Cirith Ungol's “Doomed Planet”) to the groovy, almost Cathedral (think “Melancholy Emperor”) midsection that undercuts the rampaging “Die Hard”-isms of “Sudden Death” and the deep-fried, languorous Cactus-esque blues moves of “Wicked World”, the band reveals that they had a bit more on their agenda than pounding you on the skull with an iron mallet (though rest assured, much of their approach hinges on exactly that).

It is a true pity that the band didn't continue to churn out material after 1987, considering they, along with like-minded kin Dream Death, presented a very striking contrast to other early proponents of the “Maryland sound” like Asylum, Revelation, The Obsessed, Internal Void, Iron Man etcetera. Plenty of fleshy, delectable material for all you undead riff-ghouls here. Buy or die!

January 15th, 2007