What the fuck?! Shitty MIDI jazz-pop coming out from my speakers... Oh wait, it's just the stupid intro for the second demo tape from Dissection. The Lithuanian one, mind you. 'Dissected Tapes' compiles the two demos, that this short-lived death metal band recorded during their existence from 1990 to 1993. This compilation is the first one of "Lithuanian Metal. The Roots." series by Ledo Takas Records. For some reason, the band's second demo 'Pyramid of Hate' (1993) is the first on the collection. Well, it's certainly more skilfully advanced and more technical than the more brutal debut demo 'Suffocating Syndrom' (1992).

Let's start this dissection by looking into the debut demo. 'Abolition' is a deathier version of Sepultura's 1989 classic 'Beneath the Remains' style. 'Inferi' and the title track are from deeper down the spiralling abyss, stylistically hovering in the same sphere with Finland's Demilich and Demigod. Generally, it is all about tasty riffs and some "alien" lead guitar work, and varying tempos. The songs are good and surprisingly catchy when considering all the parts they are built from. The vocals are quite powerless stertor, definitely not growl, that simply submerge with the music.

The intro for 'Pyramid of Hate' is the most misplaced intro I've ever heard, created by a jazz musician. It is good that it's chopped from the first song proper, so you can jump over it easily, hah. Even though the compositions are far more in technical death metal vein, they are still mostly devoid of any jazz/fusion mould (interesting instrumental 'Into the Light' includes some), that many of the bands were pummelling at the time, e.g. US legends Atheist and Cynic. It is still metal, but the playing is just flashier with more small tricks and parts added. The vocals are angrier on this one, growled. The songs include more parts and pieces, so it needs to be attentively listened to. Anyway, I find the first demo's material more interesting, more into-the-point, but also worse sound quality might work negatively towards the second demo.

The demos were remastered by Lithuania's hottest producer, Gints Lungbergs. 'Suffocating Syndrom' has a good sound, with all the instruments well audible, except the bass which sometimes is lost in all the noise. Typical echoing sound is present. While recorded with a minimal budget, it still sounds superior to many of the classic demos from the same era. And it was taken from a tape source. 'Pyramid of Hate' sounds shite, to tell the truth. I think there is a bass buzzing somewhere in there... The faster parts are muddy and distorted, so there was no way to fix it. About the package: There is good and in-depth view in the band and the demos' history, both in English and in Lithuanian. The booklet should've included the original tape covers (I have just the booklet, no digipak, so I do not know what graphics the digipak includes)!

Another totally pointless/totally required release of old demo material. I wouldn't pay much for this, but still I find this as an interesting look into the old Lithuanian metal music underground. If early 1990s death metal is your stuff, then this should interest you too.

Rating: 6 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
05/06/2009 20:56