Dirty Speed Metal
Demona
It's common for the Chilean Metal scene to have the use of Old School Metal genres, like Chile could be said as the Old School Metal country. Of course, some bands are really excellent, as WITCHES SABBATH; others are not as good. And the act DEMONA (a project of the guitarist and singer Tanza) is a good one, as hear on this compilation, "Dirty Speed Metal". In reality, this compilation works as an epitaph to the band's career, because DEMONA is on hold. And here the fans will find 51 songs, all that the band released on its career. It's a form of classic Speed Metal of the 80's, the same one found on the works of bands as ACID, CROSSFIRE, OSTROGOTH, WARLOCK and others from the same time, bearing fast tempos, but with charming classic melodies of German Metal School as well (the ones that ACCEPT helped to define). It's nothing new at all, but many don't care for such aspect, so it's good.
As a compilation of all the material the band released (with some previously unreleased ones), there are some shifts between the sonority. The general outfit is something trying to emulate the features of the 80's to bear an organic feeling. It's nothing great, but's nothing a loss as well. And by the way, the fans will have the experience of understanding the evolution of the band due the sonorities changes. On disc one, here are three releases: the album "Speaking With the Devil" (of 2015), "2015" (an EP release in the year of its name) and "Nightmare" (another EP, this one of 2011). And one will have a deep taste of the band's potential on songs as "Malvenidos", "Dirty Speed Metal", "Traitors", "Stronger Than the Hardest Stone", "The Sorcerer's Escapade", "Chasing the Speed", "Apocalypse" and "Nightmare". On all of them, the fans will have a band with a very good set of melodies and a fast attack of the instrumental (especially the guitar shreds).
On disc two: "Metal Through the Time" (the 2012 album) and "M.I.M./The Assassin" (another EP released on 2011), with songs as "Pay for Your Sins", "Ataque De Locura Homicida", "Earthquake", "Nightmare", "Metal Through the Time", "Tormenta" and "Metal is Me" being the high lights. The fans will have the clean idea that the band sounded a bit more melodic on that time, and with some influences of classic Hard Rock permeating the band's melodies (the guitar solos are very good).
On disc three: "Die in Violence" (2010's album), "Metal is Me" (2009's EP), "Metal Still is Me" (another 2009's EP), "Promo 2008" (2008's Demo Tape), and some unreleased demo songs. Here things are really harsh on the sonority, because it's poor for the band's music. But it doesn't mean that songs as "Die in Violence", "Bad Boy", "El Poderoso Tiempo", the live shots for "Ataque de Locura Homicida", "Llagas", "Metal is Me" and "Heavy Metal Soldier" have no value, it's the opposite: they're pretty good, indeed, but shows the band on an embryonic stage. The other good songs on the disc are "Demona", "Tu Final", "Solo Existe el Metal", "Malvenidos" and "Ataque de Locura Homicida (Amok)", along with the Demo songs "Allura Red" and "Chasing the Speed" on their instrumental form, showing how lovely are the band's musical arrangements.
But one thing: the ones that don't know the band's work will have some hardships to deal with Tanza's voice in the initial times, but soon you'll get used to it. It's a good release, indeed, and it opens the possibility to the return of DEMONA in the future. For now, enjoy "Dirty Speed Metal".
8 / 10
Excellent
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production
"Dirty Speed Metal" Track-listing:
1. Exordium (Intro)
2. Malvenidos
3. Dirty Speed Metal
4. Speaking with the Devil
5. Traitors
6. Bad Boy
7. Demona
8. Stronger than the Hardest Stone
9. Mercenario
10. The Sorcerers Escapade
11. Cease to Exist (Outro)
12. Chasing the Speed
13. Allura Red
14. Introduction to Apocalypse
15. The Apocalypse
16. Nightmare
17. Be My Obsession
18. Introduction
19. Pay for Your Sins
20. The Apocalypse
21. Ataque de Locura Homicida
22. Earthquake
23. Solo Existe el Metal
24. Nightmare
25. Llagas
26. Metal Through the Time
27. Poisoned
28. Tormenta
29. Don't Play with Fire
30. Introduction
31. Metal is Me
32. The Assassin
33. Die in Violence
34. Bad Boy
35. No Puedo Más
36. El Poderoso Tiempo
37. Ataque de Locura Homicida (Live)
38. Llagas (Live)
39. Metal is Me (Live)
40. Heavy Metal Soldier (Live)
41. Intro
42. Demona
43. Metal is Me
44. Tu Final
45. Llagas
46. Solo Existe el Metal
47. El Poderoso Tiempo
48. Malvenidos
49. Ataque de Locura Homicida (Amok)
50. Allura Red (Instrumental Demo) (instrumental)
51. Chasing the Speed (Instrumental Demo) (instrumental)
Demona Lineup:
Tanza - Vocals, Guitars
Gabrihell - Lead Guitars
Jeff - Bass
Jean-François Tremblay - Bass
Antoine - Drums
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