Well, Ol' Big Daddy here does not miss the past. Never.

This is due a way of thinking that "what lies in the past, is in the past, and in the past it must be". But of course some bands really deserve to have their works rescued for the sake of Metal and the style's memory. But some names, besides we never heard before, deserve as well, and one your Ol' Big Daddy here thinks that deserves it is North-American band RUTHLESS. But as well, USA band SKAVEN, from Oakland, California, deserves it as well, and "Discography" is a very good rescue.

They did, in the middle of the 90s, a mix between Doom and Thrash Metal with some influences from Black Metal, released on Demo CD (1996's "Flowers of Flesh and Blood"), two Splits (with DYSTOPIA on 1996, and a posthumous with STORMCROW on 2008), and all of them were compiled here, on one album. A good homage to a band that could have given great music to Metal back then with the right chances on hands.

By the sound I can hear, nasty and with no excellent quality, it seems that the album was not remastered, but it's good for that time. Or someone here really believes that an independent band gets a great support from someone? Please...

Of course their work was pretty raw on that time, still full of influences from the 80s, but SKAVEN lived only for two years (from 1995 to 1997), so it's clear that it must be really raw. But songs as "Reflective Skin", "Fleshy Curse", "Severed" and "Flowers of Flesh and Blood", all of them good tracks, shows that they deserved a better lucky, and at least, released and entire album with a good label giving a support. But the 90s were cruel to North America underground after 1992, when Alternative Rock and Grunge invaded and turns the things difficult. Even a great name as ABSU had to release their albums in a French label back then.

A fine gravestone to a good band that could be great with the right chance...