Four tracks that bear a message, a kind of a natural spirit of old. Though it is my own perception of what went through the mind of the foursome crew of these fine American gents, I would say that in their own way they summoned the charge. As an 80's Metal fan, it was kind of ordinary for me to accept this demo type release by TRAITOR, emerging from the ruins of HESSIAN and from the raging streets of Philadelphia. "Delaware Destroyers", via Horror Pain Gore Death Productions, isn't your usual serving nowadays for a release in the swarmed digital music market. It is the sign of evil, the emblem of mid 80's triumph, back when Metal became great worldwide, spreading its venom and might.

When I first listened to this demo, it reflected the old demo tapes that folks have been trading quite often in the 80's. Some of the giants of today started as bands with a tape, holding a collection of songs that eventually were discovered by a label. From there on, the future held at times more than a fracture of hope. TRAITOR, following a series events that made this venture happen, has a purpose to relive those days, and I reckon that Horror Pain Gore Death Productions did them a great service with releasing their material. I am not sure that most labels these days would have stretched the welcoming hand.

With a recording that sounded no less than a raw recording of a rehearsal, leaving out plenty of digitally recorded demos out there in shambles, TRAITOR felt usual, even too natural, within their songs. Crossing between the midst of Thrash and Speed while mesmerizing with a chunk change of Heavy Metal, it is an old school display of sheer power and toughness. The demo's spirit of freedom found potential numbers such as the SLAYER / NUCLEAR ASSAULT / DESTRUCTION infested "Defy The Gods" and the Heavy / Speed Metal surprise of "Traitor", which upholds the sweet memories of early MERCYFUL FATE, METALLICA, DIAMOND HEAD and a bit of IRON MAIDEN and JUDAS PRIEST. Although often the recordings weren't easy to differentiate, the latter song had me returning to it several times, chunky riffery, decent melodic vocal attempt and greasy lead guitar effort, bestowed a possible classic at birth. Nothing here is too shabby, but it is no less an in your face groundwork than most songs of the genre in the present. I would have expected a tad more from the other two numbers, "Blackened Kings" and "Bastards", yet it is only a beginning.

TRAITOR, through the corners of "Delaware Destroyers", tried kicking every can of old school meat in their road for this demo, and following their past experience, they are quite good at it. Even though I had my fair share of mid and late 80's demos of Thrash / Heavy / Speed and even Death Metal at its toddler years, I expect just a little bit more values when serving a material. Old school Metal bands supporting today's revival also displayed demos, analog as the old ones did but much cleaner so one would be able to appreciate. I would really like TRAITOR, in their next release that hopefully will be a full length, to show another piece of 80's verminous Metal attack.