– 1988 –
If the previous year finally saw modern black metal starting to take shape, you'll forgive the artists living it to not have necessarily noticed there was a template just yet. This period of the late 80's is marked by a combination of the earlier influences either breaking up or switching to a cleaner, more commercial sound, and the upcoming wave of next generation pioneers entering their demo period… there was as yet no underground labels with any kind of reach that could distribute this stuff to the international masses. When you hear this next one you'll start to wonder whether there was any international distribution for cheap boom boxes or corrugated tin sheds either.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CYNGNS1eok[/youtube]
Yep, that's our buddy Dave Mustaine's favorite black metal band, included here for mere completion purposes. Rotting Christ clearly had no idea what the fuck they were doing at the time – that demo makes Deathcrush sound like Dark Side of the Moon – but you can hear them stumbling toward a thoroughly rotten take on crusty black metal.
Tormentor were a band from Hungary best known for gifting singer Attila Csihar to Mayhem following Dead's suicide. The dictates of Communism ensured that Anno Domini, the album intended to be the band's debut, would not see release until years later after the fall of the Iron Curtain. Shame, really, as "Elizabeth Bathory" is a fully realized mid-tempo example of quality black metal.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7AtgbonKEk[/youtube]
Speaking of Mayhem, no less than Euronymous himself vetted Colombia's own Parabellum, a short-lived group that only put together two hastily recorded EPs in their lifetime, of which Mutación por radiación is by far the more listenable of the two.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Azt2yrIYkmo[/youtube]
