Sarcofago have always been an extremely interesting band to me. These guys have a certain je ne sais quoi that has helped them come to define the spirit of the underground. Perhaps nothing gets closer to the heart of one of metals most wonderfully demented bands than Die… Hard, a new compilation of both official and previously unobtainable Sarcofago demos out on Grey Haze Records, and the first unreleased Sarcofago material to see the light of day in fifteen years. A release that gives a unique look into the history of one of metals most legendary acts, there is something inherently fascinating about getting the chance to pick through years of material and come to a better understanding of one of the grimmest bands in the world.
One of the most disconcerting things about Die… Hard is the nearly constant variations in musicianship and recording quality. Obviously this is a concern for any collection of demos, but given Sarcofagos particularly checkered history it seems especially notable in this case. It's a little hard to figure out credits for each of these tracks – but it's impressive to consider that there could be up to seventeen different musicians featured on this album. Beyond that – the recordings here include everything from the very first ever demo recording the band did (Which are strangely endearing) to demos that they put together for later material. It gives the listener an interesting look into the creative process of the band – exactly the kind of thing that makes re-releases like this so gosh darn worthwhile.
As for the overall quality of this compilation – it is impressive to say the least. Getting the chance to hear three different versions of classic Sarcofago tracks like Nightmare and Third Slaughter is actually really interesting – especially when you play them back to back. You get a chance to see how the band grew over the years, and it provides a rather inspiring look into the history of black metal. Here was a gang of kids who managed to put together some truly magical work that has come to help define a generation. With twenty tracks for your perusal, it would be hard to summarize all the interesting nooks and crannies that you can uncover in the space of one review. What I will say though is that Sarcofago have blessed black metal community because at long last we can come to a deeper understanding of what these guys meant to do and where they were coming from.
Die… Hard merits multiple listens for any Sarcofago fan, it is a veritable treasure trove of black metal history. Despite the overall mediocre recording quality (Which is actually a part of the charm) this is an album that gets you going back through other Sarcofago releases too. It has quickly reinvigorated my interest in the band and allowed me to dig in with fresh ears. A pleasure for the collector (But probably alienating to the casual fan) Die… Hard is one of the most interesting black metal compilations I have heard in a long time – and at long last it seems like every black metal lover has access to a complete understanding of Sarcofago's recording history.
8/10
