[released almost half a year ago, but in our possession very recently; for this material, however, is way too interesting just to ignore, I will be so kind, once again, to have this stuff reviewed]
Massacra were a well-known entity within the European Old School scene. This French band was formed in 1986 and released three demos during the eighties: Legion Of Torture (1987), Final Holocaust (1988) and Nearer From Death (1989), before continuing with the great albums Final Holocaust and Enjoy The Violence. Afterwards, the style evolved into a groovy kind of Metal, and in 1997 the band was put to rest. But that’s another story…
In an impressive series of compilations and re-releases, Century Media decided to compile the three original Massacra-demos on CD, LP (by the way, the vinyl version will be available via CM Distro (cmdistro.com) only) and digital download in a re-mastered version, including liner notes (with interview) and lots of pictures.
The demos come in reversed order, i.e. first Nearer Form Death, then Final Holocaust, to end with Legion Of Torture. Strange and unusual decision, but why not?...
What the band brought back then was an energetic, rhythmic yet melodic form of Death / Thrash Metal. Nearer From Death, of course, sounds the most like the Final Holocaust debut-album (i.e. the most Death Metal-oriented one of the three demos included on this compilation), while Legion Of Torture and Final Holocaust (the demo) were more within an American-inspired Speed / Thrash / Black modus. Main links and winks: think Slayer, Sarcofago, Merciless, Possessed, Mantas, Sacrifice, Metallica, Sepultura and the likes, though the European scene wasn’t absent either (Sodom, Kreator, Necrodeath, Tormentor, Venom, Bulldozer, Assassin etc.).
Nowadays the ‘main masses wouldn’t be satisfied anymore by this kind of performance, but I am not just writing out from a melancholic emotion right now. This stuff was highly appreciated back then for a reason: being a French band with such progressive ideas and great songs had to be recognized. And it needs to be appreciated right now as well, albeit for Ol’ Times’ sake…