Death SS: The Cursed Singles

Review

Very rare compilation of 4 Singles in special packaging:

DEATH SS: ZOMBIE / TERROR 7”
Side A: Recorded live in Home studio 1979
Side B: Recorded live 26/10/1980 at Bobadilla Club, Morciano

DEATH SS is just bizarre and dark, macabre and lustful; their music gives you an idea of how twisted a mind can be, and how the line between insanity and genius can be so thin. Sadly for external circumstances, DEATH SS is ignored for most of people even when they were one (if not the very first) band holding the flag of the occult in Metal, right after, lets say, Black Sabbath. Opening the cemetery gates comes the horrorific Zombie” in a very primitive version from 1979, and recorded in the rehearsal place. The abuse on the vocal reverb and the dark guitar riffing makes you think on this band as a real especial one. The raw sound combined with the per se demented song, leads you into the deepest dark fields of the underground. A evil charm surrounds this bad recorded trax, where these gang of dead show how feeling can supply the lack of equipment and right circumstances.The B side contains the classic cut Terror”, appearing here in its very primigenian form. Played live in 1980, the sound is not the best actually, but all those lovers of the heaviness of the early 80’s will love this profane version of a classic of horror. In essence, the song was planned and performed to create and atmosphere like those of old cemeteries so, you can´t expect great technique, just heavy tunes and love for the dead.

DEATH SS: THE NIGHT OF THE WITCH / BLACK MUMMY 7"

The second 7”released by DEATH SS was a big improvement in all areas. Starting from the fact of being recorded in a studio, the title track is, in my opinion one of the best songs ever recorded by this band. The Sabbath clear influence is just an small aspect of the various tunes this great song has. The melodramatic and deadly vocals are just the pinnacle of the madness, involved in great riffing and effects, besides real pounding drumming and deep bass. A song to remember…The next side is the live version of Black Mummy”. Perhaps it could sound a bit childish regarding composing and performing, but we must bear in mind that the guys were about 16 when recorded these songs. Anyway, Black Mummy” is a real funeral chant, with high pitched vocals and the eternal agonic riffs of Paul Chain. The lungs of Sylvester were on great shape, even when his technique was a bit raw, so to speak. Demoniac and asphyxiating, not for nothing they are the unique kings of evil metal!

DEATH SS: PROFANATION / SPIRITUALIST SENSE 7"

With Profanation” the heaviness is present in every microsecond along these two tracks of gothic horror. The title song is again very Black Sabbathian, but without attempting to copy in detail, anyway, the musical frame is perfect for a song where necrophilia is king and the humans just dust. The side two continues with the terror and the macabre Spiritualist Sense” makes you shiver with the voice of the dead opening the song in a manner of intro. Crushing, grasping, this song is an authentic lullaby for a Halloween night. One of the most representative aspects of DEATH SS is that their heaviness is not boring and tedious, you always are pushed to the edge, waiting for a scream or a howl could resound inside your brain. If the occult is your way, you should play this song over and over again, nightmares guaranteed!

DEATH SS: IN THE DARKNESS / THE MANDRAKE ROOT 7"

Even when this could be a bit eclectic, is the great combination of the most sorrowful moments of DEATH SS, united with the most metallic and powerful ones. In The Darkness” could be a ballad, but not just another ballad of broken hearts, rather is a tragic and macabre expression of love in extremis. A very unique song which anyone has ever equaled, called Metal or Gothic or whatever bands. How much of your suffering can you express? The Mandrake Root” on the other side is just the revenge”: a cut of power and devastation, a fast one I must add. The great breaks in the velocity just increases the intensity and blows your brains out. Here it was undeniable that the band had improved and passed from being a bunch of amateurs to highly professional musicians with deep roots!

Give you a chance to shiver in terror and to listen to one of the most enigmatic, yet complete bands in the Metal underground, I swear that this is better than any of those gothics and darks pretending to play doom METAL. Go for the real thing!

Tracks
(see review)