Hellwitch Demos

Today is a two-fer.  Because they are pretty short and I got them at the same time, I will be covering both Anthropophagi and Transgressive Sentience.  Hellwitch has their own online store where you can acquire most of their recordings in most formats, including demos.  I am still looking for Syzygial Miscreancy on cassette, which is not easy, nor cheap to find.  But the store is very helpful for most things.

TRANSGRESSIVE SENTIENCE (1986)

Starting off, we have Hellwitch's second demo.  The first track is the only one that would appear on the band's first album.  Due to how early in Hellwitch's career this one was released, it is no surprise that this one is a little bit rough.  But most of the elements that Hellwitch would later make up their sound can be discerned.  The band sounds like a slightly more technical blend of early Death and Venom.  Listening to it back to back with the next demo sounds like listening to two different bands.  Despite this, the rawness is endearing and this is a pretty intriguing demo.

ANTHROPOPHAGI (1994)

First of all, love the H.R. Giger artwork on the cover of this.  Of course, it has appeared on other albums before, including Triptykon's Melana Chasmata.  As this demo was released after Hellwitch had already put out their first full-length album, it finds the band in a much more finalized state.  All of the technical elements and the typical whirlwind of riffs that made Hellwitch so intriguing are present.  Oddly, one of the songs, "Fate at Pain's End", appears on Transgressive Sentience as well, but not on the album.  This is probably the better of the two demos, even if only based on how much more mature the band sounds.  This would be the last release from Hellwitch for several years.