Sodom's Witching Metal demo came out in 1982.

Slaughter's Strappado is a total classic in 80's Death Metal.

Has anyone talked about Carcass? Flesh Ripping Sonic Torment is from 1987, and in the same year they started to record their classic first album.

And Nuclear Death's Wake Me When I'm Dead is from 1986. That's about the end of my additions.

OK, Insanity's demo was mentioned; I thought it wasn't.

http://blacklungproductions.com/insanity/resources/fire.rm

See the video featuring Joe DeZuniga (1966-1987) the original vocalist/guitarist of Insanity belt out this intense tune from the early underground days of death metal. In RealPlayer format at 240X180 with enhanced audio from the '85 demo.

GAY NIGG*RS FROM OUTER SPACE

Far and away the best BM from North America ever.

I agree; alongside with Blasphemy & VON (VON is certainly not a joke to me). You could actually say Profanatica instead of Havohej, as "dethrone the son of god" kind of compensates the loss of Profanatica's "the raping of the virgin mary" full-length, and Havohej itself had different agendas style-wise.

What I find incredible is that at the time of the original releases, and I recall this quite vividly, Bathory were largely dismissed as a fucking Joke! Can you imagine?
The production and playing were singled out as amaturish, sloppy etc. yet I find it far superior to much that came in the early second BM wave(and much of the punk business that was seeping into metal then)...including certain overrated Norwegians whose ultra lo-fi( er, uh..."Grim") efforts I find mostly unlistenable to the day. Quorthon lives and should rightly be lionized!
Bathory is criminally underrated outside Black Metal circles.  

It's always a fucking joke when mainstream oriented "professional" nerds can't understand the real hardcore attitude (Venom, Bathory, ...). There will always be the moronic mass of people who want their "speed" albums to be polished, ear friendly, avantgarde, technical, creative & talented, and want their speed metal guitar heroes to wear feathered hats & play mozart. The original Bathory was never supposed to satisfy wimps and comfort nerds. Of course i'ts a joke when precious little people can't take the fucking aggressive hardcore assfuck that Bathory brought with the nastiest satanic image.