For the demo realm, this is godly output. Having heard Thergothon's full-length before hearing this, I've always liked the full-length more, but this gets equal playing time when I'm in a doom mood. Things are a little rawer on this demo than the 'Stream from the Heavens' record, but some may actually consider the production on this better than the LP. I don't care either way. The guitar sound on this is cool, most likely due to the production. The keyboards could have been left out, though, as they sound like an organ played through a little PlaySkool tape recorder. That doesn't really detract from the overall pleasure garnered from this demo since the keys aren't used much (though they are on later material).

There are four tracks on this tape, two of which are still exclusive to this demo: "Evoken" and "The Twilight Fade". "The Twilight Fade" is one of Thergothon's best songs. It's also one of their shortest since it's only a couple minutes long compared to the other lengthy tracks the band created. "The Twilight Fade" has one of the most chilling, melancholic growls ever laid down on tape, not to mention the supremely somber clean vocals of Niko. How his throat wasn't irreparably damaged by doing those unfathomably deep growls (with no effects!) is beyond me. True doom/death fanatics should waste no time finding this demo at any and all costs. (As an aside, there are plans to release this demo on CD format, remastered (?), on Eibon Records out of Italy. That will definitely be a dark day for all humanity.)

© 1999 goden