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After releasing the Omens of Dark Fate demo, as Mutilator, the band changed their name to Mutilated and began work on their next batch of raw and occult Death / Thrash Metal. In June 1988, this would rise from the depths in the form of the cassette demo Psychodeath Lunatics. This is the kind of stuff that kills posers on contact. It's ugly, powerful and has a great underground sound.
"The Crown of Death" begins with a brief intro of demonic voices, calling you from the very bowels of Hell. The music then kicks in, fast and intense. The lead solo is reminiscent of Hell Awaits-era Slayer, adding a really dark and hellish feeling. The production is surprisingly good for an old cassette demo. Underneath the steady drum beat are some bursts of double bass, that almost give a galloping feel. This song seems like a good mixture of Thrash and Death, and things get even faster by the middle. Another wicked solo rises from the hellfire, wrapping around you like a poisonous serpent and pulling you down to the Kingdom Below.
The next song is "Funerarium", keeping the same frenzied pace as before, possibly even more energetic than the first song. The sound here is bloody excellent, as the guitars dominate everything. The vocals, which remind me of Rob Urbinati (of Sacrifice), are at just the right level and the same can be said of the drums. The lead solos are clear and precise, as they take you toward the flames. The vocals on the song are a bit sparse, as it's almost more like an instrumental. Either way, this completely kills most Death Metal that's been put out in the last decade.
The demo ends with "Hysterical Corpse Dislocation", which exhibits a little more of the Thrash influence, though the mix is about 50/50. It alternates between those riffs and the old school Death Metal sound. This one features a lot of blasting drums and speed riffs that build tension until all of this force is released in the solo. There are brief flashes of brilliance, making it a true shame that this band never managed to record a full-length album.
There's no telling how one would go about obtaining a real copy of this, so your best bet is to have connections or to see what you can come up with on the net. It's definitely worth seeking out, particularly for anyone into the more extreme sounds of the 80s. Just a bit of a warning; posers should stay as far from this as possible, as this will tear your head right off your body.
