UMUR "Terror Squad" is a the fifth demo recording by Danish thrash metal act Artillery. The demo was independently released on cassette tape in 1986 and bridges the gab between the band´s debut full-length studio album "Fear of Tomorrow" (August 1985, Neat Records) and "Terror Squad" (April 1987, Neat Records). It´s a rehearsal demo recorded as preperation for the recording of the "Terror Squad" album. All four tracks from the demo would be re-recorded and included on the "Terror Squad" album.

Stylistically Artillery had on this demo developed a more aggressive and thrashy style with less nods toward their speed metal past and the material is a good indication of the music style found on the forthcoming album. Considering that this is a rehearsal demo, it sounds surprisingly professional and sharp. It´s certainly not a lo-fi recording with a muddy/noisy sound quality. Sure it´s not a polished and professional studio recording either, but it´s a both raw and powerful sounding demo sound production, and I wouldn´t have guessed it was a rehearal demo if I didn´t know it.

The material is powerful, aggressive, and memorable thrash metal and delivered by the skilled Artillery fronted by the raw screaming Flemming Rönsdorf the tracks come to life in a glorious raw fashion. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Fear of Tomorrow" is the fourth demo recording by Danish thrash metal act Artillery. The demo was independently released in March 1985, only 6 months prior to the release of the band´s debut full-length studio album also titled "Fear of Tomorrow" (August 1985, Neat Records). The demo was recorded and mixed at Elsound Studio in January 1985. It was produced by Freddie Wolf and Artillery. There´s been one significant lineup change since the October 1984 "Deeds of Darkness" demo, as lead vocalist Carsten Lohmann has been replaced by Flemming Rønsdorf.

The change on the lead vocalist spot has a great impact on Artillery´s sound because Rønsdorf is one of those worldclass singers who elevates music to a higher state. His performances would be even more impressive on the subsequent album releases, but it´s obvious already on this demo, that he is a much better and more distinct sounding singer than the two Artillery singers who came before him.

Stylistically this is a raw and powerful type of speed/thrash metal with Rønsdorf´s screaming raw voice in front. The demo features 6 drafts of tracks which would be re-recorded and included on the August 1985 debut album plus "Hey Woman", which at the time was exclusive to this demo. It was however included on the various artists compilation album "Speed Metal Hell" (1985, New Renaissance Records).

Other than a more raw and unpolished sounding production, these early versions of tracks, like "Deeds of Darkness" and "Out of the Sky", are both well performed and effective speed/thrash metal tunes and this is definitely a demo recording worth investigating. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Deeds of Darkness" is the third demo recording by Danish thrash metal act Artillery. The demo was independently released on cassette tape in October 1984. It´s the successor to the August 1984 "Shellshock" demo, and just as the case was with the preceding demo, "Deeds of Darkness" was recorded and mixed at Ole Erlings Lydstudio and produced by Artillery.

Stylistically Artillery is slowly moving away from their speed metal and traditional heavy metal influences (except for the vocals which very much belong in those genres) and add more raw thrash metal riffs and rhythms to their music, although "Deeds of Darkness" isn´t a straight thrash metal demo in any way.

It´s not the most well produced demo, and the bass and the vocals dominate the soundcape, while especially the rhythm guitars are buried and sound a little powerless. The drums aren´t as prominent as they were on the first two demos either, and it´s a real shame because Artillery´s greatest assets at this point were definitely their sharp and well played riffs and the powerful organic drumming by Carsten Nielsen.

So while "Deeds of Darkness" show progression in sound and style for Artillery, it´s not the best quality demo they´ve recorded, and a 2.5 - 3 star (55%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Shellshock" is the second demo recording by Danish thrash metal act Artillery. The demo was independently released on cassette tape in August 1984. It´s the successor to the December 1983 "We Are the Dead" demo. There´s been one lineup change since the first demo as lead vocalist Per Onink has been replaced by Carsten Lohmann. It´s of some interest (probably mostly to Danes), that the demo was recorded and mixed at Ole Erlings Lydstudio in July 1984. Ole Erling was a pretty famous Danish "Suppe-steg-og-is-musiker" (organ playing, with programmed drums one-man act playing at widow bals, 80 years birthsdays...etc. you get the picture.).

"Shellshock" is a slightly darker, heavier, and more grim sounding release than the first demo, but it´s still a hybrid speed metal/thrash metal release, and while new lead vocalist Carsten Lohmann is a more interesting and raw sounding vocalist, he has a somewhat strained delivery and some unpleasant piercing screams, which aren´t always successful (he is a bit too theatrical at times, which makes me cringe). The playing is strong from all instrumentalists but it´s drummer Carsten Nielsen who steals the show, with his great organic and powerful drumming style.

"Shellshock" features a raw and grim sounding production job, which suits the music well, so upon conclusion "Shellshock" is a pretty well produced demo, which is also well performed, and decently composed. A 3 star (60%) rating is fair.

UMUR "We Are the Dead" is the first demo recording by Danish thrash metal act Artillery. The demo was independently released on cassette tape in December 1983. Artillery formed in 1982 and at this point featured lead vocalist Per Onink. It would be the only Artillery recordinng with Onink fronting the band as he was replaced by Carsten Lohmann before the recording of the August 1984 "Shellshock" demo.

Considering that this is a late 1983 Danish thrash metal demo it´s surprisingly well produced, featuring a clear, sharp, and powerful sounding production job. Artillery are very well playing too for such a young band and it´s obvious that they also have a firm grip on composing effective tunes. Stylistically this is less thrashy and more speed metal oriented than their later material, but that´s to be expected from a late 1983 demo. It´s artists like Venom and occasionally Mercyful Fate that I´m reminded of. Onink is the weak link here. He is a fairly diverse vocalist, but he doesn´t have the strongest or most interesting voice, and while it´s no catastrophy and you can still enjoy the music, it´s not a positive either.

Upon conclusion "We Are the Dead" is a strong first demo from Artillery and while it doesn´t represent what they would do later, there are many great riffs, performances (drummer Carsten Nielsen was already a beast of a drummer this early on), and songwriting ideas here to appreciate. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

Time Signature One foot in the grave, the other in the thrash...

Genre: thrash metal

This video captures Artillery's concert in Spodek, Katowice, in Poland on March 8th in 2008, and that in itself is something I really appreciated. In 'ye olden days', the venue of a show that was released on video or DVD would have to be some big legendary arena like Wembley or a place like that. But this DVD show that metal is really a global phenomenon and that concerts at internationally relatively obscure place like Spodek, Katowice, in Poland can be just as intense and magnificent as those that are held in big arenas.

The concert itself is great, and the production is sufficiently unpolished, and it's great to see a bunch of middle-aged and greying and mostly balding guys (ignoring Nico, of course) going on stage and kicking ass in an all out thrash metal frontal attack. Fans will surely appreciat eclassics like "Deeds of Darkness", "By Inheritance", "Khomaniac" and "Terror Squad".

So, the concert is what it is: an intense frontal thrash metal attack, and a show I wish I could have attended, but the real treasure on this album, which is what makes me give it five stars, are the interviews with the Stützer brothers and original drummer "Carsten Nielsen" in which they go through interesting events in the history of the band, such as split-ups, working with Flemming Rasmussen, drinking with Slayer, getting kicked out of Russia, recording with Invocator's and The Haunted's Per M. Jensen, the creation of side project missing link, problems with Neat Records and Venom, and, of course, the inception of the band and their choice of band moniker.

I'd recommend this DVD to fans of the band, but also fans of thrash metal in general, because there are certain to enjoy all of this DVD.