UMUR "Cranial Torment" is the first demo recording by Finnish death metal act Funebre. The demo was independently released in 1989 and it´s possibly the first pure death metal release by a Finnish band. Other contemporary Finnish artists (like Sacred Crucifix and Phlegethon) had started combining their raw thrash metal sound with more brutal elements, but what they released was still essentially thrash metal. Funebre is on the other hand a 100% pure death metal act.

Stylistically this is pretty simple, raw, and brutal sounding death metal of the most old school type. Deep growling vocals, a combination of faster paced tremolo riffs and slow, more heavy death/doom metal riffs and rhythms (Autopsy is the first reference who comes to mind). Funebre are fairly well playing too and everything is delivered with skill and great conviction.

"Cranial Torment" also features a relatively well sounding production job, and considering that this is a 1989 death metal demo recording, there is loads of quality to be found here. Of course the songwriting is a little immature, and a bit more variation could have made the listening experience a little more interesting, but on the other hand Funebre still produce some pretty effective, mean, and heavy sounding death metal. This is definitely a seminal Finnish death metal demo and a 3 star (60%) demo is warranted.