UMUR "Metamorphosis / Dimension Demented" is a compilation release by US, Tampa, Florida based death metal act Brutality. The compilation was released through Mega Rabbit Recordings in 2002. The official nature of the release is disputed, and some sources says it´s a bootleg release. The compilation is released through the label of original Brutality lead vocalist/guitarist Larry Sapp (now Raine von Kiszka), so in that respect it can´t be counted as a bootleg.

The compilation features the material from the 1989 "Dimension Demented" demo and the 1991 "Metamorphosis" demo. The material from the latter is actually featured twice. The original demo cassette tape featured the same three tracks on both sides of the cassette tape, and for some reason it was decided that both Side A and Side B of the original cassette tape should be included on this compilation (which strengthens the suspicion that this is actually a bootleg). The compilation opens with the three tracks from the "Metamorphosis" demo in one 12:45 minutes long track, which is followed by the three individual tracks from the demo. It´s quite confusing and pretty unprofessional to release something like that, but that´s the reality of this compilation.

The tracks from "Metamorphosis" are followed by the eight tracks from the "Dimension Demented" demo. While the material from the "Metamorphosis" is death metal with some traces of thrash metal, the material from "Dimension Demented" is brutal, heavy (and occasionally fast-paced) crossover thrash metal. There´s not much connection between the material from the two demos other than it´s the same band who released them, but that´s about it. They could easily have been released by two completely different artists, and you wouldn´t have questioned it. The quality of the material is relatively high ("Metamorphosis" is of a better quality than "Dimension Demented"), but as a compilation release there are several things which do not work. The double inclusion of the material from "Metamorphosis" is more or less unforgivable, and it´s also a bit weird to listen to a release featuring two completely different music styles. Still there is enough quality here to warrant a 3 star (60%) rating.

UMUR "Hell on Earth" is an EP release by US, Tampa, Florida based death metal act Brutality. The EP was released through Gore Records in 1992. It´s a bit of the odd one out release, because of the timing of when it was released. Brutality starting out playing a raw and primitive thrash/speed metal style (first under the Abomination monicker and then the Brutality monicker), and ended up playing an aggressive and brutal crossover thrash metal style on the 1989 "Dimension Demented" demo, which is where the three tracks on "Hell on Earth" are culled from. The timing is odd because by 1992 Brutality had completely changed their style, and was now playing death metal.

Oh well...the material on "Hell on Earth" is still pretty great, dark, and heavy (and sometimes very fast-paced) crossover thrash metal, which sometimes reminds me of Carnivore with a more hardcore influenced Glen Benton on vocals. "Dimension Demented" featured eight tracks and only three of them were included on this EP, and again I have to wonder why this EP was released at all. I guess "Dimension Demented" was hard to find already at this point, and the band was probably just glad that a label wanted to release their music, despite the fact that they were playing a totally different music style in 1992.

There´s nothing wrong with the quality of the material and the sound production is also decent (not great), so judged as an individual release a 3 star (60%) rating isn´t all wrong, but I´d recommend seeking out "Dimension Demented" instead, if you want to hear Brutality in their crossover thrash metal period.

UMUR "Sadistic" is a single release by US, Tampa, Florida death metal act Brutality. The single was released through Nuclear Blast Records in 1992. It was originally released in a two-track 7" vinyl version featuring only the tracks "Sadistic" and "Spawned Illusion", but a three-track cassette tape version also exists featuring the two tracks from the 7" vinyl version plus the track "Criptorium".

"Sadistic" is exclusive to this release, but both "Spawned Illusion" and "Criptorium" would be re-recorded and included on Brutality´s 1993 debut full-length studio album "Screams of Anguish". The versions on this single are a little more rough around the edges, but still incredibly well performed by a skilled and very brutal sounding band.

The sound production is powerful, heavy, dark, and brutal, suiting the material well. The single shows progress from the 1991 "Metamorphosis" demo, which was also a great release, but this one is more mature, more brutal, and more technically well played. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

UMUR "Metamorphosis" is the fourth demo recording by US, Tampa, Florida based death metal act Brutality (the fifth if you count the 1987 demo by pre-Brutality act Abomination). It´s the successor to the 1989/1990 "Dimension Demented" demo. The demo was independently released and sold an incredible 5.000 copies. The demo was partially financed and distribued by Wild Rags Records though, which is why it´s sometimes counted as a label release.

Stylistically this is the sound of Brutality coming into their own and finding their sound. They starting out playing a raw and primitive thrash/speed metal style, and ended up playing an aggressive and brutal crossover thrash metal style on "Dimension Demented", but have now finally landed in the death metal camp. Their music still features quite a few thrash metal styled riffs and rhythms, but this is predominantly brutal, dark, and heavy death metal. None of the three tracks from the 12:38 minutes long demo would be included on the band´s 1993 debut full-length studio album "Screams of Anguish", but "Mausoleum of Infringing Evil" would be re-arranged and become "Septicemic Plague", which is featured on the debut album.

The material isn´t as well rounded and consistent in quality as what Brutality would produce on their full-length studio albums, but that´s to be expected from a demo recording, but when that is said, "Metamorphosis" is still a quality US death metal demo by Brutality, and a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "Dimension Demented" is a demo recording by US, Tampa, Florida based death metal act Brutality. The demo was released in 1989/1990 and it was originally produced in 1.000 cassette tape copies. Brutality formed in 1986 under the Abomination monicker but after releasing a demo they changed their name to Brutality. They released two 1988 demos under the Brutality monicker before releasing "Dimension Demented".

Both the Abomination demo and the two 1988 Brutality demos are in a raw and simple thrash/speed metal style, which brings Venom to mind, but "Dimension Demented" is slightly different. It´s obvious the band have become more skilled on their instruments and their songwriting has also become more powerful and interesting. Stylistically Brutality still don´t play death metal (like they are known for today), instead the eight tracks on the 24:24 minutes long demo are brutal crossover thrash metal. The vocals are nicely aggressive and I´m occasionally reminded of a less death metal growling Glen Benton (other times the vocals are more screaming and hardcore influenced). Sometimes the music is dark and heavy, and sometimes it´s fast-paced and hardcore influenced (The closest reference I can come up with is the Peter Steele fronted Carnivore). The hardcore influenced "World War III", which was one of the tracks featured on the last demo, is also included here.

The sound production is dark, heavy, and slightly murky, but still audibly recorded at a professional recording studio. "Dimension Demented" is the first "real" studio recored release by Brutality. While this is certainly a both charming and intense release, it´s not exactly groundbreaking or unique for the style or the time, but a 3 star (60%) rating is still warranted.