UMUR "1985 Demo" is the first demo release by US death metal act Master. The demo was independently released in 1985. Master was formed by lead vocalist/bassist Paul Speckmann and drummer Bill Schmidt after leaving War Cry. Speckmann had a lot of different projects going in those days (Death Strike and Abomination in addition to Master), and he was probably in doubt which project he should focus on, because it took quite a few years before Master released their 1990 eponymously titled debut full-length studio album and only a 1985 rehearsal demo bridges the gap between this demo and the debut album (although a full-length album was actually recorded in 1985 and shelved. It ultimately saw a release in 2003). All five tracks from the demo would be re-recorded and included on the debut album.

Stylistically this is an early extreme metal release featuring elements from both thrash metal, hardcore punk, and the extremity of death metal. It´s certainly understandable that many early death metal pioneers cite this demo as an inspiration to become more brutal sounding themselves. While many other early death metal artists like Morbid Angel, Death, Autopsy, and Obituary all experimented with song structures and creative songwriting ideas, Master is a more simple, effective and pummeling listen. Once a track gets going, the same pounding drum beat continues for the remainder of the song, and most tracks only feature very few riffs, a one-dimensional raw shouting (semi-growling) vocal style, and the occasional screaming guitar solo. In other words this is the most basic and simplistic style of death metal imaginable (and it´s interesting that Master have pretty much stuck to their guns since then).

The demo features a raw, but still detailed and well sounding production job, which helps the material shine. So it´s a good quality 1985 extreme metal demo which deserves it´s reputation as a seminal death metal release. The songwriting keeps it from being a real blast though, and a 3 star (60%) rating isn´t all wrong.

UMUR "Collection Of Souls" is the 3rd full-length studio album by US death metal act Master. The album was released through Nuclear Blast Records in 1993. It´s the successor to "On The Seventh Day God Created... Master" from 1991. Since the release of the predecessor session guitarist Paul Masvidal has returned to Cynic and he is replaced here by two new guitarists in Brian Brady and Jeff Kobie. The remaining part of the lineup, who recorded the predecessor, are lead vocalist/bassist Paul Speckmann and drummer Aaron Nickeas. "Collection Of Souls" marks the end of the band´s partnership with Nuclear Blast Records.

Master was always a pretty simple old school death metal act with thrash metal leanings, and that sound is as such continued on "Collection Of Souls". It´s even more simple this time around though and there are also quite a few nods toward punk. On the preceding releases by the band there were always at least one or two memorable tracks, but the material on "Collection Of Souls" is a bit of a shallow experience, with next to nothing to hold on to. It´s never a sign of good health when the most memorable track on your album is a hideous slaughter of "Jailbreak" by Thin Lizzy (which on a funny sidenote is credited to Paul Speckmann and not Thin Lizzy)...

...add to that some sloppy playing (Speckmann´s vocals are pretty weak on this release too), and powerless unpolished production values, and "Collection Of Souls" ends up a very mediocre release by Master. After two decent releases they hit rock bottom with this one, and a 2.5 star (50%) rating isn´t all wrong.

UMUR "On The Seventh Day God Created... Master" is the 2nd full-length studio album by US death metal act Master. The album was released through Nuclear Blast Records in the fall of 1991. Master had a relatively long and complicated history before releasing their eponymously titled debut full-length studio album in 1990. That album earned them great underground success though, and they were more or less at the top of the world (well...in relative terms) at this point. Since the release of the debut album both drummer Bill Schmidt and guitarist Chris Mittleburn have left the band. They are replaced here by new drummer Aaron Nickeas and Cynic frontman/guitarist Paul Masvidal (who handles guitars on the album). Band founder Paul Speckmann is the only remaining member from the lineup who recorded the debut album. He handles vocals and bass on the album. John Tardy from Obituary makes a guest vocal appearance on "Latitudinarian" and "Submerged In Sin".

Stylistically the music on "On The Seventh Day God Created... Master" continues the old school death metal with strong thrash metal leanings of the debut album. The song structures, riffs, and playing style are predominantly simple and at least to some degree catchy. It´s hard to imagine that it took very long for a capacity like Paul Masvidal to learn the guitar parts for this album. His solos are also more simple and raw than what we´re used to hearing from him. The drumming is pretty simple too and a bit one-dimensional. Clicky double kick drumming almost constantly throughout the album, and only few tempo changes. Speckmann´s vocals are somewhere between growling and raw more thrash metal oriented vocals.

"On The Seventh Day God Created... Master" opens with a decent trio of tracks in "What Kind Of God", "Latitudinarian", and "Heathen", but it´s like the band can´t keep the quality of the opening tracks up throughout the album. There´s nothing terribly bad on the album, but quite a few of the tracks are unremarkable. Master´s version of the American national anthem "America The Pitiful" is one of the few other standout tracks on the album.

The album was recorded at Morrisound Recording in Tampa, Florida in August 1991, and features a rather time typical Morrisound production. It´s not as bass heavy as most of the other productions out of the studio from that time, but there´s still no mistaking where the album was recorded. It´s not a particularly well produced release though and especially the messy guitar sound and clicky kick drums don´t sound too great.

Upon conclusion "On The Seventh Day God Created... Master" is probably an album that´ll please fans of the band´s debut album, but viewed within a broader death metal reference frame, it´s not the most interesting release on the scene, and considering the amount of death metal classics released in 1991, this one drowns in mediocrity. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.

UMUR "An Epiphany of Hate" is the 13th full-length studio album by US/Czech Republic death metal act Master. The album was released through F.D.A. Rekotz in January 2016. It´s the successor to "The Witchhunt" from 2013.

Stylistically "An Epiphany of Hate" pretty much continues the same old school death metal style with occasional thrash metal leanings as the band also played on "The Witchhunt (2013)". In fact there´s been very little development of sound and style since Master´s eponymously titled 1990 debut full-length studio album. So this is a band who has stuck to their guns and even survived a relocation to a new country (frontman/bassist and band founder Paul Speckmann moved from the US to the Czech Republic in 1999).

The material on the 10 track, 44:23 minutes long album is pretty basic death metal with Paul Speckmann´s reasonably intelligible growling vocals in front. He sounds delightfully pissed on this album although the vocals do become a bit one-dimensional after a few tracks. The quality of the material is pretty high, but seldom out of the ordinary for the style. The band are well playing, and deliver their parts with the right amount of passion and conviction, and the album is well produced too, featuring a raw and powerful sound production.

So "An Epiphany of Hate" is in many ways a good quality old school death metal release, but upon conclusion it suffers from the same issue as many of the other Master albums do. The music is simply not varied enough and it often feels like it´s the same track playing throughout the album. A bit more variation (also in the vocal department) could have made the album an overall more interesting listen, but when that is said, it´s still an enjoyable listen for the style, and a 3.5 star (70%) rating isn´t all wrong.

UMUR "The Witchhunt" is the 12th full-length studio album by US/Czech Republic death metal act Master. The album was released through F.D.A. Rekotz in September 2013. Master and especially founder/singer/bassist Paul Speckmann are legendary on the death metal scene. They are often mentioned among the seminal US death metal acts even though Master´s debut album wasn´t released until 1990. Master was already formed in 1983 though. Changed name to Death Strike and then in 1985 changed the name back to Master. Master was signed by Combat Records and recorded an album in 1985, but it was shelved and not released back then (since 2003 it´s been available through Displeased Records as the "Unreleased 1985 album"). They are what you call a true cult band with a cult following.

Stylistically the music on "The Witchhunt" continues the old school death metal style with raw thrash metal leanings that the band have more or less played since day one. They were never the most distinct sounding nor the most interesting death metal act out there, but they sure deliver their music with both passion and conviction. If you like them raw and to the point "The Witchhunt" certainly applies. The band are relatively well playing and Paul Speckmann´s vocals are both brutal and aggressive. The music does become a bit one-dimensional after a while, but this is "by the book" old school death metal, so that´s to be expected. Songtitles like "Waiting to Die", "Plans of Hate" and "Manipulated to Exterminate" also point in a generic old school death metal direction. It should be mentioned that there has always been a political angle to the band´s lyrics, that not many death metal acts pursue, but the lyrics are not exactly genius in nature. The sound production is raw, powerful and generally suits the music well.

"The Witchhunt" may not be a death metal revelation and Master as such haven´t really done much to develop their sound in years, but that´s of little consequence when they deliver their music the way they do. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is warranted.