MEFISTO — Megalomania (review)

MEFISTO — Megalomania album cover Demo · 1986 · Trance Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3/5 ·
UMUR
"Megalomania" is the first demo by Swedish thrash metal act Mefisto. The demo was independently released on cassette tape in May 1986. Mefisto formed in 1985 in Stockholm and while not many people are familiar with them and they disbanded in 1987 after releasing two demos, they played an integral part in bringing more extreme sounding metal to the Swedish metal audience. In those days Bathory was one of the few Swedish artists playing what today is considered metal in the more extreme end of the spectrum, but a few others (including Mefisto, Merciless, and Obscurity) also existed in the underground. This was a few years before the Swedish death metal explosion, and many of the late 80s/early 90s Swedish death metal acts cite Mefisto as a source of inspiration. The demo was a rare collector´s item for many years, but it was re-released in 1999 along with the material from the November 1986 demo "The Puzzle" on "The Truth" compilation album.

Stylistically the material on the 4 track, 19:07 minutes long demo is strongly influenced by the blackened speed/thrash metal attack of the unholy German triumvirate of Kreator, Sodom, and Destruction (with a springle of Bathory). In some ways it almost makes them sound South American. Mefisto are a very well playing act though (although the drums are relatively simple and one-dimensional), and there´s slightly more to their music than some of the most savage South American artists were able to deliver. The lead guitar parts are for example worth a mention, and the occasional nod towards traditional heavy metal is also quite refreshing amidst the rawness of the speed/thrash metal attack. "Betrayed Truth" for example features a part which sounds a lot like Mercyful Fate (complete with a falsetto vocal part). The vocals are otherwise grunted snarls delivered in staccato style.

"Megalomania" is a well produced demo, and with a few tweaks here and there, it could easily have been released as a studio EP instead of a demo. Upon conclusion the material isn´t revolutinizing, and Bathory of course still takes the spot as the most influential Swedish extreme metal act from the early- mid-80s, but Mefisto arguably did play an important part in being inspirational to some youngsters who would go on and create a distinct sounding and important music scene only a few years down the line. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.
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