Before the late Chuck Schuldiner sowed the seeds of technical death metal with the legendary Death, he was in a fast-thrashing band called Mantas. Now, with Relapse Records having re-released a few choice selections from Death's back catalogue, the label is fixing its eyes on Schuldiner's early '80s act and issuing a collection of demos and live recordings called Death by Metal.
This will be the first time these Mantas recordings have been packaged together, giving a glimpse at the metal vocalist/guitarist's fledgling moments before starting up the prolific and influential Death in 1984. Described in a press release as the "brutally raw sound of an entire genre being born out of the basement of Chuck Schuldiner's Florida home close to three decades ago," the collection arrives June 19.
A standard CD will contain two versions of 1984's Death by Metal demo tape and some rehearsal tracks, while a deluxe, two-disc variation also includes tracks from another rehearsal tape dubbed Emotional and a live set recorded at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Orlando, FL. The touched-up Death by Metal will also be available on LP and digital download.
An extra special limited-edition version of the set binds the deluxe two-CD set with the LP on coloured wax, a T-shirt, and a reproduction of the original Death by Metal demo cassette.
Pre-orders are being taken here. You can check out the tracklisting and a trailer for the collection down below.
Death By Metal:
Disc 1:
Death By Metal Demo (First Version)
1. Legion Of Doom
2. Evil Dead
3. Mantas
4. Death By Metal
5. Power Of Darkness
Death By Metal Demo (Second Version)
6. Legion Of Doom
7. Power Of Darkness
8. Death By Metal
9. Evil Dead
Rehearsal Early 1984
10. Legion Of Doom
11. Mantas
12. Death By Metal
13. Evil Dead
14. Rise Of Satan
Disc 2 (Deluxe Edition Only):
Emotional Rehearsal Demo 1984
1. Legion Of Doom (Take 1)
2. Legion Of Doom (Take 2)
3. Legion Of Doom (Take 3)
4. Evil Dead (Take 1)
5. Evil Dead (Take 2)
6. Mantas (Take 1)
7. Mantas (Take 2)
Live at Knights Of Columbus Hall in Orlando, Florida September 1, 1984
8. Legion Of Doom
9. Zombie
10. Demon Flight
11. Death By Metal
12. Evil Dead
13. Power Of Darkness
14. Black Magic
15. Evil Chuck Solo
16. Beyond The Unholy Grave
17. Poison
This will be the first time these Mantas recordings have been packaged together, giving a glimpse at the metal vocalist/guitarist's fledgling moments before starting up the prolific and influential Death in 1984. Described in a press release as the "brutally raw sound of an entire genre being born out of the basement of Chuck Schuldiner's Florida home close to three decades ago," the collection arrives June 19.
A standard CD will contain two versions of 1984's Death by Metal demo tape and some rehearsal tracks, while a deluxe, two-disc variation also includes tracks from another rehearsal tape dubbed Emotional and a live set recorded at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Orlando, FL. The touched-up Death by Metal will also be available on LP and digital download.
An extra special limited-edition version of the set binds the deluxe two-CD set with the LP on coloured wax, a T-shirt, and a reproduction of the original Death by Metal demo cassette.
Pre-orders are being taken here. You can check out the tracklisting and a trailer for the collection down below.
Death By Metal:
Disc 1:
Death By Metal Demo (First Version)
1. Legion Of Doom
2. Evil Dead
3. Mantas
4. Death By Metal
5. Power Of Darkness
Death By Metal Demo (Second Version)
6. Legion Of Doom
7. Power Of Darkness
8. Death By Metal
9. Evil Dead
Rehearsal Early 1984
10. Legion Of Doom
11. Mantas
12. Death By Metal
13. Evil Dead
14. Rise Of Satan
Disc 2 (Deluxe Edition Only):
Emotional Rehearsal Demo 1984
1. Legion Of Doom (Take 1)
2. Legion Of Doom (Take 2)
3. Legion Of Doom (Take 3)
4. Evil Dead (Take 1)
5. Evil Dead (Take 2)
6. Mantas (Take 1)
7. Mantas (Take 2)
Live at Knights Of Columbus Hall in Orlando, Florida September 1, 1984
8. Legion Of Doom
9. Zombie
10. Demon Flight
11. Death By Metal
12. Evil Dead
13. Power Of Darkness
14. Black Magic
15. Evil Chuck Solo
16. Beyond The Unholy Grave
17. Poison
