Year: 2021
Label: Deathrash Armageddon
Rating: 8 / 10
This review, as well as the release, can be considered retrospective, because DOOMSLAUGHTER does not actually exist at the moment, as well as in 2021, when the Japanese label Deathrash Armageddon published this compilation. Now it is quite interesting to recall the aura that enveloped DOOMSLAUGHTER about 10 years ago: for people who were unfamiliar with the band members personally (I was among them then), DOOMSLAUGHTER was one of the greatest mysteries of the Belarusian underground. Although T.D. participated in PESTILENTIA, and Nekrolyte played in OKULUS DIABOLI and DEOFEL, they existed somehow separately, not being associated with the Niemaracz Clan or any other movements. This, of course, is not surprising, but the fact that the demo and the first mini-album of DOOMSLAUGHTER were immediately released on Iron Bonehead, on tape and vinyl respectively, was a real surprise at that time and an indicator of the very serious status of the band. Finally, one more important point: DOOMSLAUGHTER were, perhaps, the first in Belarus who supported the wave of revival of the primitive, chaotic black metal of death in the name of Horned One.
This compilation, as you can easily guess, contains that very mini-album ”Followers of The Unholy Cult" (for the first time on CD!), as well as the EP “Anvil of Demonic Genocide", which has not been previously released even in digital format. "Followers...", in my opinion, is the most powerful release in DOOMSLAUGHTER discography. Everything came together on it: a deep and heavy sound, exterminating songs, apocalyptic lyrics and a feeling of merciless chaos. Of course, as composers, DOOMSLAUGHTER musicians were not as skilled then as they are today in their other bands, but certain ambitions are already visible on ”Followers of The Unholy Cult". Also, the Black Metal element here is not limited to the goat's head on the cover and the words of the lyrics; certain classical techniques of the genre are perfectly integrated into the overall sound. The only negative point is that for some reason the cover of SEPULTURA, which was present on vinyl, did not get on the disc.
But on "Anvil of Demonic Genocide" there are already two covers, one on BLASPHEMY, the other on SABBAT. If the first one turned out to be perfect, then the second one, as it seemed to me, is a little frivolous for the darkly destructive style of DOOMSLAUGHTER. As for the title track, it turned out to be something in between “Followers...” and the works of GOATHORNED.
Overall, this is a pretty exciting and valuable release, which would be even more valuable if it got the EP “Impure Devastation Mass", and maybe the demo of 2011 as bonus. In my opinion, this compilation contains the best DOOMSLAUGHTER material, since the album "Chants of Obliteration" sounds kind of bland against the background of the recordings on it. The physical version of compilation looks quite simple: a jewel, a 4-page booklet (all lyrics are available), as well as a traditional Japanese OBI-strip, so that collectors have something to worship. Details on a video.
English (UK) 
Крыўская