OFFICIAL REHEARSAL

"Official Rehearsal" is the first demo recording by French death metal act Supuration. The demo was indpendently released in June 1990. It was recorded in May-June 1990 at the band´s rehearsal space and as the name title suggests it was recorded live at the rehearsal space, so no overdubs on this one. Supuration formed in 1990 but had worked under a couple of different monickers since 1987.

While Supuration are mostly known for playing a progressive death/doom metal style on their album releases, this early demo recording is thrashy death metal. The rawness and lo-fi nature of the recording suits the equally raw material well. Despite this being a pretty savage and murky sounding recording, most instruments and vocals are actually distinguishable in the soundscape, which isn´t always the case on contemporary rehearsal demos from other death metal artists.

It´s obvious from this recording that Supuration were already relatively skilled musicians, but maybe a bit more surprising they write some pretty good quality death metal (think contemporary Death or Pestilence and you´re halfway there). It´s both brutal, relatively memorable, and nicely aggressive. A 2.5 star (50%) rating is warranted.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).