Are you a large loss of life steel nerd? Then you have to hear this very obscure demo from an awesome loss of life steel band that by no means actually acquired the popularity that they deserve… after which check out my full series on exactly this topic right here.
Bludgeont are virtually a ghost within the historical past of ’90s loss of life steel — and that is an actual disgrace. Primarily based on the little info that also exists on-line, the band have been energetic from roughly 1992 to 1996 and launched one self-titled demo shortly earlier than calling it quits. That demo alone ought to have been sufficient to safe them a modest cult following, but by some means their title has nearly utterly vanished from the dialog.
Musically, the Bludgeont demo sits comfortably between Deicide‘s blasphemous aggression and the early, groove-heavy brutality of Six Ft Beneath. It is uncooked, violent, and direct — pure mid-’90s American loss of life steel with no pointless frills. Much more baffling is how this demo has by no means been correctly reissued or rediscovered by the fashionable loss of life steel revival crowd, particularly in an period the place obscure demos are routinely unearthed through reissues and algorithm-driven suggestions.
In accordance with Metallic Archives, Bludgeont‘s discography consists of simply that single demo. However digging deeper reveals a bit extra. Whereas looking for further info, I got here throughout a YouTube add that includes three unreleased tracks, allegedly recorded earlier than the 1996 demo. That video traced again to a SoundCloud web page run by guitarist and vocalist Chris Younger, which — remarkably — nonetheless exists, despite the fact that it hasn’t been up to date in over a decade.
That SoundCloud web page seems to host every part Bludgeont ever recorded, together with a brief however illuminating description written by Younger himself: “My title is Chris. Again in 1992, my buddy Ken and I put collectively a band referred to as Bludgeont. We needed to begin a loss of life steel band and the influences for us have been Napalm Demise, Morbid Angel, Deicide, and so forth.”
Younger goes on to clarify that Bludgeont have been energetic for 4 years, enjoying quite a few exhibits and sharing levels with notable acts throughout a formative period of maximum steel: “We began up in 1992 and the band lastly broke up on the finish of 1996.
“We performed many exhibits with huge loss of life steel bands together with opening for System of a Down and Napalm Demise again earlier than System was huge. We primarily performed in Corona, California, but in addition frequented Los Angeles, enjoying The Whisky, The Waters Membership in San Pedro, and plenty of different locations. These have been the very best days of my life for certain.”
And that is the place the path kind of ends. Bludgeont did not spin off into higher-profile initiatives, did not depart behind a protracted paper path of interviews or releases, and did not benefit from a scene that documented every part on-line. In consequence, their legacy quietly pale — despite the fact that the music itself completely holds up.
Almost 30 years later, that demo nonetheless sounds vicious, convincing, and unmistakably of its time in one of the best ways potential. If anybody linked to Bludgeont occurs to stumble throughout this — or is aware of somebody who was concerned — know this: your demo nonetheless rips.
And for the remainder of us? Somebody actually must reissue this factor. Proper now, Bludgeont‘s music exists solely by means of YouTube rips of an previous tape, and that appears like a disservice to a band that clearly lived and breathed loss of life steel throughout one of many style’s most fertile intervals.
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