UMUR
"Promo 1989" is the fourth demo recording by Swedish death metal act Grave. The demo was independently released in December 1989. It´s the successor to the August 1989 "Anatomia Corporis Humani" demo, and the three tracks on the 11:30 minutes long demo were recorded during the same August 1989 sessions which spawned the "Anatomia Corporis Humani" demo. Grave just decided to release them seperately.
So naturally the sound production values are the same as on the "Anatomia Corporis Humani" demo, which means this is one dark and brutal sounding death metal demo. One thing Grave has changed on "Promo 1989" compared to "Anatomia Corporis Humani" is that they have decreased the effects on the vocals, and the growling vocals on "Promo 1989" are therefore less animalistic and more defined. Definitely a step in the right direction. Only "Hating Life" made it unto Grave´s 1991 debut full-length studio album "Into the Grave" (Century Media Records, August 1991). At least in this format.
Not surprisingly there´s no development between "Anatomia Corporis Humani" and "Promo 1989" and you´ll get two demos with similar quality material and performances, which could just as well have been released as one demo. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.