UMUR
"Apocalyptic Raids 1990 A.D." is a compilation release by Swiss speed/thrash/black metal act Hellhammer. The album was released through Noise Records in April 1990. It compiles the four tracks from the March 1984 "Apocalyptic Raids" EP and the two tracks from the October 1984 "Death Metal" split release (Noise Records) with Helloween, Dark Avenger, and Running Wild. All six tracks were recorded during the same Caet Studio, Berlin, 2.-7. March 1984 recording sessions, but this is the first time they appear on the same release.
Four out of the six tracks had already appeared on the December 1983 "Satanic Rites" demo, so the March 1984 recording sessions only yielded two new origianal compositions in "Massacra" and "Horus/Aggressor". Both are in the same blackened speed metal style as the remaining tracks. While the material on "Apocalyptic Raids 1990 A.D." is definitely seminal extreme metal, Hellhammer had already peaked on "Satanic Rites", and the versions of the tracks featured on this compilation release (plus the two new tracks) can´t quite reach the extremity or intensity of the demo versions, making "Apocalyptic Raids 1990 A.D." a less interesting release than "Satanic Rites". It´s still an intriguing historical extreme metal document and worth the occasional listen, but I´d always recommend listening to "Satanic Rites" before listening to this one. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.