UMUR
"1987-1989" is a compilation album release by Swedish death metal act Nihilist (also featuring some recordings under the Entombed monicker). The compilation was released through Threeman Recordings in April 2005. It compiles all recorded demo material by Nihilist and the material from Entombed's September 1989 "But Life Goes On" Demo. Nihilist formed in 1987 as Brainwarp, but soon changed their name and worked under the Nihilist monicker from 1987-1989, after which they shortly split-up and reformed the band (minus bassist Johnny Hedlund) now using the Entombed name (an American band had already taken the Nihilist name). Nihilist recorded three demos before they split-up and one demo under the Entombed monicker before being signed by Earache Records for the release of their debut full-length studio album "Left Hand Path" (June 1990). While only releasing demo material, Nihilist is considered one of the seminal Swedish death metal acts along with artists like Treblinka/Tiamat, Grave, Unleashed, and Dismember.
The material is presented in chronological order which means the compilation opens with the material from the March 1988 "Premature Autopsy" demo, followed by the material from the early 1989 demo "Only Shreds Remain", "Morbid Devourment" from the Head Not Found sessions (which has sometimes mistakenly been released/bootlegged with the material from the "Drowned" demo), the two tracks from the August 1989 "Drowned" demo, and closes with the material from the September 1989 Entombed demo "But Life Goes On".
While "1987-1989" of course functions as a valid historical documentation of one of the most influential Swedish death metal acts, there are some quality material here too, which deserve a mention. The "Premature Autopsy" demo is a rather crude thrash metal influenced recording, which only a few times points in the direction Nihilist/Entombed would go, but already on the "Only Shreds Remain" where former Morbid drummer L.G. Petrov had joined on vocals, we hear the buzzsaw guitar tone and death metal growling. Both "Morbid Devourment" and the two tracks from the "Drowned" demo continue that style, and the same can actually be said about the material from "But Life Goes On". The latter is arguably the best produced material on the compilation, but I´d mention the material from "Only Shreds Remain" as some of the standout material too. A 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is warranted.