UMUR
"Fire Storm" is the 2nd demo cassette tape by Swedish, Stockholm based blackened death metal act Unanimated. The demo was self-released in 1991 and sold approximately 3000 copies. Unanimated formed in 1988 and had already released an untitled rehearsal demo in 1990 before releasing "Fire Storm", which was the demo that ultimately secured them a record contract.
"Fire Storm" features 5 tracks and a full playing time of 19:58 minutes. The first track is an intro, but the remaining four tracks are "regular" length tracks. The latter mentioned would all appear on the band´s debut full-length studio album "In the Forest of the Dreaming Dead (1993)". The demo serves it´s purpose well, because after listening to "Fire Storm", neither listener nor interested label, could have any doubts what Unanimated was about. Stylistically the band play a melodic blackened death metal style and comparisons to artists like Necrophobic, (early) Marduk, and Dissection are valid. The atmosphere is occult tinged (I really appreciate the occasional use of keyboards which provides the music with an extra gloomy effect) and hateful. The vocals are mostly growling but there are times when they are more snarling and thereby closer to black metal styled vocals.
Actually the vocals are one of the greatest assets in the band´s music. Lead vocalist/bassist Richard Daimon delivers them with a burning passion and conviction. The rest of the band are also very well playing and if I was to rate "Fire Storm" only on the basis of the musicianship and the songwriting, it would get a really high rating, as I´m very impressed by both. Unfortunately the sound production leaves a bit to be desired. It´s pretty messy (especially when the band play fast parts) and sometimes it sounds like you´re standing outside the door to their rehearsal room, listening to the band play through the closed door. It´s murky and noisy but despite those issues still charming in a primitive and raw fashion that studio releases can rarely match. If you listen closely you´re still able to figure out what is being played, so the sound production (or lack there of) isn´t a complete catastrophy. A 3 star (60%) rating is warranted.