Review Summary: Raw greatness.
Wormsblood is a raw black metal band from Wisconsin, and they make very wild music - at least, that's all I know. This the case for this demo as well.
The demo is rather short (just ~10 minutes) and consist of only 2 songs, but don't let it mislead you: the content is extraordinary. The sound quality is what every raw black metal fan would like, the whole record might be just a wild live jamming recorded straight into tape. The first song 'Fragments Of The Witch' is probably the demo's peak and an absolute banger, a unique experience. In the very beginning, (seemingly) nothing interesting happens, just some raw, brutally distorted black metal riffing with indistinctive shrieks. But after the first 40 seconds, something special is about to be unfold; that's where the magic happens. Tempo changes, new instruments and styles are following each other, building up a cathartic burst: something which is grossly disturbing but pleasant, enjoyable in the same time. The percussions have an important role in dictating the tempo and building up the overall atmosphere, similarly to Ulver's live performances. Continously newer and newer layers following each other: beautiful melodic bass and guitar lines, acoustic instruments, percussions, industrial synths, and devilish vocals. After the pinnacle, everything is fading away and a melancholic guitar solo ends the song sinking into silence, leaving the listener desiring more.
The second song, 'Bounds Beaten', is shorter, follows much more the traditional black metal song structure, that's why it might seem less interesting. The most unique elements are the hard rock influenced riffs inserted into the main melody, but the whole song is intense and energic (and there are lots of solos!). The vocals are a bit more diverse in this track, still harsh and demonic, perfectly placed in the mix.
To summarize, 'Bounds Beaten' is an impressive and very short album with lots of experimenting, bringing something unique - differently from other countless demos in the genre. A raw greatness.
