Beyond

"Beyond" is the fourth and final of the pre-album Atheist demos (including those released under the R.A.V.A.G.E. moniker). That makes it the most polished and technically advanced of these demos, and the one that bears most resemblance to "Piece of Time". This demo was recorded six months before the debut album, so it feels like a rough-cut version in comparison. There are no huge differences between the demo and the album, though it is rawer, looser and more extreme. This is the demo for anyone who wants to hear a wilder version of the thrashier songs from "Piece of Time".

There are five songs. Four of them would later appear on the album, and will be familiar to Atheist fans already (the title of "Choose Your Death" would later be changed to "Life"). The fifth song is "Brain Damage". This is a curiosity in the band's history. It had appeared on both the R.A.V.A.G.E. demos before finding its final resting place here. Oddly, it feels like one of the band's proggier songs from the period. There are several sections that might have been re-used for later songs on "Unquestionable Presence". I can see why the band omitted this song from their debut, perhaps they felt that it wasn't as good as it could have been (and Atheist had perfectionist tendencies). It still sounds great though, and is the main reason for anyone to check this demo out retrospectively.

Taken at face value, the highlight is "On They Slay". This seems to have been the band's anthem in their early days. The version on this demo is the third version (out of four), since it had already appeared on two prior demos. The great thing about this song is that the band experimented playing it at various speeds over the years. Each speed gives the song a distinctive character. This is a hallmark of a monstrous death metal tune; instantly recognisable, chugging, brimming with bile. This version here is faster than the earlier R.A.V.A.G.E. ones, but not as fast and tight as the version on the debut album. Personally, I don’t feel that this is the best way to hear the song, but it will always be one of the ultimate songs from this early period of death metal.

Perhaps the "Beyond" demo falls short of classic/essential status. Most of this material would be better served on "Piece of Time", with a sharper production and stronger performances. That said, this is a fine demo. It is far from primitive. The band could play their instruments to a high level at this point. It is worth hearing for the definitive version of "Brain Damage" alone. Few metal bands sounded as vicious and extreme as Atheist back in 1988, and this demo is a testament to that fact.