Requiem for the Forest

You can look at this demo in two ways. one: is it fun as it is? Two: Is is worth getting if you already own their 1989-1990 era releases? Like most of us you probably won't have heard this demo till after you've heard Disharmonic's classics ('Expositionsprophylaxe', the 'Successive Substitution' EP and the split LP with Pungent Stench).

So how does it compare to their classics? Well first of all this demo has more than one guitarist namely Harald Bezdek of later Disastrous Murmur fame. But in all honesty it doesn't make any real difference to the Disharmonic sound. The production? There hardly is a production. It's murky and you can make out all instruments and vocals.

Only a few of these songs can be found on those classic 1989-1990 releases. 'Onset of Serious Problems', 'Unsupported by Evidence' and 'Compulsorily Screaming'. So not counting the intro we have 10 songs which never were re-recorded since! If you consider yourself a fan of early Disharmonic stuff you have to get this demo as well for a lot of unknown tracks. Question two is hereby answered.

As for question number one? In the case of 'Abhorrence' (21 seconds), 'Chilli Fart' (40 seconds), 'Terrified' (33 seconds) and 'Stillbirth' (39 second) you're only missing out on a few short grindcore eruptions. It would've been fun though if the band were ever to re-record these 4 songs with better sound as a bonus for some EP or digital download because especially 'Chili Fart' is actually very cool.

A few of the longer songs here never made it onto any other Disharmonic release. And in some cases for obvious reasons. 'Fucking Chicken Town' has fun parts but is rather messy compositionally and can't really compete with the songs they kept for later releases. 'Genetic Difference' is mostly very slow but without a good build-up nor good riffs to keep it interesting. The world could live without these two songs. And it did.

'Repulsive Overtones 'and the title track 'Requiem for the Forest' are both instrumentals and I can quite understand the band not knowing what to do any further with these songs. They're just not that interesting.

But why on earth the band never did anything with 'Lamentably Ignorance' and 'Induced By Mental Disorder' is a mistery! Great songs wich would've done well on any of their releases.

So, all in all I'd say a few rare tracks here which make it worth owning if you're into D.O. and which I'd love to hear re-recorded in a professional studio someday because they're just fun and why keep them from us?

Songs which the band should definately re-record for a future release:
- Lamentably Ignorance
- Induced By Mental Disorder
- Chilli Fart