Rest Without Peace

Judging from the name, one would think that this band plays a form of chaotic black/death like fellow countrymen Abhorer and Mutation. Actually, what Profancer deliver on this tape is some primitive, early Sepultura-style thrash. The songs have a total "Morbid Visions" vibe to them, but that's mostly thanks to the production and sloppy musicianship rather than their ability to write aggressive and memorable riffs. That's not to say every riff here is a snoozefest, but songwriting is definitely a place where the Brazillians have these guys beat.

The reverb-saturated production of the drums sometimes makes the songs painful to follow along. The snare and kick drum sound too much alike, and they constantly blend together during the high-tempo sections to form the sound of skeletons falling down a wooden staircase. The vocals are raunchy, one-dimensional screams that take center stage in the mix. Because of the singer's lack of variation (and barely opening his mouth when he sings), the songs tend to blur together and sound the same to somebody who's hearing this demo for the first time. The vocalist's style can be compared to Jeff Beccera's, only one would have to imagine the sound of his voice after guzzling down ten shots of Jack Daniels in addition to having a thick Asian accent.

The three songs here follow a very traditional formula: Mid-tempo, repetitive verse riffs followed by an energetic chorus that's accompanied by a fast thrash beat. Some of the riffs are more upbeat than others, as in "Morbid Fate" where despite their repetition they are quite catchy and easy to follow along. Each track seems to close with an obligatory improvised guitar solo that usually lasts no longer than five seconds.

If you're an avid fan of the early Brazillian thrash bands and have a tolerance for drunken, over-the-top vocals then this demo should be right up your alley. Otherwise, it's not something I would recommend.