D

Soon after the disbandment of the obscure visual thrash metal band Thread Worm, both Seek and Goma, which were apparently not stopped by the short run of their previous band, decided to form a new band. This new band became known as one of the most respected and beloved acts of the Matina label and soon enough, they dropped this baby - a short, but sweet demo, showing everyone that VellaDonna is not your typical gothic Matina band, but a natural continuation and improvement of Thread Worm.

Clocking over 9 minutes, D has a lot to offer. First and foremost, you can still hear the influence of the album Parasitism, especially on the closing track Can't Stay. The song, as well as the whole demo give you a nice thrash/power metal feel, with marvelous solos, raw production and a somewhat unique take on the singing. Seek mostly sings claim, with parts of the lyrics almost sounding like they were spoken, but with the songs expanding, he delivers some shrieks and screams, which later became a part of VellaDonna that made them unique.

As for the instruments, I think the production gave them a bonus. This demo is probably their most heavy, raw and aggressive output, with very fast riffs and playing, with the previously mentioned Can't Stay sounding like it would perfectly belong on a release from their previous band Thread Worm. Kiri, who appeared only on this sole release, knows how to deliver killer solos and precise riffs, which he nails on both songs. Also, the build up, pauses, slow and progressive parts, shows how the band was refined and original from the start. Goma's bass is on point, and at moments steals Kiri's spotlight, sounding fast, hard hitting and very clear which is one more element that made VellaDonna different. Satoru, the other part of the rhythm section, delivers wacky progressive thrash patterns and fills. Nothing too special, but it definitely is solid.

All in all, D is a fairly enjoyable demo, especially if you enjoy and still love the sound of the late 90s underground metal and very early Matina bands.