[2020-11-27] Death Angel "The Enigma Years: 1987-1990" 4CD set (HNE UK)

Linda · **Posted:** Thu Aug 13, 2020 12:37 pm

Description
Hailing from the same Bay Area thrash metal scene that gave us Metallica, Exodus and Testament, San Francisco’s Death Angel were originally formed in 1982 by lead guitarist Rob Cavestany with cousins Dennis Pepa (bass), Gus Pepa (guitar), and Andy Galeon (drums). Joined by singer Mark Osegueda, their self-explanatory 1983 tape, “Heavy Metal Insanity” demonstrated the influence of the NWOBHM movement in the UK, such as Iron Maiden and Tygers Of Pan Tang, common with many of their American thrash metal peers.

Building up a loyal cult following, their “Kill As One” demo was produced by Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, and is included here as a bonus on CD One. “Kill As One” led to a record deal with Enigma Records, who released their debut album, “The Ultra-Violence”, in 1987. Produced by the band along with Vain’s Davy Vain, Kerrang! magazine’s Geoff Barton was of the opinion that “The Ultra-Violence” was, “quite possibly the finest Thrash album ever made”, and he could be right! Kerrang!’s KKKK1/2 review rightly reckoned that they, “play so Goddamn fast, yet with a touch of Metallica style subtlety thrown in”.

The Kerrang! review of their second Enigma album, 1988’s “Frolic Through The Park”, stated that it was, “an album of depth and colour, with a variety of moods and textures unheard of among nearly all Thrash and certainly not expected of a band on their second effort,” and the album, “Showcases a Death Angel that’s not afraid to experiment or change what was a winning formula”. That’s not to say that ‘3rd Floor’ and ‘Guilty Of Innocence’ don’t thrash along at a suitably demonic pace, but also finding room to slow down for ‘Confused’ or enter Maiden-esque epic territory with ‘Shores Of Sin’. They even made space for a cover of KISS classic, ‘Cold Gin’. Bonus tracks are ‘Dehumanization’, ‘Silent Killer’ and ‘Witches Of Knave’.

Jumping ship to Geffen in 1990, Enigma released the unsanctioned live show “Fall From Grace” in 1990, recorded on stage at the famed Paradiso venue in Amsterdam in 1988. With a set based around their first two albums, including ‘Evil Priest’, ‘Mistress Of Pain’ and ‘Final Death’, ‘3rd Floor’ – previously only available as a rare, Japan only bonus track – has been included here.

In 2005, Death Angel allowed their personal archive of master tapes, and even cassettes to be raided for a collection of unreleased demos and rehearsals that go right back to their earliest recordings; collected here on CD 4 as “Rarities”.

The success of “Frolic Through The Park” led to a more lucrative offer from Geffen, then enjoying huge commercial success with Whitesnake and Guns N’ Roses, soon to be followed by Nirvana. But a near fatal crash whilst on tour leaving drummer Andy Galeon seriously injured, directly led to the band’s split in 1991. They reformed ten years later in 2001, touring and recording new albums from thereon to the present day.

Tracklist
[CD1: The Ultra-Violence (1987)]
1. Thrashers
2. Evil Priest
3. Voracious Souls
4. Kill As One
5. The Ultra-Violence
6. Mistress Of Pain
7. Final Death
8. I.P.F.S.
Bonus Tracks – Kill As One Demo:
9. Thrashers
10. Kill As One
11. The Ultra-Violence

[CD2: Frolic Through The Park (1988)]
1. 3rd Floor
2. Road Mutants
3. Why You Do This
4. Bored
5. Devil’s Metal
6. Confused
7. Guilty Of Innocence
8. Open Up
9. Shores Of Sin
10. Cold Gin
11. Mind Rape
Bonus Tracks:
12. Dehumanization
13. Silent Killer
14. Witches Of Knave

[CD3: Fall From Grace (1990)]
1. Evil Priest
2. Why You Do This
3. Mistress Of Pain
4. Road Mutants
5. Voracious Souls
6. Confused
7. Bored
8. Kill As One
9. Guilty Of Innocence
10. Shores Of Sin
11. Final Death
Bonus Track:
12. 3rd Floor

[CD4: Rarities (2005)]
1. Vulture’s Nest
2. The Hurt
3. Conflict Of Interest
4. A Passing Thought
5. Elergy
6. Aspirations
7. Dismal
8. The Morrows Memoirs
9. Samson
10. Frolic Through The Park
11. Betrayed

Amazon USA
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DC5VT4C/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DC5VT4C/?tag=imwan-21

Mark MN · 13 Aug 2012

I'll be getting this. I've been on a DA kick lately and bought all of their post-reunion stuff, which is excellent. They sound better now than they ever have.

Now, if we could get an Act III remaster. It's one of the best thrash albums ever. Act III is a Geffen release so we may have to wait..... like forever.

JosephC · **Joined:** 27 Jan 2011 **Posts:** 2656

This collection was originally issued by Ryko back in 2005 and the first pressing was all screwed up. The three bonus tracks on disc two were actually the bonus tracks on disc one, three of the tracks from disc four were repeated as the bonus songs on disc two...and what were to be the bonus tracks on disc one (the Kill As One demo) was not in the set at all. This was corrected on later pressings but I could not get any correspondence going with Ryko to get a replacement despite e-mailing them several times. There have been times through the years where I have asked a seller on ebay or discogs if they had one of the later pressings but never could get anyone to confirm that.

So if these discs are correct and the Kill As One demo is on disc one, I will gladly shell out the $40 or whatever to get this.

Linda · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2020 9:55 pm

Update: Pushed back to November 27th.

Mark MN · 13 Aug 2012

Wow. I placed this order on August 13.

Mark MN · 13 Aug 2012

Mark MN wrote:

Wow. I placed this order on August 13.

Arrived today. :yay:

BGO is the label, not HNE. :lmao:

JosephC · **Joined:** 27 Jan 2011 **Posts:** 2656

Mark MN wrote:

Wow. I placed this order on August 13.

Arrived today. :yay:

BGO is the label, not HNE. :lmao:

Are tracks 9-11 on disc 1 the Kill As One demo (should be the songs listed in Linda's post: Thrashers, Kill As One, The Ultra-Violence)?

Mark MN · 13 Aug 2012

JosephC wrote:

Mark MN wrote:

Wow. I placed this order on August 13.

Arrived today. :yay:

BGO is the label, not HNE. :lmao:

Are tracks 9-11 on disc 1 the Kill As One demo (should be the songs listed in Linda's post: Thrashers, Kill As One, The Ultra-Violence)?

I haven't checked yet. Will get back to you.

Mark MN · 13 Aug 2012

Mark MN wrote:

JosephC wrote:

Are tracks 9-11 on disc 1 the Kill As One demo (should be the songs listed in Linda's post: Thrashers, Kill As One, The Ultra-Violence)?

I haven't checked yet. Will get back to you.

Looked at the booklet this morning and they are listed as extra tracks on disc one.

I haven't jammed to this yet. Too much other stuff to listen to at the moment. I'm still sifting thru the new UFO Strangers box set. That's probably the purchase of the year as it stands right now.

[2020-11-27] Death Angel "The Enigma Years: 1987-1990" 4CD set (HNE UK)

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