Thromdarr — Midwinter Frost - Complete Demo Tapes 1990-1997

Chronicling the lost treasures of the Finnish metal scene, Svart now unearths the many demo tapes of Thromdarr. Comprising their six demos from the start of the band up until their debut album, Midwinter Frost offers an in-depth look at an impressive extreme metal act. Untainted and un-remixed, the music on display is as raw and primitive as when they were released nearly thirty years ago. Keeping true to this vibe is important and makes the rediscovery of these tapes even more enjoyable. 

Following behind their Scandinavian brothers, the Finnish extreme metal scene started to explode in the late 1980's. Part of this were Thromdarr (nee Necrobiosis), a hungry and talented act that took their punk aesthetic and made some brilliant extreme metal with their pluck and determination. Evolving and getting heavier and darker as they went on, Thromdarr manages to flit between Black Metal and something very close to grind, and all of this is made even more magical by the lower fidelity of their demo tapes. WIth Svart's Midwinter Frost collection, one can see the band's evolution firsthand and be fully immersed in their rise from Necrobiosis until their debut album. An interesting note here is that each demo is completely different and the tracks are fresh, so while many bands are replaying their tracks over and over, Thromdarr was using demos to move forward and progress with their sound (for the most part). And as much as there is a lower fi element to these demos, they're still really well done and sound pretty good considering their age (with the exception of Necrobiosis: Consumed Tracks (Demo 1990). Thromdarr presents dark and bleak metal and really capture the cold, North atmosphere. In addition, they alter their tempos quite a bit, so that one gets quite a spread of sound here and sees how much the band enjoys experimentation. And with twenty-seven tracks on this 2xCD/2xLP, there will certainly be a few gems on here for everybody.

While Thromdarr may not be a household name, their sound and journey through the Finnish ranks should be a primer for all metal fans. Watching this band shred in the shadows is proof that metal is all about heart and conviction, and you will be rewarded when the time is right. Svart has put together an awesome compilation of their six demo tapes and has delivered this wonderful, historic nugget to the world.