Wild Rags Records Retrospective
I've mentioned Wild Rags Records in a number of reviews and I intended to review several of its mighty releases, but instead I've decided to do a list with quick deions of significant releases from their catalogue. For those who aren't familiar with Wild Rags, it was an intensely excellent underground metal label that focused on releasing the most ugly, filthy, extreme low fi material circulating in the metal underground. For a detailed history and complete discog list see: ://www.last.fm/group/Wild+Rags+Records |
| 1 |  | Nuclear Death
Carrion for Worm
I've covered Nuclear Death extensively in reviews, so I'm listing the one album I didn't review (which may be becoming my favourite). ND were the star group of the Wild Rags roster and played sickening horrifying completely unparalleled death/grind. |
| 2 |  | Blasphemy
Fallen Angel of Doom
An incredible piece of black metal history, shaping the entire "war metal"/"bestial black metal" subgenre. Yes, Wild Rags were the ones who first unleashed this monument of filth and vomit. |
| 3 |  | Impetigo
Horror of the Zombies
The quintessential "goregrind" group Impetigo were also part of WR's bloodcurdling catalogue. While the goregrind subgenre is unacceptably cheesy for the most part, Impetigo had a certain charm about them and best pulled off their crunching horrific grinding sound here. |
| 4 | | Blood
Impulse to Destroy
More influential grind, this time all the way from Germany. Blood were one of the earliest death/grind combos forming all the way back in the mid 80s and releasing their hideous debut in '89. |
| 5 | | Unholy
Trip to Depressive Autumn
Wild Rags were also known for reissuing rare/out of print EPs and demo tapes. One of their finest releases in this category comes from 90s doom gods Unholy. The material here is like a stripped down puke drenched version of their outstanding debut "From the Shadows" (which you should expect a review for soon). |
| 6 | | Symphony of Grief
Our Blessed Conqueror
Highly impressive death/doom (if you don't mind the drum machine) in the vain of diSEMBOWELMENT, but less moody and more dismally disgusting. Further proof that Wild Rags were the greatest at sniffing out wonderful obscurities. |
| 7 | | Toxodeth
Mysteries About Life and Death
Toxodeth were a particularly strange horror-themed death metal band out of Mexico. Their production was absolutely atrocious however, and their sound isn't particularly accessible as it incorporates uncharacteristic heavy/speed metal elements. They also have some iffy whispering/rasping vocals, but it's got a lotta charm to me as it fits in with that eerie looming horror sound (like the mysterious early work of Death SS). |
| 8 |  | Gammacide
Victims of Science
Face-smashing deathly thrash metal on an environmentalist bent. An essential release for anyone who digs the hardest forms of 80s thrash metal (sometimes dubbed "brutal thrash metal"). |
| 9 | | Zombified Preachers of Gore
Demo 1991
Well if the name doesn't sell you on these guys immediately I don't know what will... Zombified Preachers of Gore played disgusting grindy death metal. Their '91 demo was very impressive, but unfortunately their career ended shortly after. |
| 10 | | Thergothon
Fhtagn-Nagh Yog-Sothoth
More tape obscurities. Fhtagn-Nagh Yog-Sothoth is to Thergothon's debut as Trip to Depressive Autumn is to Unholy's debut. However, in this case I actually prefer the ugly stripped down version overall. |
| 11 | | Ysigim
Whispers
Ysigim is a criminally unknown 90s doom act, bordering on what would become funeral doom but still lurching around on the death metal side of the spectrum. They've got piss-poor production, but it works for them. Pretty nice eerie lead guitar work too. |
| 12 |  | Hellwitch
Syzygial Miscreancy
Speedy technical thrash that's pretty impressive instrumentally. But here's the kicker, they've got ugly filthy production (much like everything Wild Rags ever released). For some reason that makes me love these guys. |
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