Nuclear War Now! Productions sets August 31st as the international release date for an official collection of demos from Norway’s Amputation, Slaughtered in the Arms of God, on vinyl LP format.
By the early 1990s, a fairly distinct line in the snow had been drawn between the Scandinavian lands of Norway and Sweden with respect to the direction that each would take during the ensuing decade in cementing each country’s eventual extreme metal patrimony. To the east, Sweden would come to be regarded as the European home of death metal, while its neighbor to the west would go on to largely define the sound of modern black metal. A few notable Norwegian bands, such as Darkthrone, successfully navigated the transition from death to black metal during those years.
Another of the infamous Norwegian black metal bands, Immortal, arose from the ashes of its lesser-known death metal incarnation, Amputation, to achieve a much-deserved level of respect. Although Immortal achieved greater renown than its predecessor, Amputation deserves its own place in death metal history, rather than just a footnote. To this end, Nuclear War Now! is proud to present the first widely-available version of Amputation’s two demos, plus an additional 1989 rehearsal, on one compilation.
Entitled Slaughtered in the Arms of God, this collection includes the demo of the same title from 1990 and the preceding Achieve the Mutilation demo from 1989. Amputation’s original recording lineup consisted of Harald Nævdal (aka Demonaz) on guitars and vocals, Truls Kvernhusvik (guitars), Padden (bass), and Jørn Inge Tunsberg (drums). Kvernhusvik exited the band prior to the recording of the second demo, leaving the remaining trio as Amputation’s final lineup.
Confirming its place in Scandivanian metal history, the Slaughtered in the Arms of God demo was recorded at Grieghallen Studios, where many of the Norwegian legends – like Mayhem, Emperor, Enslaved, and Immortal – recorded their early albums. May this collection now serve to immortalize Amputation’s recordings both in the eyes of those already versed in the band’s dark brand of death metal, as well as those previously uninitiated.
In the meantime, stream the collection in its entirety HERE at Nuclear War Now!‘s Bandcamp. Cover and tracklisting are as follows:
Tracklisting for Amputated (Norway)’s Slaughtered in the Arms of God
1. Heavenly Grace
2. Slaughtered in the Arms of God
3. Plague of Death
4. Death Is Not the End
5. Merciless Slaughter
6. Intense Torture
7. Amputation
8. Death Is Not the End
9. Merciless Slaughter
10. Hunger of Blood
11. Intense Torture
12. Plague of Death
Tracks 1-2: Slaughtered in the Arms of God demo 1990
Tracks 3-6: Achieve the Mutilation demo 1989
Tracks 7-12: Rehearsal 1989