Disfigurement - The Pleasure of Disgust (1994)

Today I get to highlight my one Texas gem found while perusing my local shop on Record Store Day 2015. Coming from San Antonio, Disfigurement are extreme metal with a blackened flair. The values are better than I expect from most extreme demos. The songs occasionally devolve into grindcore territory but it's a very good release overall. 

Track Listing

1. Carnal Frenzy

2. Lucrative Entrails

3. Torment of the Pierced

4. Perpetual Desire

Band Members

Chago Gonzalez - Drums

Carlos Rodriguez - Guitars

Fabian Santamaria - Vocals

Joe Romero - Bass, Vocals

Israel Rigal - Guitars

Download

Heather Leather - We Came To Destroy Single (1985)

Another band from San Antonio, Heather Leather is a bit of an oddity. A three piece made up of the Garza sisters, Heather Leather was probably one of the first all-female metal bands ever. Two tracks is a small sampling to know whether a band is any good or not but We Came To Destroy certainly promises a hard rocking time. I'm personally reminded of Manhole (Houston all-female punk band) while listening to Heather Leather. If they had released this in the early 90's I believe that they might have had a better chance at growing a following. 

In 1988, the band recorded a whole album of material but didn't release it. Then in 1995 the group disbanded. Finally in 2005, the members remixed their recorded material and released it as "Princess Leather". Resurfacing with a new line-up in 2006, the band began touring in support of the album. As of now, the band is still active and working on material for a new album.

Track Listing

Side A: We Came To Destroy

Side B: Child Molester

Band Members

Sylvia Garza - Guitars

Ruth Garza-Newcomb - Vocals, Bass

Sandie Garza - Drums

Download

Thanks to BM-80s Metal Blogspot for the rip.

Narita - Demo (1985)

From San Antonio, the great Narita plays a hard rock edged heavy metal. Reminiscent of Saxon or Ratt in parts, Narita would dress the part of the hair bands so prominent at the time yet they keep the rock driving throughout their songs and don't fall into the metal ballad trap so popular with the record labels. The band was formed by Mark Reale (formerly of Riot) under the name the Mark Reale Project before changing it to Narita after Riot's second album title. Soon after recording the demo, Riot re-formed and Mark Reale left to rejoin the band. Thus ended Narita's excellent, promising start before it even began.

Track Listing

1. The Feeling is Gone

2. Liar

3. Thundersteel

Band Members

Steve Cooper - Vocals

Mark Reale - Guitars

Don Van Stavern - Bass

Dave McClain - Drums

Download

Thanks to BM-80s Metal Blogspot for the rip.

Hellpreacher - Resurrection Demo + Bonus Tracks (1986)

Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, very little is known about Hellpreacher other than the fact that they could produce thrash metal with heavy speedy riffs and needed more vocals in the mix. This demo and bonus tracks is a really lo-fi example of DIY metal. These guys were making metal the old fashioned way... no budget and LOUD! Good stuff.

Track Listing

1. Resurrection

2. Parricidal

3. Inverted Cross

*Bonus Tracks*

4. Black Magic (Slayer Cover)

5. Bloodbath (Rehearsal)

6. Riot of Violence (Kreator Cover)

Band Members

Jessie Lopez - Bass

Javier Villegas - Drums

Roger Gallardo - Guitars

Danny Martinez - Guitars (lead)

Rick Chavana - Vocals

Download

Thanks to Canadaspaceman from Heavymetalrarities.com for the rip.

Pendulum/Spectre - Isotopic Chaos [Split EP] -1992

A couple of thrashers out of San Antonio, Texas... Pendulum and Spectre team up for a split 7". Pendulum take side A with a couple of heavy tunes, thrash-like with a bit of crossover punk. With only about 6 minutes, Spectre decides to load up Feed the Bugs at 6 minutes 10 seconds long. Feed the Bugs is a fast, speed metal opus with a punk undertone. They follow it up with a quick SOD-like 25 second riff-lyric-riff-lyric-chaos song. A fun split over-all.

Track Listing

Side A

1. Pendulum - The Jesus Fish

2. Pendulum - Anomalies

Side B

3. Spectre - Feed the Bugs

4. Spectre - Pus Mountain

Band Members

Pendulum

Mike Riley - Drums

Jeff Riley - Guitars

Bubba Whitehead - Guitars

Joey YorFino - Vocals, Bass

Spectre

David James - Bass

Clark Lyons - Drums

Richard "Rick" Rodriguez - Guitars

Kenny Turnham - Vocals (lead), Guitars

Download

Thanks to Proteus 666 of Metalarea.org for the rip.

Wicked Angel - Re-Released Demo (1987)

I will occasionally be highlighting re-releases of classic Texas metal. If you want more of this music to be released, please speak with your dollars and buy from the labels taking a chance on these bands.

This Wicked Angel demo is classic power metal with good vocals and better production values than most demos. Almost like a younger version of Helstar. A really clean sound that makes you want to put on a blue jean jacket covered in band patches! The re-release is on 10" purple vinyl. Limited to an edition of 300, you need to grab this now.

From Texas Metal Underground:
Another killer San Antonio-based Texas metal gem...Wicked Angel emerged from the fertile grounds of San Antonio's south side in early 1985. At the time, the average age of the band members was around 15 years old! The young band recorded a 2-song demo in 1986, but sadly that recording has been completely lost to the ages. After a string of successful gigs with Texas notables such as WatchTower, Syrus, and Assalant, the band returned to Blue Cat Studios and recorded their blistering 'Chaotic Intellect' demo in 1987.

For this release TMU RECORDS was able to utilize the original master reels, which have been professionally transferred to digital, and mastered for maximum vinyl fidelity.

Track Listing

1. Realms of Chaos

2. Valley of the Witch Kings

3. People of the Black Circle

4. Stealer of Souls

Band Members

Mark Zamarron - Bass

Ernest Chavarria - Drums

Joseph Valdez - Guitars

Roland Casias - Guitars

David "Gumby" Caballero - Vocals

Hear the Songs and Buy the Vinyl Here!

Oblivion Knight - Demo (1987)

Up today... a bit of NWOBHM inspired metal from Oblivion Knight. Originally from Alabama before settling in San Antonio. This demo was included on a CD re-issue by Rockadrome. When it is back in stock I will be deleting this link so if you download this, please check the Rockadrome site and buy the CD when it is available again.

Oblivion Knight CD Re-Issue

From Metal-archives.com: Formed in 1986 in Alabama by Chris Camp and Steve Sexton. They didn't find the rest of the line-up there, so in 1987 they went to the Texas scene (of which they were fans) and recruited Ken Ortiz and Mike Soliz. After the demo release Keith Karbella and Brian Kibekinski (both from Long Island, New York) replaced Ortiz respectively took up the second guitar. Chris Collins who did the vocals on the first pre-Dream Theater band Majesty first demo replaced Mike Soliz before Oblivion Knight's second and last demo was recorded in 1990.

Track Listing

1. Clash with the Knight

2. Sword in Hand

3. Beyond the Gates/The Omega

Band Members

Steve Sexton - Bass

Chris Camp - Guitars

Ken Ortiz - Drums

Mike Soliz - Vocals

Download

Thanks to YouTube user AkisDoom for the rip.