Death SS
The Horned God Of The Witches

    A cult metal band, whose very name evokes dark terrors: that's what Death SS are. Terrors that began exactly 30 years ago, back in 1977, when the members of the group were just teenagers. This lineup included the mythical and charismatic Steve Sylvester (the vampire) on vocals, the brilliant Paul Chain (death) on guitar and keyboard, Claude Galley (the zombie) on rhythm guitar, Danny Hughes (the mummy) on bass, and Thomas Hand Chaste (the werewolf) on drums. Practicing esoteric rites and versed in occultism, dressed in terrifying costumes and makeup in live performances, tied to symbolisms that recalled the world of death and Satanism, these unsettling characters churned out between 1977 and 1982, the year of Danny Hughes' and notably Steve Sylvester's departure (apparently due to a strong shock during a spiritual session), a series of songs that were surely extreme for the musical standards of the time, especially in a country like Italy, and loaded with an invincible sense of mystery and horror. In 1987, the first collection of these tracks was released, but the album contained only five pieces with Steve on vocals, while the others were recorded between 1982 and 1984 (the date of the final breakup of those very first Death SS, later courageously reformed by the national Steve), when the band was in the hands of Paul Chain alone and the singer was Sanctis Ghoram.

    In 2004, this "The Horned God Of The Witches" saw the light, named after one of their first demos, which according to Steve Sylvester's intentions was meant to be a gift to his most die-hard fans, a collection of all, absolutely all, the songs recorded by that very first lineup on demotapes or live: that's why the audio is not excessively good, to put it mildly, but the ferocity of those tracks still emerges with surprising vigor.
The historic "Terror" opens the dance, with its not at all fast yet evil and inexorable progression, seven minutes of pure anguish. Three classics follow: "Zombie", "Black Mummy", which evoke atmospheres seemingly permeated by the stench of an uncovered catacomb, and the deadly "Horrible Eyes", with in-between the reading, with distorted voice, of the Apocalypse passage describing the rising of the Great Beast. An organ intro in Black Widow style introduces us to "Cursed Mama", with its tight guitar riffs, a solo worthy of the name of Paul Chain and a truly fierce Steve Sylvester, who screams at the world the abominations of this diabolical figure. It is followed by "The Hanged Ballad", where unfortunately the audio is really appalling, and to fully enjoy the sick melancholy of this acoustic ballad, I recommend interested parties to listen to the version recorded in "...In Death Of Steve Sylvester" from 1988. The subsequent "Murder Angels" is the apex of ferocity, with its apocalyptic threats and speed on the verge of speed metal, certainly the most extreme song of the early Death SS. A drum attack introduces "The Night Of The Witch", where a slightly better production quality can be heard; the track may not be as exciting compared to the previous one, but it's certainly good. And here comes one of my favorites: the unhealthy "Profanation", where a funeral organ intervenes in the chorus and in the solemn finale. The voice of a young witch engaged in her necromancies guides us in the slower "Spiritualist Seance", a true description of a spiritual session, with a particularly on-form Steve Sylvester and a compelling refrain. Following are "Black And Violet" and "Chains Of Death", with a very Black Sabbath-esque flavor and precursors of doom metal, both recorded live. The subsequent "Buried Alive" (contemporary with the Venom's namesake!!) is instead a very NWOBHM piece, cheerful yet at the same time evil, thanks also to Steve's interpretation. The collection concludes with "Agreement With The Devil", meaning a pact with the devil, a true declaration of intent, with the progression of a seventies-flavored rock'n'roll, a bit slow but very determined and distorted, enriched by the fine work of an acoustic guitar.

    What I have tried to emphasize in this review is above all the unhealthy atmosphere that these 14 tracks know how to evoke, because this is where, in my opinion, the innovation introduced by Death SS lies, using already used stylistic elements and inventing and experimenting on them to create atmospheric effects absolutely new and never attempted before: for this reason, the group has constantly evolved its sound over the years and has always defined its music as "horror metal", without channeling into any fixed scheme (this to answer those who, regarding this release, accused the great Steve of wanting to rest on the laurels of his past).

    This is the great legacy of that "cursed" lineup, defined by Steve himself as "uncontrollable", due to the extreme (and also tragic, it seems the first Danny Hughes, later replaced by another who would take his nickname, disappeared at some point and was never seen again) exuberance of its members. And if you want to fully enjoy this sinister atmosphere, wait until it's night, or there is a rainy day when the sky is covered with thick gray clouds, turn on the stereo and let the horror begin!!!