Not all albums that failed commercially and were released in the 90’s were masterpieces or lost gems. Neither all bands were obscure legends that deserved more than to become cult heroes. But damn some names should become much bigger. They deserved it as their works have passed the ultimate test, the test of Time. And some albums are damn true jewels. Invocator’s “Excursion Demise” that now at last is available for the first time in more than 30 years, is one of them. Hammerheart Records has now re-released it as a double CD edition, including a handful of demos and promos between 1988 and 1991 on a second bonus CD ( A vinyl edition will be available as well soon). Of course Invocator’s debut wasn’t a commercial fail, as it had sold in its first year only around 10,000 copies still you can’t say it was a big hit or something. Originally printed in released in June 1991 via Black Mark Production and produced by Boss, Quorton’s father and the record label’s owner. If you want to describe this album with one word then “fast” is the one you are looking for. Yet this LP has more to offer than extreme velocity. Riffs upon riffs hit you like a blast with a plethora of drum patterns often off beat, that enrich their sound and keep the listeners attention and interest high, aggressive vocals that flirt with Death Metal growls blended with fast, furious and brilliant shredding solos that wisely avoid sounding repetitive. “Excursion Demise” is a mad as a hatter combination of high-speed technical Thrash with a hint of death metal at its best. You can find similarities with Dark Angel, Sadus, early Kreator, even Atheist, late 80’s early 90’s Sepultura and early Pestilence. Some would dare to say that Invocator were something like more technical and closer to proto-death version of Artillery. Tracks like ‘The Persistence From Memorial Chasm’, ‘Schismatic Injective Therapy’ and ‘Beyond Insufferable Dormancy’ are definitely high-lights. The bonus CD features: “Genetic Confusion” (Demo 1988), “Alterations” (Demo 1989) which in its day sold almost 2000 copies, “Insurrected Despair” (re-recording, 1990), and “Promo 1991”. 1988’s demo is raw and brutal. Three of the four tracks in 1989’s demo were actually re-recorded for their debut album. ‘Insurrected Despair’, was originally appeared in the debut demo and this version was recorded for an EP that never saw the light of day and it was planned to be released by Wild Rags. Finally “Promo 1991” was distributed exclusively for radio shows and magazines. It features early and raw versions of ‘Beyond Insufferable Dormancy’, ‘Inner Contrarities’ and ‘Absurd Temptation’.
