EXORCIST - Voices From The Graves / After The North Winds (CD w/ Obi Strip)

Formed in Warsaw in 1986, Exorcist originally consisted of an enigmatic quartet: Butcher (vocals), Aggressor (guitars), Antichrist (bass), and Skeleton (drums). However, soon after the band’s inception, and following its first rehearsal recording that same year, Antichrist was replaced by Necrophiliac on bass. Early on, thanks to assistance from Marcin Wawrzynczak of Eternal Torment zine, Exorcist played several live shows alongside fellow obscure Polish bands like Forst and the more renowned Vader.

In 1987, the band recorded its first demo, Voices from the Graves, in Skeleton’s basement. While the demo was influenced by the songwriting and technical prowess of German thrash pioneers like Kreator and Destruction, it also carried an aura of darkness akin to early black metal bands such as Sodom. Marked by a distinct rawness and aggression, the primitive conditions of the recording space and equipment produced a blown-out sound that enhanced the destructive nature of the songs. This demo was initially circulated under the title Voices out of the Graves in very limited numbers to a few fanzines. Besides the title variation and a slight change in the name of the first track, this advance tape featured a different version of the artwork that later appeared on the more widely spread Voices from the Graves tape. Despite these differences, the audio remained identical in both versions.

As a result of this demo's circulation, Exorcist attracted attention from underground zines such as Slayer Mag, leading to greater exposure. In 1988, the band recorded its second demo, After the North Winds, in Ochota Studio following a lineup change, with Butcher and Necrophiliac being replaced by Beerbear, who took on both vocals and bass, and the addition of a second guitarist, Rothon. Recorded in a professional studio, the second demo exhibited a more polished sound while retaining the unbridled spirit of the first demo’s songwriting.