CD version includes "Blood Upon the Soundspace" rehearsal as bonus.
(Description by J. Campbell)
Although Blasphemy’s recorded output
was limited, its endurance over the last three decades is a testament to
its originality and extremity, and it all began with the Blood Upon the
Altar demo. The band’s origin was unremarkable but auspicious. In 1984,
founding members Nocturnal Grave Desecrater and Black Winds and 3 Black
Hearts of Damnation and Impurity, who lived near one another and were
already acquainted, began playing music together, mostly working on
cover songs. They soon recruited Caller of the Storms and Black Priest
of the 7 Satanic Blood Rituals to complete the original lineup. After
briefly adopting the name Antichrist, the band eventually settled on the
simple and iconic name Blasphemy and began writing songs. They refined
their sound and focused their songs during live rituals over the next
several years, although the lineup would fluctuate slightly when Black
Winds did a brief stint in jail, and Bestial Savior of the Undead
Legions briefly assumed bass duties. Black Winds soon rejoined the fold,
and Blasphemy entered Fiasco Bros. studio in 1989 with an $800 budget.
They emerged having produced one of the most devastating demo recordings
ever made. Blood Upon the Altar ushered in a new style of Black Metal,
no less dark or evil than their contemporaries, but more
confrontational, more violent. In addition to being heavily inspired by
Bathory, Sodom, and Slayer, Blasphemy also drew from the punk infused
Brazilian scene, especially Sarcófago, as well as Grindcore bands like
Blood and Genocide (Repulsion). The resultant mixture of these
influences yielded a demo that established a new standard for extremity
in Black Metal, a bar that Blasphemy would continue to raise with each
subsequent recording. This edition of Blood Upon the Altar marks the
first time since its original release that it has been properly featured
as a stand-alone album. For far too long, this demo was tacked as bonus
tracks onto the end of the Gods of War album, leaving the impression
that Blood Upon the Altar was of lower stature; in fact, for many, Blood
Upon the Altar is the most powerful Blasphemy release of all.
Additionally, many of the earlier reissue editions of this recording had
long gaps between the tracks owing to an improperly prepared digital
master, but that flaw has been corrected with this version, which was
also remastered by James Plotkin to ensure the best possible sound.
Finally, the original demo artwork once again adorns the cover of this
LP, which also features a full-color gatefold. In every respect, this
version—a joint release by NWN! and Ross Bay Cult—seeks to restore Blood
Upon the Altar to its original status as one of the most significant
Black Metal recordings of all time.
