SCAR 004

Out of print through NVS.

Mastered and pressed on c-108 red chrome 24Cr tapes. Packaged with is a Scorched-Earth 1'' logo pin and 4X4 patch(of "Mars" cover album artwork). 100 copies. CD version available from Conqueror Wyrm Records.

Maybe, if the cassette culture will once again thrive in the metal scene (as it seems to be happening) it may be because of labels like NoVisible Scars who are doing their best to stretch the format’s typical presentation. Seattle’s Scorched-Earth (not sure why the hyphen) just had their latest slab of thrashy death metal released by this label and the cassette version comes graced by cover artwork the size of a 7-inch sleeve. The quality of the artwork surely merits the blown up size. To make the format more appealing, the cassette version of Mars is limited to 100 copies, comes with a 1” logo pin and a patch of the cover artwork, which was done by Sean McGrath, a dude widely known in metal circles for his participation in bands like Disgorge, Impaled and Ghoul. I am still in amazement at how many quality bands have been around for a while and I hadn’t noticed. And I always fancied myself the super informed dude. Mars is Scorched-Earth’s fourth full-length after three recordings that came out independently. Why no label until now has snapped these Seattle-lites is beyond me. The death metal they make is utterly rambunctious, and sloppy. In other words, despite being inherently metal, Scorched-Earth’s music is also as punk as say, early Venom was. Here, there are none of the low tones of the Florida or Swedish movement. Partly, that’s what makes this recording so vibrant. Another reason being the raw high vocals of guitarist Terry McCorriston, who no doubt is more a fan of Cronos and Quorthon than say, David Vincent. The riffs are bad ass. This is totally noticeable despite the intentional purity of the recording, which strips the instruments to its bare tones. In other words, like with most quality black metal there isn’t much heaviness, just deafening guitars that thrash around, fly by in spirited war fashion and that truthfully may be too detailed for the general population, but just about enough for those into deep listening experiences.
www.deafsparrow.com/index.htm