Striker - 7" 1982

Striker / NJ / 1982 - The a-side "Striker" is the clear winner for me on this 7". My copy of this 7" is actually a test pressing, the band wrote test press on the labels which they then hand glued over the plain white test press labels. There is also a Red cover variation as well. I do not know which came first, black or red cover...Dave G.

1) Striker
2) Finish You Off

Prisoner 7" 1986

Prisoner / NJ / 1986 - Solid hard rockin' metal single, I like the A-side better than the B, they get a bit to commercial for my liking on side 2.  P.J Farley of Trixter fame joined Prisoner after this single had already been recorded and released. I don't know if they released any music with PJ...Dave G.

1) Fire In Your Heart
2) Rock You Through The Night 

Crossroads 7" 1986

A NJ band I believe, according to discogs this single was never sold commercially, just at shows and given away to friends.

Lost
Hostage 

Knightmare - Begin Again Demo Tape

Here's a some what rare tape from the Massachusetts band Knightmare. Release date seems to be unknown but I'd assume pre 1989 as Begin Again was on the 89 7" that they self released.  Interesting piece of history but not as good as either the 7" or their 1987 Mindless Mayhem Lp.

1) Begin Again
2) The Wasteland (WBRS Brandeis University)
3) Fear of Death   

Sintillion 1992 Demo Tape

Sintillion (Eastchester, NY) was a local heavy metal band who I remember playing shows in and around Rockland and Westchester County NY back in the early 90's. On this well produced and solid demo tape from 1992 I hear a definite Metallica And Justice For All era influence and the vocals are certainly similar to Mr. Hetfield's, in my opinion.

Overall this is a solid three song demo that is worth your time and attention...Dave G.

01) No Better Than Yesterday 
02) Feeling of Deceit
03) Separation of One

Mutilator 1989 Demo Tape

Here's another demo tape I picked up this past week that has no internet presence. No listing on Encyclopedia Metallum at all and I couldn't find any information at all in the Heavy Metal Rarities forum.

Anyway, Mutilator hailed from Ossining, NY which is in the northern suburbs of New York city not far from where I grew up myself. Mutilator is yet another band that would have been local to me that I either never heard of or simply do not remember. This demo is a good one , the production is sold, the songs are interesting and just brutal enough and the singer sounds like a twisted motherfucker....good stuff...Dave G.

01) Isolation
02) Vicious Baptism
03) Concealed Lies 
04) Insanity

Kruciform - 1987 Demo Tape

Kruciform hailed from the Bronx , NY.   I grew up about 30 minutes from them and was fairly aware of the local metal bands making the rounds in 87, but I never heard of Krucifrom until I found this demo a few days ago. A quick internet search turned up scant information, except for an  Encyclopedia Metallum entry  that doesn't even contain an image or track list for this demo tape.

Anyway, the music on this tape is really quite good and deserving of preservation, so I figured I would rip the demo and revive the old blog , even if it's just for the purpose of documenting Kruciform's music, but who knows, maybe I'll post a few more local metal rarities as I get them ripped over the next few days.... Dave G.

Kruciform demo 1987

01. Black Angel
02. Tunnel of Love
03. Resistance
04. Horror Holocaust