This LP is one of these releases I have been waiting for quite impatiently. Two legendary demos of MEFISTO from 1986 are eventually pressed into vinyl. What is even better, this re-release comes together with reactivation of this band which, in the meantime, recorded their first full length and which is scheduled to be out this year.

More interestingly, the band has announced a number of live shows, including a gig on December 18-19 at Black Christmas Fest in Norrkoping, where they`ll play, as announced, their both demos in full. I think it`ll refresh these demos very well – hem, this band has been in the grave for almost 30 years. I don’t have to convince anyone about MEFISTO`s immense influence on the Swedish scene of the 80s. Just take a look at MORBID which`d been formed a year later, or MERCILESS (which is two years younger). I don’t even need to mention BATHORY which, thanks to MEFISTO, started to add acoustic guitar lines into their music.

Just listen to Blood Fire Death or Hammerheart to understand what I am talking about. Although acoustic guitars appeared before, on Bonded By Blood or Ride The Lightning – it was MEFISTO that decoratively influenced Quorthon`s BATHORY (on the above mentioned albums). The influential power of MEFISTO is expressed not only through Omar`s way of handling his guitar, but also a phenomenal sense of how to combine classical influences with extremity. The band themselves have never denied their fascinations of NWOBHM with bands like IRON MAIDEN, SAXON ,VENOM ,BLACK SABBATH ,VAN HALEN or SCORPIONS.

Of course, MEFISTO was not immune to the extreme scene that was emerging, at the time, and thus became inspired solemnly by BATHORY, MERCYFUL FATE, SODOM, KREATOR or METALLICA. Isn’t it interesting how these different types of scenes were interrelated with each other back then? Anyways, MEFISTO was able to polish their stylistic identity – their music was distinctive, original and mature. Well, MEFISTOwere young people back then but they had the potential – that’s why it is so hard to belive they disappeared from the metal scene despite their being so powerful a three piece a band