I am very excited that over these very 6 months only there`s been out so much good and old-school music. I am also glad to see that big labels such as Century Media begin to re-release classic materials; often in luxury looking, vinyl versions. Yes, vinyl is coming back.

One of such great re-releases is, undoubtedly, a demo compilation by Illinois based band SINDROME. This crew is a real legend in the American thrash metal scene. They never recorded an album whatsoever, but, lo and behold, their demos Into the Halls of Extermination and Vault of Inner Conscience are still very important to the scene. Very few remember this band these days. I think it is important to talk about this crew as it’s been 25 years since they`ve released the abovementioned demos themselves.

Yeah, these demos got bootlegged (in the cd format) at some point in the past, but the quality was low and the cd itself hard to come by. Therefore it comes as a nice surprise, Century Media decided to commemeorate the band`s heyday and consequently released a special vinyl edition plus a bonus cd (Live in Chicago 1988).

The awesome booklet this edition comes with, features plenty of information on the band`s history, group pictures as well as large sized demo covers. In total, it is 16 pages, which, I do think, is a lot. Ok, let’s talk about the music, shall we? So, if we have the vinyl version, then its A side features six, very energetic thrash metal cuts (demo I from 1987). Since the very beginning, SINDROME`s music was extremely complex, and somehow similar to DARK ANGEL/SADUS/NASTY SAVAGE, yet still more complicated and stylistically more expressive.

We ought to notice that, for the first time ever, we are offered a bonus track: Brought to the End (from the demo I session). All right. First things first. A side opens with a very dynamic title track with distinct elements of very old death metal. The second part of the 80s is the time when thrash and death metal styles started to blend with each other. In result, there were a number of bands such as SINDROME, SADUS or DARK ANGEL which were significantly different from other, typical thrash bands; as they were more brutal, expressively more musically techanical and better advanced.

Such a stylistic fusion was also significantly present in the case of MORBID ANGEL, NOCTURNUS or DEATH. We talk about dense riffing and original, flowing motoricness which became popular in the death metal genre as one of its brand marks. Rapture in Blood is a song full of complex, technical riffs.

The vocal of Troy Mittelbrun (ex-DEVASTATION; from Chicago too btw) is very deep, yet clear and puts this track at a very high level. Precognition is another very complex, four minute long track. Cathedral of Ice is a song full of ideas, and it’s very hard to comprehend how it is possible to put so many riffs into one cut. Another perfectly executed piece of music is Aortic Expulsion – this one clearly shows how much potential the band had in their beginnings.

I would like to see what this band`d have become, hadn’t they split up after these two tapes they did. A side ends up with aforementioned Brought. Don’t know why this song wasn’t included on the tape as it’s equally good, really. The guitar parts on this demo are destructive: amazing solos, dense and complex riffs, and a rad rhythm section. Hard to believe this demo was recorded 30 years ago as these songs still feel young and fresh.

There’s some monstrous power that doesn’t let this music get old. B side consists of 5 tracks which are Vault of Inner Conscience demo 1991. I can still remember when I got this stuff on tape in 1992. Most of cassettes back then were of poor quality and had photocopied inlays. SINDROME`s tape was totally different, a long and professionally printed booklet, a sticker on a tape.

Yeah, it was very good and unique. Damn, I paid 8 dollars for the tape, but it was worth it. Opening track Descending into Madness shows how much the band progressed since there previous material. The debut demo was damn good, but the way the band matured their skills is just overwhelming. The keyboards create special backgrounds a` la NOCTURNUS, very complex rhythm section and guitar "duels" turn your brain into mush. One can see here, how touring together with DEATH affected SINDROME. E.S.W. (Extra Sensory Warning) is another crazily played cut.

Hard to believe how lightly this track is performed, yet this song is filled with technically complex riffs. No time to breathe. Astral Projection is another highly condensed dose of technically advanced music. You have some jazz`ish parts, totally complex percussion ideas and amazing solos. There’s a lot going on, here on this material, raly. This music is just amazingly rich in sounds. When it comes to Against Infinity, you cannot expect any simplicity either. Mick Vega and Rob Welsh`s guitars are amazingly good.

These guys must have been born as pro-musicians, indeed. The way they handle their instruments is A-ok. The material ends up with another amazing track Exit Screaming. I can still remember how overjoyed I was when I listened to this stuff for the first time. And man, got to tell you all, I am still amazed after so many years, when I listen to this music again.

SINDROME is an extraordinary and absolutely timeless band – the bible for people who`re into technical metal. Damn, hard to understand why this band split up after these demos, whereas some other shitty bands still exist. Well, let’s enjoy SINDROME, shall we? Hope this band shan’t be forgotten…

Leszek Wojnicz-Sianożęcki