EXMORTIS (US/MD)

Many of us so-called metalhead old farts surely remember the tape trading metal scene and all of those exciting yet hot metal band discoveries that each of us undoubtedly made when being involved in it for almost a decade and even more. I personally remember making some of my best findings through the underground tape trading scene during the late 80s and early 90s period finding a pile of new, young and talented bands in this way for my insatiable metal cravings.

One of the better of these personal 90s underground metal discoveries of mine was definitely a band named Exmortis originally from Frederick, Maryland, led by Brian Werking. If I can remember correctly, I purchased Exmortis first two demos from Brian directly. Metal Forces magazine used to have a section where they introduced upcoming underground metal demo bands from all over the world and that's where I found this little introduction for Exmortis, and to their two demos they had put out by that time.

"Descent Into Chaos", Exmortis 3-track debut '88 demo (with Drew Elliott's stunning artwork on the demo cover), was a true whirlwind of uncompromising thrashing death metal madness, pretty much blowing the socks off everyone who managed to sink their teeth into that demo at that time to put it simply, placing these young American metal musicians' skills on the road of extremity that found many loyal followers in later days to come. However, it was the bands second 4-song '89 demo, titled "Immortality's End", that really carved Exmortis name firmly, and bone-deep into the ground of the underground metal scene for good. Deeply rooted in fast, technical and heavy death metal with a difference, Exmortis brought their extreme death metal onslaught to the next level of extremity sounding more wicked, more mature and focused than on their previous effort.

The bands first demo tape from 1988, "Decent Into Chaos"

"Immortality's End" again with the eye-catching artwork of Drew Elliott, was undeniably one of the most played demos in my own personal metal demo jukebox at the end of the 80s, representing sort of a new wave of extreme American death metal, pushing the envelope of extremity and creativity the best it could and rightfully earning its special place in the heart of this enthusiastic Finnish metalhead.

As so many people in the metal scene and other different metal media were constantly keeping Exmortis name on people's lips, it was only a matter of time when they would have gotten signed by some label at that time. Death metal bands like Morbid Angel, Entombed, Autopsy, Dismember, Malevolent Creation, etc., all inked deals with some major labels at that time, so why not Exmortis then? However, bad news started to spread around the underground metal scene from one metal tape trader to another: the Exmortis guys had gone their separate ways, leaving many of us the fans of this fine US death metal combat killing machine somewhat bummed so to speak. This bad news felt like a missile had hit us straight in our bellies. I mean, if one band had truly deserved a record deal back in those days due to the achievements they had done within those 2 previous years or so and how they had been hyped by people around the underground circles of the whole world that one band unquestionably would have been Exmortis, not the slightest doubt about it.

As the members of Exmortis re located to three different cities in the mid 90s Brian moving to Pittsburgh it didn't leave much choice for him but to continue doing new Exmortis songs on his own (with computer and drum machine), without hiring any other musicians to accomplish his next goal, that was supposed to be Exmortis third demo in order, called "Dreams of the Dead".

The second demo from 1989, "Immortality's End"

After some negotiations with the New York based Rage Records, two songs out of the pre-planned 3 demo songs, got released on a 7-inch EP in October of 1991, carrying the title "Fade from Reality". As was expected. Brian managed to put his own Exmortis trademark ish sound into these two new songs; both! songs having these unyieldingly uncompromising, heavy and tricky elements that were also found from the band's previous cult demo, "Immortality's End". At this point it also should be mentioned that some of the other ex-members of the band wanted to take advantage of the Exmortis name Brian, and continued making songs under the Exmortis moniker when Brian struggled in his life due to some personal issues. The guys released one 4-track demo, titled "Butchers of the Urban Frontier" in 1993, but this particular demo in question could hardly be considered an Exmortis demo without Brian's involvement in it. In fact, in my honest opinion it did not sound that much like Exmortis at all, but some other band, only using the Exmortis name for this project. But since the Exmortis name was obviously trademarked to rest of the guys of the original line-up, they were naturally allowed to release music under the Exmortis name.

Back in those days Brian had also stepped back into the songwriting mood again after solving his personal crises in his life, and was determinedly writing new stuff after his personal break from the music scene. After having penning and completing his new material, he was also approached by Growing Deaf Entertainment, asking him whether he would be interested in contributing some songs for a CD compilation called "History of Things to Come", featuring 16 songs of 10 underground metal bands (Num Skull, Martricide, Bloodless, etc.) without having a chance to use the Exmortis name, Brian decided to use the Exmortis alias name, Bloodless, instead still maintaining the well-known Exmortis style all the way through these 2 new songs, "Necrotic Visions" and "Silence of Darkness", that were featured for this compilation CD.

Years went quickly by, and in 2005 Brian and Aantar Lee, the original members of Exmortis were supposed to make a new comeback with the band, and record their next demo, titled "The Resurrection". Due to some unknown circumstances, that demo never saw the light of day officially and I lost touch with Brain again for 5 years, until Brian somewhat surprisingly contacted me through Facebook to tell me that he was back in the biz again only this time, for different reasons.

Many people have demanded an official CD release from Brian for many years already, like having all their demos and all other stuff released on one CD. As a longtime follower of Exmortis, I felt very privileged and honored when Brian asked me to contribute some liner notes to this CD, written kind of from a fan's point of view. One thing, however, was certain: all this Exmortis stuff just screamed to be released and a cult underground label Necroharmonic Productions out from New Jersey, run by the true underground legend Roy Fox, got the ultimate opportunity for this exclusive mission to give the Exmortis stuff a treatment it deserved to have so many years ago already. Well, better late than never though, some smartass might add...

"Resurrection from below... resurrection blood shall flow"

Luxi Lahtinen, on April 12th, 2010

From the booklet to the demo compilation by Necroharmonic from 2010.

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