Description
Original cassette transfer (tracks 1-8), audio restoration and mastering by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY in November 2024.
If you were talking German thrash metal in the second half of the 1980s, you couldnt go past Assassin from Dsseldorf, who released their highly influential (go ask the Norwegian black metal scene) first two full-lengths The Upcoming Terror and Interstellar Experience in 1987 and 88 respectively.
The latter, which is widely regarded as a quintessential Teutonic thrash album, was tracked at Music Lab Berlin with legendary producer Harris Johns (Kreator, Voivod), who had the band record the material live in studio prior to the actual sessions. Now for the first time ever, these recordings all album tracks minus Baka, which was written on the fly later on, while Damned World was renamed Strange World will get a proper release via High Roller Records.
Entitled Outer Space Death, the material was transferred from cassette, restored and mastered by Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony in late 2024. The result shows just how good Assassin were as performers, arguably even surpassing the final album versions of the songs. Its definitely worth listening to because it sounds very different, says guitarist Dinko Veki, hitting the nail on its head.
Harris Johns wanted to get an impression of what the tunes would eventually sounds like, so we had to perform each one for him live as some kind of demo, explains singer Robert Gonnella, who then added his vocal lines to the recordings. Looking back, he still couldnt be happier with Johns as a producer, because we were able to do everything just the way we wanted.
While Outer Space Death is by no means intended to improve on or even replace Interstellar Experience, it does serve as a historic document displaying the huge potential of a line-up that had just begun to find its feet but sadly broke apart shortly after touring with Death Angel and Rumble Militia.
Today, Gonnella keeps playing these songs live with his current Band Raging Rob, which also features drummer Frank Nellen from back in the day. Actually, we are four people from the eighties. Its very authentic if you ask me, and we enjoy it a lot, which I find to be the most important thing at this point.
Andreas Schiffmann
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