What's Your Favourite Lo-Fi BM demo?

Black metal is a genre that built it's reputation on tape-trading of lo-fi demos back in the day. Many of these are now legendary. I love Enslaved's Yggdrasill, Mayem's Pure Fucking Armageddon and Hellhammer's Satanic Rites along with Blasphemy's Blood Upon the Altar. What are other members of the North's favourite lo-fi black metal demos?

Black metal is one of the biggest passions in my life, but I have to admit that I do have a limit when it comes to enjoying lo-fi material. I'm honestly surprised that you've listed Pure Fucking Armageddon as something that you love, as I find it to be literally unlistenable. In fact, it's the only release that I've given 0.5 stars on RYM, because the production is so bad that there's simply no enjoyment to be had (for me). I would genuinely love to hear what it is about that demo in particular that attracts you to it. Who knows, maybe I should reassess it. Out of the other demos you've listed, Enslaved's effort is likely the one I enjoy the most, although I haven't heard it in a couple of decades.

To answer your question more directly though, I'm going to cheat on a technicality and list Paysage d'Hiver's work as my clear favourite lo-fi releases. It's questionable as to whether they should be considered demos now that they all have album-like CD/LP releases, but they're listed as such in most places so seem to fit the bill. Otherwise, I do get a lot of enjoyment out of Emperor's Wrath of the Tyrant demo, although the production is decent enough there that you may not consider that to be lo-fi?

I really like Beherit's Oath of Black Blood and Archgoat's Angelcunt. Not sure if these count as lo-fi...

The 2007 demo from Lebanon's Damaar (entitled "Triumph Through Spears of Sacrilege") is amongst my favourites lo-fi demos. It includes some of the most intense war metal you're likely to experience anywhere.

Ben, I completely understand why people don't care for PFA, but it's just so low down and filthy sounding that, for me, it is the epitome of the "fuck you all" attitude of early black metal and Mayhem in particular. I spent an awful lot of time in the 70s and 80s listening to audience taped bootlegs of Sabbath and Budgie shows and believe me, they sounded far worse than this. More than that, this is the beginning of probably the most important band in black metal and the music is actually great, it's only the sound quality that sucks. It's one of those albums that I like to put on way too loud when I'm on my own and feeling pissed at the world... Side "Off", Ghoul - now that's black metal!

As far as Paysage D'Hiver goes, great shout. A band I admit to coming to late, but the 1999 s/t is awesome.

Wrath of the Tyrant is, obviously, one of the greatest BM demos, but too well done to count as lo-fi.

Daniel, I listened to the Damaar ep and thought "I gotta get a copy" but then found out that they're going for £76.99 on Discogs!! Maybe if I drop enough hints someone will buy me it for christmas!

Dwight, I agree, Oath of Black Blood is killer.

Others I think worthy of note are Sodom's Witching Hour (1982, shit, thrash was barely a thing then, let alone black metal) and Behemoth's ...From the Pagan Vastlands.

I owned an original copy of the "Wrath Of the Tyrant" demo back before Emperor's debut hit the shelves. By my estimations this makes me cooler than anyone that DIDN'T have a copy by a fair margin. I made a point of not playing it to anyone so as to maintain that level of coolness too. If people only knew how cool I was..... *sighs*

*stares at self in mirror & makes ridiculous angry facial expressions & metal claws with his tongue out whilst wearing business attire & with young children playing with crayons in the background*

I used to find you practicing metal faces and poses in front of the mirror all the time when we were teenagers. Never as effective when you’re in pyjamas and ugg boots. You did have the long hair and the Flying V though.

I'll have you know that kvlt evil metallers get cold feet too Ben. Do you think they really go to bed in leather & spikes? I'm pretty sure that Satan himself wears ugg boots whilst enjoying a nice cup of tea & a biscuit after a hard day of cursing people for eternity.