_Demonized_ is a collection of demos from 1996, 1997 and 2000 that
finally allows Gravferd to see their material released on CD. This
isn't to say the demos have been remastered or their sound somehow
improved, however: make no mistake, this is distinctly lo-fi, demo
tape sound quality. If you can get over that, then Gravferd's brand of
black metal is not without its merits. Some unusual flirting with
clean vocals occurs early on, where faster passages with symphonic
synths are not uncommon -- though both are eventually abandoned in
favour of a more straightforward style.Gravferd are just a generally competent band, and for this
collection's 70+ minute duration, there is nothing especially
innovative or remarkable to the point of overcoming the crippling
sound quality. Unfortunately it isn't even the type of lo-fi
production that might lend the material some extra character (save
arguably for the first demo), and it only seems to get worse as the
demo goes on. This is not a bad release if seen in the light that was
surely intended when it was assembled, in the sense that it collects
three demos from a previously unpublished band that was not bad at all
in its day. Whether _Demonized_ will be of any interest to anyone but
the most hardcore underground black metal collectors is much more
debatable however.