"If you are reading this,I'm presuming you know that this was essentially a shoot-off of Pentagram,lead by late musician/author (loved his book on H.G.Lewis)Randy Palmer.This is indeed proto-metal,for its time almost as heavy(and definitely as dark!) as Sabbath.Really,their are a lot of raw riffs here for you disciples of the heavy!
Why only 3 stars? A lot of this is really,really rough sounding - not enough to pass up,but it should be mentioned just the same.One last comment: this is easily heavier than what Pentagram was doing during this time period(if not ever!)"
Incredibly dark doom music you should own
Classic Heavy Rock / Early Metal Af | 08/05/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bedemon's "Child of Darkness" is nihilistic doom at it's finest. It's even darker than Pentagram's "First Daze Here" collection. If you like Pentagram, you will love Bedemon (Bedemon was an offshoot of Pentagram). The darkness of the album is shocking considering it was composed at a time when Nixon was still in the White House and Woodstock was just four years in the past. The quality is a bit rough as the tracks weren't recorded in a studio but the roughness if anything adds to the ambiance of "Child of Darkness," rather than detracts from it. Most of the songs, such as "Child of Darkness," "Enslaver of Humanity," Frozen Fear,"One-Way Road," "Serpent Venom," "Into the Grave," "Nightime Killers," are incredibly loud. Others, like "Skinned" and "Through the Gates of Hell," are quieter but still very dark (both songs have very gloomy and nihilistic lyrics. Thorough liner lyrics provide lyrics and band members' views of each song. There are some Sabbath "yeah" screams too! Buy this album."
This is the Original Doom Metal band!
Christopher B. Jordan | Atlanta, GA USA | 01/27/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Get this now! These recordings prove their were bands as heavy as Sabbath in early 70's and that they could be even darker! The riffs on this album even give the mighty Tony Iommi a run for his money. The only drawback is the sound quality, but for recordings nearing the 40 year mark that were recorded in studio spaces, the sound quality amazingly holds up. If you like Sabbath or Bedemon's sister band Pentagram get this now. A missing link between Sabbath and the Doom Metal sub-genre."
Great classic doom metal
T. Nubel | 01/27/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a must-buy for anyone who's interested in doom metal and its beginnings. The Sabbath influence is evident, and the Bedemon crew puts out some incredibly sinister riffs. Audiophiles might have a problem with the quality, but I don't think it detracts too much from the CD."
Be forwarned
znodog | nyc, usa | 01/02/2008
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I usually dont write about terrible stuff (waste of time)..but I tell you this is one really hard to sit thru CD..I'm familiar with all kinds of demos and tape products being a musician myself, and I'm a big fan of this genre of music, a big Pentagram,Place Of Skulls, Into the Void,Witchfinder General, etc. All things Sabbath of course, but this is pure crap, that no one in their right mind would put out, we know they are all stoner's but how stoned do you have to be to sit thru this stuff ?? 2 stars for song titles and vague ideas, This really sounds like an old rehearsal cassette tape, that sounds really bad on all 15 songs, thats right they gave you 15 songs and not one has any sound quality, and remember this whining is from a fan !!"