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country: GER
label: High Roller Records
Released at: September 5, 2025
format: CD
Condition: New
If you were talking German thrash metal in the second half of the 1980s, you couldn’t go past Assassin from Düsseldorf, 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. “It’s definitely worth listening to because it sounds very different,” says guitarist Dinko Vekić, hitting the nail on its head
Transparent ultra clear/ red splatter vinyl, ltd 200, insert printed on uncoated paper, 350gsm cover with inside out print, Original tape transfer, audio restoration and mastering by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY in August 2020.
Considering that The Saga of Nemesis came out in April 1986, meaning just about three months after Assassin´s debut demo Holy Terror, the group had taken a big leap forward – not least regarding its production values, making the four songs plus intro an abrasion-proof set of thrash from a time when the German scene was maturing at a frantic pace.
White/ black splatter vinyl, ltd 200, insert printed on uncoated paper, 350gsm cover with inside out print, Original tape transfer, audio restoration and mastering by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY in August 2020.
Hardcore thrashers insisting that Assassin´s two early demos were superior to the re-recordings of the very same songs that ended up on the band´s debut album The Upcoming Terror might have a point. When the first tape Holy Terror started to circulate at the beginning of 1986, it not only put Düsseldorf on the map of German extreme metal but was also an instant classic of Teutonic steel because the quintet married instinctive ferocity with an already impressive degree of musicality.
High Roller Records, slipcase, poster, extensive booklet, bonus track "Strange World". Mastered by Patrick W. Engel at TEMPLE OF DISHARMONY. ETERNAL TEUTONIC THRASH METAL CULT GEM.
ASSASSIN - Interstellar Experience, bonus track 'Strange World', transparent piss yellow vinyl, ltd 400, 425gsm heavy cardbard cover, lyric sheet, 4 page insert, poster