Since time immemorial for the ancient seekers of cursed sounds in the Singaporean underground, Istidraj has been synonymous with blasphemous and satanic metal, battling the religious status quo that plagues these parts of Asia with an iron fist of state repression. History is filled with thousands of records of bestial bands that have spewed forth all their rottenness against the established order, and Istidraj has positioned itself firmly on the threshold of battle as a leading band in the country with its infamous discography to back it up.
In 1993, they spat out their first blasphemy upon the world: the demo ‘Eastern Blood’, which we will be revisiting today in its 2026 ‘Revisited’ version. But first, let’s talk a bit about the band’s recent history. After attacking every year since their initial invocation with various splits, demos, and full albums, they fell into a deathly silence in 2015, only to return in 2024 with another split, this time with Santet.
Now, speaking of this year’s releases, the horns of the demo, now renamed ‘Eastern Blood Revisited’, have reared their putrid heads once again. Upon clicking, we’re greeted by an introduction that sounds reminiscent of an Argento film soundtrack, four minutes that feel like an eternity and are a death sentence for the impatient listener. But when the intro finally ends, ‘Odes of Aeshon’ emerges. With the tune of a guitar and the dark pleas of bruised words in the background, it prepares us for the primal noises that rise from lost caverns.
To the untrained ear, some chords and black dissonances will sound strange, but that’s what makes this type of Asian Black Metal special. The cries become dark tales that oscillate on the tape corroded by the violent spirals that time has chewed into its memories. Next, ‘The Shining Ones’ kicks down the gates of hell with a more uniform sound than the previous blasphemous vomit, something that gives it the right touch.
What makes this demo special is Lord Arian Inferno’s possessed phrasing, which is far from the common style and cadence typical of Western metal. Beyond the word ‘exotic’, this ritualistic injection lends the music a unique originality. The track moves at a mid-tempo pace and fades away amidst the red and black candles in the temple. The epilogue of this cursed demo opens its infernal maw where time stands still, and the satanic petitions that contaminate the surrounding ether are chewed, blackening the hearts of those present who, in grotesque postures, revere the diabolical entities invoked from the realm hidden from the profane!
Only 33 tape copies of this demo were released in 2026. If any reader manages to get hold of one of these copies, you are one lucky soul, by the glory of Satan!
