Germany’s Black Metal underground in the early 1990s was developing along several different paths. While the Norwegian scene was attracting international attention, bands elsewhere in Europe were drawing from the darker foundations laid by Venom, Hellhammer and Bathory, with their own local Extreme Metal traditions adding further character. In Germany, the legacy of Sodom, Destruction and Kreator was already firmly established, but a younger generation was beginning to explore more primitive and sinister territory. Much of this music circulated through demos, small labels and underground contacts, long before the internet made every obscure recording available at the click of a button. Back then, finding a rare demo was an achievement in itself. Finding one that did not sound like it had been buried in a swamp was an added bonus.
Formed in Bavaria in 1991, Ungod became part of this early German Black Metal movement, developing a sound that looked towards the primitive roots of Extreme Metal rather than chasing technical sophistication. Their debut full-length, ‘Circle of the Seven Infernal Pacts’, originally appeared in 1993 through Hsb Records, with the original vinyl pressing limited to 500 copies. That small pressing tells you something about the circumstances surrounding underground releases at the time. Nobody was expecting a gold record or a lucrative sponsorship deal. Getting the music out into the world was already a considerable achievement.
The 2015 vinyl reissue by Morbid Metal Records gives this early recording another opportunity to reach listeners who missed it the first time around. For those of us who appreciate the physical side of underground metal, reissues of this kind are particularly welcome when they bring attention back to recordings that have spent years circulating among collectors. Of course, owning the record does not automatically make anyone an authority on the music, but it certainly beats pretending to have discovered a band yesterday after seeing its name appear in an online recommendation.
Musically, Ungod operate in that primitive territory where Black Metal, Speed Metal and the early Extreme Metal sound meet. The influence of Venom, Hellhammer and Bathory can be felt in the raw guitar work, rough vocal delivery and straightforward attack, but the album belongs to a period when these influences were being absorbed into the emerging European Black Metal underground. The music does not depend on elaborate arrangements or polished production. Its appeal lies in the riffs, the dark atmosphere and the sense that the band understands exactly what it wants to achieve.
The guitars carry much of the album’s character, shifting between abrasive riffing and simpler melodic passages without losing their rough edge. The drumming supports the music with an uncomplicated attack, while the vocals suit the material’s primitive character. There is little interest in making everything sound immaculate, and that is entirely appropriate for a recording rooted in the early 1990s underground. Sometimes a riff needs to be memorable more than it needs to be complicated, a lesson that seems to escape musicians who believe every song requires a technical demonstration.
What makes ‘Circle of the Seven Infernal Pacts’ worth revisiting is its connection to that transitional period when Black Metal was still drawing heavily from the earliest Extreme Metal bands while developing its own identity. Ungod were not operating in isolation from the wider metal world. Their sound reflects the influence of the older bands that helped establish the foundations of the genre, while the overall atmosphere points towards the darker underground direction that was taking shape during those years.
The album also occupies an interesting place in the band’s history. Ungod eventually split up in 1998, and discussions surrounding the reissue of their debut helped bring the band back together years later. It is a curious turn of events: a recording made during the early days of the German Black Metal underground would eventually help revive the very band responsible for it. Not every old record gets that kind of second life.
For listeners who missed Ungod during their original run, this 2015 vinyl edition offers a chance to return to an important period in German Black Metal history. Those already familiar with the band will understand the attraction of having the debut available again in physical form. ‘Circle of the Seven Infernal Pacts’ is rooted in the primitive traditions of early Extreme Metal, where strong riffs and a dark atmosphere mattered more than studio perfection. It is a worthwhile document from a time when the underground was still being built one demo, one record and one exchange between fellow metalheads at a time.
