![levifer – southern bestial storms [compilation]](https://www.vm-underground.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Levifer-–-Southern-Bestial-Storms-Compilation-cover.jpg "Levifer – Southern Bestial Storms [Compilation]")
That Werewolf Records is no longer looking within its own Finnish borders seems more and more a fact, in recent years we have already seen the releases of the Peruvian Saram, Haborym from Mexico and even the Death Metal band Immortal Death from Japan, among others. American Thornspawn has also found its new home there, an example that also seems to be followed by their cultish compatriot Burning Winds. In the wake of that label’s steady march toward world domination, we now also find this compilation LP by underground phenomenon Levifer from Peru. ‘Southern Bestial Storms’ compiles all of Levifer’s previously available recordings in convenient fashion.
The LP starts with the ‘Tribute To The Supreme Beast’-demo, originally released in 2000. Although it was reissued once on a splendidly looking picture disc in 2006 by the now defunct Crush Until Madness Records label, it remains a heavily sought after recording. Both the original demo tape as well as the picture disc go for considerable amounts of money on platforms such as Discogs and eBay. So, besides the musical value, it seems it was about time the recordings were made available once again.
Although recorded around the turn of the millennium, Levifer sounded like a rather primal sort of Black Metal band with solid old school Death Metal sound to it. Not only because of the beefy riffs, but certainly the remarkable heavy and good sound adds much to that Death Metal feeling. This way the band creeps up rather closely to the very early work of Belphegor as well as Vital Remains and Deicide. The latter not in the least because of the roaring Benton-like vocals. Those vocals on these particular recordings, however, has always been a bit of a thing to me. The rather odd squeaks always kept me from being totally committed to Levifer’s first tracks. Even now, so many years later since I first heard them, I am still not sure what to think about that – it is perhaps a matter of taste.
That “problem”, however, is remedied on the following tracks, taken from the equally sought-after split 7” EP with their compatriots of Goat Semen. I do believe that those two songs, with a much stronger Black Metal connotation, are Levifer’s finest hour. The sharper guitar tone, with a lot less prominent Death Metal tone, and a bit more subdued production do blend perfectly together in a relentlessly evil piece of Black/Death Metal. Also Juan “Levifer” Nalvarte’s vocals are more orthodox, subsequently blending in more naturally to the Morbid Angel/Vital Remains-fueled Black Metal.
The last two tracks were recorded in the same take and session as the ones for the Goat Semen split 7” EP and were originally added to the Crush Until Madness Records reissue of ‘Tribute To The Supreme Beast’. They obviously have the texture and tightness to them as the other two, offering more of the great Black Metal heavily laced with intricate hints Death Metal and interesting dark melodies.
Although Levifer’s demise celebrates its 20th anniversary already, their presence is apparently still felt. Not only in their native Peruvian (Black) Metal scene, but the fact that Werewolf Records (backed-up by the revered Hells Headbangers Records) thought it was a good idea to repress the entire discography says a lot about the importance of the band’s musical heritage. So, anyone who was not eager to have to shell out quite a bit for an original copy of the split 7” EP or the picture disc, can now strike it rich by purchasing just this LP (also available on CD and cassette tape for non-vinyl buyers).
