CRUX, Terrific Warrior  (1992, demo)

The skull:
[The scene: post-battle, two military men wander a wasteland that has been hosting hundreds of rotting dead for weeks. They come upon a freshly defleshed skull.]

Commander: How well did that warrior fight, Lieutenant?
Lieutenant: He was terrific. Just terrific.
Commander: Does he deserve the Feather Commendation?
Lieutenant: He certainly does, Commander. He was a terrific warrior.
Commander: “Terrific warrior,” you say? I love that demo!

The music:
Unfortunately, I could not find a copy of the Terrific Warrior demo to review, but its songs, as well as some songs from the band’s first demo, 1991’s Rev Smrti, are not only the same, but also appeared on their one and only album, 1993’s Rev Smrti. Confused? It’s a weird little history, but one worth investigating if you dig early Root or black/thrash type stuff in the vein of Sodom, Bulldozer and later Norwegian band Aura Noir. Their music is crude but not exactly primitive, and generally recommendable. The fact that two of Crux’s members played on lots of the classics by Root should tell you there’s a fairly respectable performance level. Crux isn’t innovative in the least, but the spirit is there, and with a handful of beastly yet memorable riffs and some nutso gravel-laced vocals, they’re worth checking out.
— Friar Wagner