DELIVERANCE - GREETING OF DEATH (*NEW-CD, 2019, Retroactive Records)
ABOUT THE ALBUM
Metallica had No Life ’Til Leather—an iconic demo that catapulted the band into unforeseen glory and underground legend. Deliverance’s Greeting of Death demo (1986) did the same for what would become the most heralded Christian thrash band of all time.
Frontman Jimmy P. Brown asked his girlfriend to create the cover artwork: a Grim Reaper waving “Hi!” Inspired by a Chick tract he had seen, she hand-drew the image and assembled the title using rub-on letters from a stationery store. Jimmy duplicated the demo himself using a tape deck borrowed from his sister. Three tape decks later, he had ordered 5,000 copies within a year.
The demo took on a life of its own.
Fans everywhere knew it. People were singing “Speckled Bird”—a song exclusive to this demo—at shows before Deliverance even hit the stage. Greeting of Death propelled the band from DIY obscurity to regular appearances on the Sunset Strip and into the newly emerging Christian festival network.
With their roots firmly planted in Greeting of Death, Deliverance would go on to release two of the most influential and critically acclaimed Christian thrash albums of all time: Deliverance (1989) and Weapons of Our Warfare (1990). No other single release did more to establish—and legitimize—Christian thrash metal than this demo.
This CD edition is intentionally designed to honor the original release—visually, historically, and sonically. It features the iconic black-and-white cover artwork exactly as it first appeared, printed on uncoated (non-glossy) paper to preserve the raw, underground aesthetic of the original demo.
The CD includes a 12-page booklet with lyrics, rare and iconic band photos, and personal reflections from Jimmy P. Brown, offering deep insight into the creation and impact of the demo. All six original demo tracks are included, along with the two legendary songs from the California Metal compilation: “Attack” and “A Space Called You.”
Greeting of Death arrived years ahead of every other Christian thrash release and opened the door for bands like Vengeance, Believer, and Seventh Angel to follow. Its influence cannot be overstated.
This CD reissue gives fans the closest possible experience to the original demo—only better—featuring a 2019 remaster from an all-new source, offering a substantial improvement over every previous version of this release.
And yes, the album title is Greeting of Death, while the song is titled “Greetings of Death.” That’s exactly how Jimmy’s girlfriend heard it when he described the concept—and that’s how it has remained ever since.
This is the definitive Greeting of Death CD edition—celebrating the origins, impact, and enduring legacy of a band whose influence is second to none.
Tracklist
1 Victory
2 Greetings Of Death
3 No Time
4 J.I.G
5 Speckled Bird
6 Awake
7. A Space Called You (bonus)
8. Attack (bonus)
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