Eternal Dementia is a product of two young Norwegian minds, Stig Kristiansen and Tor Erik Simensen, seeking recognition. And what is a better way to do that than record a demo and disseminate it as much as possible?

When the demo is short, so will be my review. Out of three tracks, only two are full blown songs, the title and opener Set Out to Die. In the middle we have a short instrumental prelude The Birth leading into the title track.

Eternal Dementia apparently believes that not terribly original, but pretty well put together demo is going to jumpstart their career. Quite possible, depending on how much whoever is going to sign them is into Cradle-Of-Filthian metal with King Diamondish lyrics. This is exactly how I can characterize the product on The Virgin, Sedated and Seduced. Eternal Dementia harkens back all the way to the days of Dusk and Her Embrace with the production surprisingly good for a demo. Same creepy synth opening intro, movie score keyboards, not too fast of a tempo, no brutal drumming and no heavy guitar. The latter is allowed to contribute some chord progressions and a lead (title track), but keyboards dominate the day. The band is obviously after the atmosphere, and I have to say they succeed at that. This is still black metal, but the one “true BM” adherents want to divorce, not quite symphonic, but definitely theatrical. My other point of reference could be Finnish Thy Serpent on Christcrusher, but the latter definitely relies more on guitar and Stig of Eternal Dementia tries to emulate Dani Filth’s falcetto way too much (what is good about that voice anyway?).

Eternal Dementia’s lyrics are pretty intriguing and as I said above King Diamond would have been proud. Set Out to Die is a song about a child left to die in the winter forest by his God-loving father because his mother passed away while giving birth to this malformed creature. The title track is, should I say, a slightly alternate to Bible’s version of Christ’s birth. In the song the Messiah is really a product of what I can only call a well described date rape, but not of the divine intervention.

With only two songs the band has still much to prove. The rating is obviously “no quote” as there is no way to say from the demo whether Stig and Tor Erik can put together an album full of material which will hold up. It is OK to start with your Cradle of Filth affection, but I feel more would be necessary if there is going to be a signing in the future. I wish the band the best.