Disorder: Warmonger Lives! (Divebomb, 2019)

Divebomb reached deep into the vault for this one, and what came out was a thrashing, screaming, heavy metal monster called Disorder. The Illinois-based band was only together a short while, but managed to record some very powerful demos that very few people got a chance to hear…until now.

Over the course of one 4-song demo release and a pair of songs on the At The Foot of Brutality compilation (both in 1989), Disorder demonstrated a high speed power metal sound with relentless riffing and piercing vocals. Think Sanctuary and King Diamond, with some Agent Steel added for good measure. It’s the kind of metal you’d have expected to find on that year’s Metal Massacre compilation, and while it’s the perfect snapshot of heavy metal in 1989, it holds up remarkably well today against much of what the newer traditional metal bands are serving up.

Divebomb’s Disorder anthology is titled Warmonger Lives!, and it includes the band’s 1989 demo release plus the different versions of “Warmonger Lives” and “Ending Is Near” from the ATFOB compilation. The four demo songs have been newly remixed and remastered, and the ATFOB tracks have been newly remastered. All of the tracks sound amazing given the source material. The release also includes a nice booklet with new cover artwork, vintage photos and a new band history/interview.

This one is tailor-made for the die-hard fans and collectors of cult heavy metal (essentially the people Divebomb’s Bootcamp series was created for in the first place). Fans of King Diamond and Sanctuary in particular will absolutely love Disorder.