Deafen

DEAFEN were a Dutch speed/thrash metal band formed in 1986 and based in Oss. Their first demo, Beyond Death, appeared in 1987 and led to support shows with bands including Sodom, Whiplash, Anthrax, Death Angel and Toxik. A second demo, Violators of the Lost Wisdom, followed in 1988 and quickly became regarded as a classic of the Dutch metal scene.

After recording a full-length album, DEAFEN spent more than a year shopping the recordings to record labels before ultimately self-releasing a limited four-track CD. The release became one of the most sought-after Dutch metal records, while an unreleased demo and a final release under the name SWALLOW IT followed in the early 1990s. Guitarist and main songwriter Ron van Herpen would later become known for his work with Astrosoniq, The Devil's Blood and Molasses.

Metal Warrior Records' Leading To A Fall brought together DEAFEN's 1987 and 1988 demos and their original album recordings, with two tracks from the unreleased 1993 demo added as a bonus 7". The release also featured a large-format 12-page booklet packed with an extended biography and historical photographs. The subsequent two-CD Leading To A Fall – The Anthology expanded the collection further with unreleased studio recordings, a remixed version of the 1994 SWALLOW IT demo, additional demos and a complete live recording from 1991. The release is dedicated to singer Jan Loeffen, who passed away in 2020.