The Heralds of Oblivion Vol. 1

Mysterious Van Nuys warehouse filled with unsold Roughage pocket print longsleeves? I can only hope.

Shortly before Dwell Records implemented their unique business model of oversaturating the market with tribute albums and filling bargain bins with Inner Thought CDs, there was Roughage Records.  I can think of no better inaugural post than a brief look at their sole release, the legendary The Heralds of Oblivion Vol. 1 1993 compilation, showcasing 5 Los Angeles-area death metal bands:

Visual Aggression.

Demolition - Killer logo, best lyrics by far (a death metal track about a catapult is quite unique, especially considering Bolt Thrower didn't even do a song about their namesake), best band picture--overall the best band on the comp.  Nothing innovative here, although the band succeed in creating a morbid atmosphere that make them less generic than some of the other bands.  Instrumentally I'm reminded of Mortal Throne-era Incantation a bit, but there's other stuff at play here, including leadwork and several solos which are very much in a classic Floridian death metal style. 
What Happened To 'Em - Recently reformed and scheduled to release new material soon (UPDATE: They finally released their debut CD in late 2012).  

Let that be a lesson: don't be so quick to judge an overweight negro with a topknot.

Catalepsy - Yes, there are two black guys in the band.  Gore-inspired death metal of the competent-yet-unremarkable variety here.  And no, there's absolutely zero rap influence.  If nothing else, I'd welcome if Catalepsy began to be namedropped more when talking about black musicians in metal; give Hirax, Blasphemy, Suffocation, and Mystifier a break (or better yet, be like me and reference Black Dethe--sorry, Siki, that's no typo--or the the guy with the hi-top fade from Cyclone Temple as much as possible).
What Happened To 'Em - Marnece Stewart went on to a number of, uh, musical projects.  ONES WHICH SHOULDN'T INTEREST YOU IF YOU'RE GONNA REGULARLY READ THIS BLOG.  Also, prior to Catalepsy, Marnece was briefly in Mausoleum (same one that released the Summoning of the Damned demo on Wild Rags, though he wasn't in the band at that time).  Yes, Metal-Archives mentions a post-Catalepsy project called Hateseed, but I know nothing about this.

Here's some live footage, sans Marnece:

Didn't know Joshua was such a fat portly guy until seeing Infamy pics. Here he hides it well.

Brainstorm - Solid death/thrash, and probably the most notable group on The Heralds of Oblivion since all the members went on to album-releasing bands.  The vocals are relatively clean (well, except for the silly warbling effect slapped on them in "Strain of Your Life") compared to Joshua Jagger Heatley's guttural vocals in Infamy.
What Happened To 'Em - Joshua Jagger Heatley went on to death metal mediocrity in Infamy before dying.  The other three members went on to Engrave, with Emilio Marquez being the most visible due to drumming gigs with Sadistic Intent and Possessed Jeff Becerra's backing band.  Mario Gutierrez died in 2007.

Here's a live clip of their best song, complete with overzealous audience member interruption.

I gave her the smack that she deserved/And the bitch/Called the cops/Who protect and serve

I doubt a hooded wiggerjacket and uninverted cross were the kind of notoriety they were going for.

Decomposed - Not bad, and certainly not as uninspired as the name suggests.  Still, the only noteworthy factors are that they have a somewhat Swedish sounding guitar tone--lending them a more distinct geographical influence than any of the other bands--and two of their allotted tunes are in Spanish.
What Happened To 'Em - No idea.

The compilation's least Hispanic band.

Mutilage - This band's '92 demo was raw and violent death metal, but the tracks here have a lifeless production and somewhat forced vocals I'm not very enthusiastic about.  For me, they end up being the worst band of the five.
What Happened To 'Em - Chris Williams died after driving off a cliff in 2001.  Judging by their later musical careers, the other 2 guys seem to have an affinity for black metal of the cheap'n'fast variety.  As a side note, I seem to recall Chris Barnes wore a Mutilage shirt in a pic or video. Anyone have anything to corroborate this?

While four of the five bands here never progressed past the demo stage, it's still a solid compilation that documents the underground during death metal's most commercially explosive time.  Nothing groundbreaking here, but by the same token, the bands avoid all of the major pitfalls such as socio-political crybaby lyrics, non-metal jazz/rock/rap/core influences, overtechnicality, monotonous blasting with sterile musicianship, overuse of atmospheric effects, etc.