History & Biography Démence hails from Montreal and has been doing the death/thrash rounds as Insanity since 1988. The new monicker was chosen in 1992. The French Canadians had a Demo '94 (released late 1993) and a 1994 demo called Dr. Necro. The group sang in French and opened for Neuraxis several times. The second album arrived two years later than announced.
The group reunited for the 25 Years Of Quebec Metal Festival in September of 2007. Consequently, Newcore Music – the successor to Neoblast - issued a compilation of the band’s albums and demos called Totale Démence. The disc, which apparently featured a depiction of what the band was up to while absent from the scene on its cover, also featured material from a 2002 demo.
Patrice Martin left in 2007. Joël Lamontagne died of cancer in 2023. A show paid tribute to him in 2024. The gig featured Demence, Point Blank Range and others in Montreal.
Reviews DÉMENCE - TOTALE DÉMENCE - NEW CORE MUSIC 
Démence was one of Quebec’s omnipresent metal bands during the mid to late '90s. The group was seemingly at every venue in the province whenever some sort of metal happening was rearing its ugly head. After a two-album run, the band called it quits in 2003 but reunited for the three-day 25 Years Of Quebec Metal festival that took place in Montreal in September. Based on the resurgence in Démencee interest, New Core Music has re-issued the band’s two stellar albums, as well as two demos, in this convenient and crushing death metal package. As the disc spins, one realises (or realises again) just how impressive Démence was, the tunes ripping it up with the best the international scene had to offer at the time. Far from being a simple nostalgia trip, however, Totale Démence is just as relevant and heavy now as its was back during the late-'90s: combining elements of Dying Fetus, the goregrind of Exhumed and even some of Obliveon’s brand of heaviness, Démence’s resultant work is some of the most under-rated metal in the Canadian landscape. Totale Démence is definitely worth investigating, especially if this is your first exposure to the band. Check out myspace.com/totaldemence for more. - James Tape
Interviews
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