Deicide's last album The Stench of
Redemption was an astonishing return to form and a bona fide Death Metal classic. It came in the wake of several below par releases, contractual wrangling with their old label Roadrunner and most importantly the sacking of long time guitarists the Hoffman Brothers.
Having recruited two excellent guitarists in Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla (of Cannibal Corpse and
Iced Earth fame respectively) and then producing a work of the highest quality, the future looked bright for old GB and co. Then came their infamous European tour in 2006/2007 where Glen left the rest of the band in the lurch, abandoning the tour to stay in the USA to take care of some "legal issues" (it was later announced that this was related to the divorce of his wife). The band soldered on with the help of several session vocalists for the rest of the dates but the entire situation left a bad taste in many fans mouths.
As it transpired Ralph Santolla was none to happy about the state of affairs either and left the band to be quickly snapped up by those other Floridian Death Metal titans Obituary. He was then lured back to
Deicide as a session musician on their new long player
Till Death Do Us Part. Expectations for this latest excretion have without a doubt been the highest for any
Deicide release in years, possibly since the release of there second album Legion.
Unusually for
Deicide, this release begins with a slow, torturous instrumental
The Beginning Of The End which builds up tension with a rising and falling guitar line backed by Steve Asheim crushing drum beats. This hypnotic intro sets expectations high and prepares you for some serious sonic battery.
Sadly first track proper
Till Death Do Us Part doesn't really deliver, instead of racing out the traps like a wild animal it continues the measured almost Doomy pace of the opening instrumental. It's certainly as heavy and immoral as you would expect from the band but doesn't have that required thrust that should mark the start of the album.
Never fear though as the next track
Hate of All Hatreds begins the run of utterly spiteful, demonic audio assaults that extends right till the final track fades away to nothing. Everything is present and correct from the bowl rumbling vocals to the whiplash inducing blast beats. As soon as this track begins you get the sense that the band know exactly what they are doing and it allows you to settle down for a (un) comfortable ride through the pits of Benton's personal hell..
It's pleasing to say that Glen sounds as hate filled as he ever has on this release, and interestingly the focus of his ire seems to have shifted. Rather than spending his all time spitting venom in the face of God his lyrics seem to have taken a more personal twist. Lines like "
All is not forgotten and for all eternity, you will bear the burden of the things you have done to me" and
"I wait the day to celebrate the ending of your life" litter the album. Without doubt his divorce has weighed heavy on his mind during the time spent in the recording studio.
Not that he doesn't save some space on the lyrics sheet for his devout loathing for all things religious. Tracks like
In The Eyes Of God and
Angel Of Agony show that everyone's favourite Jesus-hating, Inverted cross-branding, Bigfoot-spotting Satanist hasn't let his personal life get in the way of some good, old fashion Heavy Metal blasphemy. In saying that there is only two uses a piece of the words Satan and Lucifer on the entire album. This must be the lowest count per album in the group's entire career.
The exceptional production job on the album goes a long way to ensure that it will go straight into many peoples Top Tens at the end of the year. Some of the bands earlier works, despite being produced by Death Metal producer extraordinaire Scott Burns never really had that extra kick. But just one listen to a track like
Severed Ties will have you begging for more. This song really took my breath away first time I heard it. It's perfectly arranged and the production allows you to hear every last note, growl and cymbal splash. It also has one of the most headbang inducing Death Metal verses I've heard in years.
Getting Ralph Santolla back in the fold, at least for this one last time is a major coup for the band as he yet again lays down some blister inducing solo's. They are not quite as melodic as they were on Stench but they are easily the most complex instrumental passages
Deicide have committed to tape.
Mind you, not that he and his partner Jack Owens should get all the credit, according to the albums inlay drummer Steve Asheim chipped in with some leads of his own. This is an impressive feat when you consider that he must already have had his hands full thrashing his kit to within an inch of its life. The drumming on the penultimate track
Horror In The Halls Of Stone is truly special and goes to make it a highlight of the album. Its stunning six minutes are full of some head spinning time changes, blast beats and fills, also keep a listen for Glen's malevolent, unholy screech at the start of the track, it will scare the bejesus out of anyone within earshot.
Deicide undoubtedly made a brave move kicking the Hoffman's out of the band several years back but its one that has more than paid off for them. Now with 2 albums of the upmost quality under their belts since the split, the brothers have been safely consigned to the bands history.
It's not all good news sadly as the word coming from the
Deicide camp seem to suggest that Glen is tiring of the Heavy Metal lifestyle and now has little or no interest in touring. This is a real shame as many fans still justifiably feel he owes them something from The Stench Of
Redemption tour debacle. This album should go some way to appeasing these fans who feel hard done by. And as for future releases? If one thing is clear with a band like
Deicide, you never know quite what's around the corner.
Written by
Stuart Tuesday, May 13, 2008
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