Just when you thought you knew what to expect from a band, Deicide, with an apparently much needed line-up change, comes out of nowhere and completely destroys every single thing they’ve done for about 12 years. I must say I’ve always enjoyed the self-titled debut and Legion but Deicide seemed to get progressively generic and lackluster with each release, with their low point probably being the sleep inducing In Torment In Hell (but for some reason I still bought that CD *shrug*). It seems that the Hoffman brothers leaving the band is the best thing that ever could have happened to Deicide and read on to find out why.

Deicide have gone back to the roots of Death Metal. The Death Metal that had thrash tendencies, killer solos, and strategically placed blast beats as opposed to the, “lets build a whole sound around blasting” mentally of the last 7 years of Death Metal. I don’t usually mention the guitar solos found on a CD first but they are so mind-blowing I just have to draw as much attention to them as possible. Featuring Jack Owen (ex-Cannibal Corpse) and Ralph Santolla (ex-Iced Earth) the CD just shreds with three, sometimes four solos a song. It’s been a long time since two different but equally talented guitarist complimented each other so well. There are a lot of lead trade-offs and battles and each one is a masterpiece of aural pleasure. In between the jaw-dropping solos is some insane riffing that is so incredibly aggressive and skull-crushing that I can’t believe I’m listening to a Deicide release. The chord patterns change here a lot, and this isn’t just muddy chugging; you can actually hear a defined melodic transition from chord to chord which is probably why this CD is so damn catchy. Also gone is the Jeff Waters school of fuzzy guitar production of the last release to a much more defined and full-bodied guitar tone.

I would venture to say this is Deicide’s most intense release to date and this is due in part to Glen Benton’s vocals. His vocals sound more demonic than ever and seem to feed off of the aggression and intensity of the guitars and drums. There aren’t many sections where we don’t hear some form of vocal aspect to the song. Benton even growls over various solos, and rest assured it actually enhances the song when used. The vocals are your typical Deicide fair of Christian bashing and Satan worshiping… but to be honest: would you not be disappointed if the vocals didn’t cover such topics? Deep down inside you probably would be.

There isn’t much more to say. This surpasses all previous Deicide releases and actually becomes one of the most satisfying Death Metal releases this year. The reasons are simpler than one might expect and have already been touched uppn. There is a strong sense of melodic aggression thanks to well structured and blistering solos that combine with Thrashy, aggressive, and subtly catchy riffs. The vocals of the band have always been good and the “in-your-face” feeling of the music cannot be ignored as the rolling drum patterns and pounding double bass compliment the choppy riffing perfectly. All the rumors you’ve heard are true and I couldn’t believe it myself when I started to read very positive reviews from people who bashed Deicide unmercifully for over a decade. Forget everything you know about the band and start anew with this release because it really is everything its cracked up to be. For once, you can believe the hype.