A world without Death Metal would be a tragically dismal place of unfulfilled existence. Okay, perhaps that is a bit dramatic. Even still, for those who are as passionate about such a sentiment, fortunately one of the early American Death Metal extremists, Deicide, are back at it again with their new album Overtures Of Blasphemy, out Friday, September 14th via Century Media Records. Their first studio album in five years, once again, Deicide stick to their satanic roots of blasphemy.
With the deep, growling vocals, satanic lyrics, blast-beating, and heavy dark riffs, Deicide has become a staple in Death Metal since the late ’80s with no signs of slowing down. Even with a few lineup changes over the years, and sad passing of Guitarist Ralph Santolla back in June, the survivors of Deicide can most certainly hold their own. Currently comprised of original members Glen Benton on vocals/bass and Steve Asheim on drums, they are joined by Kevin Quirion and newest member Mark English on guitars.
Produced by Jason Suecof (The Black Dahlia Murder, Trivium) at Audio Hammer Studios, the twelve new tracks that are Overtures Of Blasphemy succeed as a unit. With a lengthy gap between material, they have proven spending extra time to conceptualize and finalize an album pays off. That in mind, anyone who may be just getting their feet wet in the genre of Death Metal, this album may be too complex of a start, and for the veterans, it even proves a challenge to wrap your head around technically.
Starting off in typical Satan-loving Death Metal fashion, it opens with “One With Satan,” a tune with purgatory life in all its fast tempo glory. Moving straight down into the deeper levels of hell, “Crawled From The Shadows” unleashes the most ferocious fury and features some unstoppable beats along with violent gravity-defying riffs, all of which surely would be worshiped in a live setting. Pending that survival, “Seal The Tomb Below” crashes in on waves of blood followed by the stench of decay.
Banking on its irony, “Compliments Of Christ” castrates its opponents with pure, technically sound-driven forces of evil. Then, as any average band may reach extremes and stagnate, Deicide pushes the boundaries and opens the floodgates where there are no gates to employ the highest form of evil as inspiration for “All That Is Evil.” Onwards and downwards into the fiery darkness, “Crucified Soul Of Salvation” mimics the kind of emotion of a giant troll bashing a hammer into the soul of its victim with no regrets. Full of heavy vocals, grounding guitars, and brutal blast beats, there is an envy of pure sin in the air surrounding it.
Then, if that was all not enough, “Defying The Sacred” has some of the best written riffs on the whole album. While all the songs range between two and a half to four minutes in length, as any good extreme Death Metal album should, Overtures Of Blasphemy often seems longer because it is so easy to get lost into the interweaving of the organized chaos that ensues. This is obvious with “Flesh, Power, Domination” among others. All this said, for the heaviest conclusion imaginable, “Destined To Blasphemy” attacks the minds of its listeners with blows of gut-splattering madness, and that is just the beginning.
As was the case for legendary band Death, Deicide banks on their unique technical formulas and plays them at an extremely impressive pace. Then, although it is not about lyrical comprehension for Deicide, the running theme of blasphemy, antichrist, and brutality remains gutturalally intact – much in the way Cannibal Corpse feeds on their prey. It is heartwarming to note that over the years Deicide has stayed true to their pathway of existence on all levels, using that die-hard old school Death Metal methodology that easily modernizes into today’s politically correct world in the most fitting un-politically correct fashion.
One of the most satanically charged Death Metal outfits out there, Deicide bring their best face forward with Overtures Of Blasphemy. That is why CrypticRock gives this album 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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