And to some extent it does. It is most certainly a Deicide album through and through, delivering all the thunderous, blasphemous death metal that the band has delivered since 1990’s seminal debut, but keen-eared listeners will detect a few subtle things that make the album a little different.

Coming with the label shift to Reigning Phoenix /Atomic Fire, (the newish label and sub-label run by former Nuclear Blast folks) after two albums on Century Media, comes a shiny, clean production, arguably the cleaning the band has ever had, with crystal clear engineering from The Absence‘s Jeramie King. Benton’s bass in particular sounds fully front and center drummer Steve Asheim sounds as good as ever.

Also, Benton’s voice sounds as good as ever. Whereas some of his peers have retired (Frank Mullen), sound a bit ragged (John Tardy), sold out (David Vincent) or flat-out suck ( Chris Barnes), it’s good to hear Glen still bellow out his Christ-hating anthems as good as he did 30 years ago.

Then, there is yet another new guitarist as the band keeps looking for Jack Owens’ replacement, (on 2018s Overtures of Blasphemy it was Monstrosity’s Mark English) this time it is Taylor Nordberg,( who also delivers the higher register shrieks) also from US melodic death act The Absence (as well as Ribspreader, Inhuman Condition and others). The connection to The Abscence has resulted in a more melodic Deicide that imbues the Ralph Santolla years and along with Kevion Quiron (Council of the Fallen), now comfortably on his third Deicide effort seems as cohesive and consistent as the band has sounded in years.

Now, Nordberg isn’t delivering the sweep-filled super melodic leads this Santolla did on The Stench of Redemption , but the leads and his and Quiron’s songwriting contributions certainly make the album more varied but also consistently good than anything from the last 3-4 efforts since Stench.

Even with the leads of Nordberg, the 38-minute run time is full to the brim of what you want and love from Deicide with ample brutish songs that imbue the band’s oft-copied sound especially the album’s first half where opener “From Unknown Heights You Shall Fall”, “Doomed to Die” , “Sever the Tongue”, “Faithless” and ” Bury the Cross… with Your Christ”, all deliver ferociously classic Deicide blasts and stomps.

Then, the fourth track, the Asheim-penned “Woke From God” is where the album starts to get a little more interesting with a vibe that imbues The Stench of Redemption and Scars of the Crucifix with its leads and dare I say a bit of a melo-death riff for the chorus. “Ritual Defied” is a choppy number that might be the album’s weakest track as it never really settles into a riff, and Nordberg solos are a bit intrusive. But “Failures from Your Dying Lord” is an absolute scorcher of a track, with a high energy thrashy gallop, and then “Banished by Sin” is a massive mid-paced romp.

The album’s final trio of Quiron/Nordberg penned songs (“A Trinity of None”, “I Am I… a Curse of Death”, “The Light Defeated” show Quiron and Nordberg comfortably penning classic-sounding Deicide numbers while Nordberg’s solo heavy moments give things just a little more variety and melody, especially the surprisingly epic closer “The Light Defeated”.

Banished by Sin has broken the recent trend of Deicide albums that follow a good/bad/good pattern, with 2 fine albums in a row.  Benton allowing some new blood in to freshen up the band’s sound again has worked wonders for what’s typically a pretty predictable sound and band, resulting in one of Deicide’s better efforts of the last 18 years.

With Glen Benton still in top, Christ hating, bellowing form, Steve Asheim still a force behind the kit, they are infused with energy in the form of Kevin Quiron (Council of the Fallen, Order of Ennead), who now on his second album and out of Jack Owen’s considerable shadow has really fleshed out his leads and song writing contribution, as well as Monstrosity’s Mark English, (even though he joined after everything was written he contributes to the leads and solos) and the combo of old (and haggard as fuck) and new blood has resulted in a lethal, balanced combination and Deicide’s best release in quite some time.

The sticking point for some however, will be the Jason Suecof production. Though he produced the last effort, here, the tone is ultra crisp, crystal clear and almost thrash metal like in its clarity. To some, it will lack bite and a ‘nasty’ edge, befitting the God loathing subject matter, but personally, I like the clearer tone as it allows English’s riffs and Quiron’s leads to really breathe.

Song wise, the 12 track, 37 minute album is what you’d expect from Deicide, with no deviation from the recipe that made them death metal royalty. Quiron adds some subtle melody, but this is still Christ hating, brimstone spewing Floridan death metal, with equal parts razor sharp blast beats, technicality and pummeling mid paced riffs.  Raging opener “One with Satan” is what can only be termed a by the numbers, classic, standard Deicide track, signalling the band’s lack of compromise right from the get go. Then, you get “Crawled From the Shadows”, arguably the best track  Benton/Deicide has penned in quite some time, and I’m guessing there’s some residual Santolla (RIP) influence on this one.

There is then two paced numbers in”Seal the Tomb Below”, another instantly  recognizable Deicide number, with a steady main riff that would be right at home on the band’s first two seminal record and unspectacular but meaty “Complements of Christ” . “All That is Evil”, is another fine track mixing both burly stomp and more melodic solo filled blasts. First single, “Excommunicated” returns to the old school furor of the opener, and a fitting anthem for the current state of affairs in the catholic Church.

Admittedly, the album’s second half is essentially more of the same, but you don’t listen to Deicide for experimentation, snappy time changes or progressive elements- you want your face scorched off by the infernal fires of hell, and the likes of “Crucified Soul of Salvation”, “Flesh, Power, Dominion” and sudden album ending closer “Destined to Blasphemy” do the expected face scorching with typical Deicide aplomb.

It’s satisfying to see old dogs like Deicide, Internal Bleeding with upcoming Corrupting Influence and reborn  Monstrosity, with The Passage of Existence, overcome actual death and still release quality, top notch death metal albums almost 30 years after birthing the scene and sound they essentially still influence to this day.

How did you get involved with Deicide? I assume it began with Decide drummer Steve Ashiem playing on the Order of Ennead albums?

Yes it did. I moved to Florida and was having a hard time finding a drummer to jam with. My bass player, Scott Patrick of Order Of Ennead, Council Of The Fallen at the time, said he played Steve some of my material and he was interested in jamming. Deicide was recording Till Death To US Part and had some shows coming up and things with Ralph weren’t great at that time. I filled in for many tours over the years when they were on the outs. I was just interested in OOE when we started jamming.

It must have been so awesome playing for what I imagine is one of your idol bands growing up? 

Yeah I grew up listening to them. The first album and Once Upon The Cross were favorites when I was learning to play guitar. It still strikes me as a bit bizarre when I think about it, but it’s life and plenty of strange things happen in it.

How hard has it been essentially replacing Ralph Santolla and his melodic leads that reinvigorated Decide a few albums ago? Your and Jacks solos are much different to his.

When I first started jamming with them I was only concerned with writing and playing rhythms. To continue playing with them I’ve started getting into them more, but writing and rhythms are still my passion. I don’t play Ralph’s solos exactly the same, but I don’t play the Hoffman’s the same either. I’ll hit certain points the same way with each, but get from point A to point B the way I would.

It was know that Santolla was a christian, and or course that had to be an issue playing in Deicide — where do you stand as far as Christianity and Deicide’s lyrical takes?

I can’t speak for Ralph or Glen. Glen writes the lyrics for the band and that’s the way it has always been and contains his views. I am not a Satanist or a Christian. My personal views are covered in the two Order Of Ennead albums that are out there. I fall into the Agnostic category and that means I don’t think man knows how or why we are here and no god has ever contacted anyone. My view and Deicide lyrics are similar in the way that we both believe religion is bad for humanity and corrupt and most importantly based on a lie. Some people that are more articulate in describing similar views I have are: Richard Dawkins, George Carlin, Penn Jillette and Christopher Hitchens. Look them up for an interesting read or listen.

You are now not only playing with the legendary Deicide, you are along side Jack Owen- guitarist for Cannibal Corpse’s first 9 albums. How has that been?

Jack is great. He does his own thing and is really easy to get along with. I’ve been over to his place a number of times and while on tour we’ll go wander around together. We have a number of songs co-written on the new album as well.

Deicide is one of the longest running , consistent death metal bands around, even with a few ups and downs. What is the mood in the Decide camp after releasing album number 11?

They don’t really dwell on the long history or how many albums they’ve put out. It’s more about what’s going on today and what’s the next thing we’re going to do. The mood has been pretty positive lately though. Not much drama and everyone gets along within the band. Right now we just want to book a bunch of shows and get this new album out there.

It seems Benton is back to being much more straight forward and brutal with the last two albums compared to the two prior albums Santolla performed on.

I think some of that has to do with recording at Audio Hammer. They’ve done all of their previous albums at Morrisound. It’s just not the place to go for metal anymore. The last album they used Mark Lewis and “In The Minds Of Evil” was done with Jason Seucof. These guys are at the top of their game and leading the way of how to record these days.

How much song writing input do you have? its not like you (or Jack for that matter) are nobodies in metal.

I was curious on how much input I was going to have also and they let me do my thing. Everything has to go through the Steve/Glen/Jack filter though. We all got together from the first day and whoever had a riff would play it and if we all liked it, it was used. Trying different structures came later and vocals and solos came way later. As far as Jack, he has more material on the In the Minds of Evil album than the others. He didn’t have any until the last one actually. Steve handled almost everything after Scars of the Crucifix and was wanting a break. He still has some songs on this one, but not an entire albums worth. Even Glen has a couple riffs. He hasn’t had a riff on an album since Legion. 

How is it working with such an icon in Glen Benton- is he as hard to get along with as the rumors seem to indicate? Ive interviewed him over the the phone before and he seemed very nice.

I get along with him fine and everyone in the band gets along. Just don’t piss him off.

What is it like touring with Glen Benton?

As with anyone, there are ups and downs. The road is tough. Your out there driving around far from home and away from your daily comforts. You deal with it as best you can and put on the best show you can even if your tired, exhausted or sick.

Is it coincidence that you seem to have invigorated Benton and Deicide? Prior to your arrival, the band had released the awful ‘Til Death Do us part. You join the fray and the band returns with the most brutal album in over a decade in To Hell With God. Or just Glen kick out a terrible album when he wants out of a record deal?

I didn’t have anything to do with “To Hell With God“. I had done some touring with them, but they had just signed to Century Media. The band was pretty chaotic during Till Death Do Us Part and Steve Asheim is the only reason the band kept functional. During To Hell With God they had Ralph do solos as a session player. He’s not a writer though and never wrote a riff for them. Glen seems more involved, but it’s from the lack of tension in the band. That’s my guess.

So, how much animosity is there between Benton and the Hoffman brothers — especially now they are using the original Deicide name, Amon? No Decide/Amon tour in the near future?

You’ll have to ask him and them. Not my business.

What is the status of Order of Ennead? you seemed to uncovered a real talent in Jon Li. Will Asheim help out on drums again. maybe Benton provide some vocals as he did for Vital Remains?

We’ve been on hiatus for a while now. Life got in the way. You’d like to pursue things, but at some point it becomes financial and reality strikes. I’ve got a bunch of material written and we do hope to record an EP sometime in 2014. Steve and Scott will be there, John lives in NYC so that makes it difficult for him.

Is Deicide your main/full-time focus now? Tell me about Shadow Society?

Yeah, Deicide is my main focus. I’ve got a bunch of material written for whatever. Have to see were it ends up if anywhere. My other project Shadow Society has had a tough time getting started. Members not living close and turmoil in personal lives. It’s not easy getting things started. Priorities.

“In The Minds Of Evil” track listing:

01. In The Minds Of Evil

02. Thou Begone

03. Godkill

04. Beyond Salvation

05. Misery Of One

06. Between The Flesh And The Void

07. Even The Gods Can Bleed

08. Trample The Cross

09. Banished By Evil

10. Kill The Light Of Christ

11. End The Wrath Of God

DEICIDE drummer Steve Asheim recently told Decibel magazine about the band’s working relationship with Suecof: “It’s awesome! I’ve known Jason since ’08. I had been going out to do the ORDER OF ENNEAD records with him. The last DEICIDE record we did with Mark [Lewis], but I’ve known Jason a long time, so I asked him if he was into it. He said, ‘Absolutely!’ I wanted to get one done ovith him before something happens. You never know.”

Regarding the lyrical themes covered on the new DEICIDE album, Asheim said: “[The lyrics] are typical Glen Benton. Blasphemous, brutal rhetoric. We’re going to get down and dirty this Blasphemous, brutal rhetoric. We’re going to get down and dirty this time around, so expect the lyrics to be brutal.”

According to Asheim, longtime fans will pick up on nuances inspired by the almighty “Legion” effort. “Jason wanted to capture the ‘Legion’ feel,” the drummer said. “We’re wanting Glen’s vocals to sound more old-school. So, it’s a bit of the new with a little throwback action.”

As for DEICIDE’s time at Audiohammer, Asheim said: “It’s pretty cut-and-dried these days. I’ve known Jason a few years. I kind of know his methodology, how he works. It’s a far drive, so we’ll spend two or three nights there. Once we knock it out, we’ll end up partying. We repeat that the next day.”

DEICIDE led by original members Glen Benton (vocals, bass) and Steve Asheim (drums) have been busy at Audiohammer Studios with Mark Lewis (Black Dahlia, Chimaira) and are looking at a summer ’09 release. The group have reunited with legendary guitarists Jack Owen (ex-Cannibal Corpse) and Ralph Santolla (Obituary, ex-Iced Earth, Death) and will embark on a two-week European tour this week. See below for the exact dates!
Benton states: “I want to say it is an honor to be an official CM artist. I look forward to working with the fine folks at CM and providing them with our style of metal. I can ensure you that what surfaces will definitely be nothing less than a total bash-your-face-in-from-start-to-finish, bastard. HAIL SATAN!!!!”

Asheim further comments: “I’m happy to be a part of the CM family and look forward to working with them. The new DEICIDE material in the works should be a good way to kick off the new deal. It’s a totally sick new record with a totally sick new label, but the same ol’ sick DEICIDE. See you all in 2009 and hold onto your balls!”

Owen adds: “It is an honor and a pleasure to sign with one of the most established metal labels on the planet. Century Media’s track record speaks for itself, and we can’t wait to unleash this beast of a new DEICIDE album through the mighty CM! Many thanks to Kevin Astl and Steve Joh for their long hours bringing this deal to full fruition!”

DEICIDE released their groundbreaking self-titled debut in 1990. Recorded at Tampa’s Morrisound Studio (the legendary studio where the band would go on to record all its albums), the vicious debut would soon be hailed as one of the “Top 100 Metal Albums of the 90’s” by England’s metal authority, Terrorizer Magazine. In 1992, DEICIDE followed up their debut with “Legion“, which was an instant success, further establishing their furious musical intensity and vengeful anti-Christian stance. This landmark extreme metal release secured their place at the forefront of the American death metal scene as they rapidly earned a reputation for controversy.

DEICIDER’s appearance and live antics matched the extremity of their music and lyrics. With an inverted cross branded into his forehead, Benton cast himself as the incarnation of pure evil. At shows, he was known to pull such stunts as dousing the crowds with bags full of real animal organs. DEICIDE quickly found themselves banned from clubs, boycotted by magazines, and blacklisted by Christian groups and animal-rights activists. Anti-establishment to the core, DEICIDE embodied the worst fears of the conservative masses, and loved it. Rather than shy away from controversy, DEICIDE provoked it and willingly engaged in it.

DEICIDE stormed ahead into the future, releasing numerous albums engulfed by waves of controversy, as their popularity continued to ferment within the scene. However, it was the 2006 release “The Stench of Redemption” that put the band back on the map as the leaders of the genre. This was their first album to showcase the more melodic leads of guitarists Owen and Santolla which only added to their riotous and enigmatic success. DEICIDE looks forward to taking things to the next level in 2009, promising to deliver the album of their already heralded career.

See DEICIDE live at the following dates:

Winterfest 2009

DEICIDE, Samael, Vader, Devian, Order Of Ennead, The Amenta

08.01.2009 HOL Tilburg / O13

09.01.2009 HOL Haarlem / Patronaat

10.01.2009 BEL Vosselaar / Biebob

11.01.2009 FR Paris / Locomotive

12.01.2009 FR Lyon / CCO Villeurbane

13.01.2009 LU Esch/Alzette / Rockhal

14.01.2009 GER Stuttgart / Ika-Longhorn

15.01.2009 GER Frankfurt / Batschkapp

16.01.2009 GER Bochum / Matrix

17.01.2009 CH Erstfeld / Transilvania Live

18.01.2009 ITA Milan / Rolling Stone

19.01.2009 A Worgl / Komma

20.01.2009 SK Bratislava / DK Dubravka

21.01.2009 POL Katowice / Mega Club

22.01.2009 POL Warsaw / Progresja

Booking: http://www.massive-music.pl

At least that’s what the cover proclaims, but it looks like Mr. Benton, after two creative critically acclaimed comeback albums in Scars of the Crucifix and The Stench of Redemption, wants out of his record contract with Earache and has reverted back to In Torment In Hell for his ninth studio effort. In truth the cover sticker should say “The most tired, lazy and disappointing Deicide album since In Torment In Hell!”

I’m not sure what happened here. Steve Asheim is still a maniac drummer, and Benton sounds as demonic as ever maybe due to the unusually un-Satanic lyrics that seem to deal with more personal events that the usual Christ hating furor (despite the disclaimer in the CD inlay), and the clean guitar tone of the last two albums has been replaced by a grittier, earthier tone. However, Asheim’s song writing has taken a huge step back from Stench and Scars and despite Santolla allegedly appearing as a guest on this album, he must have called it in as well, as gone are the sweeping, epic arpeggios and solos that made Stench so good. In fact, what ever limited solos he and Jack Owen deliver (they are only credited with a solos on the intro and outro) are faceless and boring as any mid- era Deicide, and along with the album’s overall sense of malaise, ranks Till Death up (down) there with In Torment and Insinerate Hymn.

The thing is though, in some odd way, Till Death, while being a pretty sub standard album, has an aura, energy and presence of primal, pure fury about it I can’t put my finger on. Again, maybe due to Benton’s personal vitriol that has seeped into the lyrics and the down tuned production, there’s a palpable sense of hate dripping though every blast beat, no matter how tired and lazy they sound. And it’s a pity because while Till Death has the energy and urgency of the debut or Legion, the end result, to due hackneyed song writing is wasted and forgettable.

Even with slow burning instrumental intro “The Beginning of the End”, the menagerie of faceless blasters, while longer than usual are just are just ‘there’. Tracks like “Worthless Misery”, “Severed Ties”, “Not As Long As We Both Shall Live”, “Angel of Agony” and such just all seem rehashed from the bands glory years. The 6½ minute “Horrors In the Halls of Stone” has some oozing promise, but Glen should leave the 6+ minute songs to Vital Remains I think.

Maybe expectations were too high after Stench, or Stench was an exception but either way, while not a completely horrid album, as it does have some redeeming intensity, the words I keep coming back to is tired and lazy. But hey-if you absolutely need a ‘Glen Benton for President’ patch, go ahead and grab this album. Me? I’m going back to The Stench of Redemption.

A little background: Rock & Republic is an American designer clothing company. Their motto goes something like this: “Rock & Republic means edgy, progressive design inspired by Rock & Roll and with an emphasis on modern silhouettes and a sleek fit. Each piece in the collection is designed for sexy, confident men and women who live the lifestyle and really understand the look.” I pulled that from Rock & Republic’s website.

So, now that we have a jean branded with the music genre of ‘Death Metal’ and a company slogan that appeals to ‘sexy, confident men and women who live the lifestyle,’ one has to wonder what the designers at Rock & Republic were thinking. I mean, they approved Victoria Beckham to design her own branded jeans. So, next in line was ‘Death Metal’? Either they’re too hip, clueless, or someone, like Michael Ball, has a secret love affair with Cannibal Corpse, Deicide, and Morbid Angel and the fashion world is too narcissistic to notice. Green light mama Becks. Next? Green light ‘Death Metal!’ Not sure I understand the logic.

Anyway, the point of this here blogenstein is to show metal dudes/dudettes have been dressing for excess for millenia. Unless you’re Dani Filth or Oscar Dronjak, maybe it’s OK to get some of these suckers. I mean with names like “Breakthru Grey Darkness,” “Chaos Blue Bruise,” Lethal Black Heat” (for the ladies), “Ricochet In Xtreme Blue,” and “Accomplice Foe” (again for the chicas), Rock & Republic did some homework by consulting About.com. They probably cheated. If they really wanted authenticity, they should’ve called us, paid us huge sums of greenbacks (well, we prefer GBPs or Euros, at the moment), and then they could officially brand the jean ‘Death Metal.’ Hear us R&R? Oh, and ‘Death Metal’ refers to the back pocket design. Not the jean.

The jeans, at the cheapest, will set you back around $300. Ouch! That’s a frickload of import CDs. But if you’ve bought into the ‘Death Metal’ concept and are, in fact, a modemensch then click here.

The addition of lead guitarist Ralph Santolla (who apparently wrote all of the leads that surfaced on Scars) brings his experience from Death and Iced Earth and now fully develops the melodic solos that arose on that album, and former Cannibal Corpse axeman Jack Owen brings back a sense of brutal urgency and complexity the band has lacked for over a decade.

Honestly, Santolla makes this album as basically, the whole album follows suite from the title track from Scars. Each song has some sort of sweeping, arpeggio filled solo that somehow complements Benton’s demonic screams, Asheim’s deadly precise drumming and Owens razor sharp riffing. The thing is, the non solo moments sound like good old Deicide (“Homage for Satan”, “Not of this Earth”, “Walk With the Devil In Dreams” ), more than any album in their discography, but also has the band sounding fresh and reinvigorated with few new, restrained twists (“Desecration”, “The Lord’s Sedition”).

However, the standout tracks end up being the ones with Deicide’s new found melody mixing it up with Satanic savagery, as “The Stench of Redemption”, “Crucified for the Innocents” (my personal favorite with arguably the best chorus riff I’ve heard all year), “Death to Jesus”, “Never to be Seen Again”, “The Lord’s Sedition” all deliver feral blasts of typically ant- Christian sentiment, just laced with some deft melody and solo work.

Throw in that the band got rid of Neil Kernon and his expensive and overly clean production, choosing to produce the album themselves, and The Stench of Redemption easily completes Deicide’s return to glory and back into the elite of death metal, where they deservedly belong.

What’s that smell? Redemption indeed

First stop: a special, all-ages show at Walt Disney World in Deicide’s homestate of Florida. Only kidding. Now breathe deeply, and hold on tight as the album’s first cut, the title track, opens its maw and belches out rip-your-face-off death metal as we have come to expect from our Deicidal denizens. “Christ Don’t Care” and “Vengeance Will Be Mine” continue the hyperspeed grind of shredding riffage and blastbeat drumming, but after four or five tunes, you might wonder what happened to the melodic yet brutal progression they had made on last year’s incredible Insineratehymn.

Gone are the catchy but still wicked chords, and in their place are eight tightly strung tunes (self-produced, as always) that unfortunately sound too alike with little variety. But this is one of the extremely few bands who’ve kept the same line-up from day one and haven’t sold their soul to commercialism in the least. Integrity-wise, I doubt they’ve ever toured with non-death/thrash/hardcore bands, so it’s safe to say that Deicide’s soul is right where it’s always been: south of heaven.

This album is definitely their career best, adding much-needed melody and hooks to their densely packed brand of death. This stylistic development should come as no surprise, as the band has been moving away (albeit at an achingly slow pace) from death’s monotonous grind mentality since 1992’s Legion. A smattering of tracks from ’94’s Once Upon The Cross and ’96’s Serpents Of The Light showed promise but not enough to win over fans who demand more melody for their bucks. ’98’s live When Satan Lives is an incredible account of their onstage musicianship, which made the release of Insineratehymn all the more eagerly awaited. After the snarling opener “Bible Basher,” the throbbing “Forever Hate You” and “Standing In The Flames” sport Morbid Angel-ic guitar whines, bridges, and stellar solos. “Remnant Of A Hopeless Path” has a mid-paced double kickdrum beat, while the doomier “The Gift That Keeps On Giving” shows frontman Glen Benton’s cleaner, more intelligible vocals and Slayer-esque riffing.

The Hoffman brothers’ soloing in “Suffer Again” will prick up the ears of Monstrosity fans. True to Deicide form, the whole record clocks in at just over 31 minutesn – short, sweet, and to the point. The only drawback is the album’s outro after “Refusal Of Penance”: what’s supposed to be burning people comes off sounding like porcine squeals and potato-chip crunching. Musically, however, Deicide has finally reached their career apex, and as a famous metal critic once said, “Glen Benton wasn’t born with an inverted cross branded in his forehead – he earned it.