The Stench of Redemption

The Stench of Redemption began a new era for the band, recording longer tracks, longer albums overall, and featuring two new guitarists in replacement of the Hoffman brothers. Jack Own, who was one of the founding members and guitarist of Cannibal Corpse, and Ralph Santolla; playing in/for various bands. Now this era, so to speak, put the band on the right track but by how much?

Crucified for the Innocence is an excellent track. The riffs and the guitar solos are great, the death growls are quite good, and the song at its entirely is rich melodies. Homage for Satan is an explosive track with screams, growls, blast beats, the guitar riffs can be annoying to hear, but they come in amazingly later in the song. The chorus aren't all-around bad. Not of This Earth is one of the brutal tracks that features awesome drums and pretty good guitar riffs and solo. The Lord's Sedition - FINALLY showing some improvement and experimentation in the music. Not only it's the second-longest track from Deicide (surpassed by Horror in the Halls of Stones on the next album), but it reveals great melodic and instrumental intro for about two minutes, and as the song kicks in with its brutality of drums and guitars, this is without a doubt one of the best Deicide songs. And for the final bonus track, I'm not a fan of Deep Purple, but the Black Night cover sounds great.

The title track is very melodic and not a bad start for the album. However, I think the guitar riffs and the drumming were very repetitive. Same goes for Death to Jesus, and that track had pretty annoying death growls. Great guitar solo, though. I didn't enjoy the buildup for Desecration, and even that track in itself failed to deliver. Walk with the Devil in Dreams You Behold was annoying to listen; too catchy. Even the vocals were unsustainable. Never to be Seen Again - just like this track should never be heard again.

As it was suggested, Deicide seem to sound better and progress into more melodies and brutality, and fairly enough how the modern albums are showing quality. I hope this is the direction the band look towards in the future releases. Maybe I'll like a little bit MORE than just the first era. Best songs are Crucified for the Innocence, The Lord's Sedition, and the Deep Purple cover of Black Night.

Don't take that title too literally, because the only way to go is to listen to an album start to finish. But after listening to this, it's probably in one's best interest to take a little break from death metal and listen to something else. I say that because as great as some of this is, it can really start to become too much. Deicide is one of my favorite death metal bands and their classic albums certainly pulled me in, but The Stench Of Redemption is certainly different from those.

With absolutely everything being taken to the extreme (minus the bass, as it's hardly heard), it gets a little overwhelming. The vocals of Glen Benton are always great and display a lot of talent, as he is able to hit a weird range of harsh vocals on here. However after five or six tracks, it grows tiresome with the lack of change in the sound. You can't understand a thing he says, and while at the first track it's brutal and amazing to jam to, it just gets old real fast. The instruments do the same thing, because the guitar is played so fast and the picking just gets to the point where we just want something new. A lot of it's just repetitive and recycled, no matter how hard and brutal it may be. And lastly, the drums are taken to the extreme and just do blast beats all over the place and once again, no matter how great they sound, little to no variation. As much as people seem to think "Homage For Satan" is one of their greatest, I think it's the best example of the point I'm trying to make here. Especially on the chorus, because the vocals sound downright awful on top of instrumentation that doesn't match it at all.

So you're probably asking yourself, why did I rate this so high despite the negativity in the last paragraph? Mainly two reasons. One I already covered, that being that it still displays a lot of talent, regardless of how repetitive it gets. The other is the fact that there are many great moments on here that make it fantastic. The title track for one, because the brutality nails you in the face and it's before all of that becomes too much. "Walk With The Devil In Dreams You Behold" is amazing just because the vocals have some more variation and the intro is a beautiful guitar piece, sounding like it's right out of a classic metal album. And then we have the last track, "The Lord's Sedation", as it starts off very slowly and really does a good job with the suspense. The transition to the heavy part is executed beautifully and sounds phenomenal the rest of the way through the track. Now, only on this version can you get the Deep Purple cover "Black Night", which is an interesting change from a classic rock song turned to a death metal jam. So to sum up my point, I would say that this is just a little too brutal for it's own good. If there was a little more focus on the writing itself and not just being as extreme as one can imagine, it could have been a masterpiece. There's some very memorable parts, as well as some that are downright un-needed.

The Stench of Redemption is sometimes compared to Deicide's classic work. There are in fact many people who would claim that this is better than Deicide S/T or Legion. Are these people right? No, not in the least. I do believe that this is a solid addition to Deicide's strong catalog. The attack is more aggressive than they had been in awhile.

This album features Ralph Santolla and Jack Owen on guitar. The solos are very melodic and a very strong departure from the classic albums. I must say, the older atonal solos never really bothered me one way or another, so these don't hurt, but I'm not really in love with them either. They're hardly beautiful or mind blowing. The riffs aren't bad, but they do sound rather repetitive at times. These aren't as enjoyable as Serpents of the Light, let alone Legion.

The drumming is as good as ever. Asheim has aged pretty well and this is really fast for them. I believe this may be the album's highlight is the constant, well-done, and fast drumming. It also helps keep the brutality in place, alongside the more melodic playing. Assuming Steve wrote most of the music, I'll mention that this is better than it had been in awhile. This isn't classic level, but for a death metal band's 8th album, it's pretty good. Having said that, I am rather suspicious of how much Steve writes. Their albums without the Hoffman's sound very different in the guitar rhythms than their albums with them. I don't see why this should change so much if Asheim had been writing everything to begin with.

Benton's vocals aren't bad, but I really miss the early vocals. These aren't as guttural as they could be, but it's still not ideal for him. I firmly believe that gutturals are not what Glen sounds best doing. In any case, he sounds alright. I do sense a tire in his voice. I can't put my finger on it, but he seems less enraged than he ought to be. For a fairly brutal, for them, album, I feel Benton should sound frothing. I can't really hear Benton's bass, but it's not a major loss.

The production here is pretty good. With the exception of the drums on the debut, their production never bothered me, but this is a definite improvement. Bass aside, everything is quite clear on these songs. Some people argue that brutality is decreased with better production, but I believe that people are confusing raw with brutal. The S/T was rawer, but this is the more brutal.

I fell like I can see why so many love this album. Many people like melody in extreme music, this is probably their most melodic. Many people prefer a more brutal attack, I myself prefer Legion to the debut partially for this. As well, many people are more pleased with Benton's newer vocals than I am. All of this combines to make this album seem like a modern classic, or at least their best, to many. I don't agree with this. For one, the reasons I've stated point out the flaws with this. There is another thing I would like to point out. Many of the people who talk this album up don't enjoy the band's early works. They just happen to like this album. I would posit that these people merely enjoy this album because it is newer and more brutal than some of their classics, Legion aside.

This isn't Deicide's best, runner-up, or even third. This is in a dog race with Once Upon the Cross for fourth. This is aggressive, but somewhat shallow. This really lacks the fire of delivery and songwriting that was present on the first two and parts of the two after that. On the other hand, this is a notch above all of their other non-Hoffman albums, and the last three with them. From that view, this would be viewed in its highest light as a step-up. I would probably just recommend this to Deicide fans, as I don't think your everyday death metal fan needs even a great death metal band's fourth or fifth best.

If you want to continue to listen to boring, monotonous death metal, then buy this album. I cannot believe that people gave this album such a high rating. The guitar riffs are so bland and uncreative. The only thing good about the guitars here are Ralph's leads. The rhythms don't hack it. It's just tremolo picked guitar riffs mostly that don't really stick in your mind. There are some chord progressions, but not that many. Sure the production sound was decent, but Glen's vocals are so monotonous more so than on the older Deicide with the Hoffman brothers in the band.

Instead of progressing, Deicide has been regressing for years now. I'm not really interested in any of the newer material. It's just flat out boring to me. Nothing very creative or well thought out. It's like whatever Steve comes up with on "The Stench of Redemption" they just demoed it and there was no editing going on with the guitars. It seems like whatever he gives them, they just play. Best to stick with their first release, "Legion", "Once Upon the Cross" and "Serpents of the Light". The newer lineup doesn't hack it and Ralph was the only musician on this album that made it good on the leads as I expressed before.

In order for death metal to be complete as an album, it has to have good guitar riffs, a variety in vocals, a decent sound production, and good quality guitar leads. The 40% rating I gave "The Stench of Redemption" was because the only strongest parts of the album are the leads (once expressed again) and production. Deicide should have an official website. My guess is that sales of their newer stuff has declined a great deal due to the Hoffman brothers out of the band. They made Deicide the best. I've totally lost interest in the band now with their newer musicians.

So to sum it up for "The Stench of Redemption", Deicide makes a turn for the far worst. Nothing is innovative or creative except for what Ralph put out. Why die hard Deicide fans gave this a high rating is mystifying. I don't see anything good about the music. I've even decided to auction it off. If you want to hear quality death metal, stick with the albums that I mentioned in this review. Deicide should just call it quits and without the Hoffman brothers in the band, they just suck. No creativity whatsoever. They just keep getting worse and their new release "To Hell With God" was putrid.

Death metal bands should progress and keep putting out material that say for example Chuck from Death did. He progressed as a musician over the years and kept getting better (RIP). Deicide just got lazy over the years and "The Stench of Redemption" has nothing musically good about it. Ralph quit the band probably because Glen is an idiot. Glen said in an interview that he hates the Hoffman brothers more than anyone in this whole world. They made the band the best to listen to and not get annoying with on the songwriting. Don't buy this album no matter what anyone tells you. A complete waste of money.

This album is probably one of my favorite Deicide albums. All of the guitar playing in it is just simply amazing. The speed of the drums, guitar, and bass make it one of their most brutal albums. Also in the opening track has in my opinion, the greatest death metal solo of all time. But that does not sum up this album, there is much that would need to be talked about in it.

To start out, this was the first Deicide album with their new guitarist, Ralph Santolla, who was previously from the power metal band, Iced Earth. With the lead guitarist coming from a power metal band, you would think that this album would not sound as brutal as legion or serpents of the light. However though, Ralph pulled it off really great and played some crushing riffs in this album. I think that picking him as their new guitarist was an excellent choice.

Now to start out with the music playing that was done throughout this album. When the opening track starts, "The Stench of Redemption", it starts out with that really heavy playing and then once it speeds up you are instantly crushed by how brutal it all sounds. The second solo that is played in this song is in my opinion the best death metal solo of all time which is what made me right then start to like this album.

The next song that comes on, "Death to Jesus" and it is instantly played at incredible speed and it is just brutal. The three songs that are after that are just about the same way, all fast and brutal. "Homage for Satan" is what could be the best song on this album. Everyone that i talk to say that they love this song and when i saw Deicide live and they started playing this song, the whole place went crazy, there was much blood in the pit.

By the time you get to the last song of the album, "the Lords Sedition" you are already blown away with the brutality of the rest of the songs. This song opens up with a fantastic kind of slow guitar solo but it is what makes the song. After the two minutes of amazing guitar, it kicks up a lot of speed and it is an excellent closing track to a very brutal album.

All of the lyrics in this album are written so well that it just fits with the playing of the instruments greatly. Though it can be a bit hard to understand Glen Benton in this album, reading along with the lyrics as the song is playing and you understand every word and you can understand it again without looking at the lyrics again. Definitely one of their finest pieces of work.

Deicide used to be a right of passage. The question was whether you had the nerve not only to listen, but to lose yourself whole in the hair prickling, thrilling black magic of their legendary first three albums. Everyone remembers the first time they heard those lambs bleat awkwardly with the sense that something very, very wrong was about to happen. Even listening in company, round cider, fags and a battered "Amon" D90 in the magazine-postered attic - you had to check that there wasn’t a very distinct presence behind your shoulder. The act of committing a Tipp-Ex trifixion to your black denim schoolbag was an almost ceremonial affair, done with precision, meaning and the full intent of the statement you were making. For a while in the early and mid-‘90s, Deicide were everything it meant to revel in the sin of forbidden music.

That this generational heritage has been sullied by a decade’s ignominious decline still causes a rueful huff. The ejection of the Hoffmans last year seemed the final straw and the end of the band’s authenticity. But the precise opposite is true. Not only is the choice of Jack Owen on rhythm rock solid, but it is Ralph Santolla who has truly, finally now found his moment. He has injected passion and vigour, as well as consummate talent and flair back into what was a lumpen, dying brute. Every single song on this album is packed with an almost urban immediacy and there exists not one solitary moment of filler anywhere. Its structuring is perfect. Two initial blasts open out into a dark, moody “Desecration”, before wrapping up the album in a flurry of aggression before you even know you’ve spun it. Lead track “Homage for Satan” has Steve Asheim’s hi-hats sizzling like hot fat on a skillet before exploding into flame, while stunning and brave use of melody by Santolla and Owen is pure, classic heavy metal. Markedly, it never once compromises the brutality of the record, which ushers in its final track on a note that would not disgrace the best Judas Priest.

The years have cocked a snook to the band’s once intoxicating and firebrand Satanism. But make no mistake: the musical dominance it takes to accomplish what they have on this record is why Deicide are now once again in their feral prime.

It wouldn't take much observation to conclude that I am not among the biggest Deicide fans out there. I found their first three albums functional and somewhat appealing, but not to the extent that I'd listen to them over other acts in their field. As you can imagine, this did not make me the most popular person at local cross burnings or weightlifting competitions. But then something happened. In what must be one of the most bittersweet moments in all USDM history, Glen Benton and Steve Asheim had parted ways with the Hoffman brothers, and taken on the exact right replacements: Ralph Santolla and Jack Owen, alumni of other popular Florida acts Obituary and Cannibal Corpse who had left those gigs to pursue something new.

The Stench of Redemption is something new. An album of remarkable character that brought novel refreshment to the bland formula Deicide had been pandering to suckers for the last four full-lengths. A career highlight in both production values and songwriting quality, its unexpected assertions of melody and the depth of its construction are skillfully married to Asheim's core hammering and Benton's gruff and forceful delivery. As a massive fan of Jack Owen's work in Cannibal Corpse (at least from The Bleeding through Gore Obsessed), I was quite excited to hear what he would bring to this altar, and while this isn't necessarily the riffing juggernaut that I'd consider Bloodthirst or Gallery of Suicide, it's nonetheless impressive. Especially as the postscript to about 10 years of dumbed down, rehashed drivel that had so rapidly converted the once potent and promising punishers into one of the most vapid circus acts of blasphemy in all the damn genre...

Fear not, because Deicide has not exactly gone 'melodeath'. Much of this added depth is built through the leads, which have a decidedly more exotic and atmospheric flavor than what the Hoffman's would so often tear forth. The riffing in general is more creative, especially the balance of brickwork and solo flourishes that dominate "Desecration" or "Walk With the Devil in Dreams You Behold", which cast a broader net than the predictable pummeling of Scars of the Crucifix or In Torment in Hell. There are still a few barren ragers here, full speed ahead in "Not of This Earth" or "Never to Be Seen Again", but even these are constructed with great care, intricacy and even a handful of subtlety that widely broach the subdued conventions of the band's recent past. The music is not the only improvement, as the lyrics have once again captured that half intelligent sacrilege of Deicide and Legion, rather than the laziness exhibited through most of the 90s. I wouldn't call them amazing, but they'll do in a pinch.

Sure, the titles "Death to Jesus" or "Walk With the Devil" might still seem generic, but Glen has provided some evocative imagery and less of the brute stupidity that served to drag down the previous records. The Stench of Redemption also sounds magnificent, incredibly rich considering its from the same Morrisound studio that never quite brought the band to their full potential in the past. Amazingly balanced guitars finally muster the muscle to compare with the strong arm that is Asheim, and there's a taut contrast between the six strings and four that creates a nice, atmospheric depth to the bass. No mistake about it, this is the most accessible of Deicide's CDs, but what might have been a cringe worthy disappointment turns out to be the best of the litter, thanks to the perseverance of its progenitors and the proficiency of its new players. Perfect this is not (a few of the riffs possess a stagnant air of 'filler'), but it might just be the closest this band ever gets.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

I cant exactly say I was always that big into Deicide for a while, I mean, I had heard their name pop up a few times on forums and the like, but as I was browsing YouTube, I saw Homage for Satan come up and clicked the video and was utterly amazed at the work Deicide has done on this particular song. Amazed at how heavy the song was and how sweet sounding it was. Then listened to the entire album and was even more amazed at this particular band and album. But enough talk, I'll dive into the details.

I haven't heard too many of Deicide's albums but from the ones I have heard, this is likely their heaviest one to date. I was surprised that their guitar parts for the most part were only a half step down, they sounded like they were down a full step or more. Their drummer was in more control than what I have experienced in previous releases and vocally is at the top of it's game. Benton's growl pretty much makes Corpsegrinder like like an ametuer. Considering their riffs, they are pretty much if not better than Iron Maiden and Metallics's riffs. Their solos sound like complete speed metal. Their bass lines are somewhat audible, and their drummer is maybe even better than Inferno from Behemoth.

As far as everyones performance went, well, the vocals were brutal and mean as fuck. I have never heard anyone sound that mean or make Corpsegrinder look bad. While not the best part of the album, they were definitely really sweet. The only problem I have with the vocals is that I can understand little to none of the lyrics in the song. I do so like to know what the singer is saying. They did nice screams and threw them in at the appropriate times and balanced them perfectly. As far as the guitar parts go, this is probably some of the most legendary guitar work of any album I have heard in a while. The best guitar work was on Homage for Satan, which I can easily refer to as of now the heaviest song that was ever made. Their riffs were some of the best. Their solos weren't totally corny and didn't make them sound like a bunch of pussies. Some of the intros and outros are probably the best parts of some of the songs. Literally nothing wrong how they did their guitars. Their bass lines as I said before, were somewhat audible and weren't complete shit. They were probably half the reason that makes the songs sound really heavy. Only problem is would be that they pretty much just echo the lead or rhythm guitars. Their drumming was respectable and he sounds like whoever taught him, taught him well. They were nice and in control and fitted in nicely and were not annoying. Might have been nice if they brought them in a bit more but there still is virtually nothing wrong with them.

Now track wise, their highlights would probably be: Homage for Satan, Walk with the Devil in Dreams you Behold, Death to Jesus, and The Stench of Redemption. Maybe not all of the tracks totally stood out and just gave you the urge to start headbanging, but they all kept me entertained and I really didn't feel like I wanted to skip tracks and never did I just beg for a song to be over. I could also listen to this for hour or even days or weeks and not get tired of it. The Lord's Sedition brought scary to a complete new level, pretty much to the point that it would make a three-year-old piss shit in his pants if he heard it. So overall track wise: offers a long attention spans, dont have to search for a good song, kept me entertained the entire time, urges you to listen to it even more, song lengths are controlled and dont sway in one direction too far,

Though considering this isn't rated at 100%, that definitely means not everything was totally perfect. As I said before, the bass lines for the most part just echo the guitarists, the lead and rhythm guitars were just fine, but the bass lines almost just echo one of the guitar parts. Their drums can be sort of left out of the loop at some points and should be brought in a bit more. Thirdly, I'm not a big fan of having satan or "death to jesus" as a lyrical theme in every other song, I can understand it here and there but they did over do their lyrical themes a bit much here.

So in closing, it's definitely a good album for one who wants to have some totally heavy and aggressive music blasted. Any death metal fan should either buy it, download it, get it off of iTunes, whatever, just get your hands on it somehow. But I think I'll head down to a music store to buy this album.

I bought the Earache Records death metal pack (Morbid Angel - Altars of Madness, Entombed - Left Hand Path, Napalm Death - From Enslavement to Obliteration and Deicide - The Stench of Redemption) for Morbid Angel, Napalm Death and Entombed. The Deicide album was an added bonus - I hadn’t heard any of their music before and I wasn’t that bothered about owning it. When I put it on I was very pleasantly surprised - It was brutal, fast, heavy and absolutely awesome. It has swiftly become one of my favourite death metal albums.

The first two tracks (The Stench of Redemption and Death to Jesus) are simply fantastic. They are two of the best death metal tracks I have ever heard. They are classic examples of fast, brutal, technical and heavy music that does not get boring. The other tracks are all good songs but the first two really stand out for me.

Deicide use a good mix of slow and fast guitar riffs. This variety is one of the factors that make the album such good Death Metal listening. All guitar parts are played skilfully and the players have an impressive level of musicianship. The guitar solos on this album are quite lengthy. They are more melodic which contrasts well with the feel of the band- the first impression you get is brutal, heavy and fast.

Deicide's vocals standout in the entire death metal genre. They use an excellent mixture of growls and screams to great effect. These two types of vocals fit perfectly together and are often done at the same time. This shows that the album has been well edited. The lyrics are typical Deicide- dealing with satanic (Homage for Satan) and anti Christian themes (Death to Jesus). These lyrics are well written and don’t sound really cheesy, which is a trap a lot of death metal bands have fallen into.

Deicide drums are insane. The drummer seems to have one question in his mind, “How fast can I play?” The drums are pretty predictable; you know exactly what you’re going to get, an incredibly fast beat with not much variety. I would not normally particularly like this drumming, however it works well with this album. Not having heard any other Deicide however I can't comment on how well this style works with their other albums, or how much their style has changed over the years.

This album has great production. In fact I would go as far as saying it has the best production of any death metal album I have ever heard. The balance is just right, no instrument is overpowering or can’t be heard, you can easily make out every single part, the brutal vocals, and the heavy pounding guitar have a perfect balance. The production on this album is not something you will hear every day.

The Deicide line-up has changed a bit over the years. They still maintain the same drummer and vocalist, however Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla, both guitarists, were both new additions to the band in 2004 and 2005 respectively. This means that this was Jacks Owens debut studio album with Deicide and met and exceeded all expectations with his brutal riffage and speedy, skillfull solos.

Overall this is a heavy brutal masterpiece, from opener “The Stench of Redemption” to final track “The Lords Sedition”. It has great production, great musicianship, well-written songs and original lyrics. For me this is a standout death metal album and if you are a death metal fan and have a few spare quid, go and buy it. If you don’t have a few spare quid save up and buy it as soon as possible, you’re really missing out. This is truly one of the best albums in the whole extreme metal genre.

Deicide have been tracking a rough road since their blasphemous spawning into this world in 1987. Theirs is a career marked with as many insipid musical ditches as inspired creative pinnacles, but the band have a gift, through various loud-mouthed and pseudo-satanically inspired controversies, for ensuring that every devoted deathster’s ears prick up at the mere whisper of a new Deicide platter, no matter the quality of the preceding work.
‘The Stench Of Redemption’ is possibly the lone album amongst all Deicide’s recent efforts, from ‘Scars Of The Crucifix’ right up to ‘Til Death Do Us Part’ that has fulfilled and justified 100% the firestorm of hype and praise generated around it. Make no mistake, while many will still bitch that this nine track hellblast doesn’t quite reach the heights attained by ‘Legion’ it still pierces the clouds for a merciless assault on the heavenly gates nonetheless.


From the second that the eponymous opener bashes down said gates and proceeds to mutilate all within, Deicide have the attention locked down tight – the band haven’t sounded quite so vitalised on almost any recording before or since. While all the requisite elements of a Deicide record are present and correct, everything seems to have been upped about a thousand notches. The driving, merciless brutality is not only here, but sounding like it’s been given several injections of steroids directly into the brainstem; the band’s sound is tougher, more aggressive, and ultimately, just plain deadly – ‘Death to Jesus’, in its relentless high-speed blasting sounds like the band are barely restraining themselves from committing the act hinted at in the title.
Benton’s disgustingly deep, low-end growl is given new life through high pitched screams that would not disgrace the best Emperor, and of course, his Satanic lyricism is still resolutely staying put, blasted forth with far more zeal and imagination than it has been in a very long time. Asheim, meanwhile, is a true highlight on ‘The Stench Of Redemption.’ We all know the man can blast but this is something else entirely, with the aggression and speed indicators going beyond the red over and over and over again – here he comes into his own more times than you care to count.
One brand new addition, however, is what truly makes this album exceptional; the truly astounding work delivered by Messer’s Santolla and Owen. Overlaying Deicide’s traditional brain-bashing antics with astoundingly well-considered and well-fitting lead guitar melodies, the duo grant the likes of ‘Desecration’ and the chilling ‘The Lord’s Sedition’ an epic quality that the band had never before managed to attain. Santolla in particular deserves special mention, for the fluidity and skill displayed here in every single face-melting solo and lead part absolutely beggars belief.


While this may seem, on paper, no big leap for any band to make, here it leaves an indelible mark simply because Deicide have managed to so seamlessly blend this new aspect into their trademarked, patented approach. No single musical element here jars up against another, and everything slots into place perfectly. Of course, the lengthy songs will provide an inevitable point of contention, but it’s really hard to care when a lengthy song provides such quality listening as these do.


With everything encapsulated by a crystal clear and finely honed production sound that lends the material a further punch, what ‘The Stench Of Redemption’ truly reeks of is the finest, prime-cut modern death metal from a band who still have plenty of blood left to spill and ways left to spill it. ‘Stench...’ is the sound of Deicide coming into their own once more, and presents one forceful proposition to the listener. Truly one of the best albums the Floridian stalwarts have delivered in their long career.

My first Deicide album!! I never imagined that “The Stench of Redemption” would embark me on a journey of such an epic band and also could not believe that how could I have ignored such a legend of death metal. I had my inhibitions when I first saw the album and even when I heard it but this album is everything that an outstanding death metal album should sound like, actually this should be referred to as a template by other bands on how to make an insanely crunching record.

The stench of redemption or as many call it TSOR has not only got excellent musical arrangements it has also got one of the best sound productions I have ever heard on a death metal album . All the instruments can be heard in different layers i.e. the vocals which are brutal and relentless do not dominate the guitar sound and similarly the ever pounding Steve ashiem does not go overboard with his sound either . Hence making the sonic experience something that you may not experience everyday.

Well who would have thought that Deicide would survive the debacle it suffered by the departing of the Hoffman brothers, even they themselves wouldn't have thought about it. But this album is a kick in the face to all those who thought the band had no where to go from here. They just did not come back , they showed how the things are supposed to be done to perfection.

The musicianship is also of the highest order and cannot be appreciated by any rank amateur on the street. The duo of Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla doesn't only add a spark to the album , they make it into a firestorm of riffs. Ralph's background gives the songs a melodic inclination which is very unusual for the band but it fits into the album flawlessly whereas Jack Owen has brought in his own signature sound thanks to his long career with the God Fathers of Death metal - Cannibal Corpse. Steve Ashiem's drumming is something that you just can't get over with. It does not sound as though there was a machine sitting behind the kit and going “tik tik tik tik clack clack" which is so prevalent in a lot of upcoming bands these days. The drumming sounds very real and you can feel the physical strength that Steve would have put into drumming to these songs and personally for me that just takes the album to a whole new level. Glen might show some signs of ageing physically but who the hell can say that while listening to tracks such as "Homage for Satan", "The Lord's Sedition" and " Desecration" where his vocal passages can scare the daylights out of any one.

Lyrical references are still blasphemous and anti Christ but just a step above with more intelligence shown while planning on the song titles and that’s why they don't sound cheesy. The song structure is not uniform and each song travels through a lot of melodic as well as groovy passages which serve as excellent breakdowns and keeps the album alive and kicking till the last song hence making it one of those albums where you wouldn't be pained to sit through its entirety.

There as such no weak tracks on the album but the outstanding tracks include "Desecration", "Homage for Satan”, "Not of this Earth", "The Lord's Sedition", "Death to Jesus". A must have for any Deicide fan.

Usually, when there is a shit-ton of reviews for a record with a stupidly high average score, I usually find the record to be overrated, and thus I come in to stomp some skull. Well you know what? For once, all of these people are right, this is an astonishing record.

I'm not gonna lie, I've never been a big Deicide fan, so as soon as the chick at the register of my local Best Buy (it's the only place with music around me, no record stores) scanned the album, I decided I probably should've just given the new Overkill a shot. Needless to say, the album went in my car and caused me to rapidly headbang in the parking lot for about three songs. The one thing this album has over their earlier works, is the addition of Ralph Santolla and his wonderful melodic style of leadwork. The Hoffman's were integral early on in the band's career, but it is obvious now that their departure has done nothing positive work for Deicide, as I find Santolla's fretwork to be far superior.

I wouldn't call this a return to form sonically, but definitely in quality. As mentioned, this album is kind of like the earlier brutality but with a big, heaping coat of melody on the top. This change may seem slightly jarring to old school Deicide fans or assholes, but I welcome it with open arms. Fear not, there are monotone vocals, tremolo riffs, and blast beats aplenty to satisfy the long time fans. As much as I hate Glen Benton, he does an interesting technique with his vocals here were he layers over his deep indecipherable growls with a higher pitched scream that helps add understanding to the lyrics and also add yet another spice to our goulash of blasphemy.

No songs are bad, but I find the weakest to be Desecration and The Lord's Sedition. Death to Jesus may well be my favorite, with an incredibly sense of melody rivaling anything else present. I'd like Homage for Satan a teensy bit more if they didn't succumb to the temptation to rip of Scream Bloody Gore with the opening riff, otherwise it's also one of the best tracks. My copy has a cover of Deep Purple's Black Night, which the site tells me only 4000 copies have, so I guess I'm kind of special. The lyrics aren't printed in the booklet and I can't understand Benton for the life of me, so I don't know what these super secret "rewritten lyrics" are, but it's a fun cover nonetheless.

When all is said and done, what we have here is a solid Deicide release on par with the first two records, although in a different style. The standout performance here is clearly Santolla's lead guitar work, with a runner up award to Asheim's vicious drumming. Highly recommended. For once, a slew of positive reviews is right on the money.

For better or for worse, Deicide have always been a dependable Death Metal workhorse. As I personally dropped out of their back catalogue after Serpents Of The Light, I have no real knowledge if 'dependable' became 'tired, bored and monotonous', as word through the grapevine about the following two albums says. So I came to this album, knowing that the Hoffman brothers had been replaced, but expecting more of the same - a dependable Deicide to pad my Death Metal Nights out even further. The Stench Of Redemption promptly kicked my ass for my complacency.

Let's not beat around the bush. Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla make the world of difference on this album. You will read that in every review of this album you see, I expect. That's because it is TRUE! The brothers Hoffman had a style of soloing that might not've been original within extreme Metal, but was distinct enough within Deicide. But now the dependence on whammy-bar devilishness is gone, and the noodling on here is sure to keep guitar afficiandos happy. Dip straight into Crucified For The Innocence and see what I mean. You NEVER heard that in Deicide before. Now you can listen to Deicide for the solos. If the tight-as-fuck riffage wasn't enough.
Yup, tight, is the word. An album as chaotic as this would reek of sloppiness in the hands of a lesser band, but those guitars burn like a buzzsaw blade over the top of a drumkit being abused by a pillheaded octopus. Buy the underrated Steve Asheim a pint if you ever see him - it's not enough to write all the music to a great album, but to plant it all down with these chaotic drum patterns mean that this guy isn't nearly given the credit he's due. The drums alone are a fistfuck to the face of anyone who calls Death Metal 'untalented' or 'samey'. The drums do it all - the craziest blastbeating this side of Panzer Division Marduk, more conventional double-bass driven beats, interspersed with enough shifts in gear to keep the rhythm fresh and no less evil.
I just checked the liner notes to see who's managed to make Deicide sound fresher and heavier than ever. Surprise, it's Steve Asheim! Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, it's clear that the guy is a legend. He's buried long-time bandleader Glen Benton's bass in the mix - fair enough, considering what else is going on. The guy is gutteral as ever, so sod the fact you can't hear any lyrics. I don't think they're the best they've ever had ("Open the door Jehova you whore..." never gets old). Everything leaps out of the speakers, and hopefully seeps through every wall in the house and pisses off the parents.

So what if it takes a band about 16 years to release what could arguably be their best album? Better late than never! I'll raise a glass to the new lineup setting the standard again for albums and albums to come.

Originally written for http://www.metalmongrel.com

After being rather disappointed by Deicide's output after 1997, my interest in them has constantly been fading into obscurity.

I want to say that I'm not one of those people who enjoy their debut or Legion the most. Both albums are historically important, as well as rather good albums, but they never blew me away. Until 2006, my favourite Deicide album was known under the name "Serpents of the Light", with its catchy riffs, strong songwriting and convincing vocal work.

Nevertheless, Deicide where stagnating after it, leaving many fans (including me) doubtful about their creative future as a band. "Scars of the Crucifix", while being quite a bit better than its two preceding albums, still lacked the freshness and songwriting class of earlier releases and a few months after its initial release, the Hoffman brothers left the band with a bang, leaving both Steve Asheim and Glen Benton on their own - it looked like the band was about to finished.

Since my interest for the band had already faded, it took me quite a few months until I realised that Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla teamed up with the remains of Deicide. While I was very fond of the former joining them (due to his past in Cannibal Corpse) I was somewhat sceptical about Santolla's addition. I knew he was a great guitar virtuoso, but his past with completely different sides of the metal spectrum left me rather unsure whether he'd fit into the fold.

I wanted to hear what the all-new Deicide sounded like and so I decided to check out "The Stench of Redemption". As soon as the first track started, all my worries were immediately erased and my expectations literally swallowed by the amazing sound that graced my ears.

Deicide have never sounded this brutal, this vicious and this technical, but at the same time, some melody was present in the compositions. Santolla and Owen trade off amazing neo-classical lead work and crushing, yet catchy tremolo-picked rhythm frenzy. The solo in "Homage for Satan" is almost as long as a song on its own! I hereby ask you to count all the single notes picked in these mere two minutes. Simply amazing.

While the main emphasis lies on the newly acquired lead guitar skills, the rhythm guitar work has also improved greatly and offers newfound catchiness and brutality. Steve Asheim's drumming has reached a new level of proficiency and ranks among his lifetime achievements. Inhuman precision, relentless doublebass work and high-speed blastbeats are only a small part of this guys' amazing repertoire on "The Stench of Redemption".

So what about the man himself? The driving force behind Deicide? Glen Benton surely had a lot to catch up to. He's always been a strong vocalist but even Glen managed to leave a lasting impression by excelling himself. The combination of high shrieks and guttural growls is well placed, neither too sparse nor too overused, fitting perfectly into the compositions. His vocal delivery is commanding, powerful and fierce, providing the perfect seed for his lyrical invocations.

Older Deicide releases were always a bit of a surety for some unintentional hilarity. Glen's lyrics have always been about killing/raping/destroying Christ/Christians in many different ways and sometimes it seemed forced and, as I said, somewhat hilarious. It was hard to take a complete Deicide release seriously. This has also changed. While Glen's lyrics have been taken a step up as well, he hasn't strayed one bit from the Christ-bashing route. The album's musical greatness prevents the album from falling into any even slightly clichéd realms though, as it is simply too strong, breathtaking and awe-inspiring for me to question any of Glen's words.

Well, much has been said about "The Stench of the Redemption", and I've tried not to follow the other reviewers' praising route by finding faults in this album, but instead, I simply have to jump on the bandwagon. "The Stench of Redemption" is all that a modern death metal album should be and so much more. Recommended to anyone with even the slightest leanings towards extreme metal.

Deicide is possibly the only death metal band that has been able to return from artistic death multiple times and come back strong. This band made the brilliant 'Serpents Of The Light' immediately after the spectacularly unspectacular 'Once Upon The Cross', and now Deicide has returned again with 'The Stench Of Redemption', easily the best album they've turned out since 'Serpents Of The Light', and even rivaling that release in quality at certain points. This album is easily one of the best comebacks I've seen in a long while, and vastly exceeded all my expectations as to its quality.

While many doubted that Deicide would be able to recover from the departure of the Hoffman brothers, such a breakdown was apparently just what the band needed. Perhaps the reason that 'The Stench Of Redemption' is so very successful is that it's not bound the riffing conventions that the Hoffmans set in place: this album is tremendously melodic and neoclassical, and sacrifices much of the atonality of previous works for a more epic and grandiose sense of songwriting. It's still brutal: plenty of razor sharp tremolo picking and pummeling blast beats are present, but the lead guitars take the lead over just about anything else. There's a stunning vigor and freshness about this album that's been lacking in Deicide for some time, and it's a great change for the band.

'The Stench Of Redemption' takes a great deal of cues from Benton's other band, Vital Remains. The new guitar duo of Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla are clearly more technically adept as well as better riff constructors than the Hoffmans later in their careers, and it's a great boon to an album deeply dependent on guitars. The riffs present on this album are simply fantastic, from simple to complex, possessing staggering variation in addition to a wonderful sense of well-defined melody. Leads are wildly composed yet strictly melodic; indeed, this is the most melodic that Deicide has ever been in their lengthy careers. Drum performance is as propulsive and intense as usual, and Steve Asheim once against proves that while he's not the most technical drummer, he's one of the best for the purposes of the music he plays.

Maybe the best example of how different Deicide has become is on the 'Black Night' Deep Purple cover. Deicide positively ignites the song with a newfound intensity and brutality, and were you not aware of its origins, it would not sound dramatically out of place with the rest of the album. The old Deicide is dead, to be sure; however, this new Deicide was a sorely needed change, and not one that I think many of us will regret. I can't wait to see what the band does after this: it appears that the band has entered a new era of creativity and brilliance. Here's to a new aeon of raging death metal from the Floridian masters.

After all of Deicide's well-publicized recent troubles, as well as the initiation of two new members into the band, can we expect anything but mediocrity from a seemingly crippled band? Yes. Yes we can. "The Stench Of Redemption" is easily the best thing Deicide have done since "Legion," which many regard as their masterpiece.

The album retains the speed and brutality that have always defined the band. Steve Asheim's drumming is done at a blistering pace, rife with blastbeats and ultra-fast fills, with a timing so metronomic that he sounds almost robotic at times. Glen's vocals and bass playing are pretty much what they have always been, but I don't think anybody was expecting a change in Glen's style. However, the production is better and thus his vocal sound much more clear, making his double-tracked vocals sound all the more creepy.

The new guitar work is where the album really shines, though. This recording is molten riffage, with brutal, somewhat complex riffs dominating the rhythm tracks of the recording. Jack Owen (ex-Cannibal Corpse) is an awesome writer, and you can hear his influence in the rhythm guitar work, as the guitar parts are very fast, but still extremely heavy, with just enough technicality to make them good, but not overwhelming. He is also masterful at writing some creepy-sounding tremolo riffs (such as in "Never To Be Seen Again). He also does a few awesome leads and harmonies with Ralph (see below).

As for Ralph Santolla, he throw in an entirely new element to the band. As former guitarist of both Death and Iced Earth, you know what to expect of his guitar playing. All of the songs have extensive lead parts, done in a neo-classical style, eschewing much of the sweep-picking wankery that defined the playing of the Hoffmans. You can hear a lot of Chuck Schuldiner's playing style in his solos, as well as his riffing, lending to dual guitar harmonies which are almost melodic, a first for Deicide (as in "Homage For Satan"). Ralph's crowning moment, though is "The Lord's Sedition" with 3 1/2 minutes of neoclassical goodness opening up the track before the brutal part of the song kicks in.

All in all, this album is a new level of achievement for the band and I look forward to seeing what will come from this new line-up.

Some bands, after a lengthy existence, fall into the unfortunate trap of predictability. Each new album released starts to sound more laboured and increasingly tiresome and similar, until eventually hardcore fans of the band will just accept it and the band will continue to crank out such a standard of material ad nauseam. Admittedly, Floridian Death Metal legends Deicide seemed destined to go down that path. The group who once released such genre staples as “Serpents Of The Light” and “Once Upon The Cross” had been promising a return to form for years, only to disappoint with mediocre efforts like 2000’s “Insineratehymn” and 2001’s “In Torment In Hell”. Even when they admitted rushing those albums to escape a crumby record deal, their supposed comeback in the form of their Earache Records debut, “Scars Of The Crucifix” might have seemed more rejuvenated and exciting to the hopeful Death Metal fan, but followed the same bland formula as one had come to expect from the previous pioneers of extremity. So, after such long-winded disappointment and an overall failure to deliver in terms of quality new studio material, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect very little from another so-called comeback album, “The Stench Of Redemption”. Just one thing though... not only does this album live up to the band’s earlier work in every way possible; it just might be one of the most important Death Metal releases of the last decade!

“What the fuck?!” you’ll be thinking, how have they managed to produce an album with such amazing genre-defining brilliance after such a long period of lazily rehashing riffs and simply resting on their laurels? The long answer: the band have rediscovered their flare for performing material at the top of their game and play with an immediacy and energy not felt since the early days of Death Metal, shown on tracks like the frantic but melodic “Death To Jesus“ and the superb “Homage For Satan“. The short answer: the lethargic guitar duo of brothers Brian and Eric Hoffman have been sacked in favour of veritable Metal guitar maestros Ralph Santolla and Jack Owen, who amaze constantly throughout the album’s nine tracks, finishing with a rather epic finale in “The Lord’s Sedition”. If you’ve ever wondered what Deicide would sound like with some clean guitars and even the odd bit of experimentation, these guys have finally shown how much potential has been locked away for all these years under a veil of trebly distortion and simple rhythms.

Although, in truth, the reason that “The Stench Of Redemption” sounds so unbelievably vital seems to be a combination of the band’s newfound confidence and the addition of Santolla and Owen. With such unfathomable talent in the guitar department, drummer Steve Asheim and vocalist/bassist Glen Benton seem to have realised how damn talented they are too, and the quartet sound as if they have been playing together for years. From the self-titled opener right through to the astonishingly grand finale, there’s something completely new and fresh about the sound blasting from your speakers; whether it’s Asheim’s most technical yet most powerful drumming to date, Benton’s reinvigorated guttural growls (complete with vicious high-pitched accompanying vocals) or the strongest guitar sound you’ll hear in quite some time, there’s no doubting that this is a new and mightily improved beast. This one is a reminder of how much life is still left in this genre; an essential addition to post-millennial Death Metal, no matter how much you never thought you’d say it.

Originally written for http://www.blastwave.co.uk

Eric & Brian WHO? Never heard of 'em! That was the first thing that went through my mind upon first listen to this utterly monstrous and bestial creature passing as a CD.

After years of dissing Deicide for rehashing the same old same old, this album stopped me in my tracks. While it is indeed the same vicious and unrelenting Satanic death metal, there is another level added to this album, a level brought on by the addition of Ralph Santolla and Jack Owen on guitars to replace the other two wankers. And that level is VIRTUOSITY, my friends.

This album is awash in stunning guitar gymnastics, with Santolla's incredible melodic/classically-inspired leads blazing all over every song and Jack's more conventional old school leads contrasting them very well. A good song to showcase this is the mind-alteringly brutal "Homage For Satan", which features one of the best Santolla solos on ths album as he effortlessly glides over his fretboard to create a meisterwerk of melodic aggression--Owen's two handed tapping at the end of this song adds to the intensity and rams the finale down your throat forcefully. They even work in a haunting clean guitar intro on closer "The Lord's Sedition" that segues into a beautiful melodic solo section and a savage blasting verse. And oh, hell, yes does it work. And riffs? Oh yeah, those too...lots of killer riffs driving every song along with the kind of precision and determination that only veterans can bring to the table. The ending of "Walk With The Devil In Dreams You Behold" even has a vintage (circa "Hell Awaits") Slayer feel to it, and that is a very high compliment in my book.

Oh yes, let us not forget the two mainstays of Deicide; Glen Benton and Steve Asheim. Say what you will about Benton, his vocals are the most ugly and evil I've yet heard him utter on this album, dripping with hatred and contempt--and I've little to no doubt that those emotions are directed at a certain pair of burly blonde axe-maulers who held back and dragged down the band for years, to hear him tell it anyway. His lyrics are like being dragged over broken glass after being doused in gasoline, that acerbic and harsh. Asheim proves himself a most underrated drum monster as well, nailing every single tempo perfectly and with insane aggression. The drums may well be triggered, but the production is sufficiently crisp and clear that this may well be a reason why they sound that way.

Do I need to tell you that this may well end up being on my Top Ten CDs of this year? After years of ignoring these guys, it's time to reevaluate, and this was a good thing. Maybe I need to give some of their older stuff a chance as well...

Many important things happened to Deicide after the release of "Scars Of The Crucifix." The original lineup was severed when guitar brothers Eric and Brian Hoffman quit the band after many personal disputes with singer Glen Benton. Once the Hoffman brothers quit, Benton and drummer Steve Asheim recruited ex Cannibal Corpse axeman Jack Owen and former Iced Earth guitarist Ralph Santolla. Two years had passed since "Scars Of The Crucifix," and Deicide released the highly anticipated "The Stench Of Redemption," which is undoubtedly one of their best works. "The Stench Of Redemption" has Deicide moving toward a different musical direction that still contains the perfected death metal roots in the same vein as "Legion."

Deicide took a different approach with the guitaring on "The Stench Of Redemption." Instead of the straight up death metal riffs, the guitars now contain a little bit melody. Now don't assume they've gone totally Gothenburg on us, because they haven't. A good portion of the riffs are melodic, but they still manage to stay brutal and sound similar to previous Deicide material. Out of all the tracks, "Death To Jesus" and "Crucified For The Innocence" incorporate the melodic riffs the most. Other songs like the title track and "Homage For Satan" exercise the traditional death metal riffs rather then the melodic riffs. The album's closer, "The Lord's Sedition," has Deicide using a clean guitar intro, which is a nice surprise, especially when considering Deicide's previous material and how clean guitars haven't really been used before. The Deep Purple cover is quite an interesting track as well. Nothing beats a hard rock tune with blast beats and death growls!

"The Stench Of Redemption" is the Deicide debut of Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla, and these guys have already topped the Hoffman brothers in terms of skill and talent. When being compared to the Hoffman's guitar playing, Owen and Santolla's style is much more complex and tight. These guys easily nail technical riffs on the title track and display some incredible time signature changes on "Death To Jesus." The principal factor in their guitar playing is their solos. Owen and Santolla's solos obtain strong technical elements that were absent on most of the Hoffman efforts; the production is really clear, and that really helps out the solo effort.

Just like Jack Owen and Ralph Santolla, Glen Benton has a strong impact on this album. Glen has always been known for his signature death growls, and he demonstrates it on this record. Glen's growls are tremendously low and sound like they came straight out of hell. Glen also uses high pitched vocals, and they effect the album immensely. Glen uses high pitched growls during the chorus of the most of the songs, but his best moment comes during the Deep Purple cover when he screams and unleashes a massive shriek that sounds perfect and really turns the tide of the song.

The main prize goes to Steve Ashiem. Steve took over the writing duties on "The Stench Of Redemption," and he did a fantastic job writing the album's material. There are no negative qualities of any song, and that demonstrates how good Steve is at writing music. Steve's drumming performance is on par with his writing ability. Steve is always nailing his double bass pedals, using blastbeats, and rolling off his toms. The amount of stamina this guy has is simply otherworldly. Anyone who can blastbeat and double bass at his speed is a professional drummer, and that really shows how experienced he is with the drums.

"The Stench Of Redemption" is a pure onslaught of excellence and aggression. This is, in my opinion, Deicide's best album. There is nothing on this album that is bad, it's just a wonderful record! I highly recommend "The Stench Of Redemption" to anyone who calls themselves a metalhead.

This review was orginally written for: www.Thrashpit.com