Register Forgot login?

© 2002-2024
Encyclopaedia Metallum

Privacy Policy

Banished > Deliver Me unto Pain > Reviews
Banished - Deliver Me unto Pain

Third Time Not So Much - 45%

Petrus_Steele, May 2nd, 2019
Written based on this version: 2005, CD, Peaceville Records (Reissue, Digipak)

Deliver Me unto Pain is the third full-length from Baphomet, released just a year after the sophomore The Dead Shall Inherit. Likewise, the sophomore got released one year after the debut Inheritors of the Dead. It’s pretty impressive that the band members had the time and budget to record three full-lengths in a three-year span. They released this record as Banished due to licensing issues with the original name, with another band from Germany, which essentially retained the rights back and performed live again in 2013, WITH the original name.

In their third approach, the record represents a major change to the sound. The music is less brutal and more traditional/old school whilst maintaining the established Baphomet vibes. No guitar solos or persistent power chords are present, but it’s their sound that’s fitting, with a groovy and audible bass, and moderately good drumming, though I didn’t like the mix on the cymbals as much. The sound is more polished and the vocals are different. It sounds like the vocalist proceeded with singing in a more hardcore way (in a song like Cast Out the Flesh) and even shouts out the words. He sounds like Corpsegrinder... but overall, it’s a different listen.

This time you get a lot more to listen, having ten original songs and two re-recordings from the sophomore: Valley of the Dead and Through Deviant Eyes, unlike half of it that’s filled with re-recordings. I’ll begin with the re-recorded songs on how poor they sound. They’re the angry versions of the originals, and not very different other than the vocals that sound harsh and pretentious. As for a few originals, Altered Minds sounds too brutal. It should’ve been on the sophomore. The production of that record could’ve used a song of that caliber. Then you have something like Scarred, which has a stupid singalong. The rest of the record is underwhelming.

As for what I did like, the aforementioned Cast Out the Flesh was a simple, yet groovy song. I love the bass a lot, and the choruses sound great. Despite the three retarded low screams in Succumb to the Fear, it wasn’t a terrible song at all. Quite catchy, actually. The vocals remind me a lot of Sean Beasley’s death growls from Dying Fetus (coincidentally enough; they covered Baphomet’s Streaks of Blood).

This is one of the weakest records I’ve ever heard, and giving the rating of 45% shows the amount of decency I have. It deserves a lot less than that! I can’t imagine myself listening to something like Deliver Me unto Pain constantly, or memorably. Nothing blew my mind. If people love traditional/old school death metal, I’m certain this is the record for such fans. But the predecessors are leagues better. This one feels like one giant filler…

Painfully brilliant album! - 90%

dismember_marcin, August 17th, 2010

I have to admit that unlike the memorable “Dead Shall Inherit” – which I’ve been listening to since the early 90’s – this second BANISHED (ex-BAPHOMET) album was unknown to me for many years. First I didn’t even know that this is the same band as BAPHOMET and second, I just kind of didn’t bother to pick up this album; for whatever reason. And thus I’ve discovered “Deliver Me Unto Pain” only few years ago, when I realised this is actually the mighty BAPHOMET, only with different moniker. And believe me or not, but when I first listened to this CD it just blew me fuckin away into Mars or even higher into universe!

I always liked “Dead Shall Inherit”, but didn’t expect that one day I’ll get an album that will even better the brutal debut of this Buffalo crew. And this CD did, as all of a sudden these fierce sounds crushed everything around and caused a fuckin’ massacre in the neighbourhood. Basically once you know this is ex-BAPHOMET then all the puzzles get together into one piece. You can’t mistake the original death metal style of this band with anything else – simply no one else played like they did! The awesome, guttural voice of Tom Frost is just one and recognisable – here it may be little bit less deep and brutal, but still it’s damn great. The skin-bashing bass work of Gary Schipani as always is one of the best ever in the death metal style. Dave Craiglow plays his destructive riffs with finesse of zombie; his parts are simple, but so heavy that your head may explode from headbanging. Anyone missing? Ah, Rick Breier, a drummer. Again great performance. Each of BANISHED members is skilled in death metal craft to perfection and also their composing and the ideas they bring on every release are of the highest quality. These guys just knew how to do it!

Musically “Deliver Me Unto Pain” is a natural continuation of “Dead Shall Inherit”. The songs are played in very similar vein, in their unique style. It’s grinding brutal US death metal force with a license to kill. There are few songs that you may recognise – two off the first album (“Valley of the Dead” and “Through Deviant Eyes”) and two from “Banished” EP. All of them are perfectly recorded, but I don’t really understand the reason for re-recording the songs from the first album. Were they not good enough in their original versions? Anyway, that’s just a minor complain (I don’t even know if that’s complain at all?!). New tracks are just as great as I would expect from this band. Fast and devastating opening track is just a blast. The title track is one of the best pieces ever recorded by death metal band! Tracks like “Skinned” “Anointing Of The Sick” and “Scars” are groovy death metal masterpieces played in fast / slow but massively heavy riffing. No bullshit, no useless fucking around – just plain, classic death metal feast for the old school zombies. And the production is just faultless, ideal for such style.

It’s a perfect combination of everything that made “Dead Shall Inherit” so brilliant few years prior to this album. I dare to say that nowadays you won’t find any new bands, that would play in similar style. They all just want to blast like hell or imitate the Swedish style – which is fine. But all that just makes BANISHED / BAPHOMET even more unique and classic and their albums will always be some of the best, but also most underestimated pieces in the death metal history. You’ll sin if you don’t buy this!