Album Review: Deicide - Overtures Of Blasphemy
"It’s difficult to escape the feeling, even as Deicide continue to spit bile over all and sundry, that it’s largely been done before."
Quick capsule review - Deicide's 12th album is often fast, always aggressive, filled with pummeling drumming and features an epic folk metal jam. Ok, one of those is a lie.
As the artwork and title reiterate, after 30+ years in the death metal game, Deicide's blasphemous message hasn't softened. Frontman Glen Benton and company roared back to form with 2006's watershed The Stench Of Redemption and have knocked out solid if not world-beating fare since. From the bruising blasts of Benton-penned opener One With Satan, Overtures Of Blasphemy continues that trend; a mix of bangers, middling fare and filler that's done and dusted in less than 40 minutes.
Benton’s gargling shards of glass vokill style has understandably lost potency but remains serviceable enough. While par-for-the-course church-baiting titles (Anointed In Blood, Compliments Of Christ) seem a tad tired, dexterous drummer/co–songwriter Steve Asheim remains their true MVP. The addition of guitarist Mark English to partner Kevin Quirion proves a solid move, too; All That Is Evil's nimble fretwork is a standout.
This isn’t by any means a bad record, and the crisp production certainly helps its cause. However, it’s difficult to escape the feeling, even as Deicide continue to spit bile over all and sundry, that it’s largely been done before.
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