Deicide "Scars of the Crucifix" CD
[Earache]
I haven't really been a fan of anything Deicide has released since "Legion", so those first two records are all I have from the band. I was mildly curious what they would do now that they have a new home on Earache, but admittedly I bought this for the free DVD because I was curious to see it. So for $10 I figured, "What the hell?" The DVD runs about 35 minutes of interview footage with the band talking about various things from their history to their beliefs, and you'll get footage at the shooting range, in the studio, etc. Towards the end Glenn Benton bites a lizard's tail off, which was pretty fucking stupid. I mean, how "evil" is it to torture a lizard that's about the size of your index finger? Come on, now... As for the record itself, it's definitely the best thing the band has done in a long time. But don't buy into the hype that it's all that "incredible", you know? The self-titled record this is not. "Legion" this is not. Yes, it's fast as fuck. Yes, it's pretty brutal. Yes, the playing is very precise. No, there really isn't any melody aside from a few of the lightning speed lead flurries. You can tell it's Deicide chiefly due to Benton's vocal performance, which of course almost constantly layers low growls and his patented midrange/high-end snarls. But that brings me to my main point of contention with this album: The recording. The vocals are mixed too far out front for sure. At times it's less irritating than others, but the more vocal layering that presents itself, the more overpowering the vocals become. I think this is one of the less effective recordings Neil Kernon has ever had a hand in. Because the bass guitar is basically nonexistent, the drums sound totally rigid and lack warmth (granted they do thankfully have a good level of density on the kicks and toms), the guitar tone is really clinical and unnatural, and the mix emphasizes percussion and vocals over guitars. I think a stronger mix could benefit the songs, but a more forceful and textured guitar tone would probably be the real point of focus. Beyond that, I do like this CD. The songs rarely top three-and-a-half minutes, they don't repeat themselves too much, and there's a definite sense of energy present that has been missing in Deicide's studio work for several years. I'd be remiss not to mention that the general speed, clarity, and definitely the solos give off the impression that the success of Glenn's participation in Vital Remains' "Dechristianize" sessions may have rubbed off on the Hoffman brothers, but for the most part "Scars of the Crucifix" shouldn't be compared to the aforementioned Vital Remains masterpiece. Some of the slower breaks in tracks like "When Heaven Burns" definitely hearken back to some of the band's early classics ("Sacrificial Suicide", for instance), while the dissonance and brevity of "Go Now Your Lord is Dead" are more suggestive of a newer approach. As far as the packaging, I actually fucking love the cover painting on this thing, but I think they sort of cheapened it by smacking the logo across the top and using a cheesy font to plaster the album title across the entire bottom of the cover. It would've looked far superior and more powerful with no text on the cover. The jewel case comes in a black slipcase that has an inverted cross die-cut into the front, and the booklet folds out into one large insert with lyrics on one side and a pretty useless mini poster thing on the other, muddily blurring together a weak band photo, the cover art, and the huge logo/album title stuff again. Once more: It should've just been the fucking painting! Despite some terrible song titles ("Mad at God"? Come on, dude...) and a few really goofy lines, not all of the lyrics are as immature or underdeveloped as may be anticipated: "Condescending ancient wisdom, Solitude begot this day, The light surpassing, Without a place of worship, The sheep have been displaced, Go now your lord is dead..." This is a good "comeback" styled set of songs for Deicide. It could and perhaps should be better (mainly speaking of the recording in regards to overall impact, the writing and playing are both on point), but I'll take it. I'm glad I bought it. The DVD definitely made it worth my $10. Without the DVD I'd give it a 6/10 due to problematic recording, I believe. (7/10)
Running time - 29:27, Tracks: 9
[Notable tracks: Conquered by Sodom, When Heaven Burns, Go Now Your Lord is Dead]
Deicide - http://www.deicide.tv

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