There are certain impossible events in the United States: George W. Bush will never become smart, Zbigniew Brzezinski will never love russia, Bill Gates will never become poor, the state of Nevada will never stop being a desert, and DEICIDE will never start playing Christian rock. For over two decades now, this arguably most famous brutal formation after CANNIBAL CORPSE has been playing extremely aggressive brutal death metal with utterly primitive anti-Christian and Satanic lyrics. The band's entire body of work is permeated with these ideas, and there have been no departures from this tradition — nor will there ever be. The music itself, however, has evolved toward greater melodicism; in recent years guitar solos have played an increasingly important role, with the initial aggression and onslaught partially giving way to technical proficiency. In 2004-2005, the lineup underwent a radical overhaul. The Hoffman brothers, who along with drummer Steve Asheim and the band's leader — vocalist and bassist Glen Benton — had founded the group back in 1987, departed. The latest album became the first recorded with new musicians, though these newcomers are quite distinguished in their own right. Jack Owen is one of the founders of CANNIBAL CORPSE, having played in that legendary band from 1988 to 2004. Ralph Santolla is likewise a celebrated guitarist who has performed with DEATH, ICED EARTH, and many other acts.
So before us lies a 38-minute record titled "The Stench of Redemption," consisting of 9 tracks. Everything is as expected: blazing-fast compositions, thunderous guitar parts, machine-gun drumming, and Benton's relentless, aggressive growl, occasionally layered with screaming on top. Beyond this, it's worth noting that the solos have become even more melodic and interesting. In terms of technique, it's simply impossible to levy a single complaint against the band — the entire album is maintained at an extraordinarily high level. One can note periodic ventures into tech-death territory (broken rhythms, independent parts for each instrument). Compared to the previous record, this release is somewhat more interesting in that regard.