For the past few years, the possibility of a good Deicide album was just a beautiful dream, like world peace or the sterilization of all of Insane Clown Posse's fans. Indeed, it was questionable whether Deicide would be around at all after their contract with Roadrunner Records ran out. Glen Benton lent his vocals to the latest Vital Remains album Dechristianize, and there were rumors that the band was going to call it a day. However, those rumors turned out to be false, as Deicide is back with Scars of the Crucifix, their seventh studio album and first for their new label, Earache Records.
This album sees the band moving away from the simplistic song structure of their recent releases and back to the more complex songwriting of their first two albums. There's nothing here that's as good as songs like "Lunatic of God's Creation" or "Behead the Prophet (No Lord Shall Live)", but it is nice to see the band once again putting some effort into their music. After the listless, uninspired performances on their albums Insineratehymn and In Torment In Hell, Scars of the Crucifix is a welcome surprise. These are some of the best songs Deicide has written in years.
The lyrics are still the weakest link in the band, mostly because Glen Benton seems incapable of singing about anything other than how much he hates God. Now, a lot of death metal bands sing about fairly limited range of subjects, but Glen Benton is downright monomaniacal. God speaks nothing but lies, God is a weakling, God squeezed the Charmin - after seven albums, we've kind of gotten the point. It wouldn't be so bad if Benton were slightest bit creative with his lyrics, but he simply writes the same thing over and over again. Still, it's not like people listen to Deicide for the amazing ideas presented in their songs, so it's a minor quibble.
The album comes with a DVD that I have not seen, but since Glen Benton lives in a gated community, I can only assume its video footage of him chasing kids off his lawn. I'm not sure how much longer Deicide is planning to stick around, as I believe the deal with Earache is only for one album, but this release is proof that they shouldn't be written off quite yet. If you were disappointed with the last few Deicide albums (and let's face it, who wasn't?), then you will be pleasantly surprised by Scars of the Crucifix.
Article comments
1 - Jim
The recent Deicide albums have been boring, but Insineratehymn did at least have one great song: Bible Basher.
Partially intentionally: It had a couple of good riffs and was arranged in a way such that it felt like the momentum was never depleted.
Partially unintentionally: The lyrics were about hitting Christians in the head with Bibles! Hilarious and kind of inventive, for a Deicide song.
2 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Ah, a blast from the past. As a young lad, i read Kerrang! religiously and was always fascinated by Sir Benton. Burining crucifixes into his head every time he felt a little happiness creeping into his constitution, and then parading the hilarities of burning rodents alive in his garage. How many such characters are there in music today? Not many, thank God, but Benton is still a reliable crackpot in a world of crushingly sane types. As to their music, i have never heard a Deicide album, although the fuss surrounding the Easter Monday release of Once Upon The Cross a few years back almost persuaded me. Almost, mind.
3 - lucifer
I dont give a f!@k what any prick says.
Decide is the one best bands ive been able to relate to. kill god. burn the church. F!@k you all
HAIL SATAN!!!
4 - Claumann
Hail hail hail!!!
5 - Dei
F@$k all you religious fundamentalists. Deicide meets and greets all the religious hymns sung ever by narrow minded fools. How much god loving crap is uttered by the masses of real fools!!Repetative suck ups for an afterlife.
6 - glen 666
this recent Deicide album was as bad ass as any other album. But i have to say bible basher is a bad ass son and so was blame it on god. there is no other person that will make some bad ass evil shit as glen. some people say that scars of the crucifix was a boring album but FUCK them ALL,and blame it in god,well see u fuckers in hell
love Glen666
7 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
An eternity in heaven surrounded by fundamentalist Christians or an eternity in Hell surrounded by Deicide fans...
Wonder what the weather's like in Limbo?