Is it possible to write a review about Deicide without insulting Glen Benton? Difficult, but I’ll try anyway. Especially because in these last days of quarantine, I delved into various records and emblematic groups of Death Metal, Morbid Angel, Suffocation, Death, Immolation. The lack of baking products in supermarkets prevented a future as a pastry influencer and a possible burnt oven, music was definitely a lifesaver.

But I mentioned Glen Benton, and what connects him with the groups I mentioned earlier? Records that have marked the history of a genre, like the self-titled "Deicide", "Legion", and "Once Upon The Cross". What doesn’t connect him? A not-so-friendly character, outspoken, and firmly committed to playing the same music he has played for 30 years, whether the album is successful or not. His personality led him to be hated by Death listeners and others, a missed promise of suicide at 33 to honor the death of Christ was enough to make him despised by many, labeling him a clown. Honestly, however, I have almost always tried to separate the music from the very provocative beliefs and thoughts of an artist, focusing solely on the albums. And from that perspective, the works Deicide released between 1990 and 1997 are absolute masterpieces, some more than others, thanks mainly to the contribution of the Hoffmann brothers.

After a golden period, however, like for every band, there come albums not quite up to those that preceded them. "Insineratehymn" and "In Torment In Hell" from 2000 and 2001 are a huge disappointment, but they alternate with "Scars of The Crucifix" and "The Stench Of Redemption", which are definitely more valid. The subsequent albums, while not miraculous, still show that Deicide at least don’t lose their way and don’t venture into terrible experiments like a certain "Illud Divinum Insanus".

So we arrive at 2018 with "Overtures Of Blasphemy", which comes five years after the previous "In The Minds Of Evil", an album that had highlighted a slight accentuation of melodies, which develop even more in the album reviewed here, without losing the energy that has always distinguished Deicide. Leaving aside a cover whose meaning I honestly never understood, but which I have always liked from an impact point of view, Benton and Asheim manage to compose an album that is indeed quite heterogeneous, but perhaps sins by repeating the same formulas a bit too much.

The first half of the album manages to combine melodic lines with the group's typical sound, with tracks like "Compliments Of Christ", or "One With Satan", where Benton’s growl dominates. However, the growl at times is also a symptom of monotony, as in "Annointed With Blood", where already heard riffs and a terribly monochromatic vocal performance do not elevate the musical quality, and the same can be said for "Defying The Sacred". Speaking of melody, "Seal The Tomb Below" manages to be an excellent summary of Deicide’s career in recent years, and similarly, "Flesh, Power, Dominion" also manages to surprise. And with "Excommunicated", you still get a comprehensive view, or listening, of what Deicide are in 2018, with a riff that personally reminded me a lot of Slayer. However, the production is flawed as it, even though elevating all components equally, places the drums in the background.

Can we then talk about a masterpiece? Absolutely not. However, I think, as stated at the beginning of the review, that almost every band has a period of peak inspiration, and the opposite, and that what comes after years of career is largely craft, which can still have an imprint of the (beautiful) past. It’s impossible then to ask Benton for a "Legion" part two, but I am still convinced that "Overtures Of Blasphemy" is an album that could pleasantly pass a little less than forty minutes, despite some overly recycled ideas that do not detract from the entire album. Let’s just say a retirement is not yet necessary if the overall quality remains like this.

Tracklist

01   One With Satan (03:47)

02   Crawled From The Shadows (03:20)

03   Seal The Tomb Below (02:57)

04   Compliments Of Christ (02:45)

05   All That Is Evil (03:24)

06   Excommunicated (02:56)

07   Anointed In Blood (03:18)

08   Crucified Soul Of Salvation (03:01)

09   Defying The Sacred (03:31)

10   Consumed By Hatred (03:02)

11   Flesh, Power, Dominion (03:33)

12   Destined To Blasphemy (02:26)

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