Andrew Danso

I've actually only very recently picked this one up, and that's due to... well, I'm not sure, honestly. A swift dose of marketing espionage? Living within Northern Ireland does have many a constraint artistically! I often take a trip to my local record store reprising "What is it we don't have today?” However, like everyone else, I am a fixed heavy user of the internet, and such excuses cannot merit. Rather than questioning my alter ego for a more three dimensional response, I'll loosely utter the weakened schooled phrase of "I'm not sure, honestly".

Deicide are one of the more consistent acts I often listen to, for perpetuated death metal. However upon the much more recent chronology of Deicide - in particular The Stench of Redemption - we had a much more formidable, intricate and complex Deicide. Full of ideas of differentiating mood, a completely unusual guitar lead style suited with Deicide, increased technicality, polished tonality, blistering drum takes and a restablished symphony of urgency. I profoundly enjoyed The Stench of Redemption as did the majority of the metal communities. I'm also quite enjoying their latest offering "Till Death Do Us Part".

I believe the penny has somewhat elusively dropped from the release, gratification, and performance on The Stench of Redemption, because without the iota of bias, and general fan-unity, Till Death Do Us Part, is nothing but mere, more of the same from The Stench of Redemption. You may believe that I'm continuing downward a spiral of criticism but in fact, what's honestly wrong with the continuation of an archaic of an almost perfected album? Holding for my breath upon placing this one into the CD player, Till Death Do Us Part begins, with a sombre, dark, and uncanny introduction. It's an incredible maze riddled with melodism, and emphasised mood. Moving onto the actual track Till Death Do Us Part, it's brilliance is actually not within it's blistering pace, as thankfully we're learning that the modern Deicide has established so much more than the credits of soaring technicality. Till Death Do Us Part has many a portion of depth within it. Furthermore a reflection perhaps on what now the band are exploring on personal levels musically. Till Death Do Us Part cascades in decibels of the horror and darkness that Deicide are now practicing with even deeper meaning, it's horrific chorus, plaintive verses and exhilarating lead guitar work sets this song to be one of the highlights of the album. However the fumes do increase as the album progresses. "Hate of All Hatreds", and "In the Eyes of God", are both typified Deicide blisters that we've grown, upon listening to The Stench of Redemption. "Worthless Misery" is quite competently, a mixed bag. And is certainly one of my personal favourites throughout this release. It contains such a nefarious and wondrous guitar harmony assisting on the bridges and interludes of the track before Deicide continue with the demonic armoured legion throughout the verses and choruses. "Severed Ties" reminded myself of older, past efforts - notably the stuff on "Once Upon The Cross"(The constant grind, and march-like source of the track) "Not As Long As We Both Shall Live", contains mass gear shifts, and beautifully poised guitar octaves that you'll only either feel waves of tiresome or exhilaration throughout listening. Angel of Agony I've noted for its "brutality, and ingenious, demonic, melodic outro". We hear a cunning repeating theme present throughout this track, which is transparently uttered throughout the outro of the tracks insensitivity. Another gem "Horror in the Halls of Stone", is best described as Deicides’ now newly found majestic destructive nature. As intense as you could imagine, Deicide leave you simply in diluted claustrophobic reverence. The beauty of the chord movements as we move onto the "The End of the Beginning" is truly a fitting end to this mammoth that only Deicide can create, today.

The production values of this album are also soaring with a terribly healthy master, with every frequency polished. This band is still on dangerously excellent form, with each band member performing excellently on this release.

Another gem from Deicide, it's triumphantly almost a masterpiece (who knows, many may argue it is) 4/5.