Album review: Deicide – Banished By Sin

By DAN SOUTHALL

IF by now you don’t know Deicide, you should possibly hand in your metal fan card. I’m not suggesting you like them but if you don’t at least know who they are – and their Christian-baiting music – you need to review your metal history.

Much like Motörhead or AC/DC, the beauty of a Deicide album is you know what is coming: unholy vocals, hammering drums and crazy solos. All of this and some of the most genuine anti-religious lyrical sentiment around. It’s not just some act built to scare your Nan. Glen Benton has always believed what he is growling about, sometimes doubling down on the ridiculousness for the sake of his art.

Don’t let the lazy looking album cover put you off – album number 13 (!) is a standard rager from the band, in and out in under 40 bludgeoning minutes. From the classic opener “From Unknown Heights You Shall Fall” to closer “The Light Defeated”, there is plenty on show from their classic death metal to small flirtations with a more blackened sound on “Woke From God” and tackling a modern death groove on “Bury The Cross…With Your Christ”.

Really, if there is any complaint to be made it is with how clean and sharp this album sounds. Gone is the murky death metal production for something that is, dare I say it, brighter. As it goes on, it becomes tiring on the ears and whilst it doesn’t make the tracks bleed together, it does mean Benton’s vocals become far more samey than I remember them.

All told though, this is a Deicide album.  Take it for what it is: not their best but far from their worst.  Play it loud and scare you neighbours and ya Nan!
Buy Banished By Sin on CD or vinyl