### Deicide: Scars of the crucifix

#### 06/03/04 || Statik Majik

Scars of the crucifix… The album we´ve been waiting for. And was it worth the wait? Fuck yeah. Hearing this album for the first time gave me exactly the shame thrill than hearing the Legion album gave me 12 years ago. Yeah, it´s that good. I shit you not.

We all got a little taster of what to expect when Vital Remain´s released “Dechristianize”. Benton did a killer job on that album, and almost every Deicide fan was more than curious to hear if this could be how Benton would sound on the next Deicide album. Well, the answer is yes and no. Benton sounds the same, and that´s fucken killer to say the least. And no, he doesn´t sing exactly like he did on the Dechristianize, partly because it´s a Vital Remains album, not a Deicide album. And this is a good thing too.

This album is more Deicide than the previous few Deicide albums were. If you get the point. I mean every fucken thing you´d expect from Deicide is here. And that´s the way I like. The strong sound, fast tempo, trademark riffs and solos of Hoffman brothers, insane drumming performed by Steve Asheim, Benton´s blasphemous vocals.

What really makes this album stand out is that I don´t think Benton ever sounded like this before. Somehow his vocals sound more angrier, more blasphemous and more professional than on any other Deicide album. Well, I think maybe some parts on the “Once upon the cross” hold similarities to this one, but not much. Just listen to how Benton sounds on the title track or “Conquered by Sodom” or… well, the whole album.

And let´s not forget the satanic message which always has been a great part of Deicide… Like we all know, there´s one thing you´ll always recognize Deicide from: Benton´s lyrics, definatelly. Anti-god, pro-Satan, 100% pure hatred. Now, let´s see, what do you think about this example from the song “Mad at god”: ” Spare the bullshit of your saviors love for me, Take thy words and indulge in his misery, Finding out that you’re just a lamb of rot, No one cares in this world of god forgot… ”. Or this one from “Fuck your god”: ” Good book of bullshit lay dirty with vengeance and lies, Go fuck your Jesus and get- the- fuck out my sight ”. Sound like Deicide to you? It sure as hell does to me. Needless to say that this “theme” holds, from the very first song to the last one.

The only thing that has always bothered me with Deicide is the length of their albums. This one is around 26-27 minutes (without the outro). If I´m not totally wrong, that makes this the shortest Deicide album ever, time-wisely that is. Well, since that´s been Deicide´s trademark from their 1990´s selftitled album, it´s not like this was news to me anymore.

Anypoo (I hate that word and promise never to use it again), if you we´re slightly disappointed with the previous efforts “In torment, in hell” and “Insineratehymn”, rest assured, this one won´t let you down. This is right there with “Legion”, “Once upon the cross” and “Serpents of the light”. Top notch Deicide.

666…. well, make that 8 /10

- Information
- Released: 2004
- Label: Earache
- Website: www.deicide.tv
- Band
- Glen Benton: bass, vocals
- Brian Hoffman: guitar
- Eric Hoffman: guitar
- Steve Asheim: drums

- Tracklist:
- 01. Scars of the crucifix
- 02. Mad at god
- 03. Conquered by Sodom
- 04. Fuck your god
- 05. When heaven burns
- 06. Enchanted nightmare
- 07. From darkness come
- 08. Go now your god is dead
- 09. The pentecostal