Style: Melodic death metal
Primary Emotions/Themes: Kick ass death metal with a huge sense of melody.
Thoughts: I only have on Deicide album in my collection. I only need one Deicide album in my collection. This is it. This is the best album that the legendary death metlers have put out.
Who would have thought that after the long running Hoffman brothers left the band, Glen took another vocal duty with Vital Remains, and the band released some of the worst albums in their career they would release this monster. It's not just that Stench of Redemption is good, it's that it's great... it's great in a time when I had completely given up on the band.
Everything past Serpent's of the Light was total garbage. I had not even bothered to look up the past few albums based off of what I heard from some friends. Even Scars of the Crucifix was lacking compared to the first few albums... but then this thing came out.
I actually checked this one out on my own. I loved Glen's work on Dechristianize and I wanted to see if this album took any of the intensity and craziness that it had over to Deicide... fortunately for me it did. This isn't just Dechristianize but with shorter songs, this is defiantly its own thing... but the influence is obvious.
Right out of the gate the title track kicks off with a powerful riff and an intensity that the band has not had since... Once Upon the Cross...? Maybe even Legion. Both guitars rip me to shreds right away with that main riff, and then Glen comes in... he sounds identical to how he does in Vital Remains, and that's a wonderful thing. Steve's drumming has also stepped it up. His blasting is tight and his fills haven't sounded this good in ages.
Where the album really starts to shine though is during the instrumental section. The band infuses melody like they never have before. This is where the band really differentiates themselves from Vital Remains. Instead of having the melodic sections contained, Deicide lets them bleed all over the main riffs. Melodic leads, solos, accents everywhere. All over the album... it's glorious. This isn't melodic death metal... this is death metal with melody, that's an important distinction to make.
The album isn't a one trick pony either. Songs like Desecration shows the band can play at a slower pace and still ramp up the intensity. The opening to Death to Jesus is one of the coolest riffs I've heard the band do. Ralph and Jack really kick ass throughout the album, huge upgrade in the guitar department.
The Stench of Redemption is better than the self titled album, it's better than Legion, it's better than Once Upon the Cross, it's better than Serpents of the Light... it's better than any of the legendary albums that the band started with. This is the definitive Deiceide album.
Written July 28th 2024
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