Vital Remains - Dechristianize review
| Band: | Vital Remains |
| Album: | Dechristianize |
| Style: | Death metal |
| Release date: | 2003 |
Disc I
01. Let The Killing Begin
02. Dechristianize
03. Infidel
04. Devoured Elysium
05. Savior To None... Failure For All...
06. Unleashed Hell
07. Rush Of Deliverance
08. At War With God
09. Entwined By Vengeance
Disc II [Live At Metalmania Festival, 2007] [2012 reissue bonus]
01. Intro I - Where Is Your God Now
02. Icons Of Evil
03. Scorned
04. Born To Rape The World
05. Hammer Down The Nails
06. Intro Ii - Let The Killing Begin
07. Dechristianize
08. Infidel
09. Devoured Elysium
Dechristianize was my favourite album of 2003, and although I usually favour old-school Death Metal, it's probably one of my 'top 10' albums of the genre. After the building tension of the intro track (a movie sample alongside Orff's 'O Fortuna'), the first proper song kicks in - the title track - and suddenly we're faced with energetic, vicious Death Metal, driven by breathtakingly fast snare pummeling.
Glen Benton, Deicide's infamous frontman, performs all the vocals on this album. His characteristic deep growls are unrelenting in their rhythmically precise delivery, and occasionally he also uses his high-pitched screamed style. The lyrics are deliciously Satanic, and although they're not without some rather cheesy moments, they're generally dark enough to suit Benton's equally demonic roar.
At times, the crushing sonic assault gives way to some melodic, majestic lead guitar melodies that manage to be infinitely more soul-stirring than the majority of bands that are labelled (often inaccurately) 'melodic Death Metal' these days. The surprisingly tasteful use of melody will certainly turn a few heads, and I'm sure that even people who usually hate Death Metal would be impressed by the breathtaking break at around the 3:52 mark of 'Entwined by Vengeance' and the 2:10 mark of 'Rush of Deliverance'. This kind of contrast is used in each track on offer here, and it certainly helps to make Dechristianize such a memorable album. Still, make no mistake - this album is still extreme, brutal, and certainly 'proper' Death Metal.
The songs are mostly rather long ('Entwined by Vengeance' is the lengthiest at just over 10 minutes), but to the band's credit, the listener is never bored - perhaps because there's always the promise of an even better section coming up at any moment. It's refreshing to hear music that manages to be epic (in terms of length and also the overall feel of the music) yet also confidently catchy - without seeming contrived. Overall, I think this album is an essential listen for anyone into extreme Metal.
Comments
Comments: 11
Visited by: 182 users
| Xtreme Jax Psycroptipath Posts: 2322 From: Australia  |
I agree 100% with everything you managed to put into this review. Great review!! As you said the track lengths are long... just means more to listen to of this top grade album 
---- Hellcunt Smurf
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7261 From: USA  |
fuck this album is more brutal than hot sauce in your dick hole. Seriously, Dave Suzuki did a damn fine job on the drums, Glen Benton is a beast, and Tony is a very talented guitarists. This is one of my favorite death metal albums.
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| Insineratehymn Account deleted |
Insineratehymn
Account deleted Written by Dangerboner on 04.01.2007 at 02:39 Umm... ouch...  Anyway, I have to agree, thise album is incredible. Normally, I'm not that much of a fan of melodic death metal, but this album proved that melodeath can be brutal to a high extremity. I plan on buying it in the future.
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| Xtreme Jax Psycroptipath Posts: 2322 From: Australia |
Written by Guest on 04.01.2007 at 03:51 @pyroleprechaun: Bwahaha!! hope you dont have experience in that  @Insineratehymn: they were the exact words i was trying to think of, think that Glen had an influence on the sound making it sound brutal to my ears.
---- Hellcunt Smurf
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| Daggon Underpaid M.D. Posts: 1689 From: Mexico  |
This album is a fucking bomb!!! Every song is great. A must for every death metal fan.
---- "Les vers savent qu'ils n'ont pas d'ailes, c'est pour cela qu'ils se cachent sous terre"
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| Kasper Posts: 372 From: Denmark  |
Can't believe that I have gone past this album for so long. A few years ago I stumpled across "Farewell To The Messiah" from the album "Forever Underground", and thought that sounded funny. I then had to check them out. Since then I listened to their albums (all recommendable), and then finally this one.. (Don't know how I missed this one, as I got all their others) .. But this is definitely my favourite Vital Remains album. Really really topnotch album. It's mixed so well with the melodic and brutal parts, it's incredible Every song has something that makes me go into a metal-orgasm kind of state. Fuck'en Great!
---- "An open mind is like a fortress with it's gates unbarred and unguarded"
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| Daniell _爱情_ Posts: 6060 From: Poland  |
I haven't listened to this album for ages, and I've played it just now. Then I found this review to say that it's a monster. Very rarely does death metal sound so good, and so melodic - shame on you melodeath bands, Vital Remains outdid you! As much as I think that Glen Benton is a pathetic clown, he delivers a great vocal performance here.
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| Kuroboshi Posts: 1168 From: Sweden  |
Totally brutal, One of The Best Death Metal Albums, I would say. The one flaw I can find, is probably that it is a bit repetitive. Some songs like Infidel or At War With God just fail to catch my attention.
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| Hugoj33 Posts: 72 From: Argentina  |
Songs are too long and repetitive... but at least they're good.
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| JD Account deleted |
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| Richard Posts: 4862 From: UK  |
Cheers JD, and a belated thanks to others who've commented. It's been several years since I wrote this review, and the album still pretty much stands the test of time.
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