Review: DEICIDE – Banished by Sin

Year: 2024
Label: Reigning Phoenix Music
Rating: 7,4 / 10

In 2018, DEICIDE made a big mistake by inviting MONSTROSITY guitarist Mark English, who stuffed his sugary style into material that wasn't really hot. Considering that the 2013 album also had certain elements of stagnation, I gave up hope that one of the most important Death Metal bands for me personally would return to the former level.

No miracle happened, but over the past 6 years, DEICIDE made a big step forward. In fact, it happened thanks to a single decision: to replace infantile English with a relatively young guitarist of Swedish origin, Taylor Nordberg. Taylor is a hyperactive guy, a participant in many projects (among them INHUMAN CONDITION and RIBSPREADER are more or less well-known), a multi-instrumentalist and even something of a sound engineer. According to interviews with Glen and Steve, he immediately infected DEICIDE with his energy, and it really feels like it. "Banished by Sin" sounds really lively and inspired. Almost for the first time in the history of DEICIDE, the whole band created songs: even Glen wrote a couple of tracks, which he hadn't done, perhaps, since the days of "Legion". Taylor took an active part in all the processes, even helping Glen write the lyrics.

"Legion" is mentioned in every announcement of new material from DEICIDE as a reference point, but over the years I've only heard some distant echoes of this legendary album. However, "Banished by Sin" is indeed the closest DEICIDE album to ”Legion", at least in post-Hoffmans era. It should be noted that Nordberg was primarily invited to play tours dedicated to the 30th anniversary of "Legion", and then everything turned out in the best way. Unfortunately, "Banished by Sin" doesn't have that devilish frenzy, but the rhythmic constructions (especially in Nordberg's songs) very authentically reproduce the old DEICIDE style. The track "Ritual Defied", for example, repeats ”Bastard of Christ" in many ways. There are also very good solos on the album, and they are always appropriate.

The weak side of ”Banished by Sin" is, in fact, band's veterans. Glen, even with all the additional vocal tracks, sounds kind of indifferent, and Steve plays too slowly. Because of this, there are only 2 or 3 fast tracks on the album, the rest is done in a tedious medium tempo. Blast beats in terms of power, speed and intensity are nowhere near, say, "The Stench of Redemption".

The new album is perhaps the maximum that modern DEICIDE is capable of. It is a bright, vibrant piece, but at the same time quite monotonous and low-dynamic. To feel it, listen to "Angels of Hell“ from the album ”To Hell With God". Or even to "Beyond Salvation” from the album "In The Minds Of Evil". The sound is more or less the same, but you won't find anything like these songs on ”Banished by Sin". This album is a high quality product of creativity - yeah, this is the definition.

The album cover has already caused a stir on the Internet. I definitely join the critics here. The idea of reproducing the cover of the debut album is not bad, but the AI execution looks like someone took a shit and then pissed it across to give it some shape. Well, all AI "art" looks more or less like this. As for the internal content of the booklet, everything is made according to industry standards: lyrics to all songs and the band's photo in the middle. Details on a video.