For those of you who aren’t already aware The Maestro currently has a new obsession since the beginning of the year: Polish Death Metal band DEIVOS!! My buddy Tito turned me onto them and since the promo arrived their newest album Theodicy (out now, Selfmadegod Records) has been in constant rotation, either in the truck to and from work, in The War Room at A&GS HQ, and/or both. It is six epic-lengthed tracks of brutality. As of this writing my T-shirt/CD bundle I ordered should be in the mail as well, so I am ready to represent these boys whenever possible. I’ve also purchased the other three records so there’s nothing I don’t have at this point.
Why am I so hyped up on this band? Because their brand of Death just does something to me; something primal. Two minutes into first song “Theodicy” I had to fight the urge to bang the neighbor’s wife on the hood of his car, then light it on fire, and THEN bite him on the nose while stealing his dog (maybe I shouldn’t be left unsupervised with this disc…)! Tightly-wound riffs, fluid dual harmonized solos, deep, dark vocals from Hubert, and drum patterns that are to die for, including copious amounts of cowbell, YIS cowbell definitely show that DEIVOS is not playing your mother’s Death Metal. “El Shaddai” is a tad more aggressive than the opener, drummer Wizun letting fly with everything he’s got, and Kamil’s bass sticking with him ‘round every curve. Tomek and Mścisław really go to town solo-wise on this track, too.
My first exposure came in the form of “Ochlocracy”, a tune that over the course of 6:23 had me feebly attempting Death Metal growls along with it because I was just that caught up in it. Pounding, punishing, pummeling, and pulverizing; that’s the only way to describe this track and do it any kind of justice. My heart raced and I could feel my blood sizzling. Actually, it still does every time I get to this number. I fuckin’ love this song and that’s all there is to it! “Mandatory Mayhem” unleashes a complete and total bludgeoning from beginning to end and may be just what the doctor ordered when you’re stuck in traffic. But if someone’s in the crosswalk and you’re flying down the road, well then you’ve got a decision to make, especially during the last 2:44.
The frenetic stops and starts of “Amor Sui” will frustrate just about any air drummers out there, but the pacing of the song is flawless. Everyone truly comes together on it, and it’s the fifth winner in as many tracks. Closing the disc is “Parasite”, a hard-hitting shorter tune that gets in, fucks your shit up, then leaves you in its wake. And once again the solos are absolutely mental. In short, this is a perfect album, one that is already firmly cemented in my Top 10 of 2015, and one that I can see spinning on a daily basis for Gods knows how long. For only the second time this year, The Maestro gives a perfect score. With Theodicy, DEIVOS have earned it in spades!
STANDOUT TRACKS: ALL OF THEM
RATING: 10/10
