DELIVERANCE - HEAR WHAT I SAY!

 Deliverance has created a long legacy of world class metal music.  Many will choose to remember only their second release Weapons of Our Warfare as the bands musical highpoint. While Weapons is worthy of being remembered and honored to call it their sole watermark would be to do their entire catalog an injustice.

The depth and variety of material Jimmy P Brown and company have amassed over the years is quite amazing. That doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone who was a fan had to enjoy or love every release but at least it had to be recognized that there was genius to their musical madness.  Not to be boxed in or typecast as just a speed metal outfit, JPB often would make the distinction that Deliverance were SPEED METAL not a THRASH BAND. 

The variety of heavy styles from albums such as River Disturbance or Stay of Execution and Assimilation is quite extraordinary.  Not many artists have built up such a following while branching out into other styles of metal.  When their fourth album Stay of Execution was released I was profoundly puzzled at the time, “What the blazes is this???”  I considered myself a die hard fan but from that point I was lost.  2009 I had the opportunity to revisit (why so long? That is another story for another time!)  I revisited a lot of the missed catalog and found gem after gem, my favorite being River Disturbance.  Point being life changes and what moves us and reaches deep into our soul musically does as well.

So with that being said let’s focus on their recent albeit final release entitled Hear What I Say!  If indeed this is the final Deliverance album than it’s an exceptional way to say goodbye to the loyal fan base.  Is it heavy? Yes just as heavy as any of the previously mentioned albums without reservation.

Annals of Subterfuge pays complete homage the big D’s true speed metal period and an homage it is!! The drumming is some of the finest along a brilliant melody and riff package that just crushes ones senses into pulp. Speed metal at its finest!!  Angst delivers a strong Testament’esque feel with a fabulous groove until a brilliant side step break hits and I can see the windmills and headbangers going berserk!!

Hope Lies Beyond is an epic song that soars above the clouds with a memorable melody.  The lead guitar work of Mike Phillips is wonderful.  This track is a mood piece that relishes in its dynamics and Jimmy pours out his heart. However I found that the following song being the albums musical apex, Detox is a butt kicking track that thrives on its own violence.  The riff is sheer 90’s brilliance and as it devolves into a Marilyn Manson or Rammstein like romp that digs into your brain and will have you hitting replay for YEARS to come! 

Nude starts with some excellent rhythmic percussion from Jayson Sherlock and drives this sledgehammer full speed ahead.  No it’s not a speed metal song, but the force of this composition with its multi layered arrangements (straight out of River or Camelot) is pure 70’s worship.  Passing delves into a full tilt metal song that would’ve been comfortable on their previous release As Above So Below or even Stay of Execution.

A Perfect Sky is a pure acoustic track that maintains the feel and passion of every album released before (except perhaps Assimilation).  A pseudo old school Queensryche feel emanates as a point of reference but this track is pure Deliverance.  Thank you JPB II.

Where Eagles Dare is a cover of the 1983 track from Iron Maiden’s Piece of Mind and a great cover it is. The musicianship is superb and is a perfect tribute to perhaps the most influential heavy metal band of all time.  The lyrics are based on the thriller staring Clint Eastwood and Richard Burton.  One of my favorite Maiden tracks ever and this version is exceptional.  Brutal guitars and head smashing drums that should make Maiden proud.

I really found that the production elements are very strong, the guitar tones are brutal and the drums sound fabulous. The vocals are processed but the effect works perfectly. Jimmy’s vocal is still strong and is not hampered by this processing. 

As a quick aside if anyone complains that this album isn’t “heavy enough for them” please just take your pouty lip and go home!! Certainly everyone is entitled to their opinion but not to point of ad nauseum. Not every old school D track was a barn burner, even many of their heavier songs were mid tempo (Slay The Wicked or 23 come immediately to mind).  This album reeks of world class songwriting.  Not simply a rehash of what came before but a culmination of a career without parody. 

Hear What I Say! Is one of the best albums released this year.  Fans of heavy metal will want to grab this one.  Leather jackets aren’t optional and neither is the heartfelt appreciation that this writer has for Deliverance and their willingness to allow us on their journey through life. Roxx Records has a monster on its hands! This album is nearly a 10……  9.5 axes……

9.5 axes  (9 axes posted... i don't know how to put a 1/2 guitar!)

  

DELIVERANCE - WHAT A JOKE

Intense Millennium has brought another long out of print metal classic back to the forefront. The mighty Deliverance and their third album entitled What a Joke is the album of the moment.

For many Big D fans this album seems to get the short shrift. A mish mash of short comedic type songs i.e. ‘Happy Star,’ ‘Cheeseburger Maker Du’ (a short riff that goes back to 1987) and several standard full on speed metal tunes i.e. Prophet of Idiocy, What a Joke, J.I.G. and Pseudo Intellectual.

A re-worked version of Attack appears as does a rather heavy version of Silent Night. However it would be a crime not to mention their cover of Black Sabbath’s After Forever. That blew a lot of people’s minds back in the day and I’m sure it will again.

This re-release has also been remastered. There are some things that have definitely been improved with this reissue. The sound of the drums have benefited as have the guitars. However I’ve found that the shelf of frequencies above 8-10k seem to have been brought down so low that I have to manually adjust my stereo to bring much of the high end back.

The sound is a bit fuller with improved low end response, but it seems that the dynamics of the high end were sacrificed. I just wonder if some type of happy medium could’ve been achieved.

A solid bonus track entitled Strings of Sorrow is also included. This track harkens to what would come on their next release Stay of Execution. No information is included as to where this track came from or when it was recorded.

This particular edition also includes a limited edition album cover. Apparently some big broo ha ha has erupted over it and has led Intense Millennium to state that the original cover will appear on later releases of this album.

For those of you who have been wanting to pick this one up here’s your chance. Jesus Is God!!!


7 axes

TEMPORARY INSANITY A SALUTE TO DELIVERANCE

Temporary Insanity a salute to Deliverance is the latest release from Roxx Records. This particular album is, as the title suggests, a tribute release to the legendary metal act Deliverance. Produced in association with the Christian Metal Realm, Bill Bafford and Arttie Parker have brought together an assemblage of talent this is not often seen.

This particular release features such artists as Oil, Coriolis, Grave Robber, Grave Forsaken, The Sacrificed, Faith Factor, Stricken, Krig, Leper, Fasedown, Applehead, Ultimatum, Glenn Rogers, Roy Z, Josh Kramer and many more. All of the bands represented are participants in the online forum, The Christian Metal Realm. Each group was allowed to choose a song that meant something to them. Temporary Insanity has 27 such songs of inspiration.

The tracks come from throughout Jimmy Brown’s catalog of Deliverance material. No Time, Weapons of Our Warfare, Awake, Belltown, The Call, Words to the, River Disturbance, Learn is just some of the songs that are covered here. Stirring renditions all, powerful guitar driven, drum pounding versions that’ll please just about any metal head.

Jimmy Brown and Company has even given us three new recordings. Two of the new recordings are of older songs Flesh and Blood and In U; both songs have a new sheen and are worth their weight. The third recording is of an unreleased song entitled Hunger and Thirst. Hunger is a straight ahead metal tune along the lines of what was on their last studio album As Above So Below.

Some of the immediate stand out performances include, Krigs full death version of Weapons of Our Warfare, Grave Robbers swing version of Awake, Coriolis gave a stunning industrial version of What a Joke. Grave Forsaken showed why they’re a force to be reckoned with playing Bought by Blood. Strickens version of No Time and the combination of Fasedown and Ultimatum gave us screaming rendition of What a Joke. Not every performance is note worthy, but for one or two suspect tracks that leaves what??? 27-28 tracks which just shine like the sun.

The production at times is a little uneven due to the fact the tracks were recorded in various studios across the globe. Yet that doesn’t really deter the enjoyment of this disc at all, in a strange way it adds to community vibe. A nicely produced booklet is included with liner notes not just from Jimmy Brown, but members past and present as well as reminiscences by fellow musicians. An extremely classy insert that again just adds to quality of the project.

Jimmy Brown I’m sure had no idea 25 years ago that the art he would create would develop into a legacy that few artists can claim to have. Those who have been inspired by it are still coming out of the woodwork and those who’ve enjoyed his work through the years are proud to say that they’re old timers.

The first time I saw Deliverance was at the first H.I.S. Festival in Riverside California, June 1987. Glenn Rogers had just left the fold and Larry Farkas filled in that day on the lead guitar. It was 105 degrees outside this old movie theater where the show took place. I was there as part of the Soldier road crew, but also as a writer for White Throne. Hearing No Time was a treat then as it is now.

This collection is a fine tribute, even with the odd duplication of tracks. Artists both old and new who participated should hold their heads and chops high. Deliverance has earned its place in music history, or Divine Providence has placed them in a place of influence that shows no sign of waning anytime soon. Blessings to ya Jimmy.

8 axes