Review by Alex Grindor on July 12, 2021.

The announcement of this split made every Viral Load and Putrid Pile fan get really excited, wondering how could this battle be and (most important) who of them would be the best. Since I don't consider myself a fan of neither Viral Load nor Putrid Pile, I checked this split to see who of them was victorious.

Reached the conclusion that this is a draw (and that Viral Load is no present in this split).

Viral Load:
Okay, first we have Shawn Whitaker, known for his band Insidious Decrepancy, a band that uses extremely fast programmed double drum kicks, fast guitar riffs and gurgle growl vocals. Now, pick up this band, change his name to your other band (Viral Load in this case) and release a split under that name with another one-man band. I mean, seriously, this is not Viral Load, whatever you hear here is not that band, it's Insidious Decrepancy disguised as Viral Load. But still, it's not that bad. Their songs are good, starting from 'Dog Food Lube' (which has an awesome breakdown in the first seconds of the song and probably the most normal drum machine), passing through the extremely fast 'Methlab Machete Massacre' which has the most furious speed and riffing of the tracks in this split, and ending with the cover of 'Cod Piece Face', (Dead Horse) a good cover in my opinion. But (as most bands have a "but" part), I think it would have been better something more Viral Load in this split. The extremely fast speed of the drum machine, along with the guitar riff and vocals make you think you are listening to Insidious Decrepancy instead of Viral Load. Besides that, there's nothing wrong with this side of the split.

Putrid Pile:
Second, we have Putrid Pile, made by a guy also named Shaun (no joke, in case you haven't heard of this bands yet). Putrid Pile differentate from Viral Load in the composition of the songs. While Viral Load uses extremely fast guitars, machine-gun programmed drums and gurgle like growls, Putrid Pile puts more emphasis in the guitars, making them sound brutal and awesome at the same time, using a “softer” drum machine and using deep guttural growls and high screams (sometimes combined) as vocals. If you think that "speed makes brutality", you are wrong. 'The Satisfying Dead' is the proof that Putrid Pile can be brutal without breaking your guitar strings from the speed you are playing. Next track, 'A Fitting End' is a return to most of the brutality that had in his first album Collection Of Butchery, but at the same time mixing it with some melodious and slow parts. Final track 'Lifeless... Not Useless' resemble his previous tracks in this split. Starts fast, the goes slow, then goes fast again, using a double vocal scream in the beginning of this track.

Overall, both bands have better releases than this split. If you're a die-hard fan of both Viral Load and Putrid Pile, I'll suppose you already own this split. If you're not, then hear it for yourself and reach your own conclusion. For me, it has potential, but could have been better.

Highlights:
Viral Load - 'Methlab Machete Massacre'.
Putrid Pile - 'A Fitting End'.

Rating: 7.3 out of 10

Review by Frost on January 3, 2022.

The booting of Skeletonwitch vocalist Chance Garnette back in 2015 was a considerably giant loss to the boys from Ohio. Skeletonwitch had the distinction of having one of the most vocally recognizable men in extreme metal. Chance's icy cold snarls juxtaposing his devilishly low growls were an immediate hit with many people and was one reason among many why the five piece was so deeply respected. I never had got the opportunity to see Chance rip shit up live with the band, but such is life. You don't always get what you want. Granted, I did see them open for Amon Amarth, but it just wasn't the same without him behind the microphone.

Fast forward less than a year later. Skeletonwitch is ready to record new material, but they need a new vocalist. Chance is gone. Enter Adam Clemans, best known for his vocal talents with Veil Of Maya and his other band Wolvhammer. Before looking him up prior to the announcement being made about him being Skeletonwitch's new vocalist, I'd only heard of Veil Of Maya, but not Wolvhammer. So a quick YouTube search for some of their stuff gave me a little preview of what the new vocalist would bring to the table.

Safe to say, I wasn't really all that excited...

Screamed, kinda growl-y vocals that sounded...hardcore? Well, they weren't hardcore, per se, as much as they were like a scream of a man whose esophagus was filled with ash and he was howling at the top of his lungs to clear the extremities from his throat. So blackened hardcore, maybe? I don't know how to classify his vocal style, but it must have worked with Veil Of Maya when he was with them. I'd say his vocal style is better fit for his other band. That kind of style complimented the swampy, suffocating guitars, pummeling drum beats, and dread inducing bass lines Wolvhammer churned forth. At this point, I wasn't really heavily anticipating the new material with Adam donning the cloak with the same readiness as before. After all, Chance definitely had the most recognizable voice out of many vocalists in metal. In short, Clemans had some big shoes to fill.

The result? A mixed EP with solid cuts. Adam Clemans brings his screams packaged from Wolvhammer in a neat little plastic box to the band, but they don't sound anywhere near as frosty as Chance's were. In fact, they don't sound frosty at all. These lungs burn with fire, heat, and dark smoke that chokes. They're threatening, loud, overpowering, and concussive in nature. It's very polarizing when you realize what was, but he does do his job and while he may not be the perfect fit (in fact, I don't think he even comes close to meeting Chance's very high bar), it's certainly enough to enjoy. Some of the best guitar work comes off the track that served at this EP's second track, 'Well Of Despair'. One of the many reasons I fell so deeply in love with Skeletonwitch back in 2012 when I first discovered them were the tight precise guitar play between Nate Garnette and Scott Hedrick. I greatly enjoyed the dual leads being played so skillfully on Forever Abomination. It's some of the best ever, in my opinion. There's not a lot of solo work this time around as there's more of a reliance on fast tremolo picking, but the solos that do pop up have much more an emphasis on melody than on past releases.

The title track, 'The Apothic Gloom', starts off with a slow creepy acoustic passage that builds to a point where it explodes into the louder guitars and the pretty sweet lead. It's not the best start because the song itself is kinda slow and groovy throughout and doesn't really hit a peak, but it picks up pace with 'Well Of Despair'. The next two tracks show the band exposing the blackened underbelly of their sound quite a bit. 'Black Waters' also starts of a little slow, but it builds to a great mid-paced stomp where it ends with a fabulous solo. This EP ends with probably the most epic track I'd say they've ever done. Seven ear-raping minutes with some of the grandest, coldest tremolo picked riffs you'll hear from Scott or Nate. Seriously, this track is unbelievably epic, like nothing I've heard from them before. Hell, the only track that beats this 'Within My Blood'. It starts with furious blasting for almost thirty straight seconds, and as it nears the end and as Clemans shouts into the mic, his volume gradually descends as it gets overpowered by this echoing ascension from the deepest, darkest abyss. The EP closes with a fade out. Nothing else could be quite as fitting as that one moment when they chose to fade into silence.

Overall, The Apothic Gloom is a solid EP. It's pretty cheap and easy to find, so if you're looking for a morsel of what the next full-length record might sound like, give this baby a shot. You won't be sorry. As long as you can tolerate Adam Clemans' scream/growl/whatever the hell it is.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Alex Grindor on July 12, 2021.

The announcement of this split made every Viral Load and Putrid Pile fan get really excited, wondering how could this battle be and (most important) who of them would be the best. Since I don't consider myself a fan of neither Viral Load nor Putrid Pile, I checked this split to see who of them was victorious.

Reached the conclusion that this is a draw (and that Viral Load is no present in this split).

Viral Load:
Okay, first we have Shawn Whitaker, known for his band Insidious Decrepancy, a band that uses extremely fast programmed double drum kicks, fast guitar riffs and gurgle growl vocals. Now, pick up this band, change his name to your other band (Viral Load in this case) and release a split under that name with another one-man band. I mean, seriously, this is not Viral Load, whatever you hear here is not that band, it's Insidious Decrepancy disguised as Viral Load. But still, it's not that bad. Their songs are good, starting from 'Dog Food Lube' (which has an awesome breakdown in the first seconds of the song and probably the most normal drum machine), passing through the extremely fast 'Methlab Machete Massacre' which has the most furious speed and riffing of the tracks in this split, and ending with the cover of 'Cod Piece Face', (Dead Horse) a good cover in my opinion. But (as most bands have a "but" part), I think it would have been better something more Viral Load in this split. The extremely fast speed of the drum machine, along with the guitar riff and vocals make you think you are listening to Insidious Decrepancy instead of Viral Load. Besides that, there's nothing wrong with this side of the split.

Putrid Pile:
Second, we have Putrid Pile, made by a guy also named Shaun (no joke, in case you haven't heard of this bands yet). Putrid Pile differentate from Viral Load in the composition of the songs. While Viral Load uses extremely fast guitars, machine-gun programmed drums and gurgle like growls, Putrid Pile puts more emphasis in the guitars, making them sound brutal and awesome at the same time, using a “softer” drum machine and using deep guttural growls and high screams (sometimes combined) as vocals. If you think that "speed makes brutality", you are wrong. 'The Satisfying Dead' is the proof that Putrid Pile can be brutal without breaking your guitar strings from the speed you are playing. Next track, 'A Fitting End' is a return to most of the brutality that had in his first album Collection Of Butchery, but at the same time mixing it with some melodious and slow parts. Final track 'Lifeless... Not Useless' resemble his previous tracks in this split. Starts fast, the goes slow, then goes fast again, using a double vocal scream in the beginning of this track.

Overall, both bands have better releases than this split. If you're a die-hard fan of both Viral Load and Putrid Pile, I'll suppose you already own this split. If you're not, then hear it for yourself and reach your own conclusion. For me, it has potential, but could have been better.

Highlights:
Viral Load - 'Methlab Machete Massacre'.
Putrid Pile - 'A Fitting End'.

Rating: 7.3 out of 10

Review by Frost on January 3, 2022.

The booting of Skeletonwitch vocalist Chance Garnette back in 2015 was a considerably giant loss to the boys from Ohio. Skeletonwitch had the distinction of having one of the most vocally recognizable men in extreme metal. Chance's icy cold snarls juxtaposing his devilishly low growls were an immediate hit with many people and was one reason among many why the five piece was so deeply respected. I never had got the opportunity to see Chance rip shit up live with the band, but such is life. You don't always get what you want. Granted, I did see them open for Amon Amarth, but it just wasn't the same without him behind the microphone.

Fast forward less than a year later. Skeletonwitch is ready to record new material, but they need a new vocalist. Chance is gone. Enter Adam Clemans, best known for his vocal talents with Veil Of Maya and his other band Wolvhammer. Before looking him up prior to the announcement being made about him being Skeletonwitch's new vocalist, I'd only heard of Veil Of Maya, but not Wolvhammer. So a quick YouTube search for some of their stuff gave me a little preview of what the new vocalist would bring to the table.

Safe to say, I wasn't really all that excited...

Screamed, kinda growl-y vocals that sounded...hardcore? Well, they weren't hardcore, per se, as much as they were like a scream of a man whose esophagus was filled with ash and he was howling at the top of his lungs to clear the extremities from his throat. So blackened hardcore, maybe? I don't know how to classify his vocal style, but it must have worked with Veil Of Maya when he was with them. I'd say his vocal style is better fit for his other band. That kind of style complimented the swampy, suffocating guitars, pummeling drum beats, and dread inducing bass lines Wolvhammer churned forth. At this point, I wasn't really heavily anticipating the new material with Adam donning the cloak with the same readiness as before. After all, Chance definitely had the most recognizable voice out of many vocalists in metal. In short, Clemans had some big shoes to fill.

The result? A mixed EP with solid cuts. Adam Clemans brings his screams packaged from Wolvhammer in a neat little plastic box to the band, but they don't sound anywhere near as frosty as Chance's were. In fact, they don't sound frosty at all. These lungs burn with fire, heat, and dark smoke that chokes. They're threatening, loud, overpowering, and concussive in nature. It's very polarizing when you realize what was, but he does do his job and while he may not be the perfect fit (in fact, I don't think he even comes close to meeting Chance's very high bar), it's certainly enough to enjoy. Some of the best guitar work comes off the track that served at this EP's second track, 'Well Of Despair'. One of the many reasons I fell so deeply in love with Skeletonwitch back in 2012 when I first discovered them were the tight precise guitar play between Nate Garnette and Scott Hedrick. I greatly enjoyed the dual leads being played so skillfully on Forever Abomination. It's some of the best ever, in my opinion. There's not a lot of solo work this time around as there's more of a reliance on fast tremolo picking, but the solos that do pop up have much more an emphasis on melody than on past releases.

The title track, 'The Apothic Gloom', starts off with a slow creepy acoustic passage that builds to a point where it explodes into the louder guitars and the pretty sweet lead. It's not the best start because the song itself is kinda slow and groovy throughout and doesn't really hit a peak, but it picks up pace with 'Well Of Despair'. The next two tracks show the band exposing the blackened underbelly of their sound quite a bit. 'Black Waters' also starts of a little slow, but it builds to a great mid-paced stomp where it ends with a fabulous solo. This EP ends with probably the most epic track I'd say they've ever done. Seven ear-raping minutes with some of the grandest, coldest tremolo picked riffs you'll hear from Scott or Nate. Seriously, this track is unbelievably epic, like nothing I've heard from them before. Hell, the only track that beats this 'Within My Blood'. It starts with furious blasting for almost thirty straight seconds, and as it nears the end and as Clemans shouts into the mic, his volume gradually descends as it gets overpowered by this echoing ascension from the deepest, darkest abyss. The EP closes with a fade out. Nothing else could be quite as fitting as that one moment when they chose to fade into silence.

Overall, The Apothic Gloom is a solid EP. It's pretty cheap and easy to find, so if you're looking for a morsel of what the next full-length record might sound like, give this baby a shot. You won't be sorry. As long as you can tolerate Adam Clemans' scream/growl/whatever the hell it is.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Alex Grindor on July 12, 2021.

The announcement of this split made every Viral Load and Putrid Pile fan get really excited, wondering how could this battle be and (most important) who of them would be the best. Since I don't consider myself a fan of neither Viral Load nor Putrid Pile, I checked this split to see who of them was victorious.

Reached the conclusion that this is a draw (and that Viral Load is no present in this split).

Viral Load:
Okay, first we have Shawn Whitaker, known for his band Insidious Decrepancy, a band that uses extremely fast programmed double drum kicks, fast guitar riffs and gurgle growl vocals. Now, pick up this band, change his name to your other band (Viral Load in this case) and release a split under that name with another one-man band. I mean, seriously, this is not Viral Load, whatever you hear here is not that band, it's Insidious Decrepancy disguised as Viral Load. But still, it's not that bad. Their songs are good, starting from 'Dog Food Lube' (which has an awesome breakdown in the first seconds of the song and probably the most normal drum machine), passing through the extremely fast 'Methlab Machete Massacre' which has the most furious speed and riffing of the tracks in this split, and ending with the cover of 'Cod Piece Face', (Dead Horse) a good cover in my opinion. But (as most bands have a "but" part), I think it would have been better something more Viral Load in this split. The extremely fast speed of the drum machine, along with the guitar riff and vocals make you think you are listening to Insidious Decrepancy instead of Viral Load. Besides that, there's nothing wrong with this side of the split.

Putrid Pile:
Second, we have Putrid Pile, made by a guy also named Shaun (no joke, in case you haven't heard of this bands yet). Putrid Pile differentate from Viral Load in the composition of the songs. While Viral Load uses extremely fast guitars, machine-gun programmed drums and gurgle like growls, Putrid Pile puts more emphasis in the guitars, making them sound brutal and awesome at the same time, using a “softer” drum machine and using deep guttural growls and high screams (sometimes combined) as vocals. If you think that "speed makes brutality", you are wrong. 'The Satisfying Dead' is the proof that Putrid Pile can be brutal without breaking your guitar strings from the speed you are playing. Next track, 'A Fitting End' is a return to most of the brutality that had in his first album Collection Of Butchery, but at the same time mixing it with some melodious and slow parts. Final track 'Lifeless... Not Useless' resemble his previous tracks in this split. Starts fast, the goes slow, then goes fast again, using a double vocal scream in the beginning of this track.

Overall, both bands have better releases than this split. If you're a die-hard fan of both Viral Load and Putrid Pile, I'll suppose you already own this split. If you're not, then hear it for yourself and reach your own conclusion. For me, it has potential, but could have been better.

Highlights:
Viral Load - 'Methlab Machete Massacre'.
Putrid Pile - 'A Fitting End'.

Rating: 7.3 out of 10

Review by Jeger on August 4, 2024.

Glen Benton is a silly man whom everyone has learned over the years to not take seriously. His tongue-in-cheek statements as to being possessed by a demon, that he would commit suicide at the age of 33 to mirror a life opposite of Christ, only to rebut years later; calling his own statement “asinine” and also the old slaughtering rodents just for fun schtick. His early interviews? Gold like Springer… Glen has come under fire continuously from retarded religious groups, Deicide has been banned from venues, protested, and vehemently criticized for their brand of blasphemous (wouldn’t call it Satanic) death metal since the very beginning. People were already fucked up over the gore stuff, now this whole new level of unholy scourge to endure? Lock up your kids! Those were the fucking days… 

The whole beef between the Norwegian black metal scene and Deicide? Some mythical stuff from back in the day. After Glen and his crew and Euronymous (Mayhem) and members of the Norwegian Inner Circle gathered and discussed who the fuck knows, it was stated by Glen that Euronymous who had so unabashedly expressed his distaste for Deicide’s apparent less-than-genuine approach to creating supposed Satanic death metal, was ironically praising Deicide and basically kissing his ass the whole time. Bård “Faust” (Emperor) would later counter Glen’s statement; claiming that there was more of a level of mutual respect between the two than what Benton would prove to be comfortable in admitting. A meeting of two legends? More like two dorks: one sociopathic scumbag and one overgrown irreligious Neanderthal who happened to have recorded an LP in 1992’s Legion that could’ve realistically done the talking for Deicide. Mayhem couldn’t then and still couldn’t for their own lives today play anything like how Deicide played on their ‘92 magnum opus. Possession doesn’t seem so irrational when you hear this thing… 

Hadn’t been done before… Not even “Altars Of Madness” (Morbid Angel) had been of this caliber of ferocity. Nothing technical to it, just unbridled speed and serpentine-like intricacies in riffing, myriads of extremity-laced percussive techniques, and just the impossibly air-tight symphony between guitar and rhythm section; resulting in such a dense jackhammer-like tone to everything. Like repeated and perfectly segmented tack hammer blows to the forehead; skull splintering beats and sharp, chopping progressions in bestial album cuts: 'Satan Spawn, The Caco Daemon' and 'Trifixion' that frappe the senses with speed and precision - a level of compositional prowess and instrumental adeptness to never be again reached by the band. “In the fucking zone” like Billy Hoyle in White Men Can’t Jump (film 1992); throwing up no bricks and taking no Christian prisoners were Deicide. To the fucking hounds with their defiled corpses as we bang our fucking heads to the ferocious 'Behead The Prophet - No Lord Shall Live' - an under-sung deep cut that features the band in equal states of running you through paradiddles at 5000 miles per hour and crunching your cajones with heavy-as-fuck chugs. 

Simply the greatest to have ever done it, the brilliant Scott Burns at Morrisound, the engineer behind the greatest sounding fucking death metal albums ever created, and the sonic tactician behind this Opus Diaboli. How can it sound so impossibly heavy yet so beautifully layered - textured like satin but concussive as a hammer striking an anvil with robotic speed and rhythm. And from which of their testicles did they squeeze such undeniable swagger? The animosity of youth in twine with a healthy and genuine hatred for Christ, a passion for music, and a penchant for tomfoolery… Fucking Deicide, man; an American institution like the Hemi or the Cheesesteak and every bit as beloved. 

To have grown so much as musicians yet to have released such an overly refined LP in the brand new Banished By Sin - the paradox between the inglorious reality of growing old and the diablerie of youth as put so recklessly on display during this half hour’s worth of violent diabolism, in contrast to the new album is something that is of no great mystery. We all get to the point as artists where maturation becomes inevitable and we just want to create the finest product possible. That growth is something that cannot be reversed back into the no-fucks-to-give destruction of caveman-savage creations like Legion… Ears to the underground for that action.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Death8699 on December 1, 2018.

Probably the best Deicide release ever. Legion is captivating with it's energy, with it's evil, with Glen Benton's vocal outbursts, with it's technicality in songwriting and creativity. This is one album that you can never get sick of no matter how many times that you play it. It doesn't fall short on any aspect. The Hoffman brothers shine on the rhythm/lead guitars and Steve is putting forth a solid spot behind the drum set. All musicians put forth their best effort and this album is without errors from any aspects. Simply amazing.

The music is pure death metal oriented with anti-Christian lyrics that fit along with the guitars. Both guitarists constructed some riffs that were truly unbelievably awesome on every aspect. The rhythms are heavy palm muted chords and notes that are hyper fast and technical. They're in standard guitar tuning on this one and it fit perfectly with the music. All songs deserve praise because they're so amazing, technical and demonic. Everything from a death metal oriented release that can't possibly go wrong, Legion tops it all. Some of my favorite tracks are "Trifixion" "Holy Deception" and "Revocate The Agitator". Glen spews forth another demonic effort like their debut, though their debut he sounded possessed. I'd say that the guitars are the best feature to this release. No Deicide album can replicate such songs with originality and precision. They all fit together perfectly and the leads are high quality and fast as all hell. After this album, the band got a bit lazy from a songwriting standpoint. Glen's lyrics feature one of the most Satanic ones that are pretty much like their debut. Better songwriting then their debut though. Legion has everything that is needed from a death metal band. It's mixing, production and sound quality are top notch. You can hear all of the instruments and vocals didn't drown out the music. They pretty much augmented it. There were some backup screams and spoken words on "Trifixion". But for the most part, Glen's vocals are still low, demonic and scream oriented. He's a true lunatic of God's creation.

If you're looking for the proper death metal to pick up that's a sheer classic, Legion is it. Nothing falls short here. No laziness in the songwriting. The musicians put forth their best, most technical and killing music ever heard. If you don't have this release, you're definitely missing out because Legion is Deicide at it's best and most skilled. High quality, fast, furious and evil. This album captures it all. Nothing in Deicide's discography can top this one, not even their craziest debut release. Pick it up ASAP if you haven't already. Get ready for some amazingly Satanic death metal!

Rating: 10 out of 10