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ADP053 DECEASED - Surreal Overdose Limited Slipcase Edition CD
国籍:美国
风格:老式死亡金属(Old School Death Metal)
预计发行日期:2012年1月
唱片简介:DECEASED(亡故) - 死亡金属歌迷对这个名字已经不陌生。从1985年开始,超过25年的坚定态度和每一张专辑的高品质,奠定了DECEASED 乐队在死亡金属领域的地位和庞大的歌迷群体。很荣幸 ADP 在三年前发行合辑 “Worship The Coffin”(棺木崇拜)之后,能够再度签下 DECEASED 合约,推出他们的最新专辑《Surreal Overdose》(超自然致幻剂)的 ADP 特别版。
这张唱片的品质毋庸置疑,是多家大型金属网站和无数歌迷评出的 “2011年度十大死亡金属专辑”。在这张专辑中,DECEASED 依然保持了自己的一贯特色 - 传统式金属的和声和旋律结合在死亡金属中。经验老到的激流金属技法,和荡气回肠的老式死亡金属节奏,每一段 Riff 都经过了仔细的斟酌,每一句歌词都经过反复修改... 历时六年,打造出这样一张从歌词到编写,从演奏到制作都非常严谨的老式死亡金属唱片。让这张专辑足矣和之前任何一张DECEASED经典专辑媲美,同时也是2011年的亮点之作。
和已经问世的美版不同,ADP特别版本特别增加了由 King Fowley 本人亲自撰写“专辑背后的故事”。详细叙述了6年筹备工作中的每一个细节,如何创作、录制的完整过程以及专辑每首歌曲的创意。中英文插页包括所有歌词以及内容介绍,附带超大60X55厘米海报。我们还特地邀请了国内著名的设计师王家斌(曾经参与ADP唱片GERM BOMB;《极端音乐》和《Total Thrash》杂志封面设计)设计绘制了特别版本的卡套封面,他的精彩作品又给这张专辑本就精彩的设计又增色不少。限量发行1000张,每一张手写编号。
请留意 www.xmusick.com 网站更新
DECEASED is the most important death metal band on history, together now well over twenty five years, summoning a slew of cult releases and building up an immensely dedicated fanbase that has followed the band merrily into hell and back. King Fowley and crew have never released anything irksome or unacceptable. One of the best death metal album from 2011 "Surreal Overdose" released limited deluxe edition by ADP now.
There are so many great melodies and harmonies on this album, it's almost ridiculous. You add catchy riffs, great vocals and fantastic structuring and that's a formula for brilliance. Each song here tends to stand out on it's own, with some songs being more straightforward death/thrash, while others encompass some progressive elements. King Fowley return to the drum kit for this recording, handling both drums and vocals. The band will welcome in longtime live member Shane Fuegel on guitar, while Mike Smith continues on studio guitar alongside longtime bassist Les Snyder. The new record recorded at Assembly Line Studios in Virginia with Kevin Gutierrez engineering and King Fowley producing.
来自各大权威网站的碟评
www.metal-archvies.c
Deceased - Surreal Overdose - 92%
NextLast
Let me just start this review by saying, I have never heard any of Deceased's previous material. I spend a fair amount of time in metal forums, and that is where I learn about a lot of bands and music in general, but Deceased's name was never one that I heard. But just this past month I heard quite a bit of buzz about this album, Surreal Overdose, so I headed on over to Youtube to see what all of the fuss was about. The couple of tracks that I heard were great and had me sold. Surreal Overdose and Deceased as a whole became my top priority as far as looking for new music goes and I couldn't be happier.
This is far from your typical death/thrash album to say the least. Sure, most of the riffs may meet the criteria of the genre, but there is so much more to the songs. There are so many great melodies and harmonies on this album, it's almost ridiculous. You add catchy riffs, great vocals and fantastic structuring and that's a formula for brilliance. Each song here tends to stand out on it's own, with some songs being more straightforward death/thrash, while others encompass some progressive elements. The song "Off-Kilter" is a perfect example of one of the more basic songs but it's still a raging tune, while the song "Skin Crawling Progress" takes all kinds of twists and turns throughout it's near 7 minutes of life.
As I said before, every track tends to separate itself from the others, but they also seem to take the listener for a little ride. The songs don't follow your typical patterns of verse, bridge, chorus, break, and repeat, but instead contain several different riffs and melodies. The best part about all of these different parts of the song though, is the fact that Deceased holds your attention the whole time. A lot of bands try to fit in as many riffs or solos into a song to try and sound more unique, but they tend to seem like one huge forced clusterfuck and leave the listener hanging. Deceased doesn't do that but instead leaves you wondering... what's coming next?
Besides the amazing guitar work, everything on this album is above average whether it's the aggressive, yet clean and understandable vocals that command the music or the intense drumming that keeps Deceased running at full throttle. There are no complaints that can be made about this album for me and I find it difficult to pick a best track but I'd say the two best tracks are "Skin Crawling Progress" and "Cloned (Day of the Robot)."
For those of you who haven't had the pleasure of listening to this beast of an album, you had better hurry up and get it, because as of right now, I'm going on record as saying this is the album of the year thus far.
By Lister_Fiend
---
www.Thrashpit.com
An Overdose of Excellence - 95%
Deceased has a special place in their extreme metal habitat for one important reason: King Fowley and crew have never released anything irksome or unacceptable. Their following has been small, but there is not one metal band worthy of more respect and dignity than Deceased. Case closed. As usual, the American horror squad sends chimes of gloom and doom throughout "Surreal Overdose," which is only surreal in its substantial value. The musical frontier is far from illusory, as Deceased once again restarts the prototypical thrashy death metal that has defined this classic band's legendary efforts. Loaded with hooks and colossal riffing, "Surreal Overdose" sends a stern message to all the pseudo-death metal bands trying to be something they clearly aren't: you better leave the throne room immediately, because the King and crew still rule this horrific kingdom.
Deceased shocks the death/thrash metal blueprint with clear overdubs of traditional metal completely back to life, making it look like they never took a prolonged pause between "Surreal Overdose" and the amazing "As The Weird Travel on," another keeper. Everything from the twisted "Skin-Crawling Progress" to the dueling melodies throughout "Cloned" shows amazing song writing abilities; each track gushes with a plethora of fantastic, ravage riffs, Fowley's grinding yelps, energetic percussion and solos that crack like a million whips. Fowley sounds better than ever, as his trademark vocals diligently erode through the metallic malevolence excellently. The production, although incredibly rich and vivid, will not make longtime fans recoil in horror; the instruments are balanced dynamically below Fowley's primitive wails and it makes for a wonderful sound overall.
Being completely serious, we need to find the gentlemen of Deceased and arrest them, because I'm pretty sure they have too many awesome riffs here. Each and every riff exhales the odor of ripping trashiness, yet given a swell shade of old-school heavy metal just for good measure. Even better, not one song lacks an arsenal of these amazing cuts, making for a monumental listening experience. Plus, there are more incredible guitar solos than Yngwie Malmsteen on speed; just another reason to love this fantastic band and their violent music. Don't bother finding a favorite song, because you'll love them all; some are catchy, others frenzied and ravenous, but "Surreal Overdose" keeps the theme of consistent, butchering metal at the forefront, no matter what direction Deceased travels on.
Leave it to Deceased to come back and totally annihilate the competition with such a shocking, thunderous, bloodcurdling display of authentic, bone-chipping metal. "Surreal Overdose" is an absolute juggernaut of a release. No jokes, no gimmicks, no frills, no trends. Needless to say, Deceased is proudly at the top of the hill here; they remain real and totally loyal to primitive death metal, but instrumentally at a new peak of brilliance and savageness. In fact, you may need to set up a rehab stint after experiencing this intoxicating collection of poisonous furiousness. Overall, "Surreal Overdose" is the kind of album that will make you love metal again.
by GuntherTheUndying
ADP053 DECEASED - Surreal Overdose 即将发行
2012-01-11 16:55:37
来自: xmusick(Metalfan / 饭)
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com
Feed them horror! - 93%
Deceased are one of those rare bands which never seems to release anything even hinging on a bad album, at least when it comes to their full length studio fare. The most obvious reason is that King Fowley and his cadre of metallurgical historians have their minds and fingers upon the pulse of good taste, the lure of nostalgia and yet no crass committal or constraint to merely sounding 'old school'. Then there's also the fact they've been developing their instrumental chops for decades, and know how to right a damned good conceptual song, whether campy or genuinely intriguing. Surreal Overdose might only be the band's sixth proper studio album in over 25 years, but you'd be surprised at just how much it brings to the table: Everything.
Nothing is off the table here if it can contribute to a good song. From the band's traditional death thrashing aggression to the liberal dosage of traditional heavy/speed metal cast both in the core rhythms, dual melodies, to the time and effort placed into the lyrics, to Fowley's distinct vocals, both dour and emotional in each captured phrase. Deceased represents the very best of what any modern (or surviving) metal entity can achieve: quality compositional ability that manages to pay a wonderful compliment to all of its influences, but at the same time sounds incredibly fresh and important, as if it had just stepped off the pain train to convey your suffering. Cash on delivery. Those who are fond of the band's past works Supernatural Addiction (2000) and Fearless Undead Machines (1997) are in for a particular treat, because Surreal Overdose is every bit as memorable, if not more so.
Each track distinguishes itself very well from the next, with only modest similarities in the vocals or the volatile pacing. There are a good number of full on, raging relics like "Skin Crawling Progress" which draws upon everything from Voivod to Venom; or the uplifting intro to "The Traumatic" which quickly devolves into a paranoid instilling hostility (dig the belligerent drumming passages that cut through the volleyed verses); or the scathing, morbid thrash that heralds "In the Laboratory of Joyous Gloom". But they are also some strategic breaks in the action, if no less hair raising, like the clinical spikes of titillating melody that inaugurates the track "Cloned (Day of the Robot)" or the subtle, haunted texture of the guitars in the instrumental "A Doom-Laden Aura" which sets up the finale, "Dying in Analog" (what a title there). With the exception of that instrumental, there isn't a single cut here void of at least 4-5 breathtaking, exciting riffs, and even the leads flow with electrical enthusiasm.
What's more, Surreal Overdose possess what must be the best production of any Deceased full-length to date: the guitars even more brazen than Supernatural Addiction, the rhythmic balance meticulous, the vocals hovering at just the proper level beyond the asylum window. It blows the previous disc As the Weird Travel On clear out of the airlock, in both quality and the actual sound. A love letter to the psychological breakdown of all humanity. In summation...what a rush! You don't get an album from these Virginians very often, so when you do, it's almost always guaranteed to keep you occupied for many listens. Surreal Overdose is no exception, and in fact, and I'll go so far as to say it's the best thing the band has ever stamped their logo upon. These are men who love metal. METAL. It's not a hoax. It's not a joke. It's not a laughingstock for suits and hipsters and 'cultured' fuckheads. If you can say the same for yourself, then you're about to become one album richer.
by autothrall
http://www.metal-observer.com/articles.php?lid=1&sid=1&id=18030
Deceased - Surreal Overdose (8/10) - USA - 2011
Genre: Death Metal / Thrash Metal
Playing time: 43:50
I am a firm advocate of death and re-birth in music. Let's adopt a Soylent Green approach to all bands, you've got 15 years to make whatever racket you want and then you're Marmite for my toast. Let's face it, most bands are ready for the knackers yard after a decade and a half, so who would complain? Trust a band like DECEASED to piss on the petunias of that argument.
揝urreal Overdose� is like one of those Norris/Seagal types. If you're young, daft and raging with testosterone you think you can handle the mature gentleman minding his own business, when in fact at the first sign of you flinging your snot, you'll be making a note in your diary to meet up a week next Tuesday with the head that's just been knocked off your shoulders. Yes folks, despite some of DECEASED being old enough that they may have shagged your Granny, this band can still rain bricks on your parade.
I'm a little nervous when listening to bands that have been knocking around since I was a lad, (No, I don't mean Gerry and the Pacemakers, you cheeky twats,) so it is a pleasure to report that this album storms in like a Summer gale from the start and howls on through until the end. What's more this mix of Death and Thrash will have head thinking that you've got a spring for a neck. In fact the only way you could grin more whilst listening to this album is to get between two over-enthusiastic fishermen who don't seem to care that they've landed a hook in each side of your mouth. Along with the aforementioned genres, DECEASED give a nod to other reference points, so there's a hint of Hardcore and volley of VENOM amongst the bloodied noses and cauliflower ears.
DECEASED continue to develop their sound, not by any great degree but here they are slicker than an acned teenager's face. The band chop and slice through these tracks, which have the benefit of experience and the vigour of a second youth, the energy is channelled and focussed rather than flying off at tangents. The riffs are queuing up like the jobless in the Depression, just waiting for their chance to shine whilst a succession of blazing lead runs set fire underfoot, there's a lot going on here, at times it'll send your ears boss-eyed. Whilst 揝urreal Overdose� sits in the extreme, no one could deny its accessibility, these songs drag you along without resistance, they're like your mates on a pub crawl.
Progress is definitely on the frantic side but there are plenty of slower sections interspersing the rush and thankfully they don't result in breakdowns, even when DECEASED lay down chunks, there's a lightness to their sound that results from hefty dollops of sprightly melody. If you're not on board yet, then surely the fact that all of these songs invite you to holler along will have you signing up, (just bring your air guitar with you.) Whilst I'm not one for verse/chorus compositions, I'd have to be a right miserable fucker not to join in with much on this album. The vocals are more Thrash than Death and so the lyrics are easily discernible and that adds to the inclusiveness of 揝urreal Overdose.�
If you are left cold by racing riffs, lightning lead, barrage bass and dynamic drums, then the door's over there. For the rest of you, DECEASED ably demonstrate that there's many a new trick in this old dog, there's no denying they show the young pups how it's done.
By Mac (Online June 13, 2011)
http://www.globaldomination.se/reviews/deceased-surreal-overdose
Deceased: Surreal overdose
08/09/11 || gk
Deceased has been around now for more than 25 years and “Surreal Overdose” is the band’s 6th full length. In all that time King Fowley and his band of merry men have maintained a consistency that is startling. There isn’t a single mediocre release in their discography and “Surreal Overdose” is in fact the bands best effort in a while.
Deceased play a furious brand of thrash metal with Fowley’s vocals being gruff and semi growled but always clear enough to decipher the lyrics. As the album opens with “Skin Crawling Progress” its apparent that the band has picked up a few new tricks in the 6 years between this and their last full length, 2005’s “As The Weird Travel On.” The song rages out the speakers in true Deceased style with some manic riffing and its almost like the band is losing control of the tempo till they hit a superb melodic riff halfway through that just left me grinning. The story is the same right through this album.
Every song here has at least 3 absolutely killer riffs on it and the band manage to incorporate seamless changes in riffs and tempo while always making sure the song as a whole is cohesive and makes sense. Stand out tracks include “Kindred Assembly” with its speed metal riffing and absolute control of tempo changes, “The Traumatic” which sounds like early Voivod going head to head with Razor, “Cloned (Day of the Robot)” which is propelled by Fowley’s drumming and more razor sharp riffing coupled with a superb vocal performance from Fowley, “In the Laboratory of Joyous Gloom” is a raging thrasher with excellent performances from guitarists Mike Smith and Shane Fuegel and album closer “Dying in Analog” is the album’s epic and plays like a hyper speed homage to the N.W.O.B.H.M.
The core of the band, Fowley on vocals and drums, Les Snyder on bass and guitarist Mike Smith have been together since 1993 and it shows in the music. The band employs a huge number of riffs and change-ups through each song and its done seamlessly without the slightest hint of awkwardness. The band has over time found its own unique style mixing 80’s metal from Iron Maiden to Voivod and Razor to craft a sound that is truly their own. It’s not quite thrash or death metal but it is completely heavy fucking metal the way it should be. There isn’t a single bad song here and Deceased are in top form right through “Surreal Overdose.”
If you’ve never heard Deceased before then you might be in for a surprise. Each song is crammed with killer riffs and change ups and the album requires a few listens to fully comprehend. Fowley writes pages and pages of lyrics and then fits them all into songs that average around the 6 minute mark with his vocals often half spoken and half growled rapid fire over the riffs that are always high velocity.
This is Deceased like they always are. Surreal Overdose doesn’t have the filler material that plagued “As The Weird Travel On” and it is the bands most consistent release since “Fearless Undead Machines” but chances are they will still struggle on in relative obscurity catering to the faithful few and facing indifference from the majority.
http://www.globaldomination.se/reviews/deceased-surreal-overdose
Deceased – Surreal Overdose
by Steel Druhm
Here’s one that not only got past me but completely flew under my radar, leaving me unaware of its release for over a month (stealth release under the cover of darkness brought to you by PATAC Records) . If I wasn’t already a fan of Deceased I would shrug it off, but since I am, I feel shame, rage, regret and finally, acceptance (of the rage and regret). Deceased have been around a long time and their fusion of death, thrash and classic metal was a big part of my 90′s listening rotation (if you never heard their classic Fearless Undead Machines release, you missed out bigtime). Their last full length was way back in 2005 and I although I clearly missed the secret memo they had a new one ready to go, Surreal Overdose is worth the long wait and its a real winner. Bringing back their berserk, ravenous thrash style, things get crazy quicker than you can say “Gwar mates with Lady Gaga in her giant egg chamber” (which I would pay to see BTW). Songs like “Skin Crawling Process” are raging thrash anthems with a touch of old school death and traditional heavy metal woven in. There are Slayeresque riffs, whammy bar molestation and King Fowley’s unmistakable raspy shouts. “Kindred Assembly” has blast beats and nonstop, throat gnawing aggression that’s bound to get the blood all angered up. ”Cloned (Day of the Robot)” has trilling, melodic leads and memorable riffing throughout, sometimes sounding like Iron Maiden, sometimes like Slayer. Every track here blazes away with an insane, manic intensity that will remind older metal fans of how the early thrash albums sounded and felt.
That brings me to the key point about why this is worth checking out. Surreal Overdose is one of the most “metal” albums I’ve heard in a long, long time. Its like a case study on what makes metal fun and so damn enjoyable. Its so rabidly over-the-top it’s practically foaming at the mouth and the riffs, drumming and vocals all scream EXCESS! With all the inspired lunacy, its also a very technical record with a mother-ship full of great metal/thrash riffs. While Fowley’s blathering vocal approach can be an acquired taste, this is so unhinged musically, its fun regardless of your personal take on his antics. Imagine the violence of the new Hate Eternal album filtered through a prism of 80′s thrash and classic metal and you have an idea what this will sound like. If any album commanded you to up the horns in 2011, this is it. Get it, absorb it, hail it, then go track down Fearless Undead Machines.
http://metalreview.com/reviews/6224/deceased-surreal-overdose
Album Review Score 9/10
Written by Michael
"Mother?…What's wrong with me?"
Surreal Overdose doesn't flash much of anything we haven't heard a thousand times before, particularly if you count yourself a long-time fan of Deceased. But what sets this band on an entirely different plane from the rest of their peers is the fact that they do everything that comprises the "it" a hundred times better. So while the thought of hearing yet another sample of poor little Regan might prompt a number of you to reach for the 'cliché flag', Deceased manages to use it perfectly by tacking it to the tail-end of a face-peeling ode to a deranged Mother who spends her days birthing an endless chain of bedevilled babies. And really, that's Deceased in a nutshell: deranged, born in a cellar and with an unquenchable thirst for revulsion…FOR OVER 25 YEARS.
Spending that much time in the kettle might lead some to believe that the Deceased of 2011 might be a few shades softer compared to the miscreants who first plopped to the floor back in 1985. To you I say: Take a long pull off that 3:02 mark in "Cloned (Day of the Robot)"; are you kidding me with that fluttering blitz? That drill to the ear? That Rrröööaaarrr!!! Masterfully done, particularly when the pot is further sweetened with such a savory dose of melodic guitar work. It's precisely this sort of tune that makes it abundantly clear that this lot has never really fallen off their game for a moment.
And to follow that little slice of hell with something as teutonically thrashing as "Off-Kilter" that wraps the ancient Sodom/Protector/Kreator/Living Death influence so smoothly around the fist that's about to pulverize your teeth--well, it's almost unfair to all these young bands waffling about in the thrash genre trying to figure out how to properly get things done.
Really, I think you'd have to travel back pretty far to find another thrash album that manages to gather so much of the greatness of heavy metal over the past quarter-century and deliver it as succinctly as Surreal Overdose. This record is horrific, serious, tongue-in-cheek, thrashy, deathy, savage, fiercely melodic, filthy, pretty and päckëd tö thë blöödy räftërs with ümläütëd äggrëssivënëss. And it closes things out with one of the finest thrash tunes these ears have heard in years with "Dying in Analog," putting an explicit and inarguable period on the end of one of 2011's shoe-ins for my top ten list.
If you've somehow managed to ignore this band over this lengthy stretch of time for any number of ludicrous reasons (it shames me to admit that I once did), I'd recommend that you stop burning your cash on bullshit caramel frappes and cell-phone bills and give Surreal Overdose your immediate attention. Just a fantastic album.
http://www.examiner.com/
Best of 2011: Deceased - Surreal Overdose
You know that comic strip that floats around the internet, where a man asks a magic butterfly to bring back 1980s speed metal? Deceased listened. They dropped the death vocals in favor of a Harden Harrison style hoarse shout, and brought back both the 1980s riffs and the melodic centerpieces that made stadium heavy metal great. This album is even faster than the original bands but loses none of the listenability or power.
http://mouthforwar.net/deceased-surreal-overdose/
Deceased Surreal Overdose 4.5/5
August 30, 2011
It’s been six long years since we’ve heard from Virginia’s DECEASED — six long years without the band’s blend of thrash/death and horror movie fueled lyrics. While Surreal Overdose is being billed as a come-back album, the only real come-back as it relates to the album is the return of King Fowley to the drum kit for the first time since being diagnosed with a blood clot. Regardless of the band’s length of hiatus, their latest studio album is full to the bloody rim with ferocious thrashing death metal that is peppered with some seriously catchy melodies that defy the genre that this cult band have carved out for themselves.
“Skin Crawling Progress” is an absolutely behemoth of an opening track, as it explodes out of the speakers with aggressive, pile-driving drums, hellish screams, Fowley’s gruff barks and galloping riffs. Holy shit, this is one hell of a song to re-introduce yourself to fans old and new. Even at nearly seven minutes in length, the track flies by like watching a multiple-car pile up on the interstate as you speed toward it unable to get to that brake pedal quick enough. “Kindred Assembly” keeps the momentum flowing with a more traditional, though slightly blackened, thrashing monstrosity. The drums rarely let up from the pummeling as the guitars drive your skull into the ground with chugging riffs and catchy hooks. Man, there are some sick leads throughout those first two tracks.
The guys slow things down just a touch with the mid-tempo “The Traumatic,” and it’s catchy as hell guitar work. The song breathes a good deal more than the first two songs even as DECEASED ratchet up the pace with Fowley’s delivery. The injection of melodies into the band’s brand of death/thrash is a nice change of pace and really opens up their sound wonderfully. After the nearly six minute “The Traumatic,” the guys really let loose with a ripper of a song that is accompanied by eerie guitars and galloping drums. The horror/sci-fi themed “Cloned” is delivered for a majority of it’s length with a mid-pace rhythm as a memorable (and sing-along) chorus punctuates the track. This song has that instant classic vibe to it, especially just after the three minute mark — that bass line is sick as hell.
Sweet mother of all things holy, “Off-Kilter” certainly lives up to it’s name in spades. This song is a bestial blast of thundering thrash delivered a break-neck speed. Sick, firy leads do their best to quench the drums thirst for brimstone, but it’s to no avail, they continue their assault on your skull with reckless abandon… which leads into even more thundering thrash with “In The Laboratory of Johous Gloom.” It’s not the best song on the album, but it still carries the cranial crunching momentum along nicely. Though, it’s another fairly lengthy song for this style of metal, it flies by and is over with before you know it.
The brief instrumental, as impressive as it is, “A Doom-laden Aura” is a bit of a surprise to find amongst the pummeling death/thrash — especially so late in the album. At any rate, it last but a minute and is quickly forgotten with one hell of an album closer in “Dying In Analog.” Another instant thrash classic, the song carries tons of galloping riffs, melodic hooks and a the fast-forward aggression we’ve been gleefully force fed all album long. Man, this song is furious as it jumps from tempo to tempo. The shout-along chorus is infectious. Awesome!
DECEASED’s Surreal Overdose is one of the most addictive albums I’ve heard in a long time. I find something new to like in its depths almost every time I spin the disc, and I’ve been playing this album nonstop since receiving the promo. This Virginia band may very well break out of their underground cult shroud with this album. Be ready boys.
http://www.hellbound.ca/
By Sean Palmerston
Deceased is a band like no other. Together now well over twenty years, the band continues to make important, integral metal albums that are always better than the last. While many bands of their age and importance merely release a new album that’s alright or average in comparison to their high water marks, Deceased always manage to take things up a notch each time. I thought there was no way the band could do one better than 2005’s As The Weird Travels On, one of my favourite albums of that year, but here we are six years later and they’ve done it again.
Led by the always entertaining King Fowley, this motley crew is as dedicated to metal as any group you are going to meet. These guys know their stuff inside, outside and upside down, with King himself being a fucking walking dictionary of obscure and not so obscure eighties and nineties metal unparalleled, not to mention his immense knowledge of horror movies – another factor that has great importance in the Deceased universe. Unsurprisingly, Surreal Overdose does have a number of songs that delve into the realms of horror, zombies and b-roll science fiction. From the lead-off “Skin-Crawling Process” to “The Traumatic” to “Cloned (Day Of The Robot)” these are songs that are well thought out narratives, each their own little self-contained horror story. For me, Deceased really first perfected their craft with 1997’s Fearless Undead Machines and here they prove that they can still write an album’s worth of excellent, horror-filled heavy metal songs that are as interesting lyrically as they are exciting musically.
The most surprising thing about Surreal Overdose however is the fury that this album contains. When I picked up my copy of this album off King at Maryland Deathfest, he told me he thought this was their most explosive album yet. At first I thought he was just blowing smoke up my ass, but I have to agree. This is Deceased at their fastest, most aggressive yet. Fowley himself is back behind the drumkit here, furiously bashing away for the first time on a studio recording since 2000’s Supernatural Addiction, and this is the first album to feature new guitarist Shane Fuegel side-by-side with veteran Mike Smith (who is now only a studio member of the band). I’m not sure what has pushed the band to such an extreme this time around, but this is one vicious album by a band that never fails to surprise. If you liked the last one, you’ll love this one.
http://www.mortado.com/gravemusic/index.php
Deceased - Surreal Overdose
Written by Liu
Sometimes, good things come to those who wait. This is a philosophy one must have if you are a Deceased fanatic. Their last album, As The Weird Travel On, was delivered six years ago and was perhaps the most underrated album of 2005. Several things have changed in that time, most notably the retirement of guitarist Mark Adams from music altogether. The band finally found the time this year to regroup and put to tape their next death metal monstrosity.
This is death metal done right. Deceased have their own niche within the genre, one that doesn't really have classification. They may be heavier than that fat girl you once took home, but they aren't brutal death metal. They have enough melody to make Dave Murray and Adrian Smith smile, yet they certainly do not belong in the melodic death metal genre. They possess intricacies and nuances, but don't string together riff after riff after riff mindlessly like many in the technical death metal genre. No, Deceased is above all that nonsense. They are just Deceased, death metal as it should be, presented as is and with no apologies.
Surreal Overdose is probably their most manic album since Luck Of The Corpse. The tunes are fast and in your face, with the aggression amped up from their last two albums. As soon as Skin Crawling Progress begins, you are assaulted with a barrage of riffs and then King Fowley's menacing vocals. He wastes no time in narrating his chilling tales of horror and doom. It's amazing that he never gets short of breath as he goes through his horrid tomes. King is also back behind the drum kit, sitting it out the last time due to complications with a blood clot that almost ended the maniac. It doesn't sound like he's lost a step either. He's all over the kid like a madman, sounding much more natural and fluent than a lot of the protools assisted hitters out there.
Mike Smith is still responsible for the guitar attack, but this time he has newcomer Shane Fuegal to play off of. Listening to how this duo sounds on this record, you'd think that Shane has been in the band for a decade. It can be argued that Shane has been part of the live band for a few years now, but Mike Smith retired from live performance long ago, so you can chalk this up to natural chemistry between the two.
A quick playthrough may result in the listener thinking that Deceased is playing in only one gear. Nothing can be further from the truth. Melody bleeds through the guitar playing, though the aggression is the focus. The intro to Cloned can be confused with that of a power metal band, but the heaviness will smash through, resulting in the band balancing between the two. Prepare to pump your fists in the air for the chorus, it has that sing-along element that will be so much fun to experience in the live setting.
Surreal Overdose is a product of a band that is still hungry, even after 25 years of their inception. It contains the blood, sweat and agony that so few albums these days possess, especially among the processed conveyor belt metal that all of the major metal labels are pumping out, quality be damned. With Deceased, it is their way or none at all (just ask Relapse).
Score: 8/10
http://metalasfuck.net/zine/reviews/2011/
Aged deathsters don't fade away - they thrash til death!
Aaahhh, Deceased. I remember a time when, sitting in the office listening to Fearless Undead Machines (the band’s classic 1997 release) I was asked by the girl at the next desk to take the damn album off because it was ‘just too heavy’. And now? Their demented, blackhearted take on sample-happy death metal just seems kinda quaint, and not really heavy at all when held up against today's young blood. Still rip-roaring fun for you and your moshpit buddies, but somehow... not of this world. Like an exhibit in a living museum, King Fowley and company hack and slash their way through eight slabs of gore-splattered good stuff on Surreal Overdose with all the contented, glassy eyed abandon of some inmates of a home for distressed metalheads who aren’t really sure what year it is anymore. As long as they get their (metal) medication and have someone to wipe the drool from their slack jaws every now and then they’re happy, and why should we complain?
Surreal overdose, eh? Never a truer word was spoken as Fowley rasps and screams his endless tales of nefarious scientists and Zombie apocalypse. The thing is, for all my slightly desperate jibes, the last laugh will surely be on me, as SO delivers an absolutely enjoyable three quarters of an hour of wild-eyed mayhem that promises a good, if slightly messy time and delivers on all counts.
Cloned features some marvellous double kick drumwork, a fevered Kreatoresque guitar barrage and, perhaps most importantly, robot voices buried deep in the mix (actually they’re more old-school Cylon noises, but you get my drift) all melded together into a superbly catchy whole that’ll remind you of Venom’s finest moments whilst simultaneously knocking them into the nearest slops bucket; Vulture Shock is similarly exciting, Fowley’s spiteful vocal assault superbly aided and abetted by yet more clattering drums and some superb axework courtesy of guitarists Shane Fuegel and Mike Smith. But to pick out just two tracks from Surreal Overdose is really to miss the point. Wherever you drop the laser eye you’ll find the same levels of excellence operating, and if top drawer death from the old school is your thing then I guarantee you’ll hear very little to top this album this year.
http://www.metalmaniacs.com/
DECEASED “SURREAL OVERDOSE”. ALBUM. 2011.
Class of 1985. Does that have a ring to it? 26 years strong as a band. Does that get your attention? How about, 26 FUCKING YEARS OF PLAYING UNRELENTING AND CRAZY THRASHING DEATH METAL!?!?!?!?! That’s exactly what DECEASED have been doing all of these years. And here we have their 6th full length album of original/up to date material (to go along with countless demos, live tapes, live albums, cover albums, EPs and compilations.) I have been a Deceased fan ever since 1988. I wrote King Fowley after seeing an ad for the “Birth By Radiation” demo. He was nice enough to send me that demo with the “Evil Side Of Religion” demo on the other side. The rest is history as I was a fan when I heard those opening strains of the title track and on to “Vomiting Blood”. So here we are in 2011 and these maniacs are STILL playing death metal from the grave. “Surreal Overdose” might just be their best album so far, in their illustrious career. It is eerie, ripping, crushing, original and awesome.
The madness starts off with “Skin Crawling Progress”. It’s a blazing and thrashing song from the start. Totally ripping and it grabs your throat and never lets up. Some of the best riffs these guys have ever slain! And that is saying A LOT! Like their classic “Voivod on speed” style, it never really lets up until a killer break riff comes to also kill. It’s killer riff after killer riff and killer part after killer part. AMAZING! King is back on drums for this one and he is destroying the kit with fury unleashed. “Kindred Assembly” is up next. It is my favorite song on the album! Might just be my favorite Deceased song of all time! Up there with the classics like “ Planet Graveyard”, “Haunted Cerebellum” and all the others! The double bass part towards the end that goes vocals/solo makes you want to sing along and bang your fist. These first 2 songs prove once again that Deceased are THE MASTERS of blending thrash/death/doom/traditional metal influences together. “The Traumatic” then comes. Another favorite of mine now. It starts of as some sort of Angel Witch/Discharge hybrid. Like Maiden gone punk rock. It is fucking awesome. The riffs are almost happy in a sense, especially when the melody kicks in, but it is SOOOOOO GOOD. It is done so well and with conviction that it fits perfect. And then a killer and ripping fast riff kicks off. The middle part with the fast madness, the gang chorus and the insane rock and roll/thrash riff is AMAZING! So far the first 3 songs are just TOO good. FUUUUCK! “Cloned (Day of the Robot)” brings an end to the first half of this godly album. It is all double bass into skank madness on here. Just plain killer! It is more of a mid paced banger compared to the first 3, but still killer in it’s own right. But it gets all crazy again after a bass break. The end of this song with the riffs/melodies/double bass/skank beats/sing alongs might be some of the best moments in the history of metal.
“Off-Kilter” then brings the total and all out assault of thrashing mayhem, with some skank beat breaks thrown in. The song stops with some ring out notes, only to return with mid paced banging. KILLER! “In the Laboratory of Joyous Gloom” Is next up with more killer riffs and a great skank/blast part that mixes well with the melodic guitar that comes after. These 2 riffs are so catchy, you will be humming along for days. But THAT is what great metal is supposed to do. The mid paced heavy part is crushing and great. It gets all crazy and fast again and the gang chorus at the end of the song “THE END! THE END! THE END! THE END!” will make you want to kill things, and also another great moment in metal history. But this WHOLE album is. The instrumental “A Doom-Laden Aura” is the perfect intro to the album closer “Dying in Analog”. Epic metal riffs and notes start things off with a traditional feel. It gives way to King’s awesome story telling. All of the sudden, the song gets fucking fast again, it’s a shocking change but GREAT regardless. More insane riffs during the gang chorus part “LIVING! DYING! LIVING! DYING!” Then a killer old school heavy metal break. FUCKING CLASSIC! Well, the album is over, time to hit PLAY again! Flip the record and put the needle back on. Whatever player you have or format you use, PLAY IT AGAIN! Because that’s what I had to do. There is too much to enjoy.
Cool samples, COOLER album concept, gang shout choruses, hooks from hell, ripping and thrashing death metal, amazing riffing, killer leads, thunderous and crushing heavy parts, savage yet understandable vocals from the King and a great production that let’s the music shine through are just some of the examples of WHY you need this classic album in your collection. ANOTHER album of the year candidate, or even album of the last 10 years! 44 minutes of CLAAASSSIIIICCCC DECEASED! GO GET IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.metalireland.com
Deceased | ‘Surreal Overdose’
A review isn’t necessarily the best place to go into it in too much depth, but Deceased have always kinda been the underdog. They’ve been around 26 years and seem to never really have reached the audience they should have, or risen above cult status.
The first band to ever release a full length LP on Relapse back in the day (the admittedly less than stellar “Luck of the Corpse”), they’ve fought label woes,illness, line up changes and so forth to somehow remain loyal to themselves and adopt a “slow but steady” approach to releasing quality albums, with “Surreal Overdose” being their 6th, excluding eps and compilations.
Have they changed much in the 6 years since “As The Weird Travels On”? Not really, but if you like Deceased you probably neither expected nor wanted them to.
Opening with the lengthy “Skin Crawling Progress” their instantly recognisable high velocity death/thrash sound is intact - and indeed they sound so keen to break loose on this first track that ocassionally the drums seem to charge ahead a little too far in front of the other instruments.
The slight sloppiness aside (and it’s the only noticeable example of this on the record), the band are in fine form as they twist and turn through various tempos and riffs, charging from the rabid speed to dischordant midpaced sections, guitar melodies and back.
It’s six minutes and fifty three seconds long. And at no point does so much as one second of the song feel unnecessary. It flies by in what feels like half the time. Always a good sign.
Deceased in full flight really is a glorious thing to be honest. “Kindred Assembly” and “The Traumatic” are both full speed ahead ragers in the classic mould, delivered with a vitality that many younger bands could learn from. ”Cloned” is a highlight for me.
Riding in on a dual guitar hook, it starts as almost traditional heavy metal with it’s headbanging pace, guitar melodies and almost singalong chorus given a gnarlier edge by Fowley’s barked vocals - but midway through a strange sample ushers in more of the raging speed, and a bizarre “Buck Rogers” style robot voice. It’s a bit of a “what the fuck?” moment at first but it makes perfect sense on further listens.
The closing “Dying in Analog”, another epic track, is my other highlight, again marrying the dual guitar harmonies to the harsher moments beautifully.
Heavy metal has become so genre-specific in the last decade or two, so hellbent on sticking to rules and being “true” that I think right now I value a band like Deceased more than ever - they’re for sure primarily a death/thrash metal band but they’ve never been afraid to add moments of progression or classic heavy metal elements, have always thrown caution to the wind and concentrated more on writing music for themselves instead of worrying about being the most brutal or whatever.
And this album is yet another testament to the fact that they write really fucking good songs. They capture the imagination and get the blood pumping on this album the way bands did when it was all new to me. This record, like all their previous, is a labour of love and it shows.
“Surreal Overdose” is probably not going to get the kind of coverage or exposure of new releases by other bands of a similar vintage this year, but goddamnit, it deserves it, and I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say this is quite likely to be in my top ten for the year come December.
A quick note in closing - I saw Voivod play a show at Roadburn recently that felt very much like a rebirth, a band returning to their full strength for the first time in years. I couldn’t help but note that Snake was wearing a Deceased shirt on stage, and listening to this album that kind of feels symbolic in a way - like Voivod on that night, Deceased on “Surreal Overdose” feel like a band born again, approaching another peak in their career.
4.2/5 - Jamie Grimes
http://www.teufelstomb.com
DECEASED SURREAL OVERDOSE
It’s been six years since DECEASED released AS THE WEIRD TRAVEL ON, and 2011′s SURREAL OVERDOSE is well worth the wait! DECEASED is one of those bands whose bar is set really fucking high. I know in my GRAVELAND review I spoke about consistency, well this is another band who has a near flawless discography, including the ZOMBIE HYMNS cover album. I generally don’t even like cover albums, but DECEASED does it so well I have to listen.
Let me cut to the chase here, SURREAL OVERDOSE is excellent. It has a very BLUEPRINTS OF MADNESS feel to it, especially in the opening song, “Skin Crawling Progress.” That song is like a roller coaster with a ton of tempo changes and crazy leads. The songs on SURREAL OVERDOSE are all high quality, so picking out a favorite is really tough to do, although “The Traumatic” and “Dying In Analog” (great title by the way!) stand out to my ears.
The guitar work here is very good, Mike Smith and Shane Fuegal play heavy riffs which have one foot planted in the thrash style and the other planted in the death metal style. There are a ton of harmonies here that bring back the classic NWOBHM sound that was pioneered by bands like IRON MAIDEN and SAXON. The lead work is very tastefully done; there is no wanking to be found in the guitar solo department.
King Fowley’s gruff vocals sound as good as ever. They are loud and upfront in the mix. In addition to barking, King also returns to the drums on this album, and he does a good job, very much on par with his work on the SUPERNATURAL ADDICTION album. The mix on SURREAL OVERDOSE is very well done. It has a very powerful sound to it.
As much as I enjoyed this album I do like FEARLESS UNDEAD MACHINES the best from DECEASED, not too much can touch that album! That said, SURREAL OVERDOSE is awesome and if you are a fan of DECEASED, and death/thrash in general, then you need to buy this, and would be a good starting point for new listeners so you can grasp the full potential of the band. SURREAL OVERDOSE is a refreshing breath of rotten air that stomps all over newer death metal and thrash bands. It also beats the shit out of certain “comeback” albums.
http://forbidden-magazine.com/2011/
Deceased – Surreal Overdose
May 19, 2011 by Clangor of War
After years of delays and line up changes, death metal pioneers Deceased finally unleash their latest opus, “Surreal Overdose.” The band’s first album in six years and it was well worth the wait! It contains all the elements Deceased are known for: intense death/thrash with melodic hooks and a dark atmosphere. There’s touches of classic heavy metal, some nods to the mighty Voivod and all the twists and turns in between. In comparison to their previous releases, it has the speed and brutality of “Luck of the Corpse”, some of the moodiness of “Supernatural Addiction” and the songwriting is an evolution of “As The Weird Travel On.” But like the rest of the band’s discography, this record has elements that set it apart from previous releases therefore obtaining it’s own identity. All the songs are very detailed and have a lot going on but it’s not over done. It shows that they took their time to craft this album just right because there’s not a weak moment to be found.
“Surreal Overdose” begins with “Skin Crawling Process”, a perfect opener that sets the stage for the rest of the album. It bashes your skull in at blasting speed but also changes tempos, going into slower, more somber passages that invoke great feelings of dread and despair! The use of samples are a nice touch. They’re very brief and add to the eeriness of the music. The ghastly atmosphere goes on throughout the whole album as the band delves “into the bizarre.” “The Traumatic” is probably the most unusual song off the record. This use of discordantly harmonized guitar leads over a sick bass line sticks out and reeks of pure evil! However, my favorite track off this album would be the closer “Dying in Analog.” The band seems to end most of their albums with an epic and this song is most certainly that. A lot of the band’s classic metal influences really show up here. It is loaded with great melodies, riffs and power! It’s as if the feeling of death is drawing near and it ends the album on a very gloomy high-note.
This album is the first to feature Shane Fuegel on guitar, replacing the now retired Mark Adams. His playing fits in perfectly with longtime guitarist, Mike Smith (now studio guitarist). They deliver plenty of dueling leads and amazing solos to behold. Les Synder is an excellent bass player. He’s the kind of bassist that does everything when it’s called for. His playing adds a certain level of depth to the music other than just being the low-end like with many other bands. A very important thing to note is that King Fowley returns to the kit for the first time since 2001’s “Behind The Mourner’s Veil” EP. His drumming is relentless and his vocals are as powerful as they are haunting. Keyboards can also be heard in some parts, adding to record’s unearthly atmosphere. Just listen to “Cloned (Day of the Robot)”, one of the highlights!
I strongly believe that “Surreal Overdose” will be the best album of 2011. It’s one of those records that gets even better with each listen. It is also one of the few death metal albums of the past 10 years that could hold it’s own with the classics! In an over-saturated scene filled with mediocrity and crap, a band like Deceased is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. They’re a band that is actually bringing something new to the table without it being some limp wristed bullshit and they’ve been at it for more than two decades! For any self-respecting headbanger, “Surreal Overdose” is a must! LONG LIVE DEATH METAL FROM THE GRAVE!
http://www.xmusick.com/product_info.php?products_id=20563
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