DELIVERANCE - S/T (CD) 2008
- Features significant contributions from current Hirax and former original member of Vengeance (Rising), Glenn Rogers.
- New enhanced artwork, inspired by the artwork from the original 1989 release.
- Two California Metal compilation bonus tracks included.
Deliverance is one of the most historic / influential metal bands in Christian metal history. Band saw video rotation on MTV's, Headbanger's Ball program in the early 90's. Produced, recorded, and mixed by Bill Metoyer (Flotsam and Jetsam, Trouble, Fates Warning, DRI, Slayer
Frightening, awe-inspiring, and absolutely relentless, Deliverance's self-titled album dropped onto the scene in 1989 with all the finesse of a metallic sledgehammer across the forehead. In 1987, Deliverance had made their presence known in dramatic fashion on the California Metal compilation (a sampler in the vein of Metal Blade's Metal Massacre compilations) with "Attack" being the very first thrash/speed metal song with a strong Christian message to ever be released. Overwhelmed with anticipation, fans lined up for two years trying to buy more of this West Coast speed metal as phenomenal as anything released by Exodus, Death Angel, Metallica, and Anthrax. The long wait ended with the release of 1989's self-titled debut, and fans were not disappointed. Having enlisted the production skills of famed mainstream metal producer Bill Metoyer (Flotsam and Jetsam, Trouble, Fates Warning, DRI, Slayer) the debut exuded all the pure destructive power for which fans could have hoped. Every note is executed with jaw-dropping levels of scientific precision. Jimmy's vocals are both powerful and soaring. The Retroactive reissue is remastered and includes both tracks from the California Metal compilation as bonus tracks.
- "Victory" (3:44)
- "No Time" (4:28)
- "Deliverance" (3:03)
- "If You Will" (3:03).
- "The Call" (3:40)
- "No Love" (3:30)
- "Blood of the Covenant" (4:50)
- "Jehovah Jireh" (3:35)
- "Temporary Insanity" (5:25)
- "Awake" (6:03)
RETROACTIVE BONUS TRACKS - "A Space Called You" (3:51)
- "Attack" (3:44)
ANGELICWARLORD
The Los Angeles based melodic speed metal outfit Deliverance burst onto the scene in 1986 with its critically acclaimed six song demo Greetings Of Death. Putting together its second demo, After Greetings, in 1987, the band placed the tracks ?Attack? and ?A Space Called You? on the California Metal compilation later the same year. Deliverance did not get its break, however, until 1988 when it signed with Intense Records of Chicago, who released the full length self-titled debut of the talented four piece unit in the summer of 1989. Deliverance, soon to go out of print and remain a highly sought after collectors item, was later digitally re-mastered and re-issued by Retroactive Records in November of 2008 with new album artwork and ?Attack? and ?A Space Called Your? as bonus tracks.
Deliverance takes a unique approach to the speed metal and thrash genres by combining very heavy and aggressive music with melodic based vocals. This stands out best on speed metal romps ?Victory?, ?Deliverance?, ?The Call? and ?No Love?, four high energy pieces in which founding member Jimmy P. Brown II exhibits the full range to his voice- and helps invite the bands comparison to a blend of Metallica and Queensryche in the process. Thrash masterpieces ?No Time?, ?If You Will? and ?Blood Of The Covenant? prove equally able as do the slower sounds of ?Temporary Insanity? and ?Awake? (these two almost give rise to a doom-like feel).
Jimmy Brown joins with Glenn Rogers to deliver the albums mega-crunch guitar sound. Rhythm guitar wise, it does not get much tighter than the monstrous riffs laid down by the two on, well, just about every track here (check out ?Blood Of The Covenant? and ?Victory? to understand what they are capable of). Rogers, a former member of Vengeance Rise who wrote six songs on the groundbreaking Human Sacrifice album, complements the speed metal based sounds here with his frenetic lead work (?If You Will?, ?The Call? and ?Deliverance? showcase this best).
Production duties are handled by veteran Bill Metoyer, who has worked with Slayer, Sacred Reich, Flotsam & Jetsam and Omen. The albums crisp and clean sounding sonics lack any trace of muddiness, a particular reflected in the ample amount of rhythm guitar standing alongside a fluid mix of lead guitar.
Deliverance gets underway with ?Victory?, four minutes of melodic speed metal characterized by a serrated rhythm guitar sound, catchy chorus and Brown?s high end vocal delivery. An instrumental section beginning to several seconds of guitar harmony culminates with Rogers? fiery guitar solo. As its title implies, ?Victory? talks about Christ?s victory on the cross:
An innocent man's blood was shed
Foretold this was in past
It will cleanse people of their sin
Forever the covering lasts...
The sacrifice has now been made
We are saved by His blood
Having done all to stand
In victory from above
The smooth sounding guitar harmony at the start of ?No Time? soon gives way to a crunch laden riff. Driven ahead at the unrelenting tempo, the song gradually tapers as it acquires a bottom heavy chorus that borders on the looming in capacity. I enjoy how ?No Time?, slowing even further for its instrumental section gains momentum in a furious manner subsequent to Brown stating ?speed it up?. ?No Time? focuses on the difficulty of finding time for God:
I've been through the day and I don't have the time
To speak unto friends or to speak Lord to You
The albums title track can best be described as quintessential speed metal. Roaring ahead from the start in inflamed fashion, ?Deliverance? culminates as Brown lets loose with the full range to his voice - "Deliveruuuuuunce!" ? following its melodic based chorus. Rogers displays his abilities as well, cutting loose with a stretch of Impellitteri-like lead work over the songs final minute. ?Deliverance? gives prominence to the bands mission statement:
We've been sent from the Master
We've been sent with a message of hope
We've been given the keys to the Kingdom
To unlock the chains and bonds
?If You Will? ranks with the heaviest of the heavies. The song starts to an overpowering rhythm guitar carried over a rolling drum beat until it comes to a near standstill. Abruptly picking up in pace, ?If You Will? drives through its first verse to an all out speed metal riff before heavy duty backing vocals sustain the second as the need for salvation is reinforced:
The bloody cross, it stands alone on a hill
It cries out to the souls of men
Accept Him if you will
Jesus came that you might have life
Satan comes to kill
There's really only one choice, my friend
Choose Christ if you will
Continuing at a breakneck pace through its third and final verse, ?If You Will? allows Rogers to follow with a lightning-like solo during the instrumental section closing out its final minute and a half.
As ?If You Will? ends, it segues perfectly to the mega-huge riff that propels ?The Call? its full distance. Brown adds a measure of grit to his vocal delivery as the song romps through its first verse, not smoothing out his approach until a complementarily hook-driven chorus is achieved. A blistering run of lead guitar shores up the instrumental section covering the final two minutes to ?The Call?. The need for salvation is the subject at hand:
My friend, you know the answer
But will you heed the call
I know you want to reach out and touch Him
But He can't answer if you don't ask at all
Do you hear Him
He's calling out to you
?No Love? stands out with its interesting time changes. The melodic guitar based opening to the song quickly gives way to a hard hitting riff. The variances in tempo continue as ?No Love? moves ahead, alternating between verse portions on the driven side of things and a catchy chorus giving rise to a smooth sounding ? almost refined ? feel. Lyrically, this one is based around I Corinthians 13:
I don't care if you prophesy
Or have the power to heal
If His love does not abide in you
What you do is not real
The incredible ?Blood Of The Covenant? challenges ?If You Will as the most powerful track here. Commencing to a bass guitar solo, the song plows through its first verse to a sledgehammer rhythm guitar as the need for the Blood of Christ is expounded upon:
Without the shedding of the blood
There is no remission of sin
The hour the veil was wrent
That is when it all began
This was not the covenant that was made with our Fathers on Sinai
The Blood of the New Covenant shed for the remission of sin
"Blood Of The Covenant" storms through its second and final verse at the same decisive tempo, not letting up for the awesome two and a half minute guitar driven instrumental section that ensues. The album peaks as Brown screams "The Blood of the Covenant shed for the remission of sin!" one last time prior to the song closing as he states "I don't think I like that last scream."
?Jehovah Jireh? is the only piece I struggle to get into. A straightforward hard rock remake of the gospel classic, the song comes across a bit out of place ? not to mention a bit flat ? in a thrash environment. The overall impression left is that the band needed a tenth song and, as a result, included it to fill space. I cannot help but think that something better could have been added instead.
A slowly played ? almost doom-tinged ? rhythm guitar gets ?Temporary Insanity? underway. Soon taking off to a profusion of double bass, the song launches itself forward with abandon until crashing into a harshly driven chorus upheld by the aggressive feel to Brown?s vocal delivery. ?Temporary Insanity? proceeds to decelerate to a near crawl at the start of its instrumental section only to regain the lost momentum in ardent fashion- all the while establishing a nice time change in the process. ?Temporary Insanity? deals with suicide:
I look in the mirror and what do I see
That I have become an image of Thee
To take your own life is what you have schemed
But for some reason unseen
The victim is me
The ultimate selfishness
To not care for no one else
Because all I think of is me
In my temporary insanity
"Awake" begins to a minute of ghoulish laughter and groaning followed by a lengthy stretch of fast paced rhythm guitar. As the song slows for its first verse, it details an individual who ends up in hell but comes back to tell others about the experience:
I cry out to God Almighty
Please let me warn people of this place
So many people they won't believe they're so deceived
Then I heard and felt the voice of One say...
?Awake? does not pick back up in pace until attaining a brief chorus in which its title is continually repeated over a harsh rhythm guitar. Rogers, of course rounds things out a lengthy instrumental section with his edgy soloing abilities.
?Attack?, the first of the two bonus tracks, presents with an all out assault of speed metal impetus and buzz saw guitars, melding a touch of backing vocals with a hard hitting chorus fortified by double bass. This one stays true to the trademark Deliverance sound. ?A Space Called You?, in contrast, moves in the more melodic heading with its reserved tempo (at least in comparison to ?Attack?) and acoustic based opening. Once a brisk rhythm guitar steps forward, it quickly propels things to a chorus advancing at a fixed upbeat tempo.
Deliverance gets off to a strong start with seven classic speed metal/thrash tracks. After pausing for ?Jehovah Jireh?( the only skip button here), the album closes with the driving sounds of ?Temporary Insanity? and ?Awake?. The performance of the band ? when factoring in Brown?s melodic vocals and Rogers high-octane lead work ? is top notch. Give credit to Retroactive Records for re-issuing Deliverance after being out of print for so many years.
Review by: Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: "Victory" (3:44), "No Time" (4:28), "Deliverance" (3:03), "If You Will" (4:43), "The Call" (3:40), "No Love" (3:20), "Blood Of The Covenant" (4:50), "Jehovah Jireh" (3:35), "Temporary Insanity" (5:25), "Awake" (6:03)
Musicians
Jimmy P. Brown II ? Lead Vocals & Guitars
Glenn Rogers ? Guitars
Brian Khairullah ? Bass
Chris Hyde - Drums
NO LIFE 'TIL METAL REVIEW
Deliverance (Retroactive) 1989/2008
The self-titled debut by Deliverance is one of the best speed metal albums ever released! I bought it as a new release in 89' and it still frequents my CD player over a decade later. It was around this time (1989) when I was searching for some good Christian metal. I bought this disc on the advice of the clerk at the record store I went to. When I got home the first thing I thought was, "Wow, these guys sound a bit like Death Angel." I played this disc so much that year that I could probably have sang any of the songs on it at a moments notice. Some of my favorites are album opener "Victory," the awesome classic "No Time," and speed metal classic "Deliverance," which features a soaring vocal performance by Jimmy Brown. The album was produced by legendary metal producer Bill Metoyer. This is just a solid album from beginning to end.
Unfortunately the original Intense Records version of this disc went out of print a decade ago. KMG attempted a cheesy reissue in the 90's, but cut corners and left some songs off the re-issue. Fortunately in 2008 Retroactive gained the rights to this album, as well as "Weapons of our Warfare" and was able to put out a proper reissue. The Retroactive version has improved sound over the original release with proper mastering that helps bring out the crunchy guitar tones and pounding double bass. Retroactive Records has always been good about giving extra value on their releases. This time around, they have included the two Deliverance tracks from the California Metal compilation. "A Space Called You" shows that Deliverance's roots were in classic heavy metal. This song is a melodic classic metal number, with only a hint of the speed metal that would come. However, "Attack" is a full-throttle thrasher that is a standout in the Deliverance catalog. The band later re-recorded this song on their "What A Joke" album.
The Retroactive Records re-release also contains new enhanced artwork that was inspired by the original artwork, classic band photos, additional liner notes and lyrics. A short write-up about the two Deliverance releases written by myself is included in the tray art. This 2008 reissue is a worth addition to any metal or thrash fans collection, even if you already have the original.
