# Deicide (album)

Deicide is the debut album by Florida death metal band Deicide. It was released on June 25, 1990, by Roadrunner Records. The album contains all of their demo tracks, plus the songs "Deicide" and "Mephistopheles".
The album was recorded in the "B room" at Morrisound Studios in Tampa, Florida, where Deicide would record most of their subsequent works. Frontman Glen Benton has expressed dissatisfaction with the album's production quality, which he attributed to budgetary restrictions at the time.
Deicide is considered a classic in the death metal genre.

## Composition and lyrics

The music on Deicide is considered death metal, and is characterized by its "genuine, realistic rage" and “irrepressible anger.” Music journalist T Coles said "[the album] sounds like a journey into hell, as demons claw at your feeble limbs on your descent." Additionally, the album has been said to contain elements of grindcore and speed metal. Coles noted that the album is "an example of how death metal refined the nasty edge of grindcore but retained a sinister sound."
The tracks on Deicide have been referred to as "evil anthems" with lyrics described as "Satanic nonsense." While containing mostly Satanism or blasphemous lyrical themes, "Lunatic of God's Creation" and "Carnage in the Temple of the Damned" concern Charles Manson and Jim Jones respectively, and "Dead by Dawn" deals with the plot of the 1981 horror film, The Evil Dead. Chris Krovatin of Kerrang! said the album "sounds believably dedicated to dying for the Devil." Ultimate-Guitar said the album's lyrics are "fueled by [Benton's] deep hatred for organized religion."
The album's musicianship has been described as "shockingly tight," and has been noted for its “turbulent” rhythmic textures. As is common by the genre's conventions, the album employs double-bass blastbeat drumwork. Deicide drummer Steve Asheim's sense of timing on the album has been described as "uncanny." Glen Benton's vocals on the album have been called "absolutely hideous and tortured" and "pure evil." He has erroneously claimed that no effects were used on his vocals while recording the album, despite pitch-shifted editing on several tracks.
According to Benton, he originally composed the album's fourth track "Dead by Dawn" on an acoustic guitar while watching The Beverly Hillbillies.

## Reception and legacy

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Classic Rock | |
| Entertainment Weekly | A |
| Kerrang! | (1990) (2011) |
Deicide is considered a classic in the death metal genre, and is sometimes considered to be the bestselling death metal album of all time. Nielsen SoundScan lists it second after Morbid Angel's Covenant up until 2003; however, Deicide was released before SoundScan went into effect, so the SoundScan figure lacks pre-Soundscan sales. The tracks "Dead by Dawn" and "Sacrificial Suicide" have been staples at every live performance. Chris Krovatin of Kerrang! said, "Though Deicide’s later albums cemented their sound into what we now consider brutal death metal, it was the unhinged satanic rancor of their debut that made them a force to be reckoned with."
Bradley Torreano from AllMusic praised Deicide's guitar riffs as "creative" and "memorable", saying the album "struck a chord that would, for good or bad, instantly inspire legions of like-minded groups." Reviewing the album for Classic Rock in 2000, Darren Sadler said that the album "is still the quartet's finest hour".
In 2024, readers of Metal Injection voted the album the fifth best debut album from a classic North American death metal act.
Theron Moore of New Noise Magazine called the album "perfection in blasphemy."

## Track listing

All songs written by Deicide (Glen Benton, Steve Asheim, Eric Hoffman & Brian Hoffman).

## Personnel

* Glen Benton – vocals, bass
* Eric Hoffman – guitars
* Brian Hoffman – guitars
* Steve Asheim – drums
* Deicide – production
* Scott Burns – production