Artist: DEICIDE
Album: "WHEN LONDON BURNS (DVD)"

Year: 2005
Media type: DVD

DEICIDE, emerging from the cult troupe AMON founded in 1987, was the first American Black styled Death Metal band to push the novelty factor into the realms of the dangerous. Early shows had arch protagonist vocalist / bassist Glen Benton drenched in the blood of a pig bedecked in studded body armour sporting an upside down cross the frontman had burned into his own forehead. Quite remarkably for a Death-Black Metal band DEICIDE maintained a rock solid line-up since its inception and continues to maintain a strong unyeilding fan base. AMON released two demos, August 1987's 8 track garage recording 'Feasting The Beast' and 'Sacrificial' in December 1989. This second session scored a deal with Roadrunner Records.

The name DEICIDE arrived in 1990 with an eponymous album recorded in February of that year by Scott Burns at Morrisound Recording, re-crafting all six 'Sacrificial' tracks for this opus. That same year Glen Benton featured as a backing vocalist on another ground breaking recording, CANNIBAL CORPSE's 'Eaten Back To Life'. Further controversy was whipped up after the second album, 1992's ‘Legion’, when two New Jersey teenagers tortured and killed a dog leaving its carcass hanging in a tree. When questioned by authorities the youngsters claimed inspiration from DEICIDE. With all this notoriety the band built up a loyal fanbase with surprising speed and Roadrunner Records were quick off the mark in re-issuing the AMON demos re-credited to DEICIDE and marketed as ‘Amon: Feasting The Beast’. In a rare guest slot outside of DEICIDE activities Benton aided leading Mexican Thrash act TRANSMETAL with backing vocals on their 1993 'Dante?s Inferno' opus.

The singer’s more than vocal appreciation of a Satanic belief system, his willingness to engage in media sponsored set discussions on good and evil with church members (including the late former TWELFTH NIGHT vocalist and vicar GEOFF MANN) and his apparent witnessed shooting of squirrels in his house (!) put DEICIDE firmly in the Black Metal camp.

So vociferous was the media against DEICIDE that their notoriety spread into areas not normally troubled by Black Metal. Benton’s comments regarding his supposed treatment of animals led to bomb threats which blighted a European tour. A more pointed message left with the media from the Animal Militia organisation informed Benton he would be killed if he stepped on English soil. DEICIDE’s British and European shows went according to plan until the Scandinavian leg when a bomb planted at the Fryshuset club in Stockholm, Sweden exploded. However, it was unclear as to the object of the assault as support band GOREFEST had also received death threats from another source.

Benton, whose first son he tactfully named Daemon, rather intriguingly voiced premonitions that he will die aged 33. Needless to say his 33rd Birthday passed without event.

The band's 2001 release ‘Insinerate Hymn’ proved to be as uncompromising as ever. DEICIDE toured as headliners in America during May of 2001 topping a bill comprising of MARDUK, GORGUTS and ALL OUT WAR.

During early 2002 Glen Benton cut session lead vocals for VITAL REMAINS 'Dechristianize' album leading to speculation as to the future of DEICIDE. However, it would soon after be revealed that DEICIDE themselves were in the recording studio cutting a 2002 album. European tour dates slated for November saw the band heading up a bill including BEHEMOTH, DESTROYER 666, DIABOLIC, ANTAEUS and CENTINEX. However, this roster would be subsequently slashed to just DEICIDE, MYSTIC CIRCLE and CENTINEX.

DEICIDE, ending their long relationship with Roadrunner Records, signed to the British Earache label during November. The band would be confirmed as headliners for the 'X-Mass Festivals' European tour commencing in London on December 7th, heading up a strong billing incorporating DESTRUCTION, AMON AMARTH, NILE, GRAVEWORM, DEW-SCENTED, MISERY INDEX and DISBELIEF.

The band announced touring plans for the US in November of 2003, heading up a billing comprising HATE ETERNAL, KRISIUN and CATTLE DECAPITATION.

DEICIDE's February 2004 offering 'Scars Of The Crucifix' came marketed in an array of formats designed to test the budget of the most ardent fan. The U.S. only slipcase version, packaged with die cut inverted cross naturally, contained an extra 'Behind The Scars' DVD and would be restricted to 3,000 copies. Meantime the European digipack variant also added the 'Behind the Scars: Under the Skin of Deicide' DVD plus the incentive of a signature DEICIDE guitar pick. Restricted to 10,000 copies, 9,999 included either a Glen Benton, Eric Hoffman or Brian Hoffman signature pick but hidden inside one copy was a specially minted DEICIDE guitar pick made of metal, the lucky fan who bought this copy winning a BC Rich NJ Beast guitar. In addition, a vinyl version, limited to 2,000 copies and manufactured in heavyweight 180 gramme 12" black vinyl, would be clad in exclusive Paul Booth cover art, different from the artwork on the CD version.

'Scars Of The Crucifix' would generate strong sales, eventually proving to be Earache's highest selling album of the year, debuting at No. 18 on Billboard's Independent Albums Chart and No. 24 on Billboard's Heatseekers Chart in the U.S., hitting both charts higher than any other metal band.

Touring in North America during the Spring was to see DEICIDE on a package billing with SUPERJOINT RITUAL and CLUTCH. However, shortly into these dates it seemed the band had either left or been unceremoniously ejected. Nevertheless, DEICIDE was quick to announce their own September headlining shows, partnered with road mates GOATWHORE, CATTLE DECAPITATION and JUNGLE ROT.

The band's touring history was blighted yet again though in June when, on the eve of scheduled European shows allied with MYSTIC CIRCLE, AKERCOCKE and IN AETERNUM, DEICIDE abruptly pulled out. Recriminations from the tour organisors the Metallysee Booking Agency were both swift and damning. The group had performed just one show at the Dutch 'Dynamo' festival then cancelling a London gig and flying home to Florida. Whilst an official label statement cited DEICIDE's "anger and frustration at the transportation and financial arrangements" in return Metallysee alleged the band had doubled their fee and given faulty air conditioning on a tourbus as an excuse to withdraw. The group also withdrew from the major 'Wacken Open Air' festival in Germany scheduled for August, citing "family reasons". Positive news came with the band's re-signing with Earache Records a re-routed European tour booked for October / November with French Black Metal crew ARKHON INFAUSTUS as guests. However, the group re-shaped itself for these shows, drafting former CANNIBAL CORPSE guitarist Jack Owen as Brian Hoffman would be forced out due to personal reasons. As such, the group was forced to rearrange the first three dates, at Hassalt, Haarlem and Paris, in order to give Owen time to learn the catalogue. Featured on second guitar would be VITAL REMAINS man Dave Suzuki as, according to band reports, Eric Hoffman had not arrived at the airport in time to leave for the tour as scheduled. Suzuki was drafted that same day, flying from Rhode Island to JFK airport in order to meet up with the band and fly on to Madrid, Spain. However, DEICIDE pulled part of the tour due to an apparent "family crisis" (the death of drummer Steve Asheim's father). Following a truncated 45 min concert at the Hard Club in Porto, Portugal on 5th November the band returned to the USA, before regrouping to complete the trek.

Ex-guitarist Eric Hoffman joined UNHOLY GHOST in February 2005, although this would subsequently be refuted. The following month the Hoffman brothers instigated legal proceedings over the rights to the DEICIDE band and announced they were to assemble a brand new DEICIDE. Meantime, Benton's version of DEICIDE collaborated with IMMOLATION, SKINLESS, MISERY INDEX and WITH PASSION for US dates in May. Joining the band for these dates would be guitarist RALPH SANTOLLA, a man known for his melodic work with EYEWITNESS, MILLENNIUM and MONARCH, solo works plus later stints with ICED EARTH and SEBASTIAN BACH.

Glen Benton made time to see inclusion on the ROADRUNNER UNITED 25th anniversary album 'The All-Stars Sessions', featuring on the track 'Annihilation By The Hand Of God' penned by SLIPKNOT's Joey Jordison.

A concert in Chile, at the Gimnasio Nataniel in Santiago on 15th July and actually DEICIDE's third attempt to play in the country, would run into bitter controversy as local church officials attempted to ban the concert. So far reaching was the debate that finally Osvaldo Puccio, General Secretary of the Chilean government, issued a statement affirming the government's position that "in this country, no cultural expression will be censored". Over 3,000 fans attended the gig, with 15 being arrested for public drunkenness and disorderly conduct.

DEICIDE allied with VISCERAL BLEEDING, WYKKED WYTCH and PROSTITUTE DISFIGUREMENT for European shows throughout October and November, taking in the UK, Ireland, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Czech Republic, Spain and Italy. On 15th December Glen Benton notably joined the ROADRUNNER UNITED conglomerate at the New York Nokia Theater for an all star Metal evening. The singer fronted a cover of OBITUARY's 'The End Complete' featuring SEPULTURA's Andreas Kisser, ex-FEAR FACTORY man Dino Cazares plus the SLIPKNOT rhythm section of bassist Paul Gray and drummer Joey Jordison plus DEICIDE's own 'Dead By Dawn'.

TRACKLIST:

‘When London Burns’ Recorded live at The Mean Fiddler, London 29th November 2004
01. Scars Of The Crucifix
02. They Are The Children Of The Underworld
03. Bastard Of Christ
04. When Satan Rules His World
05. Once Upon The Cross
06. Kill The Christian
07. Serpents Of The Light
08. As the World Waits
09. Dead But Dreaming
10. Lunatic Of God’s Creation
11. Sacrificial Suicide
12. When Heaven Burns
13. Dead By Dawn
14. Deicide
15. Crucifixation
16. Christ Denied
17. Oblivious to Evil

BONUS 30 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY
‘BEHIND THE SCARS’
• See behind the scenes as Deicide record ‘Scars Of The Crucifix’
• Candid interviews backstage from Las Vegas Metal Fest 2003
• Intimate footage from the rehearsal room
• The full story on the beginnings of Deicide

LINE-UP:

Glenn Benton (vocals / bass)
Eric Hoffman (guitar)
Brian Hoffman (guitar)
Steve Asheim (drums)

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