God Dethroned - Illuminati (2020)

Delivering a firm and switch brutal onslaught of intense riffing, today we have God Dethroned and their latest opus “Illuminati”. Luckily for early fans, Henri Sattler decided to revive the band a few years back and now they unleash one hell of a release divided into nine ear-piercing tracks. While not long in duration, the 36 minutes of music presented are some of the finest this Dutch outfit has ever produced.

The album title track opens the release with a vicious old-school Death Metal vibe, perfectly adorned with Blacked Harsh screams and lush atmospheric keyboards. With “Broken Halo” continuing in the same fashion, we are completely floored as “Book of Lies” unleashes hell with piercing riffs and brilliant melodic intensity. This last track is definitely one for brutal headbanging, and with some contrasting solemn guitar leads, it is just magical.

Flanked by intense drumming, “Spirit of Beelzebub” is another brilliant example of the excellent song writing skills of the band, effortlessly combining incisive riffs with crafty tempo changes and lush vocal arrangements. Bringing in some old-school Deicide influences, “Satan Spawn” is another track that will leave plenty of necks sore as it pummels through your speakers. Changing the pace a bit, the lavish atmospherics of “Gabriel” and “Eye of Horus” showcase the versatility of the band’s unique sound and its melodic counterpart.

Closing with another retro-DM anthem, “Blood Moon Eclipse” leaves us on a high note. Overall, “Illuminati” is definitely one of the best releases that God Dethroned has ever produced. Filled with vicious onslaughts and sweeping tempo passages, this short but sweet album is as crafty as it is both intense and melodic. If you are a fan of Blackened Death Metal and like bands like Behemoth, this album will surely be up your alley.

Label: Metal Blade Records

Release: February 7th, 2020

Genre: Blackened Death Metal

Country: Netherlands