I have to admit that Deceased had already been around for 12 years before I heard them properly on the release of their third 1997 album Fearless Undead Machines,’ the tape copy of which is now well played. I probably (as did no doubt others) took one look at their old school spiky logo and dismissed the first signed band to Relapse as being just another brutal death metal act. I would have been completely wrong as they are a whole lot more than that. The band with drumming vocalist King Fowley at the helm certainly have plenty of deathly ideas but they mix them up with a lot of classic metal flourishes which are with the lyrical contents of horror that surround them in lines with the output of the likes of King Diamond more than say Cannibal Corpse. They are quite an accessible bunch basically with plenty of flowing leads and clean albeit guttural vocals really helping you get into both the music and the stories that they tell. Of course there is plenty about them that you can bang your head to as did a large field of hung-over bangers when I was lucky enough to catch them open up a day’s proceedings at Wacken Open Air Festival in (looks it up) 2001.

Supernatural Addiction was the bands 4th release in 2000 and originally came out on the previously mentioned Relapse Records. Now Hells Headbangers have literally blown the cobwebs off it and reissued the album complete with five of the songs added on it their demo versions.

I particularly like this as one look at the cover and song titles gives it somewhat away, the words” inspired by Edgar Allen Poe” on the tip of your lips. Once you go further in you can give yourself a pat on the back and as the pages open discover other muses within the songs.

Starting with ‘The Premonition’ we are quickly into page turning leads and nice meaty drumming rhythms, Fowley’s craggy voice is just behind and the story unfolds at a galloping pace. In the case of this one it’s Episode 22 from The Twilight Zone. It is not the sort of album you could really sit down and read a book to as the stories compel you to follow them and besides it’s really difficult not playing air guitar to the infectious leads and banging your head along to it all. If you are looking for an activity to do whilst listening none could be better than sewing those patches onto your denim. Be warned when that ghastly yell comes out the speakers you will prick your thumb though. I guess I would have caught a few of these numbers live and even after not having this album originally the intro guitar licks of Dark Chilling Heartbeat (yeah there’s your Poe) and rampant charging following frenzy seemed instantly familiar. This really is classic stuff and true horror metal through and through. The twin guitar harmonies work excellently together and the bass is nice and thick. One should not give all the props to King as bassist and guitarist Les Snyder and Mike Smith have been in the band since 1988 and 1990 respectively.

As the songs continue and you give this repeated spins as it is as the name suggests addictive certain melodies and hooks will be with you for a very long time. It is all tempestuously delivered with zealous flourishes and it is fun trying to identify the source material behind the songs. One that is made obvious due to the sample at the beginning is with last song Elly’s Dementia and it is the Blair Witch Project. What can I say, cracking song, excellent album but utter deplorable shite movie! Well we can’t agree on everything can we? As for the extras you can either listen to them after the album making it run to a full 76 minutes or turn them off making it a more compact listening experience. The couple of spins I have given them may not have me listening out for differences but it certainly enforces what bloody good (pun intended) songs they are in the first place! If you are looking for Death Metal From the grave you are in the right place; up the fucking tombstones indeed.

(8/10 Pete Woods)

http://www.upthetombstones.net