Deceased really are the definition of a “cult” band. They’ve been plying their foetid trade now since 1985, and while many metal heads will be au fait with their name, I wonder how many have taken the step to actually listen to their catalogue? I will confess to being a fan, but truly, they’re really under-appreciated for their strictly old-school productions. I missed their last release, a covers album, back in 2021, but had reviewed their last proper album, “Ghostly White”, giving it a 9 out of 10.

King Fowley (vocals) is, of course, still at the helm. Joining him are stalwarts Lee Snyder (bass) and Mike Smith (guitars). Fellow axe-smith Shane Fuegol has been with the crew since 2006, and Amo Rifkin has joined on drums since 2019. Following a nice (and brief) instrumental opener, “Destination: Morgue”, we get into the meat proper. Title track “Children of the Morgue” is about as perfect an explanation of the Deceased sound as you’re likely to ever get. It’s a riotous 7 minutes plus explosion of Haunting the Chapel era-Slayer gonzo thrash, teetering on the border of Scream Bloody Gore Death Metal, as played through a Killers-era Iron Maiden NWOBHM filter. If that sounds like an overload of awesome, it really is. Thrashy, barely controlled riffing collides with some really excellent twin-guitar harmonies.

Fowley’s deranged yowl graces the rather excellent “Terrornaut”, which strays ever so slightly off the well-worn pad to add some spooky dynamics and spoken-word theatrics. It has all the appeal of prime King Diamond without too much campness and an extra dollop of heaviness. “The Reaper is Nesting” starts with the kind of riff that Hellripper would kill to write.

“The Gravedigger” is the centrepiece of the collection, with a run time of 8 minutes 40. It has a plodding, insistent main riff that gives way to manic guitar duels at around the 3 minute 30 mark. Depending on your view, you’re going to think that it’s probably the most epic song they’ve ever written – Deceased’s own “Hallowed be thy name” moment, or it’s a baffling collision of disparate styles. Personally, I find the mix of doom, thrash and NWOBHM here to be absolutely top drawer. The waxing and waning of the track is so damned addictive.

“Eerie Wavelengths” is the Show No Mercy track you never knew existed, a breathless melding of Judas Priest, Tank and Slayer all playing with the energy of men half their age. “Fed to Mother Earth” is another long one, with a run time of over 7 minutes. Strangely, I was really reminded of (UK) Sabbat here with some of the angular riffs on display and the brief spoken word interlude halfway through the run time.

“Brooding Lament” keeps the speed up, rattling along at a blistering pace. “Farewell (Taken to Forever)” is the album closer, again an epic 8 minute plus, atmospheric and gloomy exercise in macabre story-telling. Huge shout out here to the two gentlemen on guitar, because the sheer amount of tasty riffs and guitar melodies here would outnumber those of rival bands entire albums.

As ever, Deceased have really produced an album that demands to be listened to as an entire album. It sounds massive. I haven’t mentioned the multiple sub-1-minute instrumental tracks that dot through the record connecting everything together, but they really do produce a brilliant listening experience. As the closing track ends with the yelped refrain “Children…Children of the Morgue”, just as it started, I can’t help but think that this might be their magnum opus. It’s quite simply, to my ears, a modern classic.

(9/10 Chris Davison)

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https://the-true-deceased.bandcamp.com/album/children-of-the-morgue