Deceased
Surreal Overdose

June 2011
Released: 2011, Patac/Hell's Headbangers/Shrieks From The Hearse
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: JP

It is so pleasing to see and hear Deceased is still going strong. After King’s serious health scare some years back, band member fatalities, line-up changes, label changes, and a wide and scattered catalogue, it seems the band of survivors will never say die. That’s true Metal spirit.



Amazingly, this is only Deceased sixth album since 1986. Ever since they left Relapse back in 2003 or so they really haven’t been that productive. Don’t get me wrong, they have been busy, very busy, with reissues, EP’s, Split’s, live albums, and half a dozen compilation albums but…only two studio albums in 10 years. The numbers game aside, it is good to see them come raging…and I do mean raging…back with SURREAL OVERDOSE.



Another creepy album cover (and classic logo in place) it is great to hear new material by the band. King sound pissed off. I think he and Paul Speckman would really have something to yell about. The album is (as always) just classic Metla dressed up with hints of Death and Thrash. It’s a beautiful blend that very few bands can lay claim too. King’s roots are too deep, too traditional to truly do a ‘modern’ style , Death-Thrash album. Accordingly, SURREAL OVERDOSE is very musical, punchy and heavy.



Many of the elements we expect and hope to hear on a Deceased album are in place. For one King is back on drums, which is cool. His infectious roar is on display, guttural and mean but intelligible. There are the various sound-effects, sound-bytes and so on scattered around the songs added a dimension of intrigue and horror, not utilized as much as Mortician for example, but enough to engage you into the songs. It’s these little things that have always helped set the and apart.



The songs are raw and loose and generally pretty fast with atmospheric components. Just check out that catchy, classic riff at the beginning of ‘Cloned’! Awesome! As always the lyrics are a step above as well, King weaving tales of horror and madness keeping in line with the bands long-running themes and presentation. After the band being ‘away’ for so long, it’s surreal to get an overdose of Deceased in the summer of 2011, but it’s good to know that Deceased is anything but.

Deceased
Surreal Overdose

September 2011
Released: 2011, PATAC Records
Rating: 4.5/5
Reviewer: Metal-Rules.com UK Team

Virginian death/thrash metal veterans metal Deceased headed back into the studio this year to record "Surreal Overdose", their first full-length of all-new material since 2005's "As The Weird Travel On".



The sumptuous “Skin Crawling Progress” start us off in style, this track is over 7 minutes long and never loses its edge all the way through. The next 5 tracks carry on in a similar vein and are great to listen to.



We landed up at “ A Doom Laden Aura” this short melodic instrumental introduces us perfectly into “Dying In Analog” this epic track is about 8 & a half minutes long, its rounds off the album superbly. It starts off slightly softer than the other tracks before picking up speed.



“Surreal Overdose” is a no nonsense album with the drums delving through the powerful, roaring riffs combines well with the strong and masterful vocals that tear their way through all these tracks. I really enjoyed this album and have been playing for the last few days.



Review by Sheila Hamilton