Cianide – Gods of Death (2012) [Hell's Headbangers] // Grade: B

Since 1992, the Chicago death metal scene has been graced with Cianide. Admittingly, their latest album, Gods of Death was another great 2011 release that somehow I missed. While many will argue that The Dying Truth is their best release to date, Gods of Death proves that it’s a worthy adversary. It’s not like these guys produce a new album every year, in fact their last was in 2005, Hells Rebirth and with the resurgence of death metal acts reuniting to record new albums, I can’t say that Gods of Death is a complete surprise. Until you press play.

Cianide’s sound is characteristically early Chicago death metal. And off the top of my head, the only other band I can think of that was pushing like Cianide was Master. These guys had character. The biggest, gnarliest guys would take the stage and deliver gut-crushing riffs and dirty vocals, all the while blasting some tempo. At the time, Florida’s death metal was becoming the model for new bands but Cianide didn’t bide by those unwritten laws. While others went doomy and slow, Cianide kicked up the pace. This still holds true today. Just listen to “Desecration Storm” and “Rising of the Beast”. These two powerhouses are broken apart by “Forsaken Doom,” one of the slower tracks on Gods of Death.

The procession continues with “Dead and Rotting” and “Idolator,” two tracks that aren’t to be missed. Cianide’s sound has been honed like an axe. Inside you’ll find D-beat, blast beats all formed into one track titled “Terrorstrikes”. The simplicity of their sound is part of the appeal. Don’t look for too much here but what’s there is worth while. The longest track on the album is “The One True Death” and it’s a sinister one. Steady, heavy and fucking rumbling tones envelop you. There’s nothing calculated about Cianide. It’s all natural and “Contained And Controlled” puts Gods of Death to rest. If you’re looking for some OSDM sound, a la Chicago in the 90′s, this one’s for you.

- Prolly