DELIVERANCE - ASSIMILATION (Retroarchives Edition) (*NEW-CD, 2019, Retroactive)
Band: Deliverance
Title: Assimilation (Retroarchives Edition)
Label: Retroactive Records
Product ID: RRCD1483
Format: 1-CD, 4 panel jewel case w lyrics, same mastering as 2007 release
Barcode: 637405138979
Release Date: March 26th, 2019
ABOUT THE ALBUM
Assimilation is dangerous. You can lose control. You can lose your very identity. You can lose your personal autonomy. Assimilation is very dangerous. Beware. However, before you read any further we must inform you that resistance is futile. Deliverance demands....you WILL be Assimilated!
Fortunately, the 2001 Deliverance album, Assimilation ensures that you will be raptured into a creative foundation of edgy heavy metal guitar baptized in a backdrop of subtle digital tones to create a work that can best be described as dark and heavy – almost goth-like in feel - meeting the needs of both the head-banger and the soul. Music critic Angelic Warlord, called Assimilation “the most musically consistent effort from the band since its critically acclaimed 1993 work Learn.” Tracks such as “The Circle” and “Save Me From…” will pull you in with their technical prowess, while “Assimilation” and “Between 2 Worlds” give rise to a resounding heaviness. “The Limitless Light” and “Impressions,” on the other hand, bring chorus hooks of a gripping capacity.
Assimilation finds founding member Jimmy P. Brown II in top form with his doom-like and low key David Bowie meets Geoff Tate (Queensryche) lead vocal abilities. As a rhythm guitar, he adorns the full length of the project with his mega-tight riffs and chops-placed right up front in the mix where they belong. Longtime Deliverance bassist Manny Morales makes his presence felt as well in furnishing an abundance of unwavering bass lines. Keyboardist David Gilbreath, of course, adds the industrial element to the band’s sound, his accentuating but not overriding work bringing out the best in the quality material here. Out of Deliverance’s epic catalog of transformational albums, Assimilation is one of the top favorites at Retroactive Records! As we said....resistance is futile. You will be Assimilated! For fans of Queensryche, Deliverance, Rammstein.
Tracks
"The Limitless Light" (3:24), "From The Beginning" (3:05), "Assimilation" (5:20), "The Circle" (4:27), "Sell Your Soul" (4:33), "The Search" (4:02), "The Learned Man" (4:14), "Between 2 Worlds" (3:35), "Impressions" (3:21), "Save Me From…" (4:09)
ASSIMILATION REVIEW (2001) by Jonathan Swank / HM Magazine
Okay, it would not be an understatement to say that this is probably one of the best comeback releases ever in the history of Christian metal. The direction the band takes here is a modern groove metal sound interlaced with some techno loops for cool effect. Surprisingly, the basic Deliverance sound is intact – the clear progression from the last release Camelot In Smithereens, but with a decidedly heavier vibe. Some of the “alternative” feel to the last album can also be heard here, but this is metal and these songs are really heavy. Deliverance fans could not be more pleased by Jimmy’s comeback. The strong lyrical base he has given to so many of his songs are present here and the content reminds this listener of the Learn material. Jimmy continues to use the
newer vocal style, with some of those Bowie-like lows, but I think his voice sounds better than ever. Song length is a bit short, but it really makes this disc great to listen to in one sitting because the songs just flow nicely from one to the next. Consistent with the current trend in metal there are no guitar wailing solos here, which may disappoint some older fans. No indie mix here, these songs sound great, and album artwork is extremely cool as well. Unlike some of the Deliverance albums of past where there was always a song or
two that was an outlier, like “Horrendous Disc” from Stay Of Execution, or “Map” from River Disturbance and “Beauty And The Beast” from Camelot…, this album is consistently metal from start to finish. Moreover, there is a sense of cohesion from song topic to song, a quality that made the Learn album so enjoyable. Make no mistake, this is fearful but it is not Fearful Symmetry. This is metal, pounding riff for pounding riff, and Deliverance is back in full force. Jimmy and the boys have nothing to be ashamed of here.
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