Obvious that Glenn Benton's bandmates didn't want to see him defect to Vital Remains permanently, given Dechristianize is the best record the frontman has been on in ages. Thus Scars Of The Crucifix, their Earache debut, rises to the occasion as one of the finer slabs of devilry to escape the fiery pits of Deicide's hell. This their eighth heavenly sacrifice is ages ahead of the Venom-like primal recordings with legendary Neil Kernon behind the board. Funny that the record was still recorded at Morrisound, but it displays how important the human element remains in this ProTools world. Kernon's seasoned hands has added different textures, overlapping complexities and a backdrop of sonics that can be easily deciphered amidst Benton's howls of horror. And with 26:48 under their belts, they aim for the throat without wasting any time. 'Mad At God' sees some of the most effective riffing that the Hoffman lunatics (Eric and Brian) have conjured. The soaring breaks see the band treading new territory and busting down previous bland consistencies that made Insineratehymn (2000) and In Torment In Hell (2001) fail. A few overlapping studio tricks dominate fave cut 'When Heaven Burns', while 'Go Now Your Lord Is Dead' is a prime slab of blasphemy with leads galore and a grueling finale in just under two minutes. Hell, this may be Deicide's first headphones-recommended record as with increased listens the intricacies of Kernon's productions take time and most certainly a seasoned ear.