Deicide - In Torment in Hell [Red Smoke]

Deicide's In Torment in Hell returns in a remastered edition on red smoke vinyl, giving one of the Florida death metal band's most turbulent records a fresh coat of paint.

Released in 2001 on Roadrunner Records, it was made under difficult circumstances. Glen Benton, Steve Asheim and guitarists Eric and Brian Hoffman cut it in just a few days at Morrisound Recording in Tampa and produced it themselves, with tensions running so high that the inner artwork carried no band photos. It turned out to be their final album for Roadrunner before the band moved on to Earache, closing one chapter of their story in a hurry.

At around half an hour, it is a lean, no-frills blast of riffs and fury, every song written by Benton and Asheim. The title track opens proceedings with Benton's trademark bark, "Christ Don't Care" makes its intentions plain in under three minutes, and "Vengeance Will Be Mine" and "Lurking Among Us" keep the pressure on right up to the final note. There is little room for polish here, and that rawness is part of its appeal.

The new remaster offers a chance to revisit this rough-edged chapter with clearer ears, and the smoky red disc makes a striking addition to any Deicide shelf.