This was my first taste of extreme Christian metal beyond Stryper. I can sum up this album in one word: thrash. Whereas their first two albums were more speed metal-oriented (and there is a difference between the two), What a Joke is thrash.
What I dig about this CD is that their sense of humor is much more evident here. There are the serious songs, like "Psudo Intellectual", "What A Joke", "It's The Beat" and "Product Of Society", but the band's off-beat wackiness on the likes of "Purgatory Sandwich With Mustard", the thrashed-out take of "Silent Night", "Chipped Beef" and "Cheeseburger Maker Du." provides a much-needed comedy relief to an oft-too seriously taken genre. Even the intro to the CD shows the light-heartedness taken ("Well, the label wants us to do another record. Here we go. . ."). And don't miss the cover of Black Sabbath's "After Forever". It's much better than the Biohazard version on the Black Sabbath tribute album. Why Deliverance's version wasn't included, I don't know. But I'm rambling now. . .
Check this album out, oh ye fans of Anthrax. . .
7.5/10
Other coverage for this album
Heaven's Metal #32Reviewed by Rebecca BullockI have waited with baited breath for this release. Deliverance weighs in at a solid 8 on the Richter scale with What a Joke (in my opinion their best release to date). Their self-titled debut showcased a young melodic bunch, while their sophomore effort Weapons... featured a more technical side. So, the progression to a heavy (and I do mean heavy) level seemed natural. Guitarist George Ochoa…Similar sounding releases
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