Please everyone don't get me wrong when I say that I really didn't appreciate this LS album as much as I thought that I would. You see, I've been spoiled with the new album, and have also heard certain songs off this album with the new singer. The exact reason that I don't like this album is one of the keys to why I gave Reborn a perfect ten. The vocalist. There has to be a certain sound associated with the vocalist and this album didn't do it for me. I like the Inhabit vocals better, they were less machine like. I really think that there is a serious effect put on the vocalist, even though they probably would have denied it back then, and no one really cares now. The music is however, unreal, and super technical. If you saw this band play at Cornerstone you know what I mean. They played several tracks off this album, and the guitars were shredding away second by second. That is the reason that I thought I would love this album, but I forgot about the vocalist!
Oops, my bad. I don't hear the lyrical preaching, but that could just be because of the muffling vocals. Really you have to hear them to understand, they aren't really straight death metal, but more like "Oblation", or "Groms', so if you like this style then by all means this will be a perfect album for you. Unfortunately I can't really say anything about the production of the cd since I don't own it myself. It is a relatively old cd, so don't look for anything extremely special.
Overall, I love the music sooo much, but the vocalist just kills it for me. Maybe I'm just really, really, really, spoiled from Reborn, and am going to be in denial of any other LS album until they come out with a new one. I don't know. I just don't want to be down on this album, because the music is so great, and the lyrics are killer. If you don't have this album and you listen to death metal, I would recommend it to you, but I will tell you that you will: 1. Have a hard time finding it. 2. Pay an arm and a leg for it. At the Cornerstone festival, the band didn't even have any to sell, if that tells you anything about the rarity of this piece. Also, you should look for a remix of "Void Expression", that Circle Of Dust, did for the band. I heard it one time on a tape made from "Tempered Steel", a Christian radio station in Florida. I didn't know that anyone else had it until my good bud, D_Lister copied it for me to review so I know that it does exist out there, you just have to find it.
Fav. Song(s): Nonexistent, Void Expression(both versions)
7.5/10
Other Staff Member Ratings
D_Lister: 10/10
Scum: 10/10
HadeSlayeR: 6.5/10
Fletch: 8/10
Much: 6.5/10
Other coverage for this album
Dead Zine 2002Reviewed by NecRoSarXThis was the first Living Sacrifice album I ever got. And I'll be forthright- I bought it because of the cover artwork alone. Never heard of them before that fateful day in the local Christian bookstore, didn't know of anyone to give me any type of recommendation. . .the cover was just the coolest I've ever seen of any death metal album, Christian or not. A black-on-black photo of the band…Art for the Ears 1999Reviewed by Marco PovervestIt's not a secret that Living Sacrifice's Reborn was a profitable release for Solid State Records. This must have led to requests for the re-release of older albums. One of LS's older albums is Nonexistent (1992), their second. Their first album was an absolute Slayer rip-off album, not bad though. Nonexistent proved that the band could go their own direction, away from Slayer. This album…The Lighthouse February 1993Reviewed by Brad MatternAre you ready to Die? The brutal new sound of Living Sacrifice is totally mind blowing. The vocals are so hard to understand, D.J. sounds like a monster from hell dying. As the album starts with "Emerge," you wouldn't think this album was so heavy, it starts off with an acoustic intro, like a lot of the other songs. "Haven Of Blasphemy," is a totally killer track. It comes off of their EP Not…Heaven's Metal #39Reviewed by Spiny NormanTotally brutal! One listen to cut #2, the title track, and you know you've got something special here, with lightning fast double rhythms. The leads on top of the rhythms here have that cool wah-wah effect. The lead-off cut, "Enthroned," features a flurry of sound interspersed with some very tasteful acoustic guitar picking. This acoustic touch welds the first two songs together (along with the…Salt #14Reviewed by UnknownAh yes. The second helping of molten metal by our neighbors from Little Rock, Arkansas. I've been super anxious for this disc to come out. And my hopes were multiplied in hearing that this one is so brutal some major "secular" labels are looking to sign this deserving band. Upon listening, the only thing to squelch my excitement was that it seemed each song sounded too much alike. Though this is…Similar sounding releases
2001Soul EmbracedFor the Incomplete
1993Wickeds EndTemporal Pain
2005Pale HorseUntil the Last Seal Is Opened...
1992CruciferFestival of Death
2001xDisciplexDoxology
1993PossessionThe Unnameable SufferingMore from Living Sacrifice
1997Reborn
2000The Hammering Process
2005In Memoriam
1994Inhabit
2002Conceived In Fire
1991Living Sacrifice
