UMUR "In the Minds of Evil" is the 11th full-length studio album by US, Florida based death metal act Deicide. The album was released through Century Media Records in November 2013. It´s the first Deicide release to feature guitarist Kevin Quirion (Council of the Fallen, Order of Ennead, Shadow Society) as a permanent member of the lineup, even though he has played live with the band on several occasions.

On "In the Minds of Evil", Deicide more or less sounds like...well Deicide. The skillful playing (drummer Steve Asheim as always needs a special mention for his precision and speed), the relatively short album length (this time around 36:50 minutes long), the anti-Christian lyrics and Glen Bentons´s characteristic barking growls in front (one-dimensionally brutal and emotionless, like they´ve been on so many releases). In keeping with the other albums they´ve released since the Hoffman brothers got fired, the guitar solos feature a more melodic sensibility than the chromatic shredding solos on the albums where the Hoffman brothers handled the guitar work. The solos are simply more varied these days, and they provide Deicide´s sound with an extra spice.

So all the characteristics that most Deicide albums feature are present and accounted for. The music on the album are generally on the heavier side of the band´s output, although they still know how to blast away when that is called for. The sound production is very well sounding and powerful. It´s in the clearer end of the death metal sound production spectrum but not too clean and polished.

It´s not like they´ve developed their sound much though and it´s not an album that´ll bring back those listeners who began to drop out of the fanclub after being treated to one mediocre album after another in the late 90s/early 00s. It´s still an enjoyable and professional death metal release, that is very powerful and raw when it´s best, and there are a few tracks that stick after it´s finished, but overall "In the Minds of Evil" is not really an album that stick out in the band´s discography. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

J-Man Although recent Deicide observations have traditionally been met with mixed reception, 2013's In the Minds of Evil seems to be an exception to that rule - and with good reason. The band's first album with guitarist Kevin Quirion in the fold (and eleventh overall) shows these US death metal legends in particularly good shape, and while I thought that 2011's To Hell With God was pretty damn enjoyable, In the Minds of Evil is a noticeable step up.

Deicide's fast-paced, blasphemous, and semi-technical approach to death metal is fully intact on In the Minds of Evil, but as has been the case on the band's last few records, melodic guitar leads play a big role in the compositions. I even notice a few melodic-sounding choruses thrown into the mix this time around (just listen to the darkly anthemic title track!), though it is worth pointing out that this is not in any way “melodic death metal” - In the Minds of Evil still sounds like ominous, fast, and evil old school death metal, but its frequent borrowings from traditional metal lead guitar technique add a unique twist to Deicide's music.

At the end of the day, In the Minds of Evil is not a revolution for neither Deicide nor death metal in general, but when the playing is this tight, the production is this powerful, and the compositions are this memorable without sacrificing an ounce of brutality, it's clear that we have a winner on our hands. Folks that have given up on this band over a decade ago may want to take the time to investigate them again - In the Minds of Evil proves that Deicide can still bludgeon listeners with the power of a thousand inverted crosses!