When Satan Lives
Deicide · 1998
52 min · 16 tracks · death metal
Frenetic guitar riffs and guttural vocals collide in a relentless assault of dark themes and aggressive rhythms.
Top tracks — play these first
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When Satan Rules His World — The opening track sets the tone with its blistering speed and unrelenting aggression, encapsulating the album's fierce thematic focus on anti-religion.
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Blame It on God — This track features a catchy yet brutal riff that underscores the band's signature style while critiquing blind faith and moral hypocrisy.
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Once Upon the Cross — It stands out for its narrative-driven lyrics that weave a dark tale, showcasing Deicide's ability to blend storytelling with heavy instrumentation.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases aggressive instrumentation and themes typical of death metal, but lacks standout compositions.
What we noticed
- The album features a consistent tempo throughout, with most tracks maintaining a fast pace and aggressive rhythm.
- Guitar riffs are heavily layered, often featuring rapid alternation between palm-muted chugging and high-speed solos.
- Vocals are predominantly guttural, with minimal variation in delivery style across the tracks, emphasizing the confrontational themes.
- Several tracks incorporate abrupt tempo changes, creating moments of intensity followed by brief lulls before resuming the aggression.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- relentless aggression throughout album
- short tracks for quick intensity
- cathartic release of pent-up energy
- ideal for high-energy workouts
- dark themes for intense immersion
Maybe skip if you
- prefer melodic and soft sounds
- seek lengthy, progressive compositions
Where this album fits
- Career context
- When Satan Lives marked Deicide's seventh studio album, following the significant release of Serpents of the Light in 1997. At this point in their career, the band had solidified their reputation as pioneers of death metal, known for their controversial themes and unyielding sound. This album came during a time when they were actively pushing boundaries within the genre.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Cannibal Corpse· Obituary· Behemoth
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 When Satan Rules His World 3:14
- 2 Blame It on God 2:59
- 3 Bastard of Christ 2:58
- 4 Children of the Underworld 3:09
- 5 Serpents of the Light 3:08
- 6 Dead but Dreaming 3:27
- 7 Slave to the Cross 3:28
- 9 Oblivious to Evil 2:50
- 10 Once Upon the Cross 3:05
- 11 Believe the Lie 2:54
- 12 Trick or Betrayed 2:24
- 13 Behind the Light Thou Shall Rise 3:03
- 14 Deicide 4:16
- 15 Father Baker's 3:37
- 16 Dead by Dawn 4:09
- 17 Sacrificial Suicide 3:49
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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