An Interview with Glen Benton of Deicide
I have a borderline unhealthy obsession with Florida Death Metal. Viewed from afar here in Eastern Kansas, it’s a magical scene where death metal monsters churned out instant classics at Morrisound Recording.
Since emerging from Tampa in 1987, Deicide has been utterly relentless, delivering eleven albums of punishing death, each one overflowing with sick riffing, merciless drumming and grotesque, satanic growls. The man behind those growls, Glenn Benton, was kind enough to take time from the recording of Deicide’s twelfth masterpiece to answer a few of my questions.
Derek: Hello, Glen! Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions! Rumors have been going around since October of last year that Deicide is heading into the studio to record the follow up to your excellent 2013 release, “In the Minds of Evil”. Are you working on a new album? If so, where are you at in the recording process? If not, will you be heading to the studio in the near future?
Glen: We have just started the process of bringing everyone together to share parts and looking at what we all have in the way of parts and songs written..
Derek: You have very strong songwriters in the band. Does everyone bring their songs to band mostly complete or as loose structures to be refined by the band as a whole?
Glen: It’s a free for all, we all bring parts and songs and we all have a hand in producing the material, it’s exactly how we did it last time…
Derek: The Metal Alliance Tour is set to kick off on May 26th with support from Entombed A.D., Hate Eternal, Black Crown Initiate and Svart Crown. That’s an amazing line-up!
Glen: Yes indeed, looking forward to it for sure..
Derek: Deicide has released eleven albums. With so many killer songs to choose from is it difficult putting a set list together? Or exactly the opposite?
Glen: As much as we would like to play obscure songs it is always safe to stick with the hits, no matter what we play there will always be that person who screams out the songs we feel don’t define DEICIDE.
Derek: “Once Upon the Cross” was released twenty years ago. Looking back, what are your thoughts on that album?
Glen: That was a great album, it was the album that Steve wrote the music for the entire record and defined himself as the main melody writer in the band.
Derek: Deicide has toured the world several times over. Is there anywhere you haven’t played yet that you’re hoping to conquer with your particular brand of evil?
Glen: I’ve been everywhere man( Johnny Cash) I wanted to go, so now it’s like running up to the corner store for milk..
Derek: Now it’s time for The Marvelous Three Round of Questions! What’s your favorite breakfast cereal? Most metalheads have large concert t-shirt collections. What’s your favorite band t-shirt? And last but not least, are you a cat person or a dog person?
Glen: Captain Crunch, my Willie-Nelson-flipping-the-bird shirt, I have a dog (Dinkleman) and a cat (Big Blak).
Derek: Thank you so much taking the time to talk to me! I’m looking forward to the next Deicide masterpiece and seeing you on The Metal Alliance Tour!
Glen: Thanks and look forward to the brutal beating I intend on delivering!
GB
Check Out the Title Track from “In the Minds of Evil”
