Review: God of the Godless by Temple of Dread

Dillon Bisig

October 11, 2024

The German old school Death Metal-ers Temple of Dread, have returned again to bring their thrashy riffs with the recent release of God of the Godless, only 1 year after their most recent release Beyond Acheron’s. For the readers that may also be new to Temple of Dread, since 2017 the band has been honing their stripped down Floridian authentic Death Metal sound for those eager to return to the glory days of the landmark sound Death brought to the table. God of the Godless is no exception to this fact, and that’s not a mark against the album. But that also doesn’t mean there is no originality or growth from their previous work either. Refinement is the name of the game with this release and Temple of Dread is not afraid to ensure its listeners appreciate their technical chops while maintaining their originalist sound. There are plenty of stand out tracks over the course of this 42 minute album, so let’s jump into the abyss together and enjoy this graphic tale spun about the rise of a new god.

For our first stop on this trip into Hades, let’s talk about this wonderful artwork done by Paolo Girardi. It’s not everyday you find an album cover that stands out so well, that you want to see the artwork in it’s full glory to appreciate its details. The deep rose-red hues surround the imposing figure of Charon as he rises above a torrent of the crimsoned River Styx. The artwork perfectly describes what an unsuspecting listener may hear upon the needle drop and the first few seconds of dust amplified through the speakers emerges. For those who decide to pick up the vinyl, you’re going to delight in pouring over its facade to uncover its micro-detail in the torrent of waves that are lapping at Charon’s feet. It is easy to see why the band has continued to work with the Italian artist for multiple releases. This is how you do a death metal cover right.

With God of the Godless, Temple of Dread wastes no time diving straight into the meat of the album’s sound. Carnage Ritual, the lead single of the album, jumps right into those thrash-y death metal riffs designed to get you head-banging right away, and it effortlessly does so. If you were only judging this album from the artwork, this song has confirmed your suspicions, this is pure Death Metal. The assault of the drums & the cries of the guitar immediately put you into the mindset that you need to head-bang and, if live, circle pit throughout this mythological telling of a war amongst the gods. Is it all just pure, classic Death Metal? Not at all! There are plenty of songs that play with more technically complex sounds to keep you interested and Black Scream is one of these songs. It opens with a slower, foreboding riff as it builds to prepare its onslaught of its march. Near the end of the track, a guitar solo appears with a very bluesy sound. The solo really sticks out as it gives the song a unique and unexpected texture amongst even your average Death Metal sound.

As you make your way throughout the album, you’ll realize just how good the production is. Drummer Jorg Uken, once again proves he knows how to deliver a wonderfully sounding Death Metal album. Nothing is lost in the mix. The drums drive a constant beat while the screams of Jens Finger effortlessly cut through the cacophony of drums & guitar. Jens lyrics are easily understood, even for the newcomer to harsh vocals. A fact that you can’t always guarantee within a genre known for deep guttural lows that almost blend in with the instrumentation. Songs like Sacrificial Dawn & Prophetic Misanthropy stand out for jumping right into the vocals & Prophetic Misanthropy in particular, allowing a listener to easily “sing-a-long” as Jens barks his dark lyrics to the listener. The near-slam beat during the breakdown is sure to be a hit amongst a crowd of devoted attendees at a show, eager to bring down the walls of the venue. Right after Monstrosity Divine opens up with a nasty bass riff that I can only imagine was designed to give you ‘that face’ as you hear it kick on before the duel guitars abruptly cut in to complete the very groovy riff, possibly evoking a Pantera-like intensity.

But like any good album, Temple of Dread knows when & how to end an album. They never overstay their welcome & Demise of Olympus ends the story with a slower, groove oriented track. Bringing in some haunting guitars with nearly melancholic melody while bringing some grime & grit when the energy needs to kick up a notch. And energy is something God of the Godless is not lacking. It is consistent throughout, even when they want to give you a small break. God of the Godless is a very enjoyable album for the long-time fan & newcomer alike. While it may not stray too far from their established sound, it does not need to either. Temple of Dread has proven throughout their career they can give the fans what they want and new listeners something different within the space.

God of the Godless could be a great introduction to the metalhead who has stuck to listening to Thrash and Groove Metal all these years later due to the fear of Death Metal’s vocals & lyrical content. They can be rest assured knowing it is very approachable despite the extreme sound. For the Old School Death Metal fan who might be stumbling across the group for the first time, you are in for a treat. This album has that classic Death Metal sound that not too many try to replicate in this age and helps the album stand out from the more slam or Cannibal Corpse sounding scene that has exploded in recent years. I can easily say I recommend God of the Godless a listen through, I know for myself when I want that original Floridian sound Temple of Dread and God of the Godless are going to be a go-to.