I have waited with baited breath for this release. Deliverance weighs in at a solid 8 on the Richter scale with What a Joke (in my opinion their best release to date). Their self-titled debut showcased a young melodic bunch, while their sophomore effort Weapons... featured a more technical side. So, the progression to a heavy (and I do mean heavy) level seemed natural. Guitarist George Ochoa definitely belongs to the chugga-chugga school of guitar, a sonic high-five goes out to his licks and style—very tight and precise. Drummer Kevin Lee and bassist Mike Grato lay down a base beat so tremendously heavy, you couldn't peel it off the floor with a spatula. Singer Jimmy Brown II transcends all previous efforts, his vocal range easily matches Queensryche's Tate or Priest's Halford (and sounds like it, too). (Special note: Anyone listening to Anthrax, Pantera, Sepultura, Flotsam & Jetsam, or Vio-Lence is highly recommended to snag a copy of What a Joke. It's a close match and I guarantee you'll like it a whole lot better.) Besides the painfully short songs; "Cheeseburger Maker Du", "J.P.D.", and "Happy Star" (this one is so short you wanna say 'scuse you) all come in at a hefty 28 seconds. "J.I.G." flies at ya at a rapid-fire data-dat dat, while "Chipped Beef" unloads an entire recipe on ya, cookable at your convenience. The jewel, though, is "Silent Night". The acoustic intro is quickly replaced by—yes—you guessed it, a speed metal version. Not that these guys are getting predictable (the cover shot is the band giving you dirty looks, while the reverse is of the guys cutting up), they are far from it. Matter of fact, I'd say they're way ahead of their time.