God Is I

Personnel: Jorge Rosado, Jorge Rosado (vocals); Darian (guitar); Boby Blood, Bobby Blood (drums); Mike the Wop (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Tim Gilles.
Recording information: Big Blue Meenie Recording.
Illustrator: Craig Holloway.
Photographers: Mark Visco; Jeremy Saffer.
After having been put indefinitely on ice after 2003's poorly received BLUETALITY and the death of long-serving guitarist Javier "SOB" Capio in 2006, the motivational seeds were sown for the assemblage of Merauder's new lineup by frontman Jorge Rosado. What resulted was the band's fourth album, GOD IS I. Released in 2009 by new label Regain Records, the disc also marks a turning point in the band's sound, solidifying their credentials as a death metal band proper. Highlights include the notably deliberate "Ratcatcher" (reminiscent of Bolt Thrower, with its winding melodies underpinned by mechanical double kick-drums), "Forgotten Children" (harking to Pantera's massive grooves and featuring Diamond Darrell-esque guitar pull-offs), and simply pummeling deathsters like the title track and Spanish-named "Ahora." And even if some songs like "Built on Blood," "Gangsta," and "Hell Captive" relapse to the days when Merauder were, at best, a second rate version of Biohazard or Sick of it All, there's certainly no lack of deathly, Cookie Monster `thickness' in Rosado's guttural growl, or his fellow bandmates sludge-drenched guitar work. At the end of the day, one feels that this minor but unmistakable stylistic shift goes a long way to validating Merauder's return--not to mention their disciplined avoidance of the then popular deathcore style--and it serves as a fitting tribute to their recently fallen comrade, to boot.