Band:	Dieth
Album:	To Hell And Back
Style:	Death metal, Thrash metal
Release date:	June 2023

01. To Hell And Back
02. Don't Get Mad ... Get Even!
03. Wicked Disdain
04. Free Us All
05. Heavy Is The Crown
06. Walk With Me Forever
07. Dead Inside
08. The Mark Of Cain
09. In The Hall Of The Hanging Serpents
10. Severance

Cutting their dieth.

It might not be as bad as going to hell, but it's safe to say that David Ellefson has had a rough couple of years, to say the least. After busting his way out of Megadeth in more ways than one, Ellefson has been a prolific performer and taken on a host of projects, of which Dieth is the latest to make their first LP impression. To Hell And Back suggests perhaps that this initial burst of enthusiasm is seeing Ellefson spread himself too thin and is prioritising quantity over quality, with a release that feels rushed and lacking much in the way of any spark.

Dieth is a three-piece supergroup in the death/thrash vein; while the aforementioned Ellefson is perhaps the most recognisable name attached, he has surrounded himself with a capable pair of musicians in Miranda and łsejko. While the group have potential on paper, it is not realised on To Hell And Back, feeling like a group of session musicians were gang-pressed into making an album out of obligation rather than inspiration. Well, it's not true that the band isn't inspired, but perhaps they lean too heavily on their inspirations and don't sonically distance themselves from them. "Don't Get Mad... Get Even!" has a chorus riff lifted from "Like This With The Devil" by Entombed, while less egregious is the ill-fitting Rush-sounding passage in "Free Us All".

The band do produce some entertaining songs, with the album finishing in a strong fashion thanks to the run of tracks that close out the record, from "Mark Of Cain", to the closing "Severance". These might not be the best songsin the genre, but they do highlight the potential the band have in their ranks, though it's potential that needs to be brought to the fore more consistently.

One of the two things Dieth evidently have in their favour is the strong production behind them on To Hell And Back, an album that manages to balance everything perfectly, with Ellefson having a strong and tight bass tone that fills out the sound around Miranda's lone guitar work. The other element the band have is, is the evident talent in their ranks; To Hell And Back features some great performances throughout and is far from lacking in the musicianship department, but it is constrained by the biggest shortcoming on the album.

The biggest shortcoming on To Hell And Back has to be the songwriting; as well played as the music is, it's lacking much in the way of anything strong or memorable. Songs like "Wicked Disdain" or "Heavy Is The Crown" feel like B-side quality tracks, just played really well. It's a shame really, as you can hear the potential; they are just unable to effectively, and enjoyably, channel it.

Dieth are likely to be one of those groups that are best remembered for who was in it, rather than what they produced. To Hell And Back is a passable, if forgettable, debut release and album in the death/thrash genre.