TheStory: For those unfamiliar with the DÉTENTE name we will have a quick view of their story so far. A story that begun in 1984 at Los Angeles where the couple Dawn Crosby (vocals) and Dennis Butler (drums) after some primary previous band steps took the decision to start a new one moving in Thrash with a bit of Punk directions. A guitarist was found, his name was Jim Tutone, and the first songs would arise like "Shattered Illusions" and "Vultures In The Sky". Jim would not stay for a long time and the line up would take its classic formation with Steve Hochheiser in bass and Ross Robinson together with Caleb Quinn in the guitar axes.

"Recognize No Authority": The above mentioned lineup will start the recordings for their debut album with Dana Strum being the producer (known of course from the glam band SLAUGHTER). Weird, yes. And after some hellish circumstances in the studio (fights between the members and the members with the producer enriched with hysterical attitude of Dawn) the album will be finalized in 1986, the year that would be out in the streets. And it was hell worth the whole mess. Ten dynamite songs, pure attack against the rotten society's substructure and the people's common thoughts. But the really impressive thing here was the vocals. Hysterical, full of anger and inner pain, reflecting rage together with agony and thinking depression it will be not far away if we would describe them as a view full of desperation against the world. Besides this, the music was the appropriate one for such a screaming madness combined perfectly with the lyrics since both the speedy and the mid-tempo parts were all hell breaking loose. I close this thing here; I don't want reaching verbosity levels by talking just about "Recognize No Authority". The whole collocation is for a thought comparison between the  band's two albums.

The End And The Rebirth: Unfortunately the band will give only one live performance with the recording lineup and after entering into a freezing state they will end it. Dawn will continue with FEAR OF GOD until her voyage to "the other side" in 15^th December of 1996. As for the other members, the most well known is Ross Robinson who has become a producer of some rapcore bands. DÉTENTE stayed for some years in its grave and the resurrection came quite recently with Caleb, Steve and Dennis accompanied by no other than Ann Boleyn from HELLION. Probably such a choice sounds very strange since Boleyn's style includes some melody but - and by judging some live performances in Europe for the first time - she was very good, much better than her other band, truth is. But for unknown reasons she left the band before a year and something.

So, we are ending this time travelling here. DÉTENTE are back with a new woman behind, her name is Tina Teal and a brand new album is called "Decline". And here this review will become a pain in the ass unfortunately. I was very curious for this comeback really but I cannot say I enjoyed so much the material here although it is far away of being criticized as bad. The major problem with "Decline" is the songs' quality. It really seems like it was written in a total rush, a weird thing if we see the long time the band had a break. On the other hand, if you take the risk and reactivate you have to be sure that your material must be at least in the same levels as in the past. If such a thing does not exist then the whole project is of not serious attention.

What we have here is some nice moments that cannot easily escape mediocrity. "In God We Trust" sounds nice but too simple and really after some hearings it becomes really boring. "Predator" includes a very good punk riff that comes with the refrain making it one of the best moments here. Same could be said about "Kill Rush" but the pre-chorus and chorus are horribly worked. The gang vocals cannot fit with the main voice and I believe they should have paid more attention if they wanted this thing to be complete.

Exception to the rule is "Degradation Machine" having very good vocals from Tina and although it reminds a little of METALLICA it has something to offer. Talking about the top moments here, by far we have the "Genocide" song that is no other than a re-recording of "Catalepsy". That was the instrumental tune from the previous album and the name of the band that the two guitarists and the bassist then made after DÉTENTE. Here they have included some lyrics and together with the very good performance the song is definitely the highlight. Yet, this is not a positive thing, your best track to be the old one I guess.

As for the rest of the songs I don't have a lot to say, really. The self-titled one is very bad while in "This Is Not Freedom" they play so fast and brutal like a grind band but again I feel that not only this is not fitting well with the band's name but is also moving in mediocre inspiration levels. "Ashes" is a little bit better but not something special.

The vocals are not bad. For some reasons Tina uses a lot of very brutal voice similar to ARCH ENEMY and this is the main disadvantage. When she puts some melody, like in "Degradation Machine" or thrashing and not death style you will find that she is really good. Anyway, surely "Decline" is far away from what I had in my mind before but shit happens. If there is something that you have to keep from all this, it is to check "Recognize No Authority".