Malevolent Creation - 'Dead Man's Path' (Album Review)

By: Richard Maw

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 02/10/2015

Label: Century Media Records

‘Corporate Weaponry’ has blasts aplenty, along with some excellent lead work. It certainly ticks all the boxes: memorable title and thus chorus, breakdown section, time changes and a superb production. Fast and furious in the main, this is a fine example of where Malevolent Creation are at in 2015. Simply put, if you like any of the band's previous work, you will love this. If you enjoy death metal that is not too far into tech-territory, then this record is for you. Death metal, for death metal fans.

‘Dead Man's Path’ CD//DD//LP track listing:

01. Dead Man's Path

02. Soul Razer

03. Imperium (Kill Force Rising)

04. Corporate Weaponry

05. Blood Of The Fallen

06. Resistance Is Victory

07. 12th Prophecy

08. Extinction Personified

09. Fragmental Sanity

10. Face Your Fear

11. Carnivorous Misgivings *

12. Dominated Resurgency *

* (Bonus Tracks of the Digipak and the CD included in the LP-version,

re-recorded songs from the “Stillborn” album

Malevolent Creation is

Phil Fasciana | guitar

Bret Hoffmann | vocals

Jason Blachowicz | bass

Gio Geraca | guitar

Justin DiPinto | drums

The Review:

It would be no exaggeration to say that Malevolent Creation wrote ‘The Ten Commandments’ of death metal! Joking aside, that one album alone cements their status as a classic band. Sure, they are not usually included in most lists of “Obituary/Deicide/Morbid Angel/Cannibal Corpse” when discussing a death metal version of the Big Four, but if those bands are that, then Malevolent Creation must be not too far off...

The Florida (by way of Buffalo) veterans return with this dark and rumbling release. The title track is downbeat and doomy- not a blast beat to be found and spoken word vocals used. An interesting start. ‘Soul Razor’ finds the band on more familiar territory. 3,2,1... Blast Off! It's feral stuff; as sharp as the title implies but with a listenable quality that elevates them above most modern pretenders to the throne. ‘Imperium (Kill Force Rising)’ is an energetic romp that remains engaging throughout its six plus minutes.

‘Corporate Weaponry’ has blasts aplenty, along with some excellent lead work. It certainly ticks all the boxes: memorable title and thus chorus, breakdown section, time changes and a superb production. Fast and furious in the main, this is a fine example of where Malevolent Creation are at in 2015.

‘Blood of The Fallen’ continues this template- very speedy to start with new drummer Justin DiPinto acquitting himself very well throughout (the less said about the controversy surrounding the exit of former drummer Gus Rios, the better). Of course, the song slows for a spell and offers up some nicely chugging riffage.

The second half of the album is arguably even more brutal with the likes of ‘Resistance is Victory’ ruining your speakers. ‘The 12^th Prophecy’ has a brilliantly dramatic feel to the main riff and keeps things taut from thereon. Indeed, the album is focussed throughout; ‘Extinction Personifies’ rattles by at pace and ‘Fragmental Sanity’ has a really old school feel to the riffs and lyrics- great stuff. ‘Face Your Fear’ finishes off this strong release with a more groove based initial attack that would not be out of place on a Six Feet Under album. The pace picks up, of course, running the gamut of fast thrash beats, half times and turnarounds.

Simply put, if you like any of the band's previous work, you will love this. If you enjoy death metal that is not too far into tech-territory, then this record is for you. Death metal, for death metal fans.

‘Dead Man’s Path’ is available here

FFO: Deicide, Morbid Angel, Cannibal Corpse, Obituary

Band info: facebook