Malevolent Creation – The 13th Beast

Well folks the wait is over and the new album from Malevolent Creation is finally here. There has been high anticipation as well as apprehension among fans. Since the band’s last line-up dissolved leaving just founding member Phil Fasciana alone to pick up the pieces. With the bands legendary front man Bret Hoffman tragically being diagnosed with cancer and sadly succumbing to the disease putting that extra sting on the situation. The stakes where certainly high, this had to be a good album. One thing that caught my eye when flicking through the booklet on the first listen is that the majority of the material here is written by new front man and guitarist Lee Wollenschlaeger with Phil writing the music to just two songs and co-writing one other. A bit like Kerry King getting a whole new line up for Slayer and writing two songs on the new album... Weird.

Anyway, you know what? None of this matters because the music speaks for itself and this album is a beast. Lee Wollenschlaeger has been a secret talent in the metal underground and he has stepped up into his role and has delivered. While Phil Cancilla who gave a scorching performance on Narcotic Wastelands 2017 album “Delirium Tremens” gives another brilliant performance here. Think of who the man has to follow, Alex Marquez, Derek Roddy, David Culross, and Justin Dipinto. He matches all predecessors on this album. He plays with a white heat intensity throughout the album and Josh Gibbs of Solstice and Thrash Or Die is ever reliable and even shines on a few moments of lead bass during some quieter parts. 'Born Of Pain' for example.

Where does this sit in the bands catalogue? Well Lee’s vocals are deep and coarse so think of the Jay Blachowicz fronted albums. Take the cold, dark harshness and bluntness of those albums but with the intensity and sinister melodies of Envenomed.

Starting with a clean melody backed by a film sample the album explodes into life with 'End The Torture'. Songs like 'Canvas Of Flesh' and 'Mandatory Butchery' captures everything great about Malevolent Creation, perfectly capturing the frantic riffage of thrash and the dark unforgiving brutality of death metal adding subtle melodies that add to the atmosphere without ever diluting the heaviness. “Born of Pain” has a breakdown that will make you want to punch your Gran! Closer 'Release The Soul' starts off with a slow Bolt Thrower like section before building up to a shred-fest bringing the record to a devastating climax.

All in all this album is a victory. They did it, this is a Malevolent Creation album through and through. The spirit and the feeling is there and I can’t stop playing it. It is completely relentless. It is exactly what the fans wanted and needed from a new album. If you listen to all the albums in order, or play all the tracks on random these songs fit in seamlessly. Just like with Sinister’s “Afterburner” album. Even with a whole new line up it sounded like Sinister. It just made sense to carry on.

The new era has begun. This Malevolent Creation is regenerated and mutated into a new form and is just a ferocious as ever!

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1. End The Torture
2. Mandatory Butchery
3. Agony For The Chosen
4. Canvas Of Flesh
5. Born Of Pain
6. The Beast Awakened
7. Decimated
8. Bleed Us Free
9. Knife At Hand
10. Trapped Inside
11. Release The Soul