Here we have album number twelve from Malevolent Creation. Aside from mentioning their status as one of the pioneering bands from the early ’90s Floridian death metal scene, I think it’s fair to assume that they require little introduction. Five years after ‘Invidious Dominion’ then, they return with another new line-up. Thankfully this time it’s just one member who has changed: namely, Justin DePinto who returns behind the kit. Obviously he played drums on ‘The Will to Kill’, as well as Pyrexia’s brilliant ‘Age of the Wicked’, so his return simply implied the return of a very safe pair of hands. What I was more interested in finding out about ‘Dead Man’s Path’ was what (if any) influence MC’s 2012 tour revisiting the first two albums would have on it. Maybe it’s just me but the evidence here does seem to suggest that embracing their past has had a considerable impact…
‘Dead Man’s Path’ initiates us into this latest MC album in surprisingly subtle and slow fashion. In fact, the initial strummed notes and disillusioned dialogue from Brett Hoffmann, talking about dark souls shuffling by, is reminiscent of the ‘Memorial Arrangements’ intro from their debut. Here however, we have a track in its own right as melodies and harmonies waft around like nerve gas to heighten the foreboding atmosphere. An aspect which leaps out from the first listen of this opening track is the production ‘Dead Man’s Path’ has been blessed with, thanks to Dan Swanö’s expertise. Each instrument – including Hoffmann’s vocals – sounds full, powerful and perfectly balanced within the mix to a degree that I think matches the band’s early classic ‘Retribution’. Back to the music though, and it’s predictably not long until some blasts-beats enter the equation. Slightly less predictable is the way in which ‘Soul Razer’ utilises them sparingly; opting instead for more of a double-bass led approach which truly allows the riffs to thrash viciously away.
It’s fair to say that the songwriting throughout the album diverges from the familiar formulas employed over the last few outings. And as much as ‘Invidious Dominion’ pleased me by recalling the ‘Envenomed’ days, it was ultimately less memorable. With tracks like ‘Imperium (Kill Force Rising)’, the intricate and meticulously conceived drum patterns from Justin DiPinto allow Phil Fasciana and Gio Geraca’s riffs to really manifest. Mid-pace tempos combined with ripping outbursts are most prominent (which curiously recalls Suffocation circa ‘Pierced From Within’). In keeping with this line of thought, the pacing of ‘Dead Man’s Path’ is just as effective. Where that aforementioned track belligerently reinforces Malevolent Creation’s crushing prowess, it is followed by a belter in ‘Corporate Weaponry’, whose insane drumming and savage yet melodically inclined riff work will send shivers down the spine of any MC fan. Likewise, later on, the abrasive atmospherics conjured by ‘Resistance Is Victory’ are contrasted against the utter death metal storm of ’12th Prophecy’.
As hinted earlier, ‘Dead Man’s Path’ is a far less linear experience than some previous offerings by the band. And where the likes of ‘The Fine Art of Murder’ experimented with different pacing, it was ultimately let down a bit due to having too many tracks. ‘Dead Man’s Path’ doesn’t experiment to the same extent, nor does it go through the motions. Rather, it represents the essence of this band at its most streamlined. When you aren’t being remorselessly caught off guard by devastating fast sections (‘Extinction Personified’) or forced into furiously headbanging by blood boiling lead trade-offs (‘Fragmental Sanity’), the band simply allows some its most finely crafted work to do the job. In particular, I’m thinking about tracks such as the previously mentioned ‘Corporate Weaponry’ and ’12th Prophecy’, as well as ‘Blood of the Fallen’ which evokes some genuinely excellent death metal during its course. As if this track’s furiously picked riffs and cacophonous drum work aren’t enough, the part where it slows calculatedly down before speeding back up again is a masterclass.
Once the homicidally proportioned closer ‘Face Your Fear’ has subsided, I imagine that the first thing you’ll want to do as a Malevolent Creation fan is start all over again from track one. At least that has been my response each time I’ve listened to this utterly brilliant death metal album. (And it’s been quite a few listens by now too.) Without doubt, ‘Dead Man’s Path’ is the album I’ve been hoping for since Brett Hoffmann’s latest return to the band. For me, it’s the best since ‘Envenomed’ – and fast overtaking it – for a number of reasons. As cited above: the production, the approach to songwriting, and the current cast of musicians all contribute to this brilliant feat. And, as I haven’t already explicitly stated it, this album contains Brett Hoffmann’s strongest vocal performance to date.
(9.5/10 Jamie)
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