MALEVOLENT CREATION - The Ten Commandments
1. Memorial Arrangements
2. Premature Burial
3. Remnants Of Withered Decay
4. Multiple Stab Wounds
5. Impaled Existence
6. Thou Shall Kill!
7. Sacrificial Annihilation
8. Decadence Within
9. Injected Sufferage
10. Malevolent Creation
Label: Roadrunner Records
Release date: 1991
Artist site: http://malevolentcreation.cjb.net/
GRADE:
8.5/10
A bonafide Scott Burns produced classic, The Ten Commandments by MALEVOLENT CREATION, is one of those often overlooked gems in the underworld of death metal. The year is 1991and Roadrunner Records are at the top of the heap in terms of US death metal releases and Florida is a hotbed of talent. MALEVOLENT CREATION unleash this debut and instantly there is a difference to be noticed. The malicious snarl of vocalist Bret Hoffmann was part of their signature sound, making them able to stand out with the OBITUARYs, MORBID ANGELs and ENTOMBEDs of the world. Mention must be made of Burns' production for I feel The Ten Commandments may be one of his finer works. And at the time, he was producing what seemed to be everything.
I remember getting this back in '91, I think I was 15 or 16. The album cover always looked so wicked to me, as do most of Dan Seagrave's works. I can recall thinking how the artwork fit the music so well. Aghh... the music. As the winds blow and the thunder crackles, the "Memorial Arrangements" begin. The pound of the drums, the metal chug of the guitars and the procession of doom as MALEVOLENT CREATION take us down a murderous path of debauchery. "Premature Burial" is wickedly fast, ultra tight in execution and features lyrics that read like a scene straight out of Wes Craven's Serpent and The Rainbow. Excellent lead guitarwork, short but sweet, before the double bass and cymbal fills of "Remnants Of Withered Decay" bodyslam the listener to the floor.
"Multiple Stab Wounds" is SLAYER x 20, full of battery acid death, Hoffmann sounding like a crazed madman on this one. He gets special mention on the next track as well, the vocal effect he uses midway thru sounds awesome on headphones. The lead reminds me of Schuldiner or Murphy back in the heyday. The thunder at the end of the track is a nice touch, too.
I remember having the cassette back then and flipping over to side two for "Thou Shall Kill!" My mother always loved that one blasting from the left front corner of her house! Nice chorus to finish it off. To be honest, I've never been a huge fan of track 7, not sure why, it just never grabbed me. The final three tracks of the album though are some of my favorite in death metal. The band's namesake is the perfect closer, the moment when Hoffman screams "malevolent creation," still a highlight to this day.
Their career may be a bit patchy with some of their releases not as strong as others, but their debut was a landmark, monumental release for death metal. Five murderous souls that have captured the sounds of malice and bloodlust, if ever there was such a thing.
PJ
1. Memorial Arrangements
2. Premature Burial
3. Remnants Of Withered Decay
4. Multiple Stab Wounds
5. Impaled Existence
6. Thou Shall Kill!
7. Sacrificial Annihilation
8. Decadence Within
9. Injected Sufferage
10. Malevolent Creation
Label: Roadrunner Records
Release date: 1991
Artist site: http://malevolentcreation.cjb.net/
GRADE:
8.5/10
A bonafide Scott Burns produced classic, The Ten Commandments by MALEVOLENT CREATION, is one of those often overlooked gems in the underworld of death metal. The year is 1991and Roadrunner Records are at the top of the heap in terms of US death metal releases and Florida is a hotbed of talent. MALEVOLENT CREATION unleash this debut and instantly there is a difference to be noticed. The malicious snarl of vocalist Bret Hoffmann was part of their signature sound, making them able to stand out with the OBITUARYs, MORBID ANGELs and ENTOMBEDs of the world. Mention must be made of Burns' production for I feel The Ten Commandments may be one of his finer works. And at the time, he was producing what seemed to be everything.
I remember getting this back in '91, I think I was 15 or 16. The album cover always looked so wicked to me, as do most of Dan Seagrave's works. I can recall thinking how the artwork fit the music so well. Aghh... the music. As the winds blow and the thunder crackles, the "Memorial Arrangements" begin. The pound of the drums, the metal chug of the guitars and the procession of doom as MALEVOLENT CREATION take us down a murderous path of debauchery. "Premature Burial" is wickedly fast, ultra tight in execution and features lyrics that read like a scene straight out of Wes Craven's Serpent and The Rainbow. Excellent lead guitarwork, short but sweet, before the double bass and cymbal fills of "Remnants Of Withered Decay" bodyslam the listener to the floor.
"Multiple Stab Wounds" is SLAYER x 20, full of battery acid death, Hoffmann sounding like a crazed madman on this one. He gets special mention on the next track as well, the vocal effect he uses midway thru sounds awesome on headphones. The lead reminds me of Schuldiner or Murphy back in the heyday. The thunder at the end of the track is a nice touch, too.
I remember having the cassette back then and flipping over to side two for "Thou Shall Kill!" My mother always loved that one blasting from the left front corner of her house! Nice chorus to finish it off. To be honest, I've never been a huge fan of track 7, not sure why, it just never grabbed me. The final three tracks of the album though are some of my favorite in death metal. The band's namesake is the perfect closer, the moment when Hoffman screams "malevolent creation," still a highlight to this day.
Their career may be a bit patchy with some of their releases not as strong as others, but their debut was a landmark, monumental release for death metal. Five murderous souls that have captured the sounds of malice and bloodlust, if ever there was such a thing.
PJ
