Album Reviews : Malevolent Creation – Invidious Dominion

Invidious Dominion marks album number eleven for Florida death thrashers Malevolent Creation and while all the stars seem to have aligned for this to be their greatest album to date (Erik Rutan producing, stable label, three fifths of the original band back together) it fails to eclipse or supersede recent additions to their formidable 20 plus year arsenal.

The first most striking feature of the album is the art work (Pär Olofsson take a bow) which is a reinterpretation of the band’s original coverart from their debut Ten Commandments and sees the demon (now facing front on) in all its ‘invidious’ glory. That’s not the only old school theme running through the album with Jason Blachowicz now back full time joining Fasciana and Hoffman to reunite the core that brought us the first trilogy of classic albums back in the nineties.

That’s however where the nostalgia ends as Invidious Dominion pretty much picks up where Doomsday X left off albeit in a shorter, more frenzied way. Its all pedal to the metal, razor fast riffing in Slayer-esque style, octopus like battering on the drums and Brett Hoffman rasping spiteful ditties over the top; basically everything we’ve come to know from MC since Hoffman’s first return to the band spawned the almighty Envenomed in 2000.

The songs, as expected, are ferocious, catchy and dripping with intent and intensity. Opener “United Hate” brings back memories of “Homicidal Rant”  with Hoffman’s jilted structural approach following already trodden familiar patterns. However much like its predecessor, consistency of quality and approach does get in the way of identity and as a result while some songs are better than others there are no essential corkers in play that are significantly better than their counterparts.

The main concern is the failed potential this had to be something more than it is. While Doomsday X was enjoyable it lacked the heaviness of the Kyle Simmons fronted predecessors and now that Blachowicz is back for the recording process there could have been some scope for some dual vocals (Jason was vocalist for Eternal and In Cold Blood) and a return or revisitation to their slower heavier approach. Instead, much like other so called return to forms, we get another dose of 2000 era MC with some slight nods to the more recent past.

Overall its business as usual for the Florida institution and at least they are consistent with their approach and style however much like another long lived death metal act in Cannibal Corpse, the differences between recent releases are getting less radical and the progression slowing to a crawl. If you haven’t heard anything from Malevolent Creation in recent times than here is as good a place to start as any, for long term fans theres also plenty to like here too just don’t go expecting the second coming of Retribution, or even Envenomed!

Another more than solid return from the veterans proving once again that the Florida style is best played by the blokes who created it in the first place. 7.5/10

Artist: Malevolent Creation
Album: Invidious Dominion
Year: 2010
Genre: Death/Thrash
Label: Nuclear Blast/Riot
Origin: Florida, USA
http://www.myspace.com/malevolentcreation

Tracklisting

1. United Hate
2. Conflict Finalized
3. Slaughterhouse <- Reviewer’s Choice
4. Compulsive Face Breaker
5. Lead Spitter
6. Target Rich Environment
7. Antagonized
8. Born Again Hard
9. Corruptor
10. Invidious Dominion