REVIEW: Malakhim - "Demo I"

By: Ernesto Aguilar

Album Type: EP

Date Released: 01/12/ 2017

Label: Iron Bonehead Productions

Rather than retread classic sounds or noisy metal that is in vogue, Malakhim offer a debut that harkens to the best of what you love while introducing you to what it sure to be a new favorite.

“Demo I”CD//DD//LP track listing

1. A Thousand Burning Worlds

2. The Mass of Flesh

3. The Golden Shrines

The Review:

Swedish black metal act Malakhim makes its presence felt with a debut that offers promise in a year filled with rejuvenated black metal performances. "Demo I," a debut EP filled with harsh tones, singing vocals and murky themes, manages to shake off initial iffiness to leave you wanting far more.

There is weird logic in some sectors of extreme music that suggests it is better to simply let the music do your talking and to keep as much of the backstory of the artists behind the scenes. 2017 has been dotted with those acts – bands known by alphanumeric characters, masks or nothing at all. The times it works, it is hard to quibble with success. While this lack of information can be interesting or even mysterious, however, this self-indulgence misses a fundamental part of why people bring musicians, actors or other entertainers into their lives at all: people want connection, stories, mythology and something with which they can identify. It also creates such distinctiveness to music when people understand the artist's process and the context in which the sounds were forged. The world is filled with dozens of legendary acts whose personal trials, circumstances or beliefs formed what they created.

Picking up Malakhim's debut demo, which is shrouded in the mystery that has been a thing this year, you may at once be fascinated by what is a strong first outing. Where it begins to sound like a lot of other black metal or grindcore, you almost crave more detail to appreciate this particular effort past a name that bears little identity.

There are a few bits we know, such as players having been with Swedish black metal bands Wormlight and Ancient Wisdom(not to be mistaken with Austin act Ancient VVisdom). We also know the quintet was formed in 2016. And listening to its debut record, you get a number of influences, including noise, in its black metal sound.

The first recording begins with "A Thousand Burning Worlds," a track that highlights the gifts of the five-piece. Its abrasive rhythms and classic elements make this opener familiar enough to draw you in, but yet unique enough to make you appreciate the density for all it is. A return in metal to more corrosive energy saw a renaissance in 2017, with established and emerging acts like Primitive Man, Septicflesh, Full of Hell and Ledge among those to deliver volume and blasts of guitar far beyond the expected. Malakhim honors that movement from its start and into the song "A Mass of Flesh,"where guitars hammer you repeatedly and the distorted vocals careen over the mountainous drums and bass. The double-ax assault continues into the final cut, "The Golden Shrines."Without revealing much, it is said that Malakhim is a seasoned group, and that experience comes across clearly in both songwriting and maturity in approach. Rather than retread classic sounds or noisy metal that is in vogue, Malakhim offer a debut that harkens to the best of what you love while introducing you to what it sure to be a new favorite.

At just three songs and a shade over 15 minutes, Malakhim'sfirst offering is powerful. What's more, "Demo I" is a spectacular preview to what may assuredly be a legendary 2018 for the new crew.

"Demo I”is available here

Band info: bandcamp || facebook