Conquering South America

Recorded over seven nights in different Brazilian locales, Malevolent Creation want the listener to experience their sound in a live setting. This doesn't start off too well, though, on "Eve of the Apocalypse," as the muffled roars of an audience are drowned out by a minute-long intro that is tedious at best. From there the group tears into the song with Metallica-like precision as vocalist Kyle Symons wails each lyric. Drummer Tony Laureano is also working double and sometime triple time throughout the tune, as the guitars build on top of each other for a classic head-banging metal sound with traces of nu-metal à la Slipknot. "Multiple Stab Wounds" picks up where the last song left off, but seems to take fewer prisoners thanks to guitarists Phil Fasciana and Rob Barrett. Think Slayer if they grew up influenced more by Judas Priest and you would get the genesis of this song. The tune slows down somewhat into Iron Maiden-like territory before returning to its initial style. The group's ability to deliver straightforward metal tunes like "Manic Demise" and deeper, darker, and meatier riffs on "Blood Brothers" would make it appealing for most metal fans. One problem, though, is that the album's cut-and-paste approach results in little fan reaction or participation being audible, especially on the rapid-fire "Kill Zone." But earlier tracks from their discography, including "Slaughter of Innocence," more than atone for this miscue with a rat-a-tat-tat, quasi-military approach to metal. "To Die Is at Hand" — the centerpiece of the record, and with good reason — is a relentless and ferocious sonic assault that bassist Gordon Simms plays a crucial role in. The same pace is found on "Monster," with speed, black, and death metal seemingly fused into one. Sound effects open "Alliance of War," and Symons riles up the crowd before launching into the beefy, crunchy, riff-riddled tune. The album wraps up with short and brutal metal nuggets such as "Infernal Desire" and "Living in Fear." On the whole, it's an album that moves metal forward by incorporating parts of the genre's rich past.