Review: Deformatory – Malediction

Febuary 5th 2016

PR BITS: Canada, having spawned extreme metal luminaries such as GORGUTS, CRYPTOPSY, BENEATH THE MASSACRE, BEYOND CREATION, and ARCHSPIRE, is once again poised to put brutal technical death metal on the world stage… with emphasis on ‘brutal’!

Enter Ottawa’s DEFORMATORY, who have set out to create a relentlessly extreme and unique sound with their sophomore effort, entitled Malediction. This latest slab of inhuman resonance fuses together classic death metal influences (Cryptopsy, Morbid Angel, Suffocation, etc.) and the band’s love for modern tech death.

Malediction is the first installment in a series of concept albums revolving around Saväel, the creator of Darkness, and the original source of pure evil. In Malediction, the story follows the discovery of the sacred incantation text, his re-awakening, and the subsequent obliteration of the Light, the Heavens, and all remnants of humanity. This is an album that will appeal to the nostalgia of old school death metal, delivered with a modern, dark and technical ferocity.

Subjective section of sexy opinion: I appreciate the way this album starts off with a quote from Diablo 3. Very heavy. This bands initial sound is just undoubtedly heavy. Chunky riffs of brutality mixed with faster than hell tremolo guitar sections and implying some very hectic shredding and leads over this maniacal music. Song writing is good, production is okay and overall appeal is nothing short of overachieving pure heaviness. Drums are seemingly all over the place at times but holds it down well in other sections and the vocal work is spotty but enjoyable. Sometimes I feel the vocals fit in perfectly but other times I feel as though they were performed rather lazy and it’s noticeably sloppy here and there.

The music itself is good but the combination of the vocals and drum work being messy on top of the muddy guitar work left me unamused. Then again, the next will kick on and I am just blown away by the precision and technicality of the song writing. If Deformatory would be more consistent with this release then I feel as if they would have a rather top notch album. It’s a senseless massacre brand of heavy and I respect it for what it is. Other than that, it’s too sloppy in some areas to be branded as ‘great’ or ‘best of’ material. For what it is though, it’s good. I feel if the production was worked on a little more that this band would benefit immensely from it. You better have a good set of headphones or stereo for this one….lesser equipment makes this album sound even worse.

I still want to recommend this release for a listen. It’s undeniably brutal and some of the riffs are of neck snapping quality. Some very good moments found here on Deformatory’s Malediction. Enjoy.

7 out of 10

http://deformatory.bandcamp.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Deformatory