Rating: 7.4

Country: USA

Release Date: 2004

Track list:
1. Dead To The World
2. Fuckers Like You [mp3]
3. Seduced To Fall
4. Drowned Only To Be Eaten
5. Breeding Impurity
6. A Part Of Me
7. Bless Me Father
8. In The Name Of... [mp3]
9. Condemn The Rising
10. Suicide Machine (Death cover)

Band Website: Malamor

Malamor - Dead To The World

Ben Kolts - Guitar, Vocals
Jason Kolts - Vocals
Dave Tetreault - Drums
Dave Markle - Bass

Malamor have been around for quite a long time playing some pure unadulterated New York Death Metal as we know it, and most of the material here on ‘Dead To The World' has in fact been recorded way back in 1997. Now don't grumble, sigh or fart yet because it doesn't sound as dated or worthless as you would think. Nor have they been involved in the as-long-as-it's-brutal-it's-cool trend that was rampant during that period in the US. Malamor have remained thoroughly loyal to ways of early Internal Bleeding (their first two albums only, before they manoeuvred into a hardcore direction) and have also incorporated some methods of Suffocation (from ‘Effigy of The Forgotten') and Pyrexia (from ‘Sermon of Mockery') in their music. Even Dehumanized's ‘Prophecies Foretold' cd and their ‘Terminal Function' demo in particular which was released around that time seemed to have an effect on them.

The brutal death metal music that you will find here is not the fastest or sickest or anything that sort. They play well within their self-imposed restrictions and their main focus is on writing shamelessly groovy mid-paced songs with oodles of attitude. Given their style, the songs are well written and they've done all they can to stuff us with enough variations and pace changes. Thankfully, they don't bore us with mindless technicality either. And when it's the right time, Malamor takes a riff and slams it on your face just like how your girlfriend does it with the door when she's pissed. You're standing there stunned, recuperating, when it happens again and much harder this time. After staggering for a while you think the action's well over and you squint your eyes for the peephole when you are greeted with a final slam, harder than ever, leaving you twitching like a live wire on Malamor's doorstep.

Jason Kolts with his pieces-of-glass-throbbing-in-the-throat bellows reminds me of the legendary Frank Rini on early Internal Bleeding. It's nice to hear such vocals after listening to everyone go “reee-reee” these days. The drummer does a fine job as well, whacks the drums at the right moment and has good control over them, as if holding them with reins. What took me by surprise is their rendition of the Death song “Suicide Machine”, brutalized and groovified, NYDM style.

Now where their shortcomings are concerned, you're already aware that their music isn't anything contemporary or new for that matter. It could even get a bit predictable. Also when the album's over, I couldn't think of many riffs that I could carry along with me when I step out of my battered bedroom. The body hugging slams, irreparable breakdowns, nipple-twisting squeaks, etc. are all fine but it would be better if they wrote some legitimate death metal riffs - maybe they could look up to bands such as Suffocation or Morpheus Descends for inspiration. One thing that seriously undermines the enjoyment of this album is the production. Man, they're supposed to pick the positive aspects of Internal Bleeding and not the negative ones. Although it's clear, it's kinda thin and rickety, lacking the desired effectiveness to wiggle your body furiously with your hands up. It needs some beefing up (I should really stop using this sacrilegious word in my reviews) perhaps like the rather savoury and satisfying one that Dehumanized had.

Even with the likes of the runny ultra brutal death metal acts today, Japan's Amputated Vein Records are justified in releasing this piece of music that will be cherished by fans of groovy, slammin' death metal. I'm confident that Malamor will slam their NYDM fans to pieces with their next, hopefully up-to-date album.

October 23rd, 2005