Ancient
Malignity - Dehumanization Dawn
USA
Inhuman
Assault Productions
Ancient Malignity is a trio from Reno, US, playing bestial black/death and “Dehumanization Dawn” is their second full-length and follow-up to their self-titled album from 2020. The group features members from other extreme black/death bands like Ritual Genocide, Triumph, and Blasphemous Creation, which are all respectable in their own right.
Musically, Ancient Malignity takes cues from bands like Revenge, Goatpenis, and Abhorer, but with more death metal sensibilities woven into their sound. It’s a winning formula for the band, paired with an organic and crisp production that only accentuates the hellish feel of the music.
Tempo-wise, this is mostly a mid-paced listening experience, sounding like a slower Revenge at times, albeit interspersed with some faster parts. Everything can be heard clearly in the mix, and the sharp bass adds an extra layer of venom to the assault. The military-style drumming is on point and offers a variety of inventive fills and tempo changes. You can tell that some thought went into the arrangements, as the whole album feels well-orchestrated.
Despite all the instruments being comprehensible, there is a certain rawness to their sound that is all-too-fitting for this style, and honestly, I think an overly polished production would have ruined this release and taken away many of its qualities.
This album succeeds in conveying an atmosphere brimming with hatred and blasphemy, and the more I listen to it, the more I like it. As mentioned before, the music is mostly a mid-paced affair, but always murderously heavy and aggressive. The morbid vocals are absolutely diabolical and bolstered by an array of searing riffs, energetic drums and repulsive bass riffs.
The length of this release is quite satisfying at 36 minutes, which is refreshing as most war metal bands these days release albums at around 25 minutes or so, which is more of an EP length in my opinion. I advise all maniacs into underground and blasphemous, bestial black/death to check this band out as it has everything that you are looking for in the style. For fans of Kulto Maldito, Abhorer, Ritual Genocide.