Maleficarum
is a death metal quartet from Molise (southern Italy) that was founded in 1993.
After releasing a well-received demo (“Unblessed”) the same year, the band
followed it with their excellent debut “Across the Heavens” two years later.
Any self-proclaimed death metal enthusiast with a penchant for cult and obscure
gems should give this album a listen, as it is absolutely worth your time and
has a high replay value. The band also featured former members of Excidium, who
are also worth checking out. Apparently,
the drum sound on this album is universally maligned by production snobs,
however, I personally have no major qualms with it. The drums have a certain
crispness that makes them stand out that gives this album a unique quality.
They are by no means too extravagant, but rather rhythmically varied and switch
between various tempos with relative ease and skill. By alternating between
tempos, the band creates an atmosphere that slowly builds through the constant
repetition of melodic riffs. The lead work that accompanies this oeuvre evokes
a somber mood and is cleverly interspersed throughout, showing their flair for
neoclassical ideas. The vocals, while not terribly varied, are masterfully
integrated (throaty growls reminiscent of Ross Dolan) and are in cadence with
the rest of the instruments. The bass presence is quite noticeable and
well-played, adding the necessary lower frequencies to each track and
synchronizing perfectly. The
guitars have a huge impact playing into the emotion of Maleficarum’s sound,
enriching the music with morbid melodies, and dispensing a salvo of chromatic
riffs, along with the energetic and tightly played drums. This isn’t quite
Atheist-level tech-death, but there’s no denying the methodical approach and
detail that went into each song. A more simplified version of Immolation, but
with a flavor of melody that borrows from the likes of Sentenced and At the
Gates. “Across The Heavens” is like the Italian cousin of “Dawn of Possession”,
infused with European melodicism. And while these two albums may be musically
aligned, their moods are disparate. While the former conjures images of fire
and brimstone, the latter has a kind of gothic undercurrent that paints a
picture of a morose and autumnal landscape. This
isn’t exactly boundary-pushing, but it encapsulates all the qualities of the
genre into a collective of eleven tracks and forty-three minutes, as “Across
the Heavens” is a straight-up death metal banger that I have revisited
continuously over the years. Italy has produced a number of noteworthy gems
throughout the ‘90s and you can certainly count this masterpiece among them.
Stand-out tracks: “Season of Black”, “Time I Am”, “Spirit Magnified” (Jim)
