Malevolent Creation
Retribution

THE REVIEW

Once upon a time, there was a genre called metal.
Now this genre no longer exists, or at least it exists but doesn't present itself with the same splendor reached at the end of the '80s-beginning of the '90s. As many claim, metal has now lost its way, giving rise to its evolution (?): that crap that we all know by the name "nu-metal". Thanks to bands like Korn, Slipknot, and Limp Bizkit, it has imposed itself on all the others probably because of commercial moves like costumes, etc., or for its violence (here I would add another "?"), so much so that sometimes it is confused - and here I would strangle anyone who claims it with my own hands - precisely with metal.
Unfortunately, today's kids (fortunately I managed to get out of it) grow up listening to this pile of dung, just because they get excited listening to noise or because they are trying to look like real tough guys, and I have to say with a heavy heart more and more kids believe they are metalheads because they listen to "extreme" bands like linkin pork or similar stuff.

So, metalhead friends everywhere, are you tired of being bothered by creatures who annoy you by saying: "You know, I'm a metalhead too, in fact, I LOVE 'St. Anger' and I love Limp Bizkit, not to mention Linkin!", or maybe hearing two kids on the street saying: "Have you heard this from Slipknot? It's so violent! Never heard a more powerful metal record!"... Yes, are you fed up? Then contact me, I have the solution for you! You just need to tie them to a chair and force them to listen to a TRUE Death Metal album which in my opinion is "Retribution", the second effort of Malevolent Creation, a great band coming from the prestigious Floridian death current.
I want to make one thing clear: ignore the horrible cover and don't take as a reference other more famous bands of the genre like Cannibal Corpse who are really crap, not for the very complicated instrumental parts (even though I have to admit they are good at making noise), but more for the ideals, where we find vomited guts, cannibalism, and stuff like that, these are not Malevolent Creation: Malevolent Creation are genius, innovation, mastery, and violence united together to explode in a lethal mix, and it could only come out as a masterpiece like this.
Yes, because this album, even though it doesn't yet present the true style of the band that has to shake off various influences, appears to me as one of the best works of the genre, with its nine songs of unheard-of violence that abandon us to 34 precise minutes of dark malignity.

The CD opens with the immense Eve Of The Apocalypse, one of the most beautiful death songs I have ever heard, accompanied by its dark intro that really creates a tremendous impact and demonstrates the immense talent of that genius Phil Fasciana both as a songwriter and as a guitarist, but which can also alone already make it clear what this CD is made of, but it would really be a huge mistake to limit oneself to listening only to the opener, as we will soon be enveloped by the ingenious violence of 8 other songs.
How can we not mention the disarming speed of Systematic Execution and Slaughter Of Innocence, where the singer Brett Hoffman, whom I consider one of the few great death singers existing, capable of offering an immense performance to give a not-insignificant contribution to making "Retribution" special, thanks to his ability to slot in perfectly between various tempo changes and a voice nothing short of extraordinary for the genre, able to keep at bay anyone in this world who contests growling (in the face of those "singers" capable of letting out a little scream here and there).
Surely the CD doesn't end here, in fact, Alex Marquez's devastating drumming gives way to that masterpiece that answers to the name of Coronation Of Our Domain, which together with Mindlock and Iced surprise with the class with which they have been crafted, but also violence finds its space, thanks to songs like the heaviness of No Flesh Shall Be Spared and the immediate ferocity of Monster, whose beginning is very Morbid Angel.

After this overview, you should have an idea of what Malevolent Creation represent in the Death atmosphere, or at least surely you will have understood my opinions towards this great band that has certainly obtained less success than other death-crap bands (and there are quite a few) undeservedly... I hope you agree with me...

When Violence and genius go hand in hand...