Album Review: Malignancy – ...Discontinued
Reviewed by Daniel Phipps
Yonkers New York has been the home for many top flight bands from the NY Death Metal scene and if you look back into the archives some legendary names have come out of the City. One of those names is one of the most formidable and down right obscene in both the brutality and technicality of their music and that is Malignancy.
It's been a decade since the last full length record of new material from Malignancy so …Discontinued is definitely music to my ears as long time partners in crime Danny Nelson (vocals) and Ron Katchnic (Guitars) return with Mike Heller (Drums) and with the aid of Defeated Sanity bass player Jacob Schmidt the crafty veterans have delivered this absolute monster. So what are the veteran band doing on …Discontinued? Well the bands signature blend of old school brutal death grind and savage technically song writing is still at the top of its game, and the bands use of pinch harmonics is how you know Malignancy, but what I will say is that the band have really gone all out, it's very tough to create your best effort 32 years into your career but I tell you what Malignancy might have done that.
The way the instrumental areas of the record have been composed is nothing short of spectacular, this is absolutely prime craftsmanship. On top of that Danny Nelson who as well as being one of the best and most charismatic live frontmen in the game might have put together his best vocal performance on a record, he sounds absolutely monstrous as his savage guttural vocals top off the records brain melting technicality and really adds to the brutal aspect of the record.
In a year where we are seeing a number of records by the big boys in the brutal death metal scene Malignancy have absolutely delivered a true gem of a record. What's great is yes its brutal, yes it's technical as hell but the band are not doing it for the sake of it. There is a method in the band's madness and that is writing fantastic catchy songs that are equally as mental. Just don't play the Zakk Wylde drinking game while listening and take a shot for every pinch harmonic because you might just die.
