MALEVOLENCE is a Portuguese extreme Prog Metal band, featuring Aires Pereira of MOONSPELL. "Antithetic" is actually the first CD I have listened to in full from these guys. It is technical dark and heavy, just like good Metal should be. They transition very well from slower melodic riffs to brutal heaviness. The drum work quite intricate, which me as a drummer, is one of the very first things I listen to in a song. The vocals are all harsh. That is fine because this type of music really doesn't need clean vocals. One thing this album has that I do like is the electrical effects. I personally think a touch of "cyber" only enhances the quality of the sound.

The whole album is very well put together. Every song has a nice flow. It is certain that the band did not simply slap it together. The harmony between the instruments is superb. The transitions are smoothing not sloppy. They change tempo and melody frequently, which keeps the listener from getting bored. The speed and ferocity I wonderful, I personally love it. Even when they slow down a bit the dark grim atmosphere is still not lost. MALEVOLENCE is certainly a primo representation of the extreme metal genre.

The album is consistent in its grim atmosphere, and the composition that "we" are nothing. All though the music, being Prog, is all over the place, the general feel is the same. It is chaotic, but controlled chaos. Generally, the entire album portrays itself to be dark and in your face. The eerie undertone sets the mood entirely, brutal yet melodic. In a word, these guys are fiendish. I think it's a fair assessment that these guys have some symphonic black metal influence.

These guys have certainly mastered the art. They go from brutal, fast and heavy, to soft beautiful acoustic sounding guitar work, and they hit every level in between. You couldn't ask for a more versatile group. The dark undertones set the mood though out all of it. The whole album is just wonderful. You can tell that the guys took their time to perfect their art. I recommend these guys to anyone who loves good Metal.