One can think that Doom Metal was born as a form of music that was clean and defined in its early days. It's the opposite. If one can take BLACK SABBATH as the first Doom Metal band of all times (or its godfather at least), it was dirty, nasty and raw. Obviously it happened due the lack of better studios and conditions (what means money) to do things in a proper way, but it became a form of making music. That's the root from names as WITCHFINDER GENERAL, TROUBLE, SAINT VITUS brood on the past, and it keeps a source of inspiration for many, including the Australian quintet THE MALEDICT, as can be heard on "Remembrance", their latest album.

In reality, their musical work can be described as a form of Doom Death Metal from the early days of the genre (as can be heard on first albums of MY DYING BRIDE, ANATHEMA and PARADISE LOST), but taking some elements from later work of these bands as well, due some elegant parts with clean vocals. It's bitter, nasty and with some morbid ambiences created by the keyboards. But they show personality to do things as they want, creating contrasts between purely Death Metal moments enriched with some Doom Death Metal touches and introspective melancholic touches. Yes, they're pretty good. Ian McLean (the band's vocalist/guitarist) is the one who took care of the sound engineering, mixing and mastering of the album. And his works creates a bitter and crude sonority that explicit their aggressiveness, but without destroying the melancholic elements. It's good, and everyone can understand what's being expressed by the band.

Their songs are all in a very good level of creativity, but for a first time, songs as the bitter and sad approach of "Remembrance" (it's a Doom Death Metal song, but what good arrangements from guitars and keyboards) and of "Dolor Nil Finis" (the contrasts between the grunts of the vocals with some clean voices are very good), the unusual elements heard on "Forever Adrift" (something between Indie Rock and Country Rock), the oppressive Doom Metal approach used on the melodies of "The Maledict I" and "The Maledict II" (both with very good works from bass guitar and drums), and the melancholic voyage given by the 12 minutes of "The River Ophidian" will do the due presentations between the band and the listeners.

THE MALEDICT is really a very good name for Doom Death Metal, and maybe "Remembrance" can attract more attention to their work, because they deserve it.