MALEFIC THRONE is a supergroup trio from the United States. Formed during the start of the pandemic in Florida, the band consists of ex-WARFATHER and MORBID ANGEL bassist and vocalist Steve Tucker. Guitarist Gene Palubicki of PERDITION TEMPLE and ex-ANGELCORPSE, and drummer John Longstreth of ORIGIN and ex-GORGUTS, who also played with Gene in ANGELCORPSE. With experience not being an issue at all for these well established members, they look to bring and build off the intensity and brutality of their past bands, along with creating tracks that bring forth a full length release.

The album comes out of darkened depths with track "Deciding the Heirarchy" and for any MORBID ANGEL fans, they should be please with this one. Steve's vocals are ferocious and packed with devastation force as the rampage commences behind him. The drums are relentless with lighting fast rolls and a feverish paced double kick that rarely lets up enough for you to catch your breath. The guitar work is classic brutal death metal technique 101, with great solos and takes centre-stage in the chaos. "The Dawn of the Truth" does not let up as the blood gurgling growl to the vocals continues with a menacing feeling. Gene is able to flow into a sonic sounding solo from a riff without hesitation and is at every point in this track creating crafty and blistering riffs that impress. The drums take no time off on this track, pure intensity and skill on display for the listener to behold.

The next track starts off like being fired from a cannon. "A New Hand Upon the Blade" is a chaotic force that really holds with it a lot of melody, buried within a frantic and mind boggling pace. There is a lot of old school Brutal Death metal on display with this track and along with the others, but there seems to be a little more with this release. Maybe it is the song structure, timely drum fills that come out of nowhere, or more tightly knit notes fit in by the guitar, but this seems like it has an extra kick in the ass. John's drum kit, once again takes a vicious pounding and the vocals guide the torment of mankind's genocide with menacing visual force. The final track is a cover of SODOM's "Nuclear Winter". The song, which is already a banger in its own right, is well done and justice is served. The vocals portray the disturbing possibility with a powerful meaning that comes across with Steve's style perfectly. A good strong track to end this good strong release.

Any Brutal Death metal fan should be salivating at these tracks as it brings with it a possibility of there being more. The sheer force in the drums, vocals and guitars work together to create a wall of sound that is an assault on the senses. I don't think this will be the last time we hear from these veterans of the genre as with other projects in the works, but hopefully we get a chance to see them come back to work on further material as MALEFIC THRONE.