The Conquering Darkness
Malefic Throne

From Bandcamp, "The trio was put together by Palubicki in 2020, after initially having met at Morrisound in 1997. "This bands roots can be traced all the way back to the mid 90's when Gene, Steve, and I first met at Morrisound studios," John Longstreth comments. "It's an amazing feeling to see those old conversations and hang outs develop into a true celebration of blistering infernal death metal. I have no doubt that this union will be absolutely crushing." Palubicki stresses out that the music produced by the band has the imprint of all three members very present in every moment of the songs. The synthesis of the three members through delivery and writing is what makes band its own special entity, with an increased dynamic within the form of death metal they generate."
The album has eight songs, and "Blasphemait Desecration" is first. Out of the gate, it's beyond aggressive…some might even call it chaotic. The vocals are filthy utterances and the drummer has some real stamina. "The Voice of my Ghost" is a thick and dense song that once again borders on chaotic. The riffs and drums come at you with lightning speed, and the vocals are harrowing and guttural. Taken as a whole, the song is like a burst of energy. "Athirst for Dissonance" continues with a similar sound. The instrumental section creates chaos that is hard to unwind at times, while the vocals stay steady and dirty. "Born of Plague" is an absolutely crushing song. It's like an 18 wheeler careening towards you at top speed without any brakes. The meter shifts a couple of times, and the lead breaks are excellent.
"Divine Tragedy" is another intense burner that sounds like someone poured accelerant on an already raging fire. It plows forward like a blind man in the dark who is racing to escape his captors in a dungeon. "Carnage of the Forgotten" is another fast-mover, and the band doesn't seem to want to let up on any of the intensity that burrows their sound. The guitars stop and start on a dime, and the drummer keeps impeccable timing. The lead breaks are full of notes, too many to count, and there are prolific dive bombs and whammy techniques afoot. "When our Shadows Align" is just as fast and filthy as some of the previous songs. One thing that every song has in common is that the band just steps on the gas pedal and doesn't let go. In this sense, it's like the album itself is on fire. Listen to how fast the drums move.
"Forged in Stone" is the final offering, and it's an eight minute opus. It moves much slower, but it no less intense. Each note sound like a machine crushing bones into dust, and they hit accents along the way with deadly accuracy. Overall, this was an excellent album. It's rich with flavor, dark like the void, and crushing for your soul. The band displays an excellent level of musicianship as well. Take a ride into "The Conquering Darkness," and you may never return the same person.
8 / 10
Excellent
Songwriting
Musicianship
Memorability
Production

"The Conquering Darkness" Track-listing:
1. Blasphémait Desecration
2. The Voice of my Ghost
3. Athirst for Dissonance
4. Born of Plague
5. Divine Tragedy
6. Carnage of the Forgotten
7. When our Shadows Align
8. Forged in Stone
Malefic Throne Lineup:
Gene Palubicki – Guitars
Steve Tucker – Vocals, Bass
John Longstreth – Drums
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