Anyone who is even vaguely aware of the writing of Thomas Robert Malthus will immediately recognise the significance of the monicker Ireland's Malthusian have bestowed upon themselves. In simple terms, the primary tenet of Malthusianism is the knowledge that the Earth's population growth far outstrips the increase in resources required to sustain it. As such, the population must be reduced by factors such as war, famine and disease; that suffering and death is necessary to sustain the human race at even a basic level of subsistence.
From this, it can be construed that these factors, known as Malthusian catastrophes, are the base inspiration for all those who espouse misanthropy and the stated desire for the infliction of suffering; pretty much most death/black/doom metal, in other words. The three tracks of skull-scraping racket contained on Malthusian's MMXIII perfectly embody these principles in horrifying aural form.
With a ghastly hiss, the ominous opening of 'Wraith//Plague Spore' seethes its way from the speakers. The keen, atonal edge of the guitar winding serpent-like through the cacophony of percussion, while the vile vocals escape like gas from a bloated corpse. The sepulchral atmosphere of this opening section soon becomes a shuddering death rattle, all blastbeats and churning guitar. The unintelligible invocations barely audible over the thunderous din of the music, which writhes between black, death and doom metal with horrifying ease, are spewed forth by each member of the band, each throat possessing a different demonic timbre.
The nimble percussion and trilling guitar that herald the arrival of 'The Mother's Blade' scarcely prepare you for the true torment wrought by this track when it erupts into a rhythm as unpleasantly jagged as a rusty saw-blade. Never content to stagnate, the track twists through a variety of riffs, each viler than the last, and as the track progresses, riffs that you thought you had survived comeback to haunt you. Persevere to the bitter end however, and the climactic maelstrom of feedback and clatter will soothe your aching ears.
Ending with 'Hallucinogen', a relatively concise slab of decrepit death that will impress even the weariest of genre-enthusiasts with it's sheer malevolence. It's a return to the base intent of death metal; to cause violent reaction both physical and mental, and is one of the must unsettling tracks I've heard this year.
"The vices of mankind are active and able ministers of depopulation. They are the precursors in the great army of destruction, and often finish the dreadful work themselves. But should they fail in this war of extermination, sickly seasons, epidemics, pestilence, and plague advance in terrific array, and sweep off their thousands and tens of thousands." - Thomas Robert Malthus.
With MMXIII, Malthusian are a howl of rage against a sickening species in dire need of a cull.
Featuring members of such lauded acts as On Pain Of Death, Wreck Of The Hesperus and Altar Of Plagues, and recorded at Sun Studios with Ola Ersfjord (Dread Sovereign/Vomitor) it's perhaps unsurprising that the resultant tracks are so suffocatingly bleak.
MMXIII will initially be available on tape through Invictus Productions, set for release on November 22nd, with a planned CD and vinyl release to follow.
