MALAURIU - Morte

Release date June 2018 (Southern Hell Records)

Here we have a three-track, 15-minute black metal EP (discounting two throwaway "eerie" keyboard soundscape ditties) out of Italy. Malauriu (meaning 'bad/ill omen' in Sicilian) have the raw, second generation black metal sound down, as proven by first track proper 'Vortex Of Supremacy', blasting out of the gates in evil glee. Second track 'Revenge Of The Shadows', starts off in a mid-tempo stomp before picking up speed, while third track 'Behold The Damnation' goes back to the blows-back-your-hair-with-speed attack of the opener.

The headbanging ethos that pervades here reminds me of Thy Infernal's Satan's Wrath opus, the ol' neck muscles getting a good workout. Venor's strangled Daffy Duck squall vocals (refer Thy Primordial's Isidor) add to the overall wretched atmosphere, spitting blood on the mic, no doubt leaving his throat in lacerated pieces. The only small complaint I could make is the production ain't top of the line, the drums sounding like they were recorded in the hallway down by the cooler. But, hey, this is raw black metal, so who gives a crap. Besides, this is a band making its way up the ranks, so they likely don't have access to loads of cash at this time. Keep putting out stuff of this quality though and Malauriu may find themselves moving up to the second tier soon. Very promising indeed.

[7.5]