MALIGNER - Attraction To Annihilation

Release date August 31/18 (Blood Harvest)

Yngwie Malmsteen has famously stated that, "too much is never enough". Musically, I have found this quote to be erroneous, finding that jamming as much as possible into a confined space does not represent an optimal approach to making music. (And it may provide a succinct explanation for Malmsteen's excessive guitar noodling - but I digress.)

Sweden's Maligner fall victim to this approach with this, their debut full length. Every track is jammed chock-a-block with riff after riff, a dizzying array of complex patterns, continuously pumped out by these death/thrash enthusiasts. Problem is that it doesn't allow the listener anything to hold onto, no rhythm lasting long enough to be able to internalize. What you're left with is an impressive musical bludgeoning - there's no doubting the instrumental skills of these lads - but one that leaves you disengaged. (It's worth noting that my fave track on this ('Salvation') utilizes Kreator's 'Love Us Or Hate Us' riff twisted a few different ways. Not a good sign for originality.)

In this case, too much is too much.

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