At the start of every year, it tends to be the case that people are looking to see which styles are already primed for excellence in some form or another as the search commences for a name that can really start things off on the right foot. Death metal has already seen that with the likes of Hierarchies and Discordant Meditation while black metal has already been given the gift of an impending new work from Unreqvited, yet there is more than enough room for other names to stake a claim for what can be done. In no small way, Malacath fills that void with darkness of their own.

There’s always something about long-winded black metal that has always been interesting, but, like many things, it requires the proper level of attention to the finer details in order for it to be brought to life in a compelling way. Plenty have tried their hand at doing so, yet immensely few have shown any sort of aptitude at being able to bring it forward once much less doing it over and over with a decent level of success. For all that was poured into its fifth album, “Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain”, Malacath delivers that precise splendor and more. Overflowing with much of the dark menace and immense finesse that has long made Malacath a name to respect in since its inception over thirteen years ago, it’s in each of these five tracks that black metal is allowed to take on its most patient form. A slow burn that knows precisely how to calculate its next moves and how to ensure that no survivor is left uncut. It’s through the drawn-out riffs and moments of an intense quickening of the pace that Malacath delivers a performance that takes one step at a time with each exuding confidence in knowing how to execute its craft with magnificent efficiency, precision, and effectiveness. A work that’s obviously dedicated to the old ways of black metal while constantly pulling from different realms of the genre to make for a particularly monolithic creation, it’s the whole of “Eternal Roar of the Thunder Rain” that demands respect and attention.

Comparable to a storm roiling with rolling thunder and black skies whilst a downpour comes on, this is the kind of black metal that is simply captivating to fall into. More than competent in being able to bring all of its many different parts together while always ensuring a scathing approach that does beyond enough justice for its influences, “Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain” is the 2025 start that black metal can really lean on for excellence. While the competition is sure to be stiff, Malacath already stands out as a name not to be underestimated.

“Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain” releases on February 21st via Eternal Death!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain” on Bandcamp here.

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