For all intents and purposes, black metal has seen a lot of growth in all directions as the decades have piled on. There is almost certainly something for everyone as far as black metal is concerned, but it just can’t be argued that there are few things that can compare to straightforward intensity of the genre that channels the old school of what the sound offered in years passed. We see many try their hand at bringing it back to life, but few are ever truly successful. As one of the few, Malakhim has already made a name for itself with just a single album under its belt. Now, with its second, this Swedish act continues to show us how it’s done.

I’m a fan of the straightforward as much as the next guy, but it still takes the right set of hands to bring it all together in such a form that doesn’t feel forced. When dealing with something like black metal, there’s a lot that can go into that kind of performance. It all depends on what era of black metal you’re going for along with precisely what you’re trying to channel. Some try for a more fantastical sense while others do what they can to tap into the occult. With bands like Malakhim, it’s obvious that the latter is the name of the game, but it’s even then that not many can succeed. Yet, it’s obvious again here that Malakhim is anything but incompetent nor unprepared for the task at hand. Throughout the whole of their second offering, “And In Our Hearts the Devil Sings”, we see the act already showcase tremendous growth from their impressive debut. This is black metal with real menace and power laced into every given minute. Fully capable of riffs alongside the ability to black out the very sun, the sheer potential of Malakhim is fulfilled in every one of these tracks and it’s in every instance that Malakhim offers us a vision of what it means to be singularly deadly at your craft. Fiery to its core and unwavering in its sinister intent one song after another, “And In Our Hearts the Devil Sings” is a resounding offensive of black metal that knows precisely how to deliver its madness in such a form that’s as seductive as it is uncompromising to its dark values.

We are constantly inundated with bands that are seeking to tap into that old school darkness like what we saw in the 90s, yet, as you might imagine, it still remains quite a high bar should you hope to make your impact known, felt, and addictive from start to finish. The devil itself has a role to play throughout all seven of these tracks and his dark light shines brilliantly through Malakhim. “And In Our Hearts the Devil Sings” holds nothing back and achieves glory the likes of which we seldom witness anymore.

“And In Our Hearts the Devil Sings” releases on October 31st via Iron Bonehead Productions!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “And In Our Hearts the Devil Sings” on Bandcamp here.

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