Didn't see a dedicated thread for these lads. I had Across Deaths on this morning, it really is a genuine classic and for me has cemented it's place amongst my favourite Irish Metal releases. As I was listening it did occur to me that there's nothing else (See the Gloom Epoch for reference, that additional instrumentation is truly disturbing/haunting). It'd make you wonder have they got another of equal calibre in them and where do they go next musically. They've been fairly quiet though this past while other than the split I haven't heard much rumblings of anything.
Anyone know if they're working on a follow up?
I think we came up with something ferocious, ugly and relatively unique in Across Deaths. Not an easy album to listen to, I have to be in the mood for it myself as it is fairly fucking wild, but it captures a certain insanity that was bubbling in the band at the time, haha. It felt like pulling teeth getting all the elements together at the time, partly down to us and partly down to external factors, but that only added to the mayhem I reckon. I'll leave it to current band members to comment on current and future activity, but I'm proud of that album. As I've mentioned before, I think that in our own way we maybe tapped into some of the nuttiness of The Last Supper by Abaddon Incarnate without intending to. I can't imagine I'll ever record something that fucked up again, but who knows.
Interesting, not an album I'd have compared it to even if it was just a measure on nuttiness and not a commentary on music. Last Supper has a primal, rabid, feral type insanity to it. The Malthusian record is more sinister, brooding, menacing more like a disturbing Japanese horror flick.
Cool. I don't think they sound alike as such, but just that unbridled chaos that takes a few listens to penetrate is a similarity I detect. I think they maybe complement each other.
I speak purely on my own behalf, of course.
Edit. I stuck it on this evening. What a fucking trip through insanity that album is, haha.
I remember listening to this a few years back and really struggling with it, looking for a hook or a crevice to cling onto. I gave up but will revisit it again. A bit like when I was a young lad and watched Apocalypse Now. I knew it was good but hadn't a clue what was going on.
Must go back to AD. Have mixed opinions of it but I suppose I'm too involved.
Have the guts of a new album written that we're aiming to record later in the year. Songs are more frantic and aggressive. I'm excited about it anyway. The production on AD created a fuckin maelstrom of madness that wasn't exactly the aim but as Andy said there were plenty of external factors that created it. New one will be a more direct for sure. Different dynamic with me as the sole songwriter, same as the split.
Cool! Looking forward to it!
The recording and mixing of the eps and album must have been intense.
It's such dense, harsh music.
When I listen it's almost suffocating.
When it does click it's very rewarding
Nah, just the album. From memory the others were handy enough and it's not as dense and harsh when you're in it.
That Across Deaths album sounds like being inside the mind of a serial killer for 40 mins lol
Quote from: open face surgery on May 04, 2023, 12:06:54 PMNah, just the album. From memory the others were handy enough and it's not as dense and harsh when you're in it.
Don't get me wrong. It's savage stuff.
I always wonder about the writing and recording process for that style so thats the angle I was coming from.
I understood what you meant. Same as anything else really, I'd imagine. Just work on riffs and piece the whole thing together in a way that seems to flow to us.
It has been some time since I listened to AD but I fuckin lived on it when it came out and it still took me by surprise every listen. Great album, must go back to it now that it has been a while actually.
[quote :'( author=blessed1 link=msg=77932 date=1683200368]
That Across Deaths album sounds like being inside the mind of a serial killer for 40 mins lol
[/quote]
Have you met Matt and/or Andy :laugh:
Quote from: nimhiúil on May 05, 2023, 06:49:03 PMQuote from: blessed1 on May 04, 2023, 12:39:28 PMThat Across Deaths album sounds like being inside the mind of a serial killer for 40 mins lol
Have you met Matt and/or Andy :laugh:
No, why? Are they serial killers?
Nothing has been proven.
Here, the fact that Andy listens to THERAPY? should be reason enough for anyone to suspect he is a possible lunatic and someone to worry about and avoid. 8)
Anyways, much like the OP; I was listening to some MALTHUSIAN earlier and felt vaguely compelled to come on here, give praise where due, and ask a couple questions I am curious about, maybe even do an informal mini fan interview, seeing as at least 2 of the band members/ex members are regulars on here.
First off, unlike the OP, for me the standout/classic release from the band remains Demo MMXIII. I obsessed/fanboy'd out overnight over it and firmly believed it quickly made them the best and most exciting Death metal band from the Country. and I still hold this as true. I mean c'mon, who else is there anyway? Abaddon Incarnate is grindcore man and shite anyway other than The Last Supper. Vircolac, Croscradh & ZOM etc are decent bands in their own right, but it seemed to me they kind of followed MALTHUSIANS lead. Not that they copied them at all stylewise, each of these bands sound different, but just they all seemed to be part of the same scene, and for me at least, just weren't as good.
First Question, and open to other heads and not just the band, would be, am I alone in this worship of the Demo over the releases since? Don't get me wrong; Hengiform and Across Deaths are deadly, I can't fault them, but I have rarely got such a feeling of being just like taken back & being like..WOW..WHAT.THE.FUCK.IS.THIS.SHIT!? when I first checked the Demo out and got sucked into the black filthy hole in space of it. It was and is astounding. It sounds fucking massive and evil and like pure CHAOS..despite the complex riffs and arrangements etc. The fuckin production man, and for a demo no less!, is some of the best I have ever heard. Everything sounds fucking violent and gnarly. The drums especially really fucking destroy, not to mention the drum performance itself, the energy and inventiveness of this guys playing is fucking shocking. Lastly I have to say, the artwork for it rules and matches the chaos of the music perfectly, unlike sadly very much most of the time for me at least, the albums artwork actually affected the experience of the music! The visuals of the art kinda stuck in and spun round me head vaguely while listening, seeming to be connected to the lyrical themes. ALSO the artwork reminds me (in a positive way) of one of; or maybe my all time fav visual Artist; Master Austin Osman Spare.
2nd Q to the band, were there any particular bands that served for inspiration for your sound? I could be way off but it seemed to me MALTHUSIAN were part of a scene of this kind of filthy dissonant black/death bands with bands like Mitochondrion, Irkallian Oracle, Qrixkuor, Abyssal etc (which seemed to peak around 2017-2020 and seems to have kinda died down lately;no?) who kind of all seemed to be worshiping the music of PORTAL (& DsO). So I am curious if you guys are actually that into and inspired by PORTAL, or is that overblown a bit and you are more just into bands like INCANTATION or what/who?
3rd, to Matt; any news or update on work of a new release? and can you give any insights into what you and the band wanna do creatively next with it? Am I way off thinking and hoping you would try and recapture the fucking rawness and chaos sigil magic of the demo?
4th and last Q is for our resident goat molester and the MasterLord of ANY Irish Metal Forum; Andy McLovin Sir! I really wanna know man, and sorry if you've answered this elsewhere, but I've not seen it....Why did you quit the band?
Life, maaan. No dramas, just felt it was time to bail out. Started a family and did that grown up stuff around then so it was inevitable.
My own influences on the demo were maybe stuff like Antediluvian or Swallowed. I liked Portal a bit but was never mad into them. I liked the idea of them more than the music and they were fucking cool live, but not a band I listened to much. I also think there were a few nods to Slidhr in my riffs occasionally but maybe not so much on the demo as on Across Deaths which has two or three riffs I thought were Slidhr-like, even if the end result was quite different.
I was listening to loads of Necros Christos, Dead Congregation and tons of doom and black metal (which are the two styles I still mostly listen to) back then so it was probably all filtering in in one way or another, but a lot of the time I would simply respond to a riff Matt brought in to jamming and just hit upon something that sounded cool. It's hard to say where the influence began and my own style of playing ended, they all bled in together I think.
For the album we had actually intended to try a really dry production inspired by Covenant, but it sounded shite so we ended up going all out chaos and filth. It was so fucking noisy and chaotic that I think a lot of people were put off, maybe thinking we would end up sounding tighter, cleaner and more professional haha. I love it. Total fucking mayhem that reflected a lot of the chaos going on within the band between drinking and playing a few wild gigs around then. A perfect snapshot really. And also, I can see/hear my own mania at the time when I listen to it. I was so utterly obsessed with the album- unhealthily so- endlessly working on details, trying to get the artwork and layout pulled together, losing my mind over the mixing process... Not to mention myself, Matt and Pauric all getting so drunk on the day we did vocals that it ended up getting silly and having to do them all again, whereupon I got totally fucking gimped again! But it came out well the second time. Just the right amount of madness, but definitely hovering on the edge of collapse for me maybe. Fun times.
When I refer to The Last Supper when talking about Across Deaths, it's that unhinged quality of both our lives and the music we were making at the time that I'm thinking of. I suppose the balls to the wall extremity as well. The Last Supper should really be the red line that all local bands who are making extreme fucked up death metal should be aiming for. No mercy.
"Hallucinogen" is one of the best songs of the last ten years, which isn't a slight against the rest of the discography - all killer.
I just had an odd moment there where fuckin' death metal makes me feel old-as-shit as I realise that the 2013 demo is a decade old (big "well duh" moment there, but still).
Fair play to all the chaps concerned, amazing music all round :abbath:
I haven't listened to the demo in ages so I just fired it on. Cool little release alright and there was a real buzz in the air at the time.
Across Deaths is what I listen to most often but not too long ago I was listening to the demo on spotify and it went from hallucinogen finishing into Remnant fauna and it was like I was watching a band live then went to the smoking area and listened to the rest of the set from outside :laugh: The denseness on the album is so swampy almost muddy but adds to the claustrophobic insanity. Truly filthy sounding album. Excited to hear where the new one goes.
Many a great night spent in the smoking area at gigs :laugh:
Following on from Danny's post above...
The demo and EP are well solid. But the album never really clicked with me. It was just a bit touch too much chaos for me.
Similarly, ZOM I just couldn't fully get my head around.
Coscradh can be fairly head melting too, but when they click, they're great. And so intense live.
Your comments about Abaddon Incarnate is pretty unfair. The Last Supper and Nadir are killer. And more recently Pessimist and their new one are savage as well.
More recently I'd through Unyielding Love into the mix of bands mentioned. Unbelievably intense live and on record.
How are my comments about AI unfair. For me TLS and Nadir are the business but I didn't really like anything after.
Danny's comments... see my very first line above
Quote from: jobrok1 on September 30, 2023, 10:10:44 AMFollowing on from Danny's post above...
Ahhh 8)
Quote from: Eoin McLove on September 30, 2023, 05:39:33 AMMany a great night spent in the smoking area at gigs :laugh:
Good times. There was a nice lil buzz there during that period.
I remember being both delighted and furious after seeing the first Malthusian show - delighted that they were fucking great (panda make up and all), furious that I wasn't in a ggigng band to play with them yet.
"The Mother's Blade" is the all time Malthusian jam for me. Crushing. No disrespect to the current incarnation but the Suffering Hour split just didn't grab me the same way as the previous stuff.
I see the split as a sidestep and a nail in the coffin of a period. New album will be more death metal and may just hang it up after that. We'll see.
Edit: Will answer bits of those other questions later but Andy definitely hit on a few points.
Quote from: jobrok1 on September 30, 2023, 10:10:44 AMYour comments about Abaddon Incarnate is pretty unfair. The Last Supper and Nadir are killer. And more recently Pessimist and their new one are savage as well.
More recently I'd through Unyielding Love into the mix of bands mentioned. Unbelievably intense live and on record.
I mean no disrespect good Sir, nor to the band or other fans; I am just naturally expressing my honest opinion, everyone has different musical tastes and so on.. I actually have a lot of respect for AI for their debut album,
The Last Supper, released back in 99', It's a lethal and savage Death metal album that any Irish metal head should be proud of. But as much as I've tried & kinda wanted to, I just don't enjoy and can't get into any of their other releases. For the most part this is just cus I don't like the style or sound or production of them. But here, I'm just not into Grindcore and can't get into NAPALM DEATH either.
Unyielding Love; I agree deserve a mention along with other notable Irish DM bands, but with respect to the band, aren't they from Belfast? they could identify as British no? Regardless; & as a Republican meself, an interesting new band for sure. And for the record I actually really like Vircolac. Coscradh are okay I guess, but for me just not really exciting, & ZOM, I'm with you, I cannot get into whatsofuckinever.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on September 29, 2023, 11:07:12 PMThe Last Supper should really be the red line that all local bands who are making extreme fucked up death metal should be aiming for. No mercy.
To add to what I just said, I would actually agree with this fairly enough and move to pass as Irish Metal Law. As far as Death Metal from Ireland goes, AI set an undeniable lethal standard with
The Last Supper, that should be the benchmark for any Irish Death metal band considering putting out a release and playing shows. If you are not on this level at least, or confidently something else, then just stick to enjoying playing with your mates for the craic! 8)
No, I think it's the general consensus that the demo is the best which can get irritating when you're progressing as a band but in reality there is no pressure on us to do anything. Obviously I can't subjectively comment on the demo but it's often the case with debut releases. I will say it doesn't really sound chaotic to me but again that's from the inside looking out. Artwork is fine. I've seen a few Austin Osman Spare bits that I like. Don't see the comparison though.
There were certainly bands like Kaamos, Dead Congregation and that ilk that were a theoretic influence in that they were playing dirty, evil sounding death metal. I was mad into Outre and Swarth by Portal and am still mad into DSO. These would only be an influence in the overall atmosphere of the music rather than the actual style of playing. I am a fairly limited guitarist and I work with what I can. Doom and black metal, as Andy said, were massive influences. Again, that comes down to the creation of unease. Qrixkuor weren't a thing at that point, but I love them, I liked the first Mitochondrion at that time but, again, not really an influence, Irkallian Oracle were counterparts rather than an influence, and aside from seeing the word Malthusian in an Abyssal song title, I never really bothered with them too much. Good band though. I think a mix of growing up listening to Cannibal Corpse, Morbid Angel, Deicide, Immolation, Cryptopsy mixed with countless doom, from sludge to funeral, and black metal bands was my basis, and then me and Andy met somewhere in the middle. I had more or less stopped listening to Portal by the time we got going and I fuckin hate the, as I see it, lazy comparisons to them. Not into more or less any of the discordant style death metal bands that are around now, not my thing, I'd rather listen to Van Halen, and I listen to more Incantation now than I did back then so that doesn't apply. I'd say Adversarial, Antediluvian, Swallowed, Diocletian, Lvcifyre, Grave Miasma, that sort of stuff, would be the main influences from newer bands at the time. There's def others as well but they're the ones what come to mind. Many influences from many sources.
Have songs written for the album. Demoed 3 of them lately so working on them and have the whole thing plotted out in my head for a year or two. Our most recent songs are 2 years old at this point and one is from before the split was written. Need to just get it out of my head at this stage. It's consuming. Different buzz anyway. I don't like a lot of new death metal, it's not evil and twisted. So it will be warped but the tunes are more direct death metal. Guess we'll see when we see.
The Last Supper was a massive influence on me growing up and it's still fuckin unbelievable plus my first gigging metal band was called Nadir so there is no denying the AI influence. I also lived with 3/4 of AI when we started jamming and Steve M was going to come out and have a jam with myself and Kinger at one point when we started out.
Great discussion and insights that give a little needed excuse to hurtle into the world of Malthusian for another week,it's all immense and wonderfully monstrous to these ears.As for Danny the misguided republican himself above,what a prick of a comment regarding another savage local band and any other band of lads setting out to play metal
ZOM predate Malthusian, right? Don't think the former could be said to have been following Malthusian's lead at any rate.
Yep. ZOM were out before us and making waves for themselves.
Quote from: Lurker on October 01, 2023, 01:48:42 AMGreat discussion and insights that give a little needed excuse to hurtle into the world of Malthusian for another week,it's all immense and wonderfully monstrous to these ears.As for Danny the misguided republican himself above,what a prick of a comment regarding another savage local band and any other band of lads setting out to play metal
Hold on now, I might be taking you up wrong here but people aren't obliged to like local bands. The "Im a Republican and UY are Nordies" comment is weird though, especially given 2 of them are from the Republic.
Much as I love the demo (again, "Mother's Blade"), I reckon "Across Deaths" is the pinnacle so far though.
ZOM where crazy! must crack my ZOM collection out.....
I'll crack Malthusian out as well
Zom got me hook, line and sinker. I couldn't believe that death metal of that quality was made on this forsaken rock. With AI I always went for Nadir before The Last Supper. They've been entirely irrelevant to me for a long time. I think of Malthusian as part of the step up in quality that Zom pushed on Irish extreme metal bands. Before them most Irish stuff was passable to good. Nowadays there are plenty bands coming out of here that can rival anything coming out internationally. That's just the observations of someone who sits in a living room far away from anything resembling a scene looking in at it. While I'm rambling, I can't wait to see what Hausturian Vigil and Callous Master come out with soon.
Was the gig with Bolzer in Dec13 the first show? Either way, it was the first time I saw them and it was early doors - the anticipation was through the roof, the visuals on the screen, the full commitment to the aesthetic and then the set itself being a true pummeling. Real special place in the memory that whole show.
The demo has always been my favorite, I think I'll be giving all a spin this week though. There was a heap of stuff at that time - it would be very generalized to say it was the same style - but it was all an attempt to capture a proper mank atmosphere within death metal. In hindsight, there was lots and lots of scutter. I think Matt namechecked a lot of the stuff that has endured, with Grave Miasma probably harnessing it all most naturally over time, for me. The demo definitely stands up there with the pick of those releases though. One thing lots of those bands seemed to forget is that we need riffs and memorable ones at that, which Malthusian always had in spades.
Felt like there was a 2 year window where I was at a gig somewhere in Ireland/England/Europe and malthusian were on the card and pretty much always delivered. Haven't seen em in who knows how long now.
Quote from: hellfire on October 01, 2023, 02:35:59 PMZom got me hook, line and sinker. I couldn't believe that death metal of that quality was made on this forsaken rock.
That was a cool time, when the punks were out metalling the metallers, we had Zom, Putrefaction, Sodb, Fuil na seanchoille all had releases around that time, probably others I'm forgetting.
Quote from: open face surgery on October 01, 2023, 12:08:24 AMNo, I think it's the general consensus that the demo is the best which can get irritating when you're progressing as a band but in reality there is no pressure on us to do anything. Obviously I can't subjectively comment on the demo but it's often the case with debut releases. I will say it doesn't really sound chaotic to me but again that's from the inside looking out.
I'm sure that this would be annoying as an artist, I get it. But I just can't help as a fan honestly just thinking that it rules dude! Like I said I do like the other releases since, & nearly just as much, even feeling them to be natural progressive turns for you to take & all.. But this is what I kind of asking & was just curious about, both to other heads on here and to the band; Do many or any fans mention the Demo as their fav from you guys, & how alone am I in thinking it just has something really special about it?
I don't know how you think it doesn't sound like chaos ha. It sounds fucking mental dude! & still does 10 years later. I mean cmon man Imagine playing this for a casual rock-metal liking gen-x kid ha, it would blow their fucking emo little brain open, not to mention someone who doesn't know fuck all about metal; I would imagine they would likely be fuckin riddled with the Fear & think that it sounds something like pure evil! Yeah, it must be because you are so close to it as you said! :)
Thanks for the answers man. Some intel & insights gained have I. As well too enjoyably a couple of bands I have not heard of or given time to yet to check out now. & As always I am looking forward to new music down the line from the band Sir!
I would point out just that when you mentioned in your post from about Qrixkuor-Abyssal, if you read back my post, I wasn't actually saying or asking if any of these bands were influences on you guys, I do know they are more like peers, even with ZOM being out the gate before you guys (as Chris mentioned there) but more was getting at this thing with a lot of these style of DM bands just being labelled as PORTAL worshipping. Honestly Metal Archives is to blame if you ask me, if you look up Malthusian there & look at the similar bands tab in it, & then PORTALs same similar tab you can easily see what I mean. So I was just curious like, how much of this is bullshit or true, are PORTAL that fuckin important to these bands or not? Cus I feel like it may be overblown meself; as there's been so many metal bands blending death with black & whatever dark elements well before PORTAL were right!
Quote from: Lurker on October 01, 2023, 01:48:42 AMGreat discussion and insights that give a little needed excuse to hurtle into the world of Malthusian for another week,it's all immense and wonderfully monstrous to these ears.As for Danny the misguided republican himself above,what a prick of a comment regarding another savage local band and any other band of lads setting out to play metal
I dunno where the fuck to start to reply to this prick comment here to be honest with you! ;D What the fuck did I do or say? If you read back, I actually said with RESPECT to the band who are from Belfast as far as I know, & in case they Identify as British, I spared them from me list of death metal bands from Ireland! A list which naturally is completely random, arbitrary to me or you & is just the Irish DM bands I happen to know about so far & like thought of in that minute to refer to & use in my post. Are we really gonna have some sort of Republican Debate here? lol
The only sensible approach to the North South metal divide is to say that we'll take the good ones and the Brits can have the rest.
Take the passport rule ..
Republic or North, we're all Irish.
The rugby rule works too... everyone is Irish especially if you have lived here 4 years or have an Irish granny.
This thread has gone a bit brexit.
Anyway I for one am looking forward to hearing what comes next. More death metal oriented sounds good to me.
My favourite release is the first one.
Same for Vircolac.
The subsequent releases are excellent but the first from both bands have an almost lightning in a bottle feel.
Cool thread, love reading into the influences of bands and where lads were coming from when they're writing/recording (and how it all changes and comes together).
Anyway Across Deaths is my favourite release here, the murk and chaos hits the spot completely for me.
First gig was with Gospel of the Horns, Bolzer, ZOM and Dread Sovereign, also the first DS gig, in March '13. We were very busy gigwise for the first 3 or 4 years. Good albeit messy few years. Andy touched on some of the madness of it.
Yes, the majority of people mention the demo as their favourite release. You're certainly not alone in that. Oddly enough, in more recent years, it's the stuff that came after that gets the listens, according to the stats.
I can't remember the last time I listened to Portal. The constant comparisons soured them but I also just feel they had run their course for me with the first few releases. I think what they did was groundbreaking in the way they brought the horror back into death metal but in a new and more twisted way. It has, or had, all the wretched horror that I found in stuff like Khanate or Esoteric, or certain styles of techno and electronic music or even noise, but brought successfully into death metal. Aural horror and unease. The Portal comparison was too broad a stroke and too widely used to have any impact. Lazy journalism at a time when it was dying on it's arse already. For the record, I would put Abyssal down as heavily Portal influenced, at least starting out, maybe I'm wrong, can't really remember too clearly what they sound like. Dunno about Qrixkuor but I find them a far more captivating listen.
Quote from: open face surgery on October 02, 2023, 02:25:09 PMThe Portal comparison was too broad a stroke and too widely used to have any impact.
This absolutely.
Just from my own personal experience of that period, a significant difference for me between Malthusian and Vircolac was that the formation of the former wasn't in any way unpredictable yet I certainly couldn't have predicted the metal they ended up making, whereas the original formation of the latter (again, maybe just to me) was a genuinely unpredictable case of "Hang on,
who's in this band together!?" but then when their first release came along, the music made sense in terms of those members. Relatively predictable line-up produces unpredictable sounds versus unpredictable line-up produces sounds you might predict if ever you could have predicted the line-up :abbath:
Anyway, since I don't have the demo on vinyl, it's actually the Malthusian release I listen to the least, so I'm going to revisit it this week in light of the discussion here.
Portal are one of those bands that just go completely over me head. It's like everything all at once and plenty of it.
I imagine they won't get a call for an MTV unplugged anytime soon.
It's claustrophobic and all those type boxes are ticked but it's non memorable at all.
Malthusian differ green that regard.
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on October 02, 2023, 03:00:39 PMQuote from: open face surgery on October 02, 2023, 02:25:09 PMThe Portal comparison was too broad a stroke and too widely used to have any impact.
This absolutely.
Just from my own personal experience of that period, a significant difference for me between Malthusian and Vircolac was that the formation of the former wasn't in any way unpredictable yet I certainly couldn't have predicted the metal they ended up making, whereas the original formation of the latter (again, maybe just to me) was a genuinely unpredictable case of "Hang on, who's in this band together!?" but then when their first release came along, the music made sense in terms of those members. Relatively predictable line-up produces unpredictable sounds versus unpredictable line-up produces sounds you might predict if ever you could have predicted the line-up :abbath:
Anyway, since I don't have the demo on vinyl, it's actually the Malthusian release I listen to the least, so I'm going to revisit it this week in light of the discussion here.
The version of the demo I have on vinyl looks pure delicious, like a Cadburys Marble
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on October 02, 2023, 03:00:39 PMwhereas the original formation of the latter (again, maybe just to me) was a genuinely unpredictable case of "Hang on, who's in this band together!?" but then when their first release came along,
Care to elaborate?Just curious. You're welcome to just message me your reply rather than hijack this thread.
If I may - both us and Malthusian were very clear on the outset, I remember discussing this at length with Andy - that we wanted to write decent songs that would last the test of time.
Chipping in to the whole "10s death metal has aged poorly even though we were all very excited at the time" buzz, couldn't agree more - Antediluvian stand out for the sheer oddness, and Irkallian Oracle are the one for me who maried the genuine darkness to actual riffs. While the excitement of the newness was palpable at the time, the era of no riff/no face death metal was a fairly fallow period musically. I kind of see it as importance in terms of trying to strength an aesthetic to seperate Death metal at the time from both black metal's corpsepainted cheese and the broDudery that has subsequently taken hold via the current crop of Frozen Soul/Maggot Stomp/UKDM moron metal. Sort of like a period of growt in terms of the aesthetics and imagery and certainly the occasional overly pretentious "philosophical" interview.
But yeah, plenty very visceral and memorable live experiences, very little memorable music. I'd go see portal again, but I'll be fucked if I could tell you last time I felt the urge to listen to them or could name a favourite song. Everyone got compared to them seemingly regardless of what they sounded like if they had a more serious approach to what they were doing, or even a hint of dissonance. Definitely an unfair comparison for Malthusian I'd say.
The above post sums up a lot of what's going on at the moment.
The ability to craft and put out a song that has some level of meaning, that will stand the test of time and be of real worth seems to be less of a thing in the main stream DM/BM that comes out.
Churn it out and the pit will be great is the way to go it seems. ( my user name is a constant embarrassment )
Actually I don't know what I'm trying to say.
Push up DM shouldn't be accepted.
I suppose it's all down to the listener and what they want from music.
Pretty much. Death metal is plenty of fun behind the scenes if you're in a band, but outwardly it shouldn't be. I don't mean you have to dress like Sarcofago and Blashpemy like - look at Immolation or early At The Gates for example,none of theatrics, just a bunch of normal looking dudes.. but you got the buzz they took what they were doing seriously rather than looking to provide a soundtrack to a moshpit. There was nothing tongue in cheek about them.
Kinda glad the lads ditched the warpaint after the first gig, though the visuals were very cool.
On board with all the points Jamie made there.
And I'd definitely rather listen to Van Halen too.
Quote from: Pentagrimes on October 02, 2023, 04:32:47 PMQuote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on October 02, 2023, 03:00:39 PMwhereas the original formation of the latter (again, maybe just to me) was a genuinely unpredictable case of "Hang on, who's in this band together!?" but then when their first release came along,
Care to elaborate?Just curious. You're welcome to just message me your reply rather than hijack this thread.
Nothing deep: if I'm remembering everything correctly, for you personally it was a return to playing metal after a long period of being a vocal skeptic about the metal scene in general. Yet you were joining up with two of the Irish scene's most recognizably dyed-in-the-wool metallers, plus someone from well outside what were typical metal circles in Ireland. At the time, from the outside looking in, it seemed an unexpected, almost improbable blend of musical temperaments with respect to metal, that's all.
Quote from: Danny on September 29, 2023, 10:40:43 PMVircolac, Coscradh & ZOM etc are decent bands in their own right, but it seemed to me they kind of followed MALTHUSIANS lead. Not that they copied them at all stylewise, each of these bands sound different, but just they all seemed to be part of the same scene
Probably because all those bands had the same type of intent/purpose when it came to songwriting/gigging. Codex Perfida and MMXIII in particular are excellent examples of combining
memorable DM riffs within an intense BM type atmosphere. Something the mini thrash revival of the 00s was largely missing (in terms of combing intent with memorable riffs)
I'm out of things now and in exile on a small desert island on the opposite side of the world but it looks to me like there are enough new bands emerging right now in Ireland to feel proud and excited about the future of the scene I'm so fond of. Particularly excited to see what Callous Master come up with and Hasturian Vigil sound good. Verminous Serpent's album is very convincing. Hopefully one or two other things are on the boil. I'm looking forward to the new Malthusian album. The song titles and ideas Matt has shared with me are feeding my imagination. The new Vircolac is savage so I'm excited to see that come out too. I've yet to pick up the new Coscradh and Sacrilegia records so I'll hit Darragh up with a big order soon. Things look healthy and the new Malthusian piece I've heard was really fresh and exciting so more power to the bucks.
Also great to see the forum so busy lately. Feels a bit like old times :)
Edit. The Grief, Corr Mhóna, El Morta...
Missed Danny's comment about "following Malthusian's lead" earlier, but luckily for you all the lengthy,furious response I'd typed out didn't save :laugh:
Quote from: Eoin McLove on October 02, 2023, 10:56:46 PMAlso great to see the forum so busy lately. Feels a bit like old times :)
Not to derail the thread but this, yeah, it's great. Site is in good shape and it took those other two dense threads to make me consider how grand the place is (since that is an absolute anomaly here I mean). Not like i've been here daily since it started or anything :laugh:
I am loving this injection of Malthusian appreciation; it has me listening back to it all.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on October 02, 2023, 10:56:46 PMThings look healthy and the new Malthusian piece I've heard was really fresh and exciting so more power to the bucks.
This has me very hyped.
No one asked but just to add to the favourite release conversation I have to say my personal favourite has always been Below the Hengiform. It has the "straight-for-the-jugular" DM aggression that the demo had but it sounds altogether more murky and sinister and is much denser composition-wise. The closing section of Slouching Equinox is pure stomach churning rot - love it. Not to mention BtH has probably my favourite Johnny King performance across all his projects - really moreish, effective drumming. Also, I think it is the best release in terms of marriage of music and cover art.
Quote from: Mags on October 03, 2023, 05:53:09 PMI am loving this injection of Malthusian appreciation; it has me listening back to it all.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on October 02, 2023, 10:56:46 PMThings look healthy and the new Malthusian piece I've heard was really fresh and exciting so more power to the bucks.
This has me very hyped.
That's actually a completely separate thing. It'll be released later in the year, I think.
Quote from: Pentagrimes on October 03, 2023, 08:25:12 AMMissed Danny's comment about "following Malthusian's lead" earlier, but luckily for you all the lengthy,furious response I'd typed out didn't save :laugh:
Damn, chill the beans my dude. I believe I did say "it seemed to ME" and "for/to me" several times. I meant no disrespect to the other bands, my comment was arbitrary, and meant more like, to me it seemed that way just because I happen to like Malthusian's music more than the others is all, so for ME, they led the pack of Irish DM at the time.
I actually am really into Vircolac too, prob my 2nd fav Irish DM band. & I have a similar connection as I do with the Malthusian Demo, with Vircolac's
Codex Perfida, I find preferable over your other releases since.
Quote from: Mags on October 03, 2023, 05:53:09 PMNo one asked but just to add to the favourite release conversation I have to say my personal favourite has always been Below the Hengiform. It has the "straight-for-the-jugular" DM aggression that the demo had but it sounds altogether more murky and sinister and is much denser composition-wise. The closing section of Slouching Equinox is pure stomach churning rot - love it. Not to mention BtH has probably my favourite Johnny King performance across all his projects - really moreish, effective drumming. Also, I think it is the best release in terms of marriage of music and cover art.
Yeah I was about to say it, agree with all those. BTH was the first I heard and for those points my favourite also. Slouching Equinox probably my favourite song.
I stuck on BTH this morning for the first time in I don't know how long after reading the above posts. It's so damn murky, holy shit. I think the vinyl version gives the guitars a bit more space to breath but I remember we thought it went a bit too murky in the end and we tried to rectify that a bit with the album. And ended up in total chaos 8) But I think that standing back and absorbing it from the outside, that murk is part of its ugly, obscure charm. Fucked if I remember how to play half the riffs anymore though and listening to it really isn't making the job any easier :laugh:
Quote from: Eoin McLove on October 03, 2023, 09:02:00 PMFucked if I remember how to play half the riffs anymore though and listening to it really isn't making the job any easier :laugh:
There is something great about that I'd imagine though. Total lightning in a bottle job. Some of the most intricately demented sections are on BTH for me, production aside. As someone said earlier, there's actually riffs/breathing (wrong word) space to make it work.
There are more slow and medium paced parts on that EP I think, with plenty of slow building sections which lead into the maelstrom.
I had a listen to it earlier. Can't remember the last time I had it on. A lot of mid paced stuff on it. Some of the production works well, some doesn't.
I'd struggle to remember all of Slouchiing but I can remember the hectic middle section and the end which was always a buzz. Would be about 6 years since it was last played live.
Had to turn to YT to listen to the demo. Top comment on vid compares it to a "blackened Acidbath" which is a pretty interesting one!
I only listened to Acid Bath once and briefly after seeing I think yourself and Karl going on about them. Didn't do anything for me then. Might be worth a revisit.
Ya, I got the loan of a cd once years ago but was never arsed with them so that's purely coincidental.
Dunno if When The Kite String Pops is an album that hits better when you're in your more formative years but it's an all-time classic as far as I'm concerned.
Yah, I don't hear the comparison in Malthusian myself, but it's an interesting one nonetheless. I would be interested to hear a band who set out to be a "blackened Acidbath."
Quote from: Danny on October 03, 2023, 06:42:50 PMQuote from: Pentagrimes on October 03, 2023, 08:25:12 AMMissed Danny's comment about "following Malthusian's lead" earlier, but luckily for you all the lengthy,furious response I'd typed out didn't save :laugh:
Damn, chill the beans my dude. I believe I did say "it seemed to ME" and "for/to me" several times. I meant no disrespect to the other bands, my comment was arbitrary, and meant more like, to me it seemed that way just because I happen to like Malthusian's music more than the others is all, so for ME, they led the pack of Irish DM at the time.
I actually am really into Vircolac too, prob my 2nd fav Irish DM band. & I have a similar connection as I do with the Malthusian Demo, with Vircolac's Codex Perfida, I find preferable over your other releases since.
I haven't been in the Vircolac for 5 years man, doesn't matter to me if you like them or not so no need to justify it , I just took exception to what I thought you meant in terms of your timeline, or maybe better to say I thought you were implying the other bands were sort of trying to sound like or ride Malthusian's coattails which couldnt be further from the truth as I think we all now understand. I get your point now. I don't think any of the bands from that brief moment in time sounded remotely like each other which is why it was an interesting moment. I'm not very chill generally by the way, ha.
I can't remember who it was put it like this, but I remember seeing a review somewhere that described how the song structures in Malthusian seemed to morph from one riff into another. Always thought that was very accurate. Particular on the full length.
Looking forward to hear this new thing being referred to in this thread. Seem intriguing.
Would echo a lot of the sentiment here. Those initial live gigs and demo were mind-blowing. As good if not better than anything I heard from that DM scene that was bubbling worldwide at the time. I thought they should have kept the wee bit of corpsepaint myself. It was an added aesthetic you might see more in serious international bands, whereas Irish bands tend towards a low key jeans and t-shirt look.
On a sort of related point, there seemed to be plenty happening in Ireland around that time, especially gig wise, that is absent the last few years.
Between H, Invictus, Doom Days, Fart etc there were regular all day or two day gigs, and what seemed like more ordinary shows from touring bands. Granted I am well out of the loop these days so maybe its all happening and I don't know about it. A glance at the live forum here would suggest otherwise though. Obviously costs have gone up in the interim and that's probably the main problem.
Going to dig out the Malthusian demo and BTH tonight for first time in years. Always loved watching them live. Like the drummer was in charge of a chariot from hell struggling to keep 3 demented horses from careering out of control!
Quote from: Grim Reality on October 04, 2023, 01:28:45 PMWould echo a lot of the sentiment here. Those initial live gigs and demo were mind-blowing. As good if not better than anything I heard from that DM scene that was bubbling worldwide at the time. I thought they should have kept the wee bit of corpsepaint myself. It was an added aesthetic you might see more in serious international bands, whereas Irish bands tend towards a low key jeans and t-shirt look.
On a sort of related point, there seemed to be plenty happening in Ireland around that time, especially gig wise, that is absent the last few years.
Between H, Invictus, Doom Days, Fart etc there were regular all day or two day gigs, and what seemed like more ordinary shows from touring bands. Granted I am well out of the loop these days so maybe its all happening and I don't know about it. A glance at the live forum here would suggest otherwise though. Obviously costs have gone up in the interim and that's probably the main problem.
Going to dig out the Malthusian demo and BTH tonight for first time in years. Always loved watching them live. Like the drummer was in charge of a chariot from hell struggling to keep 3 demented horses from careering out of control!
There's more truth in that last paragraph than you know!
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Incredibly accurate.
:laugh: :laugh:
Man, I wish I had the photoshop skills to make that a reality :laugh: :laugh:
If that was the headline of a review for any album or gig I'd be getting out my cash.
In fairness to Malthusian, they left an impression everywhere they played. I remember when ZC played in New Jersey, some lad in new Jersey asked me if I heard of malthusian, I replied, of course I do, I know them all for years. He asked me if I knew Matt, so to break the lads balls and wind him up, I said ya, he's a fucking spa! 🤣🤣 young lad looked like I shot his aul wan, given the look he gave me 🤣
As much chance he just didn't understand that thick Limerick brogue :laugh:
If I remember correctly, the mere mention of my name resulted in gifts for ye as well. No idea who it was either.
I got a discount on bottles of hot sauce in berlin because I knew Matt. He's just that much of a celebrity.
Hahahaha. Didn't know that. Savage. I'm bias as fuck but it's the best hot sauce out there. There was actually talk of a Malthusian one at one stage.
I'll echo a lot of what's been said already.
Love the demo and Hengiform. I don't think I gave the album enough attention at the time. I'll have to rectify that soon though.
I always enjoyed the gigs too. Saw them a fair few times in Ireland and further afield. Last time was with Negative Plane in Limerick, and I'm jonesing for another chance to see them again at this stage.
The first gig in Dublin and that all-dayer in Oberhausen with Irkallian Oracle, Sheol, Possession etc. were top tier. Fair few Irish heads at that one and all. Great auld shtuff.
The heat in that place in Oberhausen will stay with me until the day dementia ravages whatever few brain cells are left in my maggoty skull.
The one I was at? Bölzer and Zom too?
Quote from: Black Shepherd Carnage on October 05, 2023, 09:04:44 PMThe one I was at? Bölzer and Zom too?
Forgot they were on the same bill..
But yeah, that one!
(https://time-for-metal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Helvete-Oberhausen-13.09-Flyer-2014.jpg)
Quote from: Eoin McLove on October 05, 2023, 08:50:26 PMThe heat in that place in Oberhausen will stay with me until the day dementia ravages whatever few brain cells are left in my maggoty skull.
And the fucking stink of whatever the hell was rotting on that makeshift altar they brought out at one stage.
I don't remember that ???
That was a great day. Weird bar setup, you had your drinks added to a tab, to be settled at the end. I left without paying by accident. Still wracked with guilt.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on October 05, 2023, 09:33:23 PMI don't remember that ???
I think it was just before Possession played. Rotten stuff.
Quote from: Squigs on October 05, 2023, 09:48:51 PMThat was a great day. Weird bar setup, you had your drinks added to a tab, to be settled at the end. I left without paying by accident. Still wracked with guilt.
Haha! Yeah, and if you lost the slip, you got fined €80 or something.
Class session with yourself and Andy Tonic the night before btw.
Is right, pool and Type O on the jukebox. Not had sight nor sound of Andy in a good few years at this stage.
I wonder was it Obscure Burial? I remember IO had incense burning.
Great session that day. Hooked up with a girl I went out with for almost a year at it. The only other person from the Irish metal scene she knew she described as "A guy who ends up running about with his penis out at all the festivals" and she thought his name was Liam :laugh: :laugh:
Quote from: Squigs on October 05, 2023, 10:02:17 PMIs right, pool and Type O on the jukebox. Not had sight nor sound of Andy in a good few years at this stage.
I'm still knocking around occasionally! Been away from the gigs for a while but will be changing that. Heading the Siege for a gawk and possibly the Invictus gig in the new year.
Sure there he is
Quote from: Grim Reality on October 05, 2023, 10:43:52 PMQuote from: Squigs on October 05, 2023, 10:02:17 PMIs right, pool and Type O on the jukebox. Not had sight nor sound of Andy in a good few years at this stage.
I'm still knocking around occasionally! Been away from the gigs for a while but will be changing that. Heading the Siege for a gawk and possibly the Invictus gig in the new year.
Ah, the penny drops. Good to know it's you man! :abbath:
Quote from: Eoin McLove on October 05, 2023, 08:50:26 PMThe heat in that place in Oberhausen will stay with me until the day dementia ravages whatever few brain cells are left in my maggoty skull.
That is the venue I mentioned in one of the recent gig threads when giving out about the heat in the Limelight. I was in that venue in Oberhausen for Lvx Caelis many years ago and the heat was unbearable. Ended up with a cold after the show as well just from the temperature difference of going inside and outside the venue throughout the night.
The smaller Limelight venue in Belfast while not as bad heat wise it isn't far off that place.
I don't remember heat problems at that gig. I'm sure whatever I was losing in sweat I was replenishing in German beer quicker. Good oul days. I think Irkallion Oracle were the stand out for me that night and probably the band from that scene I appreciated the most. That said I remember (vaguely) that Zom were utterly savage, something different in a way, and it was a major loss when they disappeared soon after.
Irkallian Oracle having the bodhran ov death on stage was a sight
New track we did for a horror movie soundtrack released by Invada Records up on Spotify. Movie is called All You Need Is Death and the soundtrack was done by Ian Lynch of Lankum/One Leg One Eye. We're going to release the full 10 minute version later in the year but the edit is what was used for the movie so have at ye.
That tune is class, production is huge.
We have it remixed for the full version and it makes that sound like a pop song.
Foul cunt of a thing. I can't wait to pick up a physical release and hear it through the stereo speakers. Khanate meets Swallowed! I'll have to try to get a look at the fillum whenever it's out as well.
Quote from: Eoin McLove on April 11, 2024, 10:22:25 PMFoul cunt of a thing. Khanate meets Swallowed!
seconded. :abbath:
a rough cut link of the 10 minute boyo would be sick if possible?
It's not. It'll be released later in the year when it's ready.
Have you heard any of Lyncher's stuff?
https://invada.bandcamp.com/album/all-you-need-is-death-original-soundtrack
Yep. Whole thing is streaming.
Just found that. Filthy stuff. Filtee! Bit of Abruptum in the mix maybe?
Not intentionally but I suppose the maniacal and loose nature definitely ties the two together. Khanate meets Swallowed is an apt description.
Yeah, the chaos of it is where I was going, rather tuan the actual sound/style.
Not a Khanate fan and am unfamiliar with Swallowed, I'll check them out.
Ya, I got what ya meant. If you like Abruptum, Swallowed maybe a good shout for ya.