Malefice: Awaken the Tides

Britishness in its corner: Math stuff for people who hate their own ears.

Despite the fact that the words “awaken the tides” look like they came together by way of a heavy metal album title randomizer (I know, I know, by “tides” they probably mean “legions of downtrodden blue-collar dudes who’ve finally had enough of The Man’s oppression and are about to, um, I dunno, watch more Meet The Press to, you know, know more stuff, and stuff”), this British lineup has Britishness in its corner, meaning there are melodic, Iommi-style guitar solos and that certain urgent bombast, passages that make you think the tanks and troops are coming right around the corner.

Dale Butler’s vocals are right out the Tom Araya outraged-yelling handbook, but wait, calm down, yes, there is Cookie Monster, are you crazy, you can’t have thrash metal without that absolutely groundbreaking sound – it just refuses to get old, doesn’t it? Some math stuff in there for people who hate their own ears, and even something for me, the one-note syncopated groove at the coda of “Dead in the Water” (I hate to let on that I can be kept endlessly entertained by shiny objects, but there you have it).

By Eric Saeger

Homepage: Malefice
Homepage: Metal Blade Records