Premiere: Malformity has constructed a “Monument to Decay”
And it’s been in the making for some time.
I hesitate to apply the somewhat maligned term “OSDM” to Malformity lest you immediately roll your eyes, but it’s hard to deny that they actually fit the description. Initially formed amidst the burgeoning death metal scene in Atlanta all the way back in 1991, the band only released one demo in ’95 before calling it quits. A good 20 years later, they eventually reformed, releasing two EPs on their own and slowly building up steam.
This April, in the 30th year since their inception and under the banner of the mighty Unspeakable Axe Records, they are finally ready to unleash their first full-length album, Monumental Ruin. We are happy to give you a glimpse of it in the form of “Monument to Decay” today, and I hope you’ll agree that, apt as the term may be regarding their history, Malformity shouldn’t simply be lumped in with the hordes of other OSDM acts.
The foreboding, doomy riff of the intro is quickly transformed into a stomping groove section, and from there on out, the tempo gradually increases until it reaches its first peak about one and a half minutes in. The band put a lot on display in quite a short time, and continue to nimbly shift between tempos ranging from crushing doom to grinding intensity. Far from just a random mashup of disparate parts, the resulting structure feels cohesive and fun to follow along with, throwing just enough curveballs to keep you invested.
9 more well-constructed monuments—plus an intro, plus the two tracks from 2018’s The Rapturous Unraveling—await you once Monumental Ruin drops on April 19th. Head on over to Bandcamp to check out one more song and to pre-order a digital or physical copy.
