MALPHAS – Divinity’s Fall

Melodic black metal is the order of the day here, and the Swiss act Malphas delivers an incredibly well-structured and potent slab of epic music with plenty of aggression and viciousness to it. The compositions harbor dynamics and quite a few interesting nuances and layers that recall early Dissection and Sacramentum without necessarily sounding like either one of the two Swedish outfits. A sense of impending doom and pitch-black darkness envelops the material, and these dudes tear through the songs with gusto and in a most determined and focused manner. From raging tremolo-picked parts to thrash metal-influenced sections and further on to calm passages that offer a sense of respite, the record succeeds in retaining its momentum and keeping the listener engaged throughout, and there are some genuinely thrilling moments to be found in tracks such as ‘Forged in the Abyss’ and the morose ‘Hymn of Your Glory’. The vocals do lack a bit of variety now and then but are generally good and certainly get the job done without being outright adventurous or original. In short, Divinity’s Fall ought to satisfy all the devotees of quality black metal out there.