EP Review: Malleus – Night Raids (Atomic Force Records)

Hailing from Boston, thrash/blackened death metal band Malleus have released a brand new EP entitled, Night Raids out now on Atomic Force Records.

“Return to forsaken lands where shadows and madness threaten from beyond the forest’s veil. Witness unknown horrors and the fall of emperors in two new tracks of bone crushing first wave black metal”

The sound of death and destruction introduces us to Malleus’ Night Raids as they assault the mind, body and soul with a raging blend of thrash and blackened death metal. The EP is two tracks long but both tracks hit the 8 minute mark giving Malleus plenty of time to wreck the senses with harsh and raw sounding old-school tracks.

The riffs burn brightly, the drums crash and bang while the vocals howl evilly on the title track. While The Wretched has a different effect, dropping an almost doom intro but the increasing drum tempo signals faster stuff is coming.

When it does kick in it doesn’t disappoint giving plenty of head-banging groove amongst the dastardly noise of it all.

While neither track ‘wows’ so to speak, that’s not what Malleus are really going for here. This is simply traditionally heavy music with a slathering of influences drawn across a wide spectrum of metal. Don’t go in expecting too much and you won’t be disappointed. This is evil personified.

Malleus – Night Raids Full Track Listing:

1. Night Raids
2. The Wretched

You can order the EP via Bandcamp here and via Social Napalm here.