Description

2015 re-issue with 4 bonus tracks

It’s quite a different feeling when you review a classic album compared to a new album which is more of an anticipation. This debut album Eternal Nightfall by cult legendary Thrashers In Malices Wake has everything going for it, and one mustn’t forget that this was originally released way back in 2008 and then re-issue in 2015. The album starts with an Intro and smoothly sails into the second song Pay The Price with the same tune and riffage creating the required anticipatory juices in the listener’s minds! The music is simple Technical Thrash Metal with cheesy solos here and there backed by excellent screaming vocals by Shaun Farrugia. The title track Eternal Nightfall is your quintessential Thrash anthem just pounding in your face, with those slight punkish drum work. Bitter Demise continuous in similar sharp riffs, slightly groovy, but enough variety to keep you interested. With To Run With The Darkness the sound seems to get chaotic during the vocals part, but with sharp riffs the music sounds as sweet as mere words can’t describe. The solos are really screaming out to get your attention, largely thanks to the guitarists innovativeness and it simply works right away as most importantly they aren’t overdone. Man-Made Death brings in some signature riffs only In Malices Wake could have brought in and packs so much just under 4 minutes, makes the listener’s time really worth it. Weakness In Numbers hit a personal chord with me due to the lyrics as I really do have weakness in numbers, and frankly the music is actually good too, combining a bit old school traditional heavy metal with raw thrash metal that so many bands have tried and failed, but these boys get it right. Just when you think that the album is unidirectional in its high tempo aggressive Thrash, Where Silence Hides (Instrumental) pops in with its mid-tempo, rather slow instrumental which quite frankly didn’t get my nod as the music sounded kind of pale. The original album would have ended with an excellent epic Thrash anthem in Mental Disarray, but this re-release packs in songs from the band’s 2005 EP Blackened Skies which is actually pretty cool. To Run With The Darkness is another brutal Thrash anthem, as the band still manages have enough variety and flavour to get your attention. This section of the record, i.e. the EP part seems to have more chaotic song structure compared to the original album part, but still packs enough meet to keep the fire going. As Dusk Covers Day and Weakness In Numbers sound more like Part 1 and Part 2 of the same song as they have similar riffs with extensive song writing, but all good in my books at the end of the day. All in all, this re-release is a must pick up for new In Malices Wake fans as it will expose them to one of the best modern Thrash acts that Australia has put in recent years. This is simply Thrash beauty at its beast.

Track listing:
1. Intro
2. Pay The Price
3. Eternal Nightfall
4. Bitter Demise
5. To Run With The Darkness…
6. Man-Made Death
7. The Path Less Travelled
8. As Dusk Covers Day…
9. Weakness In Numbers
10. Where Silence Hides-instrumental
11. Mental Disarray
12. To Run With The Darkness-from the Blackened Skies ep
13. Blackened Skies-from the Blackened Skies ep
14. As Dusk Covers Day-from the Blackened Skies ep
15. Weakness In Numbers-from the Blackened Skies ep