Malacath - Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain

Malacath Is a black metal band from New Hampshire who formed in 2011. Their latest release, “Eternal Roar of the Thunder and Rain,” is their fifth full-length album; they have also released a demo, compilation, two splits and three EPs.

Malacath has always been under the atmospheric side of black metal and this latest release isn't any different. It's also melancholic and frigid—it works well for the album because it keeps the raw roots and aggressive nature of the genre intact even through the long songs and their twists and turns.

Some may be turned off by the long songs but not me.  Their length allows for each song to bring a lot of different styles into it.  Atmospheric music needs these longer lengths and Malacath handles them well—each song is engaging and I was never waiting for the seconds to tick by. 

The album begins with the title track—-a literal storm begins with ominous, deep tones casting shadows among the rain and thunder.  It’s cinematic in scope without trying to be—the band’s music paints a lot of pictures in my mind.   The song exemplifies what makes the album so special:  there is a lot going within its many layers but there isn’t anything complicated.  This is just a well-written, epic black metal song.  

After the song builds up to stark towers, a slow melody makes its way through that also builds itself up—then releases to fast paced, black metal that reminds me of the genre’s second wave.  Another highlight is the tapestry of emotive melodic guitar. 

“Call of the Specter” forgoes any monumental build ups for a more immediate song that has big, dark riffs with hints of groove.  The bass is the focus as it pushes the song towards a melodic path while still keeping the album’s moody, dark nature in focus.  The vocals are excellent, melding perfectly into the music as if they were just another instrument.  

The music seems to boil over as the seconds go by, getting a little faster and more sinister.  The drums go a long way with building up this momentum—and by the five minute mark, the band is on a path to total devastation.   The last few minutes are wonderfully melodic, in a way that only black metal can be. 

“A Hymn for the Harvest,” is a rock solid song that leans heavy on riffs and drums, for a more straightforward attack, at least in the beginning.  In the middle passage, acoustic instruments transform the song—it’s a good bridge to the other side of the song, which is more atmospheric and floaty but it all sounds very natural. 

The last full song is “Blood of Our Fathers,”  which is my favorite on the album.  It’s slow, almost doom-like, at least in the first half, but laced with moments of melodic guitar. After the 8 minute mark, it goes full power and with a blitzkrieg of blackened fury.  

The final song, “Eleusis,” is a bit of a mystery to me.  It’s a decent clean instrumental but it feels more like an intro than an outro but maybe that’s just me.

All in all, Malacath have delivered an album that has become one of my favorite black metal albums of the year so far.  The more I listen, the more II find to enthrall me in its frozen world. .  Recommended. 

Rating:  Excellent