When Panzerchrist released Last of a Kind in 2023 I was fucking ecstatic. It had been a long minute since 7^th Offensive and their departure from the Metal community was deeply emotional (I know I cried like a bitch… not really but I was sad for sure) so when Last of a Kind was announced, well you know.

Anyway, 2024 is bringing some great Death Metal and Panzerchrist has unleashed hell upon the world with Maleficium Part I, eight tracks of well-crafted Teutonic extremity and it all begins with “Blood Leeches”. With brand new drummer Ove Lungskov behind the kit he has taken the band to brutal heights and “Blood Leeches” rips the world a new asshole with volleys of blast beats falling like steel rain. The guitars are suitably heavy with a sick bite that whips your face to shreds.

“Weak Is the Flesh” brings the tempo to rolling thunder and double bass intensity. The serpentine riffs propel the track forward with clinical precision. It’s just a brutal beating with a badass solo and a rumbling drum interlude at the 3:45 mark.

“Mist of the Moat” is another mid-paced crusher, it rolls through your ears and brain like a row of Tiger tanks on their way to the front lines. “Confessions” is like a set-up for the blaster piece, and one of my favorite tracks is “Sister Death”. “Curse of Desire” is another mid-paced steamroller, and it’s followed by my second favorite track “Savage Daughter” which is for-the-throat brutality for the entirety of the song, albeit 2:53 minutes making it the shortest track but it makes perfect use of that time to devastating effect.

The final track “Ritual” is just brutality on merciless display, with drums blasting off to the outer limits while the guitars flay and slice. It’s a powerful closer for Maleficium Part 1 from these veterans of Blackened Death Metal warfare. For you rotting corpses that love God Dethroned, Vader, and Hate… I recommend this baptism by fire!

 

[Visit the band's website]

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