Over their 28-year history, Malevolent Creation have been quite inconsistent to say the least, have had so many lineup changes they make Dave Mustaine look frugal and have proven too often to be redneck idiots.
But like their buddies in Cannibal Corpse, they never threw in the towel, and after a few so-so albums in the late 90s, they’ve been in top form ever since the return of original frontman Brett Hoffman in 2006.
Even if it could have gained from being a song or two shorter, their 12th full-length aligns all of their assets in fine form – tangible thrash roots, Hoffman’s super-aggressive yet very comprehensible vocals – but also adds a few twists. If Dead Man’s Path starts off on a surprisingly slow and heavy note with the title track, most of the album is probably their fastest material yet since 1997’s In Cold Blood. A quarter of a century after their debut, they’re still hungry, and it shows.
