Review by Ben for Pestilence - Malleus Maleficarum (1988)

I'm a big fan of Pestilence's later albums, particularly Testimony of the Ancients and the severely underrated Spheres. But up until now I hadn't really given this debut album much of a chance. While I can still hear that this is Pestilence, it's a much rawer, chaotic, and nowhere near as experimental Pestilence as the one I'm used to. But every band must start somewhere and Malleus Maleficarum is a decent enough beginning.

The band were pretty much a mix of thrash metal and death metal at this stage, which wasn't all that common. I guess Possessed and Sepultura also fell under that category and I have to say those two bands were slightly ahead in terms of quality back in 1988. But the best thing about Pestilence has always been their guitar riffs and there are plenty to enjoy throughout the 40 odd minutes running time. I do think the guys were rushing things a bit in an attempt to be brutal at times. The shorter, faster tracks, such as Parricide and Extreme Unction, lack any sort of real hooks, and the vocalist seems to be trying to cram words in. As for the lyrics themselves, well they seem to relate to sickness and disease quite a bit, which is fine and all, but I can't say I've ever heard a band sing about Chemo Therapy before. Now that I think about it though, I guess it's something Death might have done around the Human stage.

There are some promising and entertaining tracks on this debut, with Malleus Maleficarum, Subordinate to the Domination and Commandments being the highlights for me. Overall, I quite like the album, but I'm not sure it's a must purchase sort of release. It's just the beginning of what would become a fascinating journey. Check out the band's early 90s albums to hear the band in their prime.