Search - Malevolent Creation :: Envenomed II

Brett Hoffman's last record...or is it?

Gunther Haagendazs | Up High in the Trees | 07/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It was about half a year ago when I found out that Brett Hoffman officially rejoined Malevolent Creation again. For whatever reason, Kyle Symons was unable to partake in their European Tour and had to leave the band allowing Brett Hoffman to return to his throne. To deny the fact that Brett Hoffman is the best vocalist of Malevolent Creation is to deny originality. I can not think of anyone else in the entire Death Metal genre with more original vocals than his. What makes him different from others is that his voice isn't a cliché grunt. Once you hear it you'll understand immediately what I'm talking about. In addition, most vocalists sound rather bored and just grunt to pass the time of a song (Mortician anyone?), where as Brett Hoffman sounds dead serious every time. To top it off his lyrics contain thought and are original and feature excellent word play. Anyways enough about Brett right now. You are here to read about Envenomed.



Envenomed is the second album (not including the Manifestation Best Of) on Pavement Records with Brett Hoffman. The prior album The Fine art of Murder was great, but there was one problem bugging me every time I listen to that record. There simply was not enough guitar solos. Of the Thirteen songs, only three of them had solos. That problem is fixed here as more than half of these songs feature awesome solos. Some people complained about the three slower songs on Murder (I personally liked them). Well they will be glad to know that there are no slow songs on Envenomed at all. Everything is fast, fast, fast while not blending together to sound alike. The song that stands out the most would have to be Halved and is one of my favorites. As for the rest of the record, it's amazing. Dave Culross's drumming is perfection as it has been on the albums Eternal, The Fine Art of Murder and eventually Warkult. Phil Fasciana and Rob Barrett's guitar riffing is top notch and the production allows Gordon Simms's bass to stand out and it is quite good.



The album was re-released on Arctic Records in 2002 as Envenomed II (or Vol.2) and featured three bonus tracks. A cover of Dark Angel's Perish in Flames; which is amazing, as well as a re-recorded Epileptic Seizure (originally an '89 demo) and Confirmed Kill (Originally an '87 demo and the shortest song on the record at less than 2 minutes) both of which are excellent tracks. If you can find this version, definitely pick it up instead of the original because bonus tracks are always a treat.



Eventually after the recording of this record, Brett Hoffman kicked out of the band again, sometime after he was arrested for violating probation dating back to 1995. As he was replaced with Kyle Symons (who I feel has been their weakest vocalist) for the next two albums The Will To Kill and Warkult, Brett Hoffman sunk away into the unknown. It wasn't until just before returning to Malevolent Creation that he started another band called Down the Drain. As of now, Malevolent Creation is recording their tenth studio album titled Doomsday X with four out of five of the original members and I for one am eager to get my hands on it. Hoped this review helped."

You're Now Envenomed !!!!!!!!

Ronald Placeres | Miami, Florida | 01/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is on of my favorite Malevolent Creation albums in my collection. I bought sometime in the fall of 2000. With this album, the band's line-up is still the same as the one on The Find Art Of Murder. So the band still conjures up those devastating tunes and this album is no exception. It's poisonous and it kills.



Now before my review, let me bring up something very important. There are 2 versions of this album in existence. The first version only consists of tracks from Homicidal Rant to Envenomed and that is the original version. This version consists of the same tracks along with 3 bonus tracks and this is Envenomed II. Both versions are the same actual album but different formats. I already have both versions and in comparing the 2, this one sound a little more better in production and sound and the bonus tracks totally rip.



Now for my review of the whole album. With this album, it's another direction for the band. This album you can say is experimental. Don't worry, there are no electronica or mainstream influences and the band has not at all changed their style. The reason I'm saying this is because there are some unusual musical passages on the album but don't get me wrong, it's still heavy-as-hell Malevolent Creation. First, you have Kill Zone which starts off as some black metal (triditional black metal without keyboards, Mayhem, early Bathory) passage but than it gets heavy as in Malevolent Creation and than the song ends with the same passage. Anyone who has heard the song knows what I'm talking about. Some people like it and others don't but I said the song is great. Another hightlight of the album is Pursuit Revised which is a duet with Brett Hoffman and Kyle Symons sharing vocals. This track will kick you in the face. The rest of the album is just brutally insane Malevolen Creation.



Now for the bonus tracks. The first track is a cover of Perish In Flames by Dark Angel (a legendary 80's thrash band that featured Gene Hoglan of Strapping Young Ladd). When you listen to this track, it sounds like travelling through a red, cloud-moving, apocylyptic, sky during an aerial war. This is a true geme. By the way, if you want to hear the original version, you can find it on Dark Angel's Darkness Descends album. That album is a classic and highly recommended. Anyway, the next 2 tracks are re-worked tracks from 2 of Malevolent's original demos. First, there is Epileptic Seizure which reminds me of something off Retribution and than there is Confirmed Kill which is basic Malevolent Creation. All in all, it is a great album and highy recommended to all the Malevolent die-hards and death metal fans as well. Some of my favorite songs here are Night Of The Long Knives, Kill Zone, Halved, Serial Dementia, Pursuit Revised, Conflict, Envenomed, Perish In Flames and Epileptic Seizure. Buy it and get envenomed."