Toronto industrial-thrash institution MALHAVOC will release a new conceptual album, The Masquerade's Death, on November 13 through Cursed Blessings Records. The first preview is a lyric video for "Respectfully Decline".
The album is inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's The Masque of the Red Death, the tale of a prince who walls himself off from a plague and learns that privilege is no protection. Frontman Jimi LaMort conceived, recorded and mixed the whole record himself. Musically it heads back to the band's thrash roots, laced with horror-film atmosphere, industrial soundscapes and operatic drama.
The title track closes a circle forty years in the making. It reunites original members Dave C., John C. and Jimi C. (LaMort) to re-record the last song they wrote together in 1985. Original founding member Nigel Williams also appears, as do Connor Lex Grant (TRICK CASKET) and Ian Mumble (OVERTHROW). Current members Steve Jelliman and Lee "Sik Dogg" McCormack play multiple instruments alongside LaMort.
As for the single, LaMort keeps it simple. The song was chosen as the first preview "because it is the shortest song on the album," he says. "It's also another simple 'fuck you song' by us."
Formed in 1985, MALHAVOC were among the first metal bands to bring industrial music and samples into thrash, drawing comparisons to SKINNY PUPPY and MINISTRY along the way. Their discography runs from Age of the Dark Renaissance (1985) through The Release (1990) and Punishments (1991) to The Lazarus Complex (1996). LaMort also contributed production work to VOIVOD's Phobos.
The Masquerade's Death tracklist:
- The Masque Of The Red Death
- Respectfully Decline
- The Fact
- The Harrow
- Through The Cruel Light
- Distant Noize
The album will be released on LP, CD and digital. The band is also working on Anthems for the New Flesh, a covers album paying tribute to David Cronenberg.
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