Toronto industrial/thrash metal veterans MALHAVOC have released "The Masque Of The Red Death", the opening track of their new conceptual album The Masquerade's Death. The record arrives November 13 on 2xLP, CD and digital via Cursed Blessings Records.
The song is a monster even by the band's standards: close to fourteen and a half minutes of classic industrial textures, snarling riffs, dystopian mood and horror-movie drama.
The album as a whole takes its cue from Edgar Allan Poe's short story of the same name, the tale of the privileged trying, and failing, to wall themselves off from a plague. Frontman Jimi LaMort conceived, recorded and mixed the nearly 70-minute record himself, and frames it around loss, drudgery and dread about the future. Musically it heads back to MALHAVOC's thrash roots, laced with industrial soundscapes and operatic theatrics.
The title track has a story of its own: it reunites original members Dave C., John C. and Jimi C. (LaMort) to re-record the last song they wrote together back in 1985. Guests include Connor Lex Grant (TRICK CASKET), Ian Mumble (OVERTHROW) and founding member Nigel Williams, while current members Steve Jelliman, Lee "Sik Dogg" McCormack and LaMort all play multiple instruments.
"Almost 200 years ago Poe wrote the story," LaMort says. "40 years ago, MALHAVOC wrote this song. Kinda strange they are more relevant today than ever before."
Formed in 1985, MALHAVOC were among the first metal bands to fold industrial music and samples into their sound, drawing comparisons to SKINNY PUPPY and MINISTRY. Their catalog runs from the thrash of Age Of The Dark Renaissance (1985) and Shrine (1986) through the industrial metal of The Release, Punishments and Premeditated Murder to the electronic-leaning Get Down and The Lazarus Complex. LaMort also did production work on VOIVOD's Phobos. The band is already working on two more releases, including Anthems For The New Flesh, a covers album paying tribute to David Cronenberg.
Pre-order "The Masquerade's Death": Bandcamp · Cursed Blessings webshop