Band:	Rapture (GRE)
Album:	Malevolent Demise Incarnation
Style:	Death metal, Thrash metal
Release date:	March 2021

01. Malevolent Demise Incarnation
02. Inanimate Frigidity
03. Predatory Menace
04. After Your Eternity
05. I Am Become Death
06. Birthrape Leftovers, Praising The Maggots
07. Herald Of Defiance
08. Requiem For A Woeful Dynasty (Memento Mori)

Good but not great.

The third full-length release by Greek death-infused thrashers Rapture (GRE), Malevolent Demise Incarnation is a high-octane album that whips up a hurricane and throws you headfirst into it, with only temporary reprieves to assess your surroundings before being pulled back into the frenzy again. While this is an enjoyable experience, it means things can pass by in a blur and moments are not given the time needed to settle in before speeding off onto the next part; as such, it's a struggle to give the album much character in the chaos.

Rapture (GRE) specialise in the take no prisoners approach of death-inspired thrash; rather than painting you a picture of destruction and decay, they resolve to throw you through the canvas and let you experience it first-hand. Bursting out of the gates with the title track, Malevolent Demise Incarnation only occasionally pauses to capture its breath before once again screaming full power for much of the album.

The hard-hitting "Predatory Menace" slows the tempo somewhat but maintains the same intensity of the rest of the album to make for an early highlight, while the shifting "Herald Of Defiance" does so with well-timed bursts of speed that punctuate the rest of the track to elevate over the rest of the album. While the rest of the album doesn't lull, it doesn't excel either; tracks like "I Am Become Death" are good, but being in the middle of the pack often means you get lost in the shuffle. Had the album had one or two more strong tracks in its midst then this would not be a problem, but Rapture (GRE) aren't able to take it to that next level.

The sprawling "After Your Eternity" does sound like a collage of familiar-sounding riffs, but the combination and shifting nature that the track presents them in is an enjoyable and somewhat original way. Unless you are a stickler for hearing something completely fresh (in which case, good luck to you in this day and age), then you have yourself a solid track that is led by the guitar tandem of Nikitas Melios and Papadimitriou. While Nikitas Melios and Papadimitriou are the focal point for much of the album, Petrou and Giorgos Meilos aren't merely passengers along for the ride, pitching in with some solid playing throughout. While being a drummer in a death metal-influenced band can often leave oneself limited to blast beats and constant speed, Giorgos ensures that this not be the case and does make for subtle but enjoyable changes throughout the album, perhaps most noticeably on "Inanimate Frigidity". While not breaking out of the mould, he ensures that he knocks the foundations loose and light appears between the cracks.

The machine-gun singing of "Birthrape Leftovers, Praising the Maggots" (which gets my vote for song title of the year) detracts from what is otherwise a strong grindcore-influenced death metal track. Papadimitriou bites off more than he can chew and it just sounds like a blur of noise over the top of what is otherwise a good track. The one song that does differentiate itself by a change in approach is "Requiem For A Woeful Dynasty", which begins with black metal-inspired guitar musings, helping to build atmosphere, albeit one that is short-lived with a botched transition to the song proper. While the song does see the band spread their wings, it isn't for the better in terms of execution, with the song dragging itself out for much of its runtime.

The biggest problem facing Malevolent Demise Incarnation is that it finds itself released in an already crowded scene; though as a unit it is strong once you give it the time of day, it doesn't have that calling card to give people who aren't already aware of the band a reason to hit the play button. With no standout track, Rapture (GRE) will struggle to sell themselves to people who aren't charitable with their time, and as a result will have a hard time gaining traction with what is otherwise an enjoyable album.

Malevolent Demise Incarnation is an enjoyable album but not one that is likely to stay on your radar once the fresh car smell evaporates; while it is a good listen, it is one that lacks the x factor that will have you wanting to come back again and again.