Band:	Malevolent Creation
Album:	The Ten Commandments
Style:	Death metal
Release date:	April 1991

01. Memorial Arrangements
02. Premature Burial
03. Remnants Of Withered Decay
04. Multiple Stab Wounds
05. Impaled Existence
06. Thou Shall Kill!
07. Sacrificial Annihilation
08. Decadence Within
09. Injected Sufferage
10. Malevolent Creation

You have before you, quite possibly the greatest combination of Death and Thrash Metal ever composed. Some might think that that is a rather bold statement, but I am by no means overrating this masterpiece. It is full of very fast and energetic guitar work, surely how the Malevolent camp got to be known as "Slayer On Acid". One might find a lack of variety in the riffs, but it's nothing to bitch about, hell of a lot more variety than some Death Metal bands, and much more than the current bands nowadays. They didn't bring a whole lot of new ideas to the table, but what really separates them from the others is Bret Hoffmann's unique and intense vocal performance. I love all aspects of this album, but the main reason you should give it a listen is to hear Bret at his best, along with their second effort. It's sad to hear "Stillborn" (their third album) after the drugs had become a bigger interest than the music. It is awesome that he is now with Malevolent Creation once again; he is the true voice no doubt. Now, a break down of everything that makes this album such a classic slab of Death Metal?

Malevolent Creation is one of the pioneers, having formed in '87, and this was a pretty intense album, being finished in September of 1990. Any Death-metalhead, has to have this, it has all of the necessary components to make it classic status. Produced by Scott "Death" Burns, it has superb cover artwork done by Dan Seagrave. It's fast and furious, and it's full of violent and anti-religious lyrics, with great song titles like "Multiple Stab Wounds" and "Thou Shall Kill!". Phil Fasciana and Jeff Juszkiewicz are quite a duo, picking at break-neck speeds, no real pauses in the riffs, and the solos are not half bad; Phil's improve with every record. The bass is really buried unfortunately, but there is a very catchy bass solo in "Sacrifical Annihilation" and a nice, quick opening on "Injected Sufferage". If you listen to the album as much as I have you can make out the bass most of the time anyway. As much as I enjoy blast beats, it's nice that Mark Simpson limits them. They're only featured on about four songs. He executes his skills marvellously on "Ten Commandments", excellent double-bass, wonder what happened to him? Now Bret seriously needs more attention for his talent, he's in my top three favourite vocalists. He has always come up with very in-depth lyrics. While most of his subjects have already been talked about in the past, he chooses his words very well and how he presents them is what makes it like no other. He puts forth his trademark agonizing shrieks and growls; he can vary his range with ease and has some fast vocal delivery, gotta love it.

There aren't really any weak tracks on The Ten Commandments, the bottom line is some might not love this record as I do, but it is without a doubt a mandatory purchase for anyone into old school death. Get it if you want a very promising and energetic debut.