Malrun – Pandemonium
Release Date: 8th October 2021
Label: Prime Collective
Pre-Save
Genre: Metalcore, Progressive Metal, Hard Rock.
FFO: Killswitch Engage, Phinehas, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold.
Review By: Tyler Sharkey
Forming back in 2006, Denmark quintet Malrun have been hard at work making a name for themselves in the rock and metal scene. They’ve toured all over Europe with acts such as Tremonti and Fozzy and have released not just one, but three critically acclaimed albums with the latest being Two Thrones back in 2014. It’s been seven years since then, but after a lengthy five year writing hiatus and a vocalist change, Malrun are ready to begin again, delivering their most aggressive work yet with their fourth LP, Pandemonium.
Blending together driving, hard rock choruses, shredding solos, and the ferocity of metalcore, Pandemonium dishes out 11 melodic yet heavy-hitting tracks driven by a narrative of a king’s lust for power and control, ultimately causing pandemonium throughout the land. Malrun have done an excellent job bringing this story to life not just lyrically, but musically as well.
Vocalist, Nicklas Sonne, leads the charge opening with single, King of Madness taking control with some commanding screams as cut-throat guitar riffs, pounding drums and thunderous basslines follow close behind. As the story continues, the intensity only increases before letting up briefly during track five, Yellow.
Easily the softest and most melodic song here, its beautiful clean guitars and mesmerizing melodies break up the album quite nicely almost like the intermission of a play. I wouldn’t get too comfortable though, as the latter half of the album proves to be just as brutal as the first while also being slightly experimental at times.
Track seven, The Punishment, plays with some interesting vocal effects towards the end that add an extra layer of creativity helping to further separate the album from the rest of the herd. Pandemonium then comes to an end with its crushing outro track, Benders of the World, fading away into the distance.
I don’t have much, if any, criticism to give here. Pandemonium is an incredibly cohesive album flowing like lava from track to track. Every instrument and vocal is performed and mixed masterfully. I guess it could be heavier overall? That’s just personal preference though. Malrun obviously have a clear vision of the direction they want to go and I have a feeling they’ll be taking it far. US tour on the horizon? With Pandemonium coming, I’m thinking so.
Favorite track(s): King of Madness, The Mask of Joy, We Shall Prevail, The Den of Outrage.
(5 / 5)
