METALLIAN - Malevolent Creation

The Ten Commandments – 1991 – Roadrunner
Retribution – 1992 - Roadrunner
Stillborn – 1993 – Roadrunner
Eternal - 1995 – Pavement
In Cold Blood – 1997 – Pavement
The Fine Art Of Murder – 1998 – Pavement
Envenomed – 2000 – Pavement
The Will To Kill – 2002 – Arctic/Nuclear Blast
Warkult – 2004 – Arctic/Nuclear Blast
Conquering South America – 2004 – Arctic
Doomsday X – 2007 – Nuclear Blast
Live At The Whisky A Go Go – 2008 – Arctic
Invidious Dominion - 2010 - Nuclear Blast
Dead Man's Path – 2015 – Century Media
The 13th Beast – 2018 - Hammerheart
Rebirth/Live – 2019 - Arctic/Metal Bastard

Members

Vocals

Resthaven>>Brett Hoffmann>>Silent Death, Down The Drain, Fire For Effect – Jason Blachowicz>>Divine Empire, Murder 101 – Resthaven, Silent Death, Down The Drain>>Brett Hoffmann>>Down The Drain, Fire For Effect – Hateplow, Sickness, Upon Infliction>>Kyle Symons>>Upon Infliction – DieVersion, Throne Of Nails, Imperial Empire>>Lee Wollenschlaeger>>Imperial Empire, Throne Of Nails

Guitar

Resthaven, Hateplow>>PHIL FASCIANA>>Hateplow – Leviathan>>Jeff Juszkiewicz>>Sons Of Tonatiuh, Demonaut, Tualatin, Let The Night Roar – Solstice>>Rob Barrett>>Solstice, Cannibal Corpse, Hateplow – Monstrosity>>Jon Rubin>>Malevolent Creation – Pain God, Burner>>John Paul Soars>>Divine Empire – Solstice, Cannibal Corpse, Hateplow>>Rob Barrett – Divine Empire, Against The Plagues>>Marco Martell>>Divine Empire, Against The Plagues, The Monarch - Imperial Empire>>Lee Wollenschlaeger>>Imperial Empire

Bass

Jason Blachowicz>>Divine Empire, Murder 101, Murder Suicide - Gordon Simms – Upon Infliction, Wykked Wytch and Crucifeast>>Gio Geraca>>Upon Infliction – Divine Empire, Murder 101, Murder Suicide>>Jason Blachowicz>>Murder 101, Murder Suicide – Solstice, Thrash Or Die, Swamp Gas>>JOSH GIBBS>>Thrash Or Die, Swamp Gas

Drum

Mark Simspon – Solstice, Resurrection>>Alex Marquez>>Solstice, Demolition Hammer, Mortuary Society, Anger, Sargon, Excessive Bleeding, Hypgnostic, Pessimist, Create A Kill, Enter Self – Hateplow>>Crazy Larry Hawke>>Hateplow – Resurrection, Solstice, Demolition Hammer, Mortuary Society, Anger>>Alex Marquez>>Sargon – Disgorged>>Dave Culross>>Suffocation, Gorgasm, Incantation – Derek Roddy>>Divine Empire, Hate Eternal, Council Of The Fallen, Nile, Fleshgrind, Aurora Borealis, Anthrax – Disgorged, Suffocation, Gorgasm>>Dave Culross>>Hateplow – Draconis>>Ariel Alvarado>>Draconis, Coffin Texts, Scrapmetal – Mortal Decay, Vukodlak>>Justin DiPinto>>Pyrexia, Waco Jesus – Naphobia, Eulogy, Nile, Angelcorpse, God Dethroned, Brujeria>>Tony Laureano>>Dimmu Borgir, 1349, Nachtmystium, The Black Dahlia Murder, Skeletonwitch - Disgorged, Suffocation, Gorgasm, Incantation>>Dave Culross – Divine Empire, Upon Infliction>>Gus Rios>>Divine Empire, Upon Infliction, Create A Kill, Left To Die - Mortal Decay, Vukodlak, Pyrexia, Waco Jesus>>Justin Dipinto>>Waco Jesus – Nocturnal Wind, Bits Of Gore, Primitive Brutality, Hank Williams III>>Philip Cancilla>>Bits Of Gore, Primitive Brutality, Hank Williams III

History & Biography

Malevolent Creation is a death metal band, which was originally from Buffalo, New York. Bass player Mark Van Erp of Monstrosity was in the band at this stage. Later on, many other Monstrosity members, tours and guests would come and go. Future hypocrite Peter Tägtgren was also involved with the band and later would admit to inspiration from Malevolent Creation when forming his own. The band made a 1987 move to Florida thus joining the Florida death metal scene. Phil had cousins in Florida. The band obtained a recording deal with Roadrunner, which at the time was signing acts like Cynic, Disincarnate and Gorguts, and began issuing albums. Chuck of Death would criticize the band. The group’s earlier sound was a mix of thrash and death metal. The sole original member consistently in the band is guitarist and songwriter Phil Fasciana.

The band’s initial line-up was vocalist Brett Hoffmann, guitarists Phil Fasciana and Jeff Juskiewicz, bassist Jason Blachowicz and drummer Mark Simpson. The first two were childhood friends. The Ten Commandments landed with a thud in the underground scene, but by the time the band’s follow-up, Retribution, was out the endless cycle of wife-swapping had begun and guitarist Rob Barrett replaced Juskiewicz while drummer Alex Marquez took Simpson’s stool. Jeff Juszkiewicz was booted due to being a "poser." Jon Rubin was filling in on guitar. The group toured North America with Devastation and Demolition Hammer in support of the debut. Another tour had the band on the road with Epidemic and Suffocation. The band had intended to not use Scott Burns for Retribution and work with Michael Wagner (Metallica, Megadeth, etc.). Retribution was taped and mixed by Scott Burns. Stillborn was the band’s last for the commercially ADD-ridden Roadrunner Records. The band re-emerged on the ever-fledgling Pavement with an even more extreme sound. The band ended its newest album with a scream about a ‘nigger’ which coupled with Rob Barrett’s outbursts soon created some racial controversy for the act. Fasciana denied everything of course. The group toured with Incantation and Anal Cunt. Another questionable choice was the Joe Black remix album which appeared in 1996 and disappointed many with its techno remixes. Hoffmann was back for 1998’s The Fine Art Of Murder. Malevolent Creation postponed their US tour (with Monstrosity opening) due to the arrest of vocalist Brett Hoffmann. Hoffmann, who was apprehended upon entering the USA following the band's European tour, was allegedly guilty of crimes committed in 1995 and was to be incarcerated for at least two months. Pavement issued a farewell compilation called Manifestation and the band graduated to Nukie Blast. The Will To Kill was recorded in Canada with Kataklysm’s J.F. Dagenais. The record was due to be recorded by Hypocrisy’s Peter Tägtgren, but the Swede had not become available. Just prior to the release of Warkult, and according to Malevolent Creation, Metal Mind Records and Productions from Poland released an illegal live DVD/VHS from the band taken from a show in early 2003 at the Metal Mania Festival in Krakow Poland. The band initiated legal proceedings after discussions with the label failed. The band would release a DVD later that summer through Arctic Music Group. The band opened for Bolt Thrower, alongside Nightrage and Necrophagist in 2006. Malevolent Creation hit Europe with Incantation and Rotting Christ in 2007. Live At The Whisky A Go Go was actually recorded nine years earlier. Crash Music announced February 24th, 2009 as the release date for a digipack compilation entitled Essentials. It featured 38 tracks. The band was hitting Singapore, Indonesia and Australia in the spring of 2009.

Guitarist Phil Fasciana was reporting that he walked into a robbery in progress and a shootout at a corner store in his hometown of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in 2009. Apparently, looking to buy chocolate milk he walked in on the robbery, was shot at, took one gun away from the would-be robber before being shot at with a second gun and, in reaction, killed the assailant. He reported that he was not charged for killing the assailant and has been offered a lifetime supply of chocolate milk by the store owner. Local authorities reportedly soon refuted the implausible affair. Fasciana vowed to never speak of the affair again! Guitarist Gio Geraca (Upon Infliction, Wykked Wytch and Crucifeast) was the latest bassist in Malevolent Creation in 2009. All Shall Perish guitarist Ben Orum told an interview that Fasciana asked him for drugs and gave him the finger when informed that no cocaine is available. He also called ASP another "nigger band." The band was expected to release a new album in late 2010. Malevolent Creation signed a management deal with Extreme Management Group (Suffocation, Origin, etc.). The band set April 5th, 2010 as the starting date for recording a new album with Eric Rutan at Mana Recording Studios (Cannibal Corpse, Vital Remains, Goatwhore, etc.). Malevolent Creation’s Invidious Dominion album was out on August 27th, 2010 through Massacre Records. The album was released by Nuclear Blast in America under license from Arctic Music. The band was touring the USA in July. Original bassist Jason Blachowicz once again rejoined Malevolent Creation. According to the band's latest statement, "Blachowicz initially left on good terms to further his tattoo career..." Australian thrashers Truth Corroded, as well as Krisiun, Malevolent Creation and Vital Remains are touring across Europe from January 27th to February 18th using The Sounds Of Extreme Tour 2012 monicker. Drummer Gus Rios left Malevolent Creation due to personal reasons. He was looking for a new gig. The band, however, claimed to have fired its “gay” drummer due to a snafu with flights and a show in Chicago. Justin Dipinto who recorded the Malevolent Creation album The Will To Kill was back. In mid-2014, Malevolent Creation again recruited Jason Blachowicz (bass) and Justin DiPinto (drums) to the band. The latter man played on the group’s The Will To Kill album. Former Obituary and current Gorgoroth bassist Frank Watkins was the group’s manager. In late 2014, Malevolent Creation signed a deal with Century Media Records. The band was working on its next full-length album for a 2015 release with returning drummer Justin DiPinto. Malevolent Creation would release a new album, called Dead Man's Path, on September 18th 2015 through Century Media. Malevolent Creation was touring the USA in October, 2016 supporting its latest album, Dead Man's Path. The group was also commemorating the 25th anniversary of its debut, The Ten Commandments. Another exodus took place in 2016 leaving Phil all alone. Former members Bret Hoffman who recently left the band, guitarist Gio Geraca, bassist Tony Choy (Pestilence and Cynic) and former Suffocation drummer Mike Smith banded together in Fire For Effect in 2017 and were recording a demo. The new line-up of Malevolent Creation was founding guitarist Phil Fasciana, singer and guitarist Lee Wollenschlaeger (Imperial Empire), bassist Josh L. Gibbs and drummer Phil Cancilla. The band was working on a new album for 2018. Malevolent Creation signed a deal with Hammerheart Records in 2018. The group’s next album was tentatively due later that year. One-time Malevolent Creation singer Brett Hoffman was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and had undergone surgery in 2018. Since the USA does not have health coverage for its population, the man’s friend and family were fundraising for him via GoFundMe. Bret Hoffmann succumbed to colon cancer and died on July 7th. Malevolent Creation finished recording its The 13th Beast album in the summer of 2018. The album was due through Hammerheart Records in the winter of 2019. Per tradition the membership was entirely revamped. The tradition continued when Malevolent Creation lost singer/guitarist Lee Wollenschlaeger and drummer Phil Cancilla in 2020 and replaced them with Ryan Taylor (Body Blow, Solstice, etc.) and Ronnie Parmer (Angelcorpse, Amon, Brutality, etc.) respectively. Lee lived too far from the rest of the band. In the meantime, COVID-19 had disrupted the band's tour. Phil Fasciana was in a car accident and ended up in the hospital during this period.

Deron Miller of World Under Blood joined Malevolent Creation as its newest singer in 2022. The band had gone through half a dozen singers. Malevolent Creation was working on a new album. The band toured Europe as a trio without main man Phil Fasciana in 2022 (who could not travel to Europe due to hospitalization and Ryan Taylor sang and played guitar) and returned to Europe with opener Witchmaster. Cryptic Hatred opened in Finland. Fasciana was to undergo surgery for a torn rotator cuff stemming from his 2020 accident. The band was negotiating with Back On Black/Plastichead Records. 2023 brought a Monstrosity and Malevolent Creation split release of early demo material. The band was booked for South America to begin 2024.

Somewhere along the way, Fasciana and partner had set up the Arctic Music label and were soon also releasing Malevolent Creation live albums through the imprint. Malevolent Creation and Hateplow (formed in 1994) take the concept of wife swapping to the extreme acting as incestuous brother bands.

Reviews

MALEVOLENT CREATION - IN COLD BLOOD - PAVEMENT
When Malevolent Creation released its Eternal album two years ago, this writer believed it will remain the Floridians’ best. In Cold Blood has proven me wrong. The quartet has survived a drummer and guitarist change to go on and release an album bursting with razor sharp guitar stabs and bombastic, blazing blast beats. From top to bottom In Cold Blood brings forth the aggression of death metal upon the nerves while simultaneously eradicating (from the root) such silly notions as, this is dead, that is dead or there is nothing new in Where there is nothing new, is in the scheming glee of those who seek to make their self-fulfilling prophecy of the demise of death metal realized. What is new however, is the clear evidence that such 'industry' paper tigers are clearly false prophets and manufacturers' of a prophecy-never-to-be. Keep attending 'F’ and listening to hard music, posers.
The 13-track album is by no means all perfect, as segments like the repetitious beginning of Preyed Upon and the undisguised Gorefest riff on the title track show, but it covers the essence of death metal with one huge dose of confidence. Malevolent Creation is everything the name says. As such buy this album, cast your vote and support the genre - just don't send them any mail, cash or blank tapes; chances are you won’t be getting anything back. This album, regardless, proclaims drum machines obsolete! Speed or bleed. - Ali "The Metallian"

MALEVOLENT CREATION - ENVENOMED - PAVEMENT
It seems ages since MC was part of the Roadrunner roster and death metal was the thing to follow. The scene's changed and the band itself has undergone many a wife swapping, but the Florida unit is still blasting away with brutal fury. The power on the album leaves little room for criticism, although you just can't but feel that it's all a case of been-there-done-that and the band really has nothing new to offer. On the other hand, that surely is preferable to tagging three Pink Floyd style tunes to the end of your disc or changing styles and hiring on your girl friend, etc. All in all this is Malevolent Creation and most know what to expect. - Ali "The Metallian"

MALEVOLENT CREATION - THE WILL TO KILL - ARCTIC
Malevolent's eighth full-length creation can easily be a concept album referring to the reality of MC's homeland. With titles like The Will To Kill, Pilage And Burn (sic), With Murderous Precision, Assasin Squad (sic) and Superior Firepower the new album might be reacting to America's contemporary posture. Perpetrating these atrocities is yet another line-up featuring a new drummer, bassist and so forth. What has not changed is the band's tendency for swift death metal with guttural vocals. Now fronted by Kyle Symons of Hateplow, Malevolent Creation has wisely decided against changing anything from its formula and adhering to the 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' axiom. The Will To Kill is released in Europe by Nuclear Blast and in North America by Arctic Music with each label opting for a different cover motif - Sheila Wes Det

MALEVOLENT CREATION - WARKULT - NUCLEAR BLAST
This ninth studio release of the veteran Florida metallers is advertised as the band's most diverse and punishing creation to date. Both adjectives are used often but can mean very different things, therefore one has to be wary when both terms are used to describe the same release. Warkult opens with Dead March, which can only be some sort of intro because it just drags for nearly three minutes, thankfully however the pace picks up considerably with Preemptive Strike and the songs that follow it.
Murder Reigns is definitely a highlight as it really destroys all in its path and manages to include a good solo or two as well. Heavy riffing and good doses of metal drumming, courtesy of returnee Dave Culross are highlighted on Captured and Merciless. Section 8 starts off slower, but catches up to the pace set by the other songs. Soon after On Grounds Of Battle follows in much the same way as the song before it. Warkult ends with a bonus track covering Hobb's Angel Of Death's Jack The Ripper but not before it does more damage to the listener's ears. This is one release where the band delivers on what one may expect and as such is worth a listen at a time when it is all too easy to not only expect but to actually get less. - Anna Tergel

MALEVOLENT CREATION - CONQUERING SOUTH AMERICA - ARCTIC
Conquering South America is a live recording of the band's first ever shows in Brazil in 2001. It features 15 songs covering the good and the not so good of the Florida-based band. Past and more recent songs are all part of the set, from the old Multiple Stab Wounds to Coronation Of Our Domain with its unforgettably hilarious lyrics "coronation of this our domain coronation of this dominion" all the way to the newer Rebirth Of Terror. Their new live audience gets a good dose of the band's history and hears a band that hasn't slowed down much through the years.
The band keeps thanking people for showing up in between almost every song and vocalist Kyle Symons even offers his own shirt to the mosh pit since the band apparently didn't have any merchandise for sale. The sound is clear for a live release and has been mastered by Kataklysm's Jean-Francois Dagenais. - Anna Tergel

MALEVOLENT CREATION - DOOMSDAY X - NUCLEAR BLAST
Malevolent Creation is nothing if not consistent. Band leader and guitarist Phil Fasciana might not be trustworthy in trades and in his promises, but the Floridians can always be relied upon to deliver a death thrashy album - which now includes an all too obvious album title - with as much extremism as the heart desires any year. With Jason Blachowicz on bass and Brett Hoffmann on the mike, the band’s classic line-up heaps venom and speed albeit with a little more melody - the instrumental Prelude To Doomsday has some impressive guitar work - and thrash than the average Malevolent album. Dave Culross is still the master of blast and Hoffmann is still unable to string together more than three words to save his life, but Doomsday X is frankly a testament to the band’s commitment, loyalty and perseverance. While the odd weak track, like Strength In Numbers, proves the song title’s concept is flawed, the majority of tracks here approach the listener with all the subtlety of a wielded sword. One wishes the label and band would not insult the group’s legacy and earned respect by citing and including Slipknot references on the album or biography however. The band deserves better by now. - Ali “The Metallian”

MALEVOLENT CREATION - DEATH FROM DOWN UNDER (DVD) - ARCTIC/HARDLINE MEDIA
Recorded in March, 2009 this was Malevolent Creation’s first foray into Australia as part of the Doomsday X tour. Over an hour of typically no-nonsense metal is what is given. Not unusually the filming, sound or budget do not win any quality awards but listening to - in order - Memorial Arrangements, Premature Burial, Coronation Of Our Domain (bearing the classically redundant lyrics “Coronation of this our domain... Coronation of this dominion... This coronation”), Blood Brothers, Eve Of Apocalypse, Man’s Demise, Infernal Desire, Living In Fear, Fine Art Of Murder, Deliver My Enemy, Cauterized, The Will To Kill and finally Malevolent Creation there is no need for any of production extras. The quintet satisfies tastes going back to their 1991 debut, The Ten Commandments, and of course offers enough of the more recent material. The bonus material features a fun interview where a good time is spent poking fun at Indonesia. There the band endured some abuse at the hands of the authorities and the tour promoter too and eventually had to involve the local US embassy. Needless to say the band has a few choice unkind words to say about Indonesia. Heavy addition to most metal DVD collections. - Anna Tergel

Interviews

“A lot has been happening lately” guitarist Phil Fasciana sums up to Ali “The Metallian.” He proceeds to describe the series of developments surrounding Malevolent Creation in the two years since the release of Stillborn, the band’s last album on Roadrunner Records. Bruised, but all the more vicious as a result, the creature is back and Phil takes up the story, “For Stillborn Roadrunner wanted us to try a studio other than Morrisound. We ended up going into a studio with people who didn’t know where we come from. We never saw eye to eye with them and it ended up being a most unprofessional recording session. Simultaneously, our (former) singer Brett was falling out of the picture. He didn’t do a good job in the studio; Roadrunner wanted him to redo the vocals, but he refused. So the production and the vocals were awful.

“We knew there would be problems with Roadrunner. We always had problems with them to begin with. Jon, Jason and I got together - at first, with drummer Larry Hawke. Then we found our current drummer, Dave (ex-Disgorged), who was recommended to us by Cannibal Corpse. Brett was out of the picture so instead of finding a new singer we let Jason take over the vocals.”

With the tribulations of stabilizing a line-up over, the quartet set out to acquire a new record deal. “We were originally in touch with Metal Blade,” reveals Fasciana. “But nothing came out of that. We later negotiated with Nuclear Blast, and all was going well. But at the last moment they decided not to go through with it. We are now on Pavement Music.”

The result of which is the current album entitled Eternal. “The album is diverse, but we are a band with no limitations,” claims the guitarist. “We have a couple of different influences. A couple of songs are out of control! Vocal-wise, everything is heavier. Some of the drumming on this album is the most extreme ever. Dave is twenty years old and his drumming is a miracle. The album is superior to our other albums. We haven’t turned into an Entombed or Carcass — we still have grinding to do.” The ‘grinding’ can best be heard on album tracks like They Breed or Alliance Or War (arguably the strongest cut on the album). I had also come across Malevolent Creation earlier this year courtesy of The South Florida Slammie Awards compilation CD. The band, however, are less than happy with their participation on the said disc. “Oh, that shit should never have come out,” reckons the six-stringer in a bout of anger. “We’re about to kill the person who put that out. That song (Tasteful Agony) is the demo version and features Crazy Larry on drums. While it originally sounded good, the DAT got x-rayed in the mail. After trying unsuccessfully to remix it we told the guy not to even think about putting it out. He then went ahead and did it anyway! Now Pavement is licensing that sampler and our song will be exchanged with the album version.”

Which can only mean that I will possess the limited version! Phil, second guitarist Jon Rubin, singer/bassist Jason Blachowicz and drummer Dave Culross will spend June and a portion of July on tour in Europe with Vader, Solstice and Oppressor following which they will ravage these shores with Broken Hope.

This interview initially appeared in Pit Magazine No. 14.

If you enjoyed this, read Suffocation

Malevolent Creation