REVIEW FOR JANUARY 6, 2004

MALEFACTION
WHERE THERE IS POWER THERE IS ALWAYS RESISTANCE
G7 WELCOMING COMMITTEE, 2003
 
Ah, G7 Welcoming Committee.  Canada's leading label for one-sided ultra-liberal proselytising alternative media discourse.  They are a lovable folk, aren't they?  Seriously, being somewhat liberal I can empathise with the label to a point, but political bands tend lyrically to bend towards the naïve and ill-informed sometimes.  This is why I love Malefaction's lyrics.  Some of the songs tend toward vague and arbitrary lyricism but these are overall intelligent lyrics, and tend to be more direct than the lyrical content of some other bands, i.e. Nasum.  (See, I like to name names.  I still haven't reached ass-kissing level yet, and I've had half a decade to do so.)  Granted, if you don't like politi-grind these lyrics will mean nothing to you, but I can understand them.  Still, lyrics are a relatively unimportant part of a band in a genre where the lyrics end up becoming almost unintelligible.
 
Unfortunately, I'm not sold on the music itself.  It's grindy, sure, and it's punishing enough but it sounds like five seconds of a late-90's Cryptopsy album repeating itself for twenty-five minutes.  The vocals are decent enough, although Malefaction's lead singer uses that standard hardcore scream that every hardcore/artcore band has driven into the ground.  Where There Is Power... tends to sound redundant, though, after five fucking minutes of repetitive riffing and yelly-screams.  There are a few change-ups, but it's straight grind for the most part.  Don't get me wrong, Malefaction is a tight band and this is sure to satisfy a wide area of grind freaks, but the album seems a bit too mechanical for me.  I'm not the type of person who finds twenty-five minutes of DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-HARMONIC interesting enough as an album.  Of course, that's just me and my crazy tastes.  To wit, if you're into the whole politi-grind thing I'd suggest picking Where There Is Power... up, but if you're not into that whole quasi-technical cack I'd stay away from the album.  It's your choice, as always, because I'm on the fence here.
 
By the way, I'm curious as to why G7 Welcoming Committee has RealAudio and MP3 samples on its website.  Don't you guys realise that those are closed-source formats owned and licensed by RealNetworks and Fraunhofer IIS, respectively?  Man, you could at least switch to Ogg Vorbis or something.  Geez, I can't stand the inconsistency of these leftist labels sometimes.  Ah well, Bush is a babykiller and end the military occupation of Iraq...I guess...
 
G7 WELCOMING COMMITTEE
P.O. Box 27006, 360 Main Street Concourse
Winnipeg, MB
R3C 4T3
CANADA
http://www.g7welcomingcommittee.com/
[email protected]

 
MALEFACTION
c/o Out of Enslavement Records
484 River Road
St. Andrews, MB
R1A 3C2
CANADA
http://www.g7welcomingcommittee.com/malefaction/
[email protected]