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MALACODA ‘Restless Dreams’

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As we approach Halloween, I thought I might check out some strange and weird music. I think there is so much room for creativity in the arena of horror metal. So when I found Malacoda I was excited to hear something so enriched with an atmosphere. Being named after one of the demons in Dante’s Inferno, you’d think they would lay on the intensity and power really thick. Yet, they opt to makes something more dreamlike and fluent, with the heavy metal tones more to create an offset atmosphere. The Canadian metal unit, mix elements of doom, prog-metal, symphonic metal & shock rock to make something that’s different to the ears and their contemporaries. Following the release of their 2017 EP Ritualis Aeterna, the Canadian horror inspired metallers are set to unleash a new full-length album entitled Restless Dreams. This is something that you can really sink your teeth into.

The album has such a weighty tone as they weave beautiful melodies with interesting musical ideas that highlight their great songwriting. No one song really follows the same pattern. They have a great mix of anthem-like tunes that follow a simple song-writing structure. Also, you have the more progressive and winding tracks that you can really lose yourself in. Vocalist, Lucas Di Mascio delivers the words in a weird tone that, more often than not, feels loose and creepy and don’t fit with the general melody. Which adds more to that atmosphere they’re going for. When the really heavy parts come in the band almost go full-on power metal, these moments are enjoyable as you get that sudden release and the band usually has a great instrumental part lined up. Honestly, some of the best moments of the album are the parts where just weird sounds play, it lets the listener get sucked in. These interlude parts always fade out leaving the listener unsettled. Really making that horror theme connect throughout the records.

If you understand you classical literary references and the strange tales of myth and legend. Then you will love the lyrical content. As mentioned the band is named after a character from Dante’s Inferno. Mixing that with their clear use of a poetic license and they almost create their own lore that can keep you coming back as you try to decipher the words and their meaning. Yet they are not just limited to classical writing. As the song “I Got A Letter” is said to be inspired by the game series Silent Hill. The words, when mixed with the heavy offsetting tone, make for an intriguing and fun listen.

I had so much fun listening to Malacoda. I can definitely see them gathering a big fanbase. As the occult and dark gothic themes always sell. I would like to hear more from them and for them to tackle other subjects in literature, like The Call of Cthulu and I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream. A really interesting band that I would love to hear more from and the perfect soundtrack for a dark vigil.

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