ASCENDED DEAD – Arcane Malevolence (2022 Cassette Reissue) Review | Primitive Death Metal

⛤ Death Metal | 12.25€ (Mint)
⛤ Pulse Rating: 8 / 10

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There’s death metal that nods to the past, and then there’s death metal that feels like it crawled straight out of it, still dripping with filth. ASCENDED DEAD sit firmly in the latter camp, and Arcane Malevolence remains one of the most savage and uncompromising statements of their early years.

Originally recorded between late 2013 and early 2014 and first released as a 7” by BLOOD HARVEST RECORDS, this EP captures the band at their most feral. No polish, no modern death metal sheen — just raw, violent riffs tearing forward with absolute intent. The 2022 white cassette reissue preserves that ugliness perfectly, making this a mandatory format for anyone who understands how this kind of death metal should be consumed.

The title track Arcane Malevolence wastes no time dragging you into a vortex of chromatic riffs and dry, howling vocals. There’s a primal aggression here that recalls the earliest days of death metal’s separation from thrash — the chaotic edge of bands like NECROVORE, INSANITY, or the more unhinged corners of the underground, rather than anything neat or revivalist.

Emanation From Below follows with relentless momentum, balancing blunt-force riffing with subtle shifts that keep the violence moving forward. There’s a warlike density to the guitars and drums that feels closer to old BOLT THROWER or early MORBID ANGEL in spirit, but stripped of grandeur and pushed straight into the dirt.

Across Ensnared For Eternity and Blood Consecration, the band lock into simple but brutally effective structures, cycling riffs like elemental forces crashing into one another. It’s chaotic without being sloppy, savage without losing control — a wall of misshapen riffs driven by pure intent rather than technical flash.

Recorded by drummer C. KORYN and mastered by PATRICK BRUSS, the production is dry, claustrophobic, and absolutely perfect for the material. Add the artwork by KYLE BOWEN, and you’ve got a release that looks and sounds exactly as vile as it should.

This EP was once sold as a tape under the name Promo MMXIV to help fund a tour with WARPVOMIT — a detail that only adds to its underground credibility. The fact that it’s now available again on cassette is a gift to collectors who know that death metal like this belongs on physical formats.

Arcane Malevolence isn’t about reinvention. It’s about preservation — preserving the most feral, ruthless strain of death metal before it fractured into subgenres and trends. If you crave something ugly, violent, and historically honest, this tape deserves a permanent place in your collection.

TRACKLIST:
1. Arcane malevolence
2. Emanation from below
3. Ensnared for eternity
4. Blood consecration

CREDITS:
ASCENDED DEAD lineup 2011–2014:
J. QUINTANA – Bass
J. REIDER – Guitar / Vocals
I. LAWRENCE – Guitar / Vocals
C. KORYN – Drums
Recorded by C. KORYN (2013–2014)
Mastered by PATRICK BRUSS
Artwork by KYLE BOWEN

LINKS:
Bandcamp
Official Website
Facebook
🔥 For fans of: NECROVORE, MORBID ANGEL, BOLT THROWER, INSANITY
💀 Label: BLOOD HARVEST RECORDS


ASCENDED DEAD – Items Available at Pulse Records

Item Format Price Condition Order
Ascended Dead – Abhorrent Manifestation (2017 Album) CD 12.50€ Mint Order
Ascended Dead – Abhorrent Manifestation (2017 LP, Black Vinyl) LP 25.00€ Mint Order
Ascended Dead – Arcane Malevolence (2022 White Cassette, Reissue) Cassette 12.25€ Mint Order
Ascended Dead – The Advent (2015 Cassette, Compilation) Cassette 15.00€ Mint Order


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