Mpire of Evil - Creatures of the Black Review
by Matt Hensch
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Venom's Dolan-era material is painfully unknown, like almost to the point of criminal investigation. And you know what? I'm one of those douches that honestly believes the absence of Cronos allowed the band to accomplish a new level of musical achievement, compared to, say, the lackluster "Possessed" or the castration of a reunion that was the "Cast in Stone" disappointment; see "Prime Evil," "Temples of Ice," or "The Waste Lands" for further instructions. I was pretty much sold on the intuition that this lineup was dead as dirt until Mantas and Demolition Man recruited former Venom drummer Antton (and ironically the younger brother of Cronos) to form a ripping reincarnation of Demolition Man-era Venom now known as Mpire of Evil, and thankfully the clichιs and self-plagiarism of Venom's post-reunion efforts are sidelined. This EP contains the first two originals penned under the moniker of Mpire of Evil stacked against four classic cover tunes reworked to fit the gritty themes of this enjoyable project, and as I said, it is an absolute slaughter of an EP.
Taking into account the gigantic pause between "Creatures of the Black" and 1992's "The Waste Lands," it's rather fantastic that the black chemistry is still brewing in Satan's quarters. In fact, the level of power coursing through the electric covers and the two newborn numbers could topple mountains if guitars and shouts were the bulldozers of the underworld. Mpire of Evil immediately dives into a stellar tribute to Judas Priest, paying homage to the innovative paradigm of speed metal called "Exciter," except the bolting heaviness fires way beyond the levels of civility while keeping the uppity chorus and jolting instrumentation together as one, a rare accomplishment most cover tracks lack. As the EP continues, the thunderous trio takes a retrogressive route, jumping into Motorhead's eponymous classic and the hard rock madness of "God of Thunder" along with the well-suited AC/DC tune "Hell Ain't A Bad Place to Be," again showing the bombastic violence of this natural evil can fit just about anywhere in the hard rock/heavy metal niche.
The new songs, however, need some explanation. If you have experienced the three Venom records featuring Tony Dolan on bass/vocals, you know that the group implemented some heavy changes, like the addition of a second guitarist and even wiring keyboards for the occasional creation. Expecting these minor differences or any alterations in songwriting would not represent the group's effort here, because Mpire of Evil totally rips out any form of compositional advancement for the brutal, stripped-down assault of unrelenting thrash burning at unholy temperatures. "Reptile" begins with a harsh thrash riff before Antton's blast beats carry it into pure aggression and hostility, and Dolan's voice is as rough and slicing as ever, much more than anything he ever did with Venom. The title track matches the same traits as "Reptile," although the tune keeps itself buried beneath a mid-paced spice that is dangerous, brutal, sadistic, and punishing beyond comprehension. Can't expect anything else kids.
Even the overall attitude of the musicians seems hotter than ever, with Mantas contributing some scorching guitar work, and in particular the scorned voice of Tony Dolan, which sounds like a wrecking ball slamming against the skull of Cerberus. It's really nice to hear these dudes working together again, and although it is a little crass to compare Mpire of Evil to Venom, it just makes sense, and there's little doubt the Mpire has complete and utter control over this old-school take on ravenous extreme metal in its embryonic stage. More importantly, it correlates with an image of a band that subconsciously makes its listeners nod their necks in synchronized familiarity, perhaps representing a shadowy (yet underrated) period of a legendary group that once was, and will be again.
Mpire of Evil - Creatures of the Black Rating:8.5
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