Foul Play, Malignant Monster's debut, is supposedly an EP but when it clocks in at almost 32 minutes, I'm tended to think otherwise (considering most brutal death discs run about 30 mins). The upcoming band from Perth, Australia plays a unique brand of thrash metal in that there are occasionally some old-school vibes, bits that feel more melodic death, and even a slight dabbling in black metal. Despite the awkward name and awful artwork, Foul Play shows some serious potential.

For the first 5 tracks, Malignant Monster come out with guns blazing. The speed is mostly frantic, with occasional emphasis on mid-tempo grooves, and it works. Even with lengthier material ("My Rage" surpasses the 6 minute mark), the band keeps it quite interesting with their blend of influences. The thrash/death is certainly most prevalent, but its the small nuances that nod to melodic death that keep the album from becoming boring. The black metal-ish beginning and later death metal groove of "Drive the Nails" make it my cut of choice, but the more relaxed, melodic moments and sprawling solo in the middle of "My Rage" (complete with some background keyboards) and the old-school thrash nature of "Old Corpus Delicti" are also worthy of note.

My biggest problem with this release pertains to the vocals. Granted, the blackened rasps suit the adrenaline pace of the music and are a more traditional thrash choice but they took a few listens to really digest. The other issue was the last 2 songs. "Turrets of Blood" just didn't have the speed and stuck with a repetitive mid-tempo groove that felt more Devildriver than thrash (especially with the verse vocal patterns). The last song was a cover of Megadeth's "Liar", which fell into the catagory of well done but ambivalent. It just did nothing for me. I think the band's strong point is going at full blast, and these last 2 tracks just never reach that level.

Foul Play is a nice introduction to a band that we'll hopefully be hearing more from. The first 5 tracks are solid thrash, and the band has the potential to appeal to fans of more traditional thrash (Exodus, Kreator) to the newer Swedish death/thrash market (Carnal Forge, The Crown). If you're a thrash fan, this is worth looking into.

Standout Tracks: Drive the Nails, My Rage, Consequences of Indecision