Stillborn [Import]

Malevolent Creation | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 12, 1993)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Roadrunner Int'l
• ASIN: B000008I1V
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #52,900 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's The Way Of All Flesh, December 3, 2004

By 

Ronald Placeres "Chulo" (Miami, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stillborn (Audio CD)

This is one of my favorite Malevolent Creation albums in my collection. I bought it in late 1993 along with Sepultura's Beneath The Remains and Napalm Death's Harmony Corruption and Death By Manipulation. I bought all the albums on cassette. Before this album came out, the band was going through a rough time which almost caused the band to break up. They were having personal problems as well as problems with their labal Roadrunner Records. So this is actually the band's last album on Roadrunner. The band also looses their legendary lead vocalist Brett Hoffmann. So this is the band's last album with Brett for a while. However, he will rejoin the band again for The Fine Art Of Murder and Envenomed but will be kicked out of the band again but for the final time. This will be before The Will To Kill. Anyway, the band was going through some tough times and when this album came out, a lot of people thought it was a piece of garbage even the band itself. Me personally, I didn't know that all of this stuff was going on at the time. I was just a dedicated Malevolent Creation fan who just went on buying any album that the band puts out. So that's what I kept doing. I bought this album along with the other items that I mentioned and when I got around to playing this album, I was blown away by the first song Dominated Resurgency. I was so happy that I rewinded the tape back and listened to it again. The rest of the album ripped.

Now before my review, let me say this. Like I said before, many people and even the band itself thought that this album was a piece of garbage but there were others who thought quite the opposite. Any person who get this album now might have the first opinion or the other. So I'm just going to let the listener be the judge. As for myself, I will review the album based on what I think.

Now for my review. Despite the bad critsism that this album gets, I personally think that it's just as good as any Malevolent Creation album. The basic elements of the band are still here. You still have lots of agression, intensity, intimidation, fierceness, heaviness, brutality, speed, mid-paced and slow songs, harsh vocals, solos and evil tones. So you pretty much get the total package just like with every other album in the band's catalog. So give this album a chance. Some of my favorite songs here are Dominated Resurgency, The Way Of All Flesh, Dominion Of Terror, Stillborn, Ethnic Cleansing and Disciple Of Abhorrence. Get this album and become stillborn.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great album no matter what the detractors say about it, November 2, 2007

By 

Zander Haberstaft (Miami, Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stillborn (Audio CD)

I will never know why people trash this Malevolent Creation album besides for the production/mixing quality...something which the band has little control over. The band has always acknowledged this was a difficult period for them (read: drug problems) and Brett doesn't have the most stunning vocal performance here but all things considered and especially with the couple of efforts that came after this, "Stillborn" is still a top notch album.

The riffs via Phil Fasciana and the more than competent drumming of Alex Marquez are enough alone to drive the album...and they do. John Rubin is a welcome addition to aid Fasciana (although Rob Barrett was great too) and they create some great guitar riffs and some really well done solos. Brett Hoffmann's vocals aren't as possessed and raspy -downright intimidating!- as they were on "Ten Commandments" or "Retribution" but this is not all Brett's fault. His vocals are mixed in poorly and dominate the background and fade in and out too easily. They're still mostly intelligible, but they sound kinda flat. Scott Burns did them huge production favors on the prior two efforts, but a different production team this time doesn't give the music the same punch. It is way too treble and mid range heavy. The snare has an annoyning click and the cymbals wash out too easily. Blachowicz's bass is virtually inaudible and that only works to take away from the overall sound. Alex's drumming performance is about as stunning as it was on "Retribution" and there is plenty of variety to his drumming (something most Death Metal drummers sadly lack.) Everything from the ultra slow, varying double bass speeds, quick and interesting fills, blasts and double time thrashing always with tons of groove in mind.

There is plenty of tempo variety on this album, all the songs are well written and there isn't a terrible one among them. I think the biggest problem with this album is the dry production (much the same way Suffocation's "Breeding the Spawn" turned out), and the fact that the band would undergo more line-up changes than Spinal Tap in the coming years. Fans would turn on the band until "Eternal" got some to come back, but in retrospect...I think it was the fan's loss that they trashed this worthwhile effort and great band. If you like the prior two albums and anything that came after this, then "Stillborn" is definitely worth checking out.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars CLASSIC MALEVOLENT CREATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, November 14, 2006

By 

Death Metal90 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stillborn (Audio CD)

I LOVE THIS RECORD. I remember in '93 when Stillborn came out everybody hated it? I cant see why. Sure the music is a bit slower but I think its killer. I think the songwriting is excellent. Title track Stillborn is one of the heaviest Deathmetal songs ever composed. Geared for Gain and Ethnic Cleansing are skull fracturing. Brett Hoffman's vocals are brutal as hell. The production is thick, with a lot of low end. Basically Stillborn is a lot like Retribution only the songs are more mid paced. I think Stillborn is Malevolent Creation's finest hour. I know allot of you will disagree but this album just really grows on you over the years. Plus the artwork is killer as well. If you dont have this album GET IT TODAY or you are seriously missing out on a Classic Deathmetal album.

BUY OR DIE!!!!!