In this split between Malignant Providence and Ephemerality, titled ‘Unholy Alliance’, we find two projects from Romania that, while sharing the same devotion to underground death metal, clearly show different approaches, sounds and personalities.
On the Malignant Providence side, the material is especially interesting, as the band shows a lot of potential and delivers some very solid original compositions. There is a brutal, heavy and well-crafted sound here, where you can clearly recognize an identity in development. Although the Asphyx cover had already been included on their previous EP, it still works as a direct reference to their roots and to the tradition from which their proposal comes. However, the most valuable aspect of Malignant Providence lies precisely in their own material. The band has strength, good ideas and a brutality that does not need to rely on covers to stand on its own. In that sense, it would be very interesting to see them continue deeper down this path and intensify the creation of original compositions, because they clearly have all the elements needed to deliver truly powerful death metal.
In the case of Ephemerality, the approach is different, since a large part of the songs included in this split come from previous material associated with earlier EPs and releases. Even so, the result works well within the whole release. Their version of Entombed is interesting to hear, not only because of the choice of such a classic track, but also because it allows us to recognize part of the influences that run through their sound. Compared to Malignant Providence, Ephemerality presents a different direction: there is another treatment of atmosphere, another way of building riffs, and a personality that clearly stands apart within the split.
That is one of the most attractive points of ‘Unholy Alliance’: we are not dealing with two identical bands, nor with a release that sounds uniform from beginning to end. There is an aesthetic closeness within death metal, but also a clear difference between both proposals. This separation in sound gives the release more dynamism and allows each project’s own character to be appreciated more clearly.
Overall, this material coming from Romania is excellent and confirms that there is a scene with a lot to say. Both Malignant Providence and Ephemerality show enough potential to keep growing, especially if they continue developing their own material and taking these ideas beyond the studio format. It would be very interesting to see these bands playing live, because that is probably where all the strength, rawness and energy they transmit in their recordings could be channelled in an even more direct way.
‘Unholy Alliance’ is, ultimately, a highly recommended split for those who enjoy underground death metal that is brutal and full of personality. A release that not only works as a presentation of two promising Romanian projects, but also as an invitation to keep a close eye on them.
