The new Malignancy album turned out to be incredibly cool, so I couldn't miss asking vocalist Danny Nelson. We talked not only about the new record, but also about the New York scene and other plans for the near future. The result of our conversation can be evaluated below. Have fun reading it all!!!
Greetings to you! The new Malignancy full-length is titled "...Discontinued" and was officially released on June 14th, 2024 via Willowtip Records. From the first listen, I realized that it had become more refined and technical, but still retained the brutality that Malignancy has been known for over three decades. Was it a conscious decision or a natural progression to develop in this way?
- Cheers and thanks for the interview. I think the production of "...Discontinued" has helped bring the technical aspects of the band out in the open. We have always tried to progress and take the sound in different directions. Many of our early releases had a more low-end sound and the technical riffing got lost. So, in turn, yes it is always a conscious decision for us.
Willowtip Records has been your trusted label since the release of "Inhuman Grotesqueries" in 2007. Please tell us about your collaboration. What kind of deal did you make with them at the time? What kind of propaganda (album formats and merchandise) did "...Discontinued" come out with?
- Willowtip has been great to us from the start. Our first deal was for two albums which we delivered; "Inhuman Grotesqueries" & "Eugenics". As a band we decided to look for other interested labels to bring the band to more listeners and fans. To no avail that larger label failed to materialize. Through our absence from Willowtip we released "Malignant Future" and re-recorded "Intrauterine Cannibalism". "...Discontinued" has gotten the typical treatment; CD, LP and cassette. The label also made short sleeve, long sleeve and zipper hoodies for the release. Willowtip has grown as a label since 2012 and they have a farther reach and can push bands more. We are happy to be back on the label and look forward to working with them for the next one.
The new album was mixed and mastered by Lasse Lammert and I can confidently say that this is the best sounding Malignancy album to date. How long did it take to make the final mix and what was it like working with Lasse?
- Thank you, Lasse did an amazing job on this one for sure. Lasse is in Europe so there was some time in between mixes. He had other projects going on as well. All in all, maybe a month or so to iron out what we needed. Working with Lasse was easy as hell. Total professional and a master at his craft. We are extremely lucky he had the time to work on "...Discontinued". He also did a favor for us and tweaked the CD version "Malignant Future" released on Sevared Records.
The rather sick album art was created by Tony Cosgrove. How does it relate to the lyrics of "...Discontinued"? Can you share more details about the topics covered this time?
- Tony is a pleasure to work with! We have worked with him for years and will again! The cover art is loosely attached to the lyrical content. Much of the lyrics pertain to how humans are failing as a species. These are things that, I believe, can lead to the end. The focal point is the tentacled creature that is a mutation of the Malignancy mascot. It also coincides with "Eugenics". The mutoid creature is cradling the last human being. This is a new species mutated from experiments by humans on humans. This concept took Tony and I some time to hammer out. The final result is killer.
Are you planning to shoot a new music video? If so, which song would you use for this purpose? By the way, I really dug the way you did "Contagious Psychosis" from the "Malignant Future" EP (2016).
- No plans to shoot a video for any of these tunes. If we do, we would definitely go with the video producer of "Contagious Psychosis", Dead Haggis Productions! Shot on location in Europe on tour!
Will there be tours in the US and Europe to promote the new album? I mean, I see a gig on June 30th with Narcotic Wasteland, Tombstoner, Coronary Thrombosis and Ozoth at Shaker's Pub and another at RiffHouse Pub on July 20th, but that's about it.
- Not at this time, touring costs much more lately and I cannot afford to tour personally. We are supporting and pushing "...Discontinued" playing as many gigs as we can. Festivals and one offs for the reminder of the year.
What should fans know about the recent reissue of "Frailty of the Human Condition" on Primitive Recordings LLC?
- Primitive Recordings is run by our longtime friend and ex bandmate, Roger J. Beaujard. Who coincidentally played on "Frailty of the Human Condition". This is the first reissue in the Malignancy catalog with Primitive and Malignancy Music LTD. We plan to collaborate with the UG catalog as well. "Frailty of the Human Condition" received a little boost in volume and the addition of a demo version of "Cross Species Transmutation" with no vocals. Turns out I only had a title when we tracked it and I did not have the lyrics worked out yet. I rediscovered this track on an old CD-R and thought it would be cool to include. Added liner notes and some pictures from our 1st European tour to support the release.
What does the brutal death metal scene in New York look like these days? Are there newcomers who surprise you with their talent/originality? How has the scene changed since the 90s?
- Brutal death metal is alive and well in New York these days. Killer bands like Thætas, Reeking Aura, Sickbay, Coronary Thrombosis and Tombstoner. They all bring their own flavor to the scene. The scene is ever evolving, it has been since the 90's. The locations have changed, almost no underground venues in Manhattan anymore. Most of the shows take place in Brooklyn.
What do you do in your free time away from the band?
- I have been working in the art field since the late 90's. Mostly production work, dealing with licensors and producing product packaging. I also lay out all the Malignancy releases and merch.
Finally, please pass on your thoughts and wishes to Ukrainian Malignancy fans. Thank you very much for the interview!
- Thank you again for the opportunity. Cheers to all the fans in the Ukraine and abroad for supporting Malignancy for the last 32 years! \m/
