Its sequel, 1992's Retribution, was just as strong, featuring two new members added from Solstice -- guitarist Rob Barrett (who replaced Juskiewicz) and drummer Alex Marquez. Barrett and Marquez were replaced by John Rubin (who had been in a very early lineup of the band) and "Crazy" Larry Hawke for 1993's Stillborn, which disappointed many of the group's faithful and signaled an acrimonious end to their relationship with Roadrunner.
Those label difficulties nearly broke the band apart, but they eventually resurfaced on Pavement Music with a more progressive, technical approach and an even more revamped lineup on 1995's Eternal. Hoffmann was gone, with the vocals now handled by bassist Blachowicz, while guitarists Fasciana and Rubin were joined by ex-Suffocation drummer Dave Culross. The remixes/outtakes/demos collection Joe Black appeared in 1996, followed the next year by In Cold Blood, which featured guitarist John Paul Soars taking Rubin's place, and drummer Derik Roddy replacing Culross.
For 1998's The Fine Art of Murder, Fasciana (now doubling on keyboards) brought vocalist Hoffmann, guitarist Barret, and drummer Culross back to the fold, along with new bassist Gordon Simms. The Pavement label retrospective, Manifestation, appeared in 2000, followed towards the end of the year by the all-new Envenomed. The sequel to Envenomed came out two years later, followed a few months later by drummer Justin DiPinto's last album with the group, The Will to Kill.
Fracture
Malevolent Creation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shall never be had
Weed out the weak
Feed on the sad
High above the loathsome
Defiled by the crass
Mind is strong, soul is intent
Stench I breathe
Fills my soul full of hate
Bend and bow to no one
Never shall you
Break my soul
Break my mind
Break my life
Dark purpose rages on
Once again we meet
Once again I greet you with
A goddamned fucking beating
Your frail soul is no compare
Genetic spare
Redundant try pitiful and trite
So all knowing
Now to realize now...
To face life, to love pain
They are one and the same
Bend and bow to no one
Never shall you
Break my soul
Break my mind
Break my life
Unleash the skein
Take my life, my flesh
No victor, no end to cash
Gaze upon the face
Deceit and pain
Forfeit your sad life
Dismantle it all destroy
Plug in the pain
Plunge in the blade
Take my life, my flesh
No victor, no end to cash
Gaze upon the face
Deceit and pain
Forfeit your sad life
Dismantle it all destroy
Plug in the pain
Plunge in the blade
Sorrow for the shallow
Shall never be had
Weed out the weak
Feed on the sad
High above the loathsome
Defiled by the crass
Mind is strong, soul is intent
Lingering on is this foul...
Stench I breathe
Fills my soul full of hate
Bend and bow to no one
Never shall you
Break my soul
Break my mind
Break my life
Dark purpose rages on
Malevolent Creation's song "Fracture" is a typical death metal rendition about the power struggle among human beings. The song, however, is not superficial and has a deeper meaning than what meets the eye. The first two lines, "Sorrow for the shallow/Shall never be had," are a direct reflection of the band's attitude towards people who lead a superficial life. There's no sympathy to those who don't delve deep into life's intricacies. The following line, "Weed out the weak/Feed on the sad," implies that the ones who survive are the ones who embrace pain and sadness and grow stronger from it. The song encourages perseverance in the face of adversity.
The lines "Mind is strong, soul is intent/Lingering on is this foul..." suggest that the fleeting nature of life is not an excuse for complacency. The singer is strong and resolute in his beliefs, and he won't let the grim reality of life weaken his purpose. The stench that he breathes represents his inner turmoil and hatred for the weak.
The chorus "Break my soul/Break my mind/Break my life" is an assertion that the singer won't let anyone else dictate his life. He is willing to embrace pain and is willing to undergo suffering to maintain his sovereignty. The final lines of the song are a reiterated message to persevere and grow stronger.
Line by Line Meaning
Sorrow for the shallow
There is no pity for those who are superficial or lack depth.
Shall never be had
They will never receive any sympathy, as it is a worthless trait.
Weed out the weak
Eliminate those who are feeble-minded or indecisive.
Feed on the sad
Take advantage of those who are vulnerable and easy to manipulate.
High above the loathsome
Superior to those who are repulsive and disgusting.
Defiled by the crass
Polluted by those who are vulgar and unrefined.
Mind is strong, soul is intent
Mental and spiritual fortitude is unwavering, and the will to act is clear.
Lingering on is this foul...
The negativity persists.
Stench I breathe
The putrid atmosphere is pervasive and sickening.
Fills my soul full of hate
Hatred consumes every aspect of the being.
Bend and bow to no one
Nobody has control or dominion over them.
Never shall you
They will never submit to anyone.
Break my soul
No matter the hardship or adversity, their spirit cannot be crushed.
Break my mind
The intellect will remain razor-sharp and undiminished.
Break my life
Even if existence becomes unbearable, they will endure.
Dark purpose rages on
The sinister aim is still present and active.
Once again we meet
They are still encountering their nemesis.
Once again I greet you with
They confront their adversary with no friendly intentions.
A goddamn fucking beating
They will utterly punish and destroy their opponent.
Your frail soul is no compare
Their antagonist is weak, and they have no chance of winning.
Genetic spare
Their rival is a genetic anomaly or undesirable.
Redundant try pitiful and trite
Their opponent is redundant, feeble-minded, and unoriginal.
So all-knowing
They are aware of their foe's every weakness.
Now to realize now...
Now it is time for them to face the truth.
To face life, to love pain
Enduring hardship is essential, and pain can be enjoyable.
They are one and the same
Pain and life are inseparable.
Unleash the skein
Release the threat.
Take my life, my flesh
They are willing to sacrifice everything.
No victor, no end to cash
There will be no winner or financial gain.
Gaze upon the face
Confronting the adversary.
Deceit and pain
The suffering is both emotional and physical.
Forfeit your sad life
Their opponent has lost and has a miserable existence.
Dismantle it all destroy
Their rival's life will be utterly ruined.
Plug in the pain
Intensify the pain experienced by their adversary.
Plunge in the blade
Use deadly force to defeat their enemy.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BRET HOFFMANN, PHIL FASCIANA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lannie Browning
An album for all times. Great work.