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.
Piece By Piece
Malevolent Creation Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A vast sadistic feast
The only way to exit
Is going piece by piece
You have no choice of life or death
My face you will not see
I'll rip your flesh 'till there's no breath
Dismembered destiny
I'll make you part of me
No emotion
Death is all I see
Modulistic terror
A vast sadistic feast
The only way to exit
Is going piece by piece
Bones and blood lie on the ground
Rotten limbs lie dead
Decapitated bodies found
On my wall, your head!
On your trail I close the gap
One more life that soon won't be
No emotion
Your flesh is all I need
I'll send you to your maker
Confront the God you seek
A flash of red upon his your chest
Safety out of reach
You have no choice of life or death
My face you will not see
I'll rip your flesh 'till there's no breath
Dismembered destiny
Modulistic terror
A vast sadistic feast
There's only one way out of here...
Piece by piece
The lyrics to Malevolent Creation's song Piece by Piece are gruesome and paint a picture of violence and death. The opening line 'Modulistic terror' sets the tone for the rest of the song, as it suggests that the person singing is in control of their victim's demise and revels in their terror. The following line 'A vast sadistic feast' furthers the image of the perpetrator as someone who enjoys inflicting pain and suffering, like a predator enjoying its prey.
The chorus 'The only way to exit, is going piece by piece' is chilling, as it implies that the victim will be dismembered. The next stanza describes the killer's apathy towards their victims, as they 'have no choice of life or death' and the killer doesn't care about seeing their face or how they die. The final lines bring the focus back to the modus operandi of the killer, as they describe adding the victim's body parts to their own, making them a part of their 'dismembered destiny'.
The lyrics to Piece by Piece are disturbing and graphic, showcasing the darker side of humanity. They explore themes of violence, power, and control, and paint a picture of a person completely devoid of morality or empathy.
Line by Line Meaning
Modulistic terror
A systematic, calculated, and methodical way of inflicting terror and fear.
A vast sadistic feast
This act of terror is satisfying and pleasurable for the perpetrator, and they take pleasure in the pain and suffering of the victim, making it a feast for them.
The only way to exit
The only way to escape this situation is to go through it, as there is no other way out.
Is going piece by piece
The only way to escape is by being dismembered, with their body being taken apart one piece at a time.
You have no choice of life or death
The victim has no say in whether they live or die, as the perpetrator has complete control over their fate.
My face you will not see
The identity of the perpetrator remains unknown to the victim, and they will not see their face before their demise.
I'll rip your flesh 'til there's no breath
The perpetrator will continue to tear apart the victim's body until they are dead and can no longer breathe.
Dismembered destiny
The fate of the victim is to be dismembered, with their body parts scattered and their destiny being one of permanent destruction.
As soon as life has left your corpse
The perpetrator is not concerned with the victim's life, but only with their lifeless body, which they will then use for their own purposes.
I'll make you part of me
The perpetrator's intention is to integrate the victim's body parts into their own, becoming a composite of both themselves and their victim.
No emotion
The perpetrator is not affected emotionally by their actions and remains indifferent to the pain and suffering they cause.
Death is all I see
The perpetrator's focus is solely on death and destruction, and they derive pleasure from it.
Bones and blood lie on the ground
Evidence of the destruction caused by the perpetrator is seen in the remains of the victim's bones and blood left scattered on the ground.
Rotten limbs lie dead
The body parts of the victim left behind by the perpetrator have begun to decay and rot, representing a lifeless and decayed state.
Decapitated bodies found
The perpetrator has taken the heads of their victims as trophies and mounted them on their wall, representing a sick and twisted version of victory.
On my wall, your head!
The perpetrator takes pride in their work and considers the heads of their victims to be a symbol of their 'success,' which they display proudly.
On your trail I close the gap
The perpetrator is relentlessly pursuing their victim, closing the gap between them, and leaving the victim with no chance of escape.
One more life that soon won't be
Another victim is about to be claimed by the perpetrator, and their demise is imminent.
Your flesh is all I need
The perpetrator's focus is solely on the physical body of their victim, which they will then use to satisfy their own desires.
I'll send you to your maker
The perpetrator believes that they are doing their victim a favor by releasing them from the pain and suffering of life and sending them to their maker (God).
Confront the God you seek
The perpetrator believes that their victims are seeking God, and by killing them, they are forcing them to confront their beliefs and face judgment.
A flash of red upon his your chest
The victim is receiving a fatal wound, and the red represents the blood being spilled from their body, both as a warning sign and as a symbol of imminent death.
Safety out of reach
The victim has no hope of survival, and their chance of finding safety is out of reach and impossible to attain.
There's only one way out of here...
The only way that this situation will end is by the victim being dismembered and taken apart, one piece at a time.
Piece by piece
The fate of the victim is to be taken apart, one piece at a time, until there is nothing left of them.
Contributed by Liliana H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.