Gehenna | Malice (Our Third Spell) |Darkness Shall Rise Productions | (Reissue/Remastered)

Release Date: 2025
Format: 2CD
Genre: Black Metal
Country: Norway

Gehenna crawled out of Norway’s second wave swamp in the early 90s and quickly built a reputation for black metal that sounded hostile, ugly and proud of it. By the time “Malice (Our Third Spell)” hit in 1996, the band had already carved their name into the underground with grim intent and zero interest in compromise. This album also closed the first chapter of Gehenna, with Sarcana and Dirge Rep making their final stand here, before the band later twisted their path into darker, heavier territory.

“Malice (Our Third Spell)” sits as a natural extension of what came before, but with a wider reach and a longer burn. At nearly an hour, it is the most expansive thing Gehenna ever released, and it sounds like a band pushing their ideas as far as possible without breaking the spell. The black metal core remains dominant, cold, vicious and soaked in filth, but there is a clear injection of classic heavy and thrash shaped riffing that gives the album a harsher bite. That blend pulls it closer to the mid 90s symphonic era, often bringing to mind “Enthrone Darkness Triumphant” (the opposite I think), without turning slick or pretty.

The songwriting here is cruel and memorable, built around riffs that stick like rusted hooks and vocals that spit venom with zero mercy. Tracks like “She Who Loves The Flames”, “Made To Suffer” and “The Pentagram” burn with a hostile energy that feels earned, not dressed up. The darker melodies creep in naturally, adding a twisted grandeur while the aggression stays intact. This is black metal that snarls, marches and poisons the air, refusing to soften its grip at any point.

This 2025 reissue gives the album the treatment it deserves. Patrick W. Engel’s remaster at Temple of Disharmony sharpens the sound without scrubbing away the dirt, letting the album hit harder while keeping its raw spirit alive. The luxurious digibook is stacked with value, including the complete demo recordings of “Malice”, a new interview and rare photos spread across a thick booklet. It feels like a proper tribute to an era that helped define Gehenna’s legacy. “Malice (Our Third Spell)” still stands tall as a landmark release for Gehenna and Norwegian black metal as a whole. It is fierce, memorable and soaked in malice just like the title promises. Nearly three decades later, it still bites deep and leaves scars.

Score: 9.5