Review by Dominik on October 13, 2026.

There are things in life I simply don't get. Like why socks disappear in washing machines. Is there a secret sock dimension where they all end up? Or why autocorrect changes perfectly normal words into complete nonsense while happily leaving actual typos untouched. What I also don't understand is why bands choose to start their careers by releasing an EP. There are only two explanations, and neither is particularly encouraging. One: you're not confident enough in your material to unleash a full album on an unsuspecting public, so you throw a few songs out there to test the waters. Or two: you're confident enough to know you have something, but still haven't figured out exactly what that something is. So you release a mixed bag, hoping somebody will tell you which songs work best before you take it from there.

Norwegian Maltuka rather belongs to the second camp. These guys ooze confidence and badass attitude, but musically they still seem to be figuring out where they want to go. The vocalist, on the other hand, has already firmly established his approach and found his preferred weapon: a harsh, one-dimensional bark that could have been ripped straight from a Power Trip album. Apart from the occasional higher-pitched scream, it's all about aggression, which is delivered in an abrasive thrash-metal style that sometimes crosses into hardcore territory. That is not exactly surprising, if I consider that the musical foundation occasionally follows the same path, with bands like the above-mentioned Power Trip and US Enforced coming to mind.

Maltuka's thrash isn't particularly interested in breaking any speed records. Instead, the band relies on hard-hitting riffs and sheer impact. Everything is designed to hit you in the face, and with only a few exceptions, there is barely any room to take a breath. My absolute highlight, however, is "Condemnation", the one song that introduces a certain lightness into the riffing. It kicks off with an infectious double-bass-driven groove before the vocalist attempts to drown the whole thing in aggression. A short solo appears between the first two verses, followed by another barrage of riffs. Halfway through the song, the frontman adds another layer of insanity to his screams, giving the track some much-needed character. Everything clicks exactly as it should, and then, rather rudely, it's over.

The title track and closer, "Black Rites", is a good example of why Maltuka may still be searching for the right approach. It starts with screeching guitars and lazy drums that immediately bring the intro to "Raining Blood" to mind, before moving into a section that could almost qualify as an instrumental. Unfortunately, the vocalist seems determined not to let that happen for too long and starts to ruin things. Two minutes in, a wild solo suddenly jumps into the fray, while the drummer starts behaving like he has just been recruited by a black/thrash band and throws in some blast beats for good measure. A short bass solo materializes out of nowhere, apparently invited to the party without telling anybody else, before the guitars eventually suffocate the whole affair again. There are simply too many ideas competing for attention. Towards the end, the tempo slows down considerably, the solos become increasingly prominent, and even some acoustic plucking makes an appearance. By that point, I was no longer entirely sure where the band wanted to go either. Maybe seven-minute songs require a little more experience. Or simply maybe not every idea needs to make it onto the final recording.

"Black Rites" is by no means a bad release. Maltuka clearly knows the rulebook, can write some seriously punchy riffs and has enough attitude to fill several larger rooms. What is missing is a clearer sense of direction and, perhaps, the confidence to leave some ideas on the cutting-room floor. There is enough here to suggest that the band could develop into something considerably more interesting. For now, though, I'd recommend going back to the drawing board, taking your time and following through on the ideas that really work. Then unleash the next full-length that grabs me by the throat and sets me straight. Otherwise, I might have to send those missing socks over to Norway to help with the decision-making.

Rating: 7 out of 10, because the rites are black, but the direction is still somewhat grey.