Interview with M. Blackburn, mastermind of the German thrash metal band Malforce.
When did you get the idea to build this new music project called Malforce?
Actually, the idea goes back to the year 2018. In my previous band, we started to record and edit everything ourselves, due to not being able to finance a full-blown production in a professional studio anymore. So the last album released in 2017 was recorded in the rehearsal room and edited at home by the other guitarist and me. Afterwards, we sent this to a studio for re-amping guitars and bass, and having it mixed and mastered. My idea was to then go the last mile in producing an album entirely DIY.
So I started to learn about mixing and mastering, bought gear, hardware, and software, and booked online courses (during COVID, there was nothing else to do). But I needed a project to work on as well. Instead of wasting time with an existing ban,d I started writing music myself and had the idea of doing as much as possible differently and stepping outside my comfort zone. (For example, I am used to writing lengthy songs, five minutes and longer. But now I tried to write short songs intentionally.) I wanted to sound different from my main band and kept everything secret from my bandmates to not raise any expectations and be constantly asked about the status of my project.
I thought I’d rather surprise them by having gotten some skills and present what I’d be capable of. In the case I had failed, nobody would have known about my attempt. Hence, Malforce was born.
Malforce’s debut, Force du Mal, and there’s one main note I’d want to point out about the album, and that is the vocals- powerful and aggressive, which sends me back to the old and classic Sepultura. How did you approach the vocals, and more, the sound of the debut?
Thank you for mentioning the vocal delivery. As I was used to black, thrash, and death metal vocals with former bands, this was my go-to approach. But as said above, I wanted to do everything different than with my former band. Therefore, I experimented with different voices, styles of aggressive vocals, and was not sure where it would lead to. In the end, I learned that each and every song needs a different approach, and there is no “one-voice-fits-all” for this album. That, as well, was the case with the songs. In my opinion, the songs vary in extreme metal styles so much that I also approached the sound for each song as a standalone. E.g., You will find songs having more of that high-end bass sound, and others are more gnarling and low-end driven.
My main influence in general is ‘80s Metal and the classic sound of that time. Therefore, I wanted the bass to be more present in the mix, something I feel is lacking in most modern productions. The same goes for the bass drum. I really wanted it to kick (pun intended) in the mix and not have a clicky or flappy sound.
There’s also the heavy and thrash sound, I would say more of the German thrash metal. Do you agree on this?
I never intended a special German thrash sound. But being a German, it is probably in the DNA. My influences are definitely based in heavier/thrashier music, as this resonated with me the most throughout the ‘80s. Malforce was intended as a thrash/death-thrash metal project. That’s the music emanating naturally from my heart and fingers while playing.
Why did you choose to name the album in French, which is translated as “Force of Evil”?
I wanted to explain the meaning behind the name Malforce, which should resemble the lyrical background of the project, and also that it is a heavy album. I thought, “Evil Force”, “Force of Evil”, and all the other obvious translations were a bit lame and overused. Force du Mal just came up naturally, makes perfect sense, is better than a self-titled album, and makes it more interesting.
I made sure the French was correct, and to go a little bit further, I asked a friend to translate and perform one verse in the title song in French. It came out great in my opinion.
So far, what response did Force du Mal receive?
Well, my wife and I are pretty active in the metal scene, going to a lot of shows and festivals. I approached everyone possible to buy the album. Financially, it has recouped the costs Witches Brew Records invested, and this was my main goal. Other than that, I had not many reviews or responses. It was a time of trying out different promo-companies and the one used at the time didn’t do much to push it. Most negative feedback, though, was exactly on behalf of the vocals, which seem to bother most people. Hence, I am really happy that it appears not to be the case with you.
Maybe it’s a little early to talk about this, but will there be a new Malforce album?
I will definitely record another Malforce album. Ideas for song titles, the album name, and a new musical approach are already in my head or pinned down. However, I am currently working on a totally different musical project with my wife. I don’t want to tell too much about it at this point, because a few of the ideas we had are already obsolete, and we don’t know if the outcome will be what we want. Again, I’d rather release something without raising any previous expectations.
Let’s get back to the thrash metal. Could you name 5 thrash metal bands which you consider, of course, your all-time favorites, and inspiration too?
I guess it is difficult for me to break it down to five. And not everything being an all-time-fave is thrash metal. But to name the most influential: Venom, Slayer, Metallica, Voivod, Sabbat (UK), and Anacrusis. All-time faves are certainly: King Diamond/Mercyful Fate, Voivod, Sabbat (UK), Anacrusis. I can listen to their catalogue over and over in its entirety, maybe, but not to one or the other not-so-powerful release.
At the moment, Malforce is only you, a one-man band. Do you plan to make it a full band in the future?
I have given this a thought since the release of the album in April 2025. On one hand, I would love to do this. On the other I am living in an area of Germany which is not really crowded with excellent musicians. Especially drums would be a major-league problem. Not to mention that all musicians have to be on the same page and shouldn’t have any ego-problems. That is rather rare.
To end this interview, is there anything else you would like to add?
Thank you for the interview. It was the first one for Malforce, which is something special to me. As well, if someone out there listened or even bought the album, thank you for doing so. If you haven’t done so yet, check it out at the Witches Brew Bandcamp: https://witchesbrewthrashes.bandcamp.com/album/force-du-mal or on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvs80932dzc
I appreciate each and every feedback to the Force du Mal.
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