Malignus Youth
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Malignus Youth was a
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
band from
Sierra Vista Sierra Vista is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2020 Census, the population of the city is 45,308, and is the 27th most populous city in Arizona. The city is part of the Sierra Vista-Douglas Metropolitan Are ...
, Arizona, that was active from 1987–1994 and again from 1999–2001. They continue to play sporadic reunion shows through 2020. Known for their unique sound featuring exceptional complexity in musical arrangements, vocal harmonies, melodic structure, classical music influences, and fast tempos, Malignus Youth have released two LPs (including one live album), two 7-inch EPs, a five-part musical setting of the Roman Catholic
Mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...
on CD, and a retrospective CD compilation of unreleased tracks. Their vinyl output was also collected onto one CD.


Lineup

Band members included: * James Martin (guitars/vocals) * Octavio Olaje (vocals) * Tom Shelden (bass/vocals) * Mike Armenta (drums/vocals)


Musical style

Typical of traditional hardcore punk, early Malignus Youth songs featured fast tempos, 4/4 time, slow introductions followed by fast verse-chorus-verse, and lyrics with social relevance. As their musical style developed, song tempos became faster (up to 340 - 380 beats per minute). Shouted vocals developed into three-part harmonies. Song structures became more complicated. Guitar solos were very rare, only occurring in three songs in their 60-song catalog. Instead, the single guitar would serve as accompaniment to fluid, singing, melodic bass lines played by Shelden in high ranges uncommon in hardcore punk. Four part polyrhythms consisting of guitar, vocal and Armenta's drum lines served to counterpoint Shelden's bass guitar. Complicated
minor Minor may refer to: * Minor (law), a person under the age of certain legal activities. ** A person who has not reached the age of majority * Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education Music theory *Minor chord ** Barb ...
and modal chord progressions appear in some songs. Other features that characterized Malignus Youth's musical style were the use of authentic cadences. These chord progressions of 4 to 6 chords would repeat at a fast tempo giving the listener an intuitive feeling of tension-release-tension. Also, by taking turns on the lead vocal, an impression would be created that a single vocalist was singing fast lyrics for a long duration, all in one breath without interruption.


History


First self-titled EP release (1988)

In January 1988, using a late 1970s model four-track reel to reel, eight songs were recorded live in Martin's parents' bedroom-turned-studio. These eight tracks were released on a clear vinyl extended-play (EP) album, self-entitled ''Malignus Youth'' on their new label Youth Inc Records. These albums are now out of print.


The Southern Arizona hardcore scene (1988-1990)

In the late 1980s, the active punk rock scene in
Cochise County Cochise County () is a county in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. It is named after the Native American chief Cochise. The population was 125,447 at the 2020 census. The county seat is Bisbee and the most populous city is ...
surged new bands such as Dover Trench, Opinion Zero, Headspace (not to be confused with the British band), Blood Spasm,
Civil Order Civil may refer to: *Civic virtue, or civility *Civil action, or lawsuit * Civil affairs *Civil and political rights *Civil disobedience *Civil engineering *Civil (journalism), a platform for independent journalism *Civilian, someone not a membe ...
, Feast Upon Cactus Thorns, Cosmic Jackhammer, E.G.A.D.S.,
Attack Mode Formula E, officially the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, is a single-seater motorsport championship for electric cars. The series was conceived in 2011 in Paris by FIA president Jean Todt and Spanish businessman Alejandro Agag, who is ...
, Unshaven Apricots and many more. Later in 1989, Malignus Youth was booked on the same bill as
Bad Religion Bad Religion is an American punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1980. The band's lyrics cover topics related to religion, politics, society, the media and science. Musically, they are noted for their melodic sensibilitie ...
. They also opened for Citizen Fish, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, and The Misfits.


''Crisis'' 7-inch EP (1990)

In 1990, a second EP, ''Crisis'', was released as a limited edition red and white vinyl which has since become out of print. The music contained themes of conflict, personal loss, fear of growing up, hopelessness and suicide. ''Crisis'' marked a diversion from punk rock conventions by adopting composition techniques associated with classical music.


''More To It'' LP (1991)

These unique elements of Malignus Youth's music were displayed in the 1991 full-length LP ''More To It'', released on blue vinyl. This album is now out of print. ''More To It'' took the shape of a
concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
, the resolution of the "crisis" explored in the previous EP, united by keys and themes, and partially inspired by the writings of philosopher
Immanuel Kant Immanuel Kant (, , ; 22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804) was a German philosopher and one of the central Enlightenment thinkers. Born in Königsberg, Kant's comprehensive and systematic works in epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and ...
Arguably, ''More To It'' represented Malignus Youth musical style at its most sophisticated. The album featured artistic elements and experimental tangents in different musical styles, and even slight canonic variation. This range of borrowed styles demonstrated a familiarity with musical theory mostly uncharacteristic of punk rock.


On tour (1992)

Large audience responses subsequently encouraged a growing respect for Malignus Youth within the punk rock world, with other established artists eventually attesting to their quality. Over the next three years, Malignus Youth toured the western United States, playing at Tacoland in
San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= U.S. state, State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , s ...
, at Northern California's 924 Gilman Street with
Green Day Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career, they have been a powe ...
, in Salt Lake City with
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones The Mighty Mighty Bosstones (informally referred to as The Bosstones and often stylized as The Mighty Mighty BossToneS) were an American ska punk band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1983. From the band's inception, lead vocalist Dicky ...
and in Fort Collins,
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
with The Offspring. Mailignus Youth had also opened up for
Fear Fear is an intensely unpleasant emotion in response to perceiving or recognizing a danger or threat. Fear causes physiological changes that may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the threat. Fear ...
,
Citizen Fish Citizen Fish is an English punk rock band that has been active since 1990 and shares members with Subhumans. Citizen Fish does not emphasize the raw political statements and nihilistic viewpoint of the former, instead focusing on issues of ...
, D.R.I, and The Misfits.


"Missa Brevis" and "Ephemeral"

Between tours in 1993, Malignus Youth released a setting of the Roman Catholic
Mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different elementar ...
, designated " Missa brevis". This work, an homage to the Western Classical tradition of composing music for liturgical texts, and featuring the Greek and Latin text with additional English lyrics, was released with additional unreleased tracks, collectively called ''Ephemeral''. This album is now out of print.


Breakup and compilation "Vinyl CD" (1994-1998)

Following their 1994 tour, the members of Malignus Youth separated to pursue different academic and musical goals and unofficially disbanded. In the next few years, as the original vinyl pressings became rarer and rarer, demand for Malignus Youth on CD prompted a 1998 re-release of the ''Malignus Youth'' EP, the ''Crisis'' EP and the full-length LP, ''More To It'' on a single CD entitled ''Vinal CD''. These CDs are now out of print.


Tucson reunion show and documentary (2014)

In summer 2014, Malignus Youth reunited for a one-time fundraising show at the Rialto Theater in Tucson, AZ. Footage from this concert was recorded for a
Kickstarter Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...
-funded documentary, "Family: The Story of Malignus Youth" (working title). On 2 June 2019, the full concert video was released on YouTube by the band as "Malignus Youth: The Genius and the Strange".


Discography


7" EPs

*''Malignus Youth'' (Youth Inc., 1990) pressings of 500 copies - clear vinyl first pressing, black vinyl second pressing*''Crisis'' (Youth Inc., 1991) pressing of 1000 copies - 500 on red vinyl, 500 on white vinyl


Albums

*''More To It'' LP (Youth Inc., 1992) 200 copies pressed on blue vinyl*''Missa Brevis/Ephemeral'' CD (Youth Inc., 1998) *''Vinyl CD'' (Youth Inc., 1999) *''Rialto'' Live Double LP (Youth Ink., 2020) 00 copies pressed on red vinyl


Home video

''Live at the Sweatlodge - March 24, 1990 - Bisbee, Arizona'' (Youth Inc.)


Compilation appearances

*''Yeah But It's a Dry Heat'' (West World Records, 1993) *Southern AZ compilation with Malignus Youth, Fells, Lonely Trojans, Zero Tolerance Task Force, Skinnerbox, Feast Upon Cactus Thorns, Mondo Guano, Bloodspasm, etc. *Malignus Youth tracks "I.U.T.Y." (CD only) and "Shadows" (on both the LP and CD)


References


External links

* Official Malignus Youth Facebook page with downloadable Malignus Youth songs: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Malignus-Youth/252238344329 * Flier from 1992 show in Olympia https://web.archive.org/web/20070107100718/http://www.killrockstars.com/basement/images/Fullsize/Witchypoo_MalignusYouth.jpg * Flier from 2000 show in Tucson with DRI: http://www.gigposters.com/posters/393.jpg * Reviews of the two reissue CDs with artwork and track listing: http://www.ssmt-reviews.com/artist/malig.html * Review of Missa Brevis/Ephermeral at Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Missa-Brevis-Ephemeral-Malignus-Youth/dp/B000B85NCQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1304128718&sr=8-1 {{Authority control Hardcore punk groups from Arizona American melodic hardcore musical groups Musical groups established in 1987 1987 establishments in Arizona People from Sierra Vista, Arizona