Malachi

They’re certainly not the only doom-metal outfit in town, but Malachi distinguishes itself from its peers through both scope and instrumentation. Their dirges often pass the 10-minute mark, alternating between barren and violent, allowing plenty of time for their churning, thundercloud riffs to build to sharp, thrashing breaksa byproduct of the band’s background in punk and hardcore. The group’s real trump card, though, is their cello, played by classical trained cellist Betsy Rettig, which imbues the band’s suites with a sense of grandeur and emotional resonance. Tonight, Malachi tops a 10 p.m. bill at the Cactus Club.