Spring Break
'The Infection' is here; embrace it
4 out of 5 stars
Stephen Ortiz
Issue date: 4/23/09 Section: Focus
Ever been to a concert, watching whatever band is on stage ripping it up, and realize you forgot to watch out for crowd surfers as you take a steel-toe boot to the back of the head? No? Just me? Well, it's like a hammer to the skull. Now, if you could capture that pain and convert it into a sound to assault your eardrums with, then you would have Chimaira's fifth album, "The Infection," one of hardest and most destructive albums of the past two years.
The first thing to note about Chimaira's latest outing is that this is not "Resurrection." There is no "Six" on this album or even an attempt to duplicate it, and for that the band receives major points. Sure, it could have tried to recreate what arguably was the highest point of its career so far, but that's not how the bandmates roll. At the same time, however, it's made up of exactly what one would expect.
"The Infection" is a short, yet absolutely brutal album that doesn't hold back any punches. Yes, minus the instrumental epic "The Heart of it All" (which by no means should you skip, because it's a great listen and very well composed) it only clocks in at an underwhelming 40 minutes, but in that time it is safe to say that Chimaira has established itself as one of the few metal bands that, amidst a sea of mediocrity, has changed and progressed album to album. Where "Resurrection" was a solo-heavy, thrash romp through the violent barks of lead singer Mark Hunter, "The Infection" is a more mature, slowed-down outing that embraces the fact that a three minute-solo isn't always necessary on every track. I think Axl Rosenberg of MetalSucks.com put it best when he said that the album is "slowly crushing you to death instead of gutting you instantly."
This album demonstrates how the band has grown over time. With its melodic and infectious rhythms, you're going to find yourself bobbing your head and humming melodies after you hit "stop," and considering the nature of the music (i.e. heavy like whoa), that's saying something to the band's ability to write music. I hate to make the bad pun, but it's rather infectious.
If you're looking just to sample what Chimaira is all about, then start with the album opener, "The Venom Inside." It starts almost hypnotically, luring you in with a soothing riff, and then comes crashing down in an instant. The chorus explodes with double bass and face-melting guitar riffs at lightning speeds.
While "Venom" is typical Chimaira fare, be sure to check out "Impending Doom," a dark, morbid outlook on life that jumps back and forth between Hunter speaking quietly to what has to be the best chorus on the album lyrically.
All in all, this is a great album that is only hampered by its length. It's a strong outing for the Cleveland band, and it demonstrates that it can move forward in the genre.
The first thing to note about Chimaira's latest outing is that this is not "Resurrection." There is no "Six" on this album or even an attempt to duplicate it, and for that the band receives major points. Sure, it could have tried to recreate what arguably was the highest point of its career so far, but that's not how the bandmates roll. At the same time, however, it's made up of exactly what one would expect.
"The Infection" is a short, yet absolutely brutal album that doesn't hold back any punches. Yes, minus the instrumental epic "The Heart of it All" (which by no means should you skip, because it's a great listen and very well composed) it only clocks in at an underwhelming 40 minutes, but in that time it is safe to say that Chimaira has established itself as one of the few metal bands that, amidst a sea of mediocrity, has changed and progressed album to album. Where "Resurrection" was a solo-heavy, thrash romp through the violent barks of lead singer Mark Hunter, "The Infection" is a more mature, slowed-down outing that embraces the fact that a three minute-solo isn't always necessary on every track. I think Axl Rosenberg of MetalSucks.com put it best when he said that the album is "slowly crushing you to death instead of gutting you instantly."
This album demonstrates how the band has grown over time. With its melodic and infectious rhythms, you're going to find yourself bobbing your head and humming melodies after you hit "stop," and considering the nature of the music (i.e. heavy like whoa), that's saying something to the band's ability to write music. I hate to make the bad pun, but it's rather infectious.
If you're looking just to sample what Chimaira is all about, then start with the album opener, "The Venom Inside." It starts almost hypnotically, luring you in with a soothing riff, and then comes crashing down in an instant. The chorus explodes with double bass and face-melting guitar riffs at lightning speeds.
While "Venom" is typical Chimaira fare, be sure to check out "Impending Doom," a dark, morbid outlook on life that jumps back and forth between Hunter speaking quietly to what has to be the best chorus on the album lyrically.
All in all, this is a great album that is only hampered by its length. It's a strong outing for the Cleveland band, and it demonstrates that it can move forward in the genre.
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