Infatuation of Death - "Code of Impiety" (Defense Records/Mythrone Promotion, 2016)

Band: Infatuation of Death
Title: Code of Impiety
Genre: Death metal
Time: 34 min
Year: 2016
Rating: 79/100










Infatuation of Death are…dead! In fact, “Code of Impiety”, released on CD by Defense Records/Mythrone Promotion on 21st October 2016, is the posthumous debut album (or so I understood!) of the Infatuation of Death, a Polish band founded in 2001 before releasing mostly demos from 2003 to 2005, though it seems that this band was alive until 2013, when these guys played in a festival headlined by the Belgian black metal band Enthroned in Krakow, Poland. Hence, “Code of Impiety”, comprised of some old demos, represents the musical testament of a very good band that deserved a better future.

Musically speaking, we are in presence of a blasphemous and merciless death metal that is, at the same time, very dynamic and rich of various and unusual intuitions. Excluded the now classic alternation between growls and screams, the Infatuation of Death are able to combine, in a very brilliant way, the more devastating brutality with excellent technical skills as shown by the frequent guitar solos of Andy, even tucking in the music two lead guitars for the same moments (“Left to the World”), exaggerating a bit.

But, if the album is enough good during its first part having as apex “Unblessed”, full of guitar solos even with interesting melodies, the entire potential of the Infatuation of Death is expressed totally in the second part of “Code of Impiety”.

In fact, “Infatuation with Death” is a mid-tempo even with some slow passages. “F.44.3”, simply put, is a short and atmospheric instrumental useful to take a break, just to be slaughtered again with the following “Icons of Impurity”, where there is even a dark passage with clean guitar. Instead, “Dead Christ Manifest” is the better track of the album also because the bass player Faja surprises everyone playing a solo! Finally, the conclusive “T.A.P.O.S.M.A.” surprises much more through strong rock’n’roll influences (listen to the guitar solos that opens the song!) and black metal riffs…without blast-beats!

Said all this, it’s a real shame that Infatuation of Death, another good band from the extreme Polish scene that some years ago dominated on the pages of this ‘zine, are split-up. Furthermore, “Code of Impiety”, for me, hasn’t real flaws, only a sound a bit weak for the drums. But this album has a great quality: it offers gradually something new surprising the listeners until the last song, with a “T.A.P.O.S.M.A.” perfect to introduce eventually a new sound for  the future productions of the band. But instead…LONG LIVE TO THE INFATUATION OF DEATH! R.I.P..

Tracklist:

1 – Code of Impiety
2 – Left to the World
3 – The Grand Declaration of Forever Hate
4 – The Essence (Lead Us into Temptation)
5 – Unblessed
6 – Infatuation with Death
7 – F.44.3
8 – Icons of Impurity
9 – Dead Christ Manifest
10 – T.A.P.O.S.M.A.

Line-up:

Gruby – vocals
Ulcer – guest vocals
Andy – guitars
Faja – bass
Bula – drums

Offical website (dead): http://infatuation.metal.pl/
Defense Records: http://www.defensemerch.com/
Mythrone Promotion: https://www.facebook.com/mythroneprom