Infector - "Let the Infection Begin" (Defense Records, 2019)

Band: Infector
Title: Let the Infection Begin
Genre: Thrash Metal
Time: 35.05 min
Release date: 2019
Vote: 78/100













It seems a totally another life when I published the first episode of "Metal in the Box", in which I announced the arrival of a mega-pack from Mythrone Promotion. The fuckin' Coronavirus seemed so far for us and no one thought that the quarantine would strike the entire world. So, bands with names such as these Infector, that I am finally going to review today after many months, are very fit for these uncertain times, especially when we are in presence of an album entitled "Let the Infection Begin". What a prophetic title, don't you think?

Released in 2019 by Defense Records, "Let the Infection Begin" is the debut album of Infector, a very young trio having the particularity to come from a country truly exotic: Cuba. In fact, they are the first ever Cuban band that I listened to and I have to say that this first journey into the Cuban metal was fukken fantastic! This because we are talking about a band playing, through the 9 songs of the album, a thrash metal attack in the vein of Slayer, Razor and Kreator. So, expect to be bombarded by diabolic vocals à la Mille Petrozza reinforced by some gang choruses, devastating riffs accompanied by a series of frantic guitar solos and pounding and sometimes very fast drums (but who played them or are they a drum-machine? Strange, they seem to be so real!). But the thrash metal played by Infector, if compared with one-dimensional bands like Toxik Attack or Alcoholocaust, is characterized by a good variety and dynamicity.

Speaking about this "variety and dynamicity", they are allowed also by some special features. The first one comes from slight death metal influences here and there, so to make more wicked and brutal the entire music, like in "Deranged" and in the titletrack. And the second one is very particular and it shows some proggy tunes: the participative role of the bass, that in the merciless "Poser's Holocaust" (which is my favourite song of the album) plays even a solo less before an end so memorable for its demented destruction. Plus, the album opens with an intro full of an oriental flavour reminding me a lot of Artillery and so, as you can see, Infector are sometimes courageous in the solutions offered.

In brief, "Let the Infection Begin" is a very good exercise into the '80s thrash metal standards but showing interesting ideas (i.e. the proggy tunes) that can be developed better in the next releases of the band, so I'm curious about the future of the Infector. Meanwhile, enjoy this debut album that has also an awesome cartoonish cover artwork, raw and brutal as it should be for a band of this kind. So, you have been warned, the Cuban thrash metal will conquer your fuckin' minds!

Tracklist:

1 - Shrine of Desperation
2 - Deranged
3 - Blind Faith
4 - Let the Infection Begin
5 - Fallout of Mankind
6 - The Void of Consciousness
7 - Poser's Holocaust
8 - Chernobil
9 - Thrashard

Line-up:

Frank J. Carmenate - vocals/guitars
Fabio R. Castillo - guitars/backing vocals
José Hernandez - bass/backing vocals

FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/infector.kuba
Defense Records: https://www.facebook.com/defensemerch
Mythrone Promotion: https://www.facebook.com/mythroneprom