Infectology - Promo 2021 (New Standard Elite)

You know it's gonna be a good year for slam when there's a demo that catches your ear that is six minutes long, from a band you've never heard, and which you play on repeat for days straight like a psycho. Enter Infectology.

I've already talked at length in my past few entries since restarting this blog about how 2021 seems like a real renaissance, so I'll dispense with that right out of the gate, but seriously... what is happening right now? This demo follows an album from 2016 (coincidentally released on Gore House Productions who have featured heavily in this blog since its recent rebirth) that was... not great. I don't even think I listened to the first Infectology album until I discovered this new demo and went back to check it out. It's decent and everything, at least from a songwriting perspective, but the production could not be further from this new demo. In a sense, their 2016 album reminds me a little of some of that oddly-melodic/epic Colombian slam/BDM (such as Blaze Inside or Suppuration), and the sound quality in general is somewhat quaint but not impressive.

Well, forget everything you thought you knew about Infectology before this post (unless you've already listened to this blisteringly-brutal demo, in which case, you definitely already know what I'm about to elucidate upon), because holy fuck. This new demo is unnecessarily intense and tight, jaw-droppingly heavy, massive, and well-written. It starts with four ping-y snare hits that lead to a massive, charging, chunky riff section that features some of the most amazing dual-vocal tradeoffs I've heard lately. The pinch-harmonic laden verse riff that leads to the first rolling slam is out-of-this-world good, bringing to mind comparisons to Cerebral Effusion, and the next few sections are pure ping slam in the Ecchymosis style with lots of fun flair and aplomb throughout. This is a massive step up in quality from the 2016 album. It doesn't even sound remotely like the same band.

The second track seems like it's going to bring out some Hymenotomy-type groove/intensity, but the quick fake-out in the beginning leads to straightforward blasting with heavily reverbed vocals and a continuation of the harmonic-punctuated chunky slam style from the first song. The main thrust of the track has a rolling groove mixed with some chaotic snare rolls and a superb slam that makes me think of the darker and creepier side of slam (somewhat pioneered by Condemned), just overall dripping with atmosphere and intensity. The bass tone on this thing is also out of control, and the playing itself is superb. In a genre where rhythm is extremely important, sometimes it feels like the bass guitar is forgotten. There are some obvious bands that implement this instrument in a meaningful, compositionally-deft way, but a lot of the time it's pretty much just going to be an element that follows the guitar. Right from the outset of the first track, the blasting sections that are punctuated by quick hammer-ons on guitar are also outfitted with loud, clear, and sharp bass playing that is brought alive and rendered interesting and salient by a superb mix. I don't think I'm alone when I say that I cannot fucking wait for the album signaled by these two tracks. Dan at NSE is once again doing a fantastic job scouting talent, no doubt about it. This is the best demo I've heard in ages and I consider it a wonderfully brutal teaser of things to come for this outfit. Listen to it now below.

As always, NSE merchandise is available here.