The Palpable Leprosy of Pollution

Infant Annihilator, everyone’s favorite band. This is some of the best deathcore out there for sure, straight up. As the bothersome name suggests, the music surely does suit the band's name. This is absolute insanity and you'll definitely remember this album once you hear it.

Obviously we may as well start out with the main aspect - the drums. I don't even know where to begin. They're balls fast, bursting with incredible amounts of energy, filled to the brim with blast after blast after blast. There are barely any breaks from the sheer intensity of the drumming. The drums have everything you could want, they're too good! Sure as hell is a technical deathcore band, the drums don't miss a single beat or measure and never go off time. They follow the guitar and other instruments well and as needed. Though they're relentless and don't give the listener much of a break, it's never TOO much. That sounds pretty ironic, but it's the truth. Despite the constant and relentless blasting and speed, the drums do have some variety and lead you out on a nice trip throughout the music until it ends.

Pretty much the biggest talk that revolves around this record is about how the drumming is "fake", "computerized", and whatever else. They may or may not be fake, I don't know, but I really just don't give a fuck at all about the legitimacy of the drums. I've seen Aaron Kitcher's playing on a real set, looks real and fluid to me. I don't even really feel like saying this, but I should. Doesn't matter if the drums are computerized or are over the top crazy, if the outcome is good and I enjoy the way it sounds, it's a win for me. And that's 100% the case here. LOVE the drumming on this album. The snare has a distinct sound and the rest of the set doesn't sound too computery, has a natural enough sound to me, but again; that doesn't matter if the outcome is good. The drumming is easily the best aspect of this album aside from the vocals.

The guitars pretty much have the same characteristics as the drums. Crazy, random, and unpredictable. While again maintaining those attributes, the guitar parts still flow through the music greatly and is a total eargasm. The guitar has a peak "deathcore" sound and tone, your regular deep - dark-esque chug, (think of Whitechapel’s first two albums), and it's nice. It's your average deathcore sound but with a slight dark and muddy twist, and it sounds great! The guitars don't hold back aside from the "core" sound and the addictive thick chugs. There's some songs that have insane tapping, some sweeping, wankery (in a good way, it’s so satisfying), and even more. The first song off the album starts out with a satisfying chug slam riff, and it's so mesmerizing. It’s very groovy and gets my head banging! I really love the chugging on this album, it lasts out for a little then comes back and hooks you in with swift and sudden rambunctiousness. “Flayed and Consumed” featuring Lucas Mann is awesome as hell too. He adds to the already existing chaos of this record with his trademark pinball machine/computer/video game fuckery guitar parts he writes. Stuff like that I simply love, sudden parts where the random fuckery and creativity just burst out in your face all of a sudden, really good stuff. My main likes regarding the guitars is the tone, the variety it has, the fact that the parts are very entertaining, and the fact that it lets you know it's there and is functioning, and that it'll keep on being active till everything is finished. Beauty.

The bass is present even though you primarily hear the drums and guitars. It's definitely hearable and doesn't get fully mixed in with the other instruments, so great job on that. On some tracks the bass will stand out on certain sections, allowing you to hear it even more clearly; and it's some of the most satisfying stuff ever. The bass is played excellently, is heavy, and truly does sound like a natural, thick bass for a fact.

Dan Watson, the vocal mastermind behind this phenomenal album does an EXCELLENT job at delivering vocals. The album mainly consists of juicy, deep, monster sounding gutturals. It sounds like a monster demanding something, shouting and shouting until he gets what he wants. Honestly the best way to describe it. The gutturals are amazing and absolutely perfect, Dan definitely knows what he's doing. Now we got the highs, the screams. If he's that good at gutturals then he's gotta be good at highs (screaming) too, and he sure is! The highs are flawless actually, and it never sounds weak or underdeveloped. The screams go well with the music, and when Dan holds out for a long time, it's so so awesome. There's no lack, no fault, no disadvantage when it comes to this man's vocals. Dan is one of the best, if not THE best Deathcore vocalist, and that sure as hell is an absolute fact. Hail this man, he was great live when I saw Enterprise Earth in 2019, and will forever be one of the deathcore goats and general goats.

Every song is so awesome. I wouldn't say there's any song that's bad at all or anything; nothing here is bad, not a single entire song sucks. There definitely are tracks that are better than others, but this is a great album all the way through. And that's what I like about this album. Everything is just awesome as fuck and keeps me entertained and happy. An absolute delicious eargasm, my god.

I absolutely love how chaotic and (in a good way), idiotic this record is. It sounds like you've been grabbed by the leg by a giant gorilla, and that thing is hanging you upside down and flailing your body around everywhere while simultaneously running down an imploding mountain and screaming in your face. Imagine that but for 55 minutes straight. Absolute peak deathcore here. This is awesome, heavy, and CATCHY.

In conclusion, The Palpable Leprosy of Pollution is furious, awesome, catchy, and indeed brutal. The instrumentation is extremely entertaining, the drums are rambunctious, the guitars sound pretty much perfect and have an awesome variety in their sound and playing, and to top it all off, you have the brutal meaty lows followed by the shrieking loud highs provided wonderfully by Dan Watson. Every aspect lives up to its purpose. This is most certainly one of the best deathcore albums ever made, definitely an essential album that every deathcore fan should know. Even if you're not a deathcore fan, check this out and give it a try. And to the people who endlessly shit on Infant Annihilator; enough with the corny hate. We get it. Only chad individuals realize that this band absolutely FUCKS.

I’ll say this forever and ever - this is peak deathcore. A must listen!!!

Favorite/Best/Standout Tracks:
Decapitation Fornication (best track on the album)
Cuntcrusher
I. Infant Annihilator