Cold Blood War

Infest has got to be the first Serbian band that I encounter, despite their rather long history and the number of releases the band has had so far. Cold Blood War is the band’s fourth full length album, and with the release being handled by the excellent Xtreem Music, fans of death metal can be sure to be in for yet another excellent death metal treat.

Apart from the album title, the band quickly displays their fascination for war and destruction, with the opening intro track including sound samples of the chaos of war, before hitting the listener hard with Destroyer of Their Throne. Immediately, one draw comparisons with Polish bands such as Vader or Japanese maniacs GxSxD (who I miss a lot), not only with the vocals of Vandal who strongly resemblances Piotr Wiwczarek, but also in the playing style of the entire band. The riffs of Tyrant and Vandal manage to sound crushing yet urgent at the same time, fusing the brutality of death metal with the speed and high octane style of bands such as Dark Angel or Sepultura‘s early extreme thrash metal. Drummer Zombie, apart from providing much of the battery, also manages to throw in some elements of groove as well, making Cold Blood War one hell of a headbanging/moshing experience at the same time.

The entire album is a massive speed fest, and there is hardly a moment for the listener to breathe as the album progresses, making Cold Blood War one hell of an experience for those who are into fast, groovy yet not overly technical death metal releases. While chaos and destruction are key on the album, the band does not forget to include some slightly catchier moments, like in the middle of Of Everlasting Hate, where the band suddenly breaks into a nice galloping, groovy section. Furthermore, the leads of Tyrant often alternate between a more melodic, soaring style to a more shred-friendly style.

While some may find too much similarities in Cold Blood War with the releases of Vader, Infest‘s latest album has certainly left a rather deep impact on me for the Serbian metal scene, with the band displaying a high level of musicianship. Infest‘s Cold Blood War is definitely a nice introduction to Serbian extreme metal.