Infrared – From the Black Swamp
Release Date: 30th September 2021
Label: Self Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Thrash
FFO: Metallica, Testament, Slayer, Exodus, Anthrax.
Review By: Jordan Burton-Morris
Wow! Infrared are back once again! It may have taken a while since their formation in 1985, but now they’re being consistent! Let’s hope it continues…
So, the new album is called From the Black Swamp, and is out on the 30th September, 2021. This will be released digitally through their bandcamp page, which you can find above! Well, without further ado, let’s get stuck into this album!
01) Tribal Junction:
The title makes sense as the track starts with a tribal chant, as a drone merges it to this bass driven thrash track. I’m a sucker for a good bassline, and these guys have it. Good old fast paced, face-melting thrash metal. These guys don’t stop bringing the fire. Pounding drums, thundering bass, monstrous riffs and Tom Araya style vocals. Amazing skill from Armin Kamal and Kirk Gidley (guitars). The lead guitar work is particularly insane. This album was produced by Armin himself (vocals, guitars). Such a crisp sound! There’s a very short breakdown about 2/3 of the way in, before the onslaught ensues again. The chanting backing vocals really add to the emphasis. A great opener!
02) No Master, No Gods:
Starts with a strong slow intro, as it works it’s way into classic Infrared paced thrash. Great lyrical themes in this one – you’ll find I don’t comment on the lyrics much as I review albums. I tend to listen to the voice more as an instrument than anything else on the first listen, so you’ll rarely see me comment on lyrics. However, I have the lyrics in front of me here, and I have briefly scanned them before playing this album just to know what to expect. This particular song has the main theme, ‘You will not control me, I think for myself,’ with the recurring line, ‘Live in hate, Die in hate.’ Amazing bassline here from Mike Forbes. Immediately after this review I will have to go and learn this… Alain Groulx (drums) does an amazing job keeping the tempo with a few fills. The downward bends are at the forefront of this song and it sounds great! The guitar work seems untouchable here, with some Am I Evil? type triplets going on. Definitely a track to scream at the top of your lungs!
03) Lockdown:
Well I wonder where this track originated… It starts out with a dark riff, before descending into the onslaught. Really liking how high Mike Forbes’ bass is in the mix. This high-energy song sounds like something you’d find on an early Testament album, but featuring Tom Araya on vocals. One thing’s for sure, it rocks! Insane solo featuring heavy fast paced tapping. This song really has it all, harmonies over the riff after the solo? Check. What else could be here? Well I haven’t heard a kazoo yet (That’s because these guys are serious thrash metal rockers Jordan, snap out of it.) Well anyway, it’s safe to say this is the best track so far, in my opinion.
04) Left Lane F√₵k!:
A song about asshole drivers, but also a metaphor for people hindering or sabotaging your progress in life. That intro riff is catchy as hell. If that’s anything to go by, then we’re in for another banger. Interesting tempo here, the drums lead it, but it’s not just straight drumming, there’s an element of swing to it, which is very cool and adds a uniqueness to the track. You can hear every word leaving Armin’s mouth, full of rage and passion, which adds to the song tremendously. The build up riff to the solo about three minutes in is amazing, and then the solo comes in. Wow, what a solo! Very melodic, which always goes down well with me. It ticks all the right boxes.
05) Eat Your Own:
The intro riff sounds like something Metallica would write. Always promising. Slightly slower pace, but this is the type of song you headbang to until your neck falls off! The guitar is quite busy here, but not too busy that it’s cluttered. Just enough to be varied and sounding crisp. The thunderous bass of Forbes is once again driving the song. The backing vocals added in at the chorus are clean, giving a contrast between the harsh and the soft, which is carried out really well. And then of course, there is minimal time before your face is melted off by the insanely fast paced solo, which I can only imagine has tapping all the way up and down the fretboard. Some great drum fills here, utilising all the space created. These guys really know how to create an old school, thrash metal headbanger, Even all these years later! And we get an outro solo to finish this one off.
06) From the Black Swamp:
Here we are, halfway through this album (roughly) and we have reached the title track. One of the singles released in anticipation of this amazing album. Expecting big things from this, especially as it is the albums second longest track, clocking in at 6 minutes and 11 seconds. And the drums are already bringing the heat with a quiet quadruplet pattern going in the background as the guitars noodle over the top. Here we go, the bass comes in and the pace picks up. Great heavy riff. The verse riff sounds very Slayer like, which matches the vocals quite well. The pace slows down slightly to andante for the chorus, but once that’s over, it wastes no time in picking up again. Forbes keeps smashing out bassline after bassline and they’re all extraordinary. And in comes the solo. Very melodic here, which I dig. A bit of tapping thrown in there as well, just for comfort. Lyrically themed in betrayal and abuse by those closest to you. The chorus after the solo sounds so rich and powerful, especially with the added reverb to the backing vocals, getting almost a Powerwolf sound. A great powerful single!
07) Evil Ascent:
The only other single released from this album (as of 24th September) so hopefully it picks up where the title track left off! Starts with a weird guitar only riff. South Of Heaven style, but with jungle noises. Then the bass comes in, almost Municipal Waste style. The drums quickly join, and soon the vocals start. Low grumbling vocals this time? Oh no, I spoke too soon. Here we are with a faster paced track with the classic harsh vocals. Groulx does a great job behind the kit here, directing everyone along this track, through its many tempo changes. Lots of chugging going on here towards the chorus. Then we go back to this intro part again with the jungle noises? It’s abstract but it works with the rest of the song and I love the uniqueness. And soon the pace picks up again, with the thunderous bass pounding away, leading us to the solo. What an insane lick here. Very fast paced shredding all the way across the fretboard before we descend into the chorus. The added high backing vocals add emphasis to the final chorus. A great way to start off this second half!
08) Blood and Sweat:
Just the title of this one gives me expectations for a pedal to the metal, classic thrash track. And with a nice slow intro, it slowly merges into a fast paced thrash track! It’s almost as if the title could predict it… The guitars are harmonising well with each other, and then the vocals come in, reaching higher notes than some of the previous tracks. Once we get to the chorus, the chanting is back. This track is using a lot of anthemic features. Wouldn’t surprise me if this is the next single. Some insane drum fills here, really showing off what Alain is capable of. After the second chorus, the guitars harmonise, you can just hear the build up to what has to be a solo. And after a few more lines from Armin, it comes. A surprisingly short melodic solo, rather than a tapping extravaganza, but it’s still great. Proper headbanging anthem this one.
09) Eternal Exile:
Very low vocals to start here, almost like a warning of what’s to come. It starts out as a Sabbath style track here, moderately paced, mainly focusing on the guitar. But of course, in true Infrared tradition, it speeds up. And the vocals ensue. ‘Suffer, Dead world, Time cries, Blackened spirit,’ is shouted at the top of Armin’s lungs, emphasising the meaning of these words, before the speed picks up again. The vocals are different here! A lot lower than earlier. The repetition of ‘Fight’ chanted throughout is very powerful, especially as the bass follows the vocals there. An evil cackle at the end because why not? This song is almost like Black Sabbath meets thrash and it works!
10) Tradimento:
A short distorted melodic intro here before the thrash kicks in. And that riff! It’s groovy. I love it. Of course Alain is behind the sticks, so the tempo soon increases ready for the vocals. WOAH! Armin goes from the harsh style to clean singing and it sounds insane! Totally unexpected here but definitely welcome. This track has so much compiled into such a short track, yet it doesn’t feel overdone at all. These guys have it all worked out. The chorus is definitely the highlight here. A nice double time on the drums towards the solo, and then the solo kicks in. Not an insane solo, but it fills the gap. This one might change my slot for best track…
11) Beautiful Death:
The intro is fierce. Not long before Armin starts slaying with his lyrics. Forbes’ bass sounding especially good here as he holds his notes at the end of phrases, utilising the higher strings also. Minimal tempo changes so far, but we are only halfway in. Yep, spoke too soon. Now we have a slow building section, before the pace builds up again. A great interlude jam-packed with juicy riffs. The solo gives a doom vibe, especially with the harmonies. Very nice scale based riffs at the end of this one. Good fills too.
12) Semita Domum:
Quite an interesting topic here, finding the path back home after being thrown off course. With a sensitive topic like that, it’s only right to start with an acoustic guitar. And a Dire Straights type solo. Quite orchestral but I don’t predict that staying. This is the longest track on the album, clocking in at around six and a half minutes. Forbes is exploring the bass a bit more here, Groulx having fun behind the kit. The lead guitar plays quite a long melodic solo, which I am in no way mad at, it sounds great. We fade out into a bass solo? Really? Very rare you get that. The guitars come in to harmonise with the bass and the drums give a half time feel. 4 minutes in and no lyrics? Not complaining, it’s a great composition here. But in comes Armin with some vocal riffing. The same 4 lines are repeated 3 times across this song and that’s all the lyrics here. Not a lot of lyrics, but somehow, each repetition is made to sound different to the last. The use of high vocal harmonies on the last repetition really adds to the power, before we digress into a half time solo. Showing off a lot of skill here, this is their time to shine. It’s almost emotional, as this track swiftly draws to a close.
Final thoughts: A great old school thrash album that would fit in perfectly back in the 80’s. I don’t actually have anything to critique this album on, other than maybe longer solos on certain tracks as they can feel a bit short sometimes. But that’s splitting hairs. Truly recommended as an essential to all thrash fans!
(5 / 5)
