JINJER is not the only East-European band making waves on the metal scene. Hailing from Moldova, five-piece metal act INFECTED RAIN have been steadily rising through the ranks since publishing their debut album, “Asylum,” in 2011. After relentless touring and slots at many major European festivals, the band have signed with powerhouse label Napalm Records, and, on January 7th, 2022, have released album #5, “Ecdysis,” which is set to carry the well-deserved hype even further.
With a sound that blends elements of nu-metal and metalcore with alternative rock soundscapes, it is not an easy feat to put a defining label on the music that INFECTED RAIN has been creating for more than a decade, though progressive modern metal come pretty close. Add to this Lena Scissorhands extremely melodious clean vocals and impressive screams and you get music that can sway from sonically slaughtering passages to hauntingly beautiful sections in the space of a few seconds. First single released and album opener, “Postmortem Pt. 1,” showcases these extremities quite well and can be seen as a microcosm of the album’s dynamics and aural diversity. Slow burner “Fighter” is one of the heaviest cuts on the album as it establishes not only Lena Scissorhands as a formidable and versatile singer but also the guitar section as being hefty and robust. The featuring with Heidi Shepherd (BUTCHER BABIES), “The Realm of Chaos,” is another monster of a track with a great call-and-response type of dynamic happening between the two vocalists on a solid base of thundering bass and sharp guitars.
On the other hand, such songs as the groove-laden “Longing” with its unpredictable rhythms or the nifty “Goodbye” which boasts towering guitar riffs and barreling drums keep the listeners engaged and interested in what else the band can deliver. “Goodbye” is especially haunting thanks to Lena’s breathy, airy vocals in the chorus, vocals that seem to float on top of the heavy instrumental section. In similar fashion, “Everlasting Lethargy” starts off with a massive wall of sound and fast-paced vocals but mid-way through it changes gears and veers into trance-pop territory spearheaded by delicate synths and mesmerizing vocals. It is in songs like “Goodbye,” “Everlasting Lethargy,” hazy electro affair “Nine Ten,” and closing track “Postmortem pt. 2” that the melody and beauty of Lena’s vocals really shine through. Other stand-out tracks on this album are “Showers” where modern metal is infused with subtle electronic soundscapes and hardcore heaviness for extra punch and “Never the Same” whose ebb and flow is wonderfully paced to bait one into repeated listens.
To sum everything up, “Ecdysis” is an intense sonic journey through progressive modern metal, where elements of melodic metal mesh with the aggressiveness of nu-metal and the occasional lightness of the synth so as to create a neat balance between instrumental brutality and moments of pure vocal bliss. Even if this description fits the likes of SPIRITBOX, PERSONA, and JINJER quite well, INFECTED RAIN walk their own path on the metal scene with conviction, passion, and gusto. With a more mature approach to songwriting, “Ecdysis” is a testament to the band’s desire to deliver quality metal songs that feel fresh and nuanced, and that will surely make more people take note of INFECTED RAIN.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
1. Postmortem Pt. 1
2. Fighter
3. Longing
4. Goodbye
5. The Realm of Chaos ft. Heidi Shepherd (Butcher Babies)
6. Everlasting Lethargy
7. These Walls
8. Showers
9. November
10. Never the Same
11. Nine, Ten
12. Postmortem Pt. 2
Line up
Lena Scissorhands – Vocals
Vadim Ojog “Vidick” – Guitar
Sergey Babici – Guitar
Vladimir Babici – Bass
Eugene Voluta – Drums
Label
Napalm records
