INFURIATE: “INFURIATE”

 

(Our friend Vonlughlio prepared this review of the debut album by Texas-based Infuriate, which will be released by Everlasting Spew Records on August 31.)

2018 has already been a great year for Death and Brutal Death, and one of the things I’ve enjoyed more is the discovery of bands I’ve never heard before, just to be blown away with their music. Galvanizer was one of those bands and now their label mates Infuriate (both on Everlasting Spew Records) have just left me speechless with their self-titled debut album, set for release on August 31st.

My friend, Mr. Vespasiani was the guilty party who introduced me to this band and I am glad he did, since this has to be on my favorite debut-album list of all time (yes, I keep a list of those).

 

 

Infuriate was founded in late 2015 in Austin by Sterling Junkin (Id, Widower, Laughing and Lying, Venereal Baptism) and Steven Watkins (Serpentian, Sect of Execration, Sarcolytic, Images of Violence). Quick to jump on board were James Vandenberg (Whore of Bethlehem) and Jason Garza (Id, Blast Perversion, Slow Grind). To supply some low end, Alan Berryman (Whore of Bethlehem, Cathexis) joined in s bassist and a full line-up was quickly formed.

After a few months, James Vandenberg parted ways on good terms. That left Infuriate in need of a vocalist and lyricist, and Sterling stepped up for lyric writing, while Jason became a perfect fit for vocals as well as guitar duties.

As mentioned, the band are from Texas and the members are parts of other projects, and you should give them all a chance, too.  As for Infuriate, their debut captures the essence of old school (late ’90s) Death Metal, while channeling the TXDM sound in the process.  Right off the bat, you’ll notice that the production on this record is perfect, since it’s an overall natural sound that allows the listener to appreciate all the instruments.

This is a ferocious album that starts fast and shows no mercy whatsoever. Sections of the songs reveal grooves that are well-placed and do not hinder the ferocious delivery. I hit play and then listened to the album three times in a row (it’s that good and that fast), head-banging each time and feeling full of energy and just not giving a fuck about anything else.

The vocals are well-executed, and the lyrical patterns and delivery go hand-in-hand with the music, while the vocalist transmits the hateful words clearly to the listener. The bass and drums are made for each other — what a fantastic duo — blast-beats with a bass that is very audible and is the unsung hero for this release.

One further aspect of this debut that must be mentioned is the cover art by the legendary John Zig, and along with the song titles and how each of them sounds, they all tie together as if a story was being told.

Overall, this is a strong debut with diversity among the songs and a precise execution in each section that deserves a lot of attention. The guys in the band have created something special and I hope they continue with this project in the future. Even while writing this I’m listening to the album again — it crushes and has a lot of power and depth in each song.

So again, check them out and I hope you like them. If you do, go here to get Infuriate:

Everlasting Spew:
https://everlastingspew.com/
https://everlastingspewrecords.bandcamp.com/album/infuriate

Infuriate:
https://www.facebook.com/InfuriateDeathMetal/