It’s pretty much guaranteed that if you’re a death metal band with a heavy anti-Christian theme to your lyrics, you’re going to drum up a substantial amount of interest rather quickly. If you then add in some furious blast beats, slamming riffs and all round satisfying technicality into the mix then you’re creating an album that certainly won’t disappoint any death metal fan, which is exactly what five piece Desecrate the Faith have created with their second full length release Unholy Infestation.
Originating from Houston Texas, Desecrate the Faith are a talented bunch who have managed to marry together both intensely slow and slamming brutal death metal with fast, tenacious technical death too that is so fast it borders on grind at points. Legendary pioneers Suffocation are an obvious influence on Desecrate the Faith, as well as recent acts such as Raped by Pigs for their slow, thunderous groove and Anaal Nathrakh during the more chaotic and grinding segments of the album.
The third track Malignant Divinity really showcases Desecrate the Faith’s skill at combining both brutal and technical death metal. After a heavy and groove laden opening, the speed is ramped up several notches after Cowden’s booming bass solo, as the song descends into wonderfully fast technicality.
The brutality is out in full force on tenth track Septic Womb, again following Desecrate the Faith’s pattern of a slower, intense opening morphing to technical, tweedling speed as the song progresses. John Hull’s vocal style is also highly enjoyable, as he succeeds in striking an even balance between growling, guttural vocals and maintaining a suitable level of audibility throughout which adds a catchy element to the album.
Overall, Unholy Infestation is a good strong effort from Desecrate the Faith. Although there is little variety between the tracks (it is difficult to locate quite when Magna Daemonia ends and Ceremonial Invocation begins) Unholy Infestation is a powerful album that is certain to prove popular across a broad spectrum of death metal fans. Whatever your preferred style of the sub-genre is, you will find something to enjoy on this album. There are satisfyingly deep guttural vocals, savage blast beats, groovy bass solos and chugging great riffs that will leave even the most sceptical and elitist of fans mildly satisfied. With a cracking album like this under their belt, Desecrate the Faith are undoubtedly a band to keep your eyes peeled for in 2017.
(7/10 Eilish Foxen)
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