Infestus - E X | I S T - review

Infestus - E X | I S T - review

Cover image of the reviewed item
Band
Infestus
Album
E X | I S T
Style
Black metal
Release date
May 16, 2011
Reviewer
8.2
8.2
Tracklist
01. Akoasma
02. Down Spiral Depersonification
03. Darkness Blazing In The Flame Of Fire
04. Torn Observer
05. Mirror Mind Reality
06. Der Blick Hinaus
07. Descend Direction Void
A review by
KwonVerge
August 18, 2011
Something very nasty must happen to leave behind my admiration for the German black metal scene of the later years and Infestus are not here to serve this cause. Being a one-man band nowadays, Andras takes care of everything and the third full-length is reality. E x | I s t its title and the existential matters keep on breathing through the sullen, grey cover artwork which prepares the listener in the most appropriate way.

Once again one of my musical wishes has come to life, the surrounding ambiance owes its reason of existence to the guitars in the first place and then to the vocal factor. No keyboards required ladies and gentlemen, they are in exile. Everything relies upon the basic instrumentation under the supervision of the figure behind Infestus. The railway riffing forges abandoned walls of sound while the melodic leads and soloing ideas whistle among the ruins and make the overall scenery even more oppressive. And there, in the corner, an acoustic guitar makes its appearance every now and then to adorn the compositions with a more fragile and affected aura. There are moments the guitars wholeheartedly weep and where there's weeping, there's always hate about someone or something, a situation, a person, the world, even yourself. And this is when the vocals come to the foreground to shake the foundations of the album either with their scornful, howling grunts or a more desolate aspect. The overall atmosphere becomes more intense whenever some kind of desperate yet dominant shouts arise with grandeur from internal depths with asphyxiating pressure, whereas the recites and the whispers are the volcanic fumes before the eruption. And let's not forget the rhythm section! In one hand, the bass lines are quite vivid and pulsate like lashes upon the guitars in the ideal coordinates. On the other hand, the drumming with its powerful creativity holds tight the structure from the emotional decline.

If you're looking for a decent work of atmospheric black metal made in Germany, you shouldn't skip this. E x | I s t is here to adorn your free time with welcome amounts of gloom.
Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 8
Originality: 7
Production: 9
Written on 18.08.2011 by
Written on 18.08.2011 by
"It is myself I have never met, whose face is pasted on the underside of my mind."

Comments

Comments: 20 Visited by 255 users
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Permalink
18.08.2011 - 02:09
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
This is still probably my favourite black metal record this year, even in a year as saturated with atmospheric black metal bands as 2011. It just does everything absolutely perfectly. It's immense.
Loading...
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Permalink
18.08.2011 - 02:36
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Sorry Der, I'm gonna leave this here because I love it so damn much and want as many people to have a go with this band as poss

Loading...
KwonVerge
Odysseus
Elite

Posts: 5068


Permalink
18.08.2011 - 02:44
KwonVerge
Odysseus
Elite

Posts: 5068


Lol, sorry for what? You can post the whole tube-album if you like
----
Dec. 30, 1334.

...And the whiskey and wine entered our veins when blood was too weak to carry on.
Loading...
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Permalink
18.08.2011 - 02:45
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Lulz no that one song is enough. Just don't want you to think I'm hijacking your review ;]
Loading...
KwonVerge
Odysseus
Elite

Posts: 5068


Permalink
18.08.2011 - 02:46
KwonVerge
Odysseus
Elite

Posts: 5068


Hell no G.I. Joe!
----
Dec. 30, 1334.

...And the whiskey and wine entered our veins when blood was too weak to carry on.
Loading...
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Elite

Posts: 21306


Permalink
18.08.2011 - 04:00
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Elite

Posts: 21306


Oddly enough I really enjoyed this at first, but then more and more albums were released and it fell out of my favor. Maybe I'll have to re-visit it in order to regain my initial appreciation for it.
----
"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
Loading...
bloodwrage
Pagan Angel

Posts: 447
Permalink
18.08.2011 - 22:35
Rating: 8
bloodwrage
Pagan Angel

Posts: 447
After that little preview, I have to pick this album up. Good review too.
Loading...
Unhealer
Eclecticist

Posts: 2311


Permalink
18.08.2011 - 23:00
Unhealer
Eclecticist

Posts: 2311


Sounds cool, I'll check it out right away!
Loading...
Windrider
Raureif

Posts: 684


Permalink
18.08.2011 - 23:57
Windrider
Raureif

Posts: 684


Sounds good, from both review and sample, I guess it's worth being added on the wishlist, next time I'll grab that
Loading...
KwonVerge
Odysseus
Elite

Posts: 5068


Permalink
19.08.2011 - 03:47
KwonVerge
Odysseus
Elite

Posts: 5068


Written by Windrider on 18.08.2011 at 23:57

Sounds good, from both review and sample, I guess it's worth being added on the wishlist, next time I'll grab that

When will this specific next time take place? well, nevermind, i've drunk a bit and i won't be "harsh" (i wouldn't be anyway, bu anyway ) cause you reviewed really well the evocation album i had in mind reviewing xD

PS.
it took me some time to write this
----
Dec. 30, 1334.

...And the whiskey and wine entered our veins when blood was too weak to carry on.
Loading...
Windrider
Raureif

Posts: 684


Permalink
19.08.2011 - 12:16
Windrider
Raureif

Posts: 684


Written by KwonVerge on 19.08.2011 at 03:47

Written by Windrider on 18.08.2011 at 23:57

Sounds good, from both review and sample, I guess it's worth being added on the wishlist, next time I'll grab that

When will this specific next time take place? well, nevermind, i've drunk a bit and i won't be "harsh" (i wouldn't be anyway, bu anyway ) cause you reviewed really well the evocation album i had in mind reviewing xD

PS.
it took me some time to write this

Next time means when I see it somewhere in a store, or otherwise I maybe get it via Internet some day
Thanks for that, I also like your reviews haha
Loading...

Posts: 702


Permalink
20.08.2011 - 12:02

Posts: 702


Very well crafted indeed... my only complaint are the very fast double bass blasts... sometimes they sound a bit tinny. But this is nitpicking. I must say I prefer the more atmospheric tracks to the fast ones, which are a tad generic.
Loading...

Posts: 240


Permalink
21.08.2011 - 19:17

Posts: 240


Totally dekadent music...I like it!
Loading...

Posts: 505


Permalink
10.09.2011 - 17:50
Rating: 9

Posts: 505


This is amazing. Thanks for showing us this album, I'm playing this album like a 14 y o kid discovering masturbation.
Loading...
KwonVerge
Odysseus
Elite

Posts: 5068


Permalink
10.09.2011 - 18:20
KwonVerge
Odysseus
Elite

Posts: 5068


Written by Evil Chip on 10.09.2011 at 17:50

I'm playing this album like a 14 y o kid discovering masturbation.

you are a true god
----
Dec. 30, 1334.

...And the whiskey and wine entered our veins when blood was too weak to carry on.
Loading...

Posts: 203
Permalink
19.09.2011 - 06:17
Rating: 9

Posts: 203
WOW! Thank you so much for writing this review! It sounded like a glowing recommendation, so I went and gave it a shot, only to find one of the best black metal albums I have heard in a very long time. The review is also good, although I think it is worth mentioning that along with the darkness and evil, there is a fragile beauty which gives the album a very special character.
Loading...

Posts: 505


Permalink
24.09.2011 - 18:34
Rating: 9

Posts: 505


In other news: The production is awesome.
Loading...

Posts: 174
Permalink
26.11.2011 - 03:09
Rating: 10

Posts: 174
This album is incredible. Like Evil Chip, I too have been playing it pretty much nonstop since discovering it. Immense indeed.

Perhaps my favorite record of the year.
Loading...
Oaken
Hipster

Posts: 1322


Permalink
27.11.2011 - 01:58
Rating: 9
Oaken
Hipster

Posts: 1322


Awesome record. Track 2 kicks ass.
----
In that case, man is only air as well.
Loading...

Posts: 19


Permalink
18.02.2012 - 15:13

Posts: 19


Stunning music! Down spiral kills!!!
Loading...

Hits total: 6657 | This month: 13