Infected Rain have been releasing albums since all the way back in 2011, and TIME is their sixth full-length. Pulling aside the veil of “modern progressive metal” reveals a sound best described as djenty metalcore with a healthy injection of EDM. An obvious comparison here would be fellow Eastern Europeans and labelmates Jinjer, albeit with less stylistic hopscotch, and perhaps Eleine with fewer riffs and more synths. The band flirted with nu-metal and a late 2000’s metalcore sound earlier in their discography, but TIME plays it safer in the riff department, frequently using extended ambient or electronic passages in lieu of guitar-driven ones. I’m speculating here, but it’s worth noting the band saw the departure of two longtime members last year on guitars and bass. Although the bassist was replaced, guitar duties now fall solely on founding member Vidick Ojog, so it’s conceivable this could be part of the reason for the shift to an electronic focus.
Scissorhands’ vocal performance is central to the sound of Infected Rain, and her prowess behind the mic is considerable. While she favors a mid-range snarl for most of her harsh deliveries she has a ripping high screech laced with venom that features prominently on “THE ANSWER IS YOU.” Her cleans are well-executed and nuanced, played straight with Evanescence-like melodies on “LIGHTHOUSE” or in a kind of delirious speak-singing on “UNPREDICTABLE.” Some of my favorite moments on the record are the bridges where the band drops out to highlight Scissorhands paired with ethereal synths and bleep-bloops (“NEVER TO RETURN,” “ENMITY”). Sadly, these moments are few and far between.
In my notes, the word anemic pops up over and over, and I think this is a good summation of TIME’s overall impact. The instrumental performances are adequate, but against the blazing sun of Scissorhands, the riffs and rhythms come off as tepid and cookie-cutter. I’d lose my place in individual songs—and the album in general—due to the constant mid-tempo pacing and similar riffing. Tracks feature of-the-moment djent chugs that feel half-hearted (“DYING LIGHT,” “NEVER TO RETURN”) or the sluggish deathcore breakdown that pulls the bpm down ever so slightly, but without any teeth (“UNPREDICTABLE,” “GAME OF BLAME”). Curiously, choruses in general seem to be absent (“DYING LIGHT”) or unfocused (“LIGHTHOUSE,” “GAME OF BLAME”). For a band that is just a few steps away from pop metal, catchiness should be a much higher priority. Adding insult to injury, the production on TIME is overly brickwalled even for the style, and the guitars are buried in the back of the mix while the vocals are frequently too far forward. By the time completely ambient—and mostly irrelevant—closer “A SECOND OR A THOUSAND YEARS” comes around I’ve listened to nearly an hour of music and I can recall almost none of it, but am left with a vague feeling of disappointment at potential wasted.
Infected Rain didn’t leave much of an impression on me. Previous records, especially 2022’s Ecdysis, felt more menacing and alive, with a band racing to match the energy of their frontwoman. It would seem that Scissorhands’ career is blossoming quickly, with a second active band and numerous guest spots under her belt (she featured on Nervosa’s latest). But TIME has been a step backward for Infected Rain, and hopefully, the band finds inspiration in their new lineup and rejuvenates their sound. This is not deserving of the progressive tag in my opinion, but who knows, perhaps the way forward for the Moldovans lies in that most perplexing of metal’s words.
Rating: 2.0/5.0
DR: NA | Format Reviewed: Stream
Label: Napalm Records | Bandcamp
Websites: infectedrain.com | facebook.com | Bandcamp
Releases Worldwide: February 9th, 2024
