Album Review: Chimaira - 'The Infection'

To the surprise of many, present company included, new wave American heavy Metal band Chimaira have made a somewhat triumphant return with their fifth studio record (and sixth release if you include EP This Present Darkness) entitled The Infection.  Considering the rough trot these lads have gone through, including losing multiple members and being shafted by roadrunner (which seems to happen prematurely to every Roadrunner band at some point during their time with the label) 

With most bands listening to the back catalogue gives you a good insight as to where the band has come from and what they hope to achieve in the future.  Not this time.  The Infection is basically devoid of the elements found on their earlier releases, apart from the occasional effect which appears to be Nu Metal in origin (God Bless) and at certain times have experimented with ambient moments to make the listening experience a lot more entertaining.   

The amount of time and effort Chimaira have put into The Infection becomes evident as the album proceeds. Its flows well from start to finish, and each song is structured well around groove sections as well as a bag and a half full of technical riffs and solos that are capable of making even the most accomplished musicians blush.  See opener “The Venom Inside” for a good example.

“The Disappearing Sun” showcases the perfect blend of old Chimaira and new while “On Broken Glass” is one of the thrashier and straight forward songs present on the record.   “Destroy and Dominate” has a certain atmospheric Gothenburg feel to it due to the use of synth and adds a dark edge.  

Oddly enough, an instrumental closes out The Infection which comes close to toppling the 15 minute mark.  While being a nice idea and sounds reasonable in its own right, the song as a whole is overkill and if you can manage to sit through it more than once your attention span is far greater than mine.

Chimaira have done well to produce a fresh and innovative sound in an era where straight up metal is vastly becoming stale

1. The Venom Inside 

2. Frozen In Time 

3. Coming Alive 

4. Secrets of the Dead 

5. The Disappearing Sun 

6. Impending Doom 

7. On Broken Glass 

8. Destroy and Dominate 

9. Try To Survive 

10. The Heart of It All