I have been a fan of Blasphemour Records for a long time and I feel that they have released a lot of great music, but nothing up to this point compares to what they are about to unleash on us unsuspecting metalheads come August 13! On this day the Spokane, WA band Losing Skin’s new full length album I: Infinite Death will be released and you will want to pick it up immediately if you have not already pre-ordered this fine piece of hardcore/metal. There are a lot of different words I could (and probably will) use to describe this album but the word that seems most appropriate is pummeling. This album is pummeling from start to finish and in this case the word pummeling is both a compliment to the band and a warning to listeners.
Working with a hardcore sound and infusing dark themes into their songs, Losing Skin brings a feeling of dread and isolation to their music that is a strange mix of inviting and uncomfortable. I mean really, some of the things that we are discussing here are a bit unnerving to think about. But the truth is this band is able to pull it off without anyone questioning the direction in which their music leads. Alex Boston’s vocals are the strongest part of this album. The emotion that he is able to convey with his intimidating scream/growl is a testament to the powerful emotions that are brought out in each of the songs on this album. His strongest performances may be on the songs 'Black Celebration', 'Nails', 'Destroyer’s Crown' and 'Neverender' but Mr. Boston is a non-stop death-grinding machine throughout this album. You can almost feel that the band itself feeds off of the intensity of Boston’s vocals and aggression and you can hear during the tracks how this makes for a more cohesive sound throughout.
What could have been a simple hardcore album is flipped on its head with the melodic flow that the band has achieved on this album. The smooth yet violent guitar work of Damian Walkden and Josh Rodriguez add a significant metal groove to the album without getting flashy or technical but working within the path of the songs. This is a significant achievement in my eyes as when listening to the songs you can hear the openings available for these two guitarists to open up and take the music into a melo-death direction but instead use restraint to keep the pummeling feel that makes this album so memorable. This is also true for the rhythm section of the band as drummer Chris Peterson keeps a solid and confident beat without trying to over-fill unnecessarily. These are musicians who have a feel for each other and it comes through perfectly on this album.
Blasphemour Records have found themselves a real gem with the band Losing Skin. Their album I: Infinite Death is a pummeling (there’s that word again) trip into the outer boundaries of horror and hell. A dark journey into a world of evil, torture, and unimaginable pain and suffering but it works because this band is confident and it flows smoothly from song to song. There are 17 songs on this album and with the exception of a couple of interludes Losing Skin has decided to pummel (yep!) your senses with an album that jumps right into contention for album of the year.
Until later, Peace!
