Infant Annihilator - The Palpable Leprosy Of Pollution

Deathcore died a few years ago when every band in the style either started aping Linkin Park (see: Bring Me The Horizon) or attempted to create the next mainstream radio hit (see: Skip The Foreplay). Sure the scenieweenies still ate the shit up, but it didn't have the same fecal flavor they were used to. What happened to the superficial attempts at 'brutality' or 'extremity?' We all missed those hollow efforts in their absence. Good thing Infant Annihilator came along to remind us all that plain ol' deathcore ain't dead.

Infant Annihilator along with Rings Of Saturn are spearheading a new form of noodling revival deathcore. These guys have more balls though and seem like they're out to have some fun with their deliberately composed music. The Palpable Leprosy Of Pollution contains all of your favorite genre-defining elements: breakdowns, sweeps, drop A, pinch-harmonics, mic-cupping vocals, multilayered vocals, and more. At least it doesn't have that obnoxious djent guitar tone that every deathcore band loves these days. Oh and Infant Annihilator also have a ridiculous(ly deathXcore) name but it makes sense given their thematic: The Palpable Leprosy Of Pollution is all about pedophilia and corruption within the Catholic church.

The Palpable Leprosy Of Pollution begins as one would expect: with a fucking breakdown. Luckily Infant Annihilator, while obsessed with pointlessly meandering noodle-riffs, do a good job of relegating them to short instances (minus the instrumental closer "Paedophilic Supremecy"). Hammerblasts populate the opening track and many others, and most of the album plods along at different tempos. Occasionally a more developed riff pops up (hear the opening of "III. Embryonic Fetish (ft. Alex Teyen"), but The Palpable Leprosy is all about arpeggios being played over downtuned chugging before the whole thing collapses into breakdowns so predictable it's comical. I think this was the intent of the band, and while they succeed at almost parodying the genre (and themselves), the music is hardly rewarding to listen to.

There's a small degree of redemption to be found in the production, and while you can tell this band is an internet project, the mixing is pretty acceptable. It's sleek, clean, and doesn't really offend. The guitar is crunchy when it wants to be, the bass is a bit light but at least it's audible, the drums sound predictably fake (the snare is mixed so loudly), and the various vocal effects are completely over-the-top. Infant Annihilator aren't a band that wants to be taken seriously, and that's totally fine by me. There's even a bit of slam influence in their song structuring, and it's fun to at least hear their take on it.

If deathcore is your thing you will love this tongue-in-cheek album. If the stereotypes of the subgenre scare you off, stay the fuck away. If you're like me and can appreciate a solid deathcore release, this album is mediocre. Bonus points for not trying to be pretentious.

4.75 out of 10

Tracklisting:
1. New Born Porn
2. I. Infant Annihilator
3. Devotion to the Child Rape Syndicate
4. II. Anal Prolapse Suffocation
5. Whorespawn (Bloodline Defiled)
6. III. Embryonic Fetish (ft. Alex Teyen)
7. Immeasurable Foetal Mutilation
8. Torn From the Womb
9. Cuntcrusher
10. Flayed and Consumed (ft. Lucas Mann)
11. Bathed In Placenta
12. The Palpable Leprosy Of Pollution (ft. Bill Williams)
13. Decapitation Fornication
14. An Exhalation of Disease
15. Paedophilic Supremecy

Bandcamp