Mass Infection – For I Am Genocide

So Greece’s Mass Infection’s new record, For I Am Genocide, took me a while to put my finger on. While on paper, or in this case on record, these guys are prototypical death metal of the highest order, something felt off to me. Let’s go through the essentials-

* – lightning fast tremolo picking…check
* – insane and precise blasting and double bass drumming…check
* – evil guttural low vocals…..check

Everything seems to be there. The riffs are well constructed, frantic, and stand up next to any high quality death metal release. The drumming is perfect for the style; fast, tight, precise, and interesting. The vocals are what you’d expect to hear from an elite death metal record. What could be missing?

Well, I did notice that Mass Infection definitely tune up higher then most death metal acts nowadays. I’m not quite sure if it’s in standard (E) tuning or a step down (D), but it’s definitely not what we have come to expect from the current death metal output. To make a point, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I think the higher tuning provides more clarity, definite distinction between instrument tonality, and provides a unique sound since not many death metal bands are doing it anymore. Honestly, the guitar tone reminds me of Vader on their Ultimate Incantation release.

Now I’m not sure where to point the finger, if it’s the production being too clean or the overall tuning being higher than the normal, but the album feels a bit weak/thin. It might have to do with the guitars having little to no bottom end since they are in a higher range, but you’d assume the bass would help fill out the low end frequencies the guitars are lacking….on this album it does not. The bass is almost non existent. The only low frequency to be heard on For I Am Genocide is provided by the kick drum. I believe this factor hurts this album immensely.

While the riffing is interesting and reminiscent of bands such as Hate Eternal, Vader, and Suffocation to name a few, the album comes off thin and almost bland due to the weak production. I hate to grade any record on the sonic quality, but this is a little hard to ignore. If things were different and the low end were filled out, I believe this record could be one of the better death metal releases of the year.

The production is super clean and tight, but almost too much so. Mass Infection are definitely a top ranked death metal act and have it all going for them from a by the numbers standpoint. I will definitely be keeping tabs on this band and seeing what the future brings. Despite any negatives, this is still a very good release that deserves attention.