Infected Rain – Endorphin (Napalm)

Friday, 11th October 2019
Rating: 9/10

Effectively cultivating buzz for themselves for over a decade at this point, Infected Rain have found a home at Napalm Records for their latest album, Endorphin. A modern sound that is an amalgamation of a number of metal (as well as non-metal) influences, it’s an inviting album that is okay with stepping outside of the boundaries to deliver an experience that’s heavy yet grounded in emotion.

While some may be initially distraught by the band’s use of nu-metal guitar tones and bottom-heavy riffs – not to mention some turntable/electronic elements, but the band is much more than said influence. Pre-release singles such as “The Earth Mantra” and “Passerby” make use of some groovy rhythms and upfront intensity, but they also include a solid dose of atmosphere and beauty (particularly the former) to draw out an emotive core. There’s a good element of balance between these two sides, such as one of the album’s highlights, “Symphony of Trust” swings between punchy riffs and a poignant chorus. Later cuts like “Walking Dead” and the dreamy closer “Storm” pull on these more melodic strings in a way that enhances the grittier tracks such as “Black Gold” and “Lure,” whic allows the band to spread their wings a bit. Given the direction of the music being more about groove and atmosphere interchanging, it’s no surprise that vocalist Lena Scissorhands is given plenty of room to shine. Something she excels at, with snarling roars that grab your attention, but can swoop in for some moments of serenity when the time calls for it with soaring clean vocals.

Thoroughly modern in tone, keeping one eye in reverence to the past while embracing a more atmospheric future, Endorphin is just the right release to showcase Infected Rain’s sound upon the globe. There’s a lot of potential for a band like this to pull in some non-metal fans into the fold, without diluting their sound to something that’s radio-friendly. The grooves are deadly, the vocals are thrilling, and the atmosphere is engulfing – Infected Rain is rightly gaining some recognition for what they do in the modern metal scene and this is the album to solidify it.

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