Chimaira

The latest release from Cleveland, OH metalcore band Chimaira is the natural progression from their 2007 album, Resurrection. The sound on The Infection is classic Chimaira: strong, aggressive vocals, heavy, chugging thrash metal riffs and pounding drums. But with a honed sense of melody and structure this fifth studio effort contains depth lacking in previous releases. The Infection is much more creatively intricate and while there are still the usual breakdowns there is also a lot of groove, such as in the album's opening melodious track "The Venom Inside." The dark and atmospheric "Impending Doom" is as far as Chimaira get from their traditional sound, while "Broken Glass" contains some of the catchiest guitar riffs and melodies on the album. "Destroy and Dominate" is the strongest, in terms of vocals, which take on an extremely ominous tone. The Infection is another example of why Chimaira are one of the few metalcore bands that have any substance.