Living Sacrifice

When a band are inactive for quite some time, they have a couple of options before them: ape their imitators and play it safe or rise above them and progress forward. While The Infinite Order is overall a successful release, Living Sacrifice have unfortunately taken the former route, leaving a solid record with a bit of a bitter aftertaste. Fans of Living Sacrifice won't be disappointed, as it returns to their more death-/thrash-inspired early years while also introducing a healthy dose of present-day metalcore. While the nu-ish interludes and colourful auxiliary percussion of their mid-period are mostly absent, the focus on throwback thrashiness and merely passable modern elements gives the impression of a band simply going through the motions. There are occasional standout moments, and nary a truly weak moment to be found, but the impression left once the disc grinds to a halt is one of potential stifled, if not entirely squandered. I'd love to see more veteran acts returning to lay claim to the subgenres that have been bastardized in their absence, but those known for pioneering should not be reduced to pandering. Let's hope they stick around for one more.