Review: Loss Of Infection “Dark Dimension” [Sliptrick records]

This year young deathcore formation from South Korea Loss of Infection with a support from Sliptrick records has decided to conquer the extreme scene, presenting dark and powerful EP “Dark Dimension”. There are so many limitations regarding the Asian metal scene, but now in the internet era the young bands can assert themselves globally with much ease.

These devoted to death metal South Koreans have prepared for this 20+ minute long EP with total care, almost two years they have created this material, experimenting within stylistic structures of hardcore and death metal. The album tells a story about Cthulhu personification as an absolute destroyer of all human life, and the bright and detailed cover art sanely reflects these fiery destructive themes. The sound quality isn’t perfect, the low and juicy guitar lines and profound growls are slightly softened to convey the craziest heaviness. The main parts on “Dark Dimension” are grounded on death metal basis, but with strong alternative modern ideas they are transformed into neat and bloodied deathcore pattern. Some disharmonic passages hint at the mathcore principles à la Meshuggah (like self-titled “Dark Dimension” or “Fury as Savage”), decisively chaotic and oppressively tenuous. The melodic lines are metalcore-friendly, “Dark Dimension” and “Nothing ends” have some inspiring melodic parts, but not too intrusive, just to equate the obscure heaviness. But the most surprising part is presented on the track “Fury as Savage”; it ends with a symphonic cinematic outro with operatic female voice, more suitable for black metal.

There are some ambient overtures during this record (“Dark Dimension” and “Call of Madness”), dark, ritualistic and depressively shallow. The general idea of deathcore is common to these Asian metalheads – extremely low guitars and emphasized bass lines, furious blast beats, the change of tempo from the insanely fast to the incredibly slow, as well as interlacing of extreme singing. Heewook Lee mostly growls with a deep rumble, but during the emotional and anxious passages he shrilly screams with an utter intensity. The dark guitar riffs also vary; some perfectly fit into death metal concept, but some create vertiginous chaoticness with erratic aggressive blasts. The guitar solo parts have some gist for technical mastery, but still the progressive side on this album isn’t strong, the real focus is on severe heaviness and gloomy perception. Yeah, this modern deathcore EP is definitely with balls.

The poor Asian metal scene from the European market’s perspective is a real menace to a national and global versatility of the heavy music, but more and more ambitious and strong bands emerge from the distant shores of Eastern continent. So, Loss of Infection has made a good start, and even with a faint hint of originality.

Release date: October 27th, 2020

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