Contrary to the rampant revisionism polluting the heavy metal internet, Chuck Schuldiner did NOT singlehandedly invent death metal with the release of Death’s debut album, Scream Bloody Gore (1987). That isn’t to downplay its importance by any means, but I digress. In fact, Death wasn’t even the only American band playing what could be characterized back then as “death metal”. Aside from the obvious Possessed, there were also cult acts like Necrophagia and Blood Feast, who happened to beat Scream Bloody Gore to the punch by a couple months with the releases of their debut albums, Season of the Dead and Kill for Pleasure respectively.
Admittedly, Kill for Pleasure can be labeled a death/thrash release, similar to Dark Angel’s Darkness Descends or Kreator’s Pleasure to Kill. It thrashes like a mother and boasts no shortage of mosh riffs, but it’s also far from your typical major label thrash affair circa ‘87. While the sands of time have not been as kind to Blood Feast acclaim-wise as the aforementioned Dark Angel and Kreator, that hasn’t stopped them from soldiering on, continuing to brutalize headbangers with their feral metallic onslaught. It’s this description that so perfectly sums up their latest offering, Infinite Evolution.
Although only founding guitarist Adam Tranquilli remains from their ‘80s heyday, the ethos remains the same: Keep it fast and ferocious. Even with the deadly edge of Kill for Pleasure toned down in favor of straightforward thrashing, Infinite Evolution is a most fulfilling release. It’s also the first album to feature Tranquilli assuming vocal duties, which bear a striking resemblance to Possessed’s Jeff Becerra circa The Eyes of Horror (1987).
The songs follow a rather no frills template, coming off as a twisted cross between Reign in Blood era Slayer and the aforementioned Eyes of Horror era Possessed. Is it predictable and at times flat out cliche? Sure, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. Cuts like “Never Will I Die”, “Outbreak”, and “Evilution” are pure mosh fuel that manage to strike a down picked chord with the teenage thrasher in me. Think of it as metallic comfort food: Yes, we’ve heard these breakneck riffs and shouted choruses before, but when they’re done right, why not immerse ourselves in them again? It also helps when the production and overall approach sounds straight out of 1986.
Aside from the ambitious Nocturnus-esque “Eye of Glass” (which is shockingly executed much better than you’d believe) and slower paced “The Preacher” (not to be confused with the Testament classic), there aren’t many deviations to be found on Infinite Evolution, and that’s fine by me. In this regard, the title is a bit ironic, considering you can always rely on Blood Feast to lay down some no nonsense brutal thrash. Perhaps the title is a reference to the latest incarnation of the band, who by the way, are absolutely locked in from start to finish. They do the Kill for Pleasure incarnation proud, carrying on a deranged legacy of “Menacing Thunder”. Let’s hope that thunder keeps roaring for many releases to come.
7 out of 10
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Genre: Thrash Metal
For fans of: Possessed, Slayer, Morbid Saint