Artist: Affliction Vector
Country: Italy
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2025
‘Contra Hominem’ is the follow-up of Affliction Vector’s ‘Death Comes Supreme’-EP, released through the Dutch Argento Records five years ago. My guess is that some of the band’s members have been busy with their other projects, like the quite disposable Claustrum for instance. But, unfortunately, regardless of the reason of their rather long absence, the Black/Death Metal mix that Affliction Vector brings forth didn’t really gain much in terms of interest or appeal.
‘Contra Hominem’ is an album that greatly suffers from a severe lack of coherence and suspenseful song writing. Even with a playing time of well under half an hour, the album fails to hold your attention. Most of the music falls somewhere between black and death metal, but it’s actually too little of both, resulting in something that’s neither fish nor fowl.
Internet commentary includes comparisons with bands like Possession and Venefixion or even Teitanblood and Bestial Warlust. Honestly, that absolutely floored me. With all possible respect, Affliction Vector has nothing in common with those bands, and certainly not with the latter two. The fact that bands draw their inspiration from the same source does not necessarily mean that they produce the same output. The creative process also requires a great deal of knowledge and talent, and the question is whether these Italians have what it takes. It is unfortunate to have to conclude that the answer to this question is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
When the band goes for the full-on blasting attack it lacks conviction, it simply sounds too clean and too neat. And when the band slows down and throws in some organs or Heavy Metal-esque leads, it feels forced and non-spontaneous. Unlike some of their fellow Italians like Abhor or Abysmal Grief, the addition of such elements does practically nothing for the overall result. It all comes down to adding the necessary aesthetics, both in terms of musical approach and the way you look at it as a whole.
Although I totally and wholeheartedly support Iron Bonehead Productions, this is just not one of those records that needed to be put out. While that EP already offered very little to chew on, I am afraid that the Italians are pretty much on a dead-end road.
