Artist: Infinity
Country: The Netherlands
Label: Immortal Frost Productions
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2023
Despite Infinity not being very prolific in their early days after their formation in 1995, the band got a taste for it in the 00s and released no less than four albums in the span of a mere six years. The years that followed the band took a back seat and we saw only two albums surface between 2008 and 2023. But regardless of their work rate or commitment, Infinity has always been a band that has remained fairly deep in the underground of the Dutch Black Metal scene, appreciated by the insiders and unknown to the ignorant.
Even after its last two excellent records, released by New Era Productions, the band has yet to receive the recognition it would logically deserve based on its musical legacy. But listening to ‘The Untamed Hunger’, I have no way of telling whether the band is really bothered by that. Even on this seventh full-length album, the band sticks to their own vision and musical ideals. Of course, it is a coincidence, but the release of ‘The Untamed Hunger’ almost coincides with Sammath’s ‘Grebbeberg’. Not that both bands are so close musically, but they share the same roots, firmly placed in the 90s Dutch Black Metal scene and they both continue to work stoically on what they consider a vital part of their existence without paying attention to any trends whatsoever. There is something comforting and safe about that; I like the feeling that we have bands like Infinity in our midst. Yep, it’s a good time for fans of Dutch Black Metal.
Although the band has never particularly strayed from its established musical path, on ‘The Untamed Hunger’ we are treated to something that sounds quite significantly different from its two predecessors (‘Hybris’ (2017) and ‘Non De Hac Terra’ (2012). Both albums had a distinctly dark sound that even leaned towards the Death Metal genre in terms of production, but it is that production that has now largely been traded in for a much brighter and open sound. This allows the band to work in a much more riff-oriented way, which is immediately obvious with opener ‘Lord Of The Earth’. A rocking riff that makes comparisons with bands from the Norwegian school like Urgehal more apparent than, say, Dissection as it was so overwhelmingly on ‘Non De Hac Terra’. But however you want to look at it, Infinity still remains a band that continues to draw its musical influences mainly from the Swedish Black Metal scene, on hearing the title track, it is impossible not to hear echoes of a band like Sacramentum, Dissection and especially Watain in this. Still, it nowhere becomes more than a friendly and respectful nod to the greats from Sweden, it clearly has to do with inspiration and not pure copycat work. But while the fiercer guitars and the sharpness of the riffs do make ‘The Untamed Hunger’ sound way more back-to-basics Black Metal and the productions allows everything to be fully balanced like the band never sounded before, this new album still sounds very much like Infinity. Which, if you look at it closely, can really be considered a major achievement.
While Infinity have proven themselves to be an excellent band in the past with their outstanding musicianship, it is the particularly impressive sound here that makes ‘The Untamed Hunger’ a peerless album. It really opens up the album to the highly skilled musicianship, the riffs get so much more structure this way and above all, the clearer sound gives them a lot more exposure. I cited Sammath earlier who also delivered a savage album, but it’s also certainly not too wild to also mention Funeral Winds as an obvious parallel. Not so much because the duo from Infinity are also active in Funeral Winds’ live band, but all the more so because after so many years, Funeral Winds too have managed to reach unprecedented musical and creative heights. Likewise with Infinity, after almost 30 years, the band releases their absolute best album; speaking of achievements!
