The term "well-integrated" applies to Infection's every detail. It describes the brilliant arrangements and the fusing of wide-ranging genres and styles. This is, for example, one of the more successful efforts to combine jazz with metal that I've encountered, be it the contextually perfect, slinky interludes, Henri Heikka's alto sax interacting with the guitars, or the jaw-droppingly beautiful melodies of "Neverending Nightmare." "Well-integrated" reflects the way samples from David Lynch films are incorporated into three of the songs (although an even more effective Lynch usage occurs in "Moment in Nowhere," the standout song on Random Mullet's first demo, Lifeless), and it characterizes the supremely complementary rough-clean vocal tandem of Simo Järvinen and Ilmo Ylinärä. Together, they're like Mike Patton minus the goofiness and with screams replaced by nuanced gruffness.

When a particular influence does shine through, as in the case of the vocals, it is usually in an enhanced and/or concise form. After a succinct Dillingeresque opening, "The Statement" becomes primarily a Faith No More homage, but with vastly more genuine feeling and organic eclecticism, and without the manic qualities. Random Mullet aren't simply about making the extreme, the chaotic, or the outrageous more palatable, however: often, they accentuate those traits. Meshuggah riffing at its most equilibrium-threatening is nothing compared to what happens when the Hellecastrously virtuostic Tuomas Laurila sucks you into the undertow of "Waters of Shame."

In fact, the Meshuggah title Destroy Erase Improve seems to be Random Mullet's motto in their selective and revolutionary approach to referencing their sources. What they pull off here eclipses the attempts of other cross-genre wannabes with only a fraction of their wide aspirations, and when it comes to adventurousness, musical intelligence, and freshness, they have something to teach some of the very bands who have inspired them. The product of an enormous amount of craft, talent, and painstaking work, Infection is easily one of the most sophisticated demos I've ever heard. Random Mullet have stated that it will be their last self-financed release. Threats shouldn't be necessary, however - somebody sign these geniuses, for crying out loud!

written by Maud

Playing time: 31:16