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Tracklist
1. Devil in the Vein
2. The Hour Glass Turns
3. Bloodlust Casualty
4. Sorrow Reigns this Day
5. The Last Element of Doubt
6. Red Light on the Murder
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Manchester, United Kingdom's i-def-i has achieved a good amount of success for a greenhorn band. Having been together for only a couple of years, the group has released two EP's, opened for such acts as Viking Skull and Stone Sour, toured with Fear Factory and Killing Joke, and has received a fair amount of airplay and media attention. With 'Bloodlust Casualty', the group has released their first proper studio recording for a label, Casket Music.
If Casket gives i-def-i the proper support, this band could be heard on American radio stations. The quintet has a sound that is easy to embrace, being a mixture of nu-metal in the vein of Sevendust and Mudvayne and metalcore, or modern hardcore, like Hatebreed and Unearth. The styles of the said bands make up the bulk of i-def-i's sound, but that doesn't mean that is all this band plays.
The opening track 'Devil in the Vein' starts with a powerful groove that builds into a Cannibal Corpse-like death metal dirge. Not long after hitting their death metal stride, the band abruptly stops and breaks it down, hardcore style. Vocalist, Chris Maher displays his hardcore vocals first, which are sure to win over most angst-driven Slipknot teens. Like most tracks throughout the whole album, though, Maher dons a polished-clean croon. These four know how to write chorus hooks that will sell records. Seven Dust's sing-along while you drive home from work type choruses are the type i-def-i expertly pull off on 'Bloodlust Casulty.'
Another popular band of today's music scene that listeners of 'Bloodlust Casuality' are sure to draw comparisons to is Mudvayne. Maher's diverse vocals are the first point of comparison. The second is definitely the bass sound Kev Gaffney accomplishes. The bass is loud and upfront in the mix. It also has a tight, springing sound to it. Bands like Korn, Cannibal Corpse, Suffocation, Mudvayne, and Iron Maiden all possess a world class bassist within their ranks, which may be one reason these bands all have a clearly audible bass sound. It is surely the case for i-def-i. In the future, Gaffney may find his face plastered on the cover of 'Bass Player' and other renowned bass playing magazines.
The American metal scene seems to overlook many talented bands who sell well over seas. This is starting to change, though, with Sweden's elite converging on metal venues all over the country. Besides a handful of superstar bands like Coldplay, U2, Sabbath, Maiden, and Priest, the U.K. isn't breaking into the American market. Look for i-def-i to be one of the few who makes it over here.
Review by: Darren Cowan
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