REVIEW: PLAGUE YEARS – “Unholy Infestation” [EP]

Son of a bitch this album hits hard. Plague Years takes the fear and loathing pulsing from the open wound of today’s society and turns it into rage fueled music. The vital and life-giving music we know and love as heavy metal. Their new album called Unholy Infestation is a combat boot stomping terror. You can’t help but let the fury engorge the senses in an orgasmic ecstasy of power.

Plague Years call Detroit their home. They are Tim Engelhardt (vocals), Eric Lauder (guitar), Rian Staber (bass), and Mike Jurysta (drums). This is the band’s second album. Their first album self-titled album was released in 2017. The new Unholy Infestation album finds the band refining their attack and taking aim at their contemporaries such as Power Trip and Warbringer.

An eerie alien intro crashes into a full frontal assault of crunchy guitars and pounding double bass on the opening track “Unholy Infestation”. The pace chugs into low gear with wailing guitars before charging forward with unrelenting brutality. Listeners will find Plague Years reminding them of the punishing music of Obituary, Sepultura, and Destruction. This is especially true in the vocals and overall song structure. The intent is to lay waste to your senses on every song.

The bludgeoning power of Plague Years stands tall on “Outer Darkness” and “Aeon of the Serpent”. Hell, every fucking song on this EP kicks ass. The caustic vocals, crushing guitars, punishing drums, and burly bass come together in a fantastic mix given this is an independent release. Plague Years does a marvelous job of mixing up the pace with high-speed charging riffs balanced by slower paced skull smashers. The music dares you not to head bang. There is no point in resisting, just let it fly.

Unholy Infestation by Plague Years incites the need within every metalhead to thrash. This EP conjures up all that you love about fist clenching thrash metal music. Explosive rhythms, caustic vocals, and flesh searing guitars invigorate the amygdala and elevate the listener into a state of teeth gnashing bliss. Grab some friends, throw them around the room, and let the power swell of Plague Years wash you free of all your rage and pain.