This is the debut album from UK metal band Lokust.
Infidel is a 52-minute metal album that uses modern, groove, and thrash metal to produce a crushing assault that’s shockingly accomplished for a debut album. Despite the genre tags I’ve just thrown around though, Infidel might not be what you’re expecting.
The songwriting is surprisingly involved for something that on the surface of it you might think is another run-of-the-mill groove metal band. Thankfully, Lokust offer a far more interesting slab of brutality than this. The music is constructed from many of the standard metallic ingredients you would expect for a modern/groove/thrash metal release, but there’s more here than just this. Lokust are clever enough to put their own idiosyncratic spin on such a well-worn style, and also incorporate a range of subgenres into their charismatic brand of heaviness. Additionally, they also include a level of intricacy that’s non-standard, whether this is technical wizardry, exploratory complexity, or atmospheric depth.
Quite a few influences have gone into Infidel, and I like what Lokust have done with them. Whatever you call this style, the band’s modern groove metalcore elements are well-realised and largely avoid the staleness associated with these genre tags through strong songwriting. They also visit a few different eras with their music; across the songs you can hear parts that wouldn’t have been out of place in the 90s rubbing shoulders with aspects that are much more contemporary in nature. The spiky thrash metal guitars make themselves felt keenly in places, and there’s even a death metal influence that’s apparent here and there, (Lokust have the occasional tech death flourish, which is great to hear – think a band like Psycroptic). There’s a dose of Slipknot-esque extremity, and also a melodic appeal that’s occasioanlly reminiscent of bands such as In Flames and Gojira. Lokust mix the old-school and the new into a timeless blend of multifaceted heaviness.
The songs are very well-written and effortlessly engaging. Lokust’s form of extreme metal balances heaviness and brutality with accessibility and catchiness well, and as a collection of songs Infidel is a potent one. The band’s vocalist has a good voice and matches the quality of the music, capable of expressive aggression and emotive singing.
Taken altogether, Infidel offers the listener a very well-rounded, accomplished, and professional album that sees Lokust able to stand next to many of the big names in heavy music and not suffer by comparison. If you’re a fan of heavy music, then I urge you to check out Infidel. Lokust have impressed.
Essential listening for fans of bands such as Lamb of God, Slipknot, Gojira, Once Human, Decapitated, In Flames, and Sylosis.
Wonderbox Metal 