INFECTED CHAOS is a death metal band from Austria who formed in 2014. "Dead Aesthetics" is their third full length album. I wish I had heard this last year because it is one of the catchiest death metal albums I've heard lately.  It isn't anything mind blowing or revolutionary but these guys have rock solid song writing skills and musicianship. Each song is good and an absolute blast—"Dead Aesthetics" is an album full of energy and made by people who have a clear passion for this style. It doesn't get much better than that, especially when it carries over to the listener. In my case, I could definitely feel the love and dedication that went into creating this album.

INFECTED CHAOS is death metal to a "T" but it isn't overly extreme. Instead of going out of its way to be heavy for the sake of it, they make the songs work for them and use it to make death metal that works on many levels. It has a riff based sound and is filled with a metric ton of riffs. However, the band has enough grasp on dynamics because the lead work and use of melody is spot on. The interplay between the guitars is what really makes all these songs so well rounded.

"When Yonder Calls My Name," opens with ambiance and clean instrumentation. The song quickly kicks into high gear and the first taste of how the lead work melds with the rhythm guitar. After the groove hits next, the band shows the rest of their synergy. The vocals go from low to high but remain somewhat intelligible along the way. Often times they follow a similar cadence with the guitars, which goes a long way in making the songs stick in the head. I really like how the bass and drums set behind the guitars on "Hollow Chars" and help boost its intensity. The bass further cements itself during breaks in the riffage but gets to continue the performance—it is thick and savage throughout the rest of the song. The solo at the end echoes the viciousness of the death growls and riffs that come afterwards, ending the song in pummeling fashion.

"And Thus I Fell," has a firm and keen sense of melody. It doesn't overuse it but instead applies it to keep the song flowing towards heavier waters. The speed and groove within the opening minutes is infectious but the clean parts that separate it from another melodic bridge are captivating as well. The way this song melds melody and heavy reminds me a lot of ANATA's "The Infernal Depths of Hatred," and if that isn't a compliment then I don't know what is. "Pitch Black Fever," is a bombastic piece of speedy death metal that rarely lets off the gas pedal. Even the melody is faster paced and further enriches the song and making dynamics for the bass and drums to play off of. The last moments of the song are much slower paced but continues the feel of the song while taking a new approach.

The final track, "Of Death And Birth" speeds up and slows as needed, making it the most methodical of the bunch.  The last two and a half minutes prove the most worthy. The growls get low while the guitars mix in clever lead work. The guitars fade out as the drums continue their barrage before they too, like cannon fire, are nothing but echoes in the wind. All in all, there isn't any huge or expansive moments but there isn't any second on the album that I would skip either; "Dead Aesthetics" is just a well composed album.