India is, regrettably, not a country that I hear too much Metal from, save the exceptional REPTILIAN DEATH. But new comers to the Indian extreme Metal seen are Symphonic Black Metallers COSMIC INFUSION, who currently have released an EP and a live DVD. What better way to kick start a band career than by releasing something enthralling and mind-numbingly brilliant?

"Acronycal Eloge" begins with a sweeping symphonic arrangement built on a staggering thick metal foundation with powerful riffs, and wailing, emotional guitar leads. The Black Metal edge creeps through in a SEPTICFLESH fashion; classically bombastic. The vocals are grim and black as can be, and have added to them a raw and guttural power. "Burial of Thy Own" is much more akin to an old DIMMU BORGIR piece, perhaps from "Enthroned Darkness Triumphant", containing enough sheer epicenes and power to instill an uproar into their sonically subjugated crowds of fans. The track also features additional, operatic clean vocals, adding to the already sheer grandiose. "Journey" is at a substantially lower tempo, building more upon grand atmospherics and powerful chord progressions. Yet, as the song goes on, the unrelenting Black Metal force behind this band's onslaught pushes the song forward over a sonic edge.

"Gothika" is definitely one of the faster, heavier and all-round more brutal tracks on the EP, and also my favorite. The blast-beat-driven riffs dominate this track after being granted a foreboding and chilling symphonic introduction. The drumming, now that I think about it, is one of the things that makes this EP (and this band) truly amazing, and are showcased perfectly in this song, with mathematically accurate blast-beats, and pin-point rolls of double kicks that rival those of Hellhammer. "Crepheus - Bringer of the End" brings this EP to an unfortunate end; o' how I wish this was a full-length release. This track features the most significant use of symphonic arrangement heard so far, often assuming form in tradeoffs between that and powerful metallic riffs. Everything about this track seems to have had involved in its making, a more progressive and creative musical thought process and sounds completely different to previous tracks.

Symphonic Black Metal bands like the mighty DIMMU BORGIR were such that first got me into metal in the first place. Hearing the unforgettable combination of sweeping epicenes and black brutality immortalized in new, excellent talent like COSMIC INFUSION makes me ever more proud to be a Metalhead.