EPK – Infrared – Manifestation (2024) – Out Sept 6th
Publicist – Jon Asher – jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
“Infrared has patiently waited to release this barn burner of an album, Manifestation. With life as busy as it is and some life challenges plaguing the band, the release has been delayed a few times. The band jokes, “This is the longest we have sat on a finished album.” With determination, they ramped up and filmed four videos and did all it took to put together what the fans wanted, new classic thrash metal with a modern feel. The band has taken inventory and assessed their back catalog and looked to see what they could improve on. That exercise gives you straight to the point songs that are high in energy and aggression all while staying true to the classic thrash sound.” – Infrared
For fans of Slayer, Metallica, Testament, Megadeth, Exodus, Death Angel
Band: Infrared
Album Title: Manifestation
Release Date: September 6, 2024
Label/Distribution: Self-Release
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“Manifestation, an album that exists as an old-school thrash album in the vein of Testament and Death Angel without sounding entirely and blatantly old-school.” – Decibel Magazine
“Canada’s Infrared are back and with them comes intense thrash metal and it’s an intense album not only because of the music obviously but also because of the difficulties the band had to face to release it the band has already accustomed us to Dynamic thrash metal but here they take it to a whole new and exciting level it’s not immediate the price you have to pay to make a difference but what you get is an album that will win over fans of strong guitars and sharp solos for those who don’t know them yet this will be an excellent entry point into their sound, for those who already know them they might even consider this one of their best moments ever.” – World of Metal – Albums of the Month – September 2024
“Manifestation is like listening to the collected works of Metal Church, Sacred Reich and Flotsam and Jetsam forced through a blender and straight into your ear canals. On the Superb Demon’s Blood – which is quite simply one of the best ‘proper’ thrash tracks I’ve heard in ages – this formula is, in a word, unbeatable… Armin Kamal‘s vocals are superb throughout, and the upfront bass of Mike Forbes – a glorious mix of Dan Lilker and Frank Bello – is a joy to behold. I’ve been a committed thrasher since the early days of the movement and I’m ashamed to say I wasn’t familiar with Infrared – who actually formed in 1985, fer chrissakes – until recently. I’m happy to put that appalling oversight right, now, however, and strongly urge you to do the same if you too have been living in blissful ignorance about this excellent outfit!” – Sentinel Daily
“There’s a hell of a lot of thrash coming out these days and a lot of it is just rehashing the old stuff (this is not a complaint, mind you), but Infrared are one of those few with a very distinctive style that stands out from the crowd. Highly recommended. 4.75/5″ – The Metal Crypt
“What a blistering brace to begin your new album – an album that storms on with the fierce ‘Demon’s Blood’, the band hammering the ground with an immense amount of force. ‘Manifestation’ is setting off earthquakes and volcanoes all over the world such is its incredible impact, the impact lasting a long fucking time in the memories of every listener, fan and follower. 10/10″ – Metal Gods TV
“‘Manifestation’ is a powerhouse album that solidifies INFRARED‘s place in the thrash metal genre. The band’s commitment to delivering high-energy, classic thrash metal with a modern twist is evident in every track. Fans of Slayer, Metallica, and Testament will find this album a worthy addition to their collection. 9/10″ – Infrared Magazine
“Heavy, fast, aggressive, but with catchy melodies and some excellent guitar work. Forty-two minutes of superb thrash.” – My Global Mind
“The album sound is driven by good Thrash Metal riffing, cool lead guitar solos, and crushing basslines… Thrash Metal fans will like what “Manifestation” has to offer and will look forward to some exciting live shows of INFRARED. 8/10″ – Metal Temple
“It’s tight and well-played, and the energy is high. Mainly a pretty classic sound, which makes it easy to like. Yes, this is something that should make most fans of good old thrash metal bang their heads… But now that I have told you how fantastic they are, you should check them out as soon as possible.” – Hard Rock Info
“this is an album I suspect quite a few fans of ye olde school of thrash metal will find to be rather charmingly enjoyable.” – Viking in the Wilderness
“If you’re longing for Slayer shows that start later this month, then allow us to suggest that you listen to Canada’s Infrared to tide you over. “Cataclysm” revs itself up with a touch of the epic, but “Temple Of Sin” gets itself into the moshpit good and proper. Thunderous stuff abounds. “Nikko” is heavier, the guitars Slash and burn on “Demon’s Blood” though in a very classic thrash way… “Manifestation” underlines again though, just how many thrash bands there are, but it proves also that Infrared are a cut above most. 8/10″ – Maximum Volume Music
“thrashy stuff… catchy and to the point with a little punky hardcore thing happening” – Moshpit Radio – WORT 89.9 FM (madison, WI)
“With Manifestation, Infrared has delivered an album that encapsulates the essence of thrash metal while showcasing their evolution as a band. 8.8/10″ – Rockum
“Heavy, powerful sound throughout and so much catchiness, it’s crazy. By now I must have listened to maybe 250 new albums this year, and this one is definitely in the top 5. Highly recommended for fans of technically minded thrash that fucking slays.” 4.75/5 – The Metal Crypt (2021 – From the Black Swamp)
“Everything in “From the Black Swamp” is so amazing that is almost impossible to stop listening to it, even after finishing my review. If you are fan of the best of what Thrash Metal can offer, listen to it. It is Heavy and brutal, but at the same time it carries something light on its spirit. I could mention many “It is something plus a good adjective”, but let me be restricted to “It is just Infrared! Period”. Listen to it as loud as you can! Cheers! 9/10” – Ever-Metal (2021 – From the Black Swamp)
“Infrared’s “From the Black Swamp” is EXACTLY what the METAL world needs right now… full of heaviness, riffy-ness, depth, progressive leanings and thrashing madness! After consecutive strong releases over the last 5+ years, Infrared’s musical growth cannot be ignored! Raging from their classic 80’s roots, they’ve yet again raised the bar in terms of what powerful thrash metal should represent and embody in today’s heavy music landscape. I cannot get enough spins of this new release! A modern thrash metal masterpiece, this new slag of heaviness incites that tingly feeling on the back of your neck that you just can’t shake off… the thrash metal flag is triumphantly waving for these Ottawa legends!”- Steve Kraus Host of 6o on CKLU 96.7FM (2021 – From the Black Swamp)
“a thunderous album of all out thrash, delivering a savage amount of varied songs from all corners of the thrash metal genre.” – Metal Gods TV (2021 – From the Black Swamp)
“Truly recommended as an essential to all thrash fans! 5/5” – Metal Epidemic (2021 – From the Black Swamp)
“If you are a fan of very well crafted thrash metal, plan to add From The Black Swamp to your collection. Buy Canadian!” – Sleaze Roxx (2021 – From the Black Swamp)
“INFRARED delivers vintage thrash metal with styles comparable to Slayer, Testament and early Anthrax. As all good things typically come back around and this old-school sound is a refreshing change in today’s metal landscape… As a Canadian band that started in the mid-eighties, it is impressive that INFRARED is still making a serious mark with their latest release. The impeccable studio work and enviable songwriting surely position this band for GREAT things to come. 9/10” – Spill Magazine (2021 – From the Black Swamp)
“You can expect a bouncy style featuring sneering vocals, a hefty bass tone that goes hand in hand with the crunchy riffs and solid drum mechanics – crossing lines between thrash and traditional metal, along with the occasional punk/hardcore angst that fueled the early days.” – Dead Rhetoric (2021 – From the Black Swamp)
“From The Black Swamp” is a masterpiece the world needs right here right now. Don’t call yourself a Bay Area thrash fan if you ignore it as I predict it will be someday mentioned in one breath with “South Of Heaven”, “The New Order”, “Peace Sells But Who’s Buying”, “Rust In Peace” (BIG TIME!), “Ride The Lightning” or “Master Of Puppets”, mark my words. 6/6″ – Eternal Terror (2021 – From the Black Swamp)
“Black Swamp’ is far from average, it is Infrared doing what Infrared do best and thrash fans will bang their head in appreciation.” – Metal Digest (2021 – From the Black Swamp)
“Once again, Infrared offers us a thrash metal that is both complex and easy to access: we will never get lost in watchtower-style twists and turns. 9/10″ – Soil Chronicles (2021 – From the Black Swamp)
[Download Album Cover | Download Album Lyrics]
Band: Infrared
Album Title: Manifestation
Release Date: September 6, 2024
Label/Distribution: Self-Release
Track Listing:
1. Cataclysm (2:07)
2. Temple of Sin (3:20)
3. Nikko (3:40)
4. Demon’s Blood (3:08)
5. Pressure Syndrome (4:29)
6. The Manifest (0:48)
7. Manifest Nation (3:40)
8. Concuss (4:00)
9. Reforma (4:04)
10. My Dreams Are Real (3:48)
11. Parasite Patrol (3:47)
12. Then the Earth Goes Black (4:16)
Album Length: 41:15
Album Credits:
All songs performed by: Infrared
All songs written by: Infrared
Produced by: Armin Kamal
Mixed by: Armin Kamal
Mastered by: Armin Kamal
Album artwork by: Joe Lyko and AI
Infrared is a Member of SOCAN
Canadian content
Infrared studio and live is:
Kirk Gidley (Guitar and Backing Vox)
Alain Groulx (Drums and Backing Vox)
Mike Forbes (Bass and Backing Vox)
Armin Kamal (Guitar and Lead Vox)
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About The Album Artwork explained by Armin Kamal (Guitar/Vocals)
The album cover is AI artwork from a local scene producer/artist, Joe Lyko. It represents the torment found in the human form.
About the album as a whole (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY) explained by Armin Kamal (Guitar/Vocals)
Many of the album’s themes are anxiety or fear-based, or based on toxic behaviours, whether interpersonal or at a global level. One of the songs even touches on the danger of AI, so there is some irony there between using AI for the album cover and then writing a fictitious future warning of its dangers. Musically, the album is high energy. While there are some mid-tempo songs and or sections, the album rips more often than not.
Track by track (LYRICALLY & MUSICALLY) explained by Armin Kamal (Guitar/Vocals)
1. Cataclysm – Instrumental. Epic feel and climax.
2. Temple of Sin – Inner torment and rage create a flesh temple of sin
3. Nikko – Named after the lead flying monkey in The Wizard of Oz, it’s about those blinded by the charm and manipulation of dark triad types and then do their bidding. This is a heavy brooding song with many vocal deliveries in it to represent the chaos these personality types try to inflict on others.
4. Demon’s Blood – This ripper of a song delves into the addict’s life and mind and how every day is a rinse and repeat of self-abuse.
5. Pressure Syndrome – Loosely based on the 90’s movie “Falling Down” it describes a person coming apart at the seams under the weight of a society that discards him, marginalizes him, and ultimately angers him into a violent rage.
6. The Manifest – Instrumental lead into the song Manifestation with a brooding and atmospheric vibe.
7. Manifest Nation – This song also rips and grooves all the way through while singing about a society losing itself and its way. They try to manifest a better life, but with all the technological distractions, they never achieve their goal.
8. Concuss – This is a straight-up anthem song about retaliating against those that stand in your way, but also a tip of the hat to all those crazy metalheads that hop in the pit and destroy.
9. Reforma – This is a heavy and melodic song about a sick earth longing for change and hoping its stewards do better.
10. My Dreams Are Real – Dracula fans anyone? This song is based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the hell those with eternal life must go through.
11. Parasite Patrol – What happens when machines want to take over? This song warns of a barren wasteland created by killing machines with no mercy.
12. Then the Earth Goes Black – This is an epic thrash song that teeters back and forth between full onslaught and brooding and haunting vocals. The song talks of the fear of what happens when the nuclear keys are turned after humans are incapable of diplomatic dialog.
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Fun Facts – Story Angles
1. Infrared suffers for its art! Almost every video shoot has Infrared battling the elements. Their first video, No Peace, was shot in sub-zero temperatures. They bottomed out at minus 30 Celsius on one of the shoot days at an abandoned house. If you look closely at the video or even a photo shoot they did at the same location, you will see red noses and ears. To put it succinctly, “It sucked!” The All in Favour video had them battling rain in a leaky abandoned factory and risking shock hazards all day long. And on their latest photo shoot in a swampy area of the Ottawa River, Mike and Armin both ended up getting stung by wasps after unknowingly disturbing their nest. First time being stung for Armin….ever. Was it worth it? It always is. At least now with the latest album, Manifestation, they have figured out how to suffer less and opted for safer indoor spots.
2. Back in December 1987, Infrared opened for the well-known band Sacrifice. The bands clicked and had a great night. They talked metal and gear and Sacrifice had commented that Infrared was the best opener they had on tour yet. Watching Sacrifice play in ‘87 really inspired the band as they were about the same age as Infrared’s members and they were signed to a label and had two albums.
Infrared was blown away by the Sacrifice performance and the week after the show, they wrote the song Meet My Standards inspired by watching Sacrifice in action. Rob Urbanati gave Kirk a Sacrifice sticker which is still on his guitar to this day. Almost 31 years later, Infrared played with Sacrifice again in September of 2018. It was like nothing changed except they were all older.
They talked metal and gear and had an awesome night.
3. Infrared meet all kinds of people along the way and make some pretty cool friends like the metal grandpa, Stephen Palmer, from Australia who travelled all the way to Canada to follow Sacrifice on tour. On a mini tour with Black Mass from Boston, one night Infrared is playing in Quebec City and notice from the stage some big dude in the mosh pit cradling an Aloe Vera plant in a big pot. The band was like “WTF”? All night he is body slamming in the pit and feeding the plant beer. After the set, the band asked him what’s up with the plant and he said that he promised his buddy’s wife he would take care of it while they were out of town and that he would not let it out of his sight. The plant was dead by the end of the night.
L-R – Alain Groulx (Drums, Backing Vocals), Kirk Gidley (Guitar, Backing Vocals), Armin Kamal (Guitar, Vocals), Mike Forbes (Bass, Backing Vocals)
Photo Credit : Carissa Broeren
If Infrared sound like classic thrash metal, that’s because they are! And rightfully so since they were making music as teenagers in the mid to late 80s back when the Big 4 (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax) were just becoming famous. They literally lived and breathed that scene as it was happening and garnered national attention in Canada through their song and video for Thoughts Caught (in Between).
Then….life happened and members took different paths and the music, that was hot in the underground metal scene and loved by demo tape traders near and far, went dormant for 27 years! In 2014 Infrared reunited with 3 of the original 4 members (Kirk, Armin, and Alain), and since original bassist Shawn Thompson had moved to Miami, they recruited Mike Forbes. They worked hard to release their first full length album, No Peace, featuring songs written all those years ago. 2018 saw Infrared release their sophomore album, Saviours, featuring 8 new songs coming in at just over 50 minutes of music! That was followed up by their 2019 EP, Back to the Warehouse featuring the last of their 80’s written songs and released as a bridge to their next full length album. In 2021, Infrared released From the Black Swamp. The album featured 12 songs for one hour of hard hitting and emotionally charged songs steeped in the themes of betrayal and malicious sabotage in all walks of life, from societal to interpersonal. Now, in 2024, they release Manifestation, an album that has all the fat trimmed and gets straight to the point, classic thrash in full force.
With several high profile concerts under their belts including opening for Anvil, Exciter, Sacrifice, Razor, Venom Inc., Dirkschneider, Flotsam and Jetsam, DBC, Artillery, Hammerfall, and Atrophy, Infrared raises their horns and looks forward to getting out there to meet and befriend metalheads everywhere!
Infrared studio and live is:
Kirk Gidley (Guitar and Backing Vox)
Alain Groulx (Drums and Backing Vox)
Mike Forbes (Bass and Backing Vox)
Armin Kamal (Guitar and Lead Vox)
Discography:
2024 – Manifestation – Full-length
2022 – The Metal Inquisition EP – EP
2021 – From the Black Swamp – Full-length
2019 – Back to the Warehouse – EP
2018 – Saviours – Full-length
2016 – No Peace – Full-length
1988 – R.I.P. (Recognition in Power) – Demo
Shared Stage with: Anvil, Exciter, Sacrifice, Razor, Venom Inc., Dirkschneider, Flotsam and Jetsam, DBC, Artillery, Hammerfall, Atrophy
Mini tours with
2022 – Exciter
2019 – Black Mass
2018 – Razor
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