If you remember Fistula’s Vermin Prolificus you’ll remember that it was probably the filthiest record to come out of 2014. The sludge-laden, Eyehategod influence and hardcore/punk punch has seldom been played at such nasty levels, and managed to land a spot on my favorite records of that year.
With Longing For Infection, it seems only fitting that I’ve queued up some background horror noise. Cat in the Brain, The Anti-Christ (1974), the bluray of Pieces, Anthropophagus, and, to punish myself for not finishing this fast enough, Zombie 6 (thank you to the Amazon seller that sent that pain to me for free). It seems only fitting to let these mix together because Fistula are truly like something out of the video nasty era*.
It takes about twenty seconds for Fistula to transport us back to the 1980s with “Too Many Devils and Drugs.” The rawness showcased on the Destitute Demo has only been given some polish. But it’s like polish on a blade. It still cuts, rips and gives you tetanus. And then in a vicious blaze of twenty acid hits, eats its own entrails as you bleed out. That’s track one anyway.
Fistula still have this one loaded up with audio clips, as is expected (an Office Space clip makes it on here). However, there’s a different approach on here musically from Vermin Prolificus. Instead of rehashing ’14, the band decided to take a more straightforward approach. Whereas Vermin Prolificus broke up their longer songs with short, hardcore bursts, Fistula blend those styles this round. “Smoke Acid, Shoot Pills” is one of the best examples of this. The nearly eight-and-a-half-minute flexes its muscles as a punkier song before breaking down around the three-minute mark and giving us the ax.
What people might find themselves torn on is how much this album might remind you of late 80s/early 90s sludge. This album lives in, and relishes the ugliness of the past. And had this come out then, it would have been right at home. Currently, it still holds up as a sludge album. I’ve read that some people would just rather listen to Dopesick or Take As Needed For Pain and while I see the connection, I also see that Fistula have no problem standing on their own. Longing for Infection is a glorification of ugliness and a lifted, moldy curtain beyond that darkness that takes you into a drug addled alleyway and flays you muscle from bone.
Longing For Infection is going to boil down, for most people, to how much they like their music kept old school, and how absurd they like their content. When you break down this album, it’s something that Joe D’Amato and Lucio Fulci would be proud of in terms of grisliness, and Mario Bava would love because of how colorful it can be. It’s over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek and merciless. But maybe I just like horror too much. Then again maybe not. I'm not the only one to recommend this album on this site.
Score: 8/10
Good luck to you. I'm already dead inside and ate Taco Bell to this:
*I know, The Anti-Christ and Pieces were never on the infamous U.K. “Video Nasty” list as both preceded the era, or at least the year the list was made, but the films are, let’s face it, friggin’ nasty. And, arguably, excellent. The Anti-Christ is worth it alone for the hilarious Jesus boner scene.
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