Before The Storm
Flow Back In The Chaos
V1
Death Front
Across The Barbed Wires
Failure In The Attack
Lethal Concentration
Red October
Koursk: Battle Of Tiger
Final Command

This month I’ve been privileged to review some fucking great records. Music from the past. Music from Japan. Music from labels I’ve long admired and collected. But there’s one record that stands head and shoulders above the rest and that honour goes to Infectious MG42. Another unknown artist / group to these ears which makes me think I’m seriously losing touch with this scene. I did try accessing their website for more information but my computer threw up the dreaded ‘error’ messages and shite about certificates not recognised by Windows. Baffled the fuck out of my limited knowledge so I gave up. As you do.

"Death Front" is a militaristic sample full concept style of recording that throws any and every (well nearly every) musical style you can think of into the mix. Take track one: ‘Before the Storm’. Starting with a sample taken from some old 78rpm crackle ridden recording of a military band in full flow it then blurts into a rocking Industrial guitar and drum patterned piece with looped sample as so loved by groups like Malhavoc and KMFDM. Topping the tune off comes the "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" speech from Apocalypse Now. Superb stuff. I was cackling like a harridan on speed when this track played. Track two: ‘Flow back from the chaos’ starts with the sample from a famous children’s song, you’ll know it when you hear it, before going into experimental electronic weirdness backed by a suitably restrained beat and adding further different, including another from Apocalypse Now, samples. Track three: ‘V1’ has a Winston Churchill speech sample to get the blood flowing then goes into a minimalist electronic beat mixed with some suitable power noise. Space restraints stop me from describing every one of the ten tracks on "Death Front" but let’s just say that on here you’ll find music inspired by John Carpenter, DAF, Lustmord, Severed Heads, Nocturne, Today I’m Dead, Ministry, Propergol and Laibach. Hear it for yourself and you’ ll probably discover other influences.

With so many styles being thrown around with such gay abandon "Death Front" could easily have ended up as a right cows arse of a disjointed recording but such is the brilliant way that Infectious MG42 has put it together that everything melds perfectly and stylishly into place. I really fucking love this. The more I hear it the more I fucking love it. Infectious MG42 have released a CDR that puts the ‘F’ back into fun. Nothing wrong with that. Great music, no matter what the subject, doesn’t need to be solemn and devoid of entertainment to get its point across.

"Death Front" is one of the most enjoyable listening experiences that I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing.

ANM