AWAITING EXILE - INFECTED BY DEVILS Double CD-E.P.

For quite a long time, now, I've been extolling the virtues of this band. From the moment I saw them, I just knew they had potential. But this has been one of my crusades that has been viewed with doubt and scepticism by many. OK - so the band got a lot of flack for their Guns 'n' Roses cover, exhibited the odd dodgy moment in concert and, towards the latter part of 2005, got roundly condemned for the lack of execution of the rhythm section, while various types wondered just what I saw in this band. Now, after a lengthy lay-off, the addition of a new drummer and producer, I can announce that, with the release of this set of tracks, the Carnoustie hard-rockers are back with a vengeance.
First off, the tracks here have all been produced superbly and the sound is exceptional. Secondly, that production reveals just what a great set of songs this band has in its arsenal. Thirdly, the band really whip up a storm with its two guitar-fuelled leads and steaming riffing, while the vocals are hot and fit like a glove. Oddly enough, if you had to give a comparison, a lot of it has the feel and structure of a lot of the hotter songs that came out of the American "Southern Rock" genre such as Molly Hatchet and Doc Holliday, with great songs well sung and some stunning guitar work along the way.
On CD1, things start with the power chording and surging drumming, plus deep throbbing bass and angst-ridden vocals, of "Crash Course" as the song just erupts into life with harmony vocals balancing the raw but in-tune lead vocals while some searing guitar leads and buzz-saw riffing provide the meat above a chunky rhythm section that propels it all superbly. "Celebrity" is an addictive, infectious driving rocker with this fat sea of guitar chords, fuzzed to the hilt with leads flying off in all directions as the rhythm section drives it all along as solid rolling drums rock hard and the band just flies through two and a half stirring minutes. "Funky Bass Woman" is, as the name suggests, errrr…..funky, as choppy rhythms provide a kind of anti-funk that leads into another set of storming guitar riffs and urgent vocals with a kind of brooding sensibility that really shines in the verses before the band launch into the choruses as guitar leads shine and soar. The final track on this 16 minute CD is "Genocide" which begins slowly with heartfelt vocals, chiming guitars and slowly rolling drums, before the bass rolls in, the vocals take on a more urgent stance and then this monster mass of guitar riffs takes off like a rocket as the song just climbs higher and higher, alternately dropping back then taking off to maximum effect. A brief guitar lead suddenly erupts before it's back to the main riffs and rhythms and just under six minutes of dynamic strength completes a superb set of hard-rocking, anthemic and emotive songs.
If the 16 minutes of CD 1 was good, then the 25 minutes of CD 2 will blow you away. Five tracks that start with the wall-to-wall buzz-saw guitar riffing and driving rhythms that is "Misery" with the twin guitars really letting loose and an absolute genius of arrangement just after two minutes when the riffing suddenly stops, to leave chiming guitars before a supernova guitar solo briefly erupts as the riffing returns and it's back into the main body of the song, vocals flying long as three minutes just fly by. Then comes the concert favourite "Reborn" which I've heard end in guitar-fuelled ends that range from short and tight to positively "Free Bird"-esque proportions. A gutsy, bluesy rocker, it sail along on a bed of sizzling riffs from the guitars, deep thunderous bass and solid drumming as the flowing, impassioned vocals really give the song its extra guts and the whole thing surges ahead in mighty mid-paced splendour, here ending with an short coda but watch for it in concert and hope that you get this on a night when they really want to rock out at the end of this bluesy-rocking track.
Third up is the title track, "Infected By Devils", which starts deceptively slow before the track absolutely erupts on a Saturn V rocket of blazing guitar and bass riffs and thunderous drumming as the vocals soar, the band goes supernova and, turned right up loud, the track lays waste to anything that happens to be in front of it. A bluesy undercurrent to a solid rocking slice of guitar-fuelled solar flares ends with a smoking guitar lead and a fading sea of feedback. "Rich Bitch" is another gutsy slice of "suvvern" styled bluesy rockin with those impassioned vocals really delivering the goods as another steaming brew of guitars, riffs and rolls above a really solid, strong and beefy rhythm section, the song unfolding to perfection with a searing guitar solo, huge sounding production and so cohesive you're carried along in its wake.
The CD ends on "Cold Dead" Hands" which starts with some really thick guitar riffs and leads before the rhythm section drives it all forward and another red hot slice of songwriting roars out on another hard-attacking, massive, mid-paced, heavy riffing composition and ends in a veritable fury of storm-force guitars that sets the place on fire.
Overall, then you get a mighty 41 minutes of songs - hellfire, it's practically a whole album!!! - and every single one is on fire - and then some. If anything is going to silence the doubters, gain many new fans and be the point at which this band launches the next phase of a career that is hopefully going to lead to some recognition by the major rock labels, it's this massive sounding double, album-length, CD-EP.

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