Affliction Vector - Contra Hominem

Angry Metal Guy

Sometimes you encounter a piece of work that stands as a testament to everything you love in music. Lovers of heavy tones and brutal riffs in all their permutations are constantly chasing that dragon, seeking the brutality to return us to our more joyful youth, or the blackened assaults that turn melted frowns into jubilant smiles. Some bands accomplish this through interesting cross-pollinations of sound, while others adhere to the straight and narrow definitions set by the genre’s torchbearers, who earn their merit through the strength of their songcraft and adherence to proper production. Either way, the quest is the same: create something to make audience and reviewer alike point in awe, stand smitten with horns raised high and tequila on our breath (or apple juice if you’re wholesome like Killjoy) and love in our hearts as we declare “This is good! This is real! This is excellent!” Fortunately for my limited well of superlatives, Contra Hominem is not such an album, and it’s not even close.

Affliction Vector have presented an album whose production is devoid of any real defining features. Somehow, at once lo-fi in mix yet hi-fi in tone, Contra Hominem offers a listen which avoids the abrasive, sharp tones of the brutal assault it pretends to offer, yet blends any melodies or riffs down into the mix until the entire album passes by in a listless haze. The aural equivalent of a glass of water, its sounds are featureless, smoothed over, and bland, with no sound grabbing the listener’s ear or providing any engagement despite its short 28-minute runtime. Faceless blast after faceless blast, so flavorless I’m offended a Faceless band name has already been taken, make attempts to walk in the cleft hoof of Teitanblood, but without the proper sound quality to match the necessary assault. Contra Hominem sounds lazy, meandering, and manages to take a package of high BPM assemblages somehow and make them sound as lethargic as the color scheme “adorning” the art.

Affliction Vector – Contra Hominem by Iron Bonehead Productions

But Gun! I hear you cry, what of the riffs? To be sure, this glass of water does contain a few ice cubes to chew on. Unfortunately, two of the biggest and most distinct cubes come in the shape of two interludes, one of which is nothing but the sound of running water. I’m more into album intros and interludes than some of my colleagues, but a sub-half-hour album has no need for interludes, let alone mere sound effects. The album opens with a twangy piano intro in an attempt to be spooky, but the melody is so protracted as to grate more than intimidate. “Lethal” manages to work a memorable moment above the deluge of textureless soundscapes, as does “Nero Gorgo”. The latter is the best song, with creative organ layering and a monster drop of a groove, which causes the ears to perk up in joy at the oasis in the barren desert across the rest of the album.

Performances by the members of Affliction Vector are serviceable in their delivery of mediocrity. Stefano S. handles drums, and the production does allow his kick to come through with meaty oomph, rendering blasts pleasing to the ear. Occasionally, he slows down enough to flirt with industrial tempos, particularly in “Ephemeral Lifeless.” Ans handles all other duties and shows competence in the delivery of solos. There’s a nifty time change in “Animalis Irae”, and he really lets his voice hit fever pitch at “To Lucifer.” But ultimately, these are fleeting moments in a lifeless experience, a few merciful snapshots of technical capability raising their head from the miasma of gray within.

Sorry to say, Contra Hominem is boring. The promo sheet described the album as trying to summon noise, which could bridge the gap between Heaven and Hell, but unfortunately, that’s a pretty big bridge to build. The first step is successfully crossing the gap in the points between my attention span, and in that goal, it has proven to be a cataclysmic failure. It’s boring in how it’s produced. It’s boring in how it’s performed. It’s boring in how it’s composed. Any one of the three are surmountable if the other two are used as strength (just see how the admittedly good production on the last Rivers album has people convinced the music itself is good) but this trifecta of drab and dreary only solidifies this album as memorable in how much I’ve not enjoyed my time with it, despite allowing numerable replays in a chance to win me over.

Rating: 1.5/5.0
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Websites: afflictionvector.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/AnsAV666
Releases Worldwide: June 6th, 2025

The post Affliction Vector – Contra Hominem Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.