Infidel

I, Oathbreaker (Caroline)
by Hansel Merchor

Soprano vocalists certainly do well in power metal and traditional heavy metal sectors. On the other hand, stoner rock bands are, for the most part, led by vocalists with a more natural, untrained, rough approach. The combination works because it compliments the acoustics of the music. And then you have Infidel‘s Yiannis Poussios, whose stiff soprano approach often subtracts from the dynamics of the music, but enhances the bulky doom-laden sound of his Athens combo. Sometimes this combination works because it compliments the acoustics of the music. On the band’s ten-song debut, I, Oathbreaker, Infidel takes no chances experimenting with styles or colors and safely straddles the delicate line between being super stoner-heavy and playing FM rock radio a la Disturbed and the likes. In 2009, the album doesn’t sound dated, per se, but tunes like “Echoes in Vain” and “Consumer Patterns” would have fit nicely sandwiched between Godsmack’s macho rock and the aforementioned Chicago arena headliners a few years ago.  Infidel sound best when stripped of all commercial aspirations and letting of Dennis Kostopoulos’ guitars roar with Sabbath-like fury.
(www.infidel-band.com)