Album: "Infectant" (2000)
Label: PCB Productions
Style: Electro-industrial/coldwave
Songs: 10

Reviewed by: Darklight

"Infectant" is Contagion's second album, and is now the solo heavy electro-industrial/coldwave project of Keith Arem. There are elements of Chemlab, Christ Analogue, Godheads, Haloblack, Hellbent, Nine Inch Nails, etc. in the songs contained on this disc. Contagion successfully manages to blend electronic music with guitars. While electronic programming is the primary focus of the music's creation, guitars are added at times to give it a slightly heavier more aggressive edge. The electronic music is energetic and well programmed with a lot of layering and solid beats. The dark and dramatic keyboard melodies are orchestrated amazingly well. The drum beats are hard and driving. The vocals switch between whispering and shouting. The song structures are catchy, and a lot of them will have you singing along to them. There's mainstream crossover potential in these songs. Some songs are borderline commercial industrial rock. But everything still manages to have an underground edge that the mainstream music world still has yet to embrace. This is overall a rather angry and aggressive CD featuring a lot of pent up rage being released. The thing that I like is how the songs are the calm before the storm and the storm all in one. A lot of bands either do one or the other, but Contagion mixes emotions constantly releasing various moods and feelings that hit you straight on. If you like a more American style of industrial music featuring the use of guitars, you will most likely enjoy this Contagion CD.