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TAKALAITON
Mindfection

Rockshots (2023)
Rating: 8/10

Graced with some seriously good cover art, Mindfection is the second full-length album from Finnish thrashers TakaLaiton. I’m not all that familiar with the band but this new effort has some fantastic crossover tracks as well as what could be perceived as Pantera-styled groove metal.

One sniff of ‘Rip N’ Burn’ and you’ll be raging as those heavy, speeding riffs aggressively combat the hostile vocal retorts of guitarist Juho Mäntykivi who is as belligerent with his voice as his riffs. Meanwhile, ‘Do Or Die’ is extremely brutal, the sound being so thick in its production and bolstered by the lethal bass and drum work of Janne Raunio and Joona Juntunen respectively.

Not necessarily old school in its styling, this album remains monstrous in its musicianship and at times has no hesitancy in veering into a death / thrash territory. ‘Get What You Asked For’ is a metallic colossus, so deep in its delivery as the riffs churn like iron waves that bash the ears.

Speed, weight and aggression is all part of the plan but there is a huge amount of melody too, with the best example being ‘Hopeareunus’ which boasts a melodious sheen led by the axe work of Pasi Hyrkkänen. The title track, all seven minutes of it, is another belligerent beast and almost hardcore (in today’s climate) in its vocal raps.

Mindfection is a surprisingly heavy record and proof that Finland is a heavy metal hotbed of talent within whichever genre.

Neil Arnold

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