Click on a link to hear a sample of the track.

01. Something furry this way comes
02. Carheart
03. Queen of the hi-ace
04. Road
05. Gum meet Mother
06. Dogs with wheels
07. It's all gone weird
08. Kennel crash recovery
09. Hustler
10. Bandit
11. Be elevator


Review in Indie Workshop November 2003

I’ve been reviewing a string of odd albums lately. Virus fits right in. This little stretch that I’m on has actually been both fun and a pain in the ass. Fun because I have to really push myself to come up with viable comparisons so you know what the hell I’m listening too… and a pain in the ass for the same reason.

Coming from the very home of metal now a days, Norway, this threesome is poised to stir things up in the stale metal scene. It’s actually nice to see that this is being released by Jester Records; maybe it will inspire a few upstart bands to NOT follow in the footsteps of their idols.

The mood swings/genre swings demonstrated within this album are… not unprecedented, but damn close. Like label mates Ulver, Virus works to distort your view of what music is supposed to be or sound like.

But unlike Ulver, Virus more works in the heavier side of dark. They bring elements of Botch and Slayer together with Mike Patton style vocal gymnastics (although singer Czral is not as limber as Mike) and the penchant for an avant-jazz breakdown. This all adds up to… well, one interesting listen to say the least.

Most metal fans might be turned off by the spirit of experimentalism these three obviously have. Not to say that all metal fans won’t like this, but maybe not those metal kids that have no idea who the hell Brian Eno is. And it’s not that you have to even enjoy metal to enjoy Virus, but some background in heavy music will help get you through the first few listens.

Basically what I’m trying to say (and probably pretty poorly) is that Virus is good… but is definitely not for everyone. You have to have your wits about you when you listen to Carheart. It’s not mindless metal riffing, and adversely, it’s not mindless experimenting. Instead it’s a melting of the two worlds into one horrific landscape that only a few brave souls will be willing to travel across.

- Jake Haselman