Virus In The Blood

Virus In The Blood is the fourth studio album from American metal band Death Flower, released on September 24th 2006. It is their first to be produced through Vindictive Records.

Background
Death Flower's former label, Batched Records, had produced their first three albums: Eviscerating Sons of Chaos, Soulsucker, and Broken Wings. According to Christ Davenport, lead singer, both the band and Batched Records felt that they should go their seperate ways. After listening to their material for a fourth album, Jacob Vindic picked them up quickly and proposed a six-record deal with Vindictive Records. After deliberation Davenport and the others agreed, and entered the studio on January 15th 2005. Recording ended on March 25th 2005, and after two months of recording the band still felt unfinished. Davenport had at least five extra songs that were supposed to be released with Broken Wings, but could not. The band decided to re-record the five songs and add them to the album, upping the song count to 17. The album was ready, and set for a July 12th release date. However legalities got in the way. The guitar riff for the song, and first single off the album, Disease In Me, was reportedly "stolen" from the 1998 song "Except The Rest" by thrash metal band Defunct Dungeon, who broke up in 2002. Former lead singer Leo Priestly sued the band for plagiarism. The case was dropped when Luke Johnston proved the difference in the riffs, that his was on a slightly lower key. The case was closed and no problems occured for Death Flower. Vocalist for Lacuna Coil, Cristina Scabbia lent her voice for two songs on the album.

The first single off the album, Disease In Me, was released on August 21st 2006, and debuted at #7 on the Metalix Maniac Metal Countdown. However, the song "Love and Loss" was shown as a demo on the band's website, but unnamed. A following single, You and I, featuring vocals from Lacuna Coil singer Cristina Scabbia, was released on August 29th. The third Totality was released on September 15th, and the fourth and final before the albums release, I Saw You Walking Alone, was released on September 24th, four days before the album's release. After the album's release, three more singles were released: Virus In The Blood, Falling, and Beautiful In Death.

Reception
The album was extremely well recieved. Metalix stated that: "The band have grown since '04, and affirmed themselves as one of the next bands to watch. Scoring a guest spot with Lacuna Coil singer Cristina Scabbia was hard enough work, but now Chris Davenport leans to a more emotional side of his writting, and the other band members match his words with eerie and powerful music.

Track listing

 * 1) "Love and Loss" - 3:50
 * 2) "Disease In Me" - 4:55
 * 3) "In A Misery" - 6:00
 * 4) "You and I" (feat. Cristina Scabbia) - 4:44
 * 5) "Totality" - 5:54
 * 6) "So Divine" - 6:00
 * 7) "Walking On Clouds" - 5:45
 * 8) "I Saw You Walking" - 6:54
 * 9) "Because of The Sorrow" - 3:55
 * 10) " Virus In The Blood" - 6:00
 * 11) "Falling" - 6:15
 * 12) "Rise and Reap" - 7:00
 * 13) "Beautiful In Death" - 7:02
 * 14) "Inside Here" - 6:00
 * 15) "Loving the Hatred From You" - 4:54
 * 16) "Tears Will Fall" - 4:43
 * 17) "Last Lover" (feat. Cristina Scabbia) - 8:56