Infest was an influential American hardcore

Hardcore punk

Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...

 band, formed in September 1986 by Joe Denunzio, Matt Domino, Dave Ring and Chris Clift. They disbanded in 1996.

Infest, while not coining the term "powerviolence

Powerviolence

Powerviolence , is a raw and dissonant subgenre of hardcore punk. The style is closely related to thrashcore and grindcore.-History:...

", were pioneers of the style. The Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 quartet blended the ethos, speed and song structure of straight edge

Straight edge

Straight edge is a subculture of hardcore punk whose adherents refrain from using alcohol, tobacco, and other recreational drugs. It was a direct reaction to the sexual revolution, hedonism, and excess associated with punk rock. For some, this extends to not engaging in promiscuous sex, following a...

 hardcore, along with the aggression and anger of bands like Negative Approach

Negative Approach

Negative Approach is an American hardcore punk band, formed in Detroit, Michigan in 1981. The band is considered among of the pioneers of hardcore punk, particularly in the Midwest region. Like most hardcore bands, Negative Approach was little known in its day outside of its hometown...

 and Negative FX

Negative FX

Negative FX was a hardcore straight edge band from Boston formed in 1981. Though the band lasted only a short time, playing only a total of five shows , the band was well-known for their involvement in the local straight edge scene of the early '80s...

. Joe Denunzio’s vocals exhibited angst, with lyrical content about conformity, war, scene politics and socio-political issues, mostly delivered in an accusational assault.

Infest did however differ from their peers in their fervent political stance and imagery, often depicting the tragedies of war and poverty, countering the obligatory "band in action" album covers common to the era.

On July 1, 1991, Infest recorded a live set for the Los Angeles radio station KXLU

KXLU

KXLU is an FM radio station broadcasting out of Loyola Marymount University in southwest Los Angeles, California. It was first on the air in 1957, and recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. It is a non-commercial college radio station that plays many styles of music broadly classified under...

. This session was later released by Deep Six Records who also released the No Man's Slave LP. The vocals on No Man's Slave were recorded post-breakup in 2000 and the LP was released later in 2002.

Discography

• Infest (demo, 1987)
• Infest (EP, Off The Disk, 1988)
• Slave (LP, Off The Disk, 1988)
• Split 8" with Pissed Happy Children
  Pissed Happy Children
  Pissed Happy Children was an influential hardcore punk band from Claremont, California whose members had previously been in Peace Corpse and Pillsbury Hardcore...
  
   (1989)
• Mankind (7", 1991)
• KXLU Radioshow (12", 1992)
• No Man's Slave (LP, 2002)