Infestation (album)

Infestation
Studio album by Ratt
Released	April 20, 2010 (2010-04-20)
Recorded	2008–2009
Studio	Studio Barbarosa (Bavon, Virginia)
Genre	Heavy metal hard rock [1] [2]
Length	42:08
Label	Loud & Proud Roadrunner
Producer	Michael "Elvis" Baskette
Ratt chronology
Tell the World: The Very Best of Ratt (2007) Infestation (2010)
Singles from Infestation
"Best of Me" Released: 2010 "Eat Me Up Alive" Released: 2010

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
About.com	[3]
AllMusic	[4]
Blabbermouth.net	(8/10) [5]
BW&BK	[6]
Exclaim!	(favorable) [7]
MusicOMH	[8]
PopMatters	[9]

Infestation is the seventh and final studio album by American glam metal band Ratt. It is the band's first original effort since their self-titled album in 1999, and the first album since the death of Robbin Crosby in 2002. This is the only album to feature guitarist Carlos Cavazo, formerly of Quiet Riot. The band would enter a turbulent time after the edition of the album, and by 2018 all musicians in it had left the band, except lead singer Stephen Pearcy. It was released by Loud & Proud via Roadrunner Records, a then-sub-label of their longtime home Atlantic Records.

In a February 17, 2010 interview with the Artisan News Service, Stephen Pearcy said of Infestation: "We wanted this to be like something that we would have written right after [1984's] Out of the Cellar . We definitely went back to basics with the mind set of a band with a lot of excitement and some great songs to get out." ^[10]

In a March 18, 2010 interview with Metalholic Magazine, guitarist Warren DeMartini said of Infestation: "It really exceeded our expectations. Conceptually we kind of wanted to revisit the period of Out of the Cellar and Invasion of Your Privacy . We were sort of loosely trying to shoot for something that could fit between those two records. We were looking for more uptempo ideas and the double leads that Robbin Crosby and I started doing back in 1983." ^[11]

Release and commercial performance

The first single, "Best of Me" was released on February 2, 2010. It reached thirty-six on the Mainstream Rock Tracks in 2010. ^[12] "Best of Me" was written by Stephen Pearcy, Carlos Cavazo, and Michael "Elvis" Baskette. When asked the meaning behind the lyrics in a December 30, 2009 interview, lead singer Stephen Pearcy said of 'Best Of Me': "This song was written for my wife (Melissa Pearcy). It's one of those where you always think the grass is greener on the other side, but in fact it isn't. I'm letting her know 'you're the best thing I got, but I had to go f--- around to figure it out.' It's one of those you don't know what you got till it's gone kind of things. With me, I go through this s--- every day. I'm married one day, then I'm not, but I am." ^{[13] [ full citation needed ]}

RATT's video for "Best Of Me" was premiered worldwide March 22, 2010, on AOL. The video is a visual ode about today's 21st century mass media and information age overload mixed with unabridged live performance. The video also points to a bigger issue here: younger kids on the outside looking in, trying to be a part of the Ratt pack, and the overarching idea that infectious hooks can permeate all aspects of daily life. There's also family cameos, proving that not all relationships suffer because of rock 'n' roll. The video was released on March 29, 2010, on Metal Mania on VH1 Classic. The video directed by Andrew Bennett.^{[ citation needed ]}

In the US, the album debuted at No. 30, selling around 14,000 copies, making it Ratt's highest charting album since 1990. ^[14] The album has since gone on to sell over 50,000 copies in the US.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Eat Me Up Alive"	Carlos Cavazo, Stephen Pearcy, Warren DeMartini	4:13
2.	"Best of Me"	Cavazo, Pearcy, Michael "Elvis" Baskette	4:19
3.	"A Little Too Much"	Baskette, Pearcy, DeMartini	4:05
4.	"Look Out Below"	Bobby Blotzer, Pearcy, Baskette,	3:44
5.	"Last Call"	DeMartini, Cavazo, Pearcy, Baskette,	3:55
6.	"Lost Weekend"	Robbie Crane, Pearcy, Baskette	3:46
7.	"As Good as It Gets"	Pearcy, Baskette, Cavazo	4:38
8.	"Garden of Eden"	DeMartini, Pearcy	3:03
9.	"Take a Big Bite"	DeMartini, Pearcy, Baskette	2:46
10.	"Take Me Home"	Pearcy, DeMartini, Baskette	4:23
11.	"Don't Let Go"	Blotzer, Pearcy, John Corabi, Baskette	3:22

Japanese and iTunes special edition bonus track ^[15]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
12.	"Scatter"	DeMartini, Pearcy	4:26

iTunes special edition bonus track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
13.	"You Think You're Tough" (live from the Rockline Studio)	Pearcy, Robbin Crosby	3:36
14.	"Tell the World" (live from the Rockline Studio)	Pearcy, Crosby	3:14
15.	"Way Cool Jr." (live from the Rockline Studio)	DeMartini, Pearcy, Beau Hill	4:16

Personnel

Ratt

• Stephen Pearcy – lead vocals
• Warren DeMartini – guitar, backing vocals
• Carlos Cavazo – guitar, backing vocals
• Robbie Crane – bass
• Bobby Blotzer – drums

Production

• Michael "Elvis" Baskette – producer, mixing, strings arrangements
• Dave Holdredge – engineer, mixing, strings arrangements
• Jef Moll – digital editing
• Ted Jensen – mastering at Sterling Sound, New York City

Charts

Chart (2010)	Peak position
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [16]	49
French Albums (SNEP) [17]	139
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [18]	22
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [19]	78
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [20]	40
US Billboard 200 [21]	30
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard) [22]	4
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard) [23]	8
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [24]	7

References

1. "Ratt - Infestation (2010) - 18 May 2010 - Lossless & others". Lossless-muz.ucoz.com.
2. "Ratt. Infestation. CD. - Storming the Base". Archived from the original on December 29, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
3. Bowar, Chad. "Ratt - 'Infestation'". Heavy Metal. About.com. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
4. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Ratt - Infestation review". AllMusic . All Media Network . Retrieved June 21, 2015.
5. Ogle, Ryan. "Ratt - "Infestation"". Blabbermouth.net . Retrieved June 21, 2015.
6. Lafon, Mitch (March 14, 2010). "Ratt - Infestation". Bravewords.com. Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles . Retrieved June 21, 2015.
7. Pratt, Greg (April 19, 2010). "Ratt - Infestation". Exclaim! . Retrieved June 21, 2015.
8. Soghomonian, Talia (April 19, 2010). "Ratt - Infestation". MusicOMH . Retrieved June 21, 2015.
9. Begrand, Adrien (April 22, 2010). "Ratt - Infestation". PopMatters . Retrieved June 21, 2015.
10. "RATT Frontman Talks About New Album; Video Available". Blabbermouth.net . February 17, 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
11. Rose, Rustyn (March 18, 2010). "Ratt Q&A With Guitarist Warren DeMartini". Metalholic.com. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
12. "Song Charts". MediaBase 24/7. 2010.
13. "Stephen Pearcy Interview". Archived from the original on March 7, 2011.
14. "RATT: 'Infestation' First-Week Sales Revealed". Blabbermouth.net . April 28, 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
15. "RATT - Infestation Bonus Track For Japan Announced". Bravewords.com. Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles. March 9, 2010. Retrieved June 21, 2015.
16. "Ratt: Infestation" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
17. "Lescharts.com – Ratt – Infestation". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
18. "インフェステイション". Oricon.co.jp. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
19. "Swisscharts.com – Ratt – Infestation". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
20. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
21. "Ratt Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
22. "Ratt Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
23. "Ratt Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
24. "Ratt Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 24, 2021.

External links

• Infestation - Ratt's official website