Chapter 5

The undetermined duration of quarantine of all former members has not only been difficult for the research community but also for the only remaining member. Nevertheless, he had to find the reasons behind the recent mutation of the virus and accomplish the task entrusted to him.

After multiple tests, Sébastien Croteau discovered that the answer to what had allowed him to survive the new strain of the virus was in his voice, specifically in his vocal technique. By analyzing the frequencies produced by his voice, he noticed that there were two sounds: the first sound was of the same nature as the ones generated by a normal voice, the second was a subharmonic, a sound related to the first, but an octave lower.

This subharmonic, when emanated from an infected subject, had a particular effect on the virus' capacity to replicate its nucleic acid and made the protein based shell more fragile and therefore, more likely to react positively to death metal music.

Armed with this new knowledge, Sébastien recruited two eminent virologists, Éric Jarrin (DESPIED ICON, HEAVEN'S CRY) and René Lacharité (HEAVEN'S CRY), who had both perfected an extreme technique of music dissemination, a technique they had called SUFFERING.

To be sure of undertaking their research the right way, the trio took all of the group's previous work and redid all the sound experiences of the past to validate each result previously obtained.

They quickly realized that they lacked an essential sound element in their research: a provider of low frequency electromagnetic oscillations.

The best in this field, Steeve Poirier, was from one of the virus' breeding grounds, Rimouski. Although he had been discreet in his research, he had come to an incredible mastery of his art. From the beginning of their collaboration, they found themselves invited to many music symposiums throughout Quebec.

The research team published the results of their 4th research in 1999. Their unique approach marked a new turning point in how to fight the virus. The group had finally found the right balance between brutality and musical innovation and this recipe would become the key to creating a new generation of mutants, mutants who now had everything they needed to survive and adapt to the virus. The research team decided to withdraw in July 2000, just before the publication of a summary of their musical research.

During the 25 Years of Metal in Quebec, in 2007, the group of researchers was invited to come and present their old work, a sign that the fruit of their research has crossed the ages and has marked a large part of the death metal lovers of the province of Quebec.

Who knows, the virus may be able to adapt yet again and the researchers will have to come back together to fight it once more?