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Metal/Prog Metal CD Reviews

Kreator

Hordes of Chaos

Review by Gary Hill

I’d never actually heard Kreator before I got this disc. I have to say it has me wanting to look into their back catalog. For my money the two biggest influences on the sound here are Metallica and Iron Maiden, but the vocals are often more modern extreme metal in delivery. This is a killer album that has very few slow downs. Even so, it never gets boring or “samey.” What an exceptionally powerful CD this is.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2009  Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue For the Elite)
I love the guitar riff that leads this off. It’s got sort of Metallica meets Iron Maiden feeling to it with a galloping riff. They work this through a series of changes and alterations before they settle into the frantic thrash that serves as the backdrop for the vocals. This thing is fierce and ferocious. The chorus is infectious, somewhat like the more anthemic WASP singalongs. They move through a whole series of variants and alterations on this dynamic cut. It’s a powerhouse and a great way to start things off in style.
War Curse
More powerhouse riffing leads us off here. The drums seriously pound the listener into submission. This one should come with a warning label about extreme damage to necks. I like the guitar solo on this one a lot. The track isn’t nearly as dynamic as the opener, but it’s built on a seriously tasty riff structure and has some great moments. I’d say I actually like this one more than that. I think the staccato segment with chiming harmonic guitar sounds coming across it is particularly effective. 
Escalation
Another screamingly frantic chunk of thrash, they just keep them coming. It’s perhaps a bit more stripped down and raw than the previous couple cuts. There are some more intense guitar moments and anthemic choruses. They also include a cool twisting progression. 
Amok Run
A mellower segment starts this and the vocal that is put on top of it reminds me a bit of Alice Cooper. They fire out after a time into another screaming thrasher. This one is quite raw and sure to have the mosh pits going double time. It really does run amok. There is a slower section later with some killer melodic guitar lines running across it. 
Destroy What Destroys You
The onslaught continues. It amazes me how these guys can keep the intensity up while still making each of these tracks feel unique. This one is exceptionally brutal. 
Radical Resistance
A raw cut, this one borders on hardcore. It’s another that’s bound and determined to cause serious neck injuries. 
Absolute Misanthropy
This starts more tentatively. Really it’s tough to come up with things to say to differentiate these tracks – and yet they are all diverse enough that the disc never seems to suffer from being monolithic at all. This is fairly brutal and has some of the most upfront percussion of the disc. It’s another with definite ties to hardcore punk – especially on the vocals and the speed up slow down tempo. We get a cool spoken word section on this one, too. 
To the Afterborn
The riff that leads this off is especially tasty. We get a spoken word section over this and then a great Maidenish guitar attack takes over. Here’s another cut that reminds me both of Metallica and Iron Maiden. 
Corpses of Liberty
This one is just a little less than a minute in length. It’s a pretty balladic cut. Intricate and very proggy this reminds me of something Metallica would do. It’s a nice interlude.
Demon Prince
They bring this one in with melodic guitars that again make me think of Maiden. It gets turned out into more screaming thrash. Here’s another that’s quite dynamic. It gets twisted and turned around.
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