Kreator
Hordes of Chaos
SPV 2008
I had a slight
problem with Kreator's last album, Enemy of God, as I thought it was a little
too derivative of recent Slayer. Not so with Hordes of Chaos.
Kreator has injected melody back into their songwriting. The title track
sets the tone for the rest of the album with blistering guitar work, subtle
melodies and scathing vocals from Mille. Warcurse is up next with a
fast-paced fret workout and a slowly building melodic chorus. The second
half of the song slows down for a moshing groove and some killer lead work.
Escalation brings to mind classic Kreator circa Extreme Aggression. Amok
Run starts off in more gothic fields sounding almost like modern day Tiamat,
only to slip into darker and emotional territory as guitar harmonies spill forth
like a waterfall. The song then explodes into a freight train charging
full speed ahead. Radical Resistance once again brings to mind the frantic
anger of Extreme Aggression's Betrayer, at least until the chorus and melodic
lead work. More anthemic in nature is To The Afterborn which dwells in a
foot stomping mid-tempo arena for most of its ponderous length though it does
get a little fiery during its middle stages. The album ends on a powerful
note as dueling guitar harmonies set the stage for volcanic intensity and a
simmering chorus that build into a furious climax. Mille's vocals are a
little more screamed on this album but that technique just makes his voice all
the more venomous. With Hordes of Chaos, Kreator once again establish why
they are one of the most renowned thrash acts on the planet as they continue on
with another strong outing on this their 12th album. They have not slowed
down or lost their fire. "Harvest the Storm!"