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!"