17th August, 2024
Tides of Chaos
'Crossing The Threshold'
Hailing From Norway, the brilliant new melodic blackened death metal outfit Tides Of Chaos, formed in 2021, Henry
Lemoin with this one man project has delivered a stellar debut album that combines dark heaviness, haunting melody with beautifully crafted atmospheres and emotions along with fantastic guitar leads and riffs, so let's get into the finer details on offer here.
First song 'I Will Rise' kicks in with fury and fire, akin to a mesh of Behemoth / Rotting Christ which is a great start to these ears. I can even hear Old Mans Child type guitar riffing in this song.
The drumming is tastefully done by Naman, great fills, strong transitions between sections and keeps the songs ticking over. Bass is deep and full, holding along with the drums while giving
it's own flash moments throughout this debut. The vocals remind me of a stronger Shagrath style (Dimmu Borgir) which pleases this listener! The switching of vocal styles fits perfectly in this
genre and it is done to perfection and one of the stronger features of this band. Speaking of stronger features, the songwriting is immense - the outro to 'I Will Rise' with the clean guitar
riff to end is executed just right. Production is strong, every element clear and not muddy - another excellent feature of this one man project - his mixing and mastering skills!
Have a listen to the debut below while you read ->
'Screams' has some great guitar layering in the intro and at the 2 minute mark we are treated to some nice chord progressions and a slowed down section
sprinkled with some evil sounding leads and dissonance refined. Some intelligently placed stop/starts in this song lead us into one of the best songs on the album 'Surrender Now', just go
and listen to that intro with Matthew Dakoutros on Violin/Viola/Cello, it's soaked in atmosphere and haunting melody. Trills hit at end of the bars and pokes of high notes dance above the song
and huge sounding vocals void you into darkness. There is great songwriting ability in letting a song breathe in just before a ripping solo blasts this song onto another level. Someone like
Belphegor or Behemoth would beg for a song like this on their albums. My only gripe is the ending of the song feels aburpt.
'Relentless Might' certainly has a relentless feel to it, pounding drums, grinding guitar riffs that channel up and down the fretboard with might while 'Deeproot Forest' straight away hits you with the
crushing wall of sound present on Crossing The Threshold. Every galloping blackened metal riff hits like a sledgehammer, the twist and turns throughout this track are at times mind numbing, drums lay down a rhythm foundation that smashes
like a wrecking ball then you layer the soaring and abrasive vocals on top of that.
'Metamorphic Eternity' combines both the crushing heaviness of the previous 2 tracks but with the haunting atmosphere of 'Surrender Now'. It's a seamless blend with brilliantly executed progessive riffing,
the drumming on this is almost hypnotic which adds yet another element to the overall sound. Go listen to the lead transition at the 2 minute mark to understand the songwriting on display here.
All by one man too which is quite the feat.
'Nordic Nocturne' with it's instrumental only approach adds more depth and atmosphere and once again the drumming drives and the guitar riffs with a clear focus on the leads pushes the boundaries to even more unpredictable twists
and turns, it really showcases some mind blowing progressive elements while still maintaining the overall atmosphere created on the previous tracks. Closing track 'Arisen', focuses a lot on it's soaring leads and heavy guitar riffs with
that trademark wall of sound that they execute so easily reaches an even higher level then before and creates an absolutely monumental crescendo to end this near flawless offering.
This album presents a visceral and atmospheric journey, showcasing the intricate craftsmanship and raw emotion that define Tides of Chaos. For those drawn to intense and interesting vocals, intricate blackened riffs, and a dark, immersive soundscape,
this album promises a captivating experience. Henry Lemoin, along with the talented session musicians, has crafted an album that is not just an introduction — it’s a powerful statement that Tides of Chaos will be a force to be reckoned with in the future, leaving a lasting impression that echoes long after the final track concludes.
Do not sleep on this one, folks!
