Hordes of Chaos by Kreator
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Release date : January 2009
Reviewed by Mark Fisher
Background information
Review
Background information
On July 20th, 2008, Kreator entered Berlin, Germany's Titonus studios to begin cutting the group's twelfth studio album. The successor to 2005's Enemy of God, Hordes of Chaos was produced by Moses Schneider (who's worked alongside Beatsteaks and Tocotronic). Within the space of a week, the outfit had already cut basic tracks in support of nine compositions, and only one was left to record. In late August, a brief video teaser for the album surfaced. Colin Richardson (who's worked with such acts as Slipknot, Machine Head, Carcass, and Napalm Death) handled Hordes of Chaos' mix in London, where vocalist / guitarist Mille Petrozza flew to approve Richardson's final mix-down.
Designed by Joachim Luetke (who's designed artwork for the likes of Dimmu Borgir, Arch Enemy, and Rage), Hordes of Chaos' artwork was unveiled during early October. On November 2nd in Berlin, Kreator filmed a music video in support of the title track with director Jörn Heitmann (Rammstein), an individual who previously directed the music video recorded for Enemy of God's title cut. In early December, “Warcurse” was made available for streaming via Kreator's official MySpace page. Later that month, audio samples of each and every track featured upon Hordes of Chaos were available for listening at JPC.de. Beginning on January 11th, 2009 at The Exit in Chicago, Illinois at nine p.m., a listening party occurred.
In several different versions, Hordes of Chaos has been made available. Its jewel case edition merely features the album itself, whilst a deluxe version sports a bonus DVD. That bonus DVD features a twenty-minute documentary which chronicles the making of Hordes of Chaos, an item directed by Stephanie von Beauvais. The album's ultra-deluxe version, meanwhile, boasts the CD itself, a T-shirt, and a photobook. Additionally, this version features a bonus DVD, possessing the documentary, “Hordes of Chaos”' video, and live footage of both “Awakening of the Gods” and “Coma of Souls” (filmed at 2006's Summer Breeze Open Air in Germany). An LP edition exhibited exclusive cover artwork. In limited quantities only, Newbury Comics sold autographed copies of the album via its official website.
Review
An unbridled shot of aggression, Hordes of Chaos will surely cause young Thrash Metal acts to seem foolish as an immediate consequence of its release. 2001's Violent Revolution and 2005's Enemy of God silenced both critics and fanatics alike, and proved that German Thrash titans Kreator are still largely relevant to the Metal scene. Hordes of Chaos, however, causes disillusioned fanatics to genuinely believe once again. The group sought to fabricate a live ambience in support of the album, achieved by cutting large aspects live in the actual recording studio. Not since the timeless 1986 sophomore album, namely Pleasure to Kill, had Kreator revisited such recording techniques.
Critiqued against Violent Revolution and Enemy of God, Hordes of Chaos' wild aggression makes itself immediately prominent. The album's two immediate predecessors were irrefutably punishing, yet this specific full length is perpetually brutal. Following a short buildup, which pays tribute to the Gothenburg influence which has infliltrated the group's millennium sound, Hordes of Chaos bursts forth courtesy of the title cut, a track that features “Everyone against everyone!” as its rallying decree. The politically tinged “Warcurse” and the groovier “Escalation” subsequently follow, yet admittedly curtail the album's onslaught somewhat. Neither track is particularly memorable, or particularly unpleasant. Until “Amok Run” breathes fresh life into Hordes of Chaos, the album's tempo declines. Featuring initially creepy ingredients, “Amok Run” subsequently boasts unbridled speed, and passion. From thereon in, Kreator lays waste to all within the group's path, including those who believed Kreator would never be as audibly passionate as the group was upon their earlier recordings.
Though much of Hordes of Chaos' numbers can be deemed highlights, the record boasts several outstanding tracks that warrant supplementary focus. Of these numbers, “Absolute Misanthropy” is one such track. Without doubt, its guitar work is magnificent. Battle-esque, as each respective guitar solo winds down, Kreator race away at lightning speeds. Each and every time, the group hits the ground running via a sinister force and precision which only comes with age. The ambience prevalent within “Corpses of Liberty” builds a mood necessary to wholly appreciate swansong cut “Demon Prince”; collectively, the two employ an unusually epic style which takes quite a gamble, yet reaps wealthy returns. Of Hordes of Chaos' tracks, “Demon Prince” certainly isn't this reviewer's favourite. Nonetheless, the tune forces the listener to acknowledge Kreator's diverse talent, and hard headedness towards challenging themselves musically.
Generally speaking, Hordes of Chaos is easily Kreator's greatest album to be issued since the millennium's arrival. As a matter of fact, the full length is greater than most of the material the group issued during the nineties, a period in which Kreator's experimentation caused the outfit to leave the consciousness of Metal fanatics. For aging Metal acts desperate to prove their continued importance to the scene, 2009 is showing the hallmarks of what could be a magnificent year. Kreator's freshly tapped outcast-like rage nurtures the outfit's greatest strengths. In 2009, tradition will cause you to pay note, and Hordes of Chaos is a shining example of why.
