Chaos Rising – The Singles (2-CD)
Independent
2022
41:52 / 42:20
Metal
Chaos Rising is an international band project exclusively for female metal musicians, which founder Stéphanie Nolf has been leading since 2019. The line-ups for the individual songs differ, although there are of course overlaps in personnel.
The first song appeared online in January 2020, as did all the others for the time being.
I became aware of Chaos Rising in the spring of that year through singer Imke von Helden, and my joy was great when in the middle of 2022 the announcement went around that all the songs that had been released so far (except for “Still We Die”, which had been released too shortly before) would appear on a double album. And here it is!
The double album is divided into “For The Head” and “For The Heart”; the album opens with the violent, varied Death Metal banger “Silent Dasein” with the truly beastly Iranian Haniye Kian, reminiscent of a grumpy hyena, on the vocal mic.
In general, the classic DM of the best kind dominates on CD 1; few influences from outside the genre can be heard and refresh the flow rather than disturb it. Everything is produced ravishingly and richly, especially in the bass range. Every single song is a headbanger, nevertheless “The Greatness Beyond” with Imke van Helden deserves a special mention – simply one of the best songs that deserves the description “Dragging Death Metal”. You should have heard it.
CD 2 promises something for the heart – as if thunderous brutal DM wasn’t already just that ;-).
Anyway, on average this part is more melodic, but within quite firm limits – I’m looking for Hard Rock here in vain, almost a bit of a pity. A nice Glam Rock / Hair Metal rocker certainly wouldn’t have hurt, but well, a second album is within the realm of possibility.
Also in this second part, the above-average vocal and instrumental performance is impressive, whereby “Distress” in the line-up Isa Lçn (voc), Stéphanie Nolf (g, bg, dr-c, voc) and Barbara Teleki (solo-g) particularly impresses me.
The double album ignites from the first moment and is simply a joy to listen to.
Can be ordered for example at https://chaosrising.bandcamp.com/
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