Track Listing :
1 - Crystal Lakes
2 - Hall Of Sorrow
3 - Golden Wings On Red Streams
4 - Of Ocean Lightning
5 - Freezing Ornate Throne
6 - Dark Tower Of Immolation
7 - Under The Darkest Shade
8 - Red Sky Of Angels Dying
9 - In The Icy Realm
10 - Fountance Of Impure Essence
11 - Thorns Of Impurity

Drawing on influences from such genre luminaries as Emperor and Gehenna, Lord Kaos have worked some apparent death metal pasts (i.e. riffing, brutality) into a staunch black metal outfit, with rhythms tighter than a frogs arse. At times, the influences shine though a LITTLE too brightly, but its performed so well.

The guitars are much beefier than most other BM bands, which really does come in handy when the band shift into doom tempo, as they lace their rhythm with dancing keyboards.

Sometimes the soaring, screeching vocals, and the over-precision of the drum machine brings to mind some of the faster moments of BALTAK's first CD, but that's not to say they sound alike. The prominence of the keyboards ensures that the listener stays focused, but at the same time, they don't drown out the rest of the instruments.

Check out "Freezing Ornate Throne", with its ridiculously memorable riffing, and epic choral synth....quite killer indeed.

When Lord Kaos can put out something of this calibre, and barely make a dent on the black metal "scene", and Dark Funeral put out an album and an EP, and the world kisses their asses, you know something's wrong. The music is just as good...if not, better! But who ever said the music industry was fair, right? Its not overtly original, and by no means, "unique" sounding, but its hardly generic. It just seems that's not enough these days...what a shame.

A great release, nonetheless, which leaves me waiting with baited breath for their next release, an mCD which is apparently not far away.

8/10

© 1998 brett