Review by Rick Eaglestone for MPM
Drawing influence from the distinctly more frantic end of the hardcore spectrum, Chaos Reigns are back with an offering of brutally honest reflection on the fine line between pain and pleasure, life, and death for latest EP – Sweet Violence
Opener False Gods is a dynamic conclave of foreboding aggression with nicely interwoven melody which then spirals into the intense delivery of follow up Graveyard Shift which is certainly where the band really command the attention of the listener with an intermittent splash of fragility.
As the EP begins to take shape Violent Delights provides another razor sharp track with varying soundscapes that lull the listener into a false safe space before more annihilation ensues – I cant help at this point into the release thinking ahead to next years Damnation Festival and just feeling that the band would be very well suited to the event, this is all but confirmed by the highlight track for me Snake Branches which captures the overall aesthetic perfectly with a great balance of elements.
Sins of Success fires in with another frantic fireball but again keeps the listener guessing as the soundscapes that weave through add an enriching element to another wise solid track.
Final Track The Lotus King features a collaboration with Mallory Knox’s Mickey Chapman which feels like a more than justified endorsement on how Chaos Reigns effortlessly perform with such an intricate volatility and blending angular rhythms and jarring riffs that challenge conventions.
“We wanted to create something that cuts deep, that explores the contradictions of life – where love can turn to obsession, and where the things that drive us can also destroy us,” explains frontman Jason Heightman. “Sweet Violence is a reflection of the world we live in – where the boundary between pain and pleasure, life and death, is razor-thin.”
There are certainly enough hypnotic waves to counteract the overall ferocity but at its very core Sweet Violence is a well-crafted intense creation that I have found myself coming back to repeatedly.
Sweet Violence Track listing
1. False Gods
2. Graveyard Shift
3. Violet Delights
4. Snakes & Branches
5. Sins of Success
6. The Lotus King (ft. Mikey Chapman)
Line-up:
Jason Heightman – vocals
Darryl Butcher – guitars
Joe Griffin – guitars
Billy Padmore – bass
Dave Morris – drums
https://www.chaos-reigns.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/chaosreignshc
https://www.instagram.com/chaosreignsuk
7/10
