Skip to main content

Chimaira: Crown Of Phantoms

CHIMAIRA 
CROWN OF PHANTOMS
   Evolve or die. Its a simple decision really. For a band anyway. Either a struggling or strained band can split up and cease to exist, or it can evolve and begin a new phase of existence. Luckily, Chimaira chose to do the latter. Chimaira evolved into a far stronger and tighter unit, at the price of a significant line-up change that was presented by a vast majority of the media as being the death of the band. Anyone who believed or speculated that Chimaira would actually crumble into dust due to personnel difficulties, are now forced to eat their words.
   Crown Of Phantoms, is not the work of a dying or insignificant band. It is the product of an evolving bands dedication and commitment to Metal-music. In fact, Crown Of Phantoms is the strongest and most consistent album Chimaira have released so far. Comprising of eleven groove-tastic tracks, this is an all bruise no loose album from start to finish.
   Kicking off with the relentless assault of "The Machine", "No Mercy" and "All That's Left Is Blood", is the perfect way to quash any doubts concerning Chimaira. The riffs are groovy and chugging enough to satisfy even the most die-hard Lamb Of God fans. The vocals spit and shred just as you would expect, the bass is driving and the drums are hammering. Whats not to like?
   A brief respite from the persistent battering, comes in the form of the instrumental, "The Transmigration". However, as soon as that breath-catcher is over, its straight back to the lashing with title track, "Crown Of Phantoms". From there on, its skull imploding heaviness to the end. "Spineless", "Kings Of the Shadow World" and "Wrapped In Violence" keep the momentum going and keep the album running on all cylinders.
   At the end of the day, if you like your music heavy then you will love Crown Of Phantoms. Existing fans of Chimaira will enjoy this album all the more when considering the hurdles jumped and the obstacles overcome just to have Crown Of Phantoms released in the first place. A solid album by a now solid band.





Thank You For Reading!!
Feel Free To Comment Or Ask Any Questions!!
  \m/      




Comments

  1. This reviewer's opinion is right on the money. Crown of phantoms is awesome . What a comeback . Chimaira fans should rejoice. This band should receive kudos for their tremendous efforts to keep Chimaira going. Mark Hunter deserves all credit for his dedication and perseverance. Mark is a badass!!!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

EXODUS: PERSONA NON GRATA

  EXODUS: PERSONA NON GRATA         The Thrash Metal hierarchy has long been constructed around the mainstream success of the American "Big Four", dwarfing their peers outside of the clique with their mass popularity and stratospheric record sales. Thanks to bands such as Exodus, Testament and Overkill, a revolution has begun. The most recent releases from those bands comprising the Big Four have been good at best, while the latest albums from these previously mentioned outsiders have been breathtakingly excellent.    Persona Non Grata is a crushingly heavy slab of solid Thrash Metal. Gary Holt and fellow guitarist Lee Altus whip up a veritable storm of crunchy, Thrashing, whiplash-inducing riffs from start to finish. A superhuman barrage of drum battery is unleashed by Tom Hunting, accompanied by Jack Gibson's booming, thundering and raking bass notes. All the while Steve Souza sings, screams and snarls like a rabid and possessed vocal maestro....

MASSACRE: RESURGENCE

  MASSACRE: RESURGENCE      Like the walking dead, Massacre just keep coming back time after time. Refusing to stay down, this band simply won't die. To survive, Massacre takes on a new form every ascension, this time they have re-emerged as the Kam Lee band, with the legendary vocalist being the most consistent and regular member of the band over the years and through the numerous reformations.   The Massacre that we are faced with here on Resurgence could be considered as something of a Death-Metal supergroup. Comprising the band alongside Kam Lee; we have Mike Borders on bass guitar whom was previously a member of the band for short spell in the mid 1980's, alongside Jonny Pettersson of Wombbath (and countless other bands and projects) and Rogga Johansson of Paganizer (and possibly even more bands and projects than Jonny) on guitars, Brynjar Helgetun on drums, and Memoriam's resident riff-lord Scott Fairfax providing lead guitar. United this band of talented ...

HAMMERFALL: RENEGADE 2.0 - 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION

  HAMMERFALL: RENEGADE 2.0     Commemorating the 20th anniversary of their seminal 3rd album, Sweden's Power Metal kings  Hammerfall have given Renegade a face-lift, remixed and repackaged as Renegade 2.0. This is a special anniversary presentation that is certain to satisfy the hammer wielding masses, complete with stunning new artwork and tonnes of bonus content.     The beautifully presented triple disc boxset edition includes the 2020 remix edition of Renegade, along with a second CD which contains the original 2000 version of the album as well as bonus tracks taken from the Renegade single and The Templar Renegade Crusades EP. It doesn't stop there though, as the third disc is a DVD of The Templar Renegade Crusades which compiles live footage from around the world, along with other footage and clips essential to any die-hard fans collection.     The 2020 remix of Renegade by the legendary Fredrik Nordström does this fine album ...