Customer Reviews

Kings of Chaos

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I realize lineup changes (especially a new vocalist) can make or break a band for fans. It does for me. However, Hecate Enthroned retains their distinct atmosphere even with their new vocalist. In fact, it feels to me like nothing much has changed. As though you have moved to another corner of hell but you are still in the same kind of hell. While the use of more growling vocals and less shrieking may come as a bit of a shock to some, it adds a bit more depth to the sound without really changing it. This use of low vocals are prevalent in black metal as well as death metal. It would be unfair and stupid to sweep them into the death metal genre simply because of this.

It seems Hecate Enthroned can not get the respect they deserve from any of these self proclaimed expert critics who bash them. Though I highly doubt they care. On one side they have the ignorant fools saying they sound like Cradle of Filth. Now some of their fans cant appreciate their new vocals.

Its a shame. Kings of Chaos is an amazing album that will be over looked because of a washed up sellout band (CoF) and the shallow stuck up fans who can't feel the powerful dark atmosphere Hecate Enthroned has and still does emanate.

Hecate Enthroned are one of the most misunderstood and underrated bands. This album mixes keys, guitars and various vocal styles to make for an excellent and powerful album. It meanders from ethereal atmospheric to the most most wicked of black metal and the guitar work slays! The feel of this album is sinister! Get it!

I loved Upon Promethean Shores, The Slaughter of Innocence, and even Dark Requiems, but without Jon on vocals this cd is boring. There are 1000 bands out there who have average death metal vocalists (like Hecate's new vocalist Dean). Half of listening to this band was to hear Jon's insane voice (which was much better than Dani's of CoF). I guess the band wanted to change styles or something. The new cd Redimus is better than this, but it still isn't as good as the old stuff. I'm sorry if you bought this cd after hearing their old stuff. It just doesn't compare.

It's the lack of individualy appealing songs on this album that bothers me. I don't mind the inclusion of the 'Death' growl, or the reduction in the 'black' screech so prevalent on the previous two releases, but the songs, by themselves, just aren't very listenable. I've run the disc through several times but nothing seems to stand out, and there aren't really too many layers in the music to sift through, so what you hear the first time is pretty much what it is entirely. It's certainly not a 'bad' album, but rather overly simplistic, with a minimalist feel in it's melodic structure and songwriting. I believe this to be intentional by Hecate because the eleven tracks only account for a thirty-three minute long recording. An album that on the surface bares a 'pop' minded template but comes across as an 'ambient death/black metal' experience. It's a different Hecate Enthroned that released KOC, but still worth checking out.

The latest album from "the band that sounds just like Cradle of Filth". Actually the band was founded from ex member(s) of CoF sometime just before or after the release of Vempire. I'm not sure if their sound was to mimic that of CoF's style or if the former member of CoF had that much of a say in CoF's style that when he went to form Hecate Enthroned the two bands had a very similar sound? Anyways...with Kings of Chaos you almost have an entirely new sound and I love it. I was never impressed with Hecate Enthroned with the exception of their first album.

Instead of screeching high pitched vocals (CoF style), haunting keyboards, and guitars drowned out in treble what you hear in this album is HATEFUL black metal type screaming (meaning it sounds like he's choking to death on his own spit), some death metal inspired grunting, bombastic drumming, and overall more originaly music writing. The keyboards are still there but have an entirely different feel than the last album.

What else can I say? Anytime a band switches direction as H.E has done here you're gonna have people who [perform so bad] because they're not doing the same damn thing as their last album, and you have the more open minded fans who give it a try and let the album grow on them. I've recommeded this album to a few people and all of them thought it was amazing. One of them had not heard older Hecate Enthroned, however.

This band had a very good start and all three albums released before "Kings of Chaos" were absolutely marvellous. No comparison to COF can be done here. Styles may be similar, but Hecate Enthroned are totally different from COF. "King Of Chaos" is impossible to hear and is a huge disappointment. They performed a transition from very good Black metal to some more than bleak Death metal and they had done that badly. Waisted [more money] on a CD which I had to throw away when I was cleaning my apartment this weekend. One star goes for the fast Amazon.com service.