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Artist: RHEINKAOS
Album: Demo 2008
Year: 2008
It doesn't happen too often that we got to review releases coming from the beautiful Greece territory. Rheinkaos is a newly formed four-piece, describing their music as 'black metal / industrial / experimental' - and says to be influenced by bands such as Ulver, Dødheimsgard, Thorns, Skinny Puppy, Paradise Lost, as well Aphex Twin. As their presskit, existing of ten (!) pages, says - this 'Demo 2008' is the debut release of this band.
Although this release contains just three songs - it comes with a lenght of over 20 minutes. Mixing this with the song structure of the tracks make every song sounds like a seperate journey. 'Drink The Effect', including beautiful female guest vocals by Gogo Melone (Luna Obscura) - and as well the opening track of this release, immidiately grabs your hand for a journey to the darker regions of the soul. Switching from orchestral based parts to atmospheric black metal (both modern midtempo and old school) parts to brutal electro metal parts, combined with little touches of wave and gothic metal. The song has surprisingly wellfitting electronic based intermezzo's, essential sampling and diverse vocal lines, and never gets bored despite the lenght of nearly eight and a half minutes. 'Witness To Your Disguise' opens with ambient tunes and dark riffing. Right after, the song transforms into a haunting atmosphere, grabbing you by the throat immidiately. Musically, this track is probably the most experimental track on the release, without getting too chaotic to lose atmosphere. The song consists of a spine made of gentle though powerful drumming and wicked sampling and keylines, slowly sailing from ambient parts to midtempo black metal parts to parts with connections to electro, wave and even a little neo-folk. As well essential are the use of the haunting, sometimes nearly schizophrenic vocal lines, and the experimental guitar solos with little references to blues and stoner! As well, the song consists of a repetitively haunting bassline, taking care of an even more threatning atmosphere. 'Bring The Shadows' is the most brutal track on the release, bringing you closer to the dark shadows that are wandering on this world. It guides you from midtempo and sometimes electro based black/death metal to ambient and wave, via small villages of orchestral tunes and gothic ambiances.
So - a final conclusion - just like Rheinkaos is a name you don't hear everyday, the music is a kind you don't hear everyday either. To compare it with known bands will therefore be an impossible task, although small links to bands like Attractor and Tenebrarum Infanteus (both on volume 3 of our compilation series) came in mind. To sum it all up - this is excellent and avantgarde industrial black metal with tons of 'outside the box'-influences, brilliant and essential for the music collection of anybody who's reading this.
Vote: 99 / 100
Review by: Gerardo
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1. Drink The Effect
2. Witness To Your Disguise
3. Bring The Shadows
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