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By JEFF MAKI
After 11 long years of "occult practice, murder sentences, scandals, Satanic crimes, media boycott and censorship, violence, death and chaos," (From the band's official bio) Sweden's melodic death metal gods Dissection have returned with Reinkaos. Yes, it's been more than a decade since the band's last studio album, 1993's Storm Of The Light's Bane, now a death metal classic.
Upon hearing Reinkaos, one thing is for certain: Dissection are out to show everyone how to do it and do it right. While the disc offers nothing new to the genre, Reinkaos shows that Dissection are still a force to be reckoned with, even after the long hiatus. The dark acoustic intro of "Nexion 218" leads us in to an epic mixture of black and melodic death metal. Lead vocalist/guitarist Jon Nödtveidt spews forth his vocals in a raspy, almost black metal style, which so many bands have copied since. Dissection may have actually taken a cue from more recent acts by infusing melody and some rather memorable choruses on tracks such as "Starless Aeon," probably the best song of the album. Other tracks follow a similar formula. "Black Dragon" and "Dark Mother Divine" are more mid-tempo but deliver with the same impact. The instrumental title track, the blistering "Internal Fire" and the album's closer, "Maha Kali" (featuring female backing vocals), are all standout tracks. Acoustic interludes and even a hint of electronics are also thrown into the mix. The guitars absolutely shred, with some of the most melodic and evil riffs from any death metal act.
Fans of In Flames, At The Gates, Hypocrisy and melodic Swedish death metal might find Reinkaos to be a masterpiece. Dissection surely prove that after 11 years, they still can deliver. The band takes their own pioneering sound and combines it with new elements. So many band's in the genre have emerged since Dissection's last release in 1993 that it may be easy to blend Reinkaos in with the rest. But at first listen, I can say that this is a near perfect outing for the band. Is Reinkaos a masterpiece from living legends or merely a band doing what they do best? Only repeated listens will tell.
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