Old School, Baby! CHAOSPHERE from Poland try their luck in Thrash Metal and German heroes such as DEATHROW, SODOM, KREATOR, but also VENOM & SLAYER count among their influences. And the whole thing pretty much sounds like that, too. There are a lot of (well stolen) riffs and stop-and-go parts, plus a lot of double-bass-laden mid-tempo breakers, but also fragile acoustic parts. Everything is pretty raw and a bit chaotic, so nothing like the polished stuff such as newer DESTRUCTION.

There is not a single note that we have not heard on albums of the mentioned genre icons several times, so the question is, if that is a problem? Nope, not really, as long as power tracks waltz down everything and only leave blackened earth, like the brilliant “Chalice Of Bitterness” or the slow-paced “My Own Hell”, which are excellent tracks! “Inflicting Pain“ even is a true Thrash hit! The rest also is Thrash with class and should enthuse genre fans. The vocals are great and really sound like a mix of Cronos and Chuck Schuldiner.

For a debut it is a worthy starting point, for the riffs and the merciless drumming combined with these hateful vocals really work out and I am banging like a madman. Even if it stands closer to “Reign In Blood” in terms of playing time than music, the album is very recommendable.

(Online February 18, 2007)