As a swan song, Reinkaos is pretty decent, emphasis on decent, as it shows the band deserting black metal and embracing a more melodic heavy metal approach.
The band’s second effort in less than two years. The guitar sound is grander, the hooks more deadly, and the melodies more developed and instantly ear-catching.
Miles from NY hardcore; think of Refused with the Energizer bunny up their rectums and you’d have a clearer idea of what Sweden’s The Smackdown sounds like.
Complicated rhythms, machine gun guitars, double-bass drums, and the operatic vocals of also guitarist Oddleif Stenslaf who aspires to Nevermore’s Warrel Dane.
Sprawling and expansive, yet it retains certain classic elements. Doom, enhanced by cavernous vocals, creates a sort of controlled black metal symphony.
A substantial portion of the electronic beats has been replaced by more grind, and a touch of electrified doom. The guitars sound more assured and comfortable.