Album Review

Chimaira - Crown of PhantomsChimaira – Crown of Phantoms

Cleveland’s metal heroes Chimaira have come back again with their new album "Crown of Phantoms" fresh for 2013 with an altered line-up again. Having been successful with "The Impossibility of Reason" and "Chimaira", they rode that right through "Resurrection" until "The Infection" seemingly killed it dead; "The Infection" in my opinion was a complete flop, "The Age of Hell" was a start in a comeback for the guys and marked a possitive move with an all new line up back to that heavy style can it be possible that "Crown of Phantoms" can be the album this band desperately need to save their career?

Now I love how Chimaira have always brought out these really heavy songs but there’s much more depth to them than that, there is all sorts of stylistic choices and techniques that really make this brand of music deeply sinister, “The Machine” is a great opener with those theatrical sequences giving a really big feel, that song as well is trademark Chimaira being a bit strange on the surface with alternating tempo’s and alternate riffs. I always preferred the higher tempo aggressive songs but I must admit the more maniacal title track “Crown of Phantoms” here has captured my attention as there’s just something about it that gives me a burst of energy. I must admit this if the first album in a long time I’ve got into more than 4 songs; “Spineless” is a powerful one both lyrically and musically very to the point, “All Thats Left Is Blood” resembles a golf ball being hard yet extremely bouncy, “Plastic Wonderland” as well that really ignites a fire in your ears.

I’m not sure how to conclude this review because I just have the same feelings I do every time these guys release new material, no matter of line up changes or stylistic choices seems to sway my judgement in either way. I really get on board with the heavier high octane songs as they really do have a flair for that it would seem but I do get quite fed up of the songs they do that are really slow paced simply because that ominous sinister theme just drops my mood when not backed by high octane metal. It’s a good album, people will have some great fun with it but is it good enough them back into larger rooms and have queues miles long waiting for them over here? I highly doubt it I’m afraid.

3.5/5

Review by James Webb

 Band Members

Mark Hunter
Emil Werstler
Matt Szlachta
Jeremy Creame
Austin D'amond
Sean Z
 Track Listing

1. The Machine
2. No Mercy
3. All Thats Left is Blood
4. I Despise
5. Plastic Wonderland
6. The Transmigration
7. Crown Of Phantoms
8. Spineless
9. Kings Of The Shadow World
10. Wrapped On Violence
11. Love Soaked Death
12. New Apocalypse

 Band Related Links
Chimaira Facebook
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?