Dissection - Reinkaos (11 tracks) +Album Reviews

Different but excellent

Bodom J | Bethpage, TN United States | 05/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"after two amazing black metal albums, dissection singer/guitarplayer/mastermind goes to jail for murder because he is, quite frankly, an idiot of the highest order. Though I believe someone is up above, i'm not religious so I could care less about his satanic views, they mean nothing to me. What I do like is the top notch music and vocals. Obviously, prison changed this dude's musical views. So he takes dissection from a black metal band to a melodic death metal band thingy. The result is spectatcular to say the least. I can see why fans would be dissapointed as it's just a total depature from their original sound but I think it's just as good as their other stuff. The melodies on this album, the music itself, it's epic beyond belief. The guitar solos are amazing and the vocals, while not as harsh as their older stuff, are clear and precise. The production adds to the sound, this album sounds IMMENSE. The drumming is outstanding as well."

A Comeback of Different Sorts.

p_drl | 08/07/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"To say the least, there are still shockwaves running through the metal community about this album. But honestly, it's not like we weren't given a heads-up. The "Maha Kali" release gave us a big hint as to which direction Jon was headed in with his songwriting.

Not surprisingly though, people freaked when this album came out. Those expecting a second "Storm of the Light's Bane" were treated to something radically different. Dissection now play a very dark and sinister type of melodic death metal, but nothing close to In Flames, as some have stated. (Though I will say, a few riffs from this album would have fit perfectly on their 1998 album Whoracle.) There are no blastbeats or 8-minute "epics." The sound here is more streamlined, and most of the songs rely more on solid guitar-oriented songwriting and a sinister atmosphere than the black metal norm.

I will say that this album is definitely easier to get into on a musical level than previous Dissection albums. "Starless Aeon" and "God of Forbidden Light" are straight-up catchy, and "Xeper I Set" will grab some unexpecting listeners with its thrashy demeanor. Jon's vocals seem more restrained here, but seem to work within the context of the music. The drumming is simplistic and fitting, but never becomes stale or boring. Production overall is pretty good, even if it's a bit too sterile and digital. The guitar tone is crisp and the leads, solos, and harmonies cut through the mix when they need to.

My favorite thing about "Reinakos" would have to be the lyrics. Jon's long-time affiliation with the MLO comes through here, with invocations in other tongues to the gods of chaos and other things such as anti-cosmic philosophy. It may come off as pretentious at first, but soon you'll find yourself chanting "Dies Irae, Dies Illa, Solvet Cosmos Infavilla!" sooner than you think.

Even if this album sounds a bit dated, it is a solid comeback for one of extreme metal's most signifigant bands."

Who cares if it's a departure, it's an excellent METAL album

Triumph | 03/09/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A well crafted, well executed, well produced, and all around excellent album. This is NOT the Dissection of yore, nor should it be expected to be. To say that a man should serve 7 years in prison and emerge unchanged would be folly, and the music is as much of a reflection of that as anything. The biggest departure of this album from the previous albums has got to be the sound quality. Absolutely top notch, and it gives the recording a whole new sheen. I'd imagine that if this were recorded in a similar style as Storm, then you would see entirely different opinions in the reviews. Favorite tracks of the album are the title track "Reinkaos", the epilogue "Maha Kali," and "Beyond the Horizon," but they are all quality tracks without a one to be skipped over. If you like old Dissection, you may or may not like this album. But if you like METAL, then you will most likely enjoy this recording for its own merits."

An excellent METAL album, indeed!

N. Jacobs | Fish Creek, Wi USA | 03/22/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I was initially deeply disappointed with Reinkaos, even though I was well aware that this would not be in the vein of their classic two previous releases. And for the very fact that those two releases played a very strong role in my own musical life, I cannot give this a perfect five stars.

Let's remove all contraversy and lyrical matter, and examine this album for what it is...MUSIC.

Most people would say that this is insipid, monotonous melodic death metal. I can definately see that there is a similarity with other bands like In Flames, but this is an entirely different entity. Sure, In Flames uses melodies and no blast beats, much like this album, but I hear much more classic metal, in the vein of Judas Priest's Screaming for Vengeance, than I do modern Gothenburg. Tempos don't rage up into blast beats, but do pound along nicely, and the melodies are very well composed. Furthermore, the complex song structures of The Somberlain and Storm of the Light's Bane have been foresaken. There is also a very warm, thick sound, that is in sharp contrast to the band's earlier, icy delivery, and I think because of that, the difference is very easily marked.

If I'd want to draw a really clear parallel, I'd compare this a bit to Metallica's black album; the songs were instantly enjoyable, they had a great sound, but were on the whole less complex than before. Does that make it a bad album? Certainly not!

But what makes Reinkaos an especially enjoyable album? The dark feel that it has to it! Backmasked vocals are used at the end of "Beyond the Horizon," a simple, haunting acoustic melody in "Black Dragon," and an assortment of textures in the title track. Another very key ingredient are the strange chords and riffs used, almost in a Voivod-esque way. Take for example the chords used in the verses of "Starless Aeon," the devastating riffs to the pre-chorus on "Beyond the Horizon," or the main riff to "Xeper-i-Set." "Internal Fire" is just about the fastest song on here, and goes through a pretty simple song structure, but it's very tightly composed and builds perfectly, especially in the whirlwind break down in the center (it actually sounds bone crushing, something I thought I'd never hear in Dissection). So there is a good degree of originality here, but it is a bit under the radar. If you don't really listen intently, you are bound to miss a lot.

Having said all of that, there really aren't any weak points on this album, but I still really enjoy their past work more. Another review pointed out that the choruses are rather catchy, and I have to agree with that, but not in a stupid repetetive way.

Bottom line: if you enjoy traditional metal and can effectively disconnect yourself from the contraversy surrounding this album, you'll probably enjoy Reinkaos."

Dissection's Last Album

R. Beltran | Garden Grove, CA. USA | 08/24/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Before I get into reviewing Reinkaos, I would liketo offer my condolences to Jon Nodtveidt's family,and his girlfriend. I heard about his suicide from FMP. R.I.P. Jon, you'll be missed.Reinkaos sounds a lot different from Storm of the lights Bane. There are no blastbeats, the drumming is kept simple and never gets repetitious. It took me awhile to get into Reinkaos, it's just differentfrom their previous albums. Great band."

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