Band: Chained And Desperate
Title: Divine Authority Abolishment
Label: Pitch Black Records
Distribution: Pitch Black Records
Release date: July 29th 2011
Review: CD

The Greek quintet Chained And Desperate releases this second album, an eternity after ‘99’s Eleven Angels In A Circle (Hieroglyph Records), as (first) part of the Pitch Black Records-series Blackest Pitch, which includes a first pressing of 333 numbered copies only. It will appear in a great digipack-edition, so hurry up if interested.
The band was originally formed in 1990, performing dark Doom-Death in the early years. Throughout the band’s existence, the musical approach evolved into a melodic kind of Black Metal (the ’96-demo did have Pagan-oriented influences, by the way), and their 1999-debut got often compared to the likes of Rotting Christ and Dissection.
At the end of 2009 Chained And Desperate entered the Athens-located Music House Studio with producer Stathis Pavlantis and in 2010 they finished the recordings of the sophomore full length, Divine Authority Abolishment, which has a total running time of thirty seven minutes. After the band signed to Pitch Black Records, this album will finally be able officially.
The quintet (among whom producer Stathis’ brother George on drums; ex-Swan Christy, Reflection) shows a progression in both compositional and performing approach. The latter has to do with the past decade, which made the members more experienced, and the intense recording sessions. The compositions have been deepened out even more, and even though many bands and influences are rather obvious, Chained And Desperate did explore their unique sound (it was the case with the debut too) even more deeply.
The melodic and technical (Black) Metal is somewhat catchy and safe, putting its inspiration out of both the early years and, especially, the modern times. The mainly energetic songs vary in speed, yet with a focus on everything between mid- en up-tempo. The hymns come with leading twin guitar riffs, rhythmic bass lines, power-driven drum patterns and somewhat sore screams, nicely mixed (indeed the sound fits perfect to this specific kind of Black-based Metal) and with an epic (somewhat Swedish-influenced, from time to time) and slightly mystic atmosphere. On top of it, the band incorporates elements from other Metal-styles, yet only (read: mainly) additionally supporting these rituals.
For a Black Metal album specifically, or an Extreme Metal album in general, Divine Authority Abolishment is light-weighted and goody-goody, and the absence of blasting eruptions or misanthropic doom won’t make it any more bloodiful either. A pity, because my overall impression is: too shallow.
I’m sure especially those who like the melodic and catchier bands from Finland and Sweden will appreciate this album.

65/100

Ivan Tibos.