Band : Amorphead
Album title : Chaos Expression
Label : Casket Music – Copro Records
Distributor : PHD – Bertus
Release date : 13/06/2011 (UK= 18/04/2011)
Release : MCD (5-tracks)

Catanzaro (Calabria, South of Italy) based Death-Thrash band Amorphead formed in 2007 with a line-up comprising lead singer Emiliano “Master” Iozzo, guitarists Alessandro “AleX” Morrone and Antonio “Paul” Mazza, bassist Matteo “Greg” Gregoraci, and drummer Giorgio “Kronos” Faini.

With their blend of Machine Head meets Entombed by way of Amorphis, the outfit eventually recorded the 6-track EP Psychotic which, released in late July 2009, earns the band some moderate success in reviews from websites/ magazines from their own country, Germany, Poland, the UK, and even Russia and the US). In November of the same year the band starts the writing process of their new EP, which they record at Sound Farm Studios with Gianluca Mole (of Glacial Fear repute) behind the knobs. Meanwhile the band got in contact with UK based label Casket Music, with whom a deal is made for the worldwide release of the album.

If indeed the reception of their Psychotic EP was somewhat lukewarm, I guess reviewers will be getting a lot hotter about its follow-up. The five-piece seem to have taken the axiom “There's always room for improvement” at heart, and have taken care to incorporate enough enchanting melodies and groove in their new compositions. The inclusion of the short instrumental “5:22” is proof enough that the music now stands on its own. And that the band is still into sound experimentation is proven by the hidden surprise track which ensues the album closing title track, 10 seconds after the latter is done. Following a 3-minute Ambient build-up, a new short-sharp-shock of a powerful song ensues. Perfect closer of the album, if I say so myself! Besides, the funny thing is it ends in a door being closed, some footsteps, and a weird loud wacking sound to end it...which is exactly the reverse of how they open the EP (except that they exchanged the wacking sound with those of a beginning storm)!

Apparently the band became aware of the power of their new music too, and in an effort to represent themselves best as they are today, threw off all older tracks from their MySpace page, and posted the lone “Holes” in stead. In other words, if you wanna hear more than that, you'll have to make due with the samples posted at the trusted online sales websites!

92/100

Tony.