1349 – “Massive Cauldron Of Chaos” [Album Review]

While, from personal experience, I find that most black metal is too much effort to really listen to, occasionally a band comes along that really grabs my attention and Norwegian sonic terrorists 1349 are one of those bands. I mean, come on, the album is called Massive Cauldron Of Chaos, what else could it sound like but absolute hell!?

Clocking in at thirty eight minutes, yes, Massive Cauldron Of Chaos is one enormous ball of thrash-inspired black metal. Unrelentingly savage, the Norwegian outfit deliver eight tracks that superbly demonstrate how truly feral black metal can be when done right. By done right I mean none of that poncy symphonic stuff, just pure, black-hearted hateful fury.

The likes of “Slaves” and “Golem” see the band blaze through some utterly feral riffery while the spoken word sections utilized in tracks like album closer “Godslayer” just add an extra layer of darkness to the whole spectacle. In fact while we’re on the subject of “Godslayer,” it’s fair to say that if your ears aren’t bleeding by the time Massive Cauldron Of Chaos reaches the final track, then this final lesson in savagery will certainly leave those with a weaker disposition cowering in the corner as the band combine their razor sharp riffing with those aforementioned spoken word passages to finish up this album in devastating style.

In each genre there is an album that stands out from the chasing pack and here, in Massive Cauldron Of Chaos, you will find one of the rawest, gnarliest, nastiest black metal records you’ll have heard in a long time.

Track Listing:

01. Cauldron
02. Slaves
03. Exorcism
04. Post Mortem
05. Mengeles
06. Golem
07. Chained
08. Godslayer

Run Time: 38:11
Release Date: September 30, 2014

Check out the song “Slaves”