Po ośmiu latach milczenia norweski CHTON debiutuje w barwach GODEATER RECORDS.
10 utworów brutalnego i oldschoolowego death metalu dla fanów AEON, BLOOD RED THRONE.
Ultima Music Blog [9/10]:
From the depths of Trondheim, Norway, Chton rises from their long awaited slumber with their latest release, The Devil Builds. The name Chton stems from the word "chtonian", pertaining to the deities, spirits, and other beings dwelling under the earth. This fits perfectly into the sound the band has created with their death metal roots, as well as the influences of black and even some doom metal. The Devil Builds proves to be the perfect addition to their discography and I think it is their best work to date. If you're looking for some of that in-your-face death metal, this band may be for you. Here is our review of The Devil Builds.
From start to finish, you'll hear solid musicianship from these guys. As mentioned above, these guys pack some great death metal sound. Not the melodic, easy on the ears kind of death metal. It sounds more like straight up, punch you in the face kind of death metal. "Faustian Resolve" fits this perfectly, providing the listener with low end death vocals, the ever familiar crunchy lead guitar riffs, and a surprisingly addicting, black metal influenced rhythms provided by the drums. I don't mind black metal, but I find it to be somewhat repetitive in regards to the rhythm sections (and yes, I know this is one of the elements that makes black metal what it is). However, Chton is able to harness this influence to their advantage and create an interesting mix of things. This continues throughout most of the tracks of the record, such as "Death Awaits", "Contagion (The Disease)", "Lord and Master", "Nithon Undertow", and "Babalon and the Beast Conjured". "Lord and Master" along with "Babalon and the Beast Conjured" take on a bit more of the melodic approach, but they still get the job done with the raw power behind it.
Now, I know I didn't list every track in the first half of the review. This is because the other songs have a different kind of element to them that differentiates them from the pack. This isn't a horrible thing however. If you take a listen to "Scavenger of the Dead World", the second track of the album, you can feel a sort of doom metal vibe resonating. Although it doesn't immediately stay along this path, it still has enough oomph in future sections. The progression of doom goes forth into the next track, "Gods of the Flesh". "Rise Black God" is the last track to really contain the same characteristics mentioned above, throwing in some more black metal elements. The variety thrown in this album is refreshing, and creates a repeating listening experience. The icing on the cake isn't the ending song, at least in my opinion. "Ratbag" is a cover song, from the band Abscess, who mix a bit of death metal and punk together. This combo just completes the full on circle of variety in The Devil Builds and actually compares well against its original counterpart.
The overall verdict of this album? The production is spot on for the genre of the music and the sound that the band has evolved into over the years. Although it has been eight years since the last full length album, Chton don't seem to have lost any sort of momentum. The ferocity and brutality remains constant throughout, and the use of several genre influences throws out the right surprises for any listener. All in all, this is one of the better releases of this year and may provide some competition for those already in the tops of my lists. Check these guys out and you'll hear what I'm talking about.