{"id":232723,"date":"2025-10-29T20:55:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-29T20:55:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/232723\/"},"modified":"2025-10-29T20:55:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T20:55:17","slug":"black-soul-horde-symphony-of-chaos-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/232723\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Soul Horde – Symphony of Chaos Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Has it really been 4 years since Horrors from the Void dropped? The third full-length from Greek trve metal\/power unit Black Soul Horde was a rollicking, rowdy mash-up of 80s traditional metal, power, and all things trve. Old-timey Manilla Road influences coexisted alongside Agent Steel and Jag Panzer idioms, and newer retro acts like Visigoth and Eternal Champion. This was more than an olde head like Yours Steely could resist, and the fun factor and broad sword quotient got it stamped with a fat 4.0. Now we get the follow-up, which has some mighty big war booties to fill. The Horde haven\u2019t changed their approach for Symphony of Chaos, so all the same elements are in place and ready to rake for our hearts, minds, and black souls. Will the siege equipment be as stout and formidable this time? Let\u2019s kick those wooden tires and see what we\u2019re dealing with here.<\/p>\n

Things kick off to a gloriously 80s start with \u201cLady of Shadows,\u201d which at once reminds me of Crimson Glory and Trial (Sweden), with a spicy coating of Eternal Champion\u2019s loincloth. It\u2019s instantly catchy and enjoyable, fusing the best bits of classic 80s metal and Euro-power for a sound that\u2019s tougher and sturdier than you\u2019d expect. Jim Kotsis tops it all with his odd, high-register, nasal-as-fook vocals. \u201cWhat the Night Invokes\u201d keeps that good times rolling with hints of Sanctuary and a bigger dose of Eternal Champion. I\u2019m not sure what Kotsis is singing about, but it sounds like he keeps hailing Mole Man or Moth Man, and either way, I support it. When \u201cA Scream in the Snow\u201d hits, things reach the next level. This is such a classic throwback metal tune that it shakes my primate brain into fatty mush and makes me want to throw ape cake at friends and foes alike. If you aren\u2019t sharpening your raiding axe by the halfway point, I don\u2019t want your weak ass on my Viking Cruise. The riffs have teeth, and Kotsis provides just the right blend of machismo and gloss as he takes the chorus to the house.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll say this about Symphony of Chaos: the hits just keep on coming. \u201cThe Creatures of the Night\u201d is another stellar slab of classic metal with a power metal infusion. The badass and bitey guitar work reminds me of Wolf, and there\u2019s just the right punch and hook factor to sell it like cheese-coated bacon. \u201cWrath of the Pharaohs\u201d is an absolute snobberknocker of trve metal wonder merging early Annihilator vibes with Steel Prophet dramatic bombast. \u201cDeath\u2019s Parade\u201d is another headbanger\u2019s delight where Kotsis uncorks death vocals at key moments, and the chorus is grand and mighty. The album is pretty damn consistent, with only \u201cJulian Graves\u201d and closer \u201cDance of the Eternal Shadows\u201d sinking below the high level of their peers slightly. At a tight 43-plus minutes and with all songs in the 3-5 minute window, things move and groove with urgency and pop.<\/p>\n

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Costas P. and John T. bring a lively and potent guitar magic to the material, tossing out beefy 80s riffs and seasoning them with power frills and trve grit as needed. There are plenty of inspired moments that greatly elevate songs, and they have a knack for bringing the right amount of heavy metal thunder at key junctures. Jim Kotsis continues to impress with his odd but versatile vocals. Sometimes a dead ringer for Lance King (ex-Pyramaze, ex-Balance of Power), other times quite like Jason Tarpey (Eternal Champion), with Warrel Dane-isms popping up too, he\u2019s got the kind of voice that\u2019s perfectly suited to what Black Soul Horde are doing. As with Horrors from the Void, it\u2019s the slick songcraft that wins the day and takes this from a cute retro rocker to that next level of essential metal.<\/p>\n

Symphony of Chaos is one of the most consistently entertaining \u201cheavy metal\u201d albums of 2025, and were it not for a few minor step-downs in writing, this would be another 4.0. Honestly, it almost got there anyway. There are great cuts here, and enough pure metal glory to fill the hearts of the faithful. Black Soul Horde have that \u201cit\u201d factor and know how to deliver the retro metal goods better than most, and Symphony of Chaos is another testament to their mastery of the olden ways. Get this shaggy altered beast in your ears and run with the pack.<\/p>\n

\ufeff<\/p>\n

Rating: 3.5\/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 256 kbps mp3
Label: Vinyl Store<\/a>
Websites: blacksoulhorde.bandcamp.com<\/a> | facebook.com\/blacksoulhorde<\/a> | instagram.com\/blacksoulhorde<\/a>
Releases Worldwide: October 31st, 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:\n<\/p>\n