Kingcrimsonprog Kreator have really outdone themselves this time, with `Hordes of Chaos,’ the German Thrash legends have taken everything that made `Violent Revolution,’ and `Enemy of God,’ so good, and put it together to form one of the best metal albums of the decade.

Combining a return to roots Thrash Sound with hints of Gothenburg and the odd trace of Metalcore Kreator hit out with riff after riff of breakneck speeds, pounding grooves and dreamy melodic moments, with dual guitar harmonies that’d put Iron Maiden to shame giving way to all out Thrash metal riffing with catchy double kick drum patterns underneath at a moment’s notice.

The sound is ferocious, heavy at all the right places, clear and crisp when necessary and Mille’s voice sounds the best it ever has. Combine this with amazingly catchy choruses like those of title track `Hordes of Chaos,’ or `Radical Resistance,’ and Kreator are really on to a winner. Standout tracks like `Amok Run,’ and `To The Afterborn,’ rival classic era tracks in terms of quality and even outdo them in a number of areas.

`Hordes of Chaos,’ feels important, it doesn’t feel like just another album, I can easily see people listening to it ten years from and now calling it a classic. It may be a much overused expression but I honestly believe that `Hordes of Chaos,’ is genuinely the best thing the band have released since their 1980′s heyday.

The special edition comes in a very elaborate fold out package with a DVD which goes into the background of the album, its not exactly essential stuff but its nowhere near the worst making of DVD I’ve ever seen.

UMUR Hordes of Chaos is the 12th full-length studio album by German thrash metal act Kreator. The album was released in January 2009 by SPV Records. Hordes of Chaos is a pretty special studio album release as it was more or less recorded live in the studio. An approach the band probably chose to capture the raw power of their live performances.

It´s not particularly audible that the album is recorded live in the studio. The sound production is still clean and pretty polished. There´s a raw edge to the sound though that was not present on neither Violent Revolution (2001) nor Enemy of God (2005), both of which Hordes of Chaos otherwise have a somewhat similar sound too. Hordes of Chaos is fortunately a bit more aggressive and direct than the two predecessors. Just take a listen to the strong opening track Hordes of Chaos (A Necrologue for the Elite) or the fierce Absolute Misanthropy. Powerful thrash metal attacks. The songs are not out and out aggressive though and you´ll find plenty of melodic leads on the album that provide a good balance between the raw and the melodic.

Hordes of Chaos doesn´t bring anything new to the table but it´s one of the better albums Kreator have released in the last 15 years and a 3.5 star rating is deserved.