Chariots of The Gods-Tides of War

Self Release
2013

Is it Christmas already? It sure seems like it when gifts like this start showing up in my Inbox! Santa must have thought I was an extra nice little boy this year to have dropped this great death/thrash album right into my stocking! Chariots of The Gods are a talented Ottawa, On-based band who have been on the road since 2008. During that time they have shared the stage/thrashed about like maniacs with the likes of Voivod, Misfits, Despised Icon, Kataklysm, Blind Witness, Anti-Flag, Misery Index, Slaves On Dope, Martyr, Fuck the Facts, Blackguard, Neuraxis, The Agonist, Reanimator and Insurrection. This new album follows on the heals of the band's 2010 debut EP, "Reverence", and features 14 tracks of unapologetic death/thrash with an emphasis squarly placed on thrashing out. "Tides of War" finds the band (Renaud Jobin-vocals, Mathieu St-Amour-guitar, Dimitri Gervais, Payam Doryani-bass and Rich O' Neil-drums) in a violent mood as they unleash fast & furious "punch you in the face" metal that has just enough of a melodic coating to keep things interesting. Without getting too emotional for this gift that Santa gave me (How does he know me so well? How did he know that what I really wanted for Christmas was face-ripping metal?) I've just got to say thank he heavens (And jolly, old Saint Nick) that not all death/thrash bands turn melodic moments into soft mush. "Tides of War" features some fantastic melodies and technical riffs that are to die for. They ended up reminding me a bit of Annihilator in that sense. While we are on the subject of similar sounding bands (Only use this as a point of reference though as Chariots of The Gods have a very unique and since sound going for them) this Ottawa act also seems to have been influenced by the likes of Arch Enemy, Megadeth, In Flames, Trivium, Unearth and As I Lay Dying. All those influences mix about inside the machine that is Chariots of The Gods and what remains left over in the end is mosh-inducing molten metal! Produced by Glen Robinson (Queensryche, The Ramones, AC/DC, Gwar, Annihilator and Voivod), "Tides of War" is a 14-song battle cry and a must-have for melodic death/technical thrash fans.