Starting out as an attempt to move away from their harder death metal influenced roots, two friends got together to form MOLTEN CHAINS in the beginning but soon included several countries and lineups and have now released their third full-length album "Orisons of Vengeance" this past May. Guitarist and vocalist Brenton Weir wanted to be able to sing clean vocals and so started to jam with his friend Peter Lechner who also played guitar but ended up playing bass on their first demo before eventually leaving the band. He would soon find a permanent drummer in Michi and the pair would be the core of the band going forward but did not appear on their debut full-length "In the Antechamber Below" released in September of 2019. Michi's playing would debut on their follow-up, 2020's "Torment Enshrined" which was seen as their strongest outing up until then.

Gaining ground in various cult underground labels in both Europe and the USA, the band quickly earned a reputation as being one of the most unique bands in the modern heavy metal underground. There had been other configurations and lineups of the band, but MOLTEN CHAINS, at the time, was content to being a two-piece. At some point in 2021, that view changed, and they added second guitarist Graf Gyula to the lineup for a twin-guitar assault. They then set out to work on what would be their third full-length album "Orisons of Vengeance". The album showcases the group's talents of speed, technicality and overall originality, creating dynamic songs that encompass past hints of greatness in the band and crack them wide open. It also marks a first for the group as it is the first concept album for the band, telling a tragic Shakespearean tale of epic proportions. It was recorded, mixed, and co-produced by Thomas Taube at Five Lakes Studios in Bavaria, Germany in the month of August of 2021.

MOLTEN CHAINS is a strange hybrid of styles that it is a bit hard to convey in words and with "Orisons of Vengeance" it feels like those influences have started to coalesce in a style all their own. They start off heavy and powerful the with the breakneck speed changes of "Hand of God" containing blast beats borrowed from death metal and impressively speedy lead runs. They continue the speed with the thrash influenced "Bedevilled by Sorrow" but in more epic, long form while adding in an occasional touch of black metal screamish grunts and death metal growls. It even has a slowed down instrumental section. It's not the only epic on the album as the album closer is a long boy of a track with the power metal, straight double bass runs of "Martyrdom". The riffing across most of the tracks - namely "Hand of God" and "Black Mantel" - is particularly tasty, catchy and fun to mosh around to. I even like the rather tech-death to even progressive metal vibes of the grandiose "Communion". Some may be turned off by the many different stylistic twists and turns of the album, but if you like extreme metal but don't always need harsh vocals, this may be a great album to take a chance on.