CHAOS UNLEASHED were formed in 2020 and they are from Hoorn, The Netherlands. The Thrash Metal outfit released their debut full-length album back in 2024. “I Am Chaos” has a length of about 48 minutes. The album is an independent release. The album starts with the powerful “Heaven Shall Burn”, It is a mid-tempo track with subtle changes in tempo and rhythm. The guitar riffing is tight and accompanied by crushing basslines. The vocals are harsh and vary around the medium end of the vocal range. The track includes an extended break with two short and contributing lead guitar solos. “Heaven Shall Burn” is a strong opening of the album and the track transitions into the title track. “I Am Chaos” increases the heat, intensity, and the pace. The guitar riffing is direct and aggressive and so are the vocals, which have a few Hardcore vibes. There are a few twists and turns in tempo and rhythm throughout the track. The highlight is the extended and very melodic lead guitar solo that gives the track an additional layer. “I Am Chaos” was released as lyric video, and the YouTube link is provided below.

“The New Dominion” maintains the pace and aggression of the title track. The guitar riffing is tight Thrash Metal riffing including a few staccato-type of riffs accompanied by the double-bass drumming. The vocals are aggressive, pretty hectic, and fit perfectly onto the track. The vocals have backing vocal support during the chorus parts. The break is relatively short and slows down the tempo. “M.A.D. (Mutual Assured Destruction)” starts with strong basslines, transitioning into a mid-tempo track with high intensity. The track has more Hardcore vibes once again, especially during the chorus parts. While the riffing is very direct, the vocals deliver anger and aggression. The break offers more traditional Thrash Metal riffing supporting the lead guitar solo.

“Ripped Apart” starts with tight guitar riffing, crunching basslines, and the relentless double-bass drumming for the verse part at mid-tempo. For the chorus part, the tempo is slightly slowed down, introducing a more powerful delivery of the vocals. The vocals utilize many higher pitched notes with little variation throughout. “Death From Above” is introduced by a melodic pre-lude provided by the guitars, leading into a fast verse part with flesh-ripping guitar riffs, double-bass drumming, and crushing basslines. The vocals offer once again little tonal shifts, which increases aggression and intensity. In contrast to that is the break with the very melodic guitar solo. “Death From Above” is one of the album highlights. “Marching Off To War” starts with thunderous guitar riffs at a measured tempo. The track transitions into mid-tempo for the verse part, and it is driven by the devastating guitar riffs. Once again, the chorus parts of the track have many Hardcore vibes in terms of the guitar riffs and the vocals. The track is a bit lengthy and could have been trimmed, since there is no break for a solo.

“…And Hell Followed” continues with the aggressive and intense sound with a bit more pace compared to the previous track. The guitar riffing is a classical tight Thrash Metall riffing and it comes alongside strong basslines and a lot of double-bass drumming. The break offers an extended and melodic lead guitar solo. This is the highlight of the track. “American God” starts with an extended instrumental part, driven by the punishing guitar riffing. The track is a mixture of up-tempo verse parts and mid-tempo chorus parts. The guitar riffing is often tight and aggressive as well as the vocals. Once again, the vocals offer little tonal shifts during the track. The album closes with “The Wolfpack”, and after a powerful guitar-driven pre-lude, the track develops into another delivery of aggressive and intense guitar riffing and vocals at fast pace. The backing vocal support during the chorus part fit very well into the track. The tempo slows down for the break with thunderous guitar riffs introducing the contributing lead guitar solo. “The Wolfpack” is a good way to end the album.

CHAOS UNLEASHED deliver a promising debut album. “I Am Chaos” offers a mixture of modern and traditional Thrash Metal elements with a few Hardcore twists. The guitar riffing is direct and aggressive, the basslines are crushing, while the monotonicity of the vocals maintain a high intensity of the tracks. The songwriting has still room for improvement as some of the tracks sound lengthy. The album is well produced. CHAOS UNLEASHED are a new player in a crowded Thrash Metal market and if they can build on to their debut album, they could be a band to watch out for the future.