There are many puritanical thoughts in the Metal scene that expresses ideas to ‘keep Metal as true as it was in the 80s’, or in other words, a full expression of Peter Pan’s complex: the denial of growing up and evolve. Obviously one can play older genres of Metal or younger ones, and there’s nothing wrong with it. The problem is when one tries to deny the value of the work of the other. The best way is coexistence; the old and the new can join hands and unite for the sake of the scene. And from Auckland, New Zealand comes CHASING TITANS, a trio with an ample set of influences, as depicted on “Infinite Paradox”.

The trio chose to work along with Aidan Courtnell at Scallywag Studios (on their home town) on the production, and Aidan still made the mastering. The idea was to mix something that could be expressive and defined with an organic and distorted approach that is required by the band’s music. And everything worked on such direction, and they got a very good result. The musical work depicted by the band is a combination of influences of Metalcore, Alternative Metal and some New Metal traces (as the contrasts between screamed vocals with clean Rap-like ones heard on “Complete Submission”), but’s filled with melodies and many feelings on the ambiences. It’s a bit different from the usual, using defined tunes instead of the usual greasy ones, with many catching melodic hooks. It’s very good, indeed.

It’s clear the band needs more maturing (it’s just their first album after only one EP who has the band’s name as title), but their efforts depicted on songs as “Complete Submission” (many simple melodies are spread by the guitars), “Falling Down” (again fine melodies can be heard, but with a thunderous rhythmic sheath created by bass guitar and drums), “Cliffhanger” (there are some good keyboards parts creating contrasts with the melancholic and melodic bow of the song, with very good contrasts between the screamed tunes and clean ones of the vocals), “Control” (a mighty groove can be heard on this one), “Slowly” (some whispered vocals depicts an influence inherited from Gothic Rock, but it has an amazing weight and hooks that are hard to resist to), “Start to Slip” (some New Metal elements are clear on this one) and “Surveillance State” show that the band is a name to follow with attention by the fans of modern tendencies on Metal.

CHASING DRAGON is welcome in the scene, and “Infinite Paradox” is that kind of album that’ll hook by the ears the fans of Modern Metal tendencies.