TYRANTS OF CHAOS

TYRANTS OF CHAOS “Relentless Thirst For Power”

By Dr. Abner Mality

TYRANTS OF CHAOS out of Alberta, Canada have a name that sounds as if they might be a death or black metal band. Nope, what you get with these guys is pure 80’s metal with lots of heart and aggression. They have their weaknesses but overcome them with sheer determination. You can tell they love this kind of music.

Think of 80’s era PRIEST, mixed with generous dollops of ACCEPT, MAIDEN and bands of similar lineage. Originality? Hah! Fuhgeddaboutit! Sometimes the subject matter is so cliched it hurts, but once again, energy, intensity and a good production come to the rescue. “T.O.C.” introduces us to the TYRANTS with a PRIEST-ish belter, but I think it’s “The Black Gap” and “Mourning Sickness” that really show where they are coming from. Vocalist Phil Sirias is not quite on the level of a Halford or Ripper Owens, but it’s not for lack of trying and he does occasionally cut loose with a ball-kicking scream.

Familiar as these tunes are, most of them pound along pretty good, with the MAIDEN-like “Red Rage” (lyrically the uber-typical “Braveheart” song) and “Nightmare Machine” standing out. They do try something different with the slower, METAL CHURCH-ish “No Lives Matter”. Not bad, but not a highlight either. By the time the last track “Lucky Dog” (with a NASCAR theme, if you can believe it) races in, you’ve probably got a grin on your face if you’re into bands like PRIEST, PRIMAL FEAR and ICED EARTH. TYRANTS OF CHAOS are well worth looking into for true metal fans.

TYRANTS OF CHAOS