Having quite recently finished writing my review for the four track EP by the London-based outfit Winters, I genuinely believed that no other funny surprises would come from Rise Above in the near future...how wrong I was! If Winters were to be perceived as more experimental than the average doom metal band, then Chrome Hoof's music is so much more diverse that its members must be either constantly stoned or totally insane.

The laconic press release that accompanied the promo that was sent to me by Rise Above provided no information, apart from the fact that Chrome Hoof have toured with Sun O))), that cannot be accumulated after giving this EP a few really good spins. Progressive Rock, Disco-Grind, classic Doom, Medieval musical passages, Ambient...you name it - it is all there! There are many bands that claim to have overcome artistic/stylistic barriers in their work, but only a few of them have managed to do that in the same vein as Chrome Hoof, and that should be enough to make every decent listened check this band out.

I am not going to lie to you - "Beyond Zade" is a very difficult album to listen to, and that becomes really obvious from the very first track "Krunching Down (On The Skull of a Newt)". This up-tempo track, whose constant/monotonous repetitive rhythms will succeed in creating an uncomfortable atmosphere to most listeners, helped me to draw comparisons with the progressive/delirious experimentations of Mekong Delta.

The constant changes in the song's rhythmical pattern, accompanied by a variety of percussion instruments and some really weird/disturbing screams makes this composition challenging, even to the most trained progressive rock/metal ear. The second track of this EP, "Year Ram" is a slightly more straight-forward (!!??!!) composition, based on some really cool bass guitar tunes - courtesy of Mr.Leo Smee (see Cathedral), providing a nice and relaxing break for my tortured ears. Throughout its very interesting break, this eight minute track brings out the more atmospheric/ambient side of the band, sounding at times a lot like Burzum ("Hlidjkalf" era). Woodwind instruments and violas, mixed with traditional rock instruments create an amazing result, proving that there is plenty of skill and talent behind this presumable musical madness.

The last track of this EP entitled "Mad Air Punch" is a totally different story altogether. Moving back into more progressive/experimental forms, Chrome Hoof have created here the ideal soundtrack fitting only to an Alice in Wonderland fanfare, thus proving that there is an unlimited amount of instruments that one can successfully use in the composition of a metal song.

A Chrome Hoof composition contains a variety of elements that may sound out of place by themselves, yet make complete sense when combined and accumulated in the overall musical result! I am sure that Leo Smee and Co does not expect that this EP will become a best selling release, but damn it, they have created good quality music, and bound to be appreciated by a very specialised audience...you have been warned!

****

Review by John Stefanis