Review by Adam M on May 2, 2018.

Boss Keloid performs the music that Mastodon should be making now.  It could be considered sludge, but this is indeed very similar to that band and occupies a similar style to them.  The music is grimy and certainly fits into the sludge mould, but is more versatile and evokes a number of different types of emotions. 

The music is uplifting in tone and will make you feel good inside.  It’s somewhat original even though there are the Mastodon comparisons.  The sort of grimy feel of the band is what makes them different and allows them to breath new life into the metal genre.  This is still restricted by the style and not allowed to be more progressive than one would expect.  It’s a very thrilling album and gets the energy flowing with the amount of passion the band exudes.  The amount of fun the band is having is infectious and grabs the listener from the get go.  In fact, this band seems to have made the magic that Mastodon has lacked since their album Crack the Skye and taken over the throne from them.  Is the album perfect?  Certainly not.  It lacks originality and makes good use of tropes that previous sludge bands have already applied.  This is still some of the most fun music I’ve heard this year and worthy of many listens.  It’s an infectious album that finds enjoyment in riff construction and has many interesting rhythms to showcase. 

Melted on the Inch certainly filled a void for the sludge type of album this year and will be one of the best albums from that genre this year.  It takes the blueprint laid down by Mastodon and expands upon it in ways that suit the band.  There is a sense of exuberance that shines through and easily makes this better than recent material by that band.  Fans of the sludge genre will find much to like with Melted on the Inch.

Rating: 7.9 out of 10

Review by Anna on February 24, 2010.

Chaos Invocation is a new Black Metal band from none other than Germany, and this is their first album. As with all emerging Black Metal bands today, one is wise to withhold any measure of expectation as they repeatedly prove themselves unworthy and uncreative.

As "In Bloodline With The Snake" started playing, I excitedly looked forward to giving them a big fat 0 for the originality category that MetalBite requests. It would have been the highlight of my day, other than the two chivito sandwiches I thoroughly enjoyed. As the second track started I realized I couldn't exactly give them a zero, perhaps a 1 or a 2. But the more I listened, the more I realized I couldn't do that at all, because Chaos Invocation does in fact show some indication of their own fingerprint, despite the fixed genre template. I would still not be able to tell them apart among the oceans of other Black Metal bands today, but at the very least, they have given their music a measure of personal touch.

I really cannot say that this is a bad album although I rather dislike the "Swedish"-style speed-picked riff & blast-beat combo, which this album is full of. The effects and subsequent resonations were key in carving out the necessary atmosphere, and I was even treated to a few decent riffs and some soloing. The occasional speaking at various parts of the album was a nice touch, and lacked any trace of a German accent (congratulations). Their competency in song-writing is clear, but undoubtedly, as the genre is cluttered with re-dos of the same great music for years on end, burn-out (of the torch) is sadly inevitable. What would have set afire a flame in my eyes last decade at most receives a grimace of semi-approval today.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 9
Originality: 6
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.4 out of 10

Review by Anna on February 24, 2010.

Chaos Invocation is a new Black Metal band from none other than Germany, and this is their first album. As with all emerging Black Metal bands today, one is wise to withhold any measure of expectation as they repeatedly prove themselves unworthy and uncreative.

As "In Bloodline With The Snake" started playing, I excitedly looked forward to giving them a big fat 0 for the originality category that MetalBite requests. It would have been the highlight of my day, other than the two chivito sandwiches I thoroughly enjoyed. As the second track started I realized I couldn't exactly give them a zero, perhaps a 1 or a 2. But the more I listened, the more I realized I couldn't do that at all, because Chaos Invocation does in fact show some indication of their own fingerprint, despite the fixed genre template. I would still not be able to tell them apart among the oceans of other Black Metal bands today, but at the very least, they have given their music a measure of personal touch.

I really cannot say that this is a bad album although I rather dislike the "Swedish"-style speed-picked riff & blast-beat combo, which this album is full of. The effects and subsequent resonations were key in carving out the necessary atmosphere, and I was even treated to a few decent riffs and some soloing. The occasional speaking at various parts of the album was a nice touch, and lacked any trace of a German accent (congratulations). Their competency in song-writing is clear, but undoubtedly, as the genre is cluttered with re-dos of the same great music for years on end, burn-out (of the torch) is sadly inevitable. What would have set afire a flame in my eyes last decade at most receives a grimace of semi-approval today.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 9
Originality: 6
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.4 out of 10