Fearlessly committing to the moment and the mic, alternative heavy metal and rap fusing Chronos presents a series of high-octane originals, throughout the contemporary styled and aptly unpredictable Punk Hazard.
The title-track kicks things off and immediately we get distant distortion, instrumental weight, and a modern rap sound with the kind of relentless energy and pace of Limp Bizkit and even Rage Against The Machine. The lyrical inflections during the slightly melodic hook lean more towards the former, but ultimately present a sense of personality that helps give Chronos a uniquely recognisable sound.
Deeply personal by nature yet accessible for the passion, grit and relevance, Punk Hazard drives with volume and intention. The anthemic and unsettling 6FT proves a strong example. The home-made recording style returns, somewhat separating the vocal from the instrumental – something that fades as the track progresses, and something which would no doubt resolve itself during a live show.
With Worst Enemy things shift even further from the expected, with raspy, heavy and tired vocals piercing through the power-chord progression with a certain air of authenticity and emotional angst. The contrast between distortion-free moments and the drop in of power works well to elevate this central track.
Similar creative variation arrives with It’s All Whatever When Your Empty In The Chest. Contrast works well between verse and hook, and once again things get unapologetically personal, honest and revealing throughout the chaotic yet unexpectedly melodic arrangement.
Lyrically and musically the closing track You’re Fine draws perhaps the most gripping image of artistry – cleanly mixed vocals, heavy bass, echoes of dynamic and cinematic detail, calls of struggle and lostness, poetry and personal outcry united. A definite highlight, memorable in its depicting of mental turmoil and the voices that collide and collaborate during times of difficulty and isolation.
In short, Punk Hazard is far from the style implied by its title and artwork, yet it represents to its core the very essence of what it means to be punk – and perhaps indeed what it means to be a hazard. On second listen the ideas reach out more notably, and the voice of Chronos is naturally recognisable.
Fearlessly bold, a performing identity broken yet unbreakable – an interesting alternative listen.
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