Entwine – Chaotic Nation (2015)

Pleasantly surprising us when we received this album on our inbox, today we have Entwine and their first release in 6 years titled “Chaotic Nation”. As the whole Gothic Rock craze made popular by him has died down over the years, most of the solid bands in the genre moved to greener pastures. With the return of To/Die/For earlier this year and this new album, there seems there might be some sort of revival going for this scene.

Opening with the very Finish Metal sounding “End of Silence”, the bands makes a splash with a very dynamic and engaging song, setting a very good standard for this release. Mika Tauriainen’s vocals are as good as ever and nicely carry the band’s character as they grace songs like “Saint of Sorrow” and “Fortune Falls”. Unlike the latest To/Die/For album that was pretty bad, Entwine has adapted with the times and sounds fresh while still maintaining their signature style.

Always trying new things, this album presents some very unique songs like the very atmospheric “Plastic World”, filled with unique and quirky details that make it quite enjoyable. No album in this genre could be complete without a ballad-styled song and for this we have the very dramatic “As We Arise”. Reminding us a bit to The Man-Eating Tree, “Adrenalize” is a very dark and melancholic track that is probably our favorite song in this release.

The band’s guitarists Tom Mikkola and Jaani Kähkönen do a very solid job in crafting excellent rhythm guitars and occasional solos in songs like “The Evil Lies in the Shadows”. Saving some of the best tracks for last, the band perfectly captures their Gothic Rock signature style with the epic “Revolt for Redemption” and its very mellow pace. Improving in all departments, the band closes with a very mellow song filled with great guitar leads with “Scream”.

Overall, “Chaotic Nation” is a very strong return from Entwine. The band perfectly adapted their sound to be fresher and more appealing. Featuring an excellent production, this is one of the strongest Gothic Rock albums of 2015. If you like the old days of To/Die/For, H.I.M, and all other outfits that sounded the same but want a more modern spin on the style, look no further and pick up a copy of this release.

Label: Spinefarm Records

Release: October 2nd, 2015

Genre: Gothic Rock

Country: Finland