Colossal Titan Strife

Before I begin, let's look at the very definition before it became to be associated with the tragedy of the ship of the same name:

Titanic(adjective): of exceptional strength, size, or power.

Let that definition seep into your mind as you are reading this review, because I need to stress something about this album: It's exceptionally powerful. In the realm of death metal, no other band comes close in sheer brutality while still remaining coherent and musical. Enmity (which I've given a well-deserved hole) wishes they were anywhere close to being this genuinely brutal.

A good 14 years later as of the moment that I'm writing this review, this is still one of the best death metal albums of all time, all of which because this does all of the right things that it does-brutality without the predictable monotony, technical musicianship without being overly complex and soul-less, and yes, even has its melodic moments while still sound very intense and demonic as opposed to coming off as simply being a heavier power metal band. (Not that I have anything with melodeath or even power metal, but it's rare to hear a band be brutal as hell while still being melodic)

Basically, this album does damn near everything right. But I'm not allowed to say just that, so I guess I'll do my best to go into further detail:

There are two vocal types; the deep booming bellows of Cronus himself and some quality black metal shrieks from hell. The description of said vocals are already impressive in and of themselves, as heard in "Haterealm", but they're even better once you hear them. Normally, I prefer deeper vocals such Matti Way when listening to bands like these, but the sheer amount of power and energy behind them makes up for it.

The guitarists are the real stars of this album, however. The best way to describe these riffs and solos are simply "diverse", because that's the gist of it - there were various ways they could have done them, and they chose to do all of them, but they pull it off well enough that it's not just throwing everything into a blender pointlessly. The riffs are hard-hitting like a bulldozer when they needs to be, and on the more melodic parts, they swim like a calm, yet dangerous tsunami, yet when played next to each other, it doesn't feel out of place; if anything, the tone flows like water. An example of this smoothness is seen in the intro riffs, followed by the solo in "Aeternum Pharaos Curse". After a short intro, the song starts off with an absolutely skull-crushing sea of riffs with a thick sound that then transitions smoothly to a short, melodic riff, then goes back to being a vicious riff monster. The guitar tone is quite appropriate too, very rich in sound. This is just one of many spectacular moments where they crush any and every competition within their genre

Where do I begin with the drummer, another solid part of the set? I definitely have to agree with another reviewer who made the claim that drumming is very important in death metal. There are blast beats galore, but that's thankfully not all. When people think of drumming, people usually think playing as fast as possible. Oh, he plays fast alright, but he's also quite coherent, never aiming at one tempo and just like the guitar, brutal when its necessary, or melodic and slower. I should probably mention right now that the sound of the drums is also very tight, just how it should be in this genre.

Sadly if there was one complaint, it's the bass; the bass as a stand-alone instrument is inaudible at parts, one problem I have not just with this album, but metal in general nowadays. Seriously, I know the bass isn't always the lead instrument, but even bassists need more love. As said earlier, the bass just seems to follow the guitar on the more audible parts, but I digress, as since the guitar is so stellar, the few moments it pops up, they're amazing. Near the end of "Submission" is an example.

While the lyrics are not the most impressive in grammar, it's nice to see a band explore other ideas rather than the generic "I kill bitches and sluts everyday" shit. As stated on this very page, the lyrics are essentially based on the more gruesome parts of Greek mythology, which I think is neat because actual Greek mythology was less Disney Hercules and more God of War in terms of accurate violence. (even if the latter isn't the most accurate story wise)

Overall, this is an exercise in the right things about modern death metal as a whole, either in the brutal department, the technical musicianship, or the melodic one. Listening to the whole album should be mandatory if you claim to like death metal. I don't care how you listen to this masterpiece, either by buying a physical copy (Good luck finding one, I couldn't so I had to stream off YouTube), streaming, or downloading, legally or not. Quite the shame they broke up recently though, would have loved to see where they went after Arisen New Era, another solid album.

Every so often an album is released that completely changes your expectations of what to expect from metal. Colossal Titan Strife is that album. This French quartet has unleashed an ogre on the music world and its ravaging eardrums wherever it is heard. Kronos is that rare combination of pure technical ability, creative riffing, and monstrous vocals that sets them apart from the legions of brutal death metal bands. I almost hesitate to use that adjective to describe them however. This is not to say that Kronos aren’t brutal. Vocalist Christophe Gérardin has one of the most vicious growls I’ve ever heard: he sounds like a freight train of pure hate barreling towards you with no hope of escape. No, the reason brutal is such an improper adjective for Kronos’ music is that the word is woefully misleading. The group’s second full length is everything an extreme metal record should be, not just orbit altering heavy. Colossal Titan Strife might just be the perfect death metal album.

Things get started with a short ‘skit’ track. Amid sounds of lightening and decapitation the theme of Greek gods at war with each other starts to become clear. The title track of the album immediately follows and it’s a doozy. Gérardin’s roaring guttural vocals tear through you as the buzz saw riffs run roughshod over your senses. It’s a non-stop experience in sheer aural might. Kronos is also very capable of settling into some massive grooves. Around the forty-five second mark in “Colossal Titan Strife” you might find your body reflexively swaying to the insidiously catchy guitar fills.

Midway through the record, Kronos really begins to hit their musical stride. Tracks like “With Eaque Sword”, “Haterealm”, and “Aeturnum Pharaos Curse” are instant death metal classics. With their infectious riffing, ravenous rhythms, and jaw dropping tempo changes, the middle of Colossal Titan Strife really showcases Kronos at the top of their songwriting game. Each song is chocked full of memorable passages, drum fills, and of course, guitar solos. Guitarist Richard Chuat is a wizard on the axe and his finger fury animates every song with a different feel. Whether it’s the Egyptian theme in “Aeturnum Pharaos Curse” or war march of “Monumental Carnage”, Chuat captures your attention with his clever, contagious shredding.

In order to truly pull of their sound, Kronos need a solid rhythm section backing up the front end. Fortunately, Europe does not seem to have a shortage of awesome death metal drummers. Mike Sako on drums and Tom Viel on bass round out this French metal machine. Their undulating patterns and the lightening fast feet of Sako will drive these tunes right into your long term memory. Sako regularly hits speeds of 270 beats per minute (that’s fast kids), putting on a speed clinic during the entire album: especially in blast heavy tracks like “Phaeton” and “Submission”.

Kronos play a very tight, technical, and melodic style of death metal. If they had a less brutal vocalist, they’d have a wider fan base. This kind of intensity is not for everyone, but if you can look past what you don’t enjoy of the vocals, there is much to be found in the music itself. If you’re already a fan of metal and haven’t heard Kronos yet, then you are in for a treat. The guitar riffs are really something special on Colossal Titan Strife; don’t be surprised if you develop a craving for Kronos after limited exposure.

'Colossal Titan Strife' is an album of mythic proportions that combines elements of mythology and melody on top of variety and the necessary brutality.

After a short sample, we hear what Kronos is all about on the title track: high tempo and crushing riffs, backed by deep vocals, varied with shrieking and screaming. Suddenly, halfway through the title track, the tempo changes and a melodic riff kicks in, together with a very catchy lead. After this short section, the song goes back to a crushing groove. This sums up what the whole album is: brutal, with melodic parts.

There wasn't a single moment where I was tempted to press the 'skip' button. Every song had an element in it that puts it apart from the rest of the album. 'Phaeton', with its tempo changes and vocal diversity, is one of the best songs off the album. Just like 'Haterealm' and its catchy midsection, it will leave you wanting for more.

The production is exactly fitting, every instrument (except the bass) has the right tone. Nothing drowns out another instrument (except the poor bass) and the vocals are spot on. Everything is played tightly and every riff can be heard.
The drums are deserving of a special praise. They keep the songs together with blasting sections, catchy mid-pace sections and entertaining fills. There is a lot of vocal variety: a shriek, a deep growl and rarely a deep guttural, barking out Greek mythological tales about titans.

Despite the praise, there are a few flaws.
First of all, the vocals are unintelligible. Sometimes it feels as if it's just randomly growling. The only one that can get away properly with just gargling and shrieking is Lord Worm. The lyrics are well thought of, so it's a missed opportunity.
Secondly, the bass is nowhere to be heard, which is too bad, but doesn't really harm the listening experience.
And last but not least, 'Phaeton', 'Haterealm' and the title track overshadow the rest of the album. The sample in 'Monumental Carnage' breaks up the flow of the album, and the last two tracks really don't cut it in comparison.

So, being a bit picky, we can conclude this is a must-have album for fans of brutal death metal who can handle a bit of melody. Don't expect mindblowing innovation, but do expect to be blown away by Kronos, the titans of melodic brutal death metal.

I basically understand why this is such a high-held album, and moreover, why it's upheld by those who don't like brutal death metal. It's not quite the obvious case of Wayne Brady syndrome that a band like Wormed has; it's a bit more subtle than that. It's more that Kronos' style of brutal death metal is rounded and varied enough to please most people. It's not the churning, ultra-technical style of Internal Suffering, the brutish slam of Devourment, or the dissonant, complex material of Deeds Of Flesh; in fact, Kronos' style has more in common with oldschool death metal than almost any other band in the field. That combined with a certain melodic edge makes this a great deal more palatable than most brutal death to the typical metal listener. It combines the overt, blast and tremolo-heavy nature of brutal death with just enough rounding elements to make it an easy and pleasant listen.

And that, in essence, is the downfall of 'Colossal Titan Strife'. Kronos has succeeded here in creating a very well-rounded and accessible brutal death metal release, but where the album succeeds in variation and professionalism it fails in identity and specialization. This album is too rounded and clean for its own good, and in essence, it sounds like a conglomerate of death metal styles rather than a cohesive vision of its own. There are obvious points of reference- Hate Eternal is the largest in its riff construction and overtly aggressive nature- but it's hard to really describe what this sounds like beyond "it has a lot of blast beats and tremolo riffs". This is an album of little independent elements: melodic passages, epic, midpaced sections reminiscent of new Behemoth in fits and starts, and high-speed, technical blasting. This is all well and good, but none of the elements really combine in a compelling way, and as such, the album is actually less than the sum of its parts.

I can't remember any riffs on this album. This is because while I'm listening to it, the riffs are good, but not THAT good; they're more 'professional' than anything- they sound like what a modern death metal band should be playing. That's essentially what this album comes down to: a lot of elements that sound like they should, but don't evidence a ton of real creativity or inspiration. I'm not entirely discounting the idea that I'm simply missing what everyone else is hearing, but I'm more inclined to believe that there's simply not that much here: yes, it does a lot of things, but it doesn't do any of them well enough to truly rise above the crowd, and it's only its professionalism which pushes it slightly beyond average.

This isn't a bad album but its overall lack of originality and truly gripping songwriting kind of damns it to a dusty spot on the shelf for me. If you want a better, much more interesting spin on this precise style, check out Rellik, a much more underrated and much more solid band than Kronos. I suppose I can't entirely not recommend this considering how much mileage everyone else seems to get out of it, but I would recommend you really listen closely and ask yourself how much of what you're hearing is really impacting you the way death metal should.

Very rarely do I now listen to death metal albums unless they have a certain extent of hyperbolic, elitist praise poured upon them. The genre seems to have become so flooded with soulless technical masturbation and a tendency to repeat the same song twelve times that sitting through an entire album is more of a boring chore than an opportunity to head bang my eyes out. Occasionally however, a band will come along and either do something completely different to what has gone before or simply follow the international death metal book of rules exceptionally well. Kronos do a mixture of the two in Colossal Titan Strife. This album isn’t some crazy avant-garde release that blends gypsy folk with blast beats and nor is it cut and dry death metal served on a plate of babies entrails. The brutality is perfectly balanced with melody and the song writing is both clever and diverse enough to make the longer tracks such as ‘Phaeton’ keep the attention of the listener firmly secure.


If you’re someone who often feels disappointed after listening to an album on the basis that it was recommended to you because of awesome riffs, and yet has nothing special to offer, then this will blow your mind. The riffs are incredibly catchy and memorable, the opening of tracks such as ‘Opplomak’ and ‘With Eaque Sword’ being two such examples. Furthermore, every song has something different to offer and this is an ingredient that is sorely lacking in modern death metal. For instance, ‘Aeternum Pharaos Curse’ showcases a catchy riff, lovely base work and a kickass solo to finish it off. The longer songs, ‘Phaeton’ and ‘Infernal Worm Fields’, do more than simply hold attention, they are lessons on how to make epic, crushing and powerful death metal which doesn’t get boring after five minutes. I could go through every song and mention something that makes it special because there really isn’t a weak track on the album and did I mention that the riffs are fucking amazing?


The vocals aren’t really anything unique, but as with the guitar, drum and base they are done exceptionally well and fit the music perfectly. Black metal shrieks mix with the guttural growls (which vary in depth) enough to add a little flare, but not so much that there are too many vocal styles and a lack of consistency. I can see that someone could criticise the vocals for not being terribly varied, but this is death metal after all. Moreover, unlike Amon Amarth (who sound a bit like a less heavy Kronos), the lyrics are very difficult to decipher, however this is a minor point. The lyrics themselves deal with Greek mythology, an area I haven’t seen covered by many other bands in the genre. While somewhat exclusive, the lyrics are well composed and make for an interesting read. In addition, the album’s theme is expressed through small samples which are more or less pointless (although Mythological Bloodbath is pretty cool).


The highlight of the album for me would be ‘Phaeton’, which is also the longest track. The song begins at a fast pace and, like most of the others, a great riff before it proceeds into a vocal assault. By 1.19 the song slows back to the original riff and a passage of blackened shrieks begins. By the two minute mark the song changes to a slower pace before picking up again, thus showcasing Kronos’ mastery of song writing. At roughly four minutes there is a minute and a half long instrumental segment which combines furious guitar, bass and drum work into what can only be described as a completely face melting blend of heaviness before the song draws to a close. The instrumental has a similar impact on me to the solo in ‘Dechristianize’ by Vital Remains in the way that it sends a couple of shudders down the spine. This is what a death metal track is supposed to sound like.


The consistency of the album is shown by how many people have different opinions over which track is actually the best. Indeed, there is very little that Colossal Titan Strife can be criticised for, other than not being 10 tracks longer. Kronos have released an album of such monumental brutality and melody that it deserves to be recognised as one of the best death metal full lengths out there. If you have any remote interest in death metal check this out, it makes bands in the vein of Kataklysm look like amateurs. This is death metal done extremely well and while not as overtly technical as some, Kronos do what’s needed to keep the pace flowing and make the album one which has something new to be discovered on repeated listens.

Colossal Titan Strife. The album every death metal fan should be ashamed not to own. The undiscovered masterpiece of the death metal world. The only death metal album that manages to do everything right. With loads of unique elements, tenebrous and warmongering riffs, stellar guitar work, refreshing song direction and enough brutality to put the majority of their scene to shame, this band, and especially this album, stand head and shoulders above all other death metal.

Not only will this album make your pathetic skull implode, but it will set up clinic for song writing and riff making. You better believe, these bastards know how to write a song. Oh, and you will bang your head.

The drumming, undeniably an important factor in death metal, is tight, with a touch of complexity, and I must stress here - fucking fast. With a frequent beat that can only be described as a beat which is twice the speed of a blast beat. Accompanied by a killer riff and a 10 second black metal scream (which can occur, at any given point in the music), this is simply some of the most intense music humanity has ever known. It will give you the urge to maim the next person you come in contact with ... with your teeth.

The two vocals are guttural, brutal booms of death, and grating black metal shrieks of unfading anger. These insane vocals deliver demented lyrics about Greek mythology with a gore-ridden twist which still remains true to it’s source.

The bass is raw, but clear. Withering like a worm underneath a riff here and there, crafting it's own little melody. Even with fast sweeping fills in some moments, and a sense of direction all it's own.

Finally, the guitars. Riffs and song writing ... these boys have the skills. Melodious, harmonic, fast, catchy, unique, and totally fucking brutal. Melodious, no, not like the first garbage Swedish melodic death metal band that pops into your head. Melodious in the way a real death metal (or even black metal) band would do occasionally, perhaps with phrasing like a speed metal band would do. Melodic in a way that is evil, malicious and amazingly aggressive. Harmonic, with both guitarists having immense skills and dueling capabilities. Fast, the speed seldom let's up. Catchy, these riffs are just well written. Flowing like water, and speaking like a poet, the riffs are just a joy to listen to. Unique, the blend of melody, brutality and excellent lead work is forged into a sound that is untouchable and impossible to be counterfeited. Brutal? Like few others.

The song writing is just so impressive. Let's examine the song Haterealm for example:

Starting of with mentioned "double speed blast beat" and both vocals blaring, the riff is filled with notes, a quick break and into a pummeling head banging riff. Pauses with the first notes of the next riff a few times, then once with the chunky bass, then exploding right into another intensely fast and melodic riff, then this riff is played with the pauses again flowing seamlessly into the leads. Holy shit - some of the best use of a whammy bar ever. (And really, who would think whammy bar usage would be worth noting) On top of some punishing drums with almost jazzy (but not technical or pompous sounding) drum fills, the riff is played, each time being capped with one guitarist playing an arpeggio, then the other guitarist does some amazing whammy after the riff the next time. This repeats several times and it speeds gradually and unexpectedly then drops right back into that head banging riff, then ends with the last burst of intensity that it started with in the first riff. Simply a flawlessly written song. This is a good example of how well written and unpredictable the songs are.

So, I will say again, anyone who claims to like anything heavy, and doesn’t own this - is an unfortunate bastard, or just a fool. My favorite death metal album bar none.

The French are generally known for romance, and fried potatoe slices. Brutal death metal from France is something new to me. I was very pleasantly surprised with this release, from a country that I know very few bands.

This is what melodic death metal should fucking sound like. Their vocalist does an exellent job, this is no half-assed, airy growling, this is some brutal, infernally fucking insane vocals. If I had to rate them alone, it would be a 10/10. The other vocalist does a good job as well, having a scream closer to the black metal style.

I'm so blown away by this CD. The riffs are melodic, but furiously destructive at the same time. They also don't fuck around with extra riffs, filler riffs, riffs that don't go anywhere ... they tear your stereo apart, and exit. The riffage from track to track vary a good bit, but on the over-all, it's like a power metal band, playing with the heaviest distortion, and crushing force. The style they've managed to pull off here, is a completly unique merger of harmony, melody, and brutality. It surpasses bands like Intestine Baalism and Hate Eternal, where those bands seem to switch on and off - or simply have "brutal vocals" with melodic guitar riffage; that is not what Kronos is about.

The drums are superb as well. Production-wise - punchy, clear enough to discern from the mix, deep, and bassy. Performance-wise - fast, technical, and brings out the guitar riffs in great style. A very precise proformance, as well. I'm not sure if he uses triggers, but it doesn't sound fake or generic.

The bassist will also let himself be known. The bass will pop up on occasion, and enter some sweet fills. Also, the bass is not lost in the mix, and doesn't play simple riffs following the rhythm guitar, but most often the plays the lead.

These two guitarists could not be any better at what they do. Technical, melodic, crushing. Just a few words used to NOT DO FULL JUSTICE to the amazing work here. And again, they don't leave you wanting them to return to a previous riff. Nope, not with these crazy bastards. It is one killer riff after another.

There are some great solos. Very fast and smooth ... not the best, but they more than suffice, and surely fit the style. The leads and solos are well in the mix, and sound great over top the rhythm guitar.

Something I love to see, and is shown here, is a good variety in songs. A couple of tracks even have a "Gothenburg" sound, though exeptionally heavier. Some are toward the traditional American death metal style, in the vein of Deicide ... but over all, they have a unique sound that's very easy to get into. Even certain haters of melodic death metal, should find this very easy to swallow.

For people who are less than fans of crazy tech, complex as Hell metal, this is more for you. But, I have a taste for complexity when it comes to death/thrash/grind (and music in general) and this completely satisfies it.

Would I have guessed this amazing, brutal, dark, crazy band was from France? Nope. I actually would have thought it was from Hell.

The fact that I've only listened to this CD but one time, is possibly the only thing keeping me from it getting a perfect score of 100.

If you're looking for something a little out of the ordinary, yet still heavier than Hell, this is what you're looking for. I give this the highest recommendation for any death metal fan.

I might be overrating this slightly, but it's one of those albums that I've been listening to non-stop lately. This album is chock full of epic leads, weird song structuring, screwy time signatures, excellent melodic riffage, technical drumming, and more mythology than you can shake a stick at. I had heard good things about this band from almost everyone mentioning them, so I made an effort to download this. I had heard their other album which is also good but not quite as masterful as the melodic death masterpiece we have here.

Track by track is what I'm doing here, because I feel like listening to this along with writing the review.

Mythological Bloodbath is just a little war sample. It sort of sets the atmosphere and epic feel of the album. A good transition to the brutal and melodic stylings of this band.

Collosal Titan Strife...this is a fucking killer song (as all of these are). The riffage is a bit buried in the beginning but soon comes the screaming vocals (the band has a great dual vox approach), and an epic riff for a few seconds. 1:09 is the part with the super low Severe Torture style vocals over an awesome melodic riff and blasting double bass. 1:45 or so is the coolest riff ever, or something like that. This epic little part goes into an awesome solo with great harmonics.

Submission is the short song of the album (excluding the intro). It has some novelty time changes, start stop stuff, but it's certainly not the best track here. It's mostly a blast fest until about 42 seconds where they pull a random groovy drum pattern out of nowhere.

Opplomak starts with a sweet riff into the blastbeats. This is a great place to check out the tech drumming. Blasting with excellent double bass, crazy fills, etc. More riffage ensues at :27 in. Crazy drum fill at about 1:15 that is just so random and disjointed, yet awesome. Not much else is super outstanding about this song.

With Eaque Sword was the first song I heard off the album. It starts off with a great melodic riff and a filthy hateful screech, with some good blasting. There is a ton of variation on this song. The time changes are crazy. Everything is schizophrenic and hard to follow, but in the end, your ears are begging for more. Which is precisely why there are 6 more songs!

Aeturnum Pharaos Curse starts with a weird sample that doesn't really go into the song all that well. There is some Mithras-like string bending in this song, and overall it sounds like a song from Mithras' Forever Advancing Legions album when it is slower. This song has a bit less of the awesome melodic riffing, but there are some weird parts like at 2:38 where it randomly cuts to just bass, into a random scream, and a hyperfast blast part. This song has an amazing solo that starts and stops like crazy.

Haterealm seems to be the favorite among people, according to the poll on Kronos' site. The votes are well deserved, this is a crazy fucking song. It's a charge forward deathfest full of great riffs, awesome vocals, and hooks you wouldn't believe. It stops for a break a bit through with some nice army style drumming, very militant sounding. At about 1:49, there is the coolest little slide or something that's just so great, then a significant tempo change that leads to the end of one of the best tracks off the album.

Monumental Carnage starts with a very melo-death riff, into this groovy drum passage. This track isn't as good as some on the album, but it's still a fucking gem. The vocals eventually start, and if there were no vocals, this would sound almost straight-Gothenburg, with the exception of the prominent bass and weird structuring.

Ah, Phaeton. The epic as fuck semi-clincher to the album. This is the longest track here, is chock full of excellent riffage and groovy basslines, and some of the coolest death metal hooks in the metal universe. I think this is probably my favorite on the album just because it's 6 minutes long, which is longer than any of their songs, for the most part, yet is still full of so much variation and weird tech drumming that it doesn't get boring. This track reminds somewhat of Cephalectomy at times, especially with the screaming vocals. At about 4:23, we get treated to the coolest little melodic riff of the song, and it is followed up by some tremendous double bass with the laid back snare/cymbal work.

Kronos starts off rather abruptly, with a low-end death growl and a short scream, into a blasting fest full of technical fills. More of the same on this track. Mostly fast-paced with some great speed riffs here and there.

Infernal Worms Fields is a rather epic song as well, and the clincher of the album. It starts off sort of slow, but builds up eventually, although it remains slower than some songs on the album, throughout. There's some cool guitarwork at about 2:25 with some bending. It eventually goes into a great and majestic solo that sums up the album's epic feel.

Overall, if you want something that's brutal yet highly melodic, and has amazing production and flair, look no further than Kronos' Collosal Titan Strife. If you like death metal at all, then you'd be a sad sucker not to buy this.