Kaamos - Kaamos
Candlelight
Death Metal
9 songs (34'35")
Release year: 2002
Kaamos, Candlelight
Reviewed by Alex
Surprise of the month

Don’t you like this feeling when you go into a record store and buy a record nobody knows about? And the store person is giving you this glance “What in the hell does this guy know that I don’t?” But then this record turns out to be something you really like? If you are a true metal fan and frequent the record stores not many other people go to, then you are bound to have at least one experience like this. The question is: what moves you to buy this record in the first place? Is it the cover art; is it the record label the band is on? To answer this for myself – I, honestly, don’t know. It’s like this CD exudes some kind of vibe and beckons me to pick it up. Over the years I ended up with a few records like that. Count Kaamos self-titled debut offering to join that group.

Knowing that the band is on Candlelight, hail from Sweden and have the three-headed Satan monster on the cover I didn’t expect it to be a soft romantic music. With that obvious guess in mind I popped the CD in when I wasn’t in the mood to relax. With every listen I got more and more drawn into the music of Kaamos. One thing is clear - these guys remember what death metal should be about: haunting riffs and dark atmosphere. They delve into this from the first track Corpus Vermis. Forgive me if my Latin is a little stale, but Parasite Infested Body should be a close enough translation. Rumbling rhythm guitar and bass with the overlayed eerie riffs come at the listener and don’t let go until the song abruptly ends with a quiet outro sounding like a water flow (or is it remaining bodily fluids?) To ratchet up the speed and ferociousness the band continues on with the three fast tracks. Awesome lead, accented with a clever use of high-hat and cymbal, on Circle of Mania transitions into a fast thrashy riff. Battlehymn speedy solo concludes the track. Yet, throughout the speed the band never loses the focus on the darkness. The whole record spews venom and violent aggressiveness. It is not the anger of a young punk, but the deep rooted hatred of a mature man ready to meet Armageddon.

The vocals remind me somewhat of Amon Amarth without the vomit-shrieky end of Johan Hegg’s spectrum. It might sound surprising, but the vocalist knows when to shut up and let the music flow. It is not the vocals that carry Kaamos, but they add the ominous touches needed for the overall impression. The fifth track, titled Blood of Chaos in the insert, starts with about 40 sec chant that is downright tribal and scary. If any of you remember the movie “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”, try to recall the scene where Indiana observes the ritual of human sacrifice to the forbidden god Kali-Maa. Remember the priest shouting words before plunging the victim into the pool of the molten lava? That is how the song starts. Kali-Maa, Kaamos … Hmm, dark forbidden gods … The song unfolds into a slow crusher full with the explosive drum fills. The rhythm eventually shifts to a more galloping variety with the guitars picking up the groove while still sounding dark and ominous. In the end of the song there is this bell sound. When it came on first it almost made my heart stop. (The only thing I am confused about is the song title: while it is track #5 I distinctly hear the “blood of chaos” lyrics in the next song).

The album ends with another two excellent tracks, Curse of Aeons and Cries of the Damned. The latter is a little slower and has this main riff which is a pure demonic stomp! What a way to end the record!

For a debut record Kaamos simply slays. Both guitars (rhythm and lead), prominent bass and drums (healthy combination of blast beats and groovy drumming) are excellently produced. Vocals, as I mentioned above, color the songs, but never detract attention. The record is a bit short and some songs are not as good as the others (well, maybe some of them are too good to be measured up to), but these are minor complaints. Most importantly, not since Nile and Immolation I have experienced such a magnetic power of darkness while listening to Kaamos. If you are not afraid you should give them a try.

Killing Songs :
Circle of Mania, Blood of Chaos, Curse of Aeons, Cries of the Damned
Alex quoted 79 / 100
Other albums by Kaamos that we have reviewed:
Kaamos - Lucifer Rising reviewed by Alex and quoted 71 / 100
2 readers voted
Average:
 84
You did not vote yet.
Vote now

There are no replies yet to this review
Be the first one to post a reply!