Description
Sacramentum – The Coming Of Chaos – Compact Disc
All Hymns to Chaos were written, composed and arranged by Sacramentum between 1995-1997.
The Coming of Chaos is a melodic black metal album that blends traditional Scandinavian black metal elements with melodic death metal influence, placing Sacramentum within the late-1990s Swedish extreme metal scene. Compared to their debut Far Away from the Sun, this release features a cleaner production, more structured songwriting, and increased emphasis on melody.
The album is built on tremolo-picked guitar riffs, fast tempos, and harmonized lead lines, combined with blast beats and double-kick drumming. The guitar work emphasizes melodic phrasing and dual-guitar harmonies, drawing influence from Gothenburg melodic death metal (e.g., early At the Gates) while maintaining the atmosphere and aggression of black metal. Song structures are more defined and riff-driven, with clearer transitions between sections.
The style is high-pitched, raspy black metal shrieks, consistent with genre standards. The delivery is consistent and aggressive, with minimal variation, serving as a textural layer rather than a melodic element.
The album explores themes of chaos, darkness, anti-religion, and existential conflict, aligning with traditional black metal subject matter. The tone is abstract and symbolic, rather than narrative-driven.
Production is notably clearer than earlier black metal releases, with better separation between instruments. Guitars are sharper and more defined, and the rhythm section is more audible, reflecting a shift toward late-1990s production standards in extreme metal.
The album balances speed and melody, with frequent alternation between fast, aggressive passages and more melodic, mid-tempo sections. Songs are moderate in length, avoiding extended atmospheric sections in favor of tight, riff-focused composition.
In context, The Coming of Chaos represents a transitional point between raw black metal and melodic extreme metal, contributing to the evolution of the genre in Sweden during the 1990s. Fast, melodic, and structured. The Coming of Chaos combines black metal intensity with melodic guitar work and clearer production, emphasizing riff-driven composition and dual-guitar harmonies.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Dreamdeath
…As Obsidian
Awaken Chaos
Burning Lust
Abyss Of Time
Portal Of Blood
Black Destiny
To The Sound Of Storms
The Coming Of Chaos
