Finnish band Throne Of Chaos released their sophomore full-length album 'Pervertigo' back in 2002. I remember seeing the album in a record store, and its warped yet beautiful cover artwork struck me. Maybe I heard a song on the radio or read a review for the album, too, but my old brains do not recall. Maybe the title also made an impression, and the label who released it most certainly did. So, I dug my pockets and the CD was mine.

I probably had never heard the first album, 'Menace and Prayer', which was released in 2000. Actually the debut full-lengther was the last one out of their three albums I got (the last one 'Loss Angeles' came under the name of TOC in 2003). The band started as a melodic death/black metal one heard on 1997's 'Fata Morgana' EP, and went to the debut's Children Of Bodom style aggressive meets melancholic meets ablaze new Finnish metal style, which really began to expand without control, as bands and labels wanted to jump on the wings of the momentum.

The band was ready to move further from already populated area of bands inspired by COB, and lifted power metal as a bigger part over melodic death/thrash metal. 'Pervertigo' was a bold step towards, and kicked down genre fence or two without any hardship. They were more than ready for an adventure, but were metal music fans, too?

Probably not. Even though 'Pervertigo' was getting more or less approving reviews from critics, it is hard to say how big an impact it made on us metal fans (AM is made for pure hobby and metal music fanship): I personally do not know any metalhead who remembers the band differently than being "a COB-clone". The album certainly intrigued me as I was discovering power metal for the second time back in early 2000s.

Let's dive into 'Pervertigo'; "pervert I go" (so it happened, that the following album was not called 'PervertIAm'). Looking at the songtitles, too, meat and potatoes was not expected. Well, check out the photography, then... 'Johnny B. Goode' begins as a death/thrash song sounding very Swedish (for example Soilwork, Hypocrisy, Gardenian) with its tight riffage, harsh throat vocals and pounding, fast rhythms. But come the chorus, the game changes. Dreamy synthesizers and clean vocals are more from Sonata Arctica's book of songwriting (they had two albums under their belt in 2002). But the weird thing is, that T.O.C. made it without sounding like two different bands. Add a shredding yet intelligible, classical guitar solo and rhythm guitar work, and it's a cool start.

The title track mixes two style together more seamlessly, straight from the start. Minor key is now introduced, as generally expected from a Finnish band. Sounding like a heavier version of Sonata Arctica with thrashy tendencies, it is astonishing how T.O.C. nailed it. Joy of playing is tangible. While the band never was of orc-unit extreme metal material, here one can hear true liberation from shackles of genre restrains. 'The System' is a big hail to legendary Finnish thrashers Stone, with a lots happening in 2½ minutes, just like the first minute or so of 'No Nothing', before the song gets melodic with its heavy and power metal bits. It is catchy as fuck, contending with Thunderstone's Eurovision song contest songs they put out in 2007. And then comes alien-ish guitar solo part, that really wasn't foreseen... Seems to happen quite a bit here, then.

With 'Fistfucking and Alienseed' the band revisites COB, with harsh and clean vocals, but also put in some progressive metal parts. Thinking about prog metal, 'Truth and Tragedy' is a very uptempo one at that, with some dramatic vibes. 'Sleep' is one of the thrashy/melodic death metal ones, with fantastic lead guitar work and a bass guitar solo! 'Reason to Be' is, a bit unexpectedly, a ballad. But a fine on at that: Not too sugary, but more of an melancholic nature. Energy and melancholy melt into one on 'Game'. Travelling bass steals the show on this still very catchy and fast-ish song. Then the album abruptly is over at just under 38 minutes. I think this album has a similar kind of aura that Kyyria's 'Alien' (1997) has, which is, well, alien, atypical! Summertime music for headbangers right here.

The production job is amazing. It is very vivid throughout. Well-balanced all around, with bassy punch and trebly frequencies well heard. Fantastic achievement with producer/mixer Patrik Jerksten and mixer Fredrik Nordström.

After their demise, only the drummer Laitinen continued with metal music, in Bride Adorned and Thy Serpent, as did vocalists Isfeldt (for Dream Evil where he was guesting from) and Nykänen (harsh vocals; Warmen). It is a real shame, because besides being talented players, Harmaja, Kiljunen, Nora and Sjöblom were venturesome. I also feel they might have had more than one more album to give us to enjoy. Well, life takes unpredictable turns and maybe we'll get a reunion in 2045 or something... Now that sounds sci-fi, doesn't it?!?! 'Pervertigo' is the best Throne Of Chaos (or TOC) album, and recommended for those who aren't afraid hearing something a tad different.

Rating: 8- (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
07/22/2018 20:40