Description

2003 re-issue on Fifth Division records

Order From Chaos were a band whose whole was greater than the sum of its parts. Despite having some very clear influences from the branches of death, thrash, and black metal at the time, they were a completely unique band and they definitely have their place in history as one of the greatest extreme metal acts of all time. Most of that attention gets directed at their first album Stillbirth Machine. However, all three of their main releases are unique and for me, it’s actually their second album Dawn Bringer that strikes me as their strongest. Despite this album being a short release with a few live tracks tacked on at the end, the riffs and general sound of the album make this listen an overall superior venture than the band’s other work. The band at this point were continuing to operate on a style that they used on Plateau Of Invincibility. The guitars are in standard tuning and the production gives it a tone that gives it a really catchy, really dirty punky sound. “Labyrinthine Whispers” starts off with a three minute intro of noise, spoken word version of the lyrics to “Tenebrae / The Sign Of Draconis” and clips of “Plateau Of Invincibility” before starting into a rewritten version of “Crimes Against The State” from The Crushed Infamy demo. Most of this album actually features tracks that have appeared in past versions. “Ophiuchus Rex (He Who Plays With The Serpents)” is a re-recorded “Megalomania” from Will To Power with new lyrics. “Webs Of Perdition” was re-recorded straight from Crushed Infamy. Even the most fresh track “Tenebrae / The Sign Of Draconis” has riffing roots in “Apocalyptic Visions” from the “Inhumanities” demo. Pete Helmkamp sounds like a demon on the vocals, and all the riffs on this album are really fun and makes you want to air guitar along with them. “Labyrinthine Whispers” features the band at its punkiest before going into the more Celtic Frost-esque “Ophiuchus Rex”. There’s a super dirty sounding Voivod cover thrown in with “War And Pain”, and following that is the super big highlight in the form of “Tenebrae / The Sign Of Draconis”. This eight and a half minute epic is the thematic predecessor to the band’s EP track “Plateau Of Invincibility” in Pete Helmkamp’s epic “Conqueror Of Fear” suite, and it proceeds with a triumphant storm of riffs and melodies. With the extended outro of “Webs Of Perdition” featuring Chuck Keller tearing his guitar apart, the main part of the album is complete. The end of the album features two glimpses of the band’s powerful live power wrapping up the fantastic album that Dawn Bringer is. The band would wait two years for this album to be released. By that time, Order From Chaos would be put to rest, but today they do enjoy a well earned cult classic status. Dawn Bringer’s limited runs on now defunct labels would keep it in the vault of heavy metal’s hidden treasures for ages.

Track list:
1. Labyrinthine Whispers
2. Ophiuchus Rex (He Who Plays With The Serpents)
3. War And Pain-Voivod cover
4. Tenebrae / The Sign Draconis
5. Raise The Banner
6. Webs Of Perdition
7. As The Body Falls Away-live
8. Forsake Me This Mortal Coil-live