Cauldron Really Like Chains

May 11, 2009 by Scott

I gave Cauldron’s new album Chained To The Nite a good listen this weekend. It was enjoyable but there was just one thing that I didn’t like about the album.

Cauldron formed after the break up of Goat Horn. Jason Decay singing and playing bass, started Cauldron with Al Chambers on drums and Ian Killpatrick on lead guitar. Chambers was later replaced by Chris Rites. Caulron is currently on Earache Records and is based out of Toronto, Ontario. Now that you have the history, let’s talk really quick about the record.

If you’re in to old school heavy metal that kind of tastes like NWOBHM, then you’ll probably dig Cauldron. The singing is not over the top or anything extravagant but it’s very listinable and that’s always good, kinda 80’s-ish heavy metal without all the stupid cliche’s…oh wait. Chains, yeah chains. Chained To The Nite is only the title a chain filled album. You have Chained Up In Chains, though I don’t know what else you could be chained up in. You also have Chains Around Heaven. These guys obviously have a chain fetish. It almost comes off as kind of cheesy, but it works.

Oh yeah, and Ian Killpatrick goes by “Ian Chains”.

Ok, now that I’ve pretty much covered the lyrical content of the album, let’s talk about the guitars. A lot of triplet galloping and power chords, just how I like it. Simple, yet effective. Some melodic parts here and there but not much to gawk at, but there are some cool solos as well as bass solos and bass solos are always cool.

The biggest problem I have with this album is that some of the songs sound a little similar. Not so much that you can’t get a good transition between songs, but that the band has a very distinct sound from most anything else I’ve been listening to lately and the singing and guitar works kind of repeats itself, if not the tiniest bit.

Overall it’s a solid album and brings breath of fresh air among all the other bands on the scene. It’s not enough to make me start writing about these dudes every day, but I’ll probably give them more press as it rolls through.

Favorite Track: Dreams Die Young (see below) Here more of this album through Youtube user Thrashdeathblack168.