Looking Back: Dissection - Reinkaos

Instead of writing about something new, lets look at something from the past. Dissection's 'Reinkaos' album. An album that at its time probably wasn't given the proper acknowledgment it deserved but when hearing it today, I appreciate it and enjoy it much more.

The year was 2006. The anticipation of the new Dissection album had been growing for a couple of years since Jon Nodtveidt had been released from prison. I remember a friend and I talking about his release in 2004 and believing that the new Dissection album would be one that would be full of so much hatred and brutality given what we read about his treatment during his trial and how angry he was because of it. Then we heard 'Maha Kali' and our expectations quickly changed. Instead of hatred and evil, we were hearing something much more positive, galloping and upbeat. Quite unusual. I wasn't going to give up on my expectations just yet however.

When 'Reinkaos' did arrive, I was very surprised. Gone was the frost and windy atmosphere of 'Storm Of The Light's Bane' and 'The Somberlain'. Gone was the evil and blistering paced riffs and the sorrowful and distinctive melodies. Yes, ten years is a long time between albums, but this Dissection didn't sound anything like the one of old. It was not to say I disliked the album, I did enjoy a few songs, but overall I was quick to put it away.

Production wise, things just sounded too clear. The riffs felt like they had a quick stutter to them, like there was no general flow. Where I sensed an atmosphere that was black, the problem was, it felt like this album had no life. Like being in a pitch black room with not a trace of air to breathe. For a melodic death metal album though, this was as dark as a melodic death metal album could get.

Okay, enough of the criticism. The point of this write up is, when I look back at this album now, I have found myself appreciating it much more. Instead of a feeling of sorrow and evil like the first two albums. 'Reinkaos' is more upbeat and carries with it a sense of pride and triumph. Instead of making their occult beliefs seem evil, they actually make them seem cool and they are proud of it. You sense that in the chants, and in Jon's voice. You hear a song like 'Black Dragon' and 'Dark Mother Divine', even 'Maha Kali' and they present the themes so gloriously. Christianity might tell you all that this is evil, but one who actually knows about the beliefs knows that that isn't the case.

The melodies have energy and soar and do have a powerful sense to them which proves that sense of pride for their beliefs further. I would have like more tremolo riffs but whatever, this was a new direction. The only thing that I find really lacks on this album is the atmosphere. There is just none of that 'background noise' being carried with this music. I am not saying that it needed that cold feel but it needed something to make the album feel 'epic' or 'proud' because that seems to be the way they were trying to present this album. For me, the production just felt lifeless.

In the end, some would argue where to place Dissection between melodic death metal and black metal. Before this, I saw them more as a black metal band but through 'Reinkaos', they made more sense. Dissection were always a melodic death band, only their sound and themes were much darker than everyone else around them at the time. Even further, maybe too distinctive to really define. What helps make a classic. Even when you hear 'Reinkaos' today, ask yourself, what melodic death metal band has done an album just like that?

Ikil