Artist: Trance Of The Undead / Chaos Perversion
Country: Brazil / Chile
Label: Godz Ov War Productions
Formats: Split CD
Year: 2026
Judging by the recording information, this split must have been in the works for some time. The first recordings were made in 2023, but Trance Of The Undead added additional synths and took care of the mixing and mastering for Chaos Perversion in 2025. The result is well worth it, though. ‘Trance Of Perversion’ is a half-hour mesmerizing exercise in occult Black/Death Metal.
Trance Of The Undead begins with what has become a familiar blend of Black/Death Metal, combining the mysterious early work of Mystifier and Varathron with the wild savagery of Beherit. These two new, fairly lengthy tracks are no exception. What is striking, however, is that the coherence and tension of the compositions increase over time. The music sounds more organic and natural than ever before, with the warm humming keyboards opening up a whole new world more effectively than in previous releases. This electrifying realm of genuine occult black metal will appeal to anyone with an affinity for Varathron and Necromantia. This is especially true now that the overall production quality continues to improve without compromising its beguiling authenticity.
Although Chaos Perversion was formed somewhere around the end of the 2010s and has released four EPs to date, I must admit that I was not particularly familiar with this Chilean duo. The band has actually been around even longer, if you count the time as Black Chaos Perversion, although the lineup has been completely revamped and Cenotafio vocalist Daniel Hermosilla (also responsible for the logo of both versions of the band, with and without “Black”) has joined the band. Musically, however, the band has undergone a fairly natural development, with unmistakable growth in both composition and production. Although it is plausible that Trance Of The Undead’s contribution to the overall sound, through the keyboards and the mixing and mastering, is considerable, the band itself is capable of delivering a more convincing performance. The music itself is somewhat more conservative than that of its split partner. There is less of an occult atmosphere, but the focus is slightly more on the chaos-driven depth of Black/Death Metal. This puts it more in line with bands such as Impetuous Ritual, Dead Congregation, Antediluvian, Grave Upheaval, and Teitanblood. It would therefore not be out of place on the Nuclear Winter Records roster. Altogether, these are accolades to be proud of.
