Chrome Division was formed in 2004 as a side project for Shagrath (Dimmu Borgir).
The band is mainly influenced by Motörhead, Motley Crue!!
What do you get when you mix members of various black, death, thrash, ambient and who knows what bands and form a new super group? You don’t know? Well, the hard rock band, of course! And heavy metal band. But here we also have a stoner influences and the groove and… ah I don’t give a crap! No matter where you put them, it’s obvious from the first album (Doomsday Rock ‘N Roll) that the guys are having fun and that’s cool. Their music consists of catchy songs perfect for easy riding on a Harley-Davidson through the desert of Nevada, while vultures are circling over you in hope that you will run out of fuel.
Chrome Division apparently will not run out of fuel, cause IRE is fourth full-length album in roughly 7-8 years and continues right where his predecessors left off. Yep, their sound has remained virtually unchanged, so if you have liked / listened Chrome Division before – you will probably continue to do so. If you have let them pass below your musical radar this far, let them pass this time too. Infernal Rock Eternal brings nothing new to Chrome Division universe, feel free to judge whether that’s a good thing or not.
Personally, I’d love to see some more diversity on this record. IRE is longer than all previous CD albums and you can feel it, more than you should, because we reviewed some longer albums that seemed a lot shorter. But, lack of any songs that will bring some changes to album’s pace (except maybe “Lady Of Perpetual Sorrow“, which is by the way one of the best things on the album) takes its toll and thus album seems a lot longer that it actually is. And, to be honest, it was little hard to listen to it from beginning to the end few times in a row. Too bad, because Infernal Rock Eternal contains some good riffage, good solos on majority of songs and some nice catchy melodies.
The single “Endless Nights” does not fall into the category of a good songs on the album because it’s damn annoying to listen to. What were they thinking when they released it as a single I’ll never know, while far more interesting and enjoyable “( She’s) Hot Tonight” never receives the attention it deserves. “Now You’re Dead” is another boring, repetitive and contrived song without which the album would be far more interesting.
Come to think of it, most songs have uninspired and dull refrains. “The Absinthe Voyage” and “Mistress In Madness” are a good example of this, both songs are great… until the boring chorus. Maybe few more years between albums wouldn’t hurt them, because creative juices are obviously getting a bit stale. In general shortage of similar artists / albums, Infernal Rock Eternal can pass as desireable album, but to be fair it has no permanent value. Couple of noteworthy guitar solos for occasional listen and that’s it. Chrome Division has its dedicated audience and they will surely like it, so there is no doubt that Infernal Rock Eternal will find its place on metal heaven, as for the rest of us… well, nothing to see here…
Official promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Official promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
