I’ve been patiently awaiting Chaos Divine’s follow-up to the 2015 masterpiece Colliding Skies.  Feeling like a lifetime since then, I was eager to hear what the last half-decade has done to this melodic Australian metal band.

The syncopated hat-tip to Leprous, surgical insertion and rhythmic shift of the chorus, and inclusion of guttural vocals on set opener “Instincts” says to me Chaos Divine is swinging for home runs and/or attempting to level up.  “No Saviour” is thrash metal with melodic choruses.  “Unspoken” is the bridge between 2015’s Colliding Skies and 2020’s Legacies.

All the hallmarks of contemporary metal are present!  The production on Legacies is nothing short of top shelf.  My experience with this release versus Colliding Skies is that Legacies has taken longer for me to “get into.”  I suppose Colliding Skies was a torrid affair and for Legacies we must do the work?

The pacing up to track four “Only Son” is excellently decided and the guitar solos here are fantastic – these descriptions lack luster but the intention behind the composition of this CD is an art in itself.

“Colours of War” is five-star Chaos Divine – thrashy and melodic with alternating vocal styles and tempos.  Singer David Anderton is as powerful as ever.  After mid-tempo “Beacon” we’re shifted back into thrash gear with “False Flags” which should be an intense live experience.

Kicking off the final 3rd of Legacies, “Dead Rivers Flow” is a dense, emotional mid-tempo track which leads into metalcore-influenced “Behind the Seal.”  Syncopation is key to “The Key” – I’d love the band to get deeper into the prog-metal weeds.  There is no pointless noodling here, rest assured.  Palate-cleanser instrumental “Legacies” leads into grand finale “Into The Now.”  Drummer Tim Stelter, joining the band since Colliding Skies, passes the exam without a problem.  I’d be a fan of even more Ryan Felton guitar solos.

I’ve just listened to a few tracks from Colliding Skies to compare to Legacies.  The production/mix is now much more detailed and forward but avoids being “volume-wars offensive” – congratulations on that!  Bottom line: if you are a fan of Chaos Divine this should be an auto-purchase.  If you’ve never heard Chaos Divine but are aware of the whole Australian Prog Metal “thing” (including Karnivool, Caligula’s Horse, Dead Letter Circus, Circles) let this be your introduction!

Rating: 7.5/10

Tracklist:

1. Instincts        4:04
2. No Savior (Rise Fall)    4:19
3. Unspoken        4:58
4. Only Son        3:40
5. Guarding Gravity    5:09
6. Colours of War        4:36
7. Beacon            5:29
8. False Flags        5:42
9. Dead Rivers Flow    5:04
10. Behind The Seal        4:56
11. The Key            4:39
12. Legacies        1:47
13. Into The Now        8:01

Release Date: 16 October 2020
Website: www.chaosdivine.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chaosdivine