Review: “Chronolysis” by Black Rabbit

A concept driven Death Metal quintet from Apeldoorn in Holland, Black Rabbit have long had a reputation for profound themes alongside their aggressive tendencies. Creating their own world of darkness and mystery, they forged the mythical tale of the Black Rabbit, a demonic entity with a tragic past. He seduces and deceives his victims, confronting them with their deepest sins and feeding on their despair, manipulating their dreams in previous album “Hypnosomnia“, a record which explored the boundary between dream and reality. So well received was that 2023 album that it subsequently allowed them to turn stages to sawdust with the likes of Baest, Vader, Exhorder and Pestilence, establishing them as a live force to be reckoned with. Returning to the tried, tested and true, “Chronolysis” is not only once again adorned by artwork by Roberto Toderico but was also mixed and post-produced by Stijn Donders (The Subliminal, Icarus, Infestis) and mastered by Peter Brussee (Knight Area, Ayreon, Torque). That would be the same unholy trinity who handled those duties on their debut and as they continue the narrative, their demonic entity traps his victims in the suffocating grip of sleep paralysis from which there is no escape…

Thunderous percussive battery from Koen van der Voet creates the spine of “Malevolent Glare” as razor sharp riffs from axe wielding duo Jelle Brekelmans and Hidde Hofland cut through the flesh like a hot knife through butter. A reminder of just how good Black Rabbit are, this portrait in Death Thrash has all the energy of a neutron bomb and finds vocalist Nino Thomas ranting and raving like a lunatic bound for the asylum before a tasteful solo, the rhythmic pummelling seemingly knowing no end. A little orchestral embellishment is a nice touch but really the band don’t need it because they have so much in their arsenal already, this full on sonic assault on the senses rammed full of hallmark elements from which you could name an endless list of obvious influences. If that opening cut didn’t win you over then “Paracusia” will rip your head clean off. A violent delight delivered at breakneck speed with venomous energy, it offers up gang chants and tribal drum fills before mournful cellos play during a mid section melodic break. You know the reprieve is only going to temporary and the outfit manage to crank up the intensity another notch or two afterwards as they hammer home the lyrical narrative before ending on haunting whispers.

A barrage of crushing Groove Death riffs bring “Pity the Mind of the Frail and the Feeble” to life in headbangable style, the power and purpose of Black Rabbit not to be understated. The quartet have it all in their locker and hit hard and fast at every opportunity, Donders and Brussee getting the absolute most out of their sound and ensuring that everything sounds as clean and crisp as it should. That being said, the dirge laden main riff of this one is a punishment beating with a little bit of Sludge Metal about it while still having enough to rattle the cage. The award for the longest song title in the history of Black Rabbit goes to “To Be Alive, To Walk This Earth, That Is My Curse“, a track with a melancholic touch in cellos and a female clean vocal that adds an ethereal moment. That may well catch you off guard but its not long before the skull smashing returns, the outfit escaping the trappings of Melodic Death Metal fleetingly before offering up some Blackened Death Metal of epic proportions. It’s all blood and thunder but it’s so much more intense than what came before it, the melodies dark, rich and captivating before the knuckleduster sucker punch. Ending on an acoustic note adds another dimension while offering a brief respite before “Rancid Taste of Horror” smashes the clock in fear. Another throat splitting vocal performance from Thomas takes this Dutch masterclass to another realm of existence, the circle pit worthy guitar work giving the narrative a lethal injection of dark energy. Saving the finest solo of the record for the final cut is perhaps a necessary evil but is very much worth the wait, the slowdown to a downtempo finale in this otherwise adrenaline fuelled affair a masterstroke [8.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Malevolent Glare
2. Paracusia
3. Pity the Mind of the Frail and the Feeble
4. To Be Alive, To Walk This Earth, That Is My Curse
5. Rancid Taste of Horror

“Chronolysis” by Black Rabbit is out 18th April 2025