The One HundredChaos & Bliss

Chaos & Bliss begins with the sonic equivalent of a reanimated corpse struggling to break free from its body bag. Stretching, pulling and tugging through the opening of Dreamcaster before it gets its first gulp of air, unleashing an ungodly, throat-shredding growl which effortlessly takes agency over all the other instruments. The listener is now in the palm of vocalists Jacob Field hand. Right where they want us to be.

Early in the game, the band prove they can do heavy. It doesn’t take long before they prove their ability tackling their other pillars—electronic, which pulsates through Monster, and Hip Hop, which struts all over Disengage.

Testament to their skills at sonic alchemy, Dark Matters sees The One Hundred fuse all their sensibilities together. The result is a huge chorus, almost plucked straight from the mind of Linkin Park. Almost. Featuring gang vocals, and stirring terms such as “salvation” and “vengeance”, Dark Matters is impossible to skip, and a stand out moment on the album.

Title track Chaos & Bliss is a perfect amalgamation of its very name.

Following the interlude Fake Eyes (get those trap arms ready, everyone) the album meanders into Hand of Science. An appropriately titled track which is equal parts technical, experimental and exact.

The similarities between Rage Against The Machine (Or Zach De La Rocha to more precise) and Linkin Park give listeners a familiar thread throughout the album. But in Boomtown, the band flex their inner P.O.D. The chorus dwarfs any other on the album, with an incandescent female guest vocalist leading the charge, before being glitched beyond recognition as the madness that is the end of the album approaches.

Title track Chaos & Bliss is a perfect amalgamation of its very name. At times demonic and menacing, the track climaxes with joy of a cheer squad before plunging once again into darkness.

For album closer Feast, the band begin shapeshift before our very ears. Leaping between genres like it was the easiest thing in the world. Just when you think you’ve heard everything The One Hundred can do, hang around for the hidden moments at the end of Feast  (after the silence), the ride isn’t over.

STANDOUT TRACKS: Dark Matters, Boomtown, Monster
STICK NEXT TO: Hacktivist, old Linkin Park, Void Of Vision

Chaos & Bliss is out now through Spinefarm Records/Universal