I was not familiar with Khors until I was lucky enough to review their new album "І ніч схиляється до наших лиць (Night Falls onto the Fronts of Ours)," so being able to follow up that review with a second review of their 2006 album "Cold" seemed like a perfect opportunity. Had I not know this was a remixed, remastered OLDER album, I'd swear that the band recorded both their new album and this one around the same time. Many bands are still searching for their sound on their second album but Khors seem to have it down on "Cold."
The title track and "Ashes" kick the album off with a bang. Both tracks are faster paced black metal with keyboards that tinkle like icicles. "Garnet" shows off the bands chops, while "Misery" proves that the band was far more than just a simple black metal band even in 2006. The song is slower and much more purposeful, an excellent change of pace. "Conscious Burning" is probably the most brutal song on the album but even it has a middle section that shows the band's need for dynamics in their music.
"Whispers" is the stark, beautiful instrumental of the album. "In the Depths of Black Hills" is another definitive Khors song with the riffs and vibe that they now are known for. "The Abyss" could have been part of a prog metal song with its amazing melodic riff that feels like it is going to take you somewhere else! As a Ukrainian American, it is really awesome to have found a band as talented as Khors from Ukraine. Hopefully, metal fans won't miss out on this re-issue. The sound is amazing and the songs deserve the "sonic facelift" they were given!
