Editor’s Note: This post was originally published yesterday but had to be removed due to copyright issues with the stream on Soundcloud.

Criminally underrated French brutal death metal quartet Kronos has been churning out high-quality, flesh-searing jams since 1994, yet for whatever reason, they aren’t a very well known name in the death metal underground. The gods themselves are displeased at this, because these guys are the real deal when it comes to brutal death metal. Displaying a technical prowess and penchant for immaculately crafted riffs that rival some of the biggest players in the scene, Kronos stand out a bit more thanks to a rich obsession with Greek mythology, a theme which permeates every part of their music, from the battle-rallying lyrics to the blood-spilling riffs. They’ve armed themselves appropriately over their 20 year career as a band, with three full-length albums already in their scabbard, and Heavy Blog is beyond delighted to premiere Kronos’ first album in eight years, Arisen New Era, in its entirety.

Arisen New Era is basically the soundtrack to an epic battle waged between the gods of Olympus and the Titans, one in which Kronos emerges unquestionably victorious. The album is ripe with colossal, groove-laden riffs which call to mind the guitar work in Decapitated and Benighted, and a strong melodic presence a la Son of Aurelius and Gorod makes the album an appropriate death metal counterpart to the sprawling epics written by Homer, one he himself would undoubtedly approve of. Much like the great battles told of in Ancient Greek lore, Arisen New Era is intense, unmerciful and violent, but more than that, it is addictive and catchy as Hades. Songs such as “Klymenos Underwrath” and “Purity Slaughtered” feature tasty riffs and head-bobbing grooves that inspire one to don their blades of chaos and go on a Olympian killing spree, a task that is easily undertaken and done so with great pleasure. Simply put, Arisen New Era is already one of the best death metal albums of 2015, and it’s hard to imagine many other bands going toe to toe with Kronos and not walking away bloodied and brutalized, let alone still standing.

Arisen New Era is out July 24th through Unique Leader Records. Preorders are available at THIS LOCATION. For digital orders, go HERE.

-AL