Release Date May 31st, 2026
Format CD/Digital
Genre Death Metal
Origin France
Breeding Chaos emerged from the French underground with the 2023 EP "Diffraction Matters", introducing a melodic death metal style built around groove, dark melodies and science inspired concepts. Instead of chasing the frantic pace often associated with the genre, the band puts the focus on memorable riff patterns, layered guitar work and rhythmic precision. Their music draws obvious inspiration from acts such as Dark Tranquillity, In Flames, Hypocrisy and Textures, while adding a darker atmosphere influenced by modern progressive death metal. "Distant Planets" became their first full length release in September 2024, and this reissue through Great Dane Records gives the album another opportunity to reach listeners outside the French scene as the band continues building its profile across Europe.
The line-up of Bru on vocals and guitar, Je on lead guitar, Malo on bass and Lucas on drums performs with good chemistry, relying on songwriting instead of technical excess. The cosmic concept running through the album is more than decoration, extending into the artwork, song titles and lyrical direction, while subjects such as astrophysics, Greek cosmogony and religion give the material a broader thematic scope than standard death metal topics.
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Didier Bautzmann at La Belle De Mai Studio in Marseille, "Distant Planets" presents a modern production with enough depth to let the guitar melodies stay at the front without burying the rhythm section. Adrien Bousson's artwork complements the space themed concept, matching the atmosphere created throughout the album. The riffs are the main attraction here, combining melodic phrasing with groove based rhythms that rarely drift into excessive speed. Songs like "Birth Of The Abyss" and "Stone Cross" are among the stronger moments because they balance aggression with memorable hooks, while tracks such as "Magnetic Interactions" and "Accretion Rate" reinforce the album's fascination with cosmic phenomena through lyrics and musical atmosphere.
The influences are impossible to miss, especially the Gothenburg melodic death metal scene, and there are moments where Breeding Chaos comes very close to sounding like a combination of Dark Tranquillity and the early 2000s era of In Flames, with occasional rhythmic touches recalling Textures. Fortunately, the album is more than a collection of borrowed ideas. The cosmic atmosphere gives it a personality of its own, and the guitar work often introduces enough variation to separate it from obvious imitation. The vocals stay within familiar death metal territory, providing a rough performance that serves the songs without becoming a dominant feature.
The rhythm section supports the material effectively, locking into the groove based structures that define much of the album. Some listeners may expect more dynamic shifts or surprising arrangements considering the progressive tag attached to the band, though the progressive influence is more noticeable in structure than technical display. There is enough variation to prevent monotony, though the album could have benefited from a few compositions with stronger individual character. "Distant Planets" offers a good balance between melody and aggression, solid production, engaging themes and several riffs that stay in your head after the album ends. It may not reach the level of the bands that inspired it, though it demonstrates that Breeding Chaos has the songwriting ability to develop into something more distinctive on future releases.
|7.0
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