With a cast of characters that sees alumni of At The Gates, Dream Evil, Cradle Of Filth and more, there is no doubt that Nightrage remain a death metal supergroup. While their line-up has been retooled since the release of their debut effort, (namely Per M. Jensen of The Haunted has been replaced by Fotis Bernardo and Henric Carlsson has taken over for Brice Leclercq) the band still continue to deliver a riotous experience that skillfully balances a modern-day appeal with traditional undercurrents.

Staying true to the roots of Swedish melodic death metal, the group claw out empowering riffs with determined progression and faint traces of symphonic soul. Numerous blistering solos and dual leads keep the metal molten with a lacerating riff-driven momentum. The vocals are growled out by none other than Tomas Lindberg, who pretty much fathered the style with his time spent in At The Gates, and he doesn't disappoint here. An impeccable rhythm section rife with vigorous double kick drumming and sturdy bass lines ensure that the songs never falter and some bonus keys add colorful depth.

But even with guest appearances from Fredrick Nordstrom and Dark Tranquillity's Mikael Stanne, this album does fall a bit short of its full potential. Expectedly it is polished and extremely well-done. But it also limits itself to the genres preset guidelines and therefore doesn't necessarily add anything innovative - a considerable letdown with this much talent involved. That said, "Descent Into Chaos" still has enough grace and aggression involved to appeal not only to fans of groups At The Gates, but even to those of present-day In Flames. Truly, even while on a 'descent" this band are on the rise.