Kaos - Total Kaos

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Genesis	02:02
	2	Undercover	03:35
	3	Big World	03:19
	4	Gremlins	00:16

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	March of the Gremlins (Instrumental)	03:09
	2	Wings of Love	03:13
	3	Mama	05:32

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Information/Write-up

KAOS was the premier metal band back in the 80’s in NL, Canada most known for their song “March of the Gremlins”. This song was an instrumental on their debut LP TOTAL KAOS which every metal fan should try to locate. It had such a distinct guitar riff that made it easily recognizable.

KAOS proved to be one of Newfoundland’s influential rock bands of their time. The band was formed in St. John’s Newfoundland in 1983 and rocked not only the island but also the whole of Canada. With the independent release of 'Total Kaos' the band proved they could stand on their own and showed, with great determination, that you can succeed as an independent act. Ironically, this determination and success lead to KAOS opening for Helix in 1986 across the island on the 'Long Way To Heaven' tour.

Upbeat
A hard rocking record from Kaos
by Geoff Meeker

The five bright faces you see on this week’s cover inset are happy for good reason. They’ve just released a debut five-song Ep, and are off next week for Toronto, where they’ll be working under the supervision of George Ennis’ Management.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The band, as you’ve already guessed by now, is Kaos.

The Ep is probably heard, I suspect. It’s called Total Kaos and if you’re a consumer of hard rock, it’s a must-have. There’s so much power happening here, I’m tempted to call it heavy metal, but that would mean lumping the band in with screaming metal groups like Motley Crue and Twisted Sister. This band’s sound defies easy pigeon-holing. A hard rock will have to do.

There are five songs on the Ep — four featuring the gritty vocals of lead vocalist Sandy Rainer and one instrumental — plus short preambles to each side.

All songs were written by lead guitarist Rainer Weimann, except Big World, which was co-written by Weimann and O’Reilly.

As for Kaos the group, Rounding out ranks of Todd McLeod on lead and rhythm guitar, Sandy Forbes on drums and Darrin Bruce on bass. The band’s permanent road crew consists of Tony Pilcher in sound and Charles Fowler on lights.

The Ep was mixed at Generations, an interesting if somewhat pompous bit of studio wizardry. It’s so good, it sounds like a 16-track job.

The sound is awesome. Thanks to Rainer: “On that one I used a harmonizer, which lowers the pitch of the voice considerably. All the other sounds on that cut, I did with the synthesizers.”

On Edge — a hard-driving, metal-influenced number, is about "That was in 1981, and we were ladies in the world who were cheated on," said Rainer, laughing. "So I wrote a song about what we were doing." Rainer elaborated, "has to be when the whole thing is mutual. If a man thought it was all over unless he came along — no, none by females — and so originals are suitable for anyone to balance that act."

Big World is a rocking number with more than a little musical appeal. "For that one," Rainer explained, "Mike O'Reilly had a bunch of lyrics that he wanted me to look at, to see if we could use them. I thought about having nothing to do with what the song originally meant. So I took the ideas and built a melody structure and lyrical melody that just flows."

Side two opens with the fast, driving Losing Wars — about the agonizing feeling that comes from losing relationships that open inside too easily, and what happens to kids who are caught in the shuffle.

Losing Wars is the heaviest song on the Ep. It’s almost hardcore in spots, and the lift is the harmonic bridge.

That’s followed by March of No Returns, an instrumental written by Weimann to allow for a bit of screaming noise.

"We had nothing serious to write about," Rainer said. "But I got a chance to use the little [gizmo] from the store, some little sound effects box, and messing around with it."

Next is The Wings of Love, which was inspired by Rainer’s interest in Spielberg films.

"There was a lot of love and shots of kids who were on the run," Rainer said. "So we wrote in the words: Kaos are brave on the wings of love. We are one in our strength and friendship and the power of good. It’s not cheesy, not overblown, and it’s included on the album."

That little flicker in the heart is expressed in this final song.

Side one’s insert, Weimann explained, featured a bunch of lyrics about a kid running from a bad situation and hoping for a new hope. Side two’s insert features part of this theme where the "wings of love" are expressed.

On the album as a whole, Rainer noted: "At the end of this album, you feel uplifted, like you’ve been carried off into the sunset, washed clean and unhurt."

Kaos has no specific purpose beyond "good, hard rocking music," Rainer said. Their Ep is a limited release, funded and engineered independently.

They figured it would take 3,000 copies to break even — if they played it half pressed, rather than bringing it to radio stations in tape form. We also wanted to make it available to the public, because once people say, ‘Hey, I like that song. Do you guys have a record?’ you can both some and sell."

"So we decided to press it. We wanted as good a job as possible. And if we do a fabulous debut effort in the studio, then do a demo in a 16-track studio to go on to the main recording, we’ll have a far better album to offer to the public."

But don’t need to hear for yourself.

Their record, Total Kaos, is an instant success, and that’s in itself a surprise.

This had a few flaws, including a short intro at the start of side two, and Rainer’s harmonized vocals on the harmonized section, but the production is high and first rate.

Years of hard work paid off to give Kaos an incredible reputation.

Gave hard rocking Newfoundland musicians a huge jolt of hope.

Now working with the management team of 1 1/2 Gauge, now working with The Agency in Toronto, Kaos has landed a management deal with George Ennis Management, a first-rate organization that works closely with The Agency. All their bookings will be pre-arranged through Kaos’ concert choosers and guided by experts. This will keep the band busy in Toronto.

"The Toronto experience is a first-hand experience," said John Hutton. "It has been good for us so far. The people we were with in Toronto up here were done in one case."

Kaos released the Ep from 1/2 Gauge Records while in Toronto, and are about to be signed to a major label if this management company is remembered.

George Ennis Management is responsible for the acts’ success in the big leagues: writers, songwriters, engineers, who provided behind the strength of the recordings, and always hit.

“We’ll be moving down there,” said Weimann, "because we have to go where the action is. The band is ready for it."

And the move to Toronto is a natural for a young, talented band rather than just playing on local scene. There’s only so long you can play, and we’re not getting any younger. If we’re going to make or break ourselves, it’s not going to happen here. I don’t want to be 40 or 50 years old and still singing in the bars, with the original Kaos songs no one has heard."

"And if we’re successful," Sandy continued, "and do a good solid Ep, it’ll be much easier for us to break Newfoundland in regards to all the musicians who work for the big bands."

**(TOF) they say Gen f Kaos in TO?"

A word of warning: when the total Kaos experience is not lived out, they’ll automatically be dropped so shortly before the album is due.

John, Fred’s Records, Eastern Photo, HMV’s Music and Kibbler Sound, and many others, broke Kaos in. There’s a lot of opportunity and one place & an A & R store in that city.

And then other: play it loud.

The Muse November 29, 1985 Pg. 17

New EP… Total Kaos
by JOE RICHE
There’s a new local record available for the discerning rock fan. A five song introductory E.P. from the band Kaos. The band, Sindi Wiechman (lead vocals), Rainer Weichman (lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), Sandy Forbes (drums, backing vocals), Todd McLeod (lead/rythm guitars) and Darren Bruce (bass) has been around for a while now. This in itself is no easy feat in the somewhat less than hospitable Newfoundland club environment.

It’s no big secret that one of our most precious resources, local talent, is often snubbed for the trendy mainland bands who invade "the rock" at regular intervals. That’s not to say of course that these guys aren’t cute or that their clothes aren’t pretty; after all, they’re from the mainland.

There does however seem to be a growing misconception that because a band comes from away it is inherently superior to anything local. Although there have been some damn good bands visit our island the majority have been 3rd rate, boring and egotistical. It is therefore one of our biggest tragedies that local acts don’t get the credit and support they deserve.

Kaos works just as hard or harder than any mainland band. They’ve played clubs for a while and are trying to promote their new E.P. in high schools as well. It is a difficult and often thankless task. Furthermore, the financial rewards are, to say the least, not great.

For these reasons, Total Kaos is a success story. The powerful E.P. was written, produced and recorded by the truely creative Rainer. Rainer also runs the local Mr. Mole Studio where he works to further other local talent as well as engineer his own creations. He has produced several other Newfoundland acts including The Dervishes.

Total Kaos should be available soon at Fred’s Records and Freddies Music at a special E.P. price. It is good music, local music and worth supporting. Congratulations to Kaos for a job well done.

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