Lurker Of Chalice — Self Titled

This is an one man black metal project from san Francisco first album that was originally put out in 2005 and now gets a very desevered reissue. So what sets this apart from the mountains of other one-man black metal projects? well it’s the distinctive and atmospheric mix of ambient/electronica elements with varied and often quite prog touched black metal and goth rock elements all to create a epic, distinctive and dark sound.

All the songs here are very tightly written, played and produced. Unlike a lot of black metal this is well produced and deep with it’s sound, but instead of giving a watered down and weaker take on the black metal form Lurker of Chalice gives a very grand dark, mysterious and big/ dramatic take on Black metal. Though this projects tarred with the depressing/ambient black metal brush the tracks here are often quite up-beat to mid-pace. And there are no tracks with eerier/grim keyboard drifts on their own, electronic/ ambient elements are present but there presented as part of the bigger sonic picture instead of weaving grim cobwebs of sound on their own, they help to build these grand, black and atmospheric cathedrals of songs.

As well as having electronic/ ambient elements the album also has  harmonic metal/ indie edgers, gothic rock chugs and expanses, darken prog/ post-rock grandeur and a darkened cinematic understanding of atmospheric building and release. With the only let down been the early tracks that sound a little too rooted in their influencers i.e. the odd riff sounds a bit too Torns or more epic Satyricon for it’s own good, but as the album progresses it soars and swoops in it’s own blacked skies.

A consistent and original take on black metal that though is well produced and composed mangers to maintain it’s own distinctive sound, power and epic grimness.