Список групп Black Metal Primal (PL) Chapel of Fear

Chapel of Fear is a split featuring Primal, Iugulatus and Deep Desolation, three relatively young black metal bands from Poland. With some of my favourite black metal bands hailing from that region, there is a certain level of expectation coming from this split, and it would be nice to see what these young bands are able to offer.

Primal opens the three way split, with the first 4 tracks being their contribution. The intro of the opening track Nadcz?owiek instantly puts the listener in a horror movie setting, before the music suddenly breaks in, scaring the unsuspecting listener. As the music continues, it is hard to believe that there is only one person behind the band, as each instrument is expertly executed by mastermind PrimalOne (though the background sounds tend to get slightly irritating after awhile). The riffs are cold and bleak, reminiscent of fellow Polish black metallers such as Thunderbolt. The riffing on Makta Noc displays some good ideas as well, particularly the riff underneath the chaos from the 3:00 mark onwards (though one might need to strain slightly to hear it). The vocals of PrimalOne a higher than normal pitched growl, and is certainly unique compared to most other extreme metal vocalists.

There are a few gripes on the music of Primal though. For example, while songs like Nadcz?owiek see Primal experimenting with the songwriting through inclusion of different styles on the song, there are some awkward moments that sounded almost like there was a skipped beat or waited a moment too long, which slightly marred the experience of Primal's contribution. Also, while Makta Noc starts off on a better note, with the urgency in the beats setting just the right pace for the song, but there are also certain awkward moments spotted throughout the song, such as the awkward transition at around the 4:00 mark. But after awhile these seemingly awkward moments sink in and they almost seem like it was purposely put in place by PrimalOne just to mess with the listener's head. The long run times for the 3 tracks (the fourth is an outro) also meant that towards the end of the songs, they tended to get slightly repetitive and dragged-out. However, with just 2 demos under its belt, the effort that has been put in the contribution to this split is certainly evident and commendable.

Iugulatus comes in strongly with a heavy-as-fuck riff on the blasphemous Will of Satan, continuing with the big sound that has been set upon with Primal's contribution. The riffing right from the beginning of the track instantly reminds listeners of Polish giants Behemoth with the blackened death metal riffing patterns. Vocalist Balrog's style differs slightly though, as he prefers a clearer vocal approach and this certainly provides a fresh listening experience. Also, instead on focussing on the speed like Primal did, Iugulatus chooses to focus on the intensity and the heaviness of the music, with the slower pace and the chugging riffs that are constantly utilised. Even the faster tracks like Master of Illusion are sufficiently heavy despite the overall faster pace on the song. The chugging riffs layered on top of the trem-picked black metal-styled riffs at the background on Will of Satan is definitely a nice touch. The hits on the Wojtass' hits on the skins are also relentless as he pounds on them like there is no tomorrow. However, Iugulatus suffers from the same problems as Primal with the long track run times, especially on Master of Illusion where the trebly riff start to get slightly annoying towards the end of the track. The guitar solo towards the end of Gates of Abyss also got slightly messy towards the end, causing the experience to falter slightly.

Deep Desolation brings in a whole new ball game with the final 2 tracks of the split, and the difference between their contribution and that of Primal and Iugulatus immediately shows through. The riffs and the pace of the music are of doom quality, and the effect used on the lead guitar on the solo at the beginning of Chapel of Fear are reminiscent of that of doom-influenced bands such as Acid Witch, with the slightly psychedelic quality. The vocals are a low-pitched gruff style, yet clearly audible and decipherable, and combined with the atmosphere of the music, can instantly put the listener into a trance. Despite the heavy doom metal influences and references, the band does not, at any time of the music, neglect their black metal roots at all through such means as the trem-picked riffs on the songs. Chapel of Fear also lives up to its name with the riffs and chords picked by the band putting the listener at a constant state of unease, complete with the background noises. Satanic Orgy begins with a riff that sounds almost like a quickened version of Black Sabbath's Electric Funeral, and it is no doubt that at times it feels as if one were listening to a quickened version of Black Sabbath with growled vocals, and having Deep Desolation's contributions are definitely a fitting way to end the album.

While overall the individual bands each have their own flaws that slightly affect the experience, Chapel of Fear has definitely showed the potential that each of the band have, and is a release that is enjoyable if listened with an open mind.