Artist: Departure Chandelier
Country: Canada
Label: Nuclear War Now! Productions
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2024
Although the band already released a demo and a split 7” EP (with the underrated Dutch Black Metal act Blood Tyrant), Departure Chandelier came only really gained notoriety after its debut album released in 2019. But the album, ‘Antichrist Rise To Power’, seemingly was shelved for many years, as the recordings dated back to 2010. The same can be said about the ‘Dripping Papal Blood’-10” EP that was released in 2020, that too was actually a demo recorded in 2010. So, those handful of acclaimed recordings that put the band firmly into the global Black Metal map, were all more or less put together and canned in the same time frame, making the curiosity to new material only more substantial.
That craving finally came an end early this year when the Canadian band finally came up with their long-awaited sophomore album. After the intro the album erupts into that harsh but melodic sound that we have grown to know from the band’s earlier output. That gritty texture of the guitar tone in combination with the melodious way of song writing makes Departure Chandelier a one of a kind band. Although, of course, the musical back ground of the three involved musicians have always shined through. All three have earned their stripe within the ranks of some Canada’s most revered raw and granular Black Metal bands, of which Akitsa and Ash Pool are the most noteworthy.
Compared to ‘Antichrist Rise To Power’ the sound might be a little lighter, less dense but consequently a lot more sharp, giving this new album a more piercing character. Other than that, the trio that is making up Departure Chandelier stayed meticulously and religiously close to the musical path they have chosen almost 15 years ago. That in itself is worth a compliment, but the fact that the band was able to deepen and widen their concept without losing anything of their initial power and characteristics, that is what really makes ‘Satan Soldier Of Fortune’ another monumental record in the Canadian Black Metal history.
Musically, the album is built out of the same basic elements of the grainy (Akitsa-like) guitars, the punky rhythms and the loud barking vocals. Add to that some moody and at times haunting Dungeon Synth-like keyboards in the background and you have again that marvellous and compelling blend that makes up Departure Chandelier. It is this composition that makes the band sound both authentic, based upon these rigid aesthetics of mid-90’s Black Metal, and surprisingly fresh and energetic. The versatility that was already present on ‘Antichrist Rise To Power’ has been brought to even more turbulent waters, the dynamics on ‘Satan Solder Of Fortune’ are nothing short of stunning. If you individually compare a hard-hitting punk sledgehammer like ‘Hard As A Coffin Nail’ to the moody and awe-inspiring closing title track, it is hard to believe they are actually both part of the same album. Yet, when listening to the album as a whole, it all flows naturally and every aspect finds its place into the wider scheme of the musical palette.
Although operating into a musical niche of the Black Metal scene, Departure Chandlier seems to have little trouble creatively putting its own spin on the genre and making it their own to such an extent that the term ‘unique’ is increasingly appropriate. Long story short: although the band wasn’t active on the recording department for well over a decade, they proved that the intervening time was more than well spent in further perfecting their musical formula.
