Review Summary: When black, death and core collide
In Chasms Deep is a blackened deathcore band that haven't gained much popularity yet. With a feeble 22 monthly listeners on Spotify, it is fair to say they have a fair bit of ground to cover until they gain the reputation they're striving towards. But popularity aside, these guys really know how to make a great record. With their blend of Deathcore and Black Metal, they also mix in some symphonic elements, making them a rather unique entity to behold.
The record starts off with 'Into Fire, And into Ice', which serves as a minute long intro to the record. Those aforementioned symphonic elements are shown here, with a sinister piano piercing through silence, and the eerily soft female vocals echoing in the background. Do not be fooled, because things start to get brutally heavy very quickly.
Immediately into the second song a blast beat ignites the record into life and showcases the bands true talent. The drums are incredibly fast with a sharp tone to accompany them, highlighting the technicality put into the riffs. The guitars in this record are not the strongpoint by many means, as they are used simply, sparingly and more for the dark atmosphere which lingers throughout the mere 16 minutes. However, the impeccable vocal performance makes up for this vastly, as a huge vocal range is displayed. The best track to observe this has to be 'Hoard of Riches', where Black Metal screeches quickly transition into brutal death growls during a breakdown (which are used sparingly), and then back soon after. This versatility is immensely impressive, and gives this record so much credibility.
Aside from that, you will also notice the various short audio clips scattered throughout. These are mostly just mini-intervals with a man speaking in a political tone. In one instance he says that' "There's some things you gotta do... It don't mean you have to like it". This does add character to this EP, and are not used as sparingly as you would expect, considering this is only around 16 minutes. However, it does not progress to the point of tediousness.
All in all, a great effort and a fantastic result from In Chasms Deep. I would definitely recommend this to fans of Black Metal, Death Metal and Extreme Symphonic metal, and will be sure to swiftly check out their other two releases. A very pleasant surprise indeed.
