Review Summary: Better than the movie.
In a world where bands constantly try to reinvent themselves, Departure Chandelier doesn't even pretend to change. Everything about them is an ode to old school, traditional and dusty black metal, stubbornly projecting the genre's core elements with zero interest towards divergence or experimentation. Featuring members of Ash Pool and Akitsa, these are no newcomers we're talking about, especially when it comes to harsh-sounding music. With Departure Chandelier, a particular lyrical theme is chosen for the project's concepts: the figure of Napoleon as well as French history more generally, and that combined with their music works like a charm.
It was with the marvelous debut Antichrist Rise to Power in 2019 that they got themselves into the map, as that release was an overly engaging and decently atmospheric, filthy raw black metal release with fantastic synth use and memorable tracks. Departure Chandelier don't aim to impress with extravagant ideas or playstyle, in fact they are founded on essential, repetitive riffing straight from the roots of the second wave, topped with nice keyboards and an overall medieval approach that fits the bill when the listener would like to indulge in artistry that is inherently directed more to the underground. The same recipe has been put forth with the project's second album Satan Soldier of Forture, which sounds like the other side of the same coin that was their debut, or any other of their material for that matter.
A main point in favor of the album is how easily it flows, without requiring too much of the listener's mental faculties. Things are simple in the land of Departure Chandelier, the compositions should feature decent guitar lines, raspy black metal shrieks, a melancholic atmosphere and an implied aversion towards modernity, which is what you'll receive in Satan Soldier of Fortune. More demanding black metal fans, who have grown into the adventurous and the avantgarde, may discard this album too quickly. Moreover, if you're into mindless ferocity and aggression, you may also be fine skipping this, but I'd say you would miss out on a nicely made beautiful work, as far as beauty can go in this genre.
Strong moments can be found in the track “By Way Of Torchlight From Parliament To Catacombs”, the fast paced “Accipitridae” as well as the self-titled track, where Departure Chandelier are at their best, in my opinion. A few non-vocal instrumental parts (the introduction and outro, as well as an interlude in between) are truly wonderful, almost stand alone dungeon synth pieces, fitting perfectly to the overall identity of the album. “Hard As A Coffin Nail” is another highlight but on the other hand, only the sixth track “Hail Dark Forces” felt a bit emptier compositionally than the rest. The scale eventually leans in favor of Satan Soldier of Fortune, which concludes its run with a clear positive sign.
After listening, I found myself wanting to return to their debut again, for it is so straightforward as it is enjoyable. Departure Chandelier achieved the same with their newer work, which knows its place and it’s strictly for fans only. There’s little elements of all the classic bands of the second wave of black metal here, and it will sound quite familiar to people that have an appetite for rawness rather than excess of melodies. The band nails down what’s at the core of this style quite well, with an album that isn’t exactly impressive per se, but surprisingly satisfying to listen to, especially if you were born somewhere in the 1750’s.
