DEPARTURE CHANDELIER are a band that have made a huge name for themselves in the Black Metal world, recently they release a precious demo that has never been heard before. Time to get stuck into this piece of the bands history dated back to 2010.
Mystical synths introduce the demo setting the embracing ambience beautifully, shrouded in dark secrets and mystery. Raw guitars, pounding drums and stunning synths drive out a fierce yet melancholic instrumental force with bleak howls soon joining in. There is definitely a more depressive element than on the recent full length, however this is still not tame, it is backed with bite and an all encompassing atmosphere that is assisted by rivetingly tight songwriting though incredibly simplistic in nature.
Though the release is a short thirteen minutes and two of the four pieces are an intro and outro, there is a feeling of completion to the demo as the bulk of the music is in the two middle songs, both offering a raw assault of hellishly intense Black Metal of a scathing nature that rips through ambient and charnel passages gorgeously. It is a real treat to be exposed to a long forgotten Departure Chandelier release that we never even knew existed, giving more insight into the bands early inception and growth.
This monolith of Napoleonic aggression delivers some intriguing groove, icy ambience and chilling musicianship, truly magnificent in presentation. A basic production style works wonders with the more stripped-back songwriting to really allow the pieces to grow in a natural manner. The introduction and outro are not obnoxiously long, rather just building and tapering out the two fantastic tracks and softening the blow of barbaric extremity. The outro is wonderfully estranged, ending the demo in a spectacle of odd samples and synths that really leave you wanting more, so if you have not heard the bands other material, check that out too!
Departure Chandelier, while shrouded in mystery have given us a little taster of their early days that certainly prove to be excellent. Though they have definitely improved and grown over the last decade, this release is absolutely worth delving into and has the potential to haunt you with its dark, eerie soundscapes. -8/10
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