An absolute gem – Chalice of Doom is one of the few Middle Eastern bands that will be constantly replayed and hopefully my review does their music justice.
As always, we start off with information on the band; Chalice of Doom is a Jordanian band and their chosen subgenre of metal is melodic death/doom, with lyrical themes dealing with depression and dark romance. The band was formed in 2010 and released a demo and a single during the year. Their first full length album Immemorial Nightfall was released in 2011, and in 2013 Into Hypnagogia was unleashed upon the region.
Instantly, hook laden from the start to the finish, Into Hypnagogia is a complete stunner. There are some genuinely doomy musical elements; from atmospheric guitar effects to the ethereal keyboards. There is also the inclusion of a flute, which may have simply been an effect on the keyboard that adds to the overall atmosphere.
The melodies in this album are simply amazing as well. Vocals are as doomy as can possibly be and some great techniques are shown in the deep growls. It is all topped off by fantastic clean male and female vocals. You can definitely hear some Saturnus and Katatonia influences in their music, but I have noticed that the death metal parts are used as a ‘hint of salt’ to give more flavor to the music.
Lyrically, it is just a work of art. The construction of the lyrics showcases the thematic depth of the band; take ‘The Coin Fountain’ for example:
I am gone away
Free from these chains.
Your love imprisoned me
So many centuries.
I am gone away
And healed from the pain.
You sacrificed our dream
Along the darkened way.
It is so simple, yet it carries a meaningful weight. A bonus on this album is the inclusion of Arabic lyrics, which is a great way of reminding the listener of the bands roots, even if it is very minimal effort.
In conclusion, this album is a true work of art. This is a guaranteed listening pleasure – well structured, beautifully executed, and an all-around sensory tingling album – that should definitely be a part of every death/doom metal fans album collection.
