‘Realm of the Night‘ is the first offering from the Finnish black metal band Chamber of Unlight, which began as solo work by the multi-musician Necrosis (Ajattara, Deathchain, ex-Trollheims Grott) and Kassara on drums (Bythos, Horna, ex-Darkwoods My Betrothed and Trollheims Grott). While continuing with their quintessential mark on the album, the lineup expanded to welcome new members from the Finnish scene like guitarists Leper Infection and bassist VnoM. ‘Realm of the Night‘ is a diabolical black metal record, soaked in dark symphonies that evoke the true sound of mid-nineties black metal. Among the many contemporary Finnish bands Chamber of Unlight took a unique approach to these seven tracks which can be described as grim and frostbitten as they capture the demonic fury of the second wave of black metal.

From the opening moments of ‘Crowns of Divinity‘ the drum immediately takes a furious pace. The superb synths and the layered tremolos deliver some quality performance from these Finns. The malign, devilish growls and snarling vocals also add depth to the frightening symphony. There is just enough appeal from the keyboards to create a dark, evil sensation. Spewing demonic aggression, Chamber of Unlight unique take on such musical direction reminds me of bands such as Thyrane, Troll and Dimmu Borgir. 

The band draws their aesthetics from the Norwegian and the Finnish black metal. With plenty of cold tremolo riffing the majestic atmosphere is brilliantly paired with the icy melodies. The guitars convey a harsh tone which provides both rawness and majesty. ‘Revelations of Dark Crafts‘ invokes a sense of dread where the catchy guitar lines drift through the foreboding synth while the drums deliver sporadic blast beats. Showcasing tight musicianship throughout its thirty-nine minutes, the songs immediately grab your attention. Many bands have pursued to impress the listener with nostalgic memories of nineties black metal, but it is Chamber of Unlight who has successfully nailed its sound on the album. With the sweeping synth work and the shimmering layers of the dual guitars the music creates a misanthropic mood.

Songs like ‘On The Path of Thy Shadow‘ are enhanced by a blazing firestorm of guitars and elaborate synth passages that sound diabolical in their majestic arrangements. The symphonic elements are combined to create aural wonderments: while the role of the vocals is absolutely outstanding, the music entwines atmosphere and raw black metal. Chamber of Unlight‘s song composition reveals spectral ingredients. For example, the majestic chanting ebbs and flows with the guitars. ‘Realm of the Night’ is a feast of storming blast beats and symphonic swells. Its textures are dense with the powerful reverb of demonic vocals bursting like thunder. Each instrument like the drums, guitars and keyboards is harnessed to provide powerful dynamics on ‘From Grey Tombs‘, in which music sweeps with otherworldly synth and layered lead guitar melodies.

Despite the swirl of aggression and the abrasive tremolo-picked riffs, there is an abundance of dark undertones created by the guitars. Often the song begins with furious blast beats before being accompanied by soaring synths. Hence, the song is saturated with the classic gimmick. ‘Summoning the Spirit of the Dead‘ is one of the rawest and grimmest tracks combining scathing melodies. The quintet masterly conjures vital dynamics, thus keeping the pace balanced between blast beats and mid-tempo. The tremolo-picked riffs are flawlessly layered. Whereas the synth serves as a backdrop, the song composition of ‘Slumber‘ is a bit different from the previous tracks. 

The slow mid-paced performance suddenly creates a deep sense of melancholy. While the slow drum patterns maintain the tempo, the eerie synth and raspy vocals shine beautifully. This simply describes the quality of the music and the fundamental aspects of the Northern black metal style. The final track ‘Uncelestial Light (The Chamber)’ is fixated at mid-tempo. The minimal use of the synth and tremolos is thickly layered and the resulting sound is darkly atmospheric. As usual Werewolf Records always delivers the goods and Chamber of Unlight’s first full-length album is, without doubt, one of the label’s best releases. This come highly recommended for fans of Thyrane, Dimmu Borgir and Trollheims Grott. 

Release Date: August 13th, 2021
Label: Werewolf Records
Tracklist:

1. Prooemium
2. Crowns of Divinity
3. Revelations of Dark Crafts
4. On the Path of Thy Shadow
5. From Grey Tombs
6. Summoning the Spirit of the Dead
7. Slumber
8. Uncelestial Light (The Chamber)