Chalice formed in Helsinki in 2016 and released their debut album, Trembling Crown, in 2020. Featuring members of Ranger and Satan’s Fall, their sound is more than just your average throwback heavy metal band–it’s reminiscent of US prog-flecked heavy metal bands such as Fates Warning and Sumerlands. They are set to release their second album, Divine Spear, on February 27th, but we’re premiering it now. Check it out below.
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Divine Spear has an ethereal and melancholic quality, embedding itself in your brain like an astral spell. Tracks like “Dwell of a Stellar Trance” and “Divine Spear” provide classic metal goodness thanks to memorable choruses and shredding lead guitar work, whereas others, such as the eight-and-a-half-minute “Age Ethereal” offer something more cinematic and epic, its esoteric songwriting proving to be immersive. There’s even a section in “Empyrean Liturgy” that takes cues from classic 70s prog rock.
As tight as the songwriting is, it’s the performances that invite you to visit faraway lands under unfamiliar starlit skies. Vocalist Verneri Pouttu delivers a subtle, yet mesmerizing performance. He’s not the air raid siren singer like you might expect with this variety of metal, but still well-suited to the mystical, storytelling qualities of the band. Meanwhile, the guitar work, courtesy of Pouttu and Mikael Haavisto, is both light and dynamic. The duo display their chops but aren’t afraid to pull back and show their softer and more elegant side either. They solidify Divine Spear as an otherworldly and picturesque album, one that is eminently enjoyable for its strange and mystical heavy metal atmosphere.
–Kevin Zecchel
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Divine Spear is available February 27th via Dying Victims Productions.
