The metalcore scene in Nashville is bracing for another eruption as the agitators at the forefront, CHAMBER, reveal “Hopeless Portrait,” the third single from their impending second full-length offering, “A Love To Kill For.” This eagerly awaited release, scheduled to hit shelves on July 14th, will be brought to us by Pure Noise Records.
In a raw exposition, guitarist Gabe Manuel elucidates the essence of their latest single. “Hopeless Portrait” serves as a mirror, reflecting our shared human experience of navigating a life none of us explicitly requested, entrapped within the confines of our own existence, paradoxically just as lost as those we might judge.
This introspective song, in Manuel’s words, was teetering on the edge of exclusion, deemed potentially ‘over the top’. However, it has triumphantly emerged as a band favorite, an unexpected phoenix from the flames of self-critique.
Riding the wave of their debut album, “Cost Of Sacrifice,” which was commended by Kerrang! as a brutal yet exhilarating experience, CHAMBER has been steadily carving their mark on the metalcore landscape. Garnering praise from influential platforms like Revolver and BrooklynVegan, they have also shared the stage with notable acts such as Wage War, Eighteen Visions, Counterparts, and Kublai Khan.
This upcoming album, “A Love To Kill For,” promises to push the envelope further. The band, comprised of Gabe Manuel on the guitar, Jacob Lilly on vocals, bassist Chris Smith, and drummer Taylor Carpenter, ambitiously strives for a sound that’s louder, more chaotic, and unpredictable than their previous endeavors.
The process unfolded in collaboration with producer Randy LeBoeuf over a month in New Jersey. LeBoeuf, known for his work with The Acacia Strain and Gideon, has been a long-standing ally in the band’s sonic journey. This new album follows the surprise “Carved In Stone” EP from 2022, mirroring the tempestuous era of its creation.
Embodying the tumultuous zeitgeist, CHAMBER ventures into heavy themes that result in even heavier songs. They maneuver through techy, math-rock brilliance, frenzied tempos, and unyielding antagonism, conjuring a maelstrom of genre-fluid fury. The record features a selection of blistering riffs, tremulous breakdowns, and grooves, with ear-shattering cameos from Kublai Khan’s Matt Honeycutt and Boundaries’ Matt McDougal.
The interlude in the tumultuous journey, the album’s title track, provides a cinematic reprieve, affirming CHAMBER’s evolution and their potential to redefine the parameters of dextrous metal and hardcore. This ascendancy may appear ominous for those attempting to stake their claim in the heavy music terrain, yet it is a triumphant win for those fortunate enough to be swept up in the maelstrom of CHAMBER’s live performances.
