Vehemency Baptism's third full-length, Grim Arts of Melancholy, was a mind-blowing record so my hopes were really high when this band unleashed a new release, a seven inch EP that goes by the name Chalice of Death. Musically, this EP goes in the vein of the previous full-length: well-executed, melancholic yet sinister occult black metal.

It is clear that although Chalice of Death sounds underground, it is professionally done. The compositions are thought well as it always should because there is no room for filler riffs on seven inch. Production-wise this is more filthy and raw than Grim Arts of Melancholy but all the riffs are audible nonetheless. The same applies to drums. One could nag about the dry snare drum sound but when the material is of high quality overall, I'll stay quiet.

Sarcofagian's vocal delivery is diverse on this EP. While the title track provides a verse sung in Finnish, "The Crown ov Darkness" includes even clean singing, something that I haven't heard in Baptism before I think. It is only carefully used so that it doesn't sound overused at all.

Although these two songs are great, I can't see it as good as the latest full-length - maybe my expectations were too high for the EP's good. Anyhow, it is a great release that should not be missed by those who are into the Finnish underground black metal scene, because Baptism is clearly one of the brightest stars in it.