Warthur Wrest wrangles forth a crop of depressive black metal with doomy, droney undertones on Lurker of Chalice's sole full-fledged album. It's a combination of ingredients which in principle should go down really well with me, but something about it feels a bit off; it's a little repetitive, and not in an interesting hypnotic way but in a way which keeps nudging me out of the atmosphere that Wrest is trying to establish. Delivery and production are competent for a solo project, and the sound is certainly original, but it's just not something I care to listen to concertedly in the way I would other depressive black metal like Leviathan or Shining.

siLLy puPPy A truly majestic piece of atmospheric black metal that really piles on the sounds and ideas to make a very interesting and unique piece of work. LURKER OF CHALICE is the creation of sole member Wrest who is also involved in Leviathon and Twilight. This is a different beast altogether. Unlike most of Wrest's work with Leviathon the main focus of LOC is ambience, atmosphere and soundscapes.

The aggressive black metal can still be found but is less pronounced and surrounded by ambient passages that allow the music to develop at a very slow pace. There is random dialogue that reminds me of White Zombie intros or some tracks of the experimental electronic group COIL. There is also a lot of very doomy and drony times that reminds me of SUNN O))) or Earth.

There can be many changes in tempo and cord progressions and once an idea has had the time to breathe and live for a while it metamorphizes into something different but always maintaining a continuity in the haunting atmospheric textures. The vocals when they appear in a musical form are not screamed or shouted but rather gently growled or even whispered.

This is an extremely well done album and although it may not satisfy those who crave adrenoline inducing headbanging aggression, it certainly more than makes up for it in the atmospheric department guaranteed to leave you despondent and depressed. Well done, Wrest! Another one of these, please.