Metal Storm logo
Lurker Of Chalice - Tellurian Slaked Furnace review




Bandcamp music player
Reviewer:
N/A

18 users:
7.67
Band: Lurker Of Chalice
Album: Tellurian Slaked Furnace
Release date: March 2020


01. I
02. II
03. III
04. IV
05. V
06. VI
07. VII
08. VIII
09. IX
10. X
11. XI
12. XII

Is this a new Lurker Of Chalice album? No. But also yes.

Lurker Of Chalice, the cryptic and all around hallucinatory creation of Leviathan mastermind Wrest, is held pretty highly in underground black metal circles, widely respected and celebrated for its near universally acclaimed 2005 self titled debut. It's a very rare treat to hear any new material out of this project, much of it long guarded by Wrest under lock and key with the tantalizing claim that there are apparently four unreleased LOC full lengths. Nevertheless, for one reason or another, in 2020 Mr. Whitehead has chosen to grace us with Tellurian Slaked Furnace, a compilatory release featuring some old Lurker Of Chalice material and some previously unreleased material as well (more of the latter, thankfully), carefully selected and arranged to flow as if it were a regular studio album.

The key takeaway from this release is that it showcases a very different side of Lurker Of Chalice than what listeners may have become accustomed to. Whereas the legendary debut can pretty fairly be dubbed "ambient black metal," Tellurian Slaked Furnace is something closer to "blackened dark ambient." Far more drone-influenced and a lot more rhythmic than prior Lurker Of Chalice material, here it is all about the atmosphere. Dense clouds of ethereal smoke combine seamlessly with the trademark, forward marching bass the project is known for, creating a highly stimulating, enveloping listen that is propelled by a sense of resplendent, beautiful darkness. Some tracks, such as "VI" and "IX" especially, are surprisingly catchy as well, far more so than earlier Lurker Of Chalice material.

Another noticeable change is the significant lack of a vocal presence, as neither Wrest's piercing shrieks nor his haunting, clean howls make much of an appearance here, making Tellurian Slaked Furnace a largely instrumental album. In many ways this suits the atmosphere conjured by its music, reinforcing the meditative aura to the point that at many points throughout the listen the appearance of vocals would almost feel like something of an interruption to the ritual. With their absence, one can better appreciate the atmosphere and Wrest's unique sense of sound crafting.

Any new Lurker Of Chalice material is inevitably going to be judged by and compared to the project's debut. Positioning it against Lurker Of Chalice, Tellurian Slaked Furnace offers a very different listening experience, one that goes deeper into the hypnotizing atmospheres at the heart of Lurker Of Chalice and offers something of a more somber, pensive listen. Personally I find it very commendable that Wrest chose to showcase a different aspect of the project with this release, as it demonstrates that he is not at all interested in trying to match the legacy of the LOC debut and would rather offer listeners something they haven't heard before. I for one am quite impressed with the result, and Tellurian Slaked Furnace is very likely going to end up as one of my most replayed albums of 2020.

Eternal hails.





Written on 30.01.2020 by Metal Storm’s own Babalao. Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable since 2013.


Comments

Comments: 10   Visited by: 112 users
30.01.2020 - 07:06
Lord Slothrop

I've really been enjoying this release and have been listening to it a little bit each day. It's great ambient music for reading or writing or sacrificing unwilling participants to an unholy entity- e.g. Satan, Cthulhu or Xenu. You know, whatever nefarious ideology best suits your fancy.
Loading...
30.01.2020 - 08:30
Rating: 8
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
As much as its clear a lot of effort was put into making this sound like a cohesive studio album, it still feels a bit too much like a compilation to hide it. Despite this, everything on this album is worthwhile, and I can't begin to fathom what else could Wrest be keeping in store.
----
Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
Loading...
30.01.2020 - 13:50
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Not my smoke this one
----
Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
[image]
I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
Loading...
30.01.2020 - 16:03
Rating: 8
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by RaduP on 30.01.2020 at 08:30

As much as its clear a lot of effort was put into making this sound like a cohesive studio album, it still feels a bit too much like a compilation to hide it. Despite this, everything on this album is worthwhile, and I can't begin to fathom what else could Wrest be keeping in store.

He said around the release of Scar Sighted that some "lurkings" would be on the horizon as well, and he kept his promise. I really hope he unveils more LOC material with time.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
Loading...
31.01.2020 - 00:09
VIG
Account deleted
Lol this isn't on bandcamp for the public anymore

Like I said to you many times, it's a good album, but not much more than that for me. It has songs that are way too repetitive for what they are, but the percussion is pretty cool, especially the electronic/trip-hop beats. I would rather listen to ASIS, which is just straight dark ambient, unlike this black ambient/tribal ambient sort of thing.
Eternal hails.
Loading...
31.01.2020 - 17:11
Rating: 8
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Guest on 31.01.2020 at 00:09

Lol this isn't on bandcamp for the public anymore

Yeah it was up in full for like a week and then they took it back down to just that one track streaming. Lame
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
Loading...
04.02.2020 - 23:25
Chainer
Witch Hunter Gen
Written by Auntie Sahar on 31.01.2020 at 17:11

Written by Guest on 31.01.2020 at 00:09

Lol this isn't on bandcamp for the public anymore

Yeah it was up in full for like a week and then they took it back down to just that one track streaming. Lame


It's back up in its entirety.

https://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/tellurian-slaked-furnace
----
Written by Dangerboner on 02.11.2009 at 08:11

Everything he doesn't like is metalcore. Britney Spears, Elton John, Michael Moore, and green beans are also metalcore, in case you guys didn't know.
Loading...
03.02.2021 - 10:04
Deadsoulman

Well, that was fun. I especially enjoyed the most "rhythmic" (for lack of a better word) tracks, which reminded me of a French dark tribal ambient band whose name I forgot. I guess I really should listen to the self-titled full length at some point.
Loading...
03.02.2021 - 10:27
Rating: 8
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Written by Deadsoulman on 03.02.2021 at 10:04
I guess I really should listen to the self-titled full length at some point.

D:

It's easily top 10 black-related albums since the 2000s. You gotta go for it.
----
Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass
Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.
Loading...
03.02.2021 - 11:01
Deadsoulman

It's been on my to-do list pretty much since 2005 but for some reason I've never managed to give it a whirl. I promise it'll be the first album I listen to once the Awards are over!
Loading...

Hits total: 4006 | This month: 15