Chateau are a four piece band from Raleigh, North Carolina, comprised of Lukas Ayers (vocals, guitar), Cameron Micham (drums), Jason Merritt (bass), and Joe Whitley (guitar). Their new EP is titled Amissus, with four menacing tracks of cold, frosty black metal in the grand Scandinavian tradition, mixed with a little NWOBHM gallop for good measure. Ayers has a great, raspy howl, a perfect fit for the bands furious attack, as Micham blasts away amid rumbling bass from Merritt and rampaging tremolo riffs on the outstanding "Our Empire of Stolen Breath". The song also has a cool atmospheric middle section that wouldn't have sounded out of place on an early 1980's Iron Maiden album, compete with tasty guitar solos and acrobatic bass lines. "Silhouettes Against the Snow" sounds like a cross between Dissection and Immortal, featuring some killer riffs, while "Deathpeddler" is more of a mid-paced 'black 'n' roller' with a catchy groove. Toss in the near melo-death metal might of "Mourning Frost" (which contains Ayers' most hellish vocals on the EP) and you have a very enjoyable little release from a US black metal band who show boatloads of talent, both musically as well as in the songwriting department, and hopefully we will be hearing a lot more from them in the not too distant future. Recommended.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1) Mourning Frost
2) Our Empire of Stolen Breath
3) Silhouettes Against the Snow
4) Deathpeddler
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
