Departure Chandelier - Antichrist Rise to Power (2019)^{Release ID: 11065}

Following my Review Draft discovery of Departure Chandelier's sophomore release, I have soon found myself venturing back through their entire discography.  Their one (and to date only) full length release holds up well both in comparison to their demo that followed this and also as a standalone release in its own right.  The familiar dungeon synth sound is strong here again, giving that sense of the tracks where it appears are being expanded and pushed to new heights of elevation.  That having been said, they also convey a more grandiose majesty than was present on the follow up release.  Dripping Papal Blood was of course a demo and so would not necessarily possess the same production values as a full length release and there is nothing polished about Antichrist Rise to Power as such, however it is a richer sounding record overall.

Again, instrumental, dungeon synth tracks, bookend the release as the open and close the album.  The funereal keys on the outro seem particularly fitting given the title of Outro (Exile on the Jagged Cliffs of Saint Helena) and what sits in between these two tracks is a selection of quite basic structures with rudimentary riffing and uncomplicated rhythms that touch on black 'n roll consistency at times.  This simple approach works really well with the minimalist dungeon synth that I already mentioned and by the end the album leaves me with a sense of ethereal calm, as if the outro track has acted as some palate cleanser.

It is hard to say to say if this ever truly could be classed as atmospheric bm (the dungeon synth certainly adds to the atmosphere) or just really well done minimalist bm that deploys a crude sense of symphonia by unconventional means.  Regardless of this, Antichrist Rise to Power is triumph nonetheless and one that scratches the conventional black metal itch whilst offering something extra at the same time.

This cracking slab of historical black metal is, surprisingly, only just now seeing the light of day despite being recorded way back in 2010. I don't know why this would be, but it certainly isn't because of any lack of quality. It catalogues the fall and rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, a tale that undoubtedly has a kind of affinity with black metal sensibilities. The music is both ascerbic and melodic, dealing up just over half an hour of synth-enhanced imperialistic savagery and majesty.