Lunar Chamber - Shambhallic Vibrations (2023)^{Release ID: 44213}

I have made it clear in the past that when it comes to extreme side of progressive/technical death metal, I'm not the biggest fan. Something about the balancing act that one band has to adapt to split the difference between technical mastery and melodic songwriting is paper thin and off the top of my head, I can only think of one band (Allegaeon) that pull this off with grace. Well prepare yourselves for the next band to attempt this in the form of Lunar Chamber's debut EP Shambhallic Vibrations.

Where a lot of technical death metal bands fail to impress is in the production. Most of the stuff that I have found gets popular are the bands that just put layers upon layers of sound and it turns into a cacophonous mess as every instrument is demanding your attention, and it leaves me with a sinking feeling as I'm gasping for air. Lunar Chamber have all the technical chops that you expect, but when it's time for the guitar to shine, the bass and percussion are well designed to compliment, not overpower. The same happens when you hear vocals.

In addition to mixing, the songwriting deserves credit. While it is certainly tech-death and you'll be hard pressed to find a cohesive idea spread throughout the runtime, I did not find these songs to be overindulgent. In comparison to the new Hoplites album, this record knows what it wants to be and credit to the ensemble for showing off that potential. In addition, the bass lines that are heavily promoted gives me Ne Obliviscaris throwbacks, and the closer "III. Crystaline Blessed Light Flows..." is a thirteen minute dirge closer to doom metal that gave me callbacks to a band such as Ahab, and that's high praise indeed.

Shambhallic Vibrations is a record that I went into with lowered expectations because of the genre association, but an album I left with huge potential and praise. This is the rare kind of tech-death album that knows how to write songs instead of using it as a platform for relentless wanking. It does not waste your time either, despite having a thirteen minute closer. If anything, the inclusion of two ambient tracks ("Intro" and "Interlude" respectively) can make a listener feel like its over in a flash...because it is. But I still feel like these three full songs on their own are so well executed that they do not really need to add much else. It will be very interesting to see if Lunar Chamber can maintain this kind of momentum throughout a full length LP.

Best Songs: Spirit Body And The Seeing Self, The Bodhi Tree