Year: 2025
Label: Out Of The Dungeon

Finnish The Chamberlain are a band with a definite vision for their music. It’s pretty singular idea, but not too constrictive. At least the Finns don’t run out on ideas on this, their debut.

The musical concept in question is melodic black metal. But not just any kind of melodic black metal. These Finns cast their eyes back on the lighter, synth-driven melodic black metal of the late mid-to-late 90’s and early noughties. In a nutshell, put this next to an album from that time, and you’d be forgiven for not realizing this is a quarter of a century newer.

In a sense, The Chamberlain have a similar approach to black metal as fellow countrymen Warmoon Lord. Both shamelessly look back in time and even more shamelessly mould their sound in line with classics and cult names of the era. The form the music takes is different, but there are unquestionable similarities in approach and/or attitude.

In Draconian Magick’s case, the well of inspiration was filled with artists such as Dimmu Borgir, probably Stormblåst more than other albums. This means a rather typical Scandinavian sound with sawing guitars and viciously shrieking vocals, but also liberal amounts of atmospheric synths. Certainly, you’d not be remiss to mention Emperor as well, but quite consistently, The Chamberlain’s sound is lighter and more airy. It also doesn’t go to Cradle Of Filth lengths of letting the synths lead the songs; whilst pronounced, they’re still typically in a supporting capacity.

But it runs deeper than that, into cult names and forgotten gems of the early noughties. I’m thinking Finnish acts like Thyrane and (early) Alghazanth, who never rose to greater renown but certainly were local heroes – at least to some.

The Chamberlain also don’t hide just how melodic and light they can get. Just listen to a track like album closer Enter The Pandemonium and the melodic riffing. Or the shameless synths about one minute into Wings Of Leather. With clear and crisp sound, they put the melody to the fore without hiding it under murky production or necro sound. In a way, it’s bold – although I don’t think you’ll catch as much flak for such emphasized melodicism nowadays as you did 25 years ago.

Draconian Magick is at the same time a massive nostalgia trip to a sound you don’t hear too often anymore, and possessing of a distinct character of its own. The latter perhaps to some extent in a contemporary context thanks to the former, but not only that. Whilst it’s easy to drop names as references, The Chamberlain are far more than mere pastiche of what’s been done before.

As far as debut albums go, Draconian Magick is in the top rung. The sound is mature and thought out, the songs are tight, and the whole thing reeks of an innate understanding of the rules and bylaws of their chosen style. Black metal hasn’t sounded so 90’s in the way huge swathes of the 90’s black metal scene hated it in a long time – and I love it.

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