Band – Hosts of Lord
Album – A Chamber Above Cosmic Waters
Country of Origin – USA
Genre – Black Metal
Release Date – January 29, 2021
Label – Fólkvangr Records
Author – Hayduke X
A Chamber Above Cosmic Waters is an oppressive blanket of negative energy. Dark tremolos vie with obliterating blasts (at least some of it quite obviously programmed) to tear at the sanity of the listener. Madness seethes just below the surface, like a shark whose fin occasionally surfaces above the chop, ready to devour. There’s no doubt that this style has been done before – the album hearkens back to the early Norwegian scene – but that doesn’t mean it’s a cookie cutter album which should be ignored. It deserves notice and has earned its laurels.
Hosts of Lord is a solo project from an unknown location in the United States, possibly outside of Oslo somewhere, one would think. The entity behind the project is known as Μαθθίας, an appellation that only adds to the shroud of darkness surrounding the project. And that shroud is rich and deep, a cloak made of the fabric of the cosmos themselves, whose star alignment foretells apocalyptic void.
Raw dissonance through minor key tremolo meets hauntingly rich keys that open a portal, while the drumming marches us inexorably forward to nothingness. Raspy barks and howls cut across the fabric of the psyche, jarring the listener into deeper discomfort. Passion and power march lockstep as the music moves us ever closer to final oblivion. This third full length by this new, yet prolific artist is a potent example of paying homage to past masters, while still creating something viscerally fresh in its horrifying darkness. Pay attention!
Biography: Hayduke X has been writing for MoshPitNation since June of 2016. He is also a contributor to The Metal Wanderlust. Prior to joining the MoshPitNation team, Hayduke published reviews on his own blog Rage and Frustration. In addition, he has DJ’ed an online metal radio show of the same name as his blog, written for TOmetal.com, done interviews for Metal Rules, and collaborated with The Art of B Productions to create video interviews with a wide variety of bands.
