My only previous experience with Chilean Metal has revolved around the country’s formidable Death Metal scene, which has spawned killer bands like Melektaus, Godagainst, Atomic Aggressor, and many others. Chilean Doom—specifically, in this case, one of my admitted blind spots, the “Epic” formulation of the style—had completely escaped my attention, at least until this album caught my eye.
Right from the start, we’re confronted with a muscular, chunky sound that carries a trace of Swedish crunch, paired with a pleasingly bright drum presence. The opening track, “Envenomed”, hints at a Melodic Death influence and bristles with intent while maintaining a steady overall pace. The middle section of the song is one of the album’s highlights, featuring classic Doom riffing and a ghostly wash of synth, providing plenty of Gothic drama for the My Dying Bride fans among us. The tempo shifts for the closing finale, pulling the sound away from Doom and into the triumphant tones of Heavy Metal—a tactic the band uses more than once.
Candlemass and Solitude Aeternus are the most obvious highlights for this band, primarily due to the clean vocals, which embellish the solid heft of the guitar work and rattling tom fills with the grandiosity typical of the style. The vocalist is certainly up to the task and has a powerful set of pipes. However, once or twice, his attempts to create the sense of drama this style thrives on fall just a little flat—at least to my ears. By the third song, I was hoping for a bit more variation instead of the lung-busting howl that dominates throughout. But in truth, this is Epic Doom, and maybe that says more about my own bias than anything else.
For fans of the style, there’s plenty to recommend here. Where Gods Live and Men Die offers just four songs, but to their credit, the band doesn’t let the music drift or wallow in an attempt to create atmosphere. Instead, they cycle through passages of bustling, busy drums and mid-paced Heavy Metal-influenced riffing, resisting the temptation to slow things down to the droning crawl typical of some parts of the Doom canon. Though the songs are each around 10 minutes long, they never feel grueling or drawn-out, which is a testament to both the songwriting and the band’s ability to vary the pace.
The most captivating moments for me largely came during the slower sections rather than the faster Heavy Metal ones. But in their attempt to blend something like King Diamond with Candlemass, along with a hint of later Bolt Thrower, these Chileans have crafted an album that’s likely to appeal to a broad swath of the Metal audience. So while Epic Doom may not usually be my style, Capilla Ardiente and their ability to shift seamlessly between elements have delivered a consistent and entertaining 45 minutes of headbanging satisfaction.
Label: High Roller Records
Release date: 18 October, 2024
Website: https://www.facebook.com/BarathrumOfficial/
Country: Chile
Score: a fiery 3.25/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 