We last visited North Carolina black metal upstarts Chateau with their 2015 EP Amissus, which showed plenty of promise for this lethal four piece. The youngsters are back barely a year later with another one, this time titled Moons Over the Slaughter, featuring once again four tracks of brutal US black metal clearly influenced by the Scandinavian greats but this time also with a healthy nod to legendary Swedish death metal acts such as Grave, At the Gates, and Dark Tranquility. With the steady line-up of Lukas Ayers (guitar and vocals), Cameron Micham (drums), Jason Merritt (bass), and
Joe Whitley (guitar), these guys have definitely taken a few steps forward over the last year. The production here on Moons Over the Slaughter is top notch, clearly heightening the improved instrumental & songwriting skills of the band. Check out the sizzling lead guitar work on "Patricide", the rampaging NWOBHM styled riffing over pummeling blast beats throughout "In the Master's Fire", and the intense 'Immortal on steroids' blaster that is "All is Ash" for excellent examples of just how far this band has come. You also have to appreciate how they mix up their influences into a cohesive attack, which you can hear on "Blasphemer's Purpose", a boiling miasma of black metal, death metal, and '80s power/thrash, complete with tasty lead guitar and hellish vocal rasps.
It's not hard to envision an assortment of respected heavy metal labels knocking on Chateau's door to sign them up to a contract after hearing what's on display here. Moons Over the Slaughter is some of the best underground US black metal you are going to experience here in 2016...it's that simple folks! Head on over to their Bandcamp page (link below) and give the band some love, you won't regret it.
Track Listing
1.
Patricide 03:27
2.
All is Ash 02:59
3.
Blasphemer's Purpose 04:19
4.
In the Master's Fire 04:45
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