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The Chasm > The Spell of Retribution > Reviews
The Chasm - The Spell of Retribution

Enter the Deathcult.... - 100%

Sargon_The_Terrible, September 23rd, 2009

For their sixth full-length album the long-underground masters of 'The Metal Of Death' signed to Earache subsidy Wicked World, assuring that this superlative band will finally get the distribution and attention they deserve. The fear when a cult band like this moves to a bigger label is that the album they release will be somehow unworthy of them, but that is not the case here. The Chasm have been releasing groundbreaking death metal masterworks for a decade now, and I should not have doubted them for a moment. My only real question was: is this as good as the awesome "Conjuration Of The Spectral Empire"? At first I thought it was not quite as good, but after many, many listens I am assured that it is every inch as fine as its predecessor.

The Chasm have their own sound, and trying to describe their sprawling, epic, melodic style could drive you insane. They are very death metal – they may well define it – but they have a melodic songwriting approach that sounds like no other band. What most people miss is that The Chasm are very heavily influenced by old-school classic metal sounds, and their riffery has as much to do with old Bathory or even Sabbath as with more modern influences like Slayer or Morbid Angel. If it were not for the viciousness they bring to every song, one would almost accuse this band of being proggy, as they cram so damned much into every tune. They stack melodic licks and leads on top of the constant snarling rhythm work, the whole mixed expertly to sound both underground and perfectly balanced. No one sound predominates, and so the whole sound comes roaring out like a tropical storm – violent, inexorable, and utterly unpredictable. Standouts are hard to pick, as the album is unified, and flows from one song to another. After all, the title is meant to be taken literally – it isn't called "The Spell Of Retribution", it is the Spell of Retribution.

The Chasm is just one of those bands that nobody can imitate. They have taken all their influences and melded them into a unique whole that might as well be trademarked. This band just rules, and they have created an album that flows logically from their past works and yet does not feel like they are simply retreading old material. A marvelous album by a band that may finally be getting the laurels it deserves. Enter The Deathcult!

Originally written for www.metalcrypt.com

Big, fat and ready to fucking demolish you. - 99%

Empyreal, January 31st, 2009

The Chasm just might be the greatest Death Metal band ever, and even if they aren't, they are sure in the runnings. This is their most recent album to date, The Spell of Retribution, and while I haven't had the time to allow Conjuration of the Spectral Empire to sink in, this is my favorite The Chasm album right now. The band started out as a darker, gloomier beast with a lot of creepy atmosphere, but they quickly evolved into a full-on Death Metal machine with raging riffs and a kinetic, almost progressive style of songwriting laced with melody and technicality and at least a few metric tons of aggression. Their consistency is near unmatched, and I think the main reason it's so amazing is because they don't rest on their laurels. Tons of bands, like Dismember and Cannibal Corpse, have had careers full of an ironclad conviction to their craft, but they play more down-to-Earth styles, with shorter albums and a more standard Death Metal template, whereas this band constantly pushes the envelope in that regard, constantly writing songs with tons of different parts and time changes, always remaining interesting and vital, never going through the motions and never ceasing to amaze.

The band doesn't even really have to be aggressive here. They've got nothing to prove. On the past couple of albums, The Chasm were always at maximum energy, viscerally ripping your throat out while also being melodic and intelligent, always wowing the listener with extremities and intricate songwriting, like a pack of rabid wolverines. On The Spell of Retribution, you get a different kind of feeling, like the band has taken on the form of a massive, weight-heavy monster, sitting in a cave, surrounded by the decaying bones of its devoured enemies. This album doesn't leap out at you like the last two did, it lets you come to it, and then it rolls over you and slowly suffocates every last breath out of your enervated corpse. It doesn't really rip your face off as the band did before, except in some places, but it is still quite visceral and aggressive in a more relaxed manner, if that makes any sense - a huge, towering behemoth that doesn't even need to lift a finger to put fear into anyone that passes. This is a very heavy album, with a thick, crunchy guitar tone and long, long songs that bludgeon borderline-Thrashy riffs into your head while the dark, occult melodies creep and weave themselves around them in an aurally pleasing manner that only The Chasm can do. The wave of sound just engulfs you, in a manner similar to Deathcult, but entirely different in execution, and more preferable, to these ears.

I think one of my favorite things about this band is Daniel Corchado's distinctive growling style. The band's lyrical musings are always very short and succinct, so Corchado utilizes a unique style of Death Metal vocals where it sounds kind of like he's reciting some kind of ancient chant, speaking over the music with this cryptic, somber tone that just fucking works, and it's really something you have to hear for yourself, for my description will never do it justice. That about sums up the whole sound of this band, actually. Corchado plays the guitars, alongside Julio Viterbo, in a very distinctive ways as well, pumping out lead-iron riffs that twist and writhe and embody both Death Metal and Metal as a whole, galloping and charging forward with a warlike conviction that I just love, and Antonio Leon's drumming keeps up the pace beautifully, always catchy and vital to the sound, always the obscure back-beat in this maddening catacomb of occult insanity.

The songs on here don't really function individually, and while they all sound good and have their own identities, listening to this album all the way through is truly the only way to get the full effect, like with any great album. "The Omnipotent Codex" kicks things off with a mighty Death Metal stomp, blaspheming and fucking your mind in at least five different directions, and it's followed by the galloping, epic majesty of "Conquerer & Warlord," which uncoils quickly and heaves away for almost eight minutes with pounding riffs and a gripping pace. "Fortress" has a blisteringly fast, almost Thrashy tempo, and a gut-ripping solo towards the end, and then right after that we're hit with the doomy, atmospheric "Retribution of the Lost Years," but nothing will prepare you for the horrific, unforgettable maw of the gaping and Hellish "The Eclipse: Monument to the Empire," which packs some of the greatest riffs the band has ever penned. And when the whole thing comes together as one, it is an unforgettable and kingly testament to the greatness of Metal as a whole. Highly recommended to all who think they are brave enough to enter the Chasm...

Superb Intensity - 91%

super_bum, April 4th, 2007

What we are reviewing here is perhaps the most respected Metal band to emerge from, you guessed it, Mexico. Now, I will make this a completely objective review with an opinion that is supported by facts. However, I will admit ahead of time that these Mexicans are perhaps my favorite band that is still around today.

What we have hear is one hundred percent pure heartfelt and honest to the core Metal of Death. No stupid gimmicks or pretentiousness. This is about as real as Death Metal gets. Right from the opening instrumental, The Chasm express their powerful sense of song writing. Every song is like a multi-faceted epic story tale of its own. These guys just simply dismiss any cyclic song writing and instead choose to write songs in a lengthy narrative structure. As said above, every song is like a tale of its own, whether it be about strength, power, mysticism, and, as exemplified by the gargantuan Retribution of the Lost Years..., even melancholy and defeat. This is almost like a complete and well rounded soundtrack to a warriors life (an Aztec warrior?).

There is a formidable sense of melodic interplay that harmonizes with the skull crushing rhythmic compositions that follow. Melodies are not elegant in the sense that they are catchy, but instead, exist to evoke a mood or feeling in order to increase the memorable factor. Moods expressed from these intricate melodies range from strength and destruction to melancholy and sorrow.

The Chasm of course don’t just rely on wonderful melodies and thundering rhythms to form their music. The Chasm most importantly rely on their superior ability to write compositions that are complex and captivating from start to finish. In the composition compartment, The Chasm is simply second to none. They are able to connect riffs and ideas with relative ease. There are only a few times when a certain texture is carried a bit too long. For the most part however, they manage to consistently summon great riffs and avoid tedious arrangements. This type of epic song construction hasn’t been done this well in recent times.

These compositions of massive girth are handled with exceptional musicianship. Every smashing guitar riff is as powerful as the last, every bruising drumming run is as strong as the one before it, every thick bass line is as suitable as all the others, and Daniel Corchado's primitive growling sounds like motivational battle cries that came directly from a warriors soul. The Chasms uncompromising strength of composition and competent musicianship will convert anyone into a follower of the Deathcult for eternity.

The Chasm Own You All! - 96%

TheSomberlain, February 3rd, 2006

The Spell of Retribution could be considered the Conjuration part 2. It's very similar to Conjuration, but not quite as perfect. But that's ok, very few bands can release one perfect album, The Chasm have already released two (with a few just near misses). The pure guitar brilliance continues on this album. Corchado and Vitterbo own you! I've always heard a slight Dissection sound on some of their songs, more so on this album. I could be way off though, maybe it's just that they are two of my favorite bands.

The album starts off with yet another totally fucking classic instrumental, From the Curse, A Scourge. If you've read any of my other Chasm reviews then you know how much I enjoy their instrumentals. Fortress is my favorite song on the album. Some insane riffing in this one. Listen to those solos from 3:50-4:21. The Chasm never fail to impress me. The Eclipse: Monument to the Empire is an epic song broken down into three parts (Sentence and Burden, The Voyage and The Restitution). The song goes through many different tempo changes. A nice galloping riff comes in at 3:50. The album ends with Eternal Cycle of Delusion which continues the excellent riffage.

The Spell of Retribution is yet another great, classic and brilliant album by The Chasm. This band has yet to release a bad album. Not as good as Deathcult or Conjuration, but a bit better than Procession. Just buy it and support The Chasm and their Cult of Death. I eagerly await their next release.

"The Liberation is so Close, and this War has Become a Fight for Pure Honor and Revelation of Awakening Visions, the Road is Getting Harder to Walk, but once Again Authentic Metal of Death has Prevailed..."

Transcends Death Metal - 95%

High_On_Maiden, December 11th, 2005

The band's page calls them a death metal band, but this album is so much more than a death metal album. The instrumentation refuses to be classified, and lifts this band head and shoulders above so many others with the 'death metal' tag.

This album is all above pure guitar innovation, and the guitars create a constant fabric of top quality riffs that string together so many elements. Yes, there's an technical death metal sort of feel to the song structures and the intricate riffs, but there's also the simple heart-felt heavy metal guitarwork that adds a new level to the sound - conventional galloping and moments of standard metal drumming are present, but these play their part to add to each song in a way that transcends any particular genre.

The guitar playing does not shy away from being melodic or atmospheric, but encorporates these elements into the sound. I also feel a big thrashy element in a lot of the guitar playing, with a large bulk of the riffs being palm-muted but always technical. Basically if you like metal, you will appreciate the guitar playing on this album. The raspy vocals add another refreshing tier to the sound, and they help give a more sinister style than bland growling would have done.

This album also falls into the category of not many others in that it is such a complete piece of music, and listening to it from start to finish never creates the impression of listening to ten or so seperate compositions. The variety is subtle but the ideas are so well thought out that none of the tracks seem to drag. The same can be said for the instrumentation in general - the drums keep things ever-changing, you wont find any moment when you think 'oh here comes some blasting'. Indeed, the percussion is worthy of praise on its own, and it stays pretty unpredictable throughout.

This album could be rambled about lots more, but ultimately its one of those releases that you cant really sum up, you just have to listen to it from start to finish, many times. Every metal fan should enjoy this, and for its combination of death metal, evil sounding thrashy elements and its atmosphere of power, this album simply transcends any genre. I really can't see how this could get any better.

The Chasm never cease to amaze me! - 100%

aportaltonowhere713, January 3rd, 2005

The Chasm step up to the plate and deliver one hell of a monumental album, as usual, for their first earache release. This album contains all of the classic Chasm trademarks, as well as some more evolved ideas and concepts. Yes, this album can be quite the task to digest, but it is well worth the time spent in my opinion.

The first track up is another instrumental piece, and this one is no different than their other album openers as far as keeping me interested in the music. I really appreciate and respect this band for coming up with all of these interesting instrumental tracks; they are all adventurous, and explore different realms of the cosmos. Next up, the song The Omnipotent Codex unleashes some awesome Metal Of Death attacks. The guitar playing and drums is top notch once again! This track just kills everything, but still maintains the core Chasm elements. Conqueror and Warlord has some killer clean guitar tone work, which reminds me of Conjuration Of The Spectral Empire in a perfectly good way...these clean guitar tones induce a mood of somber ecstasy! Manifest My Intervention is more along the same lines as the previous track, and another excellent song! Fortress is more a straight ahead Death Metal attack, but it still maintains the signature Chasm sound. Retribution Of The Lost Years is the third chapter in the amazing epic I, The Pastfinder series...I think that this is a very cool idea, doing a 3 part kind of continuation of one idea/song...All three are absolutely amazing and epic in my opinion and the acoustic guitars are just awesome on this track...they are kind of more doom/gloom songs with real feeling to them and they are just excellent! Conjuring The New Apocalypse is another trademark Chasm song, and it has some of my favorite guitar riffs on it...The Eclipse is a monstrous three part epic, and somehow once again The Chasm keeps me interested even though the song is almost 10 minutes long...The last two tracks are some of my favorite ones, The Remains Of The Covenant is almost instrumental, the lyrics to it are on the back insert on the side that says Occult Tales Of Death, and the playing on this song is just amazing once again. To top all of this monumental Metal off, Eternal Cycle Of Delusion is one hell of a dark track and it takes me down into the Chasm's dark odyssey, which is where I like to be!

The Chasm is a unique, authentic Metal Of Death band. This is not everyone, but for those who take the time and energy to listen and feel this cd, it is well worth it. All of their albums are recommended, except Procreation Of The Inner Temple, that's the only I don't have... I hope that they finally get the respect and attention that they deserve now! Hail authentic Metal Of Death!!!






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finally, more will get to hear this band... - 77%

krozza, November 11th, 2004

If there was ever a band that never quite received its dues, it is ‘The Chasm’. This three-piece Mexican-American death/thrash act has been around since 1992, with a handful of albums/ep’s being released via obscure, underground record labels. I’ve read about this band for aeons, but getting to hear their material was another matter. It is fair to say that they have suffered from lack of exposure over the past decade.

Seems as though the good folk at Earache/Wicked World are about to change that. At the very least, with world wide promotion of ‘The Spell of Retribution’, ‘The Chasm’ are going to gather some massive exposure and with that, a whole new fan base. Certainly, for anyone who loves a good bout of blackened death with thrash style sensibilities, ‘The Chasm’ are going to be very appealing.

With the Mille Petrozza like vocals (circa Endless Pain) of Daniel Corchado laying down a brutally raw and thoroughly direct line throughout ‘The Chasm’s’ complex material, ‘The Spell..’ is anything but a run of the mill death/thrash affair. That’s not to say it’s redefined the rule book - far from it - it’s just that for all of its impersonation of Maiden, Dissection, Slayer, Bathory and Kreator, ‘The Chasm’ actually have created their own style. It’s fairly subtle, but the complexity of their compositions and a highly obtuse, yet compelling melodic lead element that tends to be the backbone of their music gives ‘The Spell’ and the band extra points for originality and creativity.

If there were anything to complain about, then the albums lengthy 66-minute invitation would be it. There’s no denying ‘The Chasm’s’ wish to be inventive and complex in nature, but with a 90% mid-tempo make up, their compositions are not diverse enough to have a lasting impact. As a result, they tend to meander a little. I’m not overly keen on the production either, although I believe the slightly dry and buried guitar sound to be more intentional than anything to do with mixing errors in the studio. Other will find it pleasing, I don’t.

‘The Spell’ is a great introduction to ‘The Chasm’. It’s nothing groundbreaking in terms of ideas, but has enough individuality to convince the listener that this is not just another faceless death/thrash act. ‘The Chasm’ have a cult following and no doubt they worship this new album. For me, it’s interesting enough, but I doubt its longevity.