Chamber address the body counts of history with 'In Cleansing Fire'

Chamber's 'In Cleansing Fire' deals with long-standing, inter-generational issues that still impact the larger world today.

Much like Knocked Loose, Vein, SeeYouSpaceCowboy, Renounced, Code Orange and many other metallic-hardcore, metalcore bands rehashing the late '90s and early 2000's scenes of the genre(s), Chamber are no different. However, on 'In Cleansing Fire,' Nashville's Chamber seem to be pulling from the aforementioned Vein quite heavily in their songwriting here, sans all of that other bands interesting samples, industrial parts, and more math-core attitudes. (Like a boneless Code Orange.) As opposed to them just jacking all of the old Trustkill and Ferret Music roster like they did previously. Which to be fair, also isn't something exclusive only to Chamber. I personally feel as though I can find iterations of this kind of hardcore and metalcore form other current acts right now instead.

That being said, and being far more positive, the production and mix behind 'In Cleansing Fire' is super clean and well-rounded, but it doesn't feel like it's cheapening the song. If anything, it elevates all of the core breakdowns and the dissonant fight riffs. So too does Jacob Lilly's vocals, which cut through crystal clear in his well-enunciated performance. I also love the message behind 'In Cleansing Fire' and what it has to say about historical body counts being "the currency of power", how history repeats itself, and how despite the progress society at large has made in a range of different issues, like racial equality, there's always more work to be done. There's still blood on our hands; there's still, sadly, selfishness and ignorance breeding at an incredibly fast rate.

As guitarist Gabe Manuel better put it to Revolver recently:

"This song is an analysis of the ways that the hateful and racist ideals this country was founded on still impact us today. The lyrics are a rejection of the argument that we aren't responsible for the crimes of our ancestors, and they highlight the hopeless feeling that a lot of people in this country have which gets in the way of real progress. Your voice matters, and if you don't use it to stand against racial injustice, police brutality and corruption, you are complicit in allowing those things to persist."

Chamber's new LP, 'Cost of Sacrifice,' is out October 23rd via Pure Noise Records. If you're desperate and hungry for more throwback metalcore revival, you can check out their other single, 'Scars In Complex Patterns.'