Album Review: Palaces – Hellas Chasma (Self Released)

Following a six-year hiatus, Atlanta noise trio Palaces is excited to release their new album Hellas Chasma. It features Jeremy Weeks, a.k.a. “Bumpy Bronson,” on bass and vocals alongside founding members Jonathan Balsamo (drums) and Eric Searle (guitar/vocals).

Hellas Chasma will be released on September 18th 2020.

Oh do we love some serious noise here at GBHBL and Palaces bring some SERIOUS noise on their brand new album, Hellas Chasma. It begins with an ear-splitting guitar squeal and a roar before breaking apart into a feral blast of chaos that has just enough semblance of sense to make it not seem a mess. Swarm is an apt title as it feels as though Palaces are buzzing angrily around you.

There’s nothing tranquil about this album. The touch of bassy calm that comes amongst the bedlam of Black Pendant is nice and different but very short lived. Who wants peace and quiet though!? It’s boring and we will always take aggressive, sharp, progressive and raw slabs of metal like Dutch Queen Fairytale and Finger on the Pulse any day of the week.

Seemingly descending deeper and deeper in the mire as it goes on, the ‘upbeat’ (using that word very loosely) Isle of Palms is welcome. The punk energy enough to shake the gloom away before M7 pours hot metal over your tender flesh and Wedge Hammer takes things to a trippy and unexpected place. Just when you thought things couldn’t get any madder, along comes this track.

Hella enjoyable even as we reach the conclusion of Hypertension and Trainwreck. A pairing that makes sure to prove that Palaces return is as momentously chaotic as anyone would have hoped it to be.

Palaces – Hellas Chasma Full Track Listing:

1. Swarm
2. Black Pendant
3. Dutch Queen Fairytale
4. Finger On The Pulse
5. Isle Of Palms
6. M7
7. Wedge Hammer
8. Hypertension
9. Trainwreck

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook