New Jersey’s CHAMBERS plays aggressive hardcore with some old fashioned rock ‘n’ roll, metal and even touches of southern rock. The mixture of these styles are pleasantly surprising and it gives CHAMBERS an edge on other bands in the metalcore genre.On their self-released debut Old Love, the sound is raw and crusty, with a very DIY punk attitude with balls. The songs are in that dirty street-wise rock ‘n’ roll flavor of GUNS N’ ROSES or ’70s rock, but because of Dan Pelic’s harsh barks, it steers the band toward the land of metal/hardcore.
The harsh, raspy vocals of Pelic and the gang vocal choruses makes up a lot of what CHAMBERS is all about. There’s nothing special about the drumming, but it’s solid. But it’s the riffs that are the high point on Old Love, they just keep lashing out at you at breakneck speed. The songs are angry and loud and the aggression is relentless.
Opener "Pig" hits you like a blunt object, right away you’re bludgeoned with their catchy aggression. The title track has a groovy riff and a guitar lead that breaks out like a rash on a shit-stained baby’s butt. The high-pitched harmonies on "Crap Out" are very odd compared to the usual gang vocals, but is very welcomed and just proves their "I don’t give a fuck" attitude that CHAMBERS display.
Some of the songs seem to get a little repetitive toward the middle of the disc, but that soon disappears as the next angry riff flies at you.
Old Love is an infectious album full of chaos and anger, but yet a familiar sound that you don’t want to get away from. A valiant effort from the Jersey newcomers in a genre that doesn’t have room for blandness or mediocrity anymore.
