On The Living Waters, Solitude Aeturnus's Robert Lowe lends
his distinctive vocals to Last Chapter's trippy psychedelic doom metal.
Some say Lowe is one of metal's greatest vocalists, possessing a powerful
clean style that captures the majesty and epic might to which the genre
is capable of rising. Last Chapter is fortunate to have him on the mike,
even if it's only temporary. He strays from his previous style a bit by
occasionally experimenting with some weird shaky vocals, but his dominating
presence still makes Last Chapter seem like a slower, less progressive
Solitude Aeturnus.
Whether they're plodding along with leaden guitars or spacing out
with strange retro-horror acid trip instrumentals, the whole album feels
like an IV pumping you full of sedatives, with--bear with me here--the
occasional surge of adrenaline at more up-tempo moments (like the penetrating
of a new needle), then the gradual weighing down of your head as the grinding
grooves trod through your veins, until your heart is barely beating and
your chin is nodding slightly on your chest. What a cool effect.
In the same manner as classic doom masters Trouble did in the '80s,
Last Chapter writes poetic lyrics that borrow imagery from Biblical notions
of humanity's depravity, final judgment, and mournful hope for salvation.
Regardless of whether they actually believe their lyrical inspiration or
not, they explore some spiritual thoughts in solemn poetry beyond the capabilities
of most "Christian" metal bands. "Coma Crowd" seems to capture the sorrow
of a lonely believer surrounded by lost friends:
Your friends
are here to celebrate a serpent's choice.
Only yourself,
left with the tears.
While "In the Wake of Delusion" describes a new believer heeding
the voice of
God:
cleansed with the news
I traveled far
seeking the voice
that was calling in silence
the sounding trumpets
ring
whisper the truth
of eternal
"Thing to Come" concludes the album with:
the time has
come
for all of us
to tell a friend
father promises
us shelter
from our sins
Again, it's not clear whether Last Chapter is just borrowing Christian
imagery for its mysteriousness, as the likes of Black Sabbath, Trouble,
and Solitude Aeturnus have done in the past, or if they truly believe it.
They are not especially known for their beliefs. Amid much weirdness, apocalyptic
phrasing, and excellent heaviness of heart and sound, however, you can
clearly find the gospel on The Living Waters.
By Josh Spencer (11/3/98)
Last Chapter has an interesting sound going on--part groove and part progressive. Almost every song has a solid head-banging element running through it, which goes surprisingly well with the soaring vocals. The band strays from traditional metal by cultivating a doom-like atmosphere throughout the album, which fits in well with the intelligent lyrics. Take "Thorn of Creation," for example:
the crumbled ceiling has fallenDespite the solid songs, this record still comes across as disjointed and uneven. Of the nine tracks, three are instrumentals, leaving only six full songs. Their sound also comes across sounding somewhat dated, which is not surprising when considering that most of the songs were written in the early 1990's and not recorded till now. Still, this is a decent album with some worthy songs.
to the floor
a lull replaces disorder
dilemma speaks broken words
of the tongue
and still we care not to listen.
By Joe Rockstroh (10/27/98)
