Band:	Lychgate
Album:	An Antidote For The Glass Pill
Style:	Progressive black metal
Release date:	August 18, 2015
A review by:	Auntie Sahar

01. Unto My Tempest
02. Davamesque B2
03. I Am Contempt
04. A Principle On Seclusion
05. Letter XIX
06. Deus Te Videt
07. The Illness Named Imagination
08. An Acousmatic Guardian
09. My Fate To Burn Forever
10. The Pinnacle Known To Sisyphus

When I heard a few years ago that Greg Chandler, mastermind of the mysterious and psychedelically-tinged Esoteric, had a black metal side band, my curiosity was almost immediately raised. The self titled Lychgate that resulted in 2013, while decent, also felt as though it wasn't reaching the full potential of the parties involved. Now, in 2015, An Antidote For The Glass Pill is changing that.

Right from the beginning of this sophomore effort, it's pretty clear that Lychgate have changed up their game. While the band's debut at many points felt somewhat lackluster and formulaic, An Antidote For The Glass Pill sees their music taking many more twists and turns, and leaning much more towards spontaneity. There's a very great feeling here that you never know what to expect, as, each track has a particular sound that makes it distinct from the others. Whether it's the somewhat doomy feel of "Davamesque B2," the more straightforward black metal approach of "A Principle On Seclusion," or the powerful chants in the middle of "Deus Te Videt," the diversity of techniques Lychgate are playing with here is quite far reaching.

Those looking for some hints of Esoteric on this album surely won't be entirely disappointed either, for, while it's not a funereal howl of misanthropy, An Antidote For The Glass Pill does nonetheless still carry a healthy dose of Chandler's ability to create wonderful, entrancing atmospheres. Of particular importance to this is the new additions of organ and piano, which run heavily throughout the entire album and often serves to create an epic, almost darkly orchestral undertone. An example of just how well this mood complements the heaviness of Lychgate is perhaps best evident on "An Acousmatic Garden," whose beautiful ending is a definite highlight of the album.

Listening to An Antidote For The Glass Pill, one can often get the feeling that Lychgate aren't exactly sure of which direction they really want to go in with their music, as multiple styles abound and it is very difficult to discern exactly which takes precedence. Yet with repeated listens, it becomes clearer that an amalgamation of sound really was what the band was going for here, and they certainly nailed it. This album is very much what I was hoping for out of the band's debut, yet didn't really get, and in that regard it is both highly enjoyable and redeeming. It may not be good to the point of being worthy of "masterpiece" status, but it certainly is a step in the right direction, and one that gets me highly interested in the future of Lychgate from here.

Like complex, ever-shifting metal with a good splash of atmosphere? Go and get it!