Review by Dominik on August 23, 2026.

Presumably the Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus coined the saying "The dose makes the poison". The meaning is clear. Almost anything can become harmful if the amount is high enough. Of course, this applies far beyond chemistry or pharmacy. The same principle works beautifully as a metaphor. When I am talking about ambition, I could draw the line between motivation and obsession. Another good example is confidence, where self-belief can easily turn into arrogance. And not to forget our all-beloved beer. The first beer loosens your tongue, the tenth loosens your grip on reality. So how is that for an introduction into Chamber Of Unlight's latest album "Avernus"? Confusing? I don't think so, because the same thought process can be used here. The band plays a symphonic / atmospheric kind of black metal and is confronted with a similar dilemma. Keyboards and orchestration can add depth, atmosphere and occasionally a touch of grandeur, when they are used in the right dosage. If you increase the dosage, however, things can go horribly wrong. The symphonic elements stop complementing the harsher black metal foundation and start smothering it under several layers of musical wallpaper. Let's see whether the band managed to keep the symphonic influences at bay, so they remain the fog surrounding the forest and don't become the forest itself.

The short answer is: yes, Chamber Of Unlight found the right balance. Which, honestly, is what I expected. The band members all bring plenty of previous experience to the table, so my hope was that the mistakes had happened somewhere else. "Avernus" turned out to be a solid piece of atmospheric / symphonic black metal that does many things as I like them. First, the songs aren't particularly long. A quality I increasingly appreciate. The band tends to get to the point quickly without taking a scenic tour around the point first. With the exception of the closer/outro "Dominus Tenebrarum", they don't drag a theme on for too long. So even the occasional short misfire never gets enough time to really get stuck in your brain. In other words, no musical riff has been given enough rope to hang itself. Second, the experience of the musicians shows. They handle everything with the kind of confidence that comes from a long-standing understanding of the genre. All instruments are given enough room to really have an impact, while the production puts everything into a fitting framework. However, there is a small catch, and I need to come back to the metaphor above. Experience is a wonderful thing, but there is a fine line between some experience and a lot of it which turns into routine. Knowing what works can eventually lead to knowing a little too well what is safe. On "Avernus", I occasionally get the impression that some creative decisions remain comfortably inside familiar territory. This is nothing disastrous, mind you. But sometimes you can hear the musicians making the right decision rather than the surprising one.

That said, I didn't find a single song that made me particularly angry that I had to listen through it. Quite the opposite. There are two or three good examples of where everything clicks exactly as it should. The opener, "One With The One", shows how well captivating riffs and underlying keyboards can work in full synchronization without constantly fighting for dominance. The band also demonstrates that it feels right at home using different tempos. From slower, double-bass-driven parts to up-tempo sections and the usual blasts, everything is interlinked and cohesive.

Though the production is modern and powerful, the album always makes it clear that the past never really died. It merely changed its address. "Night Chasm" begins like a forgotten old Emperor track that crawled out of the rehearsal room, complete with cobwebs. This song shows up with easily the most memorable and majestic riff on the album, which leads into the second verse. The guitar line sounds haunting, epic and melodic all at once. Here as well, the vocalist proves that, when properly dosed, he is willing to occasionally introduce a pitch that deviates from his otherwise solid rasping performance. And it works.

"The Dagger" on the other hand illustrates how close boring routine and exhilarating performance can lie together. The introduction to the song is as generic as they come, before suddenly, one minute in, the track opens its gates. The intensity rises, the guitars push everything forward and, for a brief moment, the song seems ready to tear the roof off. However, just as quickly, it implodes in on itself and goes back to the "I've heard this a thousand times before" structure, riff or melody. It is a shame, because that brief burst shows that the band is perfectly capable of doing better. That is demonstrated more convincingly with "Where Light Does Not Dare To Enter". It takes some time before the song really starts rolling, but when it does, it does so convincingly. Especially the vocal performance is impressive. The frontman shifts effortlessly between a near-spoken rasp and aggressive singing. Another melodic riff takes care of the right seasoning, adding atmosphere without covering everything in another thick layer of symphonic sauce.

And perhaps that is ultimately what makes "Avernus" work for me. Chamber Of Unlight understand that symphonic elements are at their best when they support the black metal rather than trying to replace it. The keyboards and orchestration add atmosphere and depth to the old-school foundation, but the underlying darkness remains clearly audible. Though in my opinion there is room for more individuality. I found moments when the band plays it a little too safely and would have welcomed a few more surprises along the way. But the experience of the musicians is clearly an asset, and for the most part they get the dose just right. The poison has been kept safely below lethal levels.

Rating: 7.9 out of 100, because sometimes knowing when to stop is the most important part of knowing how far you really want to go.