‘The Bleak Veil Endures’ by Daedric Chamber
‘The Bleak Veil Endures’ Daedric Chamber
Despite being as ripe for black metal and dungeon synth, the Elder Scrolls franchise is a notable gap in the scene when compared to the works of Tolkien and Nordic sagas. Daedric Chamber (a solo project by Snitz) has been on a quest to change that. Hailing from Kingsport, Tennessee, this raw black metal artist has released a series of albums and singles that delve deep into the philosophical and metaphysical concepts of the Elder Scrolls universe.
However, if you are familiar with the franchise, you’ll be aware of what a name like Daedric Chamber implies. The Daedric Princes are some of the most powerful entities in the franchise, and each has its own interesting metaphysical concept or state of being. Often, things don’t go too well when dealing with a Daedric Prince in the games, typically involving shifty deals and dangerous quests. The Daedra provide some of the most interesting thematic territory in Elder Scrolls (as well as some of the most coveted armor), which has given Snitz plenty of fascinating territory to explore.
The latest offering from Daedric Chamber, The Bleak Veil Endures, is a journey into the cosmic horror and eldritch influence of the Daedra, with a more pronounced atmospheric and doom metal influence than its predecessors. The opening track, “Nightblades,” sets the tone for the album. It's a gritty, lo-fi masterpiece, with haunting vocals from Snitz. It captures the sensation of exploring esoteric caves in search of cursed relics and armor, commenting on the draw of dark powers wanting to corrupt and capture those that pursue them.
“Dragonstone Mortification” continues the interesting use of plucky synth against somber, fuzzy guitar. Structurally, there’s almost something post-punk about it, capturing the more sorrowful nature that many of the Daedra and those striving for power for power’s sake ultimately feel. This aligns with the song’s lyrics and lore, as the dragonstone resides within the dragon burial mounds in the Bleak Falls Barrow in Skyrim. Similar to the item and location in the game, the mixing of grand ancient power and death provides a powerful contemplative moment.
A standout for me on The Bleak Veil Endures is “Mournful Aegis Tomb.” This is one of the most dynamic and impressive songs on the album. The doom metal influence clearly comes through without losing the dungeon ambiance of previous tracks. It features seamless transitions into even more raw ripping riffs, letting the tempo flow in an orchestral manner. It also pulls on one of my favorite motifs throughout the album: these haunting choirs of low chants singing beneath the crash of cymbals. The song contains themes similar to those of earlier songs. Mournful Aegis are powerful suits of armor aminated through magic found in various tombs and dark corners in Oblivion. Again, it’s an immense power that is locked away in a tomb, waiting only to destroy those who enter and remain in this constant, dreary state.
Daedric Chamber also utilizes beautiful yet haunting instrumental transitions throughout the album with “Serpentine Worship Temple” and “Frostflow.” The latter pulls again from an intriguing post-punk and almost grunge influence. Though I find the earlier parts of the album stronger, the self-titled 9-minute closer is worth a listen as it captures similar themes and attitudes of the other tracks in an expansive, at times dissonant, piece of chaos and turmoil.
Not only does Daedric Chamber provide a welcome addition of Elder Scrolls to the black metal scene, but they also provide more top-tier raw black metal to enjoy. However, this artist is much more dynamic than simple raw black metal. The Bleak Veil Endures’ use of doom metal, ambiance, post-punk, and dungeon system has us curious about where else in Tamriel they will take us next.
You can follow Daedric Chamber on Bandcamp, Instagram, and Facebook.
