CHRMR are a metal band from the US and this is their second album.
CHRMR contain members of Contrarian and Sulaco, but are a different proposition to both of those more extreme bands. Low in the Glow offers a much more accessible proposition, focusing on short songs with catchy melodies and good choruses.
Mixing elements of alternative metal, sludge rock, noise rock, and post-hardcore, this 30-minute album is packed with earworms and sharp hooks. The songs are vibrant and dynamic, and absolutely will not leave you alone once your brain has encountered them.
Describing CHRMR’s sound is not that easy, as they take a lot of different styles and sounds and smash them all together into something very personable and satisfying. Okay, so across this album, in various ways and places, parts of the band’s music reminded me of the following – Lo-Pan, Soundgarden, Melvins, Cave In, Kowloon Walled City, Breed 77, Mastodon, Redscale, and Boss Keloid. Do with this information what you will, but hopefully it will at least give you a rough idea of the sort of sound that CHRMR have.
The music is very emotive, partially down to the expressive clean vocals, and partially due to the equally expressive music. Combined, along with the sort of songwriting that emphasises depth and emotion, they make for songs that are very moreish and pleasing.
This is a seriously good album. If there was any justice in the world you’d be hearing about Low in the Glow everywhere in the coming months, but I suspect that it will actually fall beneath most people’s radars. A huge shame if so, as CHRMR have produced a corker here.
Very highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 