Chrome Ghost – House of Falling Ash (Review)

This is the third album from US doom metal band Chrome Ghost.

Okay, let’s get right down to this – House of Falling Ash represents pure emotion given musical form. Crushed into a mere 51 minutes, these highly expressive doom metal hymns drip with emotion and atmospheric presence, and present the listener with an absorbing experience that they might not emerge from unscathed.

This is my first encounter with Chrome Ghost since their striking and notable 2017 EP Reflection Pool. I expected good things after how much I enjoyed that release, but House of Falling Ash is on another level altogether. The music contains elements of a few different strands of doom, from the traditional to the contemporary, as well as post-metal, shoegaze, and sludge. Combine this with a cinematic appreciation for scope and broad mood-building, and you have a multifaceted album that stands tall as one of the best of 2022.

There are four primary soundscapes on this album, and all of them are richly epic and completely compelling. The songs have been crafted by masters, displaying a grasp of dynamics, mood, nuance, worldbuilding, and songwriting depth that few bands are capable of. Each song offers a journey that should be undertaken at any given opportunity.

When they want to be, Chrome Ghost are also thunderously heavy. There are so many choice riffs on House of Falling Ash, and despite how luscious and beautifully melancholic much of the material is, there are also moments of world-shattering heaviness that are crushingly powerful.

Additionally, as if Chrome Ghost’s considerable potency wasn’t enough on its own, there are some quality guest spots too. The Furnace boasts the terrifying vocals of the singer of CHRCH, while Where Black Dogs Dream features subtle highlights from the singer of the amazing Brume.

Well, Chrome Ghost have massively impressed. House of Falling Ash is an exceptional and essential listen for any fan of doom, and I urge you to get lost in its mournful caresses as soon as you can.