Coal Chamber back in the day were one of those bands that kinda got lumped in with the whole nu metal thing, but you know what? They always had this weird gothic edge that made them stand out from the Limp Bizkit crowd. Their debut was alright, heavy as hell but sometimes sounded like it was recorded underwater or something. But man, Chamber Music? This is where they really figured their shit out.
Right off the bat with “Mist,” you know something’s different. It’s this little orchestral intro that sets the whole vibe, we’re not just getting another knuckle-dragging nu metal album. “Tragedy” kicks in and boom, there it is. Still Coal Chamber, still heavy, but now there’s this bouncy melodic thing happening that just works. Dez Fafara’s vocals are crisp as hell, and those keyboards… they’re not just there for show, they actually add something to the songs.
“El Cu Cuy” keeps the formula rolling, heavy meets gothic melodic metal, and it’s catchy as fuck. Then “Untrue” comes in sounding like old school Korn but with this sweeping chorus that’ll get stuck in your head for days. “Tyler’s Song” is a bit of a curveball, apparently it’s about Fafara’s kid or something? It’s decent, got another one of those melodic choruses they love so much.
The real standout though? That Peter Gabriel cover “Shock the Monkey” with Ozzy. Now that’s a weird pairing if I ever heard one. Ozzy’s thick British accent clashing with Fafara trying to do his own British thing… it’s strange as hell but it bangs. Industrial as fuck and heavy enough to cave your skull in. Not sure it totally fits the album flow, but as a standalone track? Yeah, it works.
Some tracks kinda blend together, “Burgundy” is this synthy ballad that feels more like an interlude, and songs like “What’s in Your Mind?” and “Not Living” stick to the heavy-verse-melodic-chorus formula maybe a bit too much. But when they nail it, they really nail it. “Feed My Dreams” has these cool twists and breakdowns, “My Mercy” goes full industrial gothic, and “No Home” hits you with a chorus like a frying pan to the face.
“Notion” might be one of the best tracks on here, that synth chorus is absolutely killer, and “Anything But You” closes things out perfectly with a heavy-as-fuck breakdown that just leaves you wanting more.
Here’s the thing about Chamber Music compared to their debut, the production is night and day better. Where the first album sometimes sounded muddy and unclear, this one is crisp and clean. So even when they go melodic with the synths and keyboards, the heavy parts hit way harder because of that contrast. It’s like they learned how to use dynamics properly.
Look, it’s a bit formulaic at times, and some songs definitely melt into each other. But as a whole? This is a damn good listen. Coal Chamber took their nu metal foundation and added enough gothic atmosphere and industrial edge to make something that actually stands out. For any nu metal fan who wants something with a bit more depth than the usual aggro bullshit, Chamber Music delivers the goods.