By Suzanne Sanchez
Chevelle has carved out a distinct identity that few bands manage to hold onto for three decades. Their ability to evolve without losing that signature, melodic sound is what keeps us hanging in the balance. The combination of Pete Loeffler’s introspective, often cryptic lyrics and their crushing riffs leads the way. Soul haunting tracks and music, Chevelle cannot be duplicated.
Chevelle has drawn their swords once again with the new album Bright as Blasphemy, catapulting their music into an unknown oblivion. “Pale Horse” comes right out of the gates with depth, deep and rich vocals that will pull your heart out. Pete Loeffler’s vocals are explosive as I have ever heard.
Literally, “Rabbit Hole” will take you down a hypnotic raging motion, it’s so inviting, and the sound is quite haunting. The track goes into a pause of percussion and guitar then Pete’s vocals are sonically devouring this song. You will have chills, no doubt.
Listen to Chevelle’s ‘Rabbit Hole (Cowards, Pt. 1)’
“Jim Jones” drags you straight into the grungier days of music, throwing back to the earlier, heavier Chevelle sound. It’s brutal and unrelenting, with guitar riffs that lead like a freight train so sharp, heavy, and unapologetic.
“Hallucinations” begins with a steady, hypnotic pace, drawing you in with some of the most hauntingly beautiful vocals you’ve ever heard. Pete Loeffler’s voice paints a shadowy landscape it feels like wandering alone through a dark forest, unsure of what lies ahead but unable to turn back.
“Wolves” doesn’t hold back. It’s nasty, primal, and ready for battle. This is peak mosh-pit material, pure adrenaline in sonic form. Sam Loeffler delivers punishing drum work that hits hard enough to feel in your chest. There’s nothing light here, so you better crank the volume and let it tear through you. “Karma Goddess” is a winding ripping sound that’s guttural this one will catch you.
“Blood out in the Fields” is a somber and hypnotic track, much slower than the rest. But it is so satisfying, and rich with texture. But also, emotional but tense. You can hear a mixture of subdued anger and resignation. “Shocked at the end of the World” sonically driving home the entire composition, the perfect closer.
Chevelle has spent the last 30 years refining a sound that is unmistakably their own, cerebral, heavy, and deeply human. This album proves they’re not just surviving in the modern rock landscape, but they’re shaping it.