I know I’ve been reviewing a significant amount of metalcore lately, but it’s not been heavy enough. It’s been too sweet for my tastes, and I don’t have a sweet tooth. This is where Chamber comes in. To even call this “metalcore” is generous. It’s heavy, suffocating, in-your-face, and other adjectives.

I am serious when I say This is Goodbye doesn’t give you many chances to breathe. The mix is loud to an almost oppressive degree. The music would be domineering even without that, let’s say, production choice. Make sure it’s turned down when you hit “play” because those speakers will crackle. The first track, “Arms of Eternity,” vomits in your face before you’ve even sat down. At the 30-second mark, they Car Bomb the shit out of you. This is how parents probably thought Slipknot sounded in their early years.

The second song, “Scarlet Ink,” teases a quick breather with some quick vocals, then of course shatters every glass object around you moments later. They have a heavy reliance at times on pinch harmonics, which are sometimes the only parts of the guitar you can hear. Everything else is smashing your face against your car windshield, then taking your mother, Dorothy Mantooth out for a nice seafood dinner, and never calling her again.

A little later, the shortest song is “Surveillance.” It’s heavy, angular, and is the auditory equivalent of getting your head slammed into a car door. Luckily, the next track, “Parting Gift,” gives you and the music time to breathe with a pinch harmonic riff for about 30 seconds. There’s a semblance of a groove with around a minute left, but it’s just an excuse to make sure you understand the bass is aggressive, too.

The last track I’ll mention is “Resurrect,” because it features the incomparable Vincent Bennett of The Acacia Strain. This track is probably the closest thing to melodic Chamber that it is going to get. The drums are unhinged, so Vincent’s vocals fit quite well. The riff isn’t out of the norm for his band and is probably the best on the album.

There are many mathcore bands who could be mentioned as influential for This is Goodbye, but the ones who certainly come to my mind are Car Bomb, as previously mentioned, and early The Dillinger Escape Plan. Mix in perhaps some Jesus Piece, and you’re riding your bike in the right neighborhood. This is going to attract a very specific audience, but only for a short time, which is great because the album is over in less than 30 minutes. I’ve worked out to it multiple times, and that’s probably the best accompaniment for something of this nature. If you’re not prepared, this album will sneak up on you and knock your wind out. It’s only recommended for those who don’t mind a collapsed lung.

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