Somehow Chile is becoming a destination for doom metal. Mar de Grises, Poema Arcanus and now Capilla Ardiente, which actually lists one of the former Poema Arcanus members in their ranks, represent their country well. Could be something in the water there or simply how well pensive terms translate into Spanish to create the most natural of doom monikers, Sea of Grief for Mar de Grises and Burning Chapel for Capilla Ardiente, “burning chapel” being the resting place for recently deceased where they receive their final rites, a church lit up by a large number of candles.

Claudio and Felipe of Capilla Ardiente, with the help of a pair of their session musician friends, are playing old school no frills doom metal. The whole of EP is two lengthy tracks, themselves broken down in sub-parts. Tubed, vacuum sucked sound at the beginning of Solve produces Felipe’s voice, clean, accented and firmly in front of the mix, playing an important role throughout, constantly harmonizing with the band’s slowly churning repeating riffs. The vocals is the band’s tool to create a number of melodies while the riffs produce static move-nowhere-fast atmosphere. Once in a while Felipe overreaches with a high pitched stratospheric scraping yell, and even though those outbursts generally act as starters for more riff movement, they don’t quite fit the mental picture created until that point. The vocals of Capille Ardiente lack the drama of Messiah Marcolin or sinister power of Rob Lowe, but are very close to those of Johan Langquist, Candlemass’ original vocalist.

Solve et Coagula is the spiritual introverted music that needs those 13 and 10 minute tracks to fully reveal itself. At the same time, it never gets boring, the minutes going by without you hoping for the end to come soon. The massive chorus hook in Solve applied properly and glistening scaly solos interspersed throughout maintain the dynamics. The EP never becomes too weepy or too funeral-cliché sounding, it maintains its dignity and epic stance, even when slowing down almost to a standstill as in the middle of Coagula. Beginning with bells, acoustics and menacing drums Coagula is more chugging and stomping, diving into extended solo and double bass rolls leading to a heroic end after mid-song languishing.

Going off my earlier Johan Langquist mention, if you thought Epicus Doomicus Metallicus is the best thing since sliced bread, seek Solve et Coagula immediately. The two have quite a bit in common. If you are a fan or early Candlemass and Solitude Aeturnus in principle, this EP is most definitely your cup of tea. The full-length by Capilla Ardiente is said to be in the works as well.

I am not the most dedicate listener of doom, but once presented with a solid piece from the genre I tend to go on lengthy forays picking up albums both familiar and new. After Solve et Coagula I sense a slight binge of doom coming …