Ghoulchapel is an Armenian band, that while rooted in Symphonic Black Metal, has elements of death metal, and even some progressive moments as well. According to the bands Facebook and Bandcamp pages they are a two piece band, with Ando Kamavosyan on vocals and Mark Erskine on everything else. After a pretty bland and plain three minute intro(About two minutes too long, in my honest opinion with some dead spots in there). Idols Of Doom kicks in, and it hits you straight in the face. I wish the vocals were a little higher in the mix, and they are your typical blackened death growl with some high pitch black metal screams. The more symphonic parts reminds of bands like Dark Fortress or Carach Angren, and the "Virtual" symphony sounds very good, and well composed. The clean vocals on this song are not bad, but they come across a little stale in the production, but that is more a personal opinion. Revolt of the Conquered is a little slower, and a bit more melodic, and marches along for its six minutes and twenty seconds. The New King has some great guitar playing and has blast-beat drumming throughout the verses. I really enjoyed the various instrumentation of this song. A stop and go guitar riff with strings behind them opens up another fast paced, Dethroned Majesty. It is pretty much a shorter version of the song right before it, and like The New King, the various tempo changes and music is well played.

The interestingly titled, Universe Cancer is next, and is very similar to the two songs before it. Purification Of Human Race, is blisteringly face with mainly vocals of the black metal variety. If this song was written to see how fast the band can write a song that still sounds melodic(the orchestration), they have succeeded. The vocals on this song at times, sound a little drowned out. The keyboard flourishes in this song help prevent the song, from being a copycat of the two songs that came before it. Faithful Misery slows things down with some soft strings for the first minute before the song slowly builds up with a very cool guitar riff for the next almost two minutes of the song. Right at that two minute mark the song shifts back into the Symphonic Black Metal variety, but with some great orchestration and insanity, this side of Dimmu Borgir or the previously mentioned Carach Angren. This song even features a little guitar lead as well, which is something I think that would have added more variety to the other songs on the disc. The disc ends with their shortest(Unavailing Atonement being the shortest with vocals), and the longest being, being the six and a half minute plus, Hymn Of A Pariah. Unavailing Atonement is much like what you will hear earlier in this disc, break-neck speeds, double-bass drums and varied vocals. Hymn Of A Pariah starts off slower before going into black metal mode. The song much like the other six minute plus song, Revolt Of The Conquered, has varied tempos, vocals, double-bass drums, and various well written orchestrations. The song does not over stay its welcome, and its length is just right.

For a two piece band, that has done all the production themselves, they definitely have a clear vision of where they are wanting to go with their music. For a band that uses as much orchestration as they do, the guitars come through crystal clear. For a style of music that usually depends on fast tremolo guitar playing, it is nice to hear some variation in the music. I wish Ghoulchapel the best, please check out the above mentioned Bandcamp, Youtube, and Facebook pages for more information.