The Chariot
One Wing
The Chariot
One Wing
I absolutely love this piece of work. The Chariot – as a whole – was a game changer, becoming the barometer for live show mayhem whose songwriting was equally as spastic and frenetic. With their latest release One Wing, it’s as close to game changing from a band that attempts to shed every limitation ever placed on it, whether by themselves, fans, critics, or even physical space. The ten-track record, whose one-word song titles compose the two sentences “Forget Not Your First Love. Speak in Tongues and Cheek.,” kicks off with back-to-back shotgun blasts before switching gears completely on the third track “Your.” Nearly every metalcore band has thrown in an instrumental or otherwise non-metal musical interlude on their record, some with success, most with the feeling that “everyone else is doing it, so why shouldn’t we?” But “Your” is one of the most beautiful, short-lived interludes I’ve ever heard. It’s a standout that sounds like a hymn, a rousing community call-to-arms in the softest way possible that not only unites the record, but could easily be intended to unite all of their listeners – a one-minute reminder that everyone, even the most ruthless of hardcore bands, needs to take a second to stop and rest. Immediately following, “First” brings in an almost mariachi-style breakdown that alludes to the confrontational nature of the Old West, a feeling The Chariot’s sound has always invoked. And with every following song, there seems to be at least one thing The Chariot does to keep you on your toes. It wouldn’t be The Chariot without that – but this time, they’ve really outdone themselves.
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