Licorice Chamber
Remnants (EP)
Self-Released
The epitome of glacial coolness, Licorice Chamber’s first two EPs were the stuff of (gothic) dreams and won the band a whole army of admirers. Therefore, ditching their trusty drum machine and adding drummer Cory Sorrentino to their ranks could be construed as a risky move; band chemistry is a fine art, and any tweaking could throw a group off kilter. Yet the new configuration suits Licorice Chamber very well, and the three tracks comprising Remnants evidence a fuller, more lustrous sound. Older fans needn’t worry; Layla Reyna’s distinctive vocals are still the focal point and float as if a banshee wail across a desolate moor, yet there’s a newfound confidence emanating from the grooves that suggests a circle has been closed and an equilibrium attained. ‘Feign’ is a delicate opener that spreads like cracks in frost, and from here the EP takes on form as it progresses, with ‘Heavy’ carrying the weight of emotional baggage and final cut, ‘Never The Same’, being a sonic temple sculpted from sheets of ice. Far from being fragments and offcuts, Remnants is a cohesive listen that’s stitched together like a patchwork quilt, and one that suggests there’s much more to be added.
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Reviewed by Peter Dennis