Navigation

Lurker of Chalice

As the side project of one-man band Leviathan, Lurker of Chalice exists as a place for odder sounds that his main gig's black-metal specs permit. Wonderman Wrest, a.k.a Jeff Whitehead, released 777 copies of Lurker of Chalice in 2000 to immediate acclaim, prompting this reissue on respected L.A.-based sludge label...

Help us weather the uncertain future

We know — the economic times are hard. We believe that our work of reporting on the critical stories unfolding right now is more important than ever.

We need to raise $6,000 to meet our goal by August 10. If you’re able to make a contribution of any amount, your dollars will make an immediate difference in helping ensure the future of local journalism in Miami. Thanks for reading Miami New Times.

Contribute Now

Progress to goal
$6,000
$2,200
Share this:
Carbonatix Pre-Player Loader

Audio By Carbonatix

As the side project of one-man band Leviathan, Lurker of Chalice exists as a place for odder sounds that his main gig's black-metal specs permit. Wonderman Wrest, a.k.a Jeff Whitehead, released 777 copies of Lurker of Chalice in 2000 to immediate acclaim, prompting this reissue on respected L.A.-based sludge label Southern Lord. Giant carpets of doom-distortion link together each song form, themselves prog mini-epics, into a storyless program of despair. "Piercing Where They Might" begins with crows and clean-channel contemplation before lurching headlong into perpetual panic drums, a seething lead guitar, trademark yowl, and Wrest's characteristically unintelligible vocals. "Spectre as Valkerie Is" uses crystal magic to obscure the ogre chugging behind. There are moments, such as on "Paramnesia," that show the drawbacks to the one-man studio thing, such as clumsy miking on drums mixed awkwardly above quiet, gloaming passages. But quiet-loud growlers such as "Granite," a formless haze of utterance and shiver sounds held together with big-reverb drum hits, create an ambitious and gorgeous menace from such sound scraps.