Formed in Helsinki in 2016, Chalice immediately created waves with a four song demo the following year. A big part of their charm was putting a new spin on familiar themes which gave the band a freshness they brought to 2019 EP Silver Cloak and 2020 debut album Trembling Crown. In terms of creativity, both releases scored high on the Richter Scale and set an impossibly high bar for the band (and others) to follow. Rising high, their sophomore album, Divine Spear, continues the band’s upward trajectory and evidences a band whose chalice is overflowing with goodness.

Musical chemistry is a difficult science and putting several well-seasoned musicians together is no sure sign of success. Get the mix right and things will fizz and bubble nicely, get that admixture wrong, however, and things will fall flat and quickly lose momentum. So when I learned that Chalice featured members of Satan’s Fall, and also Decaying, alongside former Ranger band members, I didn’t quite know what to expect, but I’m pleased to report that Chalice very much fall into the first category, not only with their musicianship, but also in their song composition and the way that the album is presented. Each of the four characters comprising Chalice bring a wealth of experience to this project and don’t feel the need to arrive with all guns blazing, quite the opposite in fact. ‘Mare Imbrium’ is a beautifully crafted instrumental that grows from a tiny acorn into a mighty oak and sets things up nicely for the following ‘Dwell Of A Stellar Trance’. It’s a musical explosion that sends fireworks in every direction; like the Universe at its moment of inception it’s something of a big bang which lets the world know that Chalice have arrived. Yet Chalice are far from one-dimensional and Divine Spear is an album in constant motion with ‘Hollow Curtain’ having a Middle Eastern flourish and an Iron Maiden gallop, whilst ‘Age Ethereal’ is a progressive suite that dazzles the listener with its otherworldly beauty. Full of lovely feather-like flute, ‘Empyrean Liturgy’ really is progressive with a 1970’s feel that captures the essence of Focus at their very best.

Lyrically, Divine Spear is linked conceptually; it’s a theme that’s strong enough to hold the album together and give things a unified feel, yet it is loose enough that the listener can infer their own meaning and that makes for a more interactive experience, creating an unbreakable bond between both. The overarching concept means that final track ‘Alioth’ brings a real sense of closure and with it a touch of sadness that Divine Spear has come to an end, but don’t worry, you’ll soon be hitting “play” again.

• Divine Spear is released via Dying Victims Productions on 27th February 2026.
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Track List:

1. Mare Imbrium
2. Dwell Of A Stellar Trance
3. Hollow Curtain
4. The Pact
5. Age Ethereal
6. Divine Spear
7. Empyrean Liturgy
8. In From The Cold
9. Alioth