Release Date May 1st, 2026
Format CD/Digital
Genre Melodic Death Metal
Origin United States
Burying Angels is the solo project of Chicago guitarist and songwriter Mark Palangio, built around music first drafted more than two decades ago. Its main reference point is 1990s Swedish melodic death metal, especially the Gothenburg school, with harmony guitars, lowered tunings, melodic leads and growled vocals at the core. Palangio returned to guitar in 2022 after a long break caused by a blood clot in his left index finger, an injury that ended his playing years earlier. "Cathedral Of Chaos" brings those older compositions into finished form with Patrick Johansson on drums, Torsten Madsen on vocals and Johan Niemann on bass.
Guest lead guitar appearances come from Mattias "Ia" Eklundh, James Murphy, Andy LaRocque, Peter Wichers, Christopher Amott, Peter Joseph and Johan Eskilsson, connecting the project with musicians associated with Death, King Diamond, Soilwork, Arch Enemy, Evergrey, The Absence, Cipher System and Autumn Leaves. The EP was tracked at Belle City Sound in Racine, Wisconsin, by Chris Wisco. Travis Smith handled the cover artwork.
Mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordstrom at Studio Fredman, "Cathedral Of Chaos" runs for 16 minutes and stays firmly inside the language of early Gothenburg melodic death metal. Twin guitar harmonies, fast tremolo lines, low tuned riffing and deep growls define the music, while the production places the guitars at the front and leaves bass and drums in a supporting role. The guest solos bring several distinct approaches to phrasing, tone and melodic shape, though the EP remains tied together by Palangio’s writing.
"Cathedral Of Chaos", "Razored Halls" and "Walker Of The Wheel" rely on extended melody lines, layered leads and riffs that alternate between speed and mid paced sections. The guitar work has substance, especially when several harmonized lines meet without turning the arrangement into technical clutter. The writing is heavily indebted to the mid 1990s Swedish scene, at times close enough to its source to limit surprise. Some transitions are functional, and the vocal patterns flatten the contrast between sections when the guitars are already handling most of the melodic movement.
The compact duration prevents the formula from becoming tiring. More variation in rhythm, vocal phrasing and riff construction would give future material a firmer profile of its own. As a first release, this is a disciplined, guitar centered EP with detailed lead work, capable musicianship and production from one of the key figures behind the style. Its debt to early In Flames, Dark Tranquillity and At The Gates is obvious, especially in the harmonized leads and recurring melodic cadences. The songwriting has enough detail to rise above simple imitation, though the planned full length will need broader rhythmic ideas and a more individual vocal approach.
|8.0
Add comment
Comments