Chamber Music

Limited edition pressing of the aggressive heavy metal outfit's 1999 sophomore outing with two previously unreleased bonus tracks added, 'Apparition' and 'Wishes'. 18 tracks total, also featuring their cover of Peter Gabriel's hit 'Shock The Monkey' with Ozzy Osbourne guesting on guitar. Gatefold digipak with a 12 page booklet featuring lyrics & full color photos. 1999 release.

Far more diverse and dynamic than the band's unspectacular self-titled debut, Chamber Music exhibits Coal Chamber at its most eclectic and accessible. Rooting songs such as "Tragedy" and "Tyler's Song" in a foundation of de-tuned guitar bluster, syncopated beats, and growled vocals, Coal Chamber capture the primal urgency of Korn and Limp Bizkit, while tossing in enough gothic keyboard lines and minor-key melodies to appeal to Marilyn Manson fans. At times, however, Coal Chamber's sepulchral clatter seems a wee bit contrived--as in "What's in Your Mind," which features staccato vocals too similar to Korn's "Freak on a Leash," and a horrendous fragment of Peter Gabriel's "Shock the Monkey," with Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. But shortcomings notwithstanding, Chamber Music marks a major musical step forward for Coal Chamber. --Jon Wiederhorn