CHASMS
ZEBULON, LA
24 FEBRUARY, 2018
When I first met the ladies of Chasms, (was it really five years ago?), they charmingly self-referenced as "The 2nd Loudest Band In San Francisco". Witnessing their live shows, it was apparent that we were a long way from Baltimore, and charm was decidedly off menu. Concocting a stew of feedack and beat-driven dirges, their starting point was Out, and then they went further. A connection with Felte Records yielded their most recent work, 2016's On The Legs Of Love Purified, and that relationship looks set to continue as they embark on recording a new LP.
Our treat this evening was a first visit to Zebulon, a delightful hideaway in the stern shadow of nearby I-5. The back room dance floor easily converted into a cozy dark cave, purpose-fit for the night. The band recently marked a year in their new home of LA, and refinement was the key takeaway, performance-wise. While they've evolved sonically, the focus remains on trance-like excursions, but the journeys into darkness now heads toward cathartic resolutions, with an emphasis on redemption. The emotional vein that they tap into renders their work a breathing soundtrack to this listener, and years down the road now, Chasms continue to grow and inspire.
