Review by Sheri Bicheno
I’m always an advocate for new and upcoming artists in the Underground Music scene and sometimes, you come across some bands that truly have the makeup of their growth down.
Admittedly when Essex Prog Metallers ChemiQueen landed in my inbox, I hadn’t come across them before and totally do NOT understand why.
2019 saw the birth of ChemiQueen through Drummer Dan Vinnicombe craving a new style to base his playing upon and thus, formed what we see as an emerging gemstone now.
Single ‘Confession’ was released in October 2022 and gives us a good base from what we should expect from ChemiQueen.
We open with a light, uplifting sound crafted by the soft and beautiful vocals from Victoria and bright bubbles of synth notes to float us into the intro of the track. This gives me some memorable feelings of Summer times as a teenage greebo, getting lost in the likes of Kittie in the fields out back of my home with nothing but a CD Walkman in my overly large pockets.
As Victoria takes us on a journey with her continuous powerful vocals, I feel like her vocal style is so wonderfully 90’s rock which blends beautifully with the modern prog metal instrumental backbone of ‘Confessions’.
Some way through the track, the dimensions change a little and the pedals of the kit mold into some gentle but none the less heavy breakdowns to accompany the heavier riffs that start to punch through with the bassline providing the underlining to bring it together.
After a few months, ChemiQueen released another single to follow up from ‘Confession’ and I have to say - this is another eye opener to exactly what these guys can do. I feel like this is a world away from ‘Confessions’ with more focus on the heavier tech and progressive sound that is crafted. ‘Into The Storm’ starts with a low rumbling and the pummeling footwork of Dan to introduce the track. Victoria’s vocals are striking and swim between the ambient yet heavy strings of Gareth and Ross. There are shimmers of gorgeous synths that lace through the track that work with the emotion behind Victoria’s beautiful vocals and the stunning solo’s of guitars, which only heightens the atmospheric mood of ‘Into The Storm’.
This is a track to get lost in and I really feel that Phil’s basswork shines in this track, about halfway into the track, the low bassline works with the ambience of the synths and riffs to deliver those twists of textures within the song.
After being treated to subtle gutturals under Victoria’s vocals near the end of the track, this has left me with a better understanding of what we should expect to see coming from ChemiQueen.
They’re playing at this year’s Coalville Metal Invasion under those wonderful people at Unearthed Music… go check them out!
Watch Confession here:
Photos by Simon Hastelow Photography
Liam@unearthed-music.co.uk
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