Description

Skin Chamber – Trial – Cassette

The short-lived alt-industrial metal duo Skin Chamber consisted of a pair of members from New York’s Controlled Bleeding: Paul Lemos and Chris Moriarity. While Controlled Bleeding was on hold due to a label dispute with their former record label, Wax Trax!, the duo decided to form a side project to vent their pent-up anger.

A deal with Roadrunner Records quickly resulted, as the duo issued a pair of releases for the label, 1991’s Wound and 1993’s Tail, before splitting up the project and returning back to Controlled Bleeding. Despite a short recording career, many industrial/thrash metallists point to Wound as one of the genre’s most overlooked and admired releases of the decade.

By the early 1990s, industrial metal was gaining traction, with bands like Ministry, Godflesh, and Nine Inch Nails pushing the boundaries of heavy music by integrating electronic and industrial elements. Skin Chamber’s Trial emerged in this context, but with a distinctly different approach compared to their contemporaries. Rather than focusing on the more mechanical or electronic side of industrial music, Skin Chamber emphasized a raw, visceral sound that was heavily distorted, slow, and oppressive.

Paul Lemos and Chris Moriarty brought their experience from Controlled Bleeding, known for their eclectic and often extreme output, into Skin Chamber. This project allowed them to explore the extremes of sonic brutality, resulting in an album that is both challenging and compelling.
Musical Style and Themes:

Trial is characterized by its dense, punishing soundscapes, which blend distorted guitars, guttural vocals, and pounding, almost tribal drum patterns with industrial noise elements. The album’s production is intentionally raw and abrasive, creating a suffocating atmosphere that aligns well with the themes of despair, pain, and existential dread that pervade the lyrics.

The music on Trial is slower and more deliberate compared to much of the fast-paced industrial metal of the time. It has a sludge-like quality, with thick, grinding riffs that create a sense of relentless heaviness. The vocals are often buried in the mix, distorted and echoing, adding to the overall sense of unease and menace.

Key Tracks:

‘On a Drunk’: This track opens the album with a powerful statement. It’s a slow, crushing song that sets the tone for the rest of the album. The oppressive atmosphere and tortured vocals create a bleak soundscape that immerses the listener in Skin Chamber’s world of despair.

‘Bleached Bones’: A standout track, ‘Bleached Bones’ combines harsh industrial noise with grinding metal riffs. The repetitive, hypnotic structure of the song, coupled with its intense aggression, makes it one of the more memorable pieces on the album.

‘Swallowing Scrap Metal’: This track exemplifies the band’s ability to create a sound that is both chaotic and meticulously controlled. The mix of grinding riffs and industrial noise elements creates a soundscape that feels both mechanical and organic, as if the music itself is struggling to break free from its own constraints.

‘Slow Crime’: One of the more dynamic tracks on the album, ‘Slow Crime’ fluctuates between crushing heaviness and moments of eerie quiet, showcasing the band’s skill at building tension and creating atmosphere.

‘Throb’: This track is particularly notable for its rhythmic, almost tribal drumming, which underpins the industrial noise and creates a driving force that propels the song forward. The repetitive, pounding beat gives it a hypnotic quality, drawing the listener deeper into the dark, oppressive soundscape.

Trial didn’t achieve widespread commercial success but it was influential within the industrial and extreme metal underground. The album is often praised for its uncompromising approach to blending industrial noise with extreme metal, and it remains a cult classic for fans of both genres.

Skin Chamber only released one more album, Wound (1993), before disbanding, but Trial remains their most well-known work. It’s an album that appeals to those who appreciate the more abrasive and experimental side of industrial music, as well as fans of the darker, heavier aspects of metal.

For listeners seeking an album that pushes the boundaries of industrial and metal into truly dark and oppressive territory, Trial is a quintessential listen, offering a raw and unfiltered exploration of the darker aspects of human experience.

Song List
1. On A Drunk
2. Throb
3. Bleached Bones
4. Torturous Wolrd
5. Sloven
6. Glisten
7. Slow Crime
8. Trial
9. Swallowing Scrap Metal