Chainlacing‘s astonishing debut Messuage covers all the bases of ethereal darkwave: hazy vocals, gothic atmospherics, and layers of Slowdive-esque guitar.
Release date: June 19, 2026 | These Hands Melt Records | Bandcamp | Instagram | Website | YouTube
The first time I looked at New England duo Chainlacing‘s Bandcamp page, I was immediately drawn to their striking visuals. Monochromatic and wistful in just the right places, every single snapshot of cover art for their discography also shares the same mysterious aesthetic. The gothic serif font of their band’s logo is not unlike the typeface used for the now-iconic Slowdive band logo, and for damn good reason.
When listening to Messuage, Chainlacing‘s jaw-dropping debut full-length, distant echoes of the early ’90s alternative scene linger like a ghost, reminding us of a time when grunge hadn’t quite devoured the music landscape just yet – when dreamy 4AD acts Cocteau Twins, Pale Saints, and Lush were poised to be the next big thing in rock. Yet there is a darker undercurrent that runs beneath Lauren Crosser and Rick Martel’s ethereal, mysterious style. Slowdive comparisons notwithstanding, Messuage taps into the other side of early ’90s music: gothic rock and especially dark wave. In fact, I’d argue that Chainlacing expertly combine both elements – the brooding and the ethereal – without losing focus of what makes their sound work.
Messuage‘s opening song, “Petty Pleas”, is where the gothic rock worship is most audible. Its thick whirr of guitar atmospherics alongside the pounding of fast-paced drums are post-punk distilled to its biggest traits. Better yet is Martel’s baritone voice, which sounds akin to that of Killing Joke‘s vocalist Jaz Coleman, only cleaner. I also happen to dig Chainlacing‘s chewy electric bass tone, which can thankfully be heard on other tracks besides this solid opener.
Where this album becomes a bit more fascinating is when “Overdetermined” comes on and switches lead vocalists. Crosser’s voice complements the track’s more evocative atmosphere pretty well. It’s also a much more low-key, midtempo cut that prepares us for the drastic tonal shifts found in “Sidon” (formerly titled “Preacher”). When the guitars, bass, and synth layers dogpile on top of each other at specific points of “Sidon”, that’s where I can detect hints at a heavier sound in their future (after all, they did do a live show with Have a Nice Life), at least until the lo-fi acoustics of “Fragile” gently ring through the headphones.
The back half of the album lacks the hooks found within the first four tracks, but this dearth is more than made up for with just how trippy its nocturnal atmosphere gets. “Simulacra” lathers itself up with guitar jangle, whereas the equally dreamy gloom of “Stay” touches upon programmed drums that stay (pun not intended) light in the mix. Messuage‘s final moment, “Empty Cages”, sees Martel go back to lead vocals, a nice way to bookend the project, even as Crosser’s heavenly vocals blur through his.
To address the elephant in the room, lyrics are nowhere to be found on their Bandcamp page, and to try to make them out in the music itself would be torturous given how obscured the voices are. I definitely think that’s part of the charm with Chainlacing, though – much like Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine, the musicians prefer to let all vocals be submersed into the rest of the music, treated as if they’re an instrument. Given that it’s virtually impossible to research their lyrics, I’m left thinking that this was the intention, which I really appreciate. If anything, it only adds to the mystery of Messuage‘s impenetrable, gloomy haze.
