Sean McLennan

Since 2010, Midwest post-black metal outfit Chrome Waves have consistently expanded their sound, subtly shifting their songwriting dynamics and overall expression with each release. Through experimenting with different instruments, layering string work, combining both soft and harsh vocals, and not limiting themselves in the process, the band follow their writing instincts, tracking what flows best for each collection of songs.

Although the post black metal genre tag gives the listener a general idea of the band’s sound, labeling Chrome Waves, in many ways, diminishes the value of what they actually achieve within their songs. Initially inspired by bands like The Cure, Slowdive, and My Bloody Valentine, the members of Chrome Waves, earlier on, wanted to take that post-punk, shoegaze sound, and put a heavier spin on it. After sticking with it for some years, the band developed their own, unique, foundation to branch out from.

Combining vulnerability and a sense of despondency with layers of alluring instrumentation on their latest full-length, Earth Will Shed Its Skin, Chrome Waves continues to successfully create songs that are as refreshing as they are moving. The new album offers six somberly defined tracks, all merging together to generate the band’s most poignant atmosphere to date.

Chrome Waves guitarist, keyboardist, and songwriter, Jeff Wilson, acknowledges how the band has been pigeon-holed as a specific style, but doesn’t allow that to dictate the way he writes.

“I’m just always trying to look ahead… not trying to do the same thing over and over again,” says Wilson.

“I don’t necessarily want to stick to the same style… We’re already working on a new EP, which is probably gonna be the heaviest thing we’ve done so far. After that, I’m already starting to think about a new album, and that’ll be a complete U-turn in a different direction.”

After years of working with different projects such as Nachtmystium, Abigail Williams, and Wolvhammer, Wilson finds himself in a place where he’s writing more fluidly, without overthinking. With his primary focus being to build the sound of Chrome Waves, he appreciates the fact that, to him, “It’s not restrictive.”

“We don’t really go meticulously through things, over and over again. It’s more spur-of-the-moment improv.”

After working alongside a variety of different musicians within the black/death metal realm, and learning a lot from those experiences, Wilson has really been able to hone his writing capabilities.

“I’m not going to sit on a song for years and try to make it perfect. I’ve done that in other bands before ,and it’s just not satisfying to me. By the time I sit on something for six months, I already want to go to something else,” Wilson expresses.

“I’ve spent so much of the past 15 years being frustrated with situations when it comes to bands, with this one, I just don’t want to do that anymore… If the music’s good, then the music’s good.”

There’s a great working chemistry that currently exists between Wilson and Chrome Waves members James Benson (vocals, guitars) and Zion Meagher (bass, vocals) that has become noticeably more cohesive on Earth Will Shed Its Skin. As the album progresses, each song grows more potent than the one prior, and to that, Wilson states: “I would much rather think about a record as a whole. The way things flow is more important to me than the song itself.”

To break things up and make certain songs a bit more dynamic, the band incorporated instruments such as the trumpet, saxophone, lap steel, and 12-string acoustics. The band took their sound in a heavier direction, instead of the more post-rock-leaning vibe of their album prior, The Rain Will Cleanse. With that, they made use of two songs (“Forward” and “Broken”) that didn’t fit the vibe of that album.

“They went on the bookends of the album, and I just worked towards the middle. I was trying to think of a way to make it different, so we just added some instruments that we haven’t used before. We added a lap steel on this one; there’s a lot of 12 string acoustic, more synthesizers, and stuff, just to break things up from being guitar heavy-building dynamic, having things go up and down.”

Purchase Earth Will Shed Its Skin here, and follow Chrome Waves here.