Serpent Rider – The Ichor Of Chimaera

Serpent Rider
The Ichor Of Chimaera
Label: No Remorse Records
Out: March 28^th, 2025
Playing time: 36:14

Serpent Rider can now look back on a ten-year history. The band was founded in Los Angeles (California) under the name ‘Skyway Corsair’. It was renamed ‘Serpent Rider’ in 2017. The musicians have probably since moved to Seattle (Washington). The only remaining founding member is guitarist Brandon Corsair. After band founder Brandon Corsair and interim member Nick Varsamis, there is now a woman at the microphone: R. Villar. And it’s hard to believe that ‘The Ichor Of Chimaera’ is the band’s debut album. Previously, there was only the demo ‘Pour Forth Surquidous’ (2019) with two songs. Further songs were released on split CDs.

Fast-paced guitar introduces the opener ‘Steel Is The Answer’. These can also be heard again and again later on. However, they keep a low profile during the vocals. R. Villar’s voice sounds very gloomy. ‘Radiant’ is also faster, with the drums in particular driving forward hectically. And the guitar solos also follow this tempo. The title track ‘The Ichor Of Chimaera’ is also by far the longest. The band goes back to its roots. Heavy riffs underline the dark atmosphere of this Doom Metal epic. And the guitar solos are no less gloomy. The first single release ‘Matri Deorum’ starts quietly with a little a capella singing before an equally quiet bass melody, supported by the high-hat, kicks in. Here, too, quiet Epic Doom can be heard at first. It then speeds up a little, and R. Villar’s vocals move into slightly higher pitch ranges. And while the double bass booms, there are also fast guitar solos. ‘The Hero’s Spirit’ also impresses with its deep Doom guitars. The vocals sound unexpectedly gentle, but are still able to assert themselves against the hard doomy riffs. With ‘Tyrant’s March’ the Doom Metal area is left behind. The guitarists’ fingers literally fly over the guitar strings. R. Villar sings a duet here, presumably with Brandon Corsair. And then there’s an insane guitar solo. In the final song ‘In Spring’, Serpent Rider once again set an often incredibly high tempo. The drums in particular, but also the guitar licks, are a driving force.

I ask myself anxiously, why didn’t Serpent Rider release their debut earlier? Did they have to wait for the right line-up on the microphone first? But R. Villar joined the band back in 2019. The demo was still sung by Nick Varsamis. But the vocals clearly define the sound. And the singer simply masters everything. The calm Doom but also the fast Old School Metal. The same can also be said of the instrumental section. The question is actually, who is driving whom? The singer her instrumentalists or vice versa? ‘The Ichor Of Chimaera’ is a more than successful debut album.

Serpent Rider – Matri Deorum: https://youtu.be/Kdmah3vWVtI?si=vIVYTyVZ_YvEeuqL

Lineup:

Brandon Corsair – Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals
R. Villar – Vocals
Brian Verderber – Bass
Drake Graves – Drums
Paul Gelbach – Lead Guitars

Track list:

• Steel Is The Answer
• Radiant
• The Ichor Of Chimaera
• Matri Deorum
• The Hero’s Spirit
• Tyrant’s March
• In Spring