REVIEW: Chevelle - Bright As Blasphemy

About what you'd expect from Chevelle.

39:27 // August 15, 2025 // Alchemy Recordings

Three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and a solid Chevelle album. For the last two and half decades, Chevelle has been one of the most consistent bands in the alternative metal scene. From their heavier breakout with Wonder What’s Next to their more progressive front of NIRATIAS, the band has nailed nearly every flavor of alternative metal they’ve taken on. Now, in 2025, Bright As Blasphemy is next in line for brothers Sam and Pete Loeffler. Do they continue to settle into their groove, or is this the first misstep in the long standing discography of Chevelle?

Plainly put, this sounds like exactly what you’d expect from a Chevelle record. The balance of driving and punchy riffs with complementing guitar leads and vocal melodies found aplenty. Drum work that stays in the pocket with simple yet powerful grooves continues to guide each track effectively. Just on the surface, the brothers quickly settle into their niche of music and showcase their songwriting that has remained consistent for years. This time around, however, a bit of each era has found its way into the mix. “Rabbit Hole (Cowards, Pt. 1)” and “AI Phobias” have that futuristic guitar lead/riff and energetic groove that fall in line with the modern implementations of their previous record, NIRATIAS. Heavier tracks like “Shocked at the End of the World” and “Jim Jones (Cowards, Pt. 2)” follow the formula of The North Corridor as they rely on aggressive riffs that find their home at the lower end of the guitar and bass necks. “Wolves (Love and Light)” matches the high energy and intensity of This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) while “Hallucinations” steeps itself in reverb and slow burn progression similar to the slower jams of La Gargola.

However, this blend of sounds also lends itself to problems. By about the midway point of Bright As Blasphemy, Chevelle’s style feels like it’s spread thin. While it’s still a consistent songwriting exposition, it also falls into this autopilot sensation. After the first three songs’ strong display with a punchy opening from “Pale Horses,” the middle third sounds quite lackluster. “Hallucinations,” though a beautiful nod to that atmosphere driven sound of La Gargola, fails to deliver a climatic ending, instead building tension with no release. Though “Wolves (Love and Light)” establishes itself as the primary barnburner of the album, the constant barrage of double bass and riffing loses its charm as the track’s pattern and formula overstays its welcome. And “Karma Goddess,” even though it has some of the most interesting ideas on the record with the sprawling guitar pitches in the intro and infectious groove in the bridge, the song can’t escape from its own refrain as the chorus riff and variations of it plague nearly the entire duration. Mind you, none of these songs are necessarily bad, but they feel like a stale and middling recollection of Chevelle’s style.

But then the final third kicks in, sounding fresh and revitalized. “Blood in the Fields” takes a dark and haunting turn with its metallic acoustic passages and eerie vocal melodies that croon the track’s title through the refrain full of pangs of emotion and desperation. The progressive build of subtle orchestration and growing war-like drums add to the feeling of loss and establish the song as the most unique of Bright As Blasphemy. The Muse-y, pulsating groove of “AI Phobias” masters the futuristic tinge of NIRATIAS and toes the line between building tension and exploding into a massive chorus riff. Alongside this, the vocals throughout the track stand out as one of the significant highlights of the record, accentuated by hints of aggression and soaring melodies that complement the guitar leads sprinkled throughout. Closer “Shocked at the End of the World” grounds itself in songwriting dynamics, shifting from high-energy stick work and riffing to a slow and punishing groove reminiscent of works from The North Corridor. The final moments of the track deviate from the typical formula of the record and launch into a different riff featuring tremolo and powerful drum chops, finishing with a strong and heavy conclusion.

With the most recent addition to their catalog, Chevelle find themselves comfortably in their lane, cruising by with their typical flare of alternative metal with strong hooks and heavy riffs. Though they never deviate far from the path, they continue to put out consistent release after consistent release. While Bright As Blasphemy doesn’t break new ground for the band, it does build upon their more futuristic focus established on their previous output while implementing sounds from throughout their sprawling discography. It won’t cement itself as Chevelle’s magnum opus, but it’s certain to notch itself nicely in their prolific career.

7/10