Chalk talk us through new album and.. how they leave their mark

Belfast trio’s sound is sheer Bliss

Chalk are exhausting. Every track the Belfast trio have unveiled to date is a challenging listen – utterly relentless in ideas, the physicality of the drumming, the wailing vocals, the unyielding sense of dread. It’s music which could soundtrack one being chased.

Let’s take a listen to the lead track on their new EP, Conditions II.

It’s called The Gate and it opens with a particularly distressing scream followed by accusation, Ross Cullen claiming, ‘you told me I could never love again’.

The guitars are metallic, the beats seemingly increasing in speed, the synth and bass growling throughout.

Yet the most uneasy moment is saved for the end – when the entire track begins to cut in and out.

It’s incredibly unnerving.

I can’t think of a single band from this part of the world who manage to load so much intensity into everything they do.

Astonishingly, that intensity is maintained across every track (two EPS to date) – various shades of darkness on display, the band flitting between weirdly anthemic dancefloor bangers, straight-up post-punk, doom rock and industrial electronica.

On Bliss – a collaboration with vocalist fears – they finally give in to melody, a gorgeous guitar riff and poignant vocal creating something oddly beautiful from within all that darkness.

No one from here, and few from beyond, have sounded like Chalk.

They are a joyous prospect, despite the uncompromising gloom.

On stage, it’s everything you’d hope for – shapes and strobes, plenty of black – the ‘Best Live Act’ gong they picked up at the NI Music Prize acting as proof.

Long may they continue to cause a little distress.

Conditions II from Chalk is available to stream now. The band play The

There’s messages in every song through our lyrics but we want the feeling & emotion of it to come through more.

Limelight this day fortnight – Friday, April 12.

Here’s a Q&A with the band to celebrate just that…

How does a track with so much going on like The Gate come together? Do you start writing something like that with a guitar or is it all done in the studio?

The first part of the track written was the ending so we started working backwards, which happens often. We worked in a breakbeat loop and started to add guitars and other sounds.

It came about fairly quickly, the vocal and lyrics were the very last addition.

Where do you get your beats?

Our drummer Luke comes up with a lot of the drum material. Sometimes we will sample breakbeats and put our own spin on them or have Luke re-record them in his own style.

Is it frustrating the lyrics to your music will always have to do battle with the insane production?

It’s not so much a frustration but more of a challenge when there’s lots of production happening.

On Conditions II there’s a few quieter moments which shine a light on the lyrics and vocals more.

There’s messages in every song through our lyrics but we want the feeling and emotion of it to come through in the music more.

You’re given £50k that you have to spend on production for a show. What are you spending it on?

We’d probably put most of it into lighting and haze machines. Strobes and back lighting in particular and a director to piece it all together.

Creating an atmosphere is a big part of our live show.

Talk me through your plans for 2024.

We’ve just wrapped up our UK Tour – we have one more show in Belfast, then we’re playing some Irish dates with SPRINTS. The summer is busy with some festivals and recording new material.