Chalice (band)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Defunct | 2007 |
| Headquarters | Adelaide , Australia |
| Products | Gothic-doom metal music, albums, EPs |
Chalice was a Gothic-doom metal ensemble originating from Adelaide, South Australia, active between 1997 and 2007. Throughout their decade-long career, they issued three full-length albums and stood out as one of Australia's leading Gothic metal bands.
The group was established in late 1996 by vocalist and keyboardist Shiralee Morgan alongside drummer Adrian Bickle, following their departure from the band Jeneaha. Initial members also featured guitarists Sean Graetz and Darren McLennan (previously with Adelaide’s Fury), bassist Mark Bodossian, and violinist Russell. Their first album, Chronicles of Dysphoria, garnered attention from Melbourne-based label Modern Invasion after the initial recording sessions. When McLennan left to concentrate on Fury, Justin Hartwig took over guitar duties, while Alannah Probert replaced the violinist with flute performances. The album underwent re-recording with new arrangements before its 2000 release through Modern Invasion. That same year, Chalice appeared at Canberra’s Metal for the Brain festival.
In 2001, they recorded their sophomore album, which was released in October alongside a headlining slot on the Metal for the Brain main stage. Soon after, Bodossian exited the band and Simon Henderson stepped in as bassist for an east coast tour in early 2002; Bodossian subsequently joined the UK doom outfit Esoteric.
Chalice completed their third studio work, Augmented, in 2003. This album featured contributions from cellist Joel Baligod and Spanish guitarist Joss Separovic (of Infernal Method) on the track "Child of the Matador". That year also saw them supporting international acts Opeth and Mayhem during their Australian tours.
In 2005, drummer Adrian Bickle departed and was succeeded by Matt Enright. The band embarked on a New Zealand tour that year and finalized an EP by mid-2006 titled The Calm That Was the Storm. This release included string arrangements by the Zephyr Quartet and marked Alannah Probert’s final participation before leaving the group. A music video was produced for the title track. After nearly twelve months of inactivity, guitarist Justin Hartwig announced in May 2007 that he and several other members had parted ways with Morgan, effectively dissolving Chalice and forming a new band named Black Orchid. Morgan has expressed intentions to continue with separate musical ventures.