#SingleReview: Chainlacing – Alterity

Artist: Chainlacing
Title: Alterity
Label: Dwelling Productions
Release date: November 10th, 2026
Country: Boston, USA
Format reviewed: High-quality digital recording

#SingleReview: Chainlacing – Alterity via Dwelling Productions for #METALMOMENTUM by Pegah

Chainlacing released a new single, “Alterity”, a few days ago via Dwelling Productions. Since I reviewed their latest album, “Messuage”, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at their new single, too. Lauren Crosser, Chainlacing’s female vocalist, who also wrote the lyrics, explains how the track came to her mind: Almost got lost in the woods in the purple and gold light of Fall in Exeter, in November 2026. That is how this track was written.”

What impressed me most was the title of this track, “Alterity”. The term refers to the state of being “other” or “different” from the self, and this sense of “otherness” can shape identity and social relations. As the French sociologist and philosopher Jean Baudrillard also mentions, “Alterity is a precious and transcendent element and its loss would seriously impoverish a world culture of increasing sameness and arrogant, insular cultural narcissism.”

Back to the track, its overall atmosphere feels a bit different from that of “Messuage.” There’s a sense of energy and movement in the soundscape. As for the vocals, I enjoyed Lauren’s voice even more than in the band’s previous work. It feels ethereal, yet carries a weight of being. Although I’ve previously described her voice as suggesting a sense of suspension, in “Alterity” it evokes a sense of belonging.

The video also captures the idea of “otherness” in a meaningful way: Lauren covers her head with a black veil that obscures her eyes, while the fence suggests a separation between the inner and outer worlds of the “self”. This track reminds us not to be afraid of our other selves. It’s inevitable that we change or conceal some layers of ourselves while bringing others to the surface. It isn’t about wearing a mask or playing a role; it’s about adjusting to the situation and change for good. 9/10

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9/10  Epic Storm
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