Beholder
Described as ‘Spitting bile from the vaults of deceit and frustration’, Beholder are back with their strongest and most complete album to date, The Order Of Chaos! Having worked tirelessly up to this point following the release of their debut, The Awakening, back in 2009, Beholder have built up a fan base from fervent metal fans worldwide. Tours all over the UK, Europe and Scandinavia have secured their reputation on the live scene, so this album represents their hard work, grit and determination.
Stating on their one sheet that ‘Whether it is politicians, bureaucrats, celebrity, media, war tyrants, plastic faced hags, those who have simply shaped the world, or just a need for a flesh ripping zombie apocalypse fix, all are thrown into the album’, before staying that ‘this is a must for fans of True Traditional Progressive Thrash Metal’, this sounds like an album which isn’t just going to be good, it’s going to be almighty!
From the opening moments of Black Flag it’s clear that this is serious stuff, opening with a soundtrack of chaos before launching into an almighty, distorted and powerful track packed with aggression, things are set in motion. Continuing to push the boundaries of this power through Profit Of The Lie, Here I Stand and Splinter, each track seems to come as a new taste of the arsenal these guys are packing, showing that they understand power, understand what their fans want, and know how to satisfy that urge. What’s most striking though is the ability which is on show throughout, for example in the guitar work of Here I Stand, it’s beyond anything that is on offer from anyone else on the market which immediately stands Beholder out as a band to check out.
Continuing to progress through The Tale Of Eleanor Grey, Killing Machine, Morphine Serenity and Liar, the band continues to push things up notch by notch, almost testing the listener to see how far they can push things whilst at the same time, letting you know that they are 100% in control. It’s when Toxic Nation comes about though that a serious high point is reached, combining soft guitars with deep bass to open things before once again smashing you in the face with the sheer power held up within the mix. Kicking into an almightily fast mix of roaring vocals, hammering guitar work, pounding drums and rumbling bass, this is a track which is designed for the live circuit, the sort of thing which is going to get pits moving, people going mental, and a serious reputation being built for Beholder.
Closing the record with Out Of Ashes, Footprints and This Blackened Earth there’s no holding back until the album comes to a close, even the final track managing to pack a punch and leave you wanting more. Heavy yes, but also intricate, musically accurate throughout, and melodic at times – this is progressive thrash metal at its finest, and something that is sure to take the world of metal by storm.
Listening to this album it’s impossible to see how people are going to resist it, it’s got everything you could possibly want from a ‘proper’ metal record! Don’t faff about with those bands who pretend to be something they’re not, stick to Beholder, get some real music, and remember what real metal is.
To find out more about Beholder, check out their facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Stating on their one sheet that ‘Whether it is politicians, bureaucrats, celebrity, media, war tyrants, plastic faced hags, those who have simply shaped the world, or just a need for a flesh ripping zombie apocalypse fix, all are thrown into the album’, before staying that ‘this is a must for fans of True Traditional Progressive Thrash Metal’, this sounds like an album which isn’t just going to be good, it’s going to be almighty!
From the opening moments of Black Flag it’s clear that this is serious stuff, opening with a soundtrack of chaos before launching into an almighty, distorted and powerful track packed with aggression, things are set in motion. Continuing to push the boundaries of this power through Profit Of The Lie, Here I Stand and Splinter, each track seems to come as a new taste of the arsenal these guys are packing, showing that they understand power, understand what their fans want, and know how to satisfy that urge. What’s most striking though is the ability which is on show throughout, for example in the guitar work of Here I Stand, it’s beyond anything that is on offer from anyone else on the market which immediately stands Beholder out as a band to check out.
Continuing to progress through The Tale Of Eleanor Grey, Killing Machine, Morphine Serenity and Liar, the band continues to push things up notch by notch, almost testing the listener to see how far they can push things whilst at the same time, letting you know that they are 100% in control. It’s when Toxic Nation comes about though that a serious high point is reached, combining soft guitars with deep bass to open things before once again smashing you in the face with the sheer power held up within the mix. Kicking into an almightily fast mix of roaring vocals, hammering guitar work, pounding drums and rumbling bass, this is a track which is designed for the live circuit, the sort of thing which is going to get pits moving, people going mental, and a serious reputation being built for Beholder.
Closing the record with Out Of Ashes, Footprints and This Blackened Earth there’s no holding back until the album comes to a close, even the final track managing to pack a punch and leave you wanting more. Heavy yes, but also intricate, musically accurate throughout, and melodic at times – this is progressive thrash metal at its finest, and something that is sure to take the world of metal by storm.
Listening to this album it’s impossible to see how people are going to resist it, it’s got everything you could possibly want from a ‘proper’ metal record! Don’t faff about with those bands who pretend to be something they’re not, stick to Beholder, get some real music, and remember what real metal is.
To find out more about Beholder, check out their facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls