Right from the start the fan is welcomed by Beyond Mortal Dreams “Devastation Hymns” with the grand tittle and band name that make a huge impact. “Devastation Hymns” immeadiately addresses to Manowar’s masterpiece “Battle Hymns,” however, the sonancy is not slightly the same even though it is possible to find some iconographic resemblances. The musical impact is also huge with album opener “Arachnivore“ that shows the band to be performing a hardcore Death Metal with some ingredients of Brutal Death Metal, but with awesome, but really awesome instrumentals. By the way, the instrumentals are the thing that immeadiately catches the eye of the fan as they caught mine. “Devastation Hymns” is only an EP, but the musical brutality in it makes the fan wonders how a full-lenght would be.
The leading tone of “Devastation Hymns” is a brutal atmosphere with pungent songwriting interwoven with an awesome performing. My dear child of the night might realize that during the rhythm, the guitars and the bass follow the same lines in order to make them even heavier. “Arachnivore“ is the rapid fire that introduces the fan to the album followed by the brutal “Tormenting the Iniquitous,” the track that gets to be even heavier than the previous with hallucinotic instrumentals. Suicidal Tendencies is the band that comes to mind while hearing the blazing guitar leads interwoven with the faster-than-the-speed-of-light instrumentals. The brutality is almost the same. The guitar duel in “Fetid Beyond All Conception” made me travel to a very far place, but very far, as it reminded me of the giants Metal Church “Beyond the Black.” By the way, what a duel! It is a non-stop shredding between Pahl Hodgson and Jamie Whyte that turns out to be second to none. To some extent, it reminds me of early Slayer’s “Show No Merci” era. “Predatory Dysmorphia” is another blast with a drumming that can be said to be apothetical as it goes faster as Extreme Metal tradition requires. Drummer Matthew “Hellaeon” Butt not only plays fast, but he does some incredible things with his drum kit. The cover of Forbidden “Forbidden Evil” proves the band can be very versatile in all senses.
“Devastation Hymns” keeps Old School Death Metal brutality adding some modern stuff to it. Due to the extreme quality of its instrumentals and songwriting Beyond Mortal Dreams are the kind of band that prove Extreme Metal can be brutal and awesome at the same time.
Beyond Mortal Dreams “Devastation Hymns” will be released on June 28th via Lavadome Productions.
Track Listing:
2. Tormenting The Iniquitous
3. Fetid Beyond All Conception
4. Predatory Dysmorphia
5. Bred For Possession
6. Forbidden Evil (Forbidden Cover)
Watch “Arachnivore” official music video here:
I’m just a lucky guy who has chosen metal to live with for a long time. Metal changed my life for good. It made me more confident and stronger. Metalheads are naturally far away from the mass mediocrity and don’t accept impostures from anybody else. Metal is more than music, it’s a life changing oportunity!